General News

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21084, 8 February 1934, Page 8

General News

Damage to Poplar Growth. A watch is being kept with a view to prosecuting stock owners who are allowing their sheep to damage the poplar growth along the Eyre river, the engineer of the Waimakariri River Trust reported yesterday. Complaints had been received about sheep grazing in the top end of the Eyre diversion and the Eyre bed. The owners of the stock had been warned. The Steamer Express. Sir Philip Game, Governor of New South Wales, who is at present on a visit to Christchurch, considers that the steamer express service between the North and South Islands is too good to be called a ferry service. In an interview with "The Press" yesterday he said that he had been delighted with the comfort end efficiency of the Wahine, on which he came to Christchurch yesterday morning. "You should not call her a ferry steamer," he added. "Something much better is required." He approved of the name "steamer express." Level of Lake Ellesmere. "The height of Lake Ellesmere is now three inches on the gauge, having risen 10 inches since December 5," the secretary of the Ellesmere Land Drainage Board stated in his report to the board yesterday. This was a small rise considering the amount of rain since Christmas and the high floods in the Selwyn river, the report added. The total rise since the outlet closed on October 1 had been 12 inches. Transport to Bottle Lake. That the North Canterbury Hospital Board had called tenders for the operation of the two infectious disease ambulances which are used to transport patients to Bottle Lake Hospital, was mentioned by the chairman (Dr. J. Restell Thomas), at a meeting of the general committee of the Canterbury and West Coast Centre of the St. John Ambulance Association last, evening. Dr. Thomas suggested that the association should either tender for the work, now that it. had the facilities, or offer to lake over the entire running of the ambulances for the board. It was suggested that possibly there would be oilier tenderers, and the association would be belter advised to tender itself. The matter was referred to the executive committee to act. A Shower of Old Coins. Since the publication of particulars of an old coin in the general news columns of "Tlu Press" two days ago, a shower of old coins has descended on "The Press" ojTice. The most ancient of these coins is a Queen Anne shilling of 1711, in an excellent state of preservation. Another correspondent has sent in particulars of a halfpenny of 1754 and a threepenny bit of 1762. A twopenny bit, and a coin of the value of a penny halfpenny have come to hand. A half-crown of 1816 has been described, and a brooch made from a crown piece of 1813. Beside these venerable tokens, a half-crown of 182 C, though it is 108 years old, looks youthful. A Drizzling Rain. Practically all parts of Canterbury had light, drizzling showers of rain yesterday morning. The afternoon in most places was fine, but the showers came on again in the evening. In no case was the rain accompanied by wind, and in a majority of districts it was not enough' to put a stop to farm work. The rain ceased before midnight, and early this morning the sky showed signs of clearing,.

Ambulance Headquarters,

To allow the general public tin: opportunity of inspecting the new headquarters of the St. John Ambulance Association in Christchurch, it has been decided to open the building in Peterborough street on the afternoon ot the first Wednesday in each month. This was suggested by Mr E. 11. Mnrriner at a meeting of the general committee of the Canterbury and West Coast centre of the association last evening. Mr Marriner mentioned that many persons had been enquiring about such an arrangement, and since it waj; being done in other centres, he thought that the building could be opened to the public in Christchurch. It was suggested by Mr H. L. Bowker that the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Philip Game, and Lady Game, during their present visit to Christchurch, should be invited to visit the association's headquarters.

High Price for Section

More than £ 100 an acre had been paid for an' area of 40 acres in their district, the chairman of the Ellesmere Land Drainage Board (Mr J. Sharp) said at a meeting of the board yesterday morning. The land was not highly improved and he had seen threeparts of it under water. "Someone has faith in the country yet," he commented. "We all have faith in the country," a member declared.

Cranes for Lyttelton,

When the question of securing electric cranes for the new breastwork at Lyttelton was mentioned ot the meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday, Captain H. Monro said that as large numbers of shipbuilding companies at Home had either amalgamated or gone out of business, electric cranes there "stood like forests," and he was satisfied that the board would save money if it was to send its engineers Home to buy the cranes that would be wanted for the breastwork. They would then secure exactly what they wanted, and it would be better than buying the cranes through an agent. The suggestion was noted.

Art Gallery Catalogue.

During the 18 months since the Robert McDougall Art Gallery was opened the 171,000 persons who have visited it have had to depend on a typewritten catalogue as a guide to the pictures. Now, however, full information is available from a printed catalogue which has been published by authority of the City Council, and printed by Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd. A good selection of the important pictures in the collection is presented by the many photographic reproductions, and the notes to the pictui'es are informative. In an accompanying note to the catalogue, Dr. G. M. L. Lester, president of the Canterbury Society of Arts, writes:—"The pictures enumerated in this catalogue by no means fill the gallery, and there is plenty of room on its walls for the many fine pictures which, : t is to be hoped, will in the future be presented to the city."

Taxi fares are to be raised by the City Council, who has been given this power, but every reader of this paper should note that the Gold Band Taxis are the ones that object and that you should ride only in Gold Band Taxis as they are responsible for the present low fares of Is. —1