CHRISTCHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 155, 25 March 1908, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH.

mi ' t,. , •• March 23. Tho Ripple arrived at Lrttelton on Saturday afternoon after , .an exceptionally stormy passage from the Chatham Islands. 1 The vessel ran into tho gale on Tlnirsday morning. She received a very severe'handling from tho terrific seas, but readied port without' suffering , any damage.' She had 1300 sheep on board, .which had a bud time, but none died on tho passage. , ' Size of Cornsacks. • Mr; M. White, one of the delegates from the South Canterbury / Chamber of Commerce/who attended' tho conference held at Oamaru on tho size of cornsacks, speaking at the meeting of the Timaru A. and P. Association on! Saturday, said that the first thing discussed 'was whether they could in'duee the Government to alter their' proposals. They camo to the conclusion that it would be useless to attempt to do bo, as

two years ago the Government decided to reduce the weight to bo carried, imd had expressed their determination. to stand by what they had dono. There was an outcry about . insufficient iiotieo of the change of sack having being given.' The 'Government then agreed to givo ample notice, and they had done so. In-Australia tin Government had limited tho weight to 2001b., and importers were, allowed to bring in 2001b. . .sacks free, of duty, while on other sacks 15 per cent, duty had .to be paid. The at Oamaru endeavoured to'fix upon a sack, tho size of which would suit all parties. ■ A sack, 41in. by 23Jin. was first proposed, but it was said that a seek of this. size-'would not suit-New Zealand in a. wet: season. .A sack 44in. by 24} in. was next .proposed, but the millers were against this, because they could not get 2001b. of flour in such a sack, and would not, therefore, be able to buy sacks from farmers ill • which grain: was delivered. Tho next sizo. proposed was 46in. by 24$ in., and • tljis met with the approval of all parties at tho conference. ' Millers, grain merchants, and farmers' representatives at Chiistchurch, Oamaru, and.Timaru, had been experimenting with the. sizo of sack, and found it to answer very. well. Into it 2001k ,of flour could, be: packed; 1501b. of bran could be packed, and 1501b. of pollard could bo ,;put in without -(packing. Immediately aftor the. Oamaru conference a cablegram had been sent to Sydney advising tho Cliambor' of Commerce there of what had been agreed upon, and suggesting that Australia should adopt;a sack of similar sizo, so that they would be interchangeable between the two countries.. ,The proposed new' sack would bo. of the same quality as the present one. It would weigh 2Jlb., and would bo proportionately cheaper: than tlio old one. ./Vs.-' it. .was likely that there would be ■ a good many old sacks carried over, tho Premier would' be _asked ,to ; carry these old sacks, on-the, railways at 'the old rate for ono year. . ; .. March 24. Magnetic. Survey. , , Messrs. H; 'F., Skev, of the ''Magnetic Observatory, and-Mr. E.-Kidson, of ithe Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of 1 the Carnogio . Institution, left- last .night by : the Ripplo/for tho Chatham Islands. Mr. Skey informed a "Press" representative that the New Zealand Government, having decided to extend tho'magnetic'survey of Now Zealand to tho . Chatham" Islands, liavo arranged with him, to undertake the ,work. Dr. L. A. Bauer, director of tho Carnegie Institution, has givon permission for. Mr. Kidson, who recently entered the:-service of the instituto accompany Mr; Skey on ■ tho • ex-' peditioii. llr. Skey and Mr. Kidson expect to be away for. about fivo weeks, and will establish about fifteen stations-at the islands; in ..order'to mifke the work as.'completo as possible. The work is an important one, and will be of-much value in the compilation of tho. new charts which arc to bo issued by. the •Admiralty. . '.. ..v,'Christmas Clfts. | ' • ■ 'During tho ■ Te.' Orariga inquiry, tho matron Said .that money subscribed' by tho public for providing Christmas faro ' was'not- always spent for that purposo, because tho inmates of: the 'Homo were amply supplied with gifts' and; food' by other; donations. She therefore .put tho isparc.' morioy'aside, and devoted it -to-, the layiiig-down'of a tennis court.. \ Somo' discussion arose as to ;tho legality. of such a use (of the funds;'• • fho ' niatroil explained that not only had she bought a piano, and laid'down' a-.tennis court; but that sho intended to have a swimming batli constructed that -would - wist £300. .She had £94, and would need £150 bofore, with the Govern--mont's assistance, she could build-the bath'; Tho funds'were subscribed by only a'-few of the public, and they were ail in sympathy with her uso of tho money they'had given.