NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1235, 18 September 1911, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Illy Tcli'srapU—Prcss Association.) « AFFAIR ON THE SUMNER BAR, FATHER I,'ISKY EXPLOIT. Christchurch, September 16. The motor-launch Kingfisher, owned by Beswick Bre-s., was swamped on the Sumner bar this morning. Tli? launch was faicon round from Lyttelton yesterday, but tho bur was then dangerous, and she returned to port this morning, She appeared again oft' Sumner, i-vidontly with the intention of going across the bar. A strong nor'-wester was raisins a big roll iat tho time, and the signals wore against her. The pilot endeavoured to make it clear that a crossing would be extremely perilous, but the crew decided to take the bar, and stood in. When she was fairly in the roll a big wave curved over her, stopping tho engine. The crew then cast anchor, and the Sumner lifeboat was promptly manned and put off, and th? crow were taken ashore with some little trouble. The launch had to be left at anchor, and this afternoon she was jnst floating. It was thought probable that, when the tide went down, she would hump heavily, and that she might easily ho wrecked.

CHURCH RUINED BY THE BORER. BORER. Timaru, September 16. The Primitive Methodist Church building, part of which was erected in 1874, has been condemned by the borough buildings surveyor as unsafe for use owing to tho weakening of the timber by pineborer. It is to be removed within three months, and the last service in it will bo held on Sunday. The congregation will not rebuild at present, but will await the result of the union movement, hiring a hall in the meantime.

NO "DEMERIT" FOR THEM. Christchurch, September IG. At a meeting of tho Tramway Employees' Union delegates to the Trades Council were instructed to ask the council to approach the Government with a view to having a clause inserted in the, Tramways Act making it impossible to l have such a system as the "demerit system" (as known in Canterbury in particular) applicable to any public service in the Dominion. Mr. .T. Young, secretary of the Tramways Employees' Union, who left for Wellington to-night, was instructed to interview the members of the federation, there asking thsir co-operation in obtaining an award for the whole Dominion.

CHRISTCHURCH BATHS. Christchurch, September IG. Receipts from the Municipal Tepid Baths show a gratifying increase during tho year 1910-11. Tho total receipts amounted to £SS-t as compared with £5G2 for tho previous twelve months. The details for 1910-11, as compared with those for 1909-10 (given in parentheses),. are:— Season tickets, ISS (10), ,CG7 (.£17); boys and girls, 2952 (2120), .€l-17 (£100); adults, 5933 (37G9), £29G (£ISS); single tickets, 8G25 (GI07), .£215 (£1G0). The attendances represented are:—Boys and girls, 11,808 (SiSO); adults, 17,799 (11,307). CHRISTCHURCH BUILDING. Christchurch, September IG. The municipal debt of Christchurch on March 31 last was £4-11,262, as compared with .£-129,412 on March 31, 1910. The building permits issued by the City Council during the year ended March 31 last numbered 57G, the buildings being valued at £2G5,300. Tho previous year's figures were -170 permits; value of buildings. .£209,0-10. During 1910-11 permits for buildings valued at ,C!tD.2GO were issued in the Central Ward; £18,575 in tho Linwood Ward; £99,135 in tho St. Albans Ward; .C-15,330 in the Sydenham Ward. . BENEFICIAL; SOAKING. Ashburton, September 17. After a three-quarter-inch fall oil Wednesday and intermittent showers during Saturday night, rain set in again at Ashburton "about nine o'clock this morning, and continued steadily throughout the , day. It will be most beneficial to the country generally, and a gcod growth of nil vegetation will now rapidly take place. At five o'clock there were no signs of cessation, OLD RESIDENT MISSING. Palmerston N., September IG. An old resident of the district, Mr. J. Bogan, has b?en missing from his home at Stone.v Creole fc-r three nights. He was last seen on his way from Ashhurst to his home. It is thought he may have wandered into the Manawatu Gcrge. The police are searching.