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Evening Star, Issue 15066, 24 December 1912, Page 4

There will be no publication of the Lvening Star' to-morrow. The manner in which meat is conveyed from the railway station to the butchers' shops at Port Chalmers was mentioned at last night's meeting of the Borough Council by Cr Stevenson, who said that as the result of the, council's efforts some timo ago trie carting of meat was. much improved in method. The other day. however, he had seen the meat conveyed in a very unsatisfactory manner. As the result* of these statements the borough inspector was instructed to deal with the matter. This morning the carting contractor called on the local representative of this journal, and said that he was so careful about the carting of meat that he kept a covcred-in van for the exclusive purpose of conveying moat to the shops. Mr Paulin's forecast:—S.W. to X.W. winds, and some rain showers. A fruit broker states that the arrival of a. consignment of Island bananas for the Christmas trade has proved very disappointing to consignees. The fruit was discharged from the, boat yesterday, and placed on the market this morning. It was very green, and met with a poor demand. Instead of realising up to 14s a case, it sold for about 8s a case. The broker says that the loss to importers runs into about £6OO.

Our "Wellington correspondent wire* • The finances of Wellington City for 1912 will, states the Mayor (Mr D.M'Laren), show a satisfactory result when the final figures are made up. Special expenditure ot a. non-recurring character, such as a £I.OOO contribution to the National Art Gallery fund and the building of the euc--1 fish lnarket > has totalled nearly £4,000, but the. year will end with a, balance on the right eide. Mr M'Lajon quotes the following figures of a- general nature to show the "city's position • Capital values, £18,228,584; unimproved values, £3,991,484; value of improvements. £8,236,900. The total assets of the corporation (not including reserves) amount to £.1,068.670. The public debt of the city amounts to £2.272,050. The .sinking funds at present stand at £231,178. The depreciation fund of the tramways is shown as £87,560, and the depreciation fund of the electric lighting at £29.540. " With respect to the tramways, in which are sunk over half a. million of capital, I am glad to be able to sav that we have got over the stage of having a deficit, and the last return presented to me shows that, even with the increased charges we have had to meet this year, we have now a credit balance of £1.950."

At the conclusion of the Police Court business this morning the Magistrate (Mr 11. Y. Widdowson) wished the police and Press representatives the compliments of the season, ami expressed the hope that they would enjoy a prosperous New Year. The before the timber industry of the West Coast is a most encouraging one. Orders from Australia recent lv to hand indicate an increasing demand" for nmu, and as a result the mills will resume operations with the New Year, cutting largely, independent of home consumption? at prices in advance of previous operations. New markets have also been exploited in the Dominion, more particularly in the Auckland Province, and as a result orders have been placed for a verv considerable quantity to be shipped during January and February, more'particularly in the class known as "offcuts." The average sawmiller in the past has been cutting- out the bush and selling the product at a price bnrelv sufficient to keep the null going. All this is likelv to be altered immediately by an all-round advance of Is per 100, which, after all, will only enable the miller to obtain a reasonable Teturn for .the capital involved and write off a proportionate amount as the bush is worked out. Several millers who previously stood out have now joined the association.

! There has been very solid traffic on the railway since the middle of last week. The local staff are having a busy time at 'present. Yesterday the two North expresses had on board 540 passengers, while 055 travelled South. The bookings to-day were not quite so heavy as yesterday. The public are now beginning "to realise that it is a wise plan to book their seats. They are also avoiding the crush on the day of travel by buying their tickets a.day or so beforehand. The. seats booked on the early expresses, north and south, this morning totalled 120—a record number. Anyone travelling over 100 mike can booka 6eat._

Tho English mail -which was despatched from Dunedin via Brindisi* on the 14th of November arrived in London on the 21st inst., one day late. Wirelsss communications were established ate this atternoon with the Mamari. The liner intimated that there was an epidemic of measles on. board. 4 A Christchurch telegram states that trade Y l . V lO tllis Christmas is unusually brisk. Retailers say that business has never been better and more solid. The shopping season opened earlv, and has continued excellent throughout, a feature being tho demand for a "better class of goods in all departments. ' The special train leaving Christchurch to-night is due at Dunedin at live minutes to 8 in the morning. The conference of representatives of tho shipowners and the marine enginee-s, which has been sitting in Wellington, hits proved abortive so far, and has "been adjourned till after the holidays. Onlv small fhipowners aro affected by the present dibprte. The rush to Australia continues. The applications received at the Government offices of Queensland, Victoria, and NewSouth Wales for assisted passages are still greatly in excess of the number of people who can be sent out (states the London 'Daily Mail - ). "If wc had the ships," said the Emigration Commissioner of Victoria, "there would be no limit to the number. November is going to bo a record month. lam now booking for 2.000 English emigrants to Victoria" and by December 51 1 hope to have brought the figures for the year- up to 20,000." Queensland, which received 12.865 emigrants last year, has been seriously handicapped by the shortage of boats.' This year, of the 6,000 who have thus far gone to Queensland, more than 5.000 emigrants were selected bv their ' friends. Enough applications have now been received, says Renter, to occupy all the available shipping accommodation until June oO next.

- two first offenders were each fined 10s for drunkenness, m default 48 hours' imprisonment. At yesterday's meeting of the Western laicri Drainage Board the scheme of classification submitted bv Messrs W. B. Buckhurst and H. Lundius, which was ba*ed on the assumption that the scheme of drainage propounded by Mr M. Elliott (a former engineer of the board) would be earned out m its entirely, was adopted. Consideration was then given to the various ratios per acre submitted bv the classifiers. It was decided that the following proportion be adopted (the letters refer to the class m which the laud is placed and the figures are the amount in pence of tlic rates per acre) .-—Class A. 24; class B. 22; class C, 20; class D, 18: class E' 12; class F, 9. This would produce a revenue to the board of £1,525 per annum A motion that the rates in classes E and P be raised to 15d and 12d respectively was lost. The residents of Bankstown—the rapidlv growing terminus of the Sydenham-Banks"-town railway line—have successfully carried out on two occasions the work of building a church in a single dav (states the 'Sydney Morning Herald').' Twelve months ago the devotees of the Methodist Church in the district decided to erect a church in the township of Bankstown, and all gave their services free. The, result was that, commencing early on a Saturday morning, a small army' of carpenters, painters, plumbers, and' laborers, assisted by other willing but unskilled helpers, worked hard until evening, and succeeded in erecting and getting their church, built in the one dav, and ready for service on the Sunday. So successful were the Methodists with their church that the Church of England section of the community recently decided to follow their lead, and endeavor to erect a church in one day. They commenced in the early morning on Satin-day last, the site chosen being a vacant piece of ground at the corner of Chapel road and Brvce street. Bankstown. The structure is of rusticated weatherboard, and so well were all the workmen grouped for their various tasks that by 5 o'clock in the afternoon the church was ready for occupation. The parishioners claim that thev have established a record, having completely built the church in the day, and with'several hours to spare. The police received a wire from Owaka to-day that John Maher. middle-aged and married, a laborer at Kahuika, committed suicide by shooting himself

rw n i iC % £°- m °rrow at St. Matthew's Chureii, Stafiord street, will be celebrations or Holy Communion at 7, 8, 9.15 and 11 n ™j 30 hOral) ' Evenson S with carol's will be Some of the most perfect examples of T t °?' a *? hy in s °P' a "» be seen on left side of the Zenith Studio vestibule innces street. Photographed by Mr Morris' Garden Studio, 554 George street. Telephone Cjii'd.— [Anvt.j Particulars as to the. excursion from Henley to n aien Beach are advertised. The. io;:.:j,y time-table of the Peninsula Pony Company will be found on the first page. Speight's ale and stout are acknowledged by the DonMiion public to be the best ou the market.—[Advt.] Wo have received seasonable greetings which we reciprocate, from 'the chairman of the Otago Harbor Board (Mr J. H. Walker) the general manager and staff of the Stall dard Insurance Company, and the officers of the General Post Office, Wellington. Give your friend a bottle of Wilkinson and Sons special Lavender Water; a Christinas supply ready m bottles, 2s to 20a each.-! LAuvt.J A Christmas attraction is provided for miisic-lovcrs in St. Paul's Cathedral on Christmas at 8 o'clock, when Br Cvril Bowdlers canto, a entitled 'The Shepherds and the Magi will be rendered by the choir, under the conductorslup or the Cathedral organist Mr L. Haywood, F.K.C.O. Books of words will be provided, and a collection will bo taken on behalf of the choir fund. The Acme Photo Company, George street respectfully ask Dunedm residents to call and see the new specimens. Every care is taken. Charges moderate. Tel. 965.—(Aclvt ] Received on behalf of tho outdoor patients' Christmas fund :—" 0.H.H.," 10s. Tho Mahenc- is advertised to run to Maori Kaik on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Ladies recommend Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all chemiste and stores. See you get tho genuine.—[Advt.] Railway arrangements for the Christmas holidays are advertised in this issue, also particulars as to week-end excursions to Queenstown. Just opened, new photogrraphio goods; best brands of plates, papers, mounts, etc., always »> . s . tock - At Gill's, Frederick street; tel 1,144. Agent for Harrington, N.Z., Lid.— [Advt.] Our attention has been directed by iho postal authorities to a slight, error in ou'Pocket Diary.' The parcel rates in the Dominion should now read:—First lb, 3d; increased by l£d for every additional pound. Come and inspect the splendid assortment of new pictures' and artistic goods at Chiaroni's gallery. Specially selected for Christmas presents.—[Advt-.] Campers and week-enders! The s.s Kiwaru has just brought 12,000 bottles"'of Camp Coffee. Be sure and put one in your hamper. Easier made than tea, and so delicious.—[Advt.]