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Evening Star, Issue 19441, 27 December 1926, Page 6

A total of 293 building permits for work valued at £158,625 was issued in Napier during the past year, constituting a record. The previous year’s ligures (says a Press Association telegram) were 273 permits for work estimated to cost £138,162.

The Abstract of Statistics for December gives the populations of the four chief centres of the dominion as follow (reports a Press Association telegram from Wellington)Auckland 173,632, Wellington 117,936, Christchurch 98,935, Dunedin 84,131. The total for the four chief centres is 474,684.

As usual, large numbers of Dunedin residents have gone to the country for the Christmastide holidays, but the inward trains from both north and south have brougth heavy loadings of passengers, and if a count could be made of visitors who are being “ put up ” by relatives and friends it would probably be found that the city is housing its normal complement. Many men come south for the Otago trout fishing.

Two bison, a male and a female, which arrived on Saturday for the Wellington Zoo, were ottered their liberty next morning. The female was soon enjoying the freedom of the fine pen provided, but the bull rejected every effort to leave his box. Once he proceeded halfway out, but retired, showing his disapproval immediately by lashing out all around the box. It is expected that tho animals will get over the strangeness of their surroundings and settle down rapidly.

As announced by telegram, the Mayor of Christchurch underwent two successful operations for rupture and appendicitis in tho General Hospital there on Thursday. He was under an anaesthetic for some time, but came out of it very well —“beautifully” is the word used by Dr W. Fox, medical superintendent of the hospital. Dr Fox stated that the mayor, when ho saw him at 8.30 p.m., was “as bright as a button.” The operations were performed by Dr P. S. Foster. The mayor will bo in tho hospital for ten or fourteen days probably, and then must lie up at home. Since news of Mr Archer’s admission to the hospital was made public (says the ‘ Lyttelton Times ’) Mrs Archer' has received many messaes of sympathy from citizens and personal friends.

Tho Forestry Department has ]ust completed an exchange of two officers with the Forestry Commission. New South Wales. Mr H. B. Steele and Mr F. J. Perrin, forest rangers, have gone from New Zealand to Australia tor six months, wdiile TVIr S. F. Rust and Mr W. H. Horne have come to New Zealand. Mr Rust, a forestry cadet, is now in Christchurch, and goes up to Hamner; while Mr Horne, an assistant forester, leaves Wellington for Rotorua shortly. The New Zealand officers are investigating the growing of hardwoods, and the Australians arc looking into soft woods.—Press Association.

The Seventh Day Adventists of the North Island are holding a conference camp under canvas at Lower Hutt. About 400 adults and 100 children are expected to be assembled by to-mor-row. The conference lasts until January 9.—Wellington Association message. The work of stopping the leak in the tunnel at Waipori is progressing wol , and the plasterers will begin work there to-morrow. Tho operations wilt be pushed on rapidly with a view to having the whole plant available immediately after tho holidays. A dreary drizzle set in early on I'ridav and, continuing without a break ricdit through the day, made Christmas Eve a less happy time than it usually is Yet wet and dismal though the weather was, it did not altogether spoil the spirits of the people. There was a big crowd of shoppers and holidaymakers in town all day, and the weather did not seem to have greatly _ ateotecl tho trade of the shops. At night the streets wore densely thronged, and the crowd did not appear to be any smaller than in other years. Children of all ages boro big balloons along the streets, and boys ancf youths contributed to the din and bustle by exploding crackers and “basket . bombs,” Everyone seemed to lie doing his or her liest to make it a merry Christmas. The most important of the Christmas Dav services were those of St. Paul s fwhere tho Bishop of Dunedin was the preacher), First Church, and St. Joseph’s Cathedral. At First Church the preachers were the Her. H. E. Brllhnuse (president of the Council of Christian Congregations) and the Rev. W. L. Marsh (of South Africa). A collection was taken_ up in aid of the Dobson mine relief fund. At St. Joseph’s Cathedral the Jay was fittingly marked with masses, a recital of sacred music, and a sermon on the Incarnation by Bishop Whyte, who concluded by imparting the Papal and Episcopal" blessings. On Sunday, mention of the significance and _ importance of the day was made in all the churches.

For glasses guaranteed to suit consult W. V. Stunner, G.A.0.C., D. 5.0.1., 2 Octagon, Dunedin; ’phone 7,525. —[Advt.]

Attention of members of Court Enterprise is called to a notice in ibis issue.