CHRISTCHURCH NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1923, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent). CHRISTCHURCH, May 15. Personal. Tho Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, who has been in Christchurch for the Canterbury College Jubilee celebrations, left for Wellington last evening. The. Hon. G. W. Fowlds (Auckland; arrived in Christchurch on Sunday. Mr T. J. Archbold, District Secretary for North Canterbury of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, has returned from a visit to .Invercargill. Mr Hiram Hunter, Workers’ representative on the Court of Arbitration, is in Christchurch for the sitting of the Court. Mr Sam. Blair, personal representative for Douglas Fairbanks, the famous screen artist, and Mr Cecil Marks, manager for the United Artists' Film Corporation, will arrive in Christchurch to-day. Footballers Farewell Dr. Thacker. League players and officials met at Freeman’s Cafe on Saturday evening to* bid bon voyage to Dr H. T. Thacker er, President of the Canterbury Rugby Football League, who is leaying shortly for a trip to America and the Old Country. Air E. Healey presided, and among tho visitors were Messrs E. J. Howard, H. T. Armstrong, and D. G. Sullivan, M.P.’s. Dr. Thacker presented life membership medals to Alessrs W. J. Alitchcll, C. B. Hardingham and T. Kirton. | The Chairman said he hoped the day was not far distant when the League would have grounds of its own as was the case in Auckland. | Messrs Sullivan, Howard and Armstrong spoke of Dr. Thacker’s work land his merits as a. “sport.” Air W. S. E. Moyle proposed the health of Dr. Thacker, and said there was not a greater supporter of League football in the Dominion. On behalf of League footballers he presented the Doctor with a travelling rug. Dr. Thacker, who was loudly cheered on rising, gave some interesting reminiscences of his football experiences at Edinburgh University. Alusical items were given during the evening. The Eternal Red Tape.

On Thursday the Royal Mail car conveying mails and newspapers from Christchurch to Cheviot, used a portion of the railway track in order to avoid a bad washout on the road at Spyc. On Friday, however, the railway track was blocked to the mail car, the gates having been locked by tho local ganger. However, a ford was constructed through the washout by residents of the neighbourhood and the car was able to proceed on its journey. The local residents are extremely indignant at the action of the Railway Department in closing what appeared to be at the time the only moans of communication.

i Air P. R. Climie, organiser of tho Canterbury Progress League, who, in conjunction with the engineers of the Waipara and Cheviot Counties, and tho local residents, had taken a great deal of trouble to organise the mail service to Cheviot, communicated with the District Traffic Alanager, Air J. D. Alitehell, who had not been aware of the incident. Air Mitchell very courteously wont to some degree of trouble to ascertain the true state of affairs from the engineering department.

Air Climie was informed that the cars were cutting up the railway track to the detriment of the railway, and that it could not be tolerated by the Department. Air Climie, expressing his indignation at the Department’s action, said he did not expect that all motor traffic should have been allowed to use the railway track, but he did think that under these special circumstances the Royal Alail should have been allowed the privilege. Fortunately, however, the local residents, with the help of Air W. T. Lindsay, Engineer of the Waipara County, constructed a ford across the washout on the j road, and on Saturday the mail car was able to proceed. Air Lindsay states that in his opinion the ear had not materially damaged the track. The Railway Department considers that it would have been false economy and folly of the worst type to have permitted the damaging of the track at this point, when the gain to road traffic would have been so small. Canterbury College Jubilee. The Jubilee celebrations of Canterbury College were commenced on Sunday morning with Diviue Service m the Anglican Cathedral. Past am.l present students numbering well over 500 proceeded in a procession to the Cathedral, the brightly coloured hoods and black gowns of tho graduates making a sight which will long be remembered. Heading the procession was the official visitor, the Hon. C, J. Parr (Minister of Education), the Chairman of the Board of Governors (Mr 11. 1). Acland), and the Rector nf the College (Dr. C. Chilton), all a their special robes of office. His Grace, Archbishop Julius, nre.-uhed the sermon, and Dr. J. C. Bradshaw presided at the organ.. Obituary. Air Henry Bylove Sorensen, a wellknown citizen of Christchurch, died on Sunday at the age of 78 years.

j Air Sorensen, who took a keen in- , terest in public affairs, was a member of the Christchurch City Council for | over 20 years, having been first electled in 1895 to represent Richmond j ward. Among his earlier activities I was his connection with tho founding of the Samaritan House, which had for its object the reformation of waifs and strays. For many years Air ; Sorensen was a member of the North | Canterbury Hospital and Charitable ! Aid Board, and for some years was Chairman, a post he held quite recentMr Sorensen was born at Veile, Denmark, in 1845, and was Consul for i Denmark in the South Island. He saw I service in the Otago and West Coast ■ Goldfields, and in 1862 came to Canterbury, where he eventually eommenc- ! ed business on his own account This i business is still being carried on in 1 Lichfield Street. He is survived by | Mrs Sorenson, one son and five daugh- i iters.

Jottings. Councillor A. MeKellar was elected , Deputy Mayor at the first meeting of tho newly-appointed Christchurch City i Council which took place last evening. At last night’s meeting of the City .Council the sum of £lOO was granted to the Kaiapoi flood relief fund. I Traffic will now be accepted for all 'stations in the Christchurch district except Parnassus on the Cheviot line, and beyond Springfield on the Midland branch. Tho committee set up at. the recent conference to investigate the conditions governing the apprenticeship of youths to the various trades, will arrive in Christchurch to-day. They will .visit three engineering shops, the Kaiahoi Woollen Factory, and Messrs Skel- , t x n, Frostick and Co. ’s boot factory.