TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14538, 25 November 1907, Page 6

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The leading features of the illustrations of this week's " Canterbury Times" will be a, series of photographs of tli© champions at the Wanganui Show, pictures in connection with, the Waimate Show, a. ramble with the camera, through Hagley Park, local snapshots, and some pictures of th© display at the Women's Work Exhibition, in Melbourne. Th© miscellaneous photographs will cover a variety of subjects, forming an attractive collection. Carpenters are in great request in Wellington just now, and notwithstanding a demand for fourteen workmen, the, secretary of the Union had to admit that there was not one unem-. ployed member to meet the want. Mr E. J. Righton, the secretary of the Christclrurch Fire Board, has received a telegram from Mr O. M. Gray, M.H.R., stating that the Fire Brigades' Amending Bill has passed both Houses of Parliament, and that the proposed clause providing for combined districts has been struck out.

Mr Wicks, chief secretary of th© Trinity College music examiners, has received word that the Plunket medal, presented by his Excellency the Governor to the beet practical candidate in New Zealand, has been awarded for 1907 to Dorothy Cowie, aged eighteen, Dunedin, who gained 94 per cent of marks. Mies Cowi© is a pupil of Mr Vallas, one of whose pupils gained the medal last year. » The pipe organ that did duty in the East Belt Methodist Church for several years, has been installed in th© Rangiora Methodist Church, and was used there for th© first time yesterday, giving satisfaction and pleasure to the congregation. Services of it dedicatory character were held, Mr T>. Graham occupying the pulpit in the morning and the'Rev J. T. Pinfold in the evening. Mr H.' Wells is to give a recital on th© organ to-morrow evening.

Joseph Coles, accused of snatching a silver watch from a married woman named Annie Irwin, was at Auckland on Friday afternoon committed for trial at the Supreme Court. Accused asked permission to say a few words in respect to the treatment he had received at the gaol, which he described as cruel. He declared that that morning he was preparing a statement of defence, when two warders arrived and demanded it. He refused to hand it over, whereupon they caught hold_ of him and nearly choked him. His Worship said the complaint would be investigated.

Interviewed at Lawrence on his return from his Parliamentary duties, Mr Bennet, M.H.R., said he was firmly of opinion that early next session an attempt (which he is certain will be successful) will be made to retain the existing electoral boundaries of the South Island without disturbing tho North Island's new quota. Several North Island members, Mr Bennet says, are favourable to tilings remaining as thev now are in the. South .Island. He feels certain that during 'the recess the whole question will be freely discussed from the public platform, ending with Parliament tackling it early in the session and dealing with it on the lines he had indicated. The Norfolk Island correspondent of the Auckland "Herald" states that the Bishop of Melanesia, who has been away at the islands since last June, reports that everything is going on satisfactorily. The Bishop never believed that the repatriated Kanakas would bo in any danger on their return, and he was pleased to find that he' had not been too optimistic, but Malaita, his Lordship said, was very disturbed, and there had been many murders bv the bushmen and some by Kanakas themselves. • In Malaita it was thought and hoped that the returned Christians would establish themselves in colonies, but the opposition of the heathen bushmen was too great and the men had to giveit lip and take refuge in the school villages already existing in every other island. However, they seem to have settled down peacably, and there has been no trouble at all. Tho returned Kanakas have great notions of the value of their labour, and it is extremely difficult to get them to work in boats except at exorbitant rates.

The Wellington correspondent of the " Lyttelton. Times" telegraphs that shortly before eleven o'clock on Saturday morning the Supreme Court was in. a fitate unprecedented uproar. Shriek after shriek resounded through the building, and the groans of a woman in agony could be heard in between the piercing cries. At the bottom of the stairs leading to the- public gallery a woman lay in a pool of blood. Just after sentence had been passed in the Mnrtagh case a heavy thud- was heard in the court, followed by screams. The woman, Mrs Moore, had slipped near the head of the stains and had fallen to the bottom. It was a distanne of about eighteen feet, and as she fell she struck an angle and cut her nose and face, inflicting an extensive wound. She bled most nrofusely. and a pool of blood formed at the ' foot of the narrow, dangerous stair. Dr Henry attended as soon as possible, and after rendering first aid had the woman sent to the hospital. Her head was hurt severely and the cuts were very bad. Meantime her daughter, who' was also in court, had swooned, and it was some time before order had been restored. Your eyesight is a most precious gift. Do not let it suffer for want of proper attention. I can give you skilled attention, and if glasses are required, can give you them accurately and scientifically adjusted to your special requirements. Note address: Walter J. Watson, F.1.0.C.,D.8.0.A., London, Consulting Optician,- upstairs 230, Colombo Street. 9 Cricketers' trousers, 4s 6d; shirts, 3s lid; hats, Is, Is 6d; at the great under-pricing outfitters, T. Armstrong and Co* 3

It is probable that a shipbuilding firm in Sydney will open a branch in Wellington soon. Detectives Connell and Kennedy yesterday arrested a, man on a charge of vagrancy and of attempting to obtain £lO from Messrs Matson and Son in connection with a land transaction.

" A man who goes into business," remarked Mr Justice Denniston, during the hearing of a bankruptcy case at Auckland, " must be able to keep books or employ someone eke who can." "A man must live," remarked counsel. "Well, if he can't do that," was his Honor's rejoinder, " T can only say, in the words of Talleyrand, ' I do not see the necessity.' " For the Rose Show, to bo held by the Canterbury United Horticultural Society on December 5, many exhibitors from a distance will send exhibits. One intending exhibitor at the Rose Show held in the Exhibition last year was prevented by a wash-out in one of the North Island railway lines from seuding his roses, but he hopes to be represented this year.

The Hon T. W. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, has found that a sudden sense of the aesthetic has sprung up lately in Wellington since the proposal to, purchase Day's Bay bush has been put' forward. "During the past few days," he said at a meeting on Friday, " I have been approached by all sorts of people, urging that the property should be acquired. I never before suspected that they had any love of the beautiful in their souls, and on making inquiries I became suspicious of their motives."

The Ashburton Volunteers held a church parade at the Baring Square Methodist Church yesterday morning. The muster was as follows, under the command of Captain Hefford .-—Ashburton County Band 23, Ashburton Rifles 31, Ashburton Guards 3G, High School Cadets 26, Borough School Cadets 41, Hampstead School Cadets 40. The Rev H. E. Bellhouse preached an appropriate sermon. In the evening the Ashburton Lodge of Good Templars attended service at the same church, and Mr Bellhouse preached a special temperance sermon.

A Ramblers' Club is being formed in connection with the Young Men's Christian Association, and a committee has been formed to carry out what in other cities proves to be an important and pleasure-giving part of the Association's work. A good programme of walks, cycle rides and boating expeditions has been drawn up. It is felt that here as elsewhere young men lack companionship in their walks and rambles, and it is for such that the work has been begun. The first 'ramble of the session took place on Saturday, and others will follow fortnightly. ' The Association welcomes strangers to its outings.

The popularity of Governor's Bay as a Sunday picnic or "tramping" objective is increasing every summer, and this year it is being patronised to a much greater extent than last year, when the Exhibition drew people in different directions. The roads are now' in good order, and the tedioueness of the tramp from Christchurch has been broken by an enterprising purveyor of summer drinks, who has pitched a tent alongside the road, and ministers, for a consideration, to the wants of thirsty travellers. The innovation is welcome, , for there is only one small spring on the road, and it is not accessible to everybody. The supply of summer drinks is located at about ' the "thirstiest" altitude on the road. An innocent abroad found himself in the "Wellington Supreme Court one day last week, says the " Post." He was a jockey, and Mr M. Myers was crossexamining him concerning a gentleman friend of his. " Now isn't he a spieler?" asked Mr Myers'. "A what?" returned witness, as the blank look of uncomprehending innocence spread over his features. Counsel repeated the strange term. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean," returned the guileless, youth. This was too much even for the Judge, "Oh come now," protested Mr Justice CoopeT, with a laugh, "You a jockey and don't know what a spieler is? Why. even we know what that means-. Eventually, the unsophisticated jockey admitted that he had some vague idea of what the strange creature was like, but added in explanation, " Spielers aro out of date nowadays."

Mr James Thorn, president of the Christ-church branch of the Independent Political Labour League, addressed open-air meetings at Ashburton on Saturday evening and yesterday afternoon. He urged the need for the establishment on a sound basis of _ a Labour party in Parliament, saying that the present Liberal party had proved itself antagonistic to the demands of the workers, and the treatment several amending Bills dealing with the Labour legislation had received at the hands of the Government showed that the time was opportune for the Labour party to awaken to its own responsibilities. Both the Opposition and the Government were, opposed to the introduction of legislation bettering the position of the workers, and, although a- number of Liberals had gained seats by the workers' votes, they had proved inconsistent and traitors. Mr Thorn, was accorded a vote of thanks at each meeting. The advertising programme of the Tourist Department has been very much enlarged lately, and it seems to be giving good results. It is hardly possible to ascertain how many of the new settlers who come to New Zealand are attracted by Mr Donne's widespread propaganda, but " The Dominion," which has inquired into the matter, says that after hearing of the- enormous number of inquiries which the Department receives from people in all parts of the world, it concludes that the Department is a factor of high value in bringing this country prominently and favourably under the attention of those who think of emigrating either to better their condition or to invest their money and spend the' remainder of their days in a pleasanter and freer land. The Department does not control immigration, and has no official connection with it, but its advertising work and the distribution of its literature has a very important relation to that supremely important problem, the profitable filling up of the waste places of the dominion.

Commenting on the first match of the New Zealand professional football team how in England, the ''Manchester Guardian" say 6: "The New Zealanders are a long way removed from being a ' scratch' side. There can bo no doubt that the team contains players—and a fair number of them—that are fit for any side, national or other. But, on the other hand, one was by no means able to go all the way with the professional enthusiasts ■ who hold that this team is better than its amateur predecessor of two yeans ago. Allowing that the match was the first, that,they are still not. quite at home with Northern Union rules, and that, for various reasons, they are not yet at their best, one was quite unable to<see that-they are even up to the level of the 1905-6 team, or that they are likely'to become so. There were evidences after the game that not a few Northern Unionists wore a wee bit disappointed, and, though not many of thorn went so far as to put it into words, one or two did so, adding, apparently with some misgiving, the hope that when the men settled down things would be better." Dinner and Tea Sets.—Fletcher Bros, have just opened up a fine assortment, good value, 26-piece dinner sets from 16s 9d. Tea sets, 21-piece, 7s 9d to 17s nips and saucers- 2s 9d and 2s lid, pink iielcite 3s 3d, 3s 9d ; earthenware Is lid, all per half dozen,—Fletcher Bros., Lower High Street, ; - -■A .-•

Nurse Maude wishes to acknowledge(' the gift of a lamb from the Christ-! church Meat Company. i A Press Association telegram from] Wellington states that a passenger! train left the rails at Ngahaouranga on; Saturday evening. Nobody was hurt.; The train was restored to the lm»i within about an hour. I The series of lectures organised for; the summer in connection with. Mr Fu! A. Homibrook's School of Physical Culture will commence on Friday. Tho first lecture will be by Captain; M'Naught, on the subject of "National Defence." . ; At the Rangiora Magistrate's Court on Friday, a woman applied for a ppo-' hibition order against her husband, for whom Mr Donnelly appeared. On the evidence of the applicant and Constable Evenden, the Bench (Messrs E. R.; Good and C. I. Jennings) ina<Jo tho order. Steady progress is being made with' the construction of the great newwaterworks dam at Karori, near Wellington. The wall of the dam haa* reached a level of about fifty feet above the ground at the base, and there is now about twenty feet depth of water; held back by the wall, the working width of which has been narrowed down to seventeen feet. In accordance with the terms of the contract, the water" has to be held by the dam as it pro;" gresses in height, to demonstrate that; it is tight. The work will be com-j pleted by the end of February. } The long hours of the session seemto be having an effect on the vision of at least one member of Parliament.; "The Dominion" states that the fira brigade was turned out at 4 a.m. to subdue a dust storm. A zealous but; erring Parliamentarian was dashing along a deserted street, when his attention wias attracted by what he thought was smoke, and, therefore, a. fire. H© raised an alarm, and, the brigade turned out smartly and pro*: ceeded to the scene, to find a perplexed member of Parliament rubbing his eyes and endeavouring to explain how he came to mistake tile dust raised by some early-morning street-sweepers for smoke.

.The "Otago Daily Times" states' that the export of butter to England and South Africa from this end of the dominion has suffered very considerably as a result of the recent drought. Some time ago butter export with tha. Taieri and Peninsula Company was quit© out of the question. But refreshing rains and increased fodder supply have had their beneficial effect. The company forwarded to London by tha Rimutaka which sailed from Wellington on Thursday, 1000 boxes of butter. Prices in London at the present timaare very high, and the company is unfortunate in not being in a position to Slace larger quantities on that and tha African markets. Regular consignments -will. however, be forwarded to London and South Africa from thisi onwards, and an appreciable increase, in the quantity shipped may be looked r for each time. . •

The Canterbury Band of Hope Union held a memorial meeting on Thursday for the late Mr J. T. Smith, who had held the office of president for twentyone years. There was a very large gathering of delegates and a. number of persons who had been associated with the Union in the early days of its existence. The meeting was' conducted by Mr G. E. Franklin, who delivered an address describing, the work done by the late president of' the Union, and making special mention of the fact that the late president had'always been in his place at council and committee meetings. Telegrams were received from the Auckland Union and< letters from the various country societies, expressing their sympathy with tha Union. Dr Russell read a resolution of sympathy passed by the Hope of Christchurch Lodge of Good Templars. At the conclusion of the meeting Miss Dash played the Dead March. The House of Representatives on Friday evening agreed to the following clause forming part of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Publio Bodies Empowering Bill:—" Whereas the grave of th e Right Hon Richard John Seddon, late Prime Minister of New Zealand, is situated on an area of land, being part of the general cemetery reserve of the city of Wellington; and whereas it is desired to grant the site of the said grave to Louisa Jane Seddon, widow ot the said Right Hon Richard John Seddon: be it therefore enacted that the area of land described in the ninth schedule hereto, and containing five and a half perches, more or less, is hereby granted to the said Louisa Jane Seddon for an estate in fee-simple, and the Governor is hereby empowered to issue, his warrant to the District Land Registrar for the issue of a certificate of title to the said land under the Land Transfer Act, 1885, accordingly." The greater part of the work in connection with the excavating and forming of Anderson Park in tha Botanical Gardens, Wellington, is on the point of completion, and where a few weeks ago there was a. great army of earth-shifters there are now a couple of gangs levelling off the butt end of the hill, the northern extremity of which forms part of a level highland that is being overspread with a "blanket of rich loam for the grass. The next ground to receive attention at the hands of the city engineer and his staff is the one that has become known as the Duppa Street Reserve. A better title, it is suggested, would be Hislop Park, as the present scheme of recreation grounds for the city was initiated under the mayoralty of the Hon T. W. Hislop. The site of this reserve flanks the lower part of Adelaide Road, about a stone's throw be-: low Our Lady's Home of Compassion at Berhampore South._ There are about twelve acres in the piece.

"Whilst cross-examining a witness in ! an assault and robbery case at the-Su- j preme Court at Wellington on Satur- ; day, the Crown Prosecutor elicited the; fact that she was awaiting trial for: perjury in connection with the case. His Honor, Mr Justice Cooper, remarked : "This is the second time within j the past two days that it has come out-! that'a. witness "here has been charged . with perjury after the proceedings in the Lower Court and ■ before the case comes here. I must say that I do not think that is the proper course to pursue. There ought to be no prosecution for perjury until after the case has been dea.lt with by the jury in this Court." Mr Wilford set out to explain, that immediately after the proceedings in the Lower Court at Feilding the prosecution was rushed. His Honor; said he desired to hear no explanation of this individual case. "In a case I* had before me yesterday," his Honor, "the principal witness fori the Crown was immediately prosecuted l : for perjury after the Lower Court proceedings. In this case the principal witness for the defence is similarly prosecuted. I do not think it is the proper course to pursue." Mr Myers:? "Mr "Wilford has done it himself ittj gaming cases, and " Mr Wilford: [ "Only when they are heard simul-j taneously." His Honor: "I do not, want any altercation. I say it does not seem to me to be the proper course. Witnesses in the Lower Court should -not be prosecuted until the case has. been before the jury. It does not conduce to a fair trial on one side or the j other." | "Excelsior," "Great American," "Now Model" and "0.K." lawn) mowers may b e obtained at " H.8.P."; prices at Hastie, Bull and Pickerings,: opposite Ballantyne's. Full supplies.' of hose and lawn sprinklers also oai offer. • X33M Lady shoppers who know, without hesitation visit one or other of Armstrong's drapery stores, for all sound: reasons; latest styles, largo selection, low prices, being the every; day. order .jab these establishments. ~4jj

In a summary of the annual report of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, telegraphed from Wellington, it was stated on Saturday that a sum of £SBOO had been carried to the reserve fund. The amount should have been •stated aq £58,000. The third and final heats for the Secretary's trophies were sailed by the Christchurch Model Yacht Club at Vic'toria Lake on Saturday afternoon, with !the following Tesults .-—Third heat—Mr Dobby's Pateena 1, Mr Oakes's Emerald Isle 2, Mr Haydon's Doris 3; final—Doris 1, Emerald Isle 2. Pateena •won the trophy on points, Doris being second and Emerald Isle third. The following appears in the latest leport of the Sydney agent of the New Zealand Tourist Department: "Inquiries from prospective settlers are still plentiful, and several agricultural labourers have announced their intention of going across. One man has £250 in his possession, and has three sons, the oldest of whom is nineteen year's of age. Another man, whose departure I hope to announce next week, has just arrived from South Africa. He has £3OO, and will go to New Zealand to start a business. Some of the inquirers possess the haziest of ideas concerning the dominion, and I am sfraid som* of the misstatements made and circulated are inspired. For instance, one man who called yesterday afternoon heard that Auckland, to ;whioh place he thought of going, was very much hotter than Sydney. This he was told by a man who boarded his steamer on arrival. At a later stage, the same individual asked me why the ■New Zealand Government wanted only immigrants having £25 in their possession. This and similar misstatements were given to him and the fellow-pas-sengers as facts. Needless to say, he left the agency an enlightened man." The Cullinan diamond, recently a Virthday gift to the King, is valued at £150,000, and is the largest diamond fever found. Diamonds mounted with either emeralds, rubies or sapphires are in. great demand for Engagement and Dress Rings. F. W. Tucker, Jeweller, 225, High Street, shows one of the largest stocks of Stone Set Rings in the colony from 50s to £3O each. Catalogues and size cards posted free. 19S8 Exclusive millinery can be bought at Armstrong's. One hat of a style only, 12s 6d up; girls' trimmed hats, 5s lid; mushrooms, 9d; smart costumes, 10s 6d; skirts, 3s lid; Moreen skirts, 4s lid- ■ 2 INGENIOUS JURORS. A leading Wellington barrister was asked recently why jurors invariably retire to consider their verdict when there is palpably but one verdict reasonably possible. " Very few men," he said, "are anxious to serve on a jury panel. It ie inconvenient and unprofitable, often meaning considerable monetary loss. When a man gets on one jury he puts it to himself and to his fellow-jurors that if they agree to a verdict without leaving the box they will be directed to retire to the ' body of the Court,' and, standing there, will have to take the risk of being empanelled in the next case called on. The NewZealand juror is altogether too - much awake for that. He passes the word around to his eleven companions in the box, and they retire to ' seriously consider their verdict,' although, as a fact, there are no two opinions ! amongst them. They remain in their | room for half "an hour or eo, knowing j that in the meantime another case has been called on in the Court and another jury empanelled. When the first ! jurymen return with their verdict, after a pleasant 'smoke oh,' they are relieved from further attendance for perhaps an hour or two, and perhaps for the remainder of the day."

BICYCLE AND MOTOR SUNDRIES. We are the largest importers of ■ bicycle and motor sundries in New Zeai land. Our new stocks have arrived. The goods are all marked up in the windows at prices which easily heat all competition. We are selling the No. : 1 Millennium. Motor Jack for 7s 6d, usual price in town 12s 6d. We are also selling our special line of Bluemel's Cycle Pumps at Is 6d, usual price in town 2s 6d. Adams Limited, late Adams Star Cycle Co., 138-140, High Street, and 198, Colombo Street, Christchurch. . 4