TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16568, 4 June 1914, Page 6

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The Government has sanctioned an expenditure of £BOOO on additions to the Seacliff Mental Hospital. The following wero the entries at the Addington yards on Tuesday, those for tho previous week being given in parentheses:—Cattle 322 (666), sheep 9410 (16,100), pigs 302 (518).

Yesterday afternoon the inmates of a number of the Christchurch Homes attended the matinee performance of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at the invitation of the management of the Willoughby Dramatic Company. The entertainment was greatly appreciated. Kennedy's Bush and the Summit Road wero well patronised by visitors yesterday, but tho. day was marred by the southerly gale which sprang up shortly after noon. Some- of the walkers attempted to get to Cooper's Knob, but when on the summit struck the full force of the gale and had to turn back. The hills were covered with snow and hail, the tracks were muddy and slippery, and not a few were drenched to the skin, but all took it cheerfully. The holiday yesterday occasioned exceptionally heavy railway traffic, and the second express last night was fifty minutes behind time on leaving Ashburton. Good time was made to Christchurch and the train arrived at eight o'clock, thirty-three minutes behind schedule. Meanwhile the Cass train had been recornmissioned, and at 7.50 p.m. left for Lyttelton with the Christchurch steamer passengers who had been waiting for the express. Tho ordinary time-table train for Port left at five minutes to eight, ten minutes late, and the express itself left to connect with the stenmer about a quarter past eight. A very choice selection of exclusive Hair Ornaments for tho coming sea; son, just to hand per s.s. "Tajniu, will he on view at Mrs Rolleston s. Cathedral Square, on Wednesday ana Thursday, 3rd and 4th June. 1988

In years gone by spectacles had but one usej they were worn to assist ,t" e old folks in reading and sowing. Modern research shows that near sign*; far sight, neuralgia, headaches,, etc., are all relieved bv properly adjiistea glasses. Consult .John B. P*? ct !l' Oqculists' Optician, 200, High Street, Christchurch. Repairs to *»sSßr done at short notice*

Two large kingfish, about 3ft :n length, were picked up on the beach at New Brighton early yesterday moning.

Yesterday morning, before Mr IT. W. Bishop, S.M., four first offenders, for drunkenness, were each fined ss, in de- ! fault twenty-four hours' imprisonment. James Keogh, a statutory 6econd offender, was fined 10s, in default fortyeight hours' imprisonment. Mary M'Dermott was similarly 'reited.

Taking advantage of* tho holiday and the presence of a large fleet of vessels in the port the British and Foreign Sailors' Society entertained the visiting seamen at a tea in the Institute, Lyttelton, last evening. There was a largo attendance. A patriotio concert was held in tho concert hall, an excellent programme being supplied by the Linwocd orchestra.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that two scouts of tho Kelburno Corps, Corporal Jasper Baldwin and Scout E. W. Platts-Mills, have been awarded silver crosses with certificates for rescuing Scout Donaldson from drowning at a camp at Wainai at Easter. The Mayor made the presentation last night before a krge gathering of Scouts and friends.

It has been decided in connection with tho turning of the first sod of the Culverden-Waiau railway to entertn'-.i visitors at an informal lunch as soon as they arrive at Waiau on Wednesday next, and an official banquet will be held in tho Coronation Hall at 7 p.m. Tho Mayor of Christchurch and councillors have signified their intention to attend and most of the Canterbury members of Parliament will be present.

In reply to a question from the chairman of the Wellington Licensing Committee (Mr W., G. itiddell, S.M.) Superintendent Ellison said that he was satisfied that the fire-escape facilities in the city hotels were as efficient as possible. "Every bedroom," said the superintendent, " should, in my opinion, have access to a balcony. This, however, cannot be done in the cases of many old houses. The, ,newer hotels, however, are fitted out with fire-escapes iu first-class style. It. is impossible to prevent all loss of life, even when all the bedrooms are on the ground floor, and a boarler could jump out of a window. I am satisfied with the present fire-escape facilities in Wellington." Mr H. Suter, of Christchurch, author of " A Manual of New Zealand Molluscs,"- which has been published by the Government, has presented a copy to the Canterbury Philosophical Institute, and at a meeting of the Institute last night a hearty vote of thanks was passed to him. In moving the motion Dr C. Chilton said that it was the work of many years, Mr Suter was the best man to do the work. He was, in fact, the only man in New Zealand who was qualified to do it. The book was indispensable to tho geologist, tho zoologist and the paleontologist in New Zealand. It was merely a list and description of animals, but it had entailed great labour, and Mr Suter should be congratulated on its completion.

Shoot first, then inquire, is the policy adopted at least hy one delegate to the Farmers' Union Conference, which closed at Wanganui recently. He was discussing the question of dogs worrying 6heep, and mentioned that he had a neighbour who one day found a couple of canines molesting his merinoes, and, instead of dealing out drastic treatment, he rushed round, to the County Council office to find, out their registration numbers, with a view to taking proceedings against their owner. (Laughter.} I always shoot them or cut their throats," remarked the farmer. "In one night I lost no fewer than two hundred lambs. I have been prosecuted for shooting a doe, but I .told--the Magistrate that I would do the same thing again." Mr Beecroft, the owner and master of the motor launch Muritai, which was taken from Lyttelton to Tokomaru Bay some time back, had a startling experience during the fury of the storm which raged along the east coast for some days. Owing to the launch breaking away from its moorings Captain Beecroft was blown out to sea and it was close on forty-eight hoUrs before he was able to get back to port. In order to get the engine restarted he was compelled to keep baling the water out of the boat for about sixteen hours and when he returned to port he was much exhausted. Residents in the locality gave up all hope of tho vessel's return and there was no little surprise when the boat got back to her moorings.

Captain H. S. Blackburne, Nautical Adviser to the Government, has received a letter from Captain A. T. Norton, of the Katoa, expressing appreciation of Captain Blackburne's methods of finding a ship's position and his solution of the ex-meridian problem by arcs. Recently Captain Norton, when ou a passage from Auckland to Westport, was able to prove the valuo of this method. "For some time past," he says, "I have relied entirely on your method of combining the a.m. chronometer sight with an ex-meridian for finding my noon position, always with the most reliable results, using, of .course, your ingenious table C2 for obtaining the position line. Your star reduction and azimuth tables are now so well known that favourable 1 comment on them is almost unnecessary, but in my opinion they form an absolute necessity to a ship's professional library in these days, when time means dividends." 1 An- illustrated address on the making of maps was given at the meeting of the Canterbury Philosophical Instir tuts last evening by Mr W. F. Robinson. He gave a history of map-making, beginning with the earliest man of the world.. When the system of latitudes and longitudes was discovered, he said, maps began to be correct. The mediaeval maps showed a distinct retrogression in regard to both accuracy and knowledge. Error, after error was piled upon the maps of that time until they iwcame grotesque beyond the bounds of modern imagination. They were made a natural history record of the time, and on them wero depicted all kinds of possible and impossible creatures. In some spaces there appeared such phrases as "This lande.bcn fulle of devylls." The Hereford map, prepared in the thirteenth century, recorded many of the myths and fictions of the day. After that maps improved, and finally there wore the splendid topographical maps of the present day. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Robinson for his address. On pago 10 of this issue will -be found particulars of our huge Sample Sale, commencing this morning. Four complete sets of English Samples will bo offered at one-third off usual prices. Hallenstein Bros., Limited, New Zealand Clothing Factory. 4647

tour Own Invention.—That littk •ontrivance of your own that you ar using in the workroom or home—that you find such a time saver in your work —Call and tell us about it or writo for "Advice to Inventors," free. from Henry Hughes, Ltd., Dominion Buildings, Cathedral Square, Christchurch. 66 Get in touch with J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd., directly you decide to piovb. They will handle your furniture oarefully, pack it securely, break nothing aud deliver it unscratched to your new residence. XI Family Groups made frequently become treasured possessions. Highclass work at moderate prices is the policy of Steffano "Webb, Makers of Portraits that planse. Petersen's Buildings, Christchurch. Telephone

On account of the holiday the annual meeting of the Lyttelton Licensing Committee set down for noon yfjiui terday was adjourned until Wedneadiy next.

Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" will be performed in Durham Street Church on Saturday, June 13, under the direction of Mr Ernest Firth, F.Py.C.O. Mrs Gower Burns, Mr L. Bowron and Mr L. C. Walker have been engaged as principal soloists with Mb H. T. Whittingham as organist. OIL TANK ABLAZE. Those on board the Eastern and Aus* tralasian Company's steamer Aldenham witriessed an impressive eight whilst the vessel was at Hong Kone on her last trip, states the " Sydney Morning Herald. ' One of the huge tanks ot the Standard Oil Company there caught fire. It contained about a million gallons of oil, and this burned fiercely for about five days. The whole of the surrounding country was brilliantly illuminated at night, and great anxiety prevailed for some time, as there were four similar tanks in close proximity, as well as 60,000 oases of oil. If the wind had changed to th« south-west nothing could have pre* vented the oil in the oth«*r tanks igniting. The fire eventually burned itself out without having done any furthes damage than the destruction of th« million gallons of oil. DEARER MEAT IN ENGLAND.

Possibly enthusiasts for vegetarian-J, ism may be gratified (says " Thai Times") at the prospect of a furthew , rise in the price of beef and but the householder of normally ear-J nivorous tastes will look forward to thaj future with some uneasiness. There is strong reason to believe that for\ some time to come the world's oonaumiH tion of meat will increase more rapidly) 1 than its supplies; and, so far as wen can forecast future tendencies,' it iff, unlikely that the development which;' x may eventually be expected in the' world's stock-farming will succeed in£ reducing prices to the comfortable level? of twenty years ago. The most definite recent influence affecting thiai? country has been the revised polioy of the United States, which now, permit the free import of refrigerated meats. But there is an underlying cause of which the change in the meat, tariff is largely a result. 'lnstead oC feeding Europe with their flocks and herds, the United States now* ' import more meat than they ship east* wards, and are drawing, not, only «jp South America, but on Australia. This, change is now perceived to be a natural; result of the filling up of the country: by immigration, together with <fche eur-* vival of !a system of farming which in the main is still primitive and waste* ful. But it was little foreseen twenty or fifteen years ago, either in America or here; and the rapidity of the eonversion of the United States from a meat-producing to a meat-consuming country is remarkable. As recently as 1907 the imports of cattle and beef toi Great Britain were estimated at 231,599 tons; last year they had dropped to 3316 tone. In estimating such, figures some allowance has usually to be made for the artificial fluctuations* introduced by the operations of trust* or combines. But, although these in« terests can temporarily dam or divert a stream of natural tendency, they caunot permanently control it. The main fact is that in most of the chief coum tries of the world increasing prosperity andthe spread of new modes of civil* isation are making mankind more car* nivorous. There is no sign that the luxury of increased flesh food will be forgone by any large proportion of those who have once acquired it, and the competition for the supply of meat will steadily tend to drive up its>' price.

FROZEN MEAT AND PANAMA. The opening of the Panama'Ganalwill cut short the ocean voyage from London to Now Zealand by tie best part of a thousand miles as compared with the Cape Horn trip, but will the shipowners engaged in the frozen meat trade take advantage of what has been humorously dubbed the "Hot Water Route "P At present the ships traverse a long stretch, of £ cold "water! froiri New Zealand ,to the" Horn, still pass through, cool water coming up trie Patagonian coast, and • strike almost vertically across the Equator. Thus the ships are in hot water for only a few days. But a glance at a map will show that ships proceeding from New Zealand to Panama would cross the Equator slantwise.'' This would be passing through more or ; less tropical waters so long that the " Hot Water Route" is not at all a bad name for it. The warmer the waters through which a ship carrying frozen meat passes the greater, of course, is the work thrown upon the refrigerating machinery and the greater the cost of keeping the cargo at a proper temperature. According to the "Times," shipowners have'de-, clared that the higher cost of working; the refrigerating machinery on the Panama route, the Canal dues, and the time spent in traversing the Canal, would more than offset the saving in mileage, and that the shipowners engaged in the frozen meat trade do not propose to take advantage of the shorter route. Inquiries made by the "Standard" among the shippine companies carrying the bulk of the frozen meat from New Zealand have, _ however, failed to produce confirmation of the-" Times V statement. At the offices of the Now Zealand Shipping Company the information vouchsafed was that no decision had yet been come to, and that if there was cargo from New Zealand to the east-'coast of America, the steamers would certainly use the Canal. The Shaw, Saviil Lino is also in a- similar position. " The matte" has not even been considered," remarked a high official, " but it is more than likely that when the Canal is open it will : be used by our steamers. Refrigeration can be maintained through the Canal just aa well as coming round the Horn, and our ships are fitted with powerful machinery for this purpose." Tho White Star Line and other companies running to Australia and New Zealand have also oome to no decision in regard to the use of the Canal. ■ SENSATIONAL SALE OF CYCLE SUNDRIES. Owing to the size and the dominionwide extent of their business, the firm of Adams, Ltd., are able to purchase on exceptionally advantageous terms. A great saving is effected in the purchase of bicycle accessories and sundries by placing "largo orders, and we have decided to allow the general publio to participate in this saving by conducting a big sale of sundries at prices which mark a very drastic reduction on any previously quoted. The following are a few lines, selected at random: —IOOO good durable outer covers, as Gd, reduced to 3s 9d; 1000 tubes, good quality, 'ss 6d, reduced to Ss 9d; besti acetylene lamps, 15s, reduced to 12s 6d; Belmont gas lamp. 10s 6d, reduced to 8s 6d; good reliable gas lamps, Ss 6d, reduced to 5s 6d; 1000 Lumino oil lamps, nickel-plated, 4s 6d, reduced to 3s 6d; 1000 Nymph oil lamps, now sold for 2s with free tin of oil thrown in; carbide, 81b tin, 2s 9d; 1000 Is large size tvro repair outfits, now 4d; 1000 Bleumel's best celluloid mudguards, 7s 6d, now 6s 6d per set; Bleumel's Popular mudguards, 5s 6d, now 4s per set; Richmond ladies' chain guards, black celluloid, 12s 6d, now 6s 6d; Express, best quality leather chain guards, Ss 6d, now 4s 6d; 1000 sets free-wheel and rear rim brake, complete. 15s, now 7a 6d. These are only a few of the reductions made in our immense arid varied stock. Country customers, ordering by mail, oan depend upon fair \ treatment, and we will forward all s

goods purchased free of postal chargesThis sale will only be continued for a short period, and purchases should be made without delay. Adams, Ltd., High Street, Christchurch. . (R. M. Adams, Bicyole Department Representative.) 1988