NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14150, 27 August 1909, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The quarterly meeting of the Church of England Laymen's League is to be held this evening" at the Y.M.C.A. Hall. On Monday last, at Palmerston North, a hockey match took place between a team of hockey girls - and their fathers. «'■'■ The daughters won. >'•.< ".'..;".;'.' The Christchurch City Council has placed the sum of £250 on the estimates for the ensuing year to subsidise bands giving municipal concerts. No advice has (says the' Hon. J. A. Millar, Acting-Minister for Finance) been received as to what financial arrangements the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) made whilst at Home. The Wellington city engineer is drawing up regulations for the conduct of the Wellington crematorium. These will have to be submitted to the Government for approval, but in all probability they will be gazetted in a few weeks' time. The city librarian of Wellington (Mr. H. Baillie) is at present engagedin collecting information 1 as to the working of the Absolute Majority. Bill in Australasia. He has undertaken the work in response to an application from the librarian of the reference department of the State Library, Wisconsin, It is understood that the Wellington tramcars will continue to be used as free luggage vans for the present (says. a Wellington paper), a scheme drawn up by the manager.of the tramways providing for a small charge for parcels over a certain size having been rejected by the Tramways Committee of the City Council. With the approach of spring a very marked and steady demand has set in for farm labour of various kinds (says a Wellington paper). For some time the agencies of the Labour. Department were not able to satisfy all the calls made upon Shem in this direction, but just now all positions offering are being filled without much difficulty. Despite opinions to the contrarv that have recently been expressed, it is evident that the ladybird has made extensive headway in coping with the bluegum scale in South Canterbury (says a Southern, exchange). Plantations which at this time last year appeared doomed to early extinction,* have since renewed their youth, and are making vigorous new growth.