CHRISTCHURCH ITEMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14473, 16 March 1909, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH ITEMS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 13. Some'months ago Major Hobday of .this city wrote t<? the Minister of Defence suggesting the formation of an Imperial legion. Major Hobday's suggestion was, briefly, that a portion of the defeance forces of the Dominion lw organised for service with the Imperial Army when required. The Minister replied on February 12 stating that the suggestion did not coincide with the policy of the Government with regard to defence. It is now understood that a Member of the Council of Defence is in communication with a Inember of the Imperial Staff on the subject of a force nil somewhat similar lines to the oiie euggeftod by Major Hobday. A little homily on organs and organists was given by Bishop Julius lar.t evening at the ceremony of the dedication of a new pip* l organ at Woolston. In a great many churches, his Lordship said, it- feeoied to be forgotten that the organist was one of the worshippers, and he was usually screened oil' from view with a railing and curtain. "I ecu you haw here," lie remarked, "one of those little abominable red curtains, the only iwe of which appears to he that an organist may go to, sleep during the sermon or prayers. I can't for the life of me. understand why an organist should stick to his seat nil through the service as if he were the one individual in tho congregation who had no nioro to do with the worship in the church than the metal pipes which he controls." An organist, however, should not lead but encourage and assist the congregation in the service of praise. The liishop had had the pleasure of hearing many organists and choirs. He had heard some wonderful volun. taries and had waited with pleasurable anticipation for the hymns. Some of the organjsts who had playedi these voluntaries could not play the " Old Hundredth" without making fifteen mistakes. They had piaetised the voluntaries but had never thought it necessary to play the hymns and chants through. His Lordship concluded with a wordlof advice to organists. "Play voluntaries, plav them iiicoly and sympathetically, but by all means (and this is of much more importance) play the hymns and chants as one who knows tlieni, has practised them, and feels the beauty of them." Sheep have been coming into South Canterbury from oilier parts of the Dominion in large numbers. The B .s. Whangape arn\ed at rimaru from Gisborneon Wednesday evening bringing 4700 ewes, and she is expected to return early next week with another consignment of a similar nuinl>cr. The imported sheep are mo.stly breeding ewes and lambs, the Xorth Island consignments consisting almost exclusively of young ewes. The abundance of feed daring the summer months encouraged t ho sheepfarmers of the district to purchase stock very freely, and the present large arrivals of sheep chiefly represent deliveries under

sale contracts completed six or eight weeka ago. Since then conditions have greatly changed. The dry weather of the last few weeks bave greatly reduced tho amount of available feed and sheep have becomo somewhat of a drug on the local market, 'l'lio shortage of feed, the large imports from other districts of the Dominion and from the Chatham Islands, and the weakening of the Homo market have caused a drop in prices during tho pas' six weeek-s of from 10 to 20 per cent.