NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 45, 30 March 1914, Page 10

NEWS IN BRIEF.

On pages 2 and 3of to-day's issue appear an illustrated review of sports and pastimes.

A sitting of the Arbitration Court will be held in Christchurch on April 27.

The Westport-Stockton Coal Company, Ltd., shipped 3850 tons from Westport last week.

The rivers of the district are all clear to-day, with the exception of the Opihi, which, however, is described in the river report as fishable. A Wagnerian organ recital was given in His Majesty's Theatre last evening by Dr Bradshaw, before a large audience. The recital was an excellent one, and was very much appreciated by the audience.

On the list of assets of a bankrupt joiner and undertaker whose affairs were discussed by a meeting of his creditors this morning, there appeared the item "Eleven coffins." Curiously enough, the meeting happened to consist of 11 persons, apart from the bankrupt and his solicitor.

( A witness in the Wellington Magistrate 's Court on Friday said that at the present time" one would not be able to get permanent worV on the wharf, as the result of the strike. About this time last year he could knock out £5 or £6 a week, but a man would be getting a good average if he could make £2 a week now. I'he following motion will be moved by Cr Hunter at the meeting of the City Council to-night: —"That the Tramway Board 'be respectfully re- • quested to consider the advisability of" removing the tramline from Stanmore Road, between Worcester Street and North Avon Road, and re-laying it along Fitzgerald Avenue from Worcester Street to North Avon Roa*." Complaint was made to a Wellington reporter by Mr T. W. Kirk, director of the orchards division of the Agricultural Department, regarding the manner in which apples being shipped by the Rangatira for South America were being bh v Mr' Kirk said •vi that the fruit was being landed from a ; small vessel, to the wharf, carted to a shed, theji removed again to the Home-' 'going vessel: This, he considered, inI volved too Much handling. He said that i. the fruit should be shipped from one vessel to another straight over the side. K The annual faricy-dresis ijricket. match between the New Brighton Fire Bribade and the Surf Club was played on Saturday afternoon. At 3 p.m. a procession, headed by the fire engine, suit- ~ ably decorated, left the Hre station for the playing ground. . Features of the procession were a coloured barrow containing a Darktown Fire. Brigade, and a ' kilted cyclist who announced himself as ■"Scotland in the Air." The usual brass band was lacking on this occasion, but music was supplied by an impromptu party. . Proceedings were wound up in the evening by a fireworks display [and an exhibition by the Darktown Fire Bridage. ,

Qn Saturday evening Prof. J.' Macmil- " lan Brown * delivered a most interesting address in the Canterbury College hall, r.pon- lt The Uomance of the Pacific." He dealt with the ocean as it is today, going into the theories of both Darwin and Murray as to the growth ©t' cimil islands and atolls. Coming to the 1 human side, he told of the great ruins of Ponape, and the probability that at one tihje it had been the centre oS a great maritime power, which had employed Japanese to supervise its architecture. He quoted many instances to shp.w how far Japanese influence had extended long ago, possibly even to as far south as New Zealand. The Professor went on to say that in his opinion: £ huge subsidence in the ocean

Tied had wiped out much land and many great cities in Polynesia. The whole discourse was illustrated by lantern elides. The meeting concluded with a lit-arty vote of thanks to the lecturer.

The Y.M.C.A. Debating Club held its ii>augural meeting on Saturday evening, Dr J. P. Whetter presiding. A programme for the coming session was mapped out, and this will be submitted ti- a future meeting for final adoption. The following nominations were received for the various offices: —Patron, Mi W. Goss; president, Mr A. L. Anderson; vice-presidents, 'Dr J. P; Whetter, Dr A. C. Sandstein, and Messrs A. 'ltunter, W. tfobbs, W. J. Mason, Plihsoll, W. Sykes, E. D. Brown, H. H. Holland (Maypr), and R. S. M'Kenzie; secretary, Mr B. Burgess; assistant secretary, Mr R. Wilson; committee, Messrs Hulston, C. MacDougall, M. A. r <Cade, C. Sheppard, and C. Read. Should a police constable engaged in Directing the traffic at the corner of one of a city's busiest thoroughfares move out of the way in order-to let a motorcar pass? The question cropped up in the .Wellington Magistrate's Court on Saturday, in a case in which Henry Scott, chauffeur for Dr Cahill, pleaded not guilty to an alleged breach of the traffic by-laws in failing to keep as near as practicable to the left side of the road in negotiating the corner at the junction of Manners and Cuba Streets. Mr E. M. Beechey prosecuted on behalf of the City Corporation, and Mr A. W. Blair defended. Dr Cahill, in giving evidence, referred to "odd constables at these corners" as busybodies, who thought it infra dig to be civil in the street. In contending that,

at his direction, Scott took the natural

curve of the street in turning the corner and following the tram track, Dr Cahill said that the constable stood in the road, and told him to divert his car out of its natural course. This the defendant refused to do. The road was clear of traffic at tIK time. As it was, if he had followed proper course, he would have run over the constable. The Magistrate stated that there had been a technical breach of the by-law, but lie thought that, seeing there was no traffic on the road at the time, the con- ' stable on point duty might have moved asid~ in order to let the car pass. The information was dismissed.

When charged at the Wellington Magistrate's Court with having failed to attend a parade, a senior cadet said that his reason for doing so was t,liat he objected to wear short trousers. "Does it hurt your vanity?" asked Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M. "Yes, sir," replied the youth. "Well, your vanity will cost you 10/-," remarked the Magistrate. The anniversary services of the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church were held yesterday, the diets of worship being attended by large congregations. The morning service was conducted by the Rev. Harry Johnson. He pointed out that the supreme purpose of life was to serve God and mankind, arid that those who shaped their lives on the example of Jesus Christ would achieve the truest greatness. At the evening service the Eev. J. J. North preached, pointing out that though the glory of the Church had been challenged and tarnished, the glory of Jesus Christ was unchallenged and untarnished. Christ still offered a life of service to God and mankind.

Mr Fred Fairey, of Nelson, who secured for New Zealand the championship honours for the heavy-weight bullock at the Sydney Show last year, forwarded through Messrs Dalgfety and Co., Ltd., in tke Moeraki on Friday, two fine bullocks to defend the title. One of these bullocks is a Shorthorn, and weighs 1 ton 3cwt 3qr, or, in round figures, 26601b; the other, a Hereford, turns the scaJe at 1 ton lcwt 1 qr, or 23801b. Mr Fairer has been a regular competitor in the Sydney Show., for years, and spares no trouble to be well represented. This year it will have to be something extraordinary that will beat his bullocks in the class he has entered them in.

Professor Prince, Canadian Commissioner of Fisheries, who is to make an extensive report on the New Zealand fishing grounds, will arrive at Auckland from Vancouver by the Marama on April 7. The New Zealand Government will place the Hinemoa ai his disposal for experimental trawling round the coast. The cruise is likely to extend over three weeks. The principal fishing grounds will be visited in turn; also the oyster beds in Foxeaux Strait. The Hinemoa will carry out trawling operations where desired, in order that the investigations may be carried out thoroughly. Professor Prince .will, be accompanied, by Mr L. F. Ay sop, C.hief Inspector of Fisheries, and Captain Nielson, who was in charge of the Nora Niven when experiments were carried out some time ago under the auspices of the Marine Department. The remark made by the Mayor (Mr H. Holland) at the recent meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, to the effect that he hoped that all citizens Would inform the City Council of any dark spaces left after the new system of electric lighting'Ms been established, seems to have been misunderstood in some quarters. There are at present 975 lamps in the streets of Christchurch, but when the Lake Coleridge scheme is completed, these will be replaced: by 2175 electric lights. It is after this system has b'een installed that Mr Holland wishes information as to localities left unlighted. He wishes it to be understood that no more gas lamps will be installed, and he does not desire an inundation of applications for lights at the present moment.

A somewhat noteworthy performance was put up by two members of the New Brighton Sailing and Motor Club yesterday, by accomplishing a run by motor launch from New Brighton to Akaroa and back, a distance of about 110 miles, under eight liourg. It is a feat which • has never been achieved before, though it has been attempted several times. At £.40 a.m. Messrs L. A. Curtis ax'td F./ Freeman left New Brighton in the launch Active, a vessel with a 15-li.p. three-cylinder E. 8.1), motor, having a length of 25ft, and a 4ft 6in beam, crossed the Sumner bar

at. 6.8 a.m., and arrived Akaroa wharf at 9.40 a.m. after a non-stop run. They put in nearly three hours at Akaroa, taking their departure at half-past 12, and arrived at the Sumner bar at 3.55. There they found the signals against, them, and they had to wait two hours until the sea had subsided. They reached New Brighton 20 minutes later, having accomplished the distance in 7hrs 45min. Conditions were generally favourable to the trip, though a somewhat lumpy sea was encountered off Akaroa on the run home. The undertaking without its risks, especially for such a small craft, and Messrs Curtis and Freeman may well be proud of a performance which should take some beating.