NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 61, 18 April 1914, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A Chamber sitting of the Supreme Court will be held on Monday at 10.30 a.m.

ATI the rivers in the district are reported to be clear to-day, with the exception of the Waimakanri South, ■which is discoloured.

Following on the support of their first week-end encampment at Ripa Island, the Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the Railway Engineers go into camp again to-Tlay on the Island. The Canterbury Society of Professional Musicians, by advertisement in this issue, offers a prize of £3 3/- for a composition* for the pianoforte. Details will be found in another column.

Only two inebriates came before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., at the court this morning. Alfred Treson and Thomas Gordon were each fined 10/- with the alternative of 48 hours in gaol.

A girl 15 years of age appeared before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., at the Juvenile Court to-day charged with the theft of a knitted woollen coat valued at £2 2/-. She was convicted and admonished.

Mr W. T. Spencer has withdrawn his nomination for the Harbour Board election, and on Monday Mr J. J. Dougall will be declared elected as the representative of the Waimairi County and Riccarton Borough. ©artnell and M'Meekin's store at Springston was broken into and a considerable quantity of tobacco, cigars,, and cigarettes, and a few shillings in silver were stolen. Several shillings worth of coppers were in the till but were left untouched.

The Papanui Social Club held the first of its winter socials the other evening, a progressive euchre tournament affording the entertainment. Mrs A. Palmer and Mrs J. E. M'Cullough won the first and second prizes respectively in the ladies' section, and Mr Brett and Mr Wynn were successful in the men's section.

At a meeting of persons interested in the fund raised to carry on the watersiders' strike at Lyttelton, held jn the Trades Hall last evening, it was decided that all surplus funds be devoted to the relief of families of those who are still in distress through the strike. In aswer to recent allegations that part of the funds had been used for the purpose of making presentations, it was explained that the presentations had been made from the funds of the Lyttelton Stevedores' Union, and not from the strike fund.

The Hamilton Borough Council expressed surprise last night that such a circular as that asking for advice from local bodies with 'regard to the employment of the conscientious objectors should be sent out by the Minister of Defence (says a Press Association message). The Mayor said that if loopholes were to be made in tins'direction, then the whole compulsory scheme would be rendered useless. One member referrd to the conscientious objectors as frauds. They might well go back to the voluntary system if wholesale exemptions vcre to be granted. A resolution was passed that the council strongly objects to finding work for those "who conscientiously object to military training, and hopes the Government will maintain the defence system as at present established; Twenty-seven shareholders were present at the adjourned annual meeting of the Sydenham and Suburban Co-opera-tive Money Club, held in the Methodist Schoolroom, Brougham Street. The president reported that the completed amendment ox rules had been received from the Begistrar of Friendly Societies, and the election of officers would be held in accordance with the same. The election resulted: President, Mr John Brown j vice-president, Mr Wallace Dalley; trustees, Messrs G. W. J. Parsons and E. Wright; committee, Messrs T. J. Gledhill and J. Hadfield; secretary, Mr W. D. Marks; auditors, Messrs Mark W. Woodfield and T. P. Hall. The president and a number of shareholders spoke in high terms of Mr Thos, Barry, who is retiring from the secretaryship after twenty-four years' service.

Somewhat extraordinary ingratitude was displayed on the Wellington wharves late on Wednesday night by a man who was pluckily rescued from di owning. Stumbling, he fell into the water fronting Customhouse Quay breastwork. Thomas Armstrong, a seaman on the s.s. Rakiura, plunged into the harbour, and tried to place a line round the other man. He was joined by Eric Hollberg, a seaman on the Echo, while Captain H. Hargreaves, of the N&itione, and the Harbour Board watclimen threw a line to the men in the water. All three were then hauled out, but when he was brought round the rescued man seemed to resent the fact that he had been saved from a watery grave. Thereupon he was arrested for drunkenness, and later was made the subject of the usual leniency extended to first offenders.

Regulations under the Temporary Employees Act have been drawn up by the Public Service Commissioner and were gazetted last night. The Commissioner has to be satisfied that the work performed by such an employee is of a permanent character, and as to the competency of the person, and the Permanent Head of the Department, must certify that he is of good character and has satisfactorily performed his duties. A satisfactory certificate of health must be produced. The employee's age must not be less than twenty-one, nor more than fifty at the date of his permanent appointment; in special eases, however, the age may be extended to fifty-five years. No one can be so appointed who was not employed in the Public Service for at least two years continuously before April 1, 1913, or for two or more terms aggregating at least three years before that date.

The annual convention of the Canterbury Prohibition Council is being held to-day in the Y.M.C.A. hall. To-morrow at li p.m. and at 8.15 p.m. demonstrations will be held at the Grand Theatre, also a meeting in St. Saviour's school hall, Sydenham, on Monday evening. The convention this year is endowed with greater powers than formerly, for under the new unification scheme it has charge of all the organisation work throughout the various electorates. Several matters of moment will be discussed at the various sessions, and it is understood that legislative demands, including abolition of the three-fifths majority and reduction of . the time limit to the same period as local option in the event of the carrying of national prohibition, will be important items. Among the visitors to the convention are the Eev. John Dawson (Wellington), general secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, Mr C. 11. Poole, exM.P. for Auckland West, who has recently returned from two campaigns in America, and the Eev. John Patterson, one of the leading New South Wales campaigners, all of whom will deliver addresses.

An inquest touching the death of Mv A. E. Good was held at Rangiora to-day by Mr T. A. B. Bailey, coroner, a verdict of accidental death was returned.

To-morrow the pulpit of the Durham Street Methodist ,Church will be occupied by the Rev." P. N. Knight, 8.A., of Melbourne, the new minister of the church. The name " Herriesville'' has been given an area of land in the electorate of the Minister of Railways. The place so named is outlined in the latest '' Gazette" as all that area in the Auckland district bounded towards the north by the southern boundary of the Ohinemuri County from Gould's Road to the Waihou RiVer; thence towards the north-east by that river to the Te Aroha-Waihou Road; thence towards the south-east by the Te Aroha-Waihou Road to Gould's Road, and thence towards the west by Gould's Road to the southern boundary of the Ohinemuri County, the place of commencement.

In view of the proposal that the "wireless compass" should be employed upon the Three Kings as a safeguard for navigation, it is interesting to note that similar apparatus is being utilised in Europe, says the Wellington "Post." The wireless compass is already installed for the protection of vessels in the English cross-Channel service and in the Hull-Christiania trade. An English journal recently reported that wireless apparatus is to be installed in _ the lighthouses off the dangerous coasts near Cape Finisterre in order to warn mariners during fogs. The system adopted necessitates the installation of the Marconi direction-find-er on shipping. The policy of the Government in regard to workers' homes in the country districts was explained by the Prime Minister to a deputation from the Auckland Farmers' Union, which waited upon him on Wednesday. An Act, Mr Massey said, had been passed last year giving power to county councils, as well as to borough councils, to undertake the erection of workers' homes. The Government, on the other hand, was also erecting homes in certain parts of the country. Land for the purpose was being purchased in different districts, and the Government was determined to follow up the scheme so far as funds would allow. It would, however, not be possible to spend more than about £IOO,OOO in any one year. The Act at present limited the size of sections to five acres. This was sufficient in the case of first class land, but for second and third class lands it was not sufficient, and next session he would probably propose an amendment of the Act to remedy this defect.