NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 85, 16 May 1914, Page 2

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Sydney City Council has negatived a proposal to introduce rating on the unimproved value system. .:.

According to a Press Association cable mesage from Sydney, land in Queen.Street has been sold at the rate of £460 per foot.

The first meeting of the , Coal and Blanket Fund Committee will be held on Wednesday next, when all requests for assistance will be considered. An Order-in-Council published in this, week's "Gazette," vesting the road from Evans Pass to Godley Head, a distance of over four miles, in the Sumner Borough Council.

The Rangiora Branch No. 2 of the Canterbury Carpenters' and Joiners' Association Industrial Union of Workers, has applied for cancellation of its registration under the Arbitration Act.

The Board of Land Purchase Commissioners has acquired the Lansdowne Estate, in the Waimate district, for the purposes of closer settlement. The total area of the estate is 2,073 acres. , Mr J. V, Saunders, coach and groundsman for the Wellington Cricket Association, was presented by a few of his friends with a solid silver cigarette case prior to his leaving for Sydney by the Moeraki.

A "Gazette" notice forbids the transmission of postal matter to 66 Hornsby Road, Peckham, London, the Postmaster-General having reason to suspect that that is the address of persons carrying out a lottery. At the . Durham street Methodist Church to-morrow afternoon the Rev. Percy Knight will preach on "The Rainbow" and Mr Firth and Mr Papakura will sing by special request a sacred duet, " When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

To-morow afternoon a special musical programme will be rendered at the P.S.A. in the Grand Theatre by the Christchurch Mandolin Orchestra. An address will be delivered, by the Rev. J. Cocker on *' The. Gpp.d N.ew Tiinesv''. The evening service...will be conducted by the' Rev.-, J: Cocker. •■ ~ . : ; : : :

The Presbyterian Assembly at Perth has approved a letter from the /Church in New Zealand, in fa,vonr of the reduction of armaments.—Press Association.

Applications are invited.' ijpv the position ,of stores manager of- ; the Public Word's Department of the Dominion, and' for that of Crown Lauds Ranger at Invereargill. / . ,„

The fourth night's play iA.the Christchurch Friendly Societies' iCard Association 's tournament resulted as follows: —Anchor, beat Pioneer, .33 —17; Star of St. Albans beat Star of Canterbury, 22 —21; Mistletoe; beat Addingtonj 25—24; City of Christchurch beat Ivy of Linwood, 24—15; Washington beat Perseverance, 25—19; Queen's Own", a bye. ......'./,.- ,_;'::-. ■"'..'" His Worship the May or, ( .Mr IL Holland, had given notice of-motion for the>next meeting of the eity-pouhcil, that with regard " to the irieu whose wages and hours of work were affected by the award which came int<> operation on December 1, that the same shall be altered to 45A hours per week, instead of 44, the wages to be £2 13/6 instead of £2 1.1/4.

On Friday next, in the Choral Hall, the Christchurch Orpheus Society, under the conductorship of Mr J. T.'Macleodsmith, will perform a number of part songs and choruses by Mendelssohnj Van Bree, Schafer, Smart, Pinsuti and the conductor. The pianist will be ' Miss Nora Macleodsmith, and solos will be sung by Miss Ibbotson, Messrs W. J. Trewern and Reginald Smith* His Worship the Mayor, Mr H. Holland, states that the position in Christchurch as to unemployment appears to be much relieved. He has been told that a number of men have; been sent to work on a ,coal mine, property on the WestvCoast, and he knows that at the .last meeting 'of the council building permits to the value : of £30,000 were issued. The work involved thereby he thinks will tend to give.a-gop/l • deal of employment in the city itself. About the outlying districts he says''lie can' say nothing." ■ Protruding hatpins 1 were responsible for 26 women and girls being charged at the Auckland Police Court on Wednesday before Mr. E. Page, S.M., with a breach of the section of the city bylaws dealing' with th6hat-pih. i danger. All were convicted and ordered'to pay costs amounting to 7/- in each case. One young woman, who was not represented by counsel,, declared that the charge against her could not be upheld because the hatpin she wore lay flat against the brim of her hat. ' "It might still have been a danger to those beside her •on the tramear,<? ' .argued •Inspector Lindsay. ; l ' But, it was pointing towards the said the young woman with a smile. Her defence, however, did not succeed. The monthly meeting of the Christchurch Accountant's Students Society was held in the Canterbury, Caledonian Society's rooms recently, when there was a large attendance of members. Mr J. S. Day presiding., Owing to. the unavoidable absence of Mr A. F. Wright who intended giving a lecture on "The Memorandum and Articles <?£ Association of a Limited Company," Mr W. E. Best read a paper on '.'Bills of Exchange, and how they are treated in the books of a trading concern." .Ml* Best's address was listened to with deep attention, and at the conclusion quite a number of intricate points were discussed. On the unanimous vote of the members Mr Best was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his paper. The secretary intimated that Mr Wright lias promised to deliver his lecture to the Society at a later date. In May, 1899, the first international conference was called by the Tzar of Russia at The Hague to discuss the limitation and reduction of armaments. Twenty-six countries were represented, twenty being European, four Asiatic, and two American. The conference succeeded in establishing a permanent Court of Arbitration which was agreed to, cither at the conference or shortly afterwards, by forty-four nations of the world. These Powers were represented at the second Hague Conference in June, 1907. They included twenty-one European, four Asiatic, and nineteen American, with a total of 256 delegates, is compared with 100 delegates at the previous conference. This time the conference improved the Permanent Court of Arbitration; appointed a Prize Court, at the instance of Germany, to adjust ownership of captures at sea; and endorsed the principle of compulsory arbitration. The greatest provision, however, was that of forbidding bombardment of unfortified places. To commemorate the opening of the first Hague Conference and to further the' cause of peace between nations, a publie meeting will be. held in the Alexandra Hall on Monday, at 8 p.in,, ; The Mayor will preside, and the, speakers will be Miss M. Lloyd, Rev. C, Murray, Mr J. M'Combs, M.l\, and Mr C. 8.-N. Macki*

The Tramway Employees' Union is to hold a social on Wednesday next at the Alexandra Hall. Advantage will be taken of. the occasion to make a presentation to Mr Loin as, an active worker for the union, who is leaving after many years in the' service.

The first express for the ; south this morning was an unusually long one, comprising about a dozen passenger cars. A large number of South Canterbury territorials, who were brought in from the Kowai-. camp and billeted in totyn last evening, were passengers by the train. The Kangiora Brass Band will play the following programme of music on the Rotunda, Victoria Park, to-morrow afternoon, commencing at .'J o'clock: —■ Marchj "Old Comrades" (Leike)j hymn, "Sun of My Soul" (Newton); cornet solo, "Ora Pro Nobis"; intermezzo, " Rendez-Vous" (Alletter); selection, "Gems of Sir Henry Bishop" (Round), . march, "Concordia" (Newby); hymn, "Adeste Fidelis" (Elliott); "selection, "In Memoriam" (Lynton) ; march, '' Capiscolus." At a meeting of ladies held in the Druid's Hall under the auspices of the Liberal and Labour Association there was a fair attendance and, after listening to an address by Mr. W. J. Ballinger those present resolved to form themselves into a committee to meet weekly. Several new members were elected and it was decided to appoint a secretary at next meeting. Asked by a representative of THE SUN as to whether there was any appearance here of the epidemic of street begging which seems to have afflicted Wellington, his Worship the Mayor said that he did not consider it necessary to make any official statement. At the same time he mentioned that during the past week he himself had assisted a ease which had proved to be most undesirable. He advised strongly that when asked to aid in any case, the request should be referred to Miss Cardale, of the Coal and Blanket Fund, or to the Rev. Frank Rule.

An important decision, relating to the admission of members, was arrived at by the Wellington • Garrison Officers ' Club on Wednesday evening. It was decided to rescind the rule, providing for the election. of members by ballot, and to insert another in its*place allowing every officer holding a commission to become a member. The new rule will apply to cadet officers as we^l' as to those holding commissions in the Territorial Forces. The decision, it is understood, will require- the approval of General Godley, Officer Commanding the New Zealand Defence Forces.

-: A combined committee meeting of the. different churches of the Bible-ih-Schools League was held on Thursday afternoon at which Sister Kate presided. The secretary, Miss Butler, reported that she had had 500 notice's printed advertising the public meeting to be held in the PresbVterian Hall on Tuesday, May 26, when the speakers will be the Dean of Christchurch, Dean Carrington, and the Rev. W. J. Williams, editor of the "Methodist Times." The resolution affirming the re-introductioh' of the Bible in day schools was put to the meeting and carried unanimously and it was decided to forward it to the Hon. W. F. Massey anil the other Ministers.

A consignment of stud Romney ewes, from the flock of Mr Donald Grant, of Elloughton Grange, was sent forward to the West Coast to-day, by Messrs Jones and Horrell, for use on their Ikamatua property. The ewes sire in lanib to one of Mr Grant's best stud rams, and are big : framed, well-woolled sheep. This should be the means >of establishing a good Romney stud that will help to raise the standard of sheep bred on the other 'side of the range. The Romney is an ideal sheep for the Coast climate, and the northern part of Westland contains some excellent sheep country, which will in the near future produce wool and mutton in considerable quantities. His Excellency the Governor has presented a very handsome 1 gold medal for the competitor securing the most marks for the Dominion in the Trinity College of Music Examinations. , This was made by Mr Frank Grady, of_ Wellington, and will be on exhibition for a few days in Messrs G. Coates and *Co.'s window, Colombo Street, together with . three medals made by the latter firm, for presentation, to the successful competitors in the local centre examinations, viz., a, gold medal won by Miss Doris S. L. Webb, higher local honours, pianoforte; ; <a silver medal won by Miss Dorothea Harrop, senior honoursy pianoforte;' a bronze medal won by Miss Eileen Carter junior honours, pianoforte..