NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 364, 10 April 1915, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF.

All the trout streams of the district, with the exception of the Rangitata, (fishable) arc described as clear. * A meeting of the United Pigeon Fanciers' Club was held on Thursday evening, when there was an exhibition of performing tumblers, followed by a useful discussion on the type.

A church parade of the Citizens' Defence Corps will be held on Sunday, to-morrow. The Bishop has kindly offered to preach at the Cathedral, and a large muster of the corps is expected. The corps' band will play to and from the Cathedral. The Ashburton Methodist Circuit quarterly meting was held in the Baring Square Methodist Schoolroom on Thursday, the Rev. W. J. Elliott presiding. A membership of 261 was reported, and the financial statement showed a debit of £3O 11/-. It was decided to invite the Rev. Val Triggs to conduct a mission in Ashburton during his visit to the Dominion.

The. great change which has come over the native mind in Taranaki during the last decade is well illustrated by an incident which is reported from Hawera. Rev. T. G. Hammond, addressing a gathering of veterans a few days ago, told how the Maoris at a settlement called Meremere had authorised him to send a signed agreement to the Government pledging a portion of their rents to help Britain until the end of the war. This in a district that in Te Whiti's day was the home of sedition, and a centre of disaffection until a few years ago.

The quarterly meeting of the Durham Street Methodist Circuit was held on Thursday, the Rev. P. N. Knight presiding over a large attendance. The membership was reported at 264, an increase of eight oh the previous quarter- The balance-sheet showed the income for circuit purposes to be easily a record, there being a balance in hand of £79. It was* arranged that the annual Foreign Mission services should be held at the end of June. Appreciative references were made of the services of the choir and Mr Ernest Firth, choirmaster, special mention being made of the willingness of Mrs Ernest Firth to help the church at all times. It was decided to hold, a congregational social at an early date.

On Tuesday evening, in the East Belt Schoolroom, the quarterly meeting of the Christehurch East Methodist .Circuit was held, the Rev. W. A. Sinclair presiding over a large attendance. A credit balance was shown, and it was resolved that this and all future credit balances should be placed to the special reserve fund. The membership reports showed a slight increase, and the.Sunday School .ami'. Young People' Society reports were .quite satisfactory. The resignation of. Mr F. C. Spratt as Home Mission secretary was accepted with regret, Mr G. H. Andrew being elected to the position. It was resolved /.that a Circuit Convention should be held on the King's Birthday, and that a circuit quarterly magazine should be. commenced.

"The soldiers have just about' paid for the car," remarked the owner of a taxi cab at AVellington the other day, and his smile of thankfulness came from his heart. The blast of war has bloAvn niuch money into the vehicle. Some of the "Expeditionaries" stationed at Trentham seem to have a passion for petrol, merely for pleasure, and others are occasionally obliged to rely on a motor car —after the last train has gone. These are the persons who gladden the chauffeur. The. fare is £2 for an ordinary day-time run, and £2 10/at night or early in .the morning. A driver has received as much as £3 10/for an urgent call from bed by a belated merrymaker, eager to reach the camp before daylight. This kind of lucrative business promises to continue for period of the Trentham encampment. Mr A. J. Glasson, inspector of noxious weeds, while giving evidence in the Magistrate's Court at Hawera in a case against a farmer for having failed to clear noxious weeds, said employees of sharemilkers gave the inspector, next to the natives, more trouble than other landowners. In the majority of cases it was provided that the sharemilker had to clear the weeds to the satisfaction of the inspectors, but he might explain that his business was not with the sharemilker, who was not really the occupier of the laMd. The Magistrate said that instead of the sharemilker doing the clearing of the weeds, that should be done by the order of the employer, who could then debit the sharemilker with the cost of the work. This would get over the difficulty of complaints about sharemilkers not keeping the land clear. The inspector said that the suggestion was a good one.

The group of sunspots mentioned the other day by Mr Clement Wragge is now visible with the naked eye at Gore (writes a correspondent of the Mataura "Ensign'' interested in astronomy). Care should be taken, of course, to protect the eye with a piece of smoked or ruby glass. Spots on the sun are not unusual at the present time, and indicate the approach of another period of maximum solar activity. This one —or rather group—is of exceptional dimensions, however, and covers a line of at

least 150,000 miles. Some idea of this length may foe obtained by remember: ino" that the earth's diameter is 8000 miles and'that a line of 150,000 miles long is three-fifths of the distance to the moon. Some terrestrial effects may bo looked for, notably displays of Aurora Australia. Mr Wragge is convinced also that great climatic cycles accompany the waxing and waning of solar activity. Your Portrait will be natural, artistic, and inexpensive if taken by Steffano Webb. Petersen's Buildings, High | Street. Telephone 1989. .342

SALE OF TYRES AT REDUCED PRICE 3. DTJNLOP STUDDED COVERS, 26 x 2], usual price £1 13/-, sale price £1 7/6. DREADNOUGHT STUDDED, extra heavy; usual price £2 10/-, sale price £1 15/-. MOTOR CYCLE BELTS (Dunlop, Bates, Pedley ? s, Lysett 's, from 15/-. Still a few of our G/6 covers, also 4/- tubes. The Best Value ever offered in Christchurch. COMPARE OUR, PRICES. JONES BROS., LTD., i 122 Manchester Street.

The Minister of Internal Affairfl notifies that this year Empire Day will be observed on June' 3, the King's birth-

The members of the Otago EducationBoard have agreed to nominate Mr James Mitchell for the Council of Education. —P.A.

At a meeting of the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary. Chib, Mr G. E.'Jeffries presiding, Mr F. Dacre was appointed judge of Wy'andottes, Orpingtons, and Leghorns. It was decided to add to the schedule for fancy and utility poultry trios, pigeon and canary pairs, and cats. A progressive euchre tournament is being arranged for an early date.

A largely attended meeting of the Riecarton " Citizens' Association was held on Wednesday night, when the forthcoming council elections were fully discussed. The ascociation decided to ask the electors to support the folloAving ticket:—Mayor, Mr J. Brown; Councillors Messrs W. Dally, A. D. Ford, H. Gudsell, A. Hampton, J. Munnings, G. W. J. Parsons, A. E. Steere, and 11. Wise. "The rabbits are increasing in the province," said Major Lusk, the president of the Auckland branch of the Farmers' Union, to a "New Zealand Herald" reporter. "We have had communications from different districts complaining or lamenting over the matter. The advice we have given is the formation of rabbit boards, which are recognised by the State. In every district where the rabbits are becoming a nuisance steps should be taken in the direction indicated. This course has proved to be wonderfully successful, and is relieving people of a great deal of trouble and anxiety. The Rabbit Board acts in much the same manner as a drainage board. An area, generally a large one, is defined, in which the operations of the board take place. There is a small contribution, and .farmers pay a trifle on each head .of stock towards the operations. The board employs an expert, who has charge of the area, and he is responsible for keeping the pest down. He can command assistance, and, if taken in hand in the proper manner and in the proper time, an immense amount of good can be done. In the district between Whakatane and Opotiki, in the Bay of Plenty, the scheme has proved entirely successful. The work is clone principally by poisoning."

In compliance with the request of his Worship the Mayor in this morning's paper, Messrs W. Strange and Co., Ltd., announce that their establishment will be closed all day Saturday next, April 17, in order that the linn's employees, may have the whole day to assist in the success of the Harvest Festival in aid of the Belgians. Customers arc therefore requested to make their ; purchases before 9 p.m. on Friday.—.7