NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 918, 19 January 1917, Page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The northern portion of Warner's Hotel, which is being demolished to make room for a picture theatre, has iu three days been razed. The river report issued this morning states that all the rivers of Canterbury were clear with the exception of the Rakaia, which was iishable. The annual congress of the Salvation Army, usually held in Wellington, is being held at two centres instead this year. For the North Island, Auckland is the centre, and the dates March 6th to Ilth, inclusive; for the South Island the congress will be held iu Dunediu on March 27 to April 1,

As a result of a storm that passed over Winchester on Monday (says the "Timaru Post"), all the oat crops within a radius of two miles from Winchester have been literally threshed, aud are not worth cutting for threshing purposes, though oaten hay may be made of them. The wheat crops escaped on the whole. Root crops have suffered in some cases, but will recover.

In the Norfolk Island notes of the ''Southern Cross Log," the publication issued by the Melanesian Mission, reference is made to the fact that lemons, of which there are enormous quantities on the island, are now being turned to commercial account. The juice is exported in casks for lemon squash, and the rind is turned into candied peel on the island. Over a quarter of a million lemons were gathered off the mission lands alone.

; Interviewed to-day by a Sun reporter, Dr. ChessoM, District ' Health Officer, said that scarlet fever cases were now beiug notified at the normal rate. The notifications still averaged about 10 a week; but, at the height of the expidemic. a few months ago, as many as 70 were frequently notified in a week. Some cases of diphtheria were being notified but these were not of sufficient numUer to give any cause for alarm. They were, moreover, not confined to any particular area or district. Sitting in Chambers yesterday his Honour Mr Justice Denniston granted probate of the following wills:—John Halliday, Christopher Barrington, John Henry Sturgis, Jas. Banks, and John Win. Maidens. Letters of administration were granted in the estates of Eliza Sinclair Morley and Helen M. Ridgen. To-day his Honour granted the following probates: —Rosalie E. Nutt, Chas. Withall, Jas. Stone ', Wm. John Marriott, Geo. Hood, John Hall, James Thompson, John Armstrong, Wm. Anderson, Henry A'Court and Annie Robson (Timaru).

The Hon. Arthur M. Myers, Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies, states that tenders have been accepted for the supply for the current y,ear for all material required in equipping Dominion soldiers, such as cloth, shirting, blankets, socks, puttees, etc. Although, owing to having accumulated a reasonable amount of reserve stocks, ,he orders placed are not so large as last year, nevertheless, the cost of the military requirements in this connection will run close on to £300,000r Nearly Hie whole of the woollen mills throughout the Dominion will be interested in carrying out this contract. In conversation with the manager of a labour agency that specialises in placing applicants for farm work, a Sun representative was informed that here was a dearth of inquiries from farmers for harvesters. He was daily placing a few applicants, but the demand was not nearly so great as it was this time last year. A farmer on the Peninsula had informed him that harvesting there was being done on the co-operative system, and that the crops were poor. Farmers in other districts seemed to wait until a man turned up in their farm looking for work instead of applying to the city labour bureaux. The men applying included a number of experienced harvesters. "The doctors at Home," said a Wellington medical man to a "New Zealand Times" representative recently, "have found that the Lloyd George scheme, with the amendments that have been made as a result of experience, works much better than they ever thought it would. In its original form 'lie profession strongly opposed it, but now they find that though jnany of 'hem have to work harder, they get better paid and have not the financial worries in the way of bad debts that they used to have. But the 'panels' are too large—that is to say, the doctors have too many people to look after, and Ihe patients don't get the same individual attention as under the old system. As they have not to pay, the people go to the doctors for every little thing; and as the doctors get 7/6 for each patient they take on as many as possible. Out of each 100 cases, about 85 per cent, are very slight cases, and 1 he other 15 per cent., which really need attention, get swamped by the 85 per cent, who would not go to the doctor at all if they had to pay him. 'Punch' satirised the position some time ago in a cartoon representing a doctor going his rounds on roller skates and throwing pills into the mouths of his patients lined up on the kerb as he passed."

The annual accounts of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board have been returned by the AuditorGeneral, with a "tag" taking exception to the payment of*half-pay to Dr A. M. Grant, formerly acting-medical superintendent of the hospital, now on active service. Tn his comments (reports the "New Zealand Herald''), the Auditor-General, Mr R. J. Collins, says he is advised that there is no Act under which the board can grant leave of absence to any person except during a period when tlrat person is si ill the holder of some office or employment under the -board. No person can. be absent on leave who is no.longer in the board's employment. Dr Grant's appointment as 'nctinfj-nfeilical superintendent expired ,'.n February* Wi&fTtiSl a successor "was ' "In view of these facts," .proceeds l the AuditorGeneral, U J regret* that I (gave no option but to i*C|s'eat my demand for a refund of all moneys paid to Dr Giant nftor'the expiry of his appointment, and if such is not obtained within 21 days I shall lie compelled to surcharge momhcrs under the Public Revenues Act, 191H, and its amendments." It was ;tated by members of the board that Dr Grant was actually on leave of absence, and his old position of junior resident medical officer was open to him whenever he returned from active service. The board has decided to send a letter of protest to the Auditor-General.