NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 962, 12 March 1917, Page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF.

All the rivers of Canterbury were reported clear this morning. A Press Association message from Wellington states that Herbert Hill, who was charged before a court marshal with being a deserter from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, was acquitted. The Akaroa District High School held the annual school treat on Tuesday last at Wainui, the s.s. Cygnet taking the children, the parents, and friends. Sports were held, and a very enjoyable day was spent. A congress of South Island representatives of the Salvation Army opens in Dunedin on March 27, and will extend possibly over a week. The North Island Congress, which is at present sitting in Auckland, will finish its deliberations to-day. In the public gardens the activities of the staff are at present being dirocted towards the weeding and topdressing of the lawns. In addition, the fact should serve as a hint to amateur gardeners, cuttings are being made from geraniums and other perennials for striking purposes. At a meeting of the Labour Representation Committee, held at the Trades Hall on Saturday evening, it was decided to co-operate with the Trades and Labour Council in approaching Mr Jas. McCombs, M.P., with a request that he should allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for the Mayoralty.

The general secretary of the Y.M.C.A. lias just received an amount of £l2 15/- from the Knox Sunday School for trench comforts. This is the outcome of a ballot amongst the scholars as to whether they should hold their annual treat this year or hand over the money saved for this purpose to the Association's Trench Comfort Fund. Harvest festival services were held in the Leeston Methodist Church, Leeston, yesterday. The church was beautifully decorated with fruit, flowers and model sheaves. In the evening there was a large congregation, Captain-Chaplain W. Grigg, minister of the circuit, who returned from tho front last week, on furlough, taking the service. The appeals of Thomas Smith, Julia Gaye, Win. Pollock, and J. Muhliesen against convictions under the Gaming Act, which were set down for hearing at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, will not now be heard on that day, owing to the inability of defendants' counsel, Mr Myers, of Wellington, to be present. The date of the adjourned hearing has not yet been fixed. A splendid cast of the head of a gorilla has been received at the museum from England. It is intended to add this to the collection of human skulls merely for the purpose of comparison. A gift of calcarius cufa from the Kotuku Springs has been made to (he museum by Miss Shrimpton. This donation is a splendid example of tho effect of mineral waters in the fossilisation of (wigs and plailt life.

A now seaplane, which lias been under construction at the New Zealand Flying School at Koliimarama, was launched this week, and the trials proved very satisfactory. The machine is on the same model as the Curtis (lying boat. On the water the plane can nii'ke a speed uf 50 miles, while on rising from the surface the rate can lie considerably increased. The school is now equipped with three machines, and regular flights are made, much to the advantage of the pupils.

ARRIVAL OF THE MILITARY DRAB, 1917, '' HARLEY DAVIDSON. *' Every feature, every del ail, every refinement which the " Harley Davidson" Engineers have incorporated in this 1917 model has net only added to its exceptional speed, but has added chielly to its reliability and endurance qualities. The Machines are Hjre. Call and Secure a Treat. JONES BROS,. LIMITED, Sole Agents, Harley Davidson and King Dick Motors, Manchester Street. .8