NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1372, 6 July 1918, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF.

There was no police sheet this morning, consequently there was no sitting of the Magistrate's Court. The Mayor of Christcnurch stated today that it is intended to hold' a meet-. 1 iug of those interested in promoting the I French National Day appeal in the. City j Council Chambers on Monday at 4 p.m. Someone's conscience has smitten ; him hard. ?Jr H, F. Wyatt, local superintendent of telegraphs, this morning [received aa envelope, addressed to the "Superintendent of Telegraphs and Tiephones," containing £6 15/- "conscience money." Alterations to the Grand Picture Theatre are going on apace, anil in a few j weeks' time it will be reopened as one of the largest and most up to date picture houses in the city. Regular supplies of the best pictures will be obtainable when the theatre commences busi--1 ness. i Mr E. Richards, of Waihao Downs, claimed £2597 from the Public Works Department as compensation for land taken for the extension of the Waihao Downs railway and for damage to the Test of the estate. A Compensation Court sitting at Timaru vesterday awarded him £1179 10/-. Another united intercession service in connection with the war has been arj ranged under the auspices of the Ministers' Association, to be held in Trinity Congregational Church next Wednesday evening. The Rev. Geo. E. Moore will E reside, and an address will be delivered y the Rev. P. N. Knight. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, before Messrs 11. Langford and S. Bullock, J.P.'s, Wm. Uren (Mr J. A. Cassidy) pleaded not guilty to a charge of forging a cheque valued at £2 12/8. After hearing the evidence the Bench committed the accused to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in one surety of £25. At Trinity Congregational Church- tomorrow evening there will be a special musical service by the choir of the Church, conducted by Mr J. Hayes, with solos by Miss Pounsford and" Mr H. Blakeley. The address will be given by the Rev. Geo. E. Moore, M.A., and the music will all bear on the theme for the evening, "Come Unto Me." The Public Health Department proceeded against the Central Dairy Company in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., charging the company with selling butter containing more than 16 per cent, of water. Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., appeared for the Health Department, and Mr M. J. Gresson for the defendant company. The Magistrate reserved his decision.

The Defence Expenditure Commission's report is now being printed. It will be printed like the Budget, and copies forwarded under seal to postmasters, with directions to hand them to the newspapers on a given day. It is understood that it is an extremely bulky document, which would not readily lend itself to telegraphing, and this plan will relieve the Telegraph Office of a large amount of work. Up till the present, there has been no trace of the body of Wm. Greenbank, a greaser on the 8.8. Kamona, who lost his life on Tuesday night last at Lyttelton by drowning, having fallen between the side of the s.s. Tarawera and No. 4 wharf. It was generally surmised that Greenbank, who was a native of a suburban village of Yorkshire, England, had no relatives in New Zealand, but Constable Smith ascertained yesterday that the missing man has a brother, Thomas, at present employed on the railway in Wellington. The Christchurch Domains Board, On the recommendation of its Sports Grounds Committee, has defined the following areas for motor cars and motor cycles in the parks:—Eiecarton entrance to the north Hagley Park, 100 yards to left of entrance; United Bowling Club, to pavilion from Kicearton Eoad only; cricket grounds, South Hagley Park, the whole frontage to the Riccarton Boad between the two entrances; Hospital corner, South Hagley Park, 80 yards either side of the entrance; polo ground, south Hagley Park, 100 yards to the left of the entrance.

The annual choir concert of St. Paul's Presbj-terian Church, which was held on Thursday, was extremely successful, a good programme being rendered to a large audience. Besides items given by the choir, vocal selections were given by Mrs S. N. Robinson, Misses E. Fry, K. Paterson, King, Shaw, M. Withel, Robertson, Holmquist, Thomas, Messrs Shier, Cropp, S. N. Robinson, Cooper, S. Parker, and Raynor White. Mr Raynor White also acted as accompanist, and gave some pleasing pianoforte soros, Miss M. Gibb and Mr Pollock contributed violin items, and Miss Thelma Floyd rendered a pianoforte selection. Some humorous sketches were given by Mr H. McD. Vincent.

Mr C. S. Howard stated at yesterday's meeting of the Canterbury Education Board that as chairman of tho Agricultural Committee he had watched with considerable interest the progress of the potato-growing competition, and he had noticed that in some instances the growers escaped the potato blight, the pest that had long been the bane of agriculturists. Experience had led him to note that where the potatoes had been planted deeply there was less blight, while in cases where the plantings had been made deeper than five inches there was seldom any blight at all. He thought that this information should be made public in order that further experiments might be carried out with a view of utterly exterminating the blight. Applications are now being invited throughout the Dominion from young men—ineligible for active service—and young women, who are willing to undergo a six months' course at Dunedin in the theoretical work of massage, with the object of completing their training later in the civil and military hospitals of the Dominion. At the present time the number of qualified masseurs and masseuses in the Dominion is somewhat limited, and barely sufficient for carrying out the massage work in connection with the treatment of our returned sick and wounded soldiers. The assistance of patriotic and other associations interested is being asked in the direction of recommending persons suitable for the work. Full particulars as to the special course, which is to commence at Dunedin at the end of the present month, can be obtained on application to the Director General of Medical Services, Defence Headquarters, "Wellington. There are a good many photographic obligations you have never paid. Call on Steffano Webb at once. 252 Hi<*h Street. Tel. 1989. 5 Late Model Dougles, two-speed gear box. A snip. Only £32 10/-. JONES BROS. LTD., MOTOR and CYCLE IMPORTERS, 122 Manchester Street. .4