THE COLONIST. MONDAY, JULY 28; 1919. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 151034, 28 July 1919, Page 4

THE COLONIST. MONDAY, JULY 28; 1919. NEWS OF THE DAY.

A lecture by Mr F. V. Knapp'on "The Customs of the Ancient Maori" will be given at the Methodist bchoolroom tomorrow evening. The public are invited to attend. The Telegraph Department advises that the steamers Briton and Chupra were within wireless range of Wellingi ton on Sunday. There is on view at Mr F. W. Fairey's establishment in Bridge street a very fine bullock, which was fattened on Edwards Bros.' farm at Pokororo. This bullock won first prize for the best locally grown bullock at the last Nelson Show. The late Mr Ralph Edwards, who was killed at the war, was very proud of the beast, and had expressed a wish to have it exhibited when it was slaughtered. The farm is being carried on by tiie surviving brother, Mr Arthur Edwards. . Tho medals gained in the district schools swimming championships have been presented to the winners af their respective schools. Tho trophies are similar in design and size to those given lin other years, and are in the form of a i cross with a central raised circular embossment, bearing the raised letters, "N.Z.A.5.A.," and engraved with tho winners' names. The first prizes are of gold, and the second of silver. The winners were as follows: —Boys: C. Kinzett 1 Max Collins 2 (botn of Central School). Girls: Trixie Glover (Girls' Central) 1, M. Weldon (Convent) 2. Two of the flags used in connection with America's representation in the Peace procession have claims to be considered historical, says, thee "Otago Daily Times." They were tho first used in^the big Liberty Loan drive in Los Angeles, and were later sent out Ito a friend in Dunodin, who handed them on to the Peace Celebrations) Committee for use in Saturday's function. As they helped to forgo tho silver bullet, without which, the war could not have been won, it was fitting that they should be used at the.final celebrations of a victorious peace. Mrs J. T. Bruce, of the Gibbstown Coal Depot, Otago, writes to the Surrey "Herald," correcting the impression which seems to have got abroad here (says a London correspondent) that tho English wives of New Zealand soldiers aro not welcomed in tho Dominion. Mrs. Bruce, who arrived by the Athenic, says: "We were welcomed in by some hundreds of children in a decorated steamer. Then civilians came out and shouted 'Welcome to Now Zealand, English wives and children.' On Thursday morning we were drawn alongside of the wharf and were greeted by hundreds of people with hands. As we disembarked cars wore waiting at the wharf gates, and we were driven through crowds of waiting people who cheered the wives and soldiers and pelted them with flowers and rice. Coming from Lyttelton port to the south, at every station crowds were waiting to welcome us with fruit and refreshments. I am sure no wives had such a welcome from the population as we had. I thought this would interest the girls who are returning with their husbands to New Zealand. They can be assured of a hearty welcome' from all." A case of considerable interest to orchardists was heard in the Magistrate's Court, Motueka, on Tuesday last (reports tho "Star"), when Wilfred Thomas Goodwin, Orchard Instruc- : tor, representing the Department of Agriculture, proceeded against Richard Clifton Holyoake, of Umukuri, on two charges (1) that ho did remove from his_ premises seven cases of apples which to his knowledge were infected with disease, without the authority of an inspector or other authorised officer ; (2) did offer for sale e seven cases of apples which to his knowledge were infected with disease, both offences being contrary to tho Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908. Defendant sent a letter which w;is held to be a plea of guilty. The inspector said the department had decided to take action is defendant had persisted in shipping fruit after five previous consignments had been condemned. On the first charge defendant was convicted and fined 40s, with 12s costs, and on the second he was convicted and fined £5, with 12s costs. A charge of a similar nature against George Grooby, tertius, of Pangatotara, was adjourned until tho next sitting of the court. An experiment of great interest to motorists is being made at Southw.ark, England. The council of that borough is laying a length of street with patent rubber 'blocks in place of wood blocks. An English writer observes in this connection that the experience of many motorists on wood paving shows that the tar used ~.n j cementing and seasoning the wood' blocks and the scattering of small stones over the smooth surface when the roads are worn, are destructive to tyres and chassis. It is claimed that rubber blocks are more lasting and less slippery than either wood or stone paving. Of.course, he adds, the cost of rubber block paving is somewhat higher at the present time, but with the assistance of the Rubber Growers' Association, who are desirous of finding an outlet for surface rubber, especially of the lower qualities, there is no doubt that a cheaper method of employing rubber in road construction will be found. Tlie enormous ' quantities of waste rubber from tyres and other sources might be utilised. The blocks now used are of course not all rubber, but rubber slabs vulcanised on to metal and imbedded in concrete. Theyi have the appearance of an ordinary | wood paved road and are said* to be nun-skidding. A section of roadway paved with rubber blocks two years ago shows scarcely any signs of wear, which is a very decisive factor. The General Election will be the most important tho Dominion has ever known. Endless issues will have to be considered, "bane Labour—no labour, Advanced Labour (Radical Liberal) lory, P.P.A., etc.," said Mumbles after .reading in "The Colonist" about "The ( Well bed League," "The Plain Man," f and sich rubbish, "which, sez I is! only Cammy Fluge—Bill Massey's party in a new rig, or, as the saym' is, 'The wolf m sheep's clothes.' Why some vi them 'Plain Men' make as much in a week as a working man makes in a year. The other day the Bishop was givin' thanks to a lot of leaders," including Bill Massey and Joe Ward; jut," sez I to Mumbles, "he forgot one." •'lt's a name that will last forever, it . will stand the test of timebill Lock leads the leaders in tho furnishing line." The Bishop might have referred to tins leader, and told of the grand stock of Furniture at Lock's Emporium where there is no profiteering, the quality of the goods the best, and the prices by far the lowest. A special concession given to soldiers who want to start happy homes, and satisfaction is guaranteed. It pays to buy at Lock's.* .. . • Woods 1 Great Peppermint Cure, Far Coughs and Colds, never fafla. i ■ ■ • ■. . ■ ' \ ■ - ■ ■...

A regulation was gazetted last week permitting the import to New Zealand of c;itrus trees, provided they are accompanied by a certificate that the disease known as "citrus canker of Japan" does not exist in the exporting country. ■ *" Tho Hastings police are bringing a charge of selling- liquor to Natives against Mr. A, J. Ellingham, holder of a conditional license to sell liquor at the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's winter meeting. The case is brought to test tho effect of the judgment delivered recently by Mr. 11. W. Dyer, S.M,. wherein it was held that a racecourse booth was not licensed premises witliin ■ the meaning of the Licensing Act. Mr W. M'Pherson, the Victorian State Treasurer,, recently interviewed Lord Milner, Secretary of State for the Colonies, and conveyed to him-a message from the Victorian State Premier that there existed in Victoria a strong and growing feeling, which the Government shared, that in future, instead of a Governor, the office might be occupied by as Australian Lieutenant-Governor Mr McPherson eulogised the work of the present State Governor (Sir Arthur Stanley), and made partticular reference to Lady Stanley's connection with the Red Cross; but he suggested that the Imperial Government should not appoint a succassor until the Victorian Government had an opportunity of ma!ang further representations. "Victoria," he concluded, "considers that since the advent of ttie Commonwealth .and the appointment of a Governor-General, the question of appointing State Governors from England is on a different basis." Lord Miiner, in replying, expressed his personal opinion that LieutenantGovernors would meet the needs of the various States. He promised to await further representations: from overseas before taking any steps in the matter. A Hastings borough by-law provides that "no vehicle of any kind shall be allowed to stand in any one position :n any road or street in the 'borough for longer than 1Q minutes." Recently several people who infringed this bylaw were proceeded against, but Mr. Dyer, S.M., who hoard the cases, has held that the by-law is invalid. In his judgment he said: "The operation of the by-law is not restricted to the busy streets of the borough, but it is applied indiscriminately to all streets, including places and times at which there is little or no traffic. Tho police say, and, 1 believe with truth, that they have only prosecuted in instances of breaches of the by-law in busy streets. The bylaw, however, has application to all streets in the borough, and it is therefore valid or invalid as it stands. It would, I think, bo impossible to hold that the by-law is valid in some instances "and invalid in others. I think, therefore,, for the reasons I have given, that- the by-law as it at present stands is unreasonable, and therefore invalid, and all the informations must be dismissed." There has been a very persistent rumour circulating in the Eliesmere district for some time to the effect that Colonel the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes was. to be appointed to some important office by the Government, and that he would not contest the Eliesmere seat again (says the Eliesmere "Guardian"). As far as can r>e gathered, this rumour was set on foot by a certain member of Parliament. lhe editor of the "Guardian" asked the Hon. Mr. Hardy if he Avould give any definite information on the subject You can take it from me," said the latter, "that there is no truth in the rumour. Colonel Rhodes fully intends to offer his services again at the coming election." A State department for the markel;.-! ing of fish, conducted as a business concern, is recommended in the report or the Iloyal Commission on the fish- ' enea of Victoria, says the "Australa-I sian. liie commission states that' from the food point of view the fish- j enea industry is a great public asset which is not being properly utilised', in the opinion of the" commission tli3 City Council's Pish.Market should H taken over by the State, together with i all the cool storage chambers, and the! cooling chambers at fish-producing centres should be purchased. •. Refrigerating cnambers should be erected at other fishing centres., A board, with equal representation for the Government and the fishermen, should be established with an independent chairman, to fix annually the wholesale price of fish The commission further recommends that a trawler be purchased, stating that a suitable steel trawler could be pu«t at an approximate cost of £38 000' I Retail shops should.be opened by* the State, says the report, while inland sunK v? 1? a reSular State supply Municipalities willing to undertake the distribution of fish should be allowed to do so. The Sikorsky biplane, built in 1913 b> "0 Waß thG largeßt *<» ;

A small bronze statuette by Alfred Drury, R.A., entitled "The Bather has been stolen from the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts at Wellington Tho bronze is that of a nude youth* seated, is about ten inches in height' and is valued at about £25. ' _ One of the loveliest harbour views in Sydney will be enjoyed by the returned soldiers and sailors who will occupy the new home just purchased 'by the members of the Australian Jockey Club at a cost of £18,500.' Canonbury, at one [time the home of the late Mr Harry 'Rickards, is situated-on the heights of Darling Point. It has nearly 30 rooms a beautiful reclaimed water frontage and a fine expanse of garden and lawn! j There are also swimming baths and a boat-shed. Members of the A.J.C are entering with great interest into'this scheme for*, the benefit of permanently disabled men who have served theii country, and a committee has been formed. Representatives of the Red I Gross Society and the amelioration comj mitteo have also been invited to join the committee of management. During the hearing of a case at Auek- : land, in which a driver was charged with driving after sunset with his vehicle insufficiently lit, Mr J. X Wilson, S.M., : said that it was a pity that the by-law could not be made so tEat the employer might be brought withm its scope. Hi« Worship stated that he had recently had to investigate an accident which had arisen from this very cause, and the ; necessity for having slow, heavily-laden (Vehicles properly lit at night was ob- ! yious, out it seemed to him unfair that the workman should have to bear the brunt of the responsibility if he were required by his employer to carry such loads as to make ineffective the lishi provided for his vehicle. ''Departments rule New Zealand, noi 1 arhament," was the somewhat startvrn?> st^ emont *>y Mr W. A. Veitch. M.l. lie went on to say .that the .system was entirely wrong but arost many years ago. Many Cabinet Minis.tors revise to act except upon tlie adlyice of the heads of their Departments l'or_ instance-, nobody but a Cabinei 1 Minister could move to add a single j penny to any vote on the Estimates and no Minister outside the Minister foi Public Works, would think of doing so. lne Estimates were prepared by the | head of the Department. The "whole j thing was absurd. No private member had an opportunity of getting a vote in--1 creased m Parliament, if the Ministers eared to exert themselves they J could alter matters, (but few of them | cared to do so.