GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17756, 17 September 1927, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

Mails which,, left Wellington on August 16, via San Francisco, arrived in London on September 13. Those local immigrants who wish to return to England have been asked to give their names to the secretary of the -Unemployment Committee. The Auckland amateur billiards championship was won by M. D. White, who defeated E. J. Morrison, in the final match by 1000 to S3O. White retains the title and the Billiards, Ltd. Shield. Mr H. Kennedy, manager of Fullers’ Pictures, has been appointed one of the assessors in the Dominion stage hands’ dispute, which will be heard in Wellington next week. The -work of taking up the Harbour Board’s tram-line on Otipua Road, prior to re-forming the road in question, is now completed. Many of the sleepers were Jound jp pe much decayed* - 1

A sitting o£ the Conciliation Council will be held in Timaru on Monday; next to consider claims put forward by PoAver Board employees. “Naturally I can’t say anything deiiinfe about the alt lor the Non Zealand mooring mast, but yo .l jr.ay draw your own cutu hcsMiis buy-d on size, of population,” said GroupCaptain l''ello\\c-. chief of tlie ’nipcnal Airship Mission. beiore einharkiny lor Sydney yesterday. —P:ess Asroeiation tele,grain trout Auckland. A meeting of .shop assistants, (snivelled by the district organiser., for the purpose’ of forming, a shop, assistants im on re.j'M'ted the p;opcsilion kiy 01 >v)tt'; to thire after a ,somewhat honied 1 |!<:TLS 'H'ilP FG-'-S A SLOvult 'On PEGS'‘I ‘iv om iSpAv Plypiouili. Bishop West-Watson, of Christchurch, is visiting the Geraldine'district, and Avill conduct a confirmation service at the Parish. Church. Geraldine, on Sunday morning. _He will visit. Peel Pa)rest, in flip afternoon, and in the evening will preach at the Crari Church. Sergt.-Major W. Andrew will be in Fairlie on Monday next, to make arrangements and take registrations for the six days’ continuous course of training, which commences on October 3. “After a very depressing winter, the building trade is already showing signs of brightening up, and Avith the keen competitive spirit prevalent, a good year is! anticipated,” a Timaru builder told a “Herald” reporter yesterday. The following Avorkers, in addition to those mentioned yesterday, assisted at the Congregational sale of work on Thursday:—Fruit salads, Mrs It. F. Provan, Miss V. Bracefield; ice cream, Mr J. G. Rattray. The total amount raised, nearly £ll3, constitutes a church record for a oneday sale of work. On Thursday afternoon, the members of the Timaru Mothers’ Union assembled in full force at the Old People’s Home and gave a social and afternoon tea to the inmates. An excellent and varied concert was given, and this .was supplemented by community singing. Tobacco and sweets were distributed by the visitors, who were accorded a hearty vote of thanks and appreciation. The Union promised to repeat the visit at an early date. Some youths who were out shooting near Pleasant Point, on Sunday last, are likely to regret their action in killing two tame ducks and wounding three others so that they subsequently died. This destruction of private property Avas accomplished with the aid of pea rifles, on what is known as Butler’s road, and the youths who were responsible for it will be wise to tender payment for the damage done, if they Ayish to saA r e themselves from appearing before the Magistrate’s Court. A settler whose farm is situated in South Wairarapa recently lost over forty lambs from an unknown disease. Healthy-looking lambs gave a leap or two in the air and th&n fell dead. The matter Avas referred to the Minister of Agriculture, who has issued a statement that the Department so far lias hot been advised <\f any lamb mortality in the Wairarapa. From the farmer’s description of the cases, the trouble is considered to be renal congestion. As usual at this time of the year in Timaru, there are complaints of the theft of spring bulbs, and included among those stolen this spring have been some that Avere very highly prized. One Timaru gardening enthusiast has adopted a Avay of defeating the bulb thieves, in so far as taking their pick of the garden is concerned. In bis garden they have to take their chance of what bulbs they secure, as all his flowers are numbered in the garden, and the name corresponding to each number is kept inside his home.

There has been little change in the unemployment position in Timaru in the last week. At a meeting of the Unemployment Committee, it was decided to put seventeen men at work on the Maori Reserve, levelling the tennis courts, and ten men on the.Te Weka Street frontage. These men are to go on iri place of those now engaged, and will commence work on Monday. Odd jobs, gardening, and work given by private people, have helped to absorb some of the unemployed. A complaint concerning the way in which mails between the North Island and the South Island are handled, was made in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr E. J. Howard commented on the way in which packages were broken by rough treatment, between the time they were posted and their loading into the steamers. This, he described as one continuous mangle. He protested about His Majesty’s mail being treated in such a lackadaisical way, and submitted that if they were placed in containers, packets and packages would not be so subject to the risk of damage. The Otago hoot manufacturers decided to forward a telegram to the Executive at Wellington, asking it to use its influence to get the Government to reconsider the changes in the tariff affecting boots and shoes, and has issued the following statement: “At present, in spite of the big overseas and local rise in the price .of leather, caused by a world-wide rise in the price of hides, the majority of manufacturers are carrying on at the old prices in order to keep their plants and employees going. The trade is in a very precarious state, both from a financial and a trading point of view. Since 1924 the trade has been faced with a continued rise in wages, in spite of which it is possible to buy New Zealand-made shoes cheaper at present than for years past.” A Press Association message from Auckland sayß that arrangements have been made for the?departure on the Ruahine, for London, to-day, of Joseph Foster, who was apprehended by the Hamilton police recently in. connection with the Cardiff-London £IO,OOO mail train robbery, on February 2. Foster arrived from Wellington to-day in charge of a constable, and was placed in custody at the Auckland : police station. It is understood that he will travel on the Ruahine without a police escort, no officer having • been sent from England for. the purpose, hut that, the captain of the Ruahine will accept charge of him. No one can play tennis without a racquet. Equally true is it that no one can play good tennis with an inferior type of racquet. The season is due to start very shortly, so if you happen to be prevented from playing your best because-you have not'the right racquet, or prevented from playing altogether because you have no racquet at all, then step smartly along to England, Mcßae, Ltd., to have the matter rectified purse-pain-lessly. Every popular make is here at equally popular prices—Slazenger, Spalding, the New Model Driva (strung in N.Z. with first-class gut); and our own l\ands, the Pulcaki at 32/6 and thg Tekago fit 40A, i..».

A rumour avms current in toivn last, night that a store had been broken into. The rumour proved to be..V*"ell founded, but nijuiry revealed.that tlie “breaking” fhiul not been intentional. ■ A young^ ’couple bad seated themselves on Utb; door-step of the store in question,,, and had become so absorbed in conversation as not to notice how heavily-.they Avere leaning against the door, which avus an old one. .Suddenly the:, doer gave way, and just at that moinent a passer-by, erroneously concluding that the store had been broken i|ito, gave the’ alarm.’ A constablewas quickly on, the scene, and the discomfiture of tli8; ( young couple may he'imagined explanations had to bo made. //' An interesting addition ivas made yesterday to tlio collection of curios which is kept us an adjunct to the local art gallery in the Municipal Chambers. This takes the form ‘of a magpie’s nest which was secured by Mr It. T. Searlcs,- of -Levels, in a pine tree. 100 ft fiom the ground. The nest is of more than ordinary interest on account of ’its c-lever construction. It has a centre, composed of dried turf and the place;. Avhere the bird sits is surrounded by an elaborate wire entanglement so that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the bird, when sitting on her eggs, to be attacked by enemies of any sort. The protecting circle is composed of three different sizes; of wire, and .'the strangest part of all is that the .birds Avhich built the nest have broken the wire into lengths to suit their building operations. Tlie fortnightly meeting 8f the Hope of Timaru Independent Order of Juvenile Reehabites, was held in the Woodlands Street Methodist. Hall. The C.R., Bro. F. Dale., being absent, Sis. M. Holffgate occupied the " ; chair. There was a fair attendance ~, of members. Owinjg to the competitions being on, Rev. Percy Cooke was... unable to give his address.,; The Superintendent announced fhat he ■ had received Avord front Bro. > Smith, Christchurch, that Timar.u Tent had. - won liis medal for initialing . most;; members in the Canterbury Tents. It, A was decided to Avrite Bro. Slnith tow present the medal at the next meet- ■ ing of the Juvenile Tent on September 24th. After other Lodge matters : were attended to, the C.R. closed the p Tent, and games were indulged l in l till ’ members dispersed. ’ FT A general meeting of the Council of the Timaru Scottish Society wa’s held on Wednesday. Present: Chief J. Ramage and Councillors A. Millei*, J. Atkinson, J. Thomson, J. Emplie, A. McKay, W. Young and T. McLeod. Accounts for £9/0/8 Avere passed for payment. It Avas decided that each Councillor procure an item for ,tffe September concert, .and members aire,, asked to assist in Avhatever way they.,, can toAvards making up the monthly ~ programmes. Names of performers, whether instrumental, A r ocal, elocu- , tionary or otherwise, may he left - with the secretary. Mr Lance Craig . has been re-appointed official accom-' panist, and Messrs Slade and Williams, dance musicians, Mr Cyril' Burns, piper, and Mr J. Thomson, > M.C., for the ensuing year. The secretary Avas authorised to arrange for a visit from the North Otago Scottish Society, which proved a success last year. The Chief Avelcomed the new Councillors, and Avished them an ehjoyable term of office.