CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17774, 10 October 1927, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 9. SUSPICIOUS FRIDAY FIRES. Five houses have been . burned down in New Brighton on Friday nights within the last three weeks. There have been seven outbreaks in the district in that period, all of which have occurred either on Friday nights or early on Saturday mornings. A six-roomed house, with its contents, owned by Mr G. R. Butler, was destroyed yesterday. When interviewed, Superintendent Stokes, of the New Brighton Fire Brigade, remarked upon what he termed the suspicious sequence of fires on Friday nights. The remarkable thing was that all the places were unoccupied. LAMENTABLE IGNORANCE. Madame Alda, the visiting operatic artist, complains that during her tour she has found strange ignorance amongst the public on musical matters.' She says it is perfectly disgraceful. Nothing offends and shocks her so deeply as the admission by any person that he or she does not know where the Metropolitan Opera House is. This ignorance, as far "as her experience goes, is more marked in Australia than any where else. “Instead of letting the mind run on tin hares, horse-racing and football matches,” she said, “the people in these parts should have more orchestras to teach something to the younger generation.” This remark caused the reporters, who were interviewing the singer, to smile. The smiles vanished when she said vigorously: “What are you smiling at? Do you think it’s a joke? It is terribly serious and most disgraceful.” Madame ’ Alda said she ' left Australia 23 years ago. She remembers scores of girls there at that time who were believed to have good voices. None had earned a European reputation. When one of the reporters ventured to mention Melba, Madame Alda said: “Didn’t she make her reputation long before the time of which I am speaking?”

SILK HATS—BUT NO TENNIS. “There was no tennis in my day,” said Archbishop Julius, in opening the season at the Cashmere Club. “There was some rowing, but in this also we were hampered by our tall silk hats, without which we did not seem to be able to do anything. Tennis is a comparatively inexpensive game. Games become popular sometimes, because ti is necessary to have a certain kind of mallet which cost six times as much as it should. Take croquet. But there, I notice you have a croquet court here, so I will say no more. Take golf. I’m sura it must be frightfully expensive to walk round a golf course, a thing I have never done. Tennis is different. It is comparatively inexpensive, and is good for men. It is good for women too. In the old days women stayed at home and made socks. They don’t do that now, for they have gone back terribly. (Laughter.) Tennis suits their habits and their dress. (Laughter.) I wish the Club full success, and wish also that I were young enough to play.” SOLDIERS’ PILGRIMAGE. A suggestion that there should be a pilgrimage to France by returned soldiers is being discussed. When asked for liis opinion, Mr R. A. Cuthbevt, president of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association, said that the difficulties in regard to the time that would be occupied, and the expense on individuals taking part, appeared to render it impracticable to send a large body of men from New Zealand. The Americans, he said, were only about five days’ sail from France, and they could cover the whole trip in a fortnight or three weeks, but with New Zealanders, it would mean an absence from the Dominion of from six to nine months to make it worth while. It always had to be remembered that a project of this kind was typically American, and apart altogether from considerations of finance, it was doubtful whether it would appeal to the British temperament in the same way. If, however, the idea was taken up with enthusiasm in Great Britain, it should be given every consideration in the Dominion. CHINESE REPUBLICANS. The Chinese of Christchurch will, on Monday, hold an athletic sporty meeting and picnic at English Park, in celebration of the anniversary of the Chinese Republic. Those who attend will have an. opportunity of witnessing something novel in oriental sport. Although there will not be a blaze of colour, as would be seen in the Flowery Land, the bizarre atmosphere of the sports will be omnipresent. GOLF. An interesting golf match was decided at Shirley links when D. Grant defeated E. Macfarlane one up,, in the second round of the Christchurch Club championship. Macfarlane was considered unbeatable at Shirley, where a few years ago he won the New Zealand open championship.