CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18205, 5 March 1929, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

(From Our Jwn Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 4. IMPROVED TELEPHONIC SERVICE. It was an imposing deputation which watied on me Hon. J. B. Donald, Postmaster-General, to-day with a request that the installation of the automatic telephone system should be expedited. The deputation made some strong remarks about tho existing state ot affairs, and Mr Donald poured oil on the troubled waters. He said that he wanted to see that Christchurch gets its new exchange at the earliest possible moment, and he had every confidence that they would get it before the end of the year. “I hope to come down to Christchurch early in September next and officiate at ..the opening of the new installation, he said. ~ , After this, nothing more could be said by the deputation, except to register satisfaction. MAIL SERVICE. A private conference on the question of a mail service between the South Island and Melbourne was held between the Postmaster-General and representatives of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, the Lyttelton Harbour Board and the Canterbury Progress League to-day. The conference was held at the suggestion of the Hon. Mr Donald. LOCAL ELECTIONS. The local elections season is approaching and various party organisations are getting ready for the fray. The Citizens’ Association is getting ready for the selection of candidates for the City Council. It has not yet been decided how many candidates the Association will nominate, but it is probable that the number will be 12, owing to the election being conducted on the proportional representation system of voting. Of the sixteen councillors now holding office, five are nominees of the Association, and two of these have intimated that they do not intend to seek reelection next May. This year the Association hopes to put forward a strong ticket and to secure a majority of the seats.

YOUNG MAN COLLAPSES. A young man named James Walsh collapsed in the back yard of a private hotel in the city about 3 p.m. on Saturday. He was carried indoors to his bed and died shortly afterwards. Walsh, who was a returned soldier, was unmarried and had been staying at the hotel for three weeks. He originally came from Timaru district and has a married sister at Levels. SOLICITOR SUED. The unusual event of a solicitor being sued for separation, guardianship and maintenance orders, by his wife, occurred in the Court to-day. The solicitor was P. L. C. Inder, and the plaintiff was his wife, Gladys Inder. The case was adjourned for a time, after which Mr Tracy, for the plaintiff, applied for the orders. “Inder is he said. “He is trying to avoid the issue, in the hope that his wife will be afraid to face the ordeal of Court proceedings. She has now screwed up her moral courage to proceed with the charge.” Separation, guardianship and maintenance orders were granted. Maintenance was fixed at £2 per week, and past maintenance at £24. THE CATTLE TICK. That there is little likelihood of an invasion of the cattle pest, known as the tick, in Canterbury, was the opinion expressed by Mr J. Kerrigan, of the Agricultural Department, who added that every precaution was being taken to safeguard stock. Four ticks were recently discovered on a farm in the Takaka district, Nelson, and prompt measures were taken by the Deparmtent, With the exception of the Takaka case the pest is unknown in the South Island. Mr Keirigan stated that it was improbable that the tick would appear In Canterbury. All imported stock was carefully examined and every precaution was taken to ensure that the tick should not be admitted.