CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19093, 27 January 1932, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

IN AND ABOUT THE CITY. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 26. Personal: The Hon. T. W. Alport Barker, a member of the Legislative Council of Fiji and Mayor of Suva, arrived from Wellington by the ferry steamer this morning. Messrs Sidney Williamson and Ernest Empson left last evening for Wellington to attend a meeting of the Music Teachers’ Registration Board which met to-day. They will be present at the annual conference of musicians, which starts to-morrom. One of the pioneers of Canterbury, Mr T. J. Watters, of Walton Street, Sydenham, who celebrated his 90th birthday on Saturday last, has been a resident of Christchurch for 72 years. Mr Watters arrived from England in 1860 by the Mermaid, and after being employed on the Lyttelton Tunnel, which w T as then being built, he was engaged by Mr John Anderson to assist in building the North Road Bridge over the Waimakariri. A welcome to Mr J. A. Campbell,' Director of Horticulture, and Mr W. C. Hyde, horticulturist, who officially represented the Government, was extended by the president (Mr V. C. Davies) at to-day’s session of the annaul conference of the Horticultural Traders’ Association. Mr Davies also welcomed Mesdames N. Poulton, Shirley, and Mrs Fisher, Wellington, who is editor of “New Zealand Gardening Illustrated,” saying that it was not often that women were represented at the conference. Mr Charles Yates, of 78 Radley Street, Christchurch sank what he thinks was the first well put down in j Christchurch at the spot where the traffic inspector now stands at the Bank of New Zealand corner in 1863, with a Mr Fred Grant as a hepier. Yesterday this pioneer, who drove the coach to Sumner for many years, celebrated his 93rd birthday. He came to New Zealand in 1863 on the Lancashire Witch, of 1575 tons, Captain J. West, with Dr I. Mclntyre, as medical man. There were 700 passengers, and the trip was not a good one, 29 people dying from sickness on the way out. In England Mr Yates had been driving for the Earl of Powis and he took up the driving of the early coaches to Sumner when he arrived in New Zealand. The fare used to be 6/- return and the passengers were lively customers. Fruit Market: There is a plentiful supply of fruit on the wholesale market to-day, and a large quantity of peaches and apricots is coming it. Cauliflowers, cabbages, and beans are in fairly short supply, but prices are plentiful. Prices ruling to-day were:— Vegetables.—Cabbages 1/- to 3/- a doz., cauliflowers 2/- to 4/6 a doz, lettuces 6d to 1/6 a doz., potatoes Id to 14d a lb, peas 1/- to 1/4 a peck, French beans 4d a lb, runner beans 5d a lb, onions 4/- a sugar-bag, spring onions 9d a doz. bdls., carrots 9d to 1/3 a doz. bdls., parsnips 1/6 a doz. bdls, beetroot 9d a doz. bdls, marrows 3/to 6/- a doz., cucumbers 3/- to 4/- a case, swedes 2/- a sugar-bag. Fruit.—Apples, cooking 3/- to 6/6, dessert 31- to 8/6, peaches 3d to 4cl a lb, 3/- to 5'- a case, apricots 2d to 5d a lb, 3/- to 5/- a case, cherries 6d a lb, grapes 1/- to 1/6 a lb, raspberries 7d a doz. lb (jam), oranges 15/6 to 18/6 a case, lemonfe 17/6 a case, tomatoes 3£d to 4d a lb, rhubarb 2/- a dos. bdls. Serious Allegations! Allegations that during a drunken brawl he lifted an axe and hit another man on the head with it, v/ere made in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, against Hugh Clark Barrie, a carrier, aged 63, of Alcester Street, who was charged with assaulting John Harold Johnson, on January 16, causing him actual bodily harm. It was stated by Senior-Sergeant J. Fox that the injuries suffered by the man who was alleged to have been assaulted, were not as serious as at first thought. The assault was the outcome of something in the nature of a drunken brawl, and it was alleged that accused used an axe and hit complainant on the head.

It was first thought that Johnson was suffering from a fractured skull, but it was found later to be only a scalp wound. Johnson had been discharged from hospital, but was still suffering. Dr Thacker Explains: Following an altercation between Dr H. T. J. Thacker and Sumner’s Traffic inspector on a recent Saturday afternoon during the progress of the outboard motor-boat races, and the decision of the Sumner Borough Council to write to Dr Thacker asking for his side of the story, Dr Thacker has written to the council, stating that his party was on the way to Lyttelton, and did not want to park to watch the races.

The letter was received at last evening’s meeting of the Council, and Councillor D. F. Oldridge stated that, no matter what the inspector did. Dr Thacker had no right to tell him ‘t‘o go to some place.” “He wants everything his own w r ay, and if he likes to get abusive he knows what is coming to him,” added Councillor Oldridge. “It is hardly likely that our inspector would be so obnoxious as has been suggested,” said Councillor J. S. Bar. “If Dr Thacker had not stopped, the inspector would not have have said anything to him. He has no right to obstruct other traffic on a highway.” The letter was received. Alleged Theft from Petrol Station: A charge of theft following the breaking and entering of the Russell Service Station, at the corner of Stanmore Road and Cashel Street, on January 14, was laid against two brothers in the Magistrate’s Court today, before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., when Percival Bertram Hazeldine, aged 29, and Stanley Gibbard Hazeldine, aged 24, both of Clarence Road, pleaded not guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Constable J. Clements said he went to the service station in response to a telephone message, accompanied by Constable Morrison. An entry had been made into the office by the smashing of a small pane of glass in the door. The cash drawer had bean pulled out and there were several empty tins in it. He saw the accused in Nursery Road, about 200 yards from the service station, and spoke to Percy Hazeldine, asking him where he had been that night, but accused would not tell him. Witness accused him of being implicated in breaking into the station, but there was no-reply. He brought the accused back to the service station and searched Percy Hazeldine, finding a pocket-knife and a torch. Accused had a trench-coat on and rubber-soled shoes. Canterbury’s Wool Cheque: Tlfbugh the quantity of wool disposed of at the first two Christchurch sales this season is practically the same as that sold at the first two sales the previous season, the gross return to the Canterbury grower is approximately £121,100 more, as a result of the better prices that have ruled. The sale yesterday resulted in a gross return of about £224,200, as compared with £173,000 at the first sale in December last, and £156,995 at the sec-

ond sale last year. The number of bales sold yesterday was, roundly, 23,600, and the average - value a bale, in the absence of definite figures, has been computed at £9/10/-. This probably errs on the conservative side; in one of the biggest catalogues the actual value a bale was £lO/0/4.

These figures are a striking indication of the extent to • which the province benefits even by a comparatively small improvement in the wool market, and the progressive hardening in the values of fine wools so far this season should go a long way toward establishing some confidence in the future of this market. Plant Trees:

“There has been no shortage of trees of forest grades offering on the terms, and at the prices, lately quoted by the State Nurseries,” states the executive report of the Horticultural Traders’ Association. “Local bodies, squatters and farmers generally have not yet realised to the full the value of tree planting from a practical and economic viewpoint, as well as from the aesthetic side. We claim that it would pay the State to advance money for tree planting to farmers and local bodies at a low rate of interest. Spring and not autumn is the time when the local body authorities and the farmers should arrange for their supply of trees. These can then be grown to order. Forward orders can always be supplied at lowest price consistent with quality.

“The increase in the demand for fruit trees has continued. An additional number of both trees and stocks have been imported. Unfortunately, owing to the severe season experienced last spring, frosts have caused considerable losses in some districts. The demand for apple trees worked on seedling trees has been revived.

“Citrus fruit trees are being grown in an increasing number, but the demand is still in excess of the supply, consequently importations have been somewhat heavy. The Institute of Horticulture’s citrus committee have supplied for test purposes several hundred pedigree trees during the past season.” “Whole Thing a Hoax”: “The whole thing was a hoax—really blackmail,” said Chief-Detective Carroll this morning in the Magistrate’s Court, when Joseph Hepburn, a private inquiry agent aged forty-six years, faced three charges of false pretences. The charges related to three sums of mony obtained from Eva Nicholls. Hepburn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. The Chief-Detective said that Hepbum had been in business as a private inquiry agent. Complainant thought she had occasion to employ him to do certain work of a domestic nature. Altogether Hepburn secured from her £l6/0/6 in different sums, some of which was in fees. After being engaged on the case for some time Hepburn told complainant that the second party in the case needed to have an agreement drawn up. Hepburn gave her the agreement and received £l/2/6 from her. Hepburn then said that the agreement was not tight enough and got money to enter into a bond, and this came along later at a cost of £3/3/-. After delivering the bond, he backed it up by verbal statements and was given £l/1/- to keep a certain party under observation for some time. Hepburn did not really do threepence worth of work on the case. Growing of Vegetables by Unemployed: The question of whether or not the unemployed must grow vegetables to be eligible for relief work was again discussed at length by the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee. Because many of the men in Christchurcn could not afford to buy seeds, and because of the dry weather, it was decided to ask the Unemployment Board to make an exception of Christchurch men as far as the compulsion to grow vegetables went. “It appears that it is not recognised in some instances that it is the Unemployment Board’s definite intention that relief shall not be granted to any unemployed man who has facilities for vegetable growing (or may obtain such facilities), and fails to take advantage of them,” read the first paragraph of a letter from the Unemployment Commissioner (Mr Malcolm Fraser). “I know what it is to be unemployed ’ declared Mr Beanland. "I went through the mill when I first came to this country 40 years ago. We ought to deal with this matter as humanely and leniently as possible.” Mr J. s. Barnett said that while the board was urging men to grow vegetables on one hand, on the other it was discouraging them from doing anvthing like intensive cultivation. Men who had quarter-acre sections were debarred from getting relief if they had cultivated them properly. He quoted an instance of man who had a section which at present had only a few lettuces on it. He had been debarred from relief work, and hence Would not be able to keep his section and bring it into profit, as he had hoped, and he would then become permanently a candidate for relief work. Mr J. F. Eames’s motion that it be a recommendation to the Unemployment Board that it should not insist on the growing of vegetables in the Christchurch district, but that the board be asked to amend its policy to encourage men to make use of their own sections in this way, was carried.