CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19941, 27 October 1934, Page 19

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

ITEMS FROM THE CITY

CHRISTCHURCH. October 26. Personal: Sir Francis Bell arrived from the north this morning. The Hon. W. Hayward, M.L.C., and the Hon. W. Stevenson, M.L.C., arrived from Wellington tIT-s morning.

Messrs F. Langstone, M.P., R. W. Hawke, M.P., and C. L. Carr, M.P., arrived from the north this morning

Mr Gordon Bryan, examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London, is at present m Christchurch.

Cr. J. W. Beanland, chairman of the Works Committee of the City .Council, arrived back in Christchurch this morning after his trip abroad, when he visited Australia, Germany, and England.

Archbishop Mowll and Mrs Mowll, of Sydney, returned to Christchurch from Dunedin last evening. They stayed at the home of the Rev. A. K. Warren, vicar of Merivale Church. Last evening Archbishop Mowll addressed a •meeting at the Caledonian Hall. This morning he left Nelson by service car. He will break the journey at Blenheim, where he will spend the night. On Sunday he will consecrate Canon Hilliard as Bishop of Nelson. It was for this ceremony that Archbishop Mowll and Mrs Mowll will travel to Auckland, where they will embark for Melbourne.

Tew Brighton Relief Workers* Only 17 of the New Brighton relief workers ordered to go to the Ashley amp have already done so. No pro/ision has been made this week.for the majority of the men standing down, it the local relief depot. Relief jobs in Christchurch and New Brighton have provided most of the finances for the men to date, although \ certain number of business people have made donations. Still Unsolved: On November 17 it will be 12 months since Mr Donald Fraser, then licensee of the Racecourse Hotel, Ricarton, was murdered in his bed. A reporter was told by Superintendent D. J. Cummings that there had been no new developments in the police investigations since the inquest several months ago. Air Force Recruits: Twenty-three aircraftmen who have been undergoing preliminary training at Trentham for work on the ground staff of the Royal New Zealand Air Force will report for duty early next month at Wigram Aerodrome. These appointments have been made in consequence of the decision of the Government to enlarge the personnel of the Air Force, and follow similar additions to the ground staff of the Hobsonville Air Base. Companies Commission: Though there were divergences of opinion about some of the details of the report, the Christchurch lawyers, accountants and others interested whose views were sought on the Companies Commission’s report, unanimously agreed that the main principles of the report and recommendations are sound, and if applied should be in the best interests of the investing public. Some consider that the proposed Corporate Investments Bureau would have too wide power, and would represent an unnecessary expansion of State interference in private business. At the same time, it is pointed out that the scheme, apparently, would in effect be a development of the powers now possessed by the Registrar of Companies, and that the extended powers would be exercised by expert specialists. The Soul-Standard: Though Great Britain had gone off the gold tandard, it was saved from commercial disaster because it had not gone off the “soul-standard,” said Dr. William G. Fern, in an address at the Radiant Hall. The British nation had not become panicky when gold was abandoned, but had faced its troubles as a matter of course, and in that way had saved itself, while other nations had plunged into hysterical policies of inflation. Pensions Appeal Board: The War Pensions Appeal Board, which has been sitting in Christchurch since September 17, concluded its session to-day. Since it began an average of three appeals have been dealt with daily excepting Saturday; but it has not been possible to hear all the appeals made, and the hearing of some will have to be deferred until the next session. Members of the board are Sir Walter Stringer (president) and Drs. A. J. Orchard and P. A. Ardagh. “Still One or Two”: “If he could be kept off the racecourse, I think he would go straight and do well,” said the employer of a youth who appeared in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, charged with theft. His lapse was credited to bad company and gambling. “Would that stop his gambling? There are agents, you know; in other words, bookmakers. I believe there are still one or two about,” said Mr E. D. Mosley, to the amusement of the Court. Night Toll Calls: Regret that any additional concessions in regard to toll facilities were not possible at present was expressed by the acting-Postmaster-General (the Hon. J. A. Young) in a letter received at a meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber had suggested that consideration be given to the possibility of instituting a system of toll calls to any part of the country during the night at a flat rate of 1/-.

Business Efficiency: “Business men in New Zealand are as alert and keen as anywhere else in the world. In comparison with size, I don’t know of any country where business efficiency is of a better standard,” said Dr. William G. Fern, the prominent English business consultant, to a reporter. Remarking on how little of New Zealand was really known in England, Dr. Fern said he was ashamed to confess it but he, like many others, had had the idea that it was almost possible to throw stones between the North and South Islands, and that going from Australia to New Zealand would be merely like crossing the Channel. He had certainly not expected lo find business methods in this country so far advanced as they were. This was an isolated country, but the isolation was mainly physical. “I think that aviation will do more to help this country than any other, because it will do much to bridge the gap,” remarked Dr. Fern. Appeal Pending: An appeal against the decision of Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday last, in convicting Douglas Palmer Claridge on six charges of Sunday trading, will be lodged tomorrow. The costs of the appeal will be borne by members of Claridge’s Country Club. Tasma:. Air Race? The Canterbury Aero Club having endorsed the proposal to promote an

air race from Melbourne to Christchurch, a cable has now gone to the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr D, CJ. Sullivan, M.P.), who is visiting Melbourne, asking him to ascertain how many pilots in the Melbourne Centenary Air Race would enter if a prize of £2OOO were offered.

The club has already received offers toward the prize money, Mr B. R. Collins has promised £IOO and a North Canterbury sheepfarmer who wished to remain anonymous has offered £SO. He has pledged himself to persuade some of his friends to contribute also. The Aero Club committee, which considered the proposal, was enthusiastic in its endorsement. Though the club, before making detailed arrangements, will await information as *to likely starters, it is anxious to get into touch with anyone interested, so that if the race eventuates organisation could be put in hand without delay. The Mayor has been asked by the club, in the cablegram which has gone forward, to ascertain how many machines would be entered and upon what conditions, and to reply as soon as possible. If it is found that there will be a representative entry, very probably a public meeting will be called for the purpose of forming a citizens committee to attend to details of organisation and management, the club executive to be the nucleus of such a committee.

The club hopes that voluntary contributions will make it possible to offer a prize of £2OOO.

Increasing- Prosperity: Back to Christchurch to-day, looking exceedingly fit and happy, came Mr J. W. Beanland, chairman of the orks Committee of the Christchurch City Council, who has just completed a six months’ trip to England. Mr Beanland is very pleased to be home again, and although he has enjoyed every day of a holiday that has been favoured by fine weather and courteous hospitality, he has arrived back in Christchurch expressing the desire to live for the rest of his life in New Zealand.

“With all the travelling about in the various countries I have visited I still think Christchurch is one of the most beautiful places one could wish to see,” said Mr Beanland. “I arrived back with a good deal of pleasure and in the hour or two I have been in the city it has been splendid to see that city looking so well. I would like to say that I was very sorry to hear while I was abroad of the deaths of Mr H. G. Ell, Mr J. J. Dougall and Mr G. Humphreys.” What impressed Mr Beanland in travelling in England was the appearance of increasing prosperity. Conditions were much better than he had anticipated, and the impression one gained was that they were improving. Statistics showed that unemployment was decreasing each month, arid there was not the unemployment there that one would expect to find.