CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20109, 16 May 1935, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

ITEMS FROM THE CITY CHRISTCHURCH, May 15. Personal: The city engineer, Mr A. R. Galbraith, who has been indisposed for the last few days, is progressing favourably and has been able to return to his home from hospital. Mr J. Roy Smith, secretary to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, will leave for Sydney to-morrow. He will be away for about a month. Bell-ringer’s Death: A half-muffled peal of peals was rung at the Cathedral last night, in memory of Mr William Smart, one of the foundation members of the Christchurch Cathedral Society of Bellringers, who died recently. The late Mr Smart was one of the ringers on All Saints’ Day, October 31, 1881, when the Cathedral was consecrated. Judiciary Changes: Mr Justice Johnston, who will be succeeded on the Supreme Court Bench in Christchurch by Mr Justice Northcroft, will leave for Wellington next Wednesday night. Mr Justice Johnston will take up his duties as president of the Mortgage Court of Review. English Dive Stock: The discussion of the general committee of the Canterbury A. and P. Association on the question of lifting the embargo on the importation of live stock from Britain was reported at today’s meeting of the committee. Of the replies received, twenty-one were in favour of retaining the embargo and fourteen favoured its lifting.

Hospital Board: No change took place in the result of the election of nine city members for the North Canterbury Hospital Board as the result of the official count, which was completed at noon to-day. The final figures showed that Sir Hugh Acland topped the poll, replacing Dr. P. S. Foster, who headed the list on polling night. Mr H. J. Otley went up from eighth to sixth position.

Married All Blacks: The point raised at a meeting of the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union last night that there might be a hitch in obtaining passports for iparried men who were selected for the All Black team for the English tour was referred this morning to a responsible officer of the department which issues passports in Christchurch. He said that the only difference between a single man and a married man 4 in regard to passports was that the married man had to furnish a form giving his wife’s permission for him to go abroad. Similarly, a married woman had to give proof of her husband’s permission if she intended to go abroad without him. At last night’s meeting of the management committee it was stated that one of the men selected for the trial matches had four children, and another two; and that fact might cause a hitch in the obtaining of a passport for England. A member: How did the 1924 team get on'? Another speaker said that only one of the 1924 All Blacks had been married at that time. The subject was closed by the chairman (Dr. W. S. Seed) remarking that the question could be gone into when the Canterbury players had been selected.

Apple Crop Prospects: Judging by the way in which the buds are forming, there is every prospect of a bumper apple and pear crop in Canterbury in the coming season, according to Mr B. G. Goodwin, orchard instructor in the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculture, Christchurch. In both North and South Canterbury fruitgrowing districts, big and healthy buds are thick on the trees, a better showing than there has been for years. The embryo crops become susceptible to frost damage about November, and Mr Goodwin considers that if the weather in general pursues a normal course, the only potential threat to an excellent crop lies in the possibility of late frosts round about that time. The heavy budding this year is to be accounted for by the facts that in the district generally, orchards did not on the average produce more than a threequarter yield in the past season, giving the new buds a better opportunity of maturing, and that early autumn rains, finding the ground still warm after the prolonged dry period, helped to make growth vigorous.

Visit of Tourist Ships: A good start has been made with the campaign to boost the scenic attractions of the South Island with the object of inducing visitors from Australia and other countries to visit this part of the Dominion in greater numbers, and also to endeavour to have tourist ships call at some of the ports of the South Island, and so far a good response has been forthcoming. For the purpose of furthering the campaign, Mr E. S. Brittenden, district railway traffic manager at Christchurch, Mr C. H. Clibborn, secretary to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and Mr G. G. Stewart, Government publicity officer, left to-day for the West Coast to interview business people and others interested in the scheme there. They will be away for three or four days. Collision in City: Abrasions to the right leg and shock were suffered my H. Smallbone, of Papanui Road, an employee of James Knight’s butchery, when the motorcycle delivery which he was driving collided with a motor-car at the corner of Bealey Avenue and Victoria Street this morning. Smallbone, who is a single man, was taken to the Christchurch Hospital by the St. John Ambulance. Intoxicated in Charge: For being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car, Alexander McDonald Smith, 46, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court to-day before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., who fined him £lO and costs, cancelled his licence and declared him unfit to hold one for six months. Smith came under the notice of a constable In Hereford Street last eveninj, when he was leaving to drive home, said Sub-Inspector D. A. Maclean. The car was stationary at the actual moment of the constable’s approach. Smith had been turning it in the street but began to manipulate the gears while the car was moving with the result that he got It into reverse and .it shot back into the kerbing. His explanation was that he had met a friend from Australia and had three drinks with him between 5 and 6 o’clock and three more later on. He had never been in trouble before. Mr D. E. Wanklyn, who appeared for Smith, said it was a fact that he had met a friend from Queensland. Counsel asked that the Magistrate should not deal with Smith’s licence. His occupation made the use of a car necessary. This was not a serious case, and Smith had never been in any sort of trouble before, “Mtf attitude toward these cases is that licences must be dealt with,” said the Magistrate. “It is a very important question.”