LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8808, 21 December 1906, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At Wellington to-day Mrs Weiss, the holder of a New Zealand wine license, i was convicted of selling overproof wine, ! and wasi fined £12 and her license was ! forfeited. Captain Edwin's weather forecast, telegraphed at noon tc-day, is as follows: — "Westerly moderate to strong winds; glass little movement; tides moderate."* The Dunedin correspondent of this journal telegraphs that Dunedin is being canvassed on behalf of a newspaper which it is proposed shall be issued at the Bluff. The arbitration proceedings between the Christehurc'h. Tramway Board and the City and Suburban Tramway Company were begun this morning, before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., Mr, G. Harper appearing for the company, and Mr T. GV Russell for the Board. It was decided that a case should be stated for the Supreme Court on a point of law, and the proceedings were adjourned, pending the decision of the Supreme Court. Mr^ James A. Center, of Edinburgh, Scottfcßi champion piper and Highland dancer, arrived in Christchurch yesterday, and wi-1 compete at the .Scottish Society's Highland Games' on January 1 and 2. Mr Center states that there has been a great revival of pipe music in Scotland, the pipers of to-day including all claeses, " gentle and simple." He also says that Highland dancing is very popular, and instanced a competition in. Glasgow for which fiftythree girls under fifteen entered. Applications were made to the Chief Justice at Wellington to-day that the motions with reference to the Colonial Bank standing in Mr Victor Braund's name against the Hon G. M'Lean and Mr P. C. Neill respectively should be dismissed for want of prosecution. Mr Braund asked that the applications should be dismissed -on grounds of his want of funds to proceed with them. He maintained that he had a good prima facie case. His Hono/ decided that the plaintiff must notify the defendants by January 15 whether or not he intended to proceed with his ease. As showing the spirit and temper in which the French. Government is dealing with the relations between Church and State, it may be pointed out that M. Briand, the Minister who is in charge of the Separation Law, recently *addr_6S_<l • a .gathering of teachers at Amiens in the following terms : — ' 'Nous avons chasse Jesus Christ des ecoles, de runiversite, des hospitaux, des asilcs, eante ; il faut maintenant le chasser dv Government de France." ("Wo have driven Jesus Christ out- of the schools, out of the university, out *of the hospitals and asylums, and even out of the prisons and madhouses; it now remains for us to drive Him out of the Government of France.") The stream of visitors to the city • increases in volume each day, and there is now every indication of a great crowd spending their Christmas holidays here. It will be interesting to ill strangers in the city to know tiiat they are cordially welcome at the Farmers' Co-op., Greater Christchurch's greatest store. The store will remain open on Saturday and Monday evenings till 9 _>jj?. 9080

New Year's Day being a public holiday, old age pensions will be paid on January 2. The manager of the Burnham Industrial School desires to acknowledge donations towards tho boys' annual Christinas treat from Trustees of A. J. White (per Mr A. C. Reed) and Mrs Young (Dunedin); also a swimming trophy (medal) from Mrs Guise.