LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9172, 28 February 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Jt is probable that a bowling match will be arranged for to-morrow week between the Sydennam Club and the members of the City Council, the Sydenham Councillors, however, playing for their own. club. There are many enthusiastic bowlers in the City Council, and there is hardly a councillor that has not a more or less expert knowledge of the game.

Fuller's Entertainers again drew a good audience to the Opera House last evening, and the various turns were heartily applauded. Madame Blanche Corelli and Mr John Fuller were the favourite performers, and the ■wirewalking act or the loleens was well received. The other members of the company, aided by some good bioscope pictures, presented an attractive programme. The week's performance will be given, for the last time this evening.

A meeting for the purpose of forming a branch of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children will be held -at the Orange Hall, Worcester Street, at 8 p.m. to-day, the Rev W. A. Sinclair presiding. The objects of the Society are to prosecute in cases of cruelty, seduction, outrage, or excessive violence to women and, children, to give advice and aid to women who have been cruelly treated, to make provision for children in homes when it is .found the parents or guardians are unfit persons to have charge of them, and to agitate for the improvement of the statute laws with a view to the more effectual protection of women and children.

Due doubtless to the prohibition of fishing in the Avon between the Riorarton bend and. the East Belt bridge, •site river between these points is at present well stocked with trout, as far as can be seen from the bridges in the city, and the object of the Acclimatisation Society has been achieved, for the fish add to the attractiveness of the stream from the casual pedestrian's point of view, and give promise of sport elsewhere to visitors and anglers from further afield. From one side of th* Hospital Bridge this ""morning about twenty fish of varying sizes could be counted, and nine of them were very plainly discernible against a white patch of bottom. Previously the Avon would have been practically cleared by this sta.ge of the season.

1 TWLyttelton Marine Band will play fe, programme of mueic in Lyttelton this evening. Inquiry at the Hospital this morning showed that Mr Merrett, the sufferer by Saturday's motor-car accident, was progressing slowly, although, not yet ■iully conscious. The daily telegraphic report on the Canterburv trout rivers states: — Ashley, AVaimakariri, Selwy n and Ashburton, clear; Rakaia, Kangitata and Oj>ih;, ssb.al)Te: "Waitaki, in good tnder. It is not generally knowii. *iat a bood deal of the ravages among lawns ( lately, although due to the dry weather, have been directly due to the operations of the grass grub, which is in its element during the present seaeon. It is said that the best method of killing the grub is by sytejnatically rolling th© lawns. Where this has not been possible the worst results have icome about. The matron of the Children's Convalescent Cottage at New Brighton acknowledges, with , thanks, vegetables $rom Messrs Barker, Brown andLaivrv iand Mrs Izard, jam fronx Mies Flavell, scones from Mrs Hawker 3 fish from Mr {Brown and campers, cake from Mr© Postgate, cards from Mr Montague, npples from Mrs Boyle, toys from Mrs Lees, clothing and toys from Seaview Sunday School, clothing from a friend, fruit from Mesdames Boyle, laard, £nd Rathgen and Mr Macfarlane. books iand toys from Mrs P. Campbell, and S' am, vegetables and fowl from Mrs 'erns. It is stated that officers of the Union (Company's steamers, says the " Dominion," are going to support the temperance party in its efforts to abolish packet licenses on coastal traders, owing to a certain clause in the Act passed last session not meeting with their Approval. The portion of the new Act 'complained of is Subsection B of Section 4, which reads as follows: "No liquor shall be sold, supplied or given V>n board any such vessel by any person •to any officer or member of the crew of ■uch vessel without the written authority of the master."

The Hon. J. Barr, M.L.C., of Christjphurch, president of the Workers' Political Association, has written to the JRJ mister of Eeducation conveying a resolution passed by the executive of the that it is desirable that Sfchere should be women sitting as assistants with Mr _H. W. Bishop, S.M., jjduring the inquiry in connection with j£e Orange Home. It is felt, says the '*' Dominion," that not only would the Jpresence of the members of their own *ex inspire confidence in those young Vomen who might be brought^ forward to give evidence, but questions might he suggested by wompn which would enjtirely escape the male mind.

r The effect of the new tramway Sprinklers is already being gratefully ifelt by the more outlying areas that fcave hitherto been innocent of water fexcept during rain. This is due to the Ea,ct that the Council water-carts have been relieved of duty in the niaiti Streets, where the electric sprinklers now run, and have been put into commission on the back streets. Manchester Street is now in the fortunate area, land Bedford Jlow has been receiving >ome attention. All tne streets have aenefited by the change, and Oxford Terrace, for some distance north-east, iae shared in the break-up of the Irought. The result in dust abatement is already appreciable.

Daniel Morgan, who had also a i*tring of aliases., was convicted at the 'Lyttelton Police Court this morning of Shaving assaulted Michael Clancy. •Messrs J. Garrard and G. C. Smith, Justices of the Peace, presided. From )the evidence given it seemed that MorSjgan and Clancy had had a small difference, hut separated without resorting to war. Later in the day Morgan JFound Clancy in. the Mitre Hotel, and there assaulted him by hitting him jiviM! a stone. Morgan, whose list was Very long and varied, was sentenced to xwo months' imprisonment. The man fjwho was arrested yesterday for having fetolen a loaf of bread from the Maori, lias been remanded until to-morrow, in ijrder that the evidence of some of the Itoffieere of the boat may be taken.

The "Ashburtonj Guardian" learno. |bn good authority that, in consequence of the increase of £ per cent on deposit , prates' made by the banks about a week »go, notice is- being given ix> the cus- ' tomers of 'tho banks that the interest on (advances has been raised by a similar temount. On inquiry in Christchurch this morning a " Star " representative »*ae informed that so far no actual'steps lave been taken here to increase the nterest charged on advances. There las been a general hardening tendency in the money world generally, and, in pympathy with that -tendency, the injterest paid on deposits had been increased. The banks would have to keep a reasonable margin of profit, and if the hardening tendency continued it would become necessary' to charge more Sfor financial accommodation. The presence of peat in St Albana is said to be haying a very damaging effect' on certain roads in that ward, fthe peat, aff ox-ding no " bottom," and reusing holes and depressions in the Wjads as it sinks. Consequently . the pity Surveyor has~decided to remove the stratum of peat where it is most troublesome, and workmen have been fcarrying this put for some time. They tare now engaged in Madras Street jtoorth, it being intended, to deal with Wveral chains there, finishing one side [of the road at a time. The procedure jis to dig down to the peat, throwing it put, and filling in on the underlying Way immediately. Hitherto the peat (has been given away to those who jwould cart it, but the Council will proIbably discontinue this practice, for th© peat is invaluable for top-dressing lawns, and several of the city reserves ond parks will require liberal treatment in consequence of the dry season. The 'layer of peat is almost a foot or eighteen inches deep.

It is stated that although the contract time for building the tepid bath has almost expired, the bath will not be completed for two or three months, iDTV'ing to a scarcity of plasterers to finish thehuildingoff. If this is" so, the bath should be opened some time before midwinter. It is now, apparently, in '% very forward state. The actual building is finished, the roof being a particularly admirable feature, lofty find admitting plenty of light. The swimming pool is also finished, and the very numerous dressing-boxes are almost complet•d. Above them, and ranged all round the swimming bath, are three tiers of Beats for spectators, very high and dry, fend free from splashing, and a yery •Btrong railing has been placed in. front iof them. It has been suggested that Hhe Mayor, at the opening ceremony, khould take the first plunge. The {Mayor, in turn, favours a natatorial flisplay by the councillors, and has promised to afford them the facilities for a peek's training before the event.

The Peak Cavern, in Derbyshire, is Entered by a natural arch, 42ft high mnd 120ft wide, which penetrates the mountain for nearly half a mile.