LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9305, 4 August 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Rev Guy Thornton, of Sydenhaia, is at present conducting an evangelistic mission in. the Kaia'poi Baptist Church. On Wednesday he will lecture on "My Conversion from Infidelity to Christianity." A Press Association message from Napier states that as a result of an appeal made by the "Telegraph" in, aio of the fresh air fund a draft for £440 was . to-day cabled to London. Last year £243 was sent. : Percy Staples Bond,- employed at the Auckland Post Office, charged at the ■■' -Auckland Police Court to-day, says a Press Association message, with, the theft of stamps and postal notes valued ai; 18s Bd, was remanded for eight days. On Thursday, August 18, the Misses Edgar, who are about to leave Christchurch, will give a farewell concert, assisted by leading local artists. The concert was to have been given. on Thursday, August 6, but owing to the . Musical Union's concert taking place on that date it has been postponed. Both the Misses Edgar have been among the foremost to assist at local concerts, and the entertainment should be thoroughly successful. The plan of reserved seats will be opened at Messrs Milner and Thompson's on Thursday. . The monthly meeting of the Waima-: . kariri Harbour Board was held last evening; present— Messrs Doubletiay (chairman), Parnham, Wright, Young, Lissama-n, Edwards and Keetley. ah« pilot reported the depth of the bar on July 14 to have been eleven feet at neap tide. The tonnage had been 2/0 tons inwards and 170 tons outwards. The Finance Committee reported that the receipts had been £8 4s lOd, the expenditure £71 6s Bd, and accounts for £11 12s Sd were recommended for payment. The report wa & adopted The question of repairing a groin at Stewart s Gully was referred to the Works Committee. Another development has oome to help fire insurance to continue to be a "burning topic" of the day, says a Press Association message from Auckland. Already the public tad the possibility of increases in the rates charged by the State and. private companies, and now arrives the news that the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation is to step into the fire arena and bid for business throughout New. Zealand. More than a week ago the head office cabled to the local manager (Mr C. M. Montefiore), instructing him to get a fire insurance department organised in New Zealand. That announcement did not come as a surprise to him, as lie had known for some time that the scope of the company's operations was -to b& enlarged, and had prepared for the extension. Mr Montefiore has had eighteen years' experience in the fire section of insurance. ' "I have everything pretty well in readiness." ho said yesterday. "I anticipate doing: business before the end of the month. 5 ' Speaking to a reporter to-day Mir Besant referred to the women of India, and their prospects. She said that educationally they were likely to f al! between two stools. In India, where the joint family system prevailed; the ■ family was a large institution. Under the old education the women were trained to be the heads of the households, and they ruled ably and well, having amongst other equipments a knowledge of medicine, hygiene and the best methods of deau»g with wounds and accidents. Now, however.-, the older education of women was kept . in the background, and nothing had taken its place. The result was that the Indian woman to-day was not nearly as competent as her mother and grandmother. A demand had arisen for an education, which to some extent should follow the old lines. Mrs Besant added that her Society was givina a great deal of attention to the ■ Indian boys, as well as to thn jrirls. The object was to train the hoys to b« patriotic citizens. "ftnd while wo r?v«! them all that is best in Western education," she said, "we join with it tto religions and moral training of their minds." Not only headachcc, )>ut all ©*ber Forts of TiPTvons pnin are conquered by Steam*' Hosflaclip Cnre. fho mr*t. «v---tensivelv u«e<l liendan*»e remedy in -Mi© worU ; it if dopond.iblo. .IS

[ Nine births, three marriages and five Meaths were registered in Lyttelton {curing the month of July. ! Additional contributions to the Coal find Blanket Fund include £2 from " A Friend" and £1 Is from Mr F. E. bright. Councillor W. H. Cooper, actingJMayor, will be at tht> City Council Chambers each day from noon to 1 p.m., ■to transact public business, until Mr C. JAllison returns. Sitting in bankruptcy this morning Mr Justice Denniston made an order for taxation of costs in the bankrupt estate of John Mann, on the motion d iMJr Evaiie, official assignee, i In the Supreme Court to-morrow Mr IlTustice Denniston will deliver judgIjnent in the suit brought by HardWraves and others under vice-admiralty jurisdiction against tno s.s. Mullough. ; His Honor Mr Justice Dennisto^i, fitting in Chambers this morning, 'granted probate in the deceased estau-s !?f S. Darbridgc, E. J. MjDonald and jIA, Cameron. Letters of administration Svere granted in the estate of M. David}feon, deceased. I Major Twvford, the no-license organiser for the" Sehvyn electorate, had a good reception at a fairly well attend'£l meeting at Cooper's Creek on Monday evening. He gave a lantern l«c---iturc on the moral and economic phases %>f the no-licenso question. Mr M. 'Badger presided. ! At the Magistrate's Court at RanWiora to-day judgment by default was liven in a claim/ of £5 8e 5d by J. BarSard (Mr Van Asch) against C. b. Buchnnan. A case o{ JoJ» n hlll^ J-j W. Donald, claim £16 os, rent and possession of promises, was adjourned to August 18. Tlie Mayor (Mr C. "W. Bell) and Mr C. I. Jenmng, J.P., were ton the Bench. The General Committee- of tho Rangiora Bowling and Tennis Club met. on Monday evening, Mr J. Sansom in the chair. Tho trea surer rdported receipt for the past two months £2J 4s? expenditure £10 14s 7d and bank ■debit balance £15' i 16b od. . Five members resigned owing to leaving the dw'trict, and nine new members were elected. Mo*=r.3 C A. Cuff and C. I. Je nnin^ were authorised to fc-ign checue^. The bowling green and croquet lawns were reported to be in a satisfactory condition for the. time or tho year. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that the export ot cold from New Zealand for the past seven months was 297,0370z .valued at ifcl 175 524, oi- an increase ot 17,2010z, valued at £56,296, over the figures for the corresponding; period of last year, during last month 42,2200z, of a value pi £167,553, were exported as comparpd with 52,9660z, valued at £212,809, iduring July of last year. Last month s txport of silver was 119,4920 a, va ued «t £12.077, as against 116,7410z, valued Ut £12,188, in the corresponding month jiof last year. ! A sitting of the Lyttelton Polico ijCourt was held this inoming before Mr J. T. Brice, J.P- A man who made his first appearance before the Court was fined 5s and 2s costs, with the usual alternative, for drunkenness. John Ito£an, a fireman on the s.s. Delpmc, was charged with having disobeyed lawful fcommands on August 1, during tho passage of the steamer from Wellington to Lyttelton. The evidence showed 4hat the man had been ordered to keep .Watch from noon to 4 p.m., but had knocked off at 2 p.m. ancf not returned. So was fined 40s, with 7s costs, and With fourteen days' imprisonment a& »r alternative to payment. I Mrs Besant feels rather strongly on the Asiatic immigration question. Site tola !b reporter to-day that she quite understood that some restriction might be ..necessary, on account of competition in 4>ho labour market, but she expressed an Vminion that it would be a good thing, Ef possible, to allow educated and well-ito-do natives of India, to travel freeW tin this dominion. " I think," slie said, I*' that it is a mistake to make the line kii division a line of colour, as colour is !e matter of climate. A coloured race is vnot necessarily an inferior race. i'ne Wndians, of couree, are highly civilised. fTlie lower classes of India are more : taviliseia thau the lower classes of Eng>land, Australia or New Zealand. There (is not so much violence and drunkenmess ainongat them. They are much more refined. I have an Indian friend mho wished to com© with me «amy present mission, but I would not allow him ffco do so, because he would b© continu|olly exposed to insult. _ - ; li : I