LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10011, 24 November 1910, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

All Canterbury trout streams are still reported to be in good fishing condition.

A thousand School children from the Wairarapa arrived in Wellington this morning. They are visiting the warships in harbour under the auspices of the Navy League.

There Was a great deal of fog on the south and south-east coast this .morning, and tho weather was hazy elsewhere. The barometer has " fallen slightly and there are indications of the approach of loss settled conditions. At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., two statutory first offenders, on charges of having been drunk, were each convicted and fined os, in default twentyfour hours' imprisonment. Thomas Henry Calvert, on remand, was charged with vagrancy and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, on. condition that he went to the Salvation Army Homo for six months. /

" I think," declared tho Chief Justice (Sir liobert Stout) at the Supreme Court in "Wellington, "that the Court should sit earlier." The remark was occasioned by a request for a case to fco heard at 11 a.m. on a certain day. bis Honor thinking that some eases could be heard before this hour. " Wait till we get the Daylight Savins: .Bill through/' suggested Mr Wilford. " Whatever time 1 go to hed. I get up early," said his Honor, "and T think we should start at-9 o'clock." A juror who passed before one of the prisoners at the Auckland Supreme Court on his way to the jury-box was halted as usual, to allow the prisoner •n opportunity to challenge him. He must nave been passing an uncomfortable morning, with hia mind occupied by thoughts of his coming responsibility, for ho gazed severely at the prisoner and muttered " Guilty " in an accusing tone. Ho went' on to the jurors' box, leaving tho prisoner so surprised that he did not even think of challenging the man who had pointed bis finger of accusation at him. It is very seldom, says tho '"•' Post." that one hears a member admitting in the House of Representatives that his constituency is not a very considerable portion of this terrestrial globe, especially at tho end of the session, when the legislators are particularly keen to tickle tho electors' ears. Yet Mr T. H. Davey. Christchurch .East, has constituted himself a'monumental exception. Mr T. E. Taylor, Christchurch North, was on Tuesday night stressing a point in which Christchurch was interested. Then "came the startling statement from Mr Davey:," Christchurch is not the only place on the earth," and all the House wondered.

Mr A. C. J. Cuddy, of Sumner, has painted an interesting picture representing the relief of the Discovery by the Morning and the Terra Nova at M'Murdo Sound, in the Antarctic, in 1905. The work is in oils, and is about six feet by four feet. Tire Discovery is shown embedded in the ice, and the two relief vessels are going towards hor through the broken ice. Life is given to the scene by the presence of several members of? the expedition on the ice, and in the background there are the hills and the masses of snow. The scene has been reproduced from photographs and from information supplied by Mr G. W. Rolfe, R.N.R., who was on the Morning when she made her voyage to the Antarctic.

I A man just out of the Salvation 'Army Homo came before Mr Bishop this morning on a charge of having been drunk. His confinement in tho Home had kept him sober .for some time, and though well known to the police he had to be treated as a first offender. The man, like many of his olass, pleaded for leniency, and was about to make a promise to reform, when he was cut short by the Magistrate, who told him that he might as well talk to a stone wall. When a fine mtf os was imposed a week was asked in which to pay the fine, and Sub-In-spector M'Grath, interposing, said that the fine would never be paid. " Never mind," said his Worship, " I believe in giving every man a show, and this man will not be able to say that I did not give him a chance. He small have the .week."

One of the most amusing incidents that I nave heard, for a long time occurred here last week, writes the Taubiarunui correspondent of the Auckland " Star." It appears that the Railway Department will not (or cannot) issue permits for anyone to travel by the goods trains, and when one has to go i few miles up the line he cannot get back for a long time, even when a foods train is at the station and coming; on here. A reverend gentleman ana a surveyor got stranded in the way mentioned, and, being anxious to get to Taumarunui, thought of the following brilliant idea: The reverend gentleman consigned the surveyor as goods, and the surveyor consigned the reverend gentleman in the same way, but, goods not being able to speak, it was agreed on total silence. The guard refused to take the " goods," and was unable to get any reply for a considerable time, but, on threatening the two lots of " goods" with court proceedings, got rid of his cargo.

' The Lyttelton Harbour Board is evidently not taking any risks in regard to damages for accident when its tug, the Canterbury, accompanies tho Terra Nova down the harbour on Saturday afternoon. Free passes have been issued to those who are invited to go on the tug, and in return for the pass each guest must sign tho following declaration on the back of the invitation card : : " The acceptor of this pass assumes all risks of accident, and m consideration of its receipt expressly agrees that the Lyttelton Harbour Board shall not be liable under any circumstances, whether by negligence, criminal or otherwise, of its servants, agents or others, for any injury to the person or for loss or injury to property whilst using this pass, Or for any such injury or loss whilst Mnbarking or disembarking from the said tug, or whilst on any boat or launch the propertv of or used by the Lyttelton Harbour "Board in connection With the said tug, and that as to such acceptor the Lyttelton Harbour Board «hall not bo considered as common carriers'or liable as such. Tn consideration of this free pass, I hereby agree to the shove conditions." The pass must be banded to the officer at the tug's gangway, and will not be available unless it is signed by the person to whom it is fesjieti. How delightfully refreshing it is to liave the head shampooed on a hot mimmer's day, thoreforo it behoves ladies to know that Hemsley Burnet, Ltd., .Cathedral Square, are the only Masseuses in Now Zealand who have the latest appliances for shampooing.

Millions use Zymole Trokeys for that disagreeable tickling in the throat which accompanies a cough. They are soothing in action anj pleasant in fcwjts & 29

TJiia morning Lyttelton was a particularly busy port, and there was no apparent surplus labour, rho vessels in harbour aggregated about 45.000 tons 'Hiern were 02,859 tons of shipping in Wellington Harbour on Monday but the warships accounted for 24J.40 tons.

Tho farmers in the Methve.it district have-, during tho past week, been trying to do their share towards exterminating tho fi'ass grub, which has done so much damage to tho crops and grass pasture* during tho last two years. Even- evening just after sunset the beetles commence, to fly, and fires have been lit in many of the paddocks, which attract the beetles in thousands. So great is the destruction that it is sometimes possible to gather up a bucketful of dead beetles around the edge of a singlo fire. A new design of miniature rifle targets which aro specially adapted for use at schools, whore no natural protective works are available, has been approved by Major M'Doiiald, who is in charge of tho junior cadets of the dominion. Tho target is known as tho Hazard, having been designed by a resident of that name in Auckland. The B.S.A. air-rifle has been selected as .the most suitable weapon for use with tile targets, and card and figure.targets which aro provided are designed for a range of ten yards, the targets of the Bisley pattern representing at that distance a range of 200 yds with the service rifle, "while the "head and shoulder'' targets give a variety from 200 yds to 500 yds. The target is a simple but substantial design, and it is much less expensive than those designed for .22 rifles, which in most cases. require costly protective shields. Tho cost of the target and two rifles is £7 10a. Quo of tho targets has been purchased for tho Christchurch East b'chool, and it has been placed on exhibition at the Normal School, where it may be inspected to-morrow afternoon, and all day Saturdav.