LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10196, 4 July 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It was incorrectly stated in yesterday's issue that Mr C. H. Opie had been declared elected unopposed as a member of the North Canterbury Education Board for the South Ward. Mr Opio has been elected for the Central Ward. The dispute between the Christchurch Tinsmiths and Sheet Metal Workers' Industrial Union and the employers in the trade will be heard before the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr J. R. Triggs, at the Provincial Council Chambers at 10 a.m. on July 25. The Mayor's Coal and Blanket Fund, for the relief of distress during the winter months, was augmented thia morning by donations from " Sympa/thiser," £5; Field and Royds, £2 2s J J. Rountree, £2; H. D. M. Haszard, £1 Is j and H.W.G.8., 10s. The wind has veered to tlie west u{ most parts of the dominion, and ther« is a prospect of more bad weather ifl the South Island. It was raining at Bluff, Queenstown and I)unedin this morning, and there were indications of rain on the west coast of the Southl Island and to the north of Auckland, A Wellington Press' Association t«!#» gram says that Major G. N. Johnston, director of orduanee and artillery, arrived from England by the Torieariro to-day. Three non-commis-sioned officers from the Imperial troop# arrived by the same steamer to act as instructors under the. new defence scheme. The committee of the Waitara Racing Club has decided to send a deputation to the Minister respecting the Racing Commission's recommendation, which practically wipes the club ° u t. As the club has" fenced its course and bad a one-day meeting par year, it is felt that an injustice has been done. It. was decided to join the Waipawa Club and others holding n conference as to the coarse of action, with a view to. reinstatement. At the Magistrate's Court, Auckland, to-day, a seafaring man named William West was charged"with presenting a revolver at David Gallagher in Queen Street. Gallagher stated that he sawaccused presenting the revolver at another man and interfered, and lie was knocked down ai}d kicked. For the defence, it was stated that West had, been attacked by a number of men, and drew the revolver in self-defence. He mistook Gallagher for one or his assailant?.. He was warned and fined 4l)s and costs. " It is an utterly wrong notion to get the idea that Australia has no history, or that it is entirely sordid and mean. There never was made a greater mistake, and the strong human interest that prevails throughout its records—the magnificent deeds of valour that, men have performed for their adopted country, the indomitable pluck and energv shown by our early colonistsall these are bound up in our history. Thus spoke Mr F. Walker, in concluding a lecture in Sydney on the subject of one of New South Wales old mam roads—" the tracks of heroes of tho past." as he characterised them—'by which he had endeavoured to awaken some degree of interest in v, hat he considered must bo regarded as not the least important chanters in Australian history. "And," he added, "these should arouse our pride and satisfaction that we, too, are Australians, jealous of our country's name and fame j and when the time comes we, too, will be prepared—like our forefathers—to sacrifice everything we hold most dear for her sake." The performance of "The Whip" at the Theatre Royal last evening was "hung up" for quite ten minutes. The curtain rose lopsidedly on a garden scene in the second act, and obdurately a few inches from the stage. Several pairs of boots of sundry shades were seen to run agitatedly across the stai'e, but for some time the curtain proved obstinate, and refused to move either up or down. Then at last it showed an inclination to go upwards, and the several pairs of boots rushed hurried)v for the wings, and the hero made a* sudden dash for the garden seut and sat sorrowfully, his head m his hands, waiting for the heroine. He had to wait some timo, however, for she did not venture near him, for the curtain had merely risen a few yards and a wain stopped. The hero stuck manfully to his despondent pose till a merciful hand extinguished the lights and tiie lire-proof screen descended while the refractory curtain was hoisted up out of sight. Tho melodrama, then proceeded as if nothing ha<] happened", and tho hero was loudly applauded for his patience, as lie , was again discovered on the garden seat waiting for the heroine, who happily this time put in an appearance. , • | ICeep Stearns' Wine of Cod Live-" : Extract in the hcm<-. When you fee* fatigued—nerves ar<- mtstrung--ran'i. eat and feel all run down—then is when, you need it. W i

■ftianv requests have been made to Sir James'Carroll tliat he should speak in Clrristchurch, but there has been some difficulty in securing a suitable ImJl. However, arrangements have now been made to secure the C horal Hall, and the Acting-Prime Minister will delivei an address there on Friday night. Dr M'Arthur. S.M., gave judgment in Wellington to-day in «c««' n\which the Wellington Timber Merchants Industrial l.nion of Employers proceeded - against tlio Prouse Lumber Company, Limited to recover £53 tor moneys alleged to be duo for timber levies and fines in accordance with the rules of the Union. The Magistrate held that the agreement entered into was one that ■was iu restraint of trade, and therefore illegal. Judgment was for defendant without costs. A Greymouth telegram says that at the send-off of Mr Crookes, S.M., Mr Guinness and Mr Hannan, representing the Law Society of Westland, conveyed a sincere expression of regret at his early removal. His decision had always been unquestioned by the Bar and suitors, and they nad hoped that lie would make a long stay in Greymouth. Mr Crcoke acknowledged the courtesy always extended to him and thanked them sincerely. Mr Hewitt was welcomed by Mr Guinness who said that if he gave the aatisfaction that Mr Crooke had done • lie would be delighted. While inquiring into the Victorian sugar beet industry, tlo / , l J' e^. S 1 Wales Minister of Lands (Mr Nielsen) was surprised to find that Melbourne and Sydiiev tastes differ sharply in auear. Each market requires a different class of sugar. Sydney a fane one, Melbourne a coarser grade. Why this is thus, and whether the cause is climatic of otherwise, the Minister knoweth not. "I can't for the life of me tell why, but there it is." said Mr Nielson. As an investigator of sugar possibilities, the Minister perhaps sutlers from one disability—he does not use it himself." But he is inclined to think that Northern Murrumbidgee irrigation settlers will make a good thing out of growing beet sugar for other people. It will be a white labour industry, and will have the Federal bounty. , '• The Tragedy of the Osprey Plume" in other words, the havoc wrought amongst birds in order that thoughtless women may beautify themselves —continues, says a Sydney journal. The Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia distributed last year 5000 copies of a leaflet on tfcis subject, hoping thus to " awaken the pity of those women who still persist in wearing such plumes, it is to be hoped in ignorance of the terrible cruelty and wholesale slaughter of old and helpless young birds which such a fashion entails. 3 ' Notwithstanding €his, a report just published admits it as a painful fact . that the present winter shows, if anything. an increase rather than otherwise in the number of ospreys worn by

"women of all ages, whereas, formerly, it adds, " they were principally affected by elderly women." The report observes that unless the women of Australia decide to give up their feather adornments (which is unlikely) it is obvious that, since tlio demand will not be satisfied from abroad, a lucrative occupation will be created for local bird-killers, and tlio position will

be worse than ever. This feature has already been placed before the Customs authorities ith u view to their approaching the State Government to bring about some prohibition of the Rale of such goods, and so make effecl tive the action of the Federal Government in putting certain birds and their plumage on the list of prohibited imports and exports. The Government of New South Wales

has a Bill in preparation to make the notification of pulmonary consumption " compulsory on the part of medical men. The measure is being drafted. "I •' may point out," said the Treasurer last week, "that, by this • Bill it is proposed to give general application to a principle already obtaining in the city. It is hoped to overcome - difficulties raised by objectors, that notification will lead to sufferers being turned out of boarding-houses and similar places, by diffusing knowledge in place of the existing ignorance. By making known the true facts of the i disease, it will become realised that it is only under certain conditions that V the disease is infectious, ana that there is litttle danger where proper precautions are observed. The precaution and I the safety they involve should be made known to both patients and the public." The provisions to be embodied in the measure will include one fori the disinfection of houses where notmed disease has existed. "There are," said the * Minister, " numerous authenticated cases where ■uccessive families have bei come infected through occupying places that were not disinfected. Another

branch of the proposals is the encouragement of consumption dispensaries—probably by Government subsidy. A start may be made in the congested areas of Sydney. Leading medical men have promised to attend such a dispell, ■ary free of charge., In these a peruon can have his case diagnosed, and ; f he is in need of treatment he can be fully instructed and nrovided with appliances. A nurse will probably be appointed to visit the homes of sufferers, and she will see that the precautions are observed."