LOCAL AND GENERAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10441, 22 April 1912, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

All the Canterbury trout streams were reported clear this morning. The matron of the Samaritan Home desires to acknowledge with thanks gifts of fruit and vegetables from the Mental Hospital, Snnnyside. Steady progress is being made with the' new Government buildings in Cathedral Square, and the second storey, has begun to appear. Fine weather is being experienced in most parts of New Zealand according to this morning's weather report. Rain is still falling on the West Coast. I ''Were you drunk?" demanded Mr' H. W. Bishop, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning, addressing a choleric-looking individual who had 1 pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct. "Oh, just half-and-half," responded the defendant. "Oh, yes; jast half-and-half," said the Magistrate; " I know that condition well.'' The Balclutha " P'rro Press" states that on March 15) it published a parar graph to the effect that Mr William Taylor, of Stoney Creek, had fallen heir to an estate valued at £6,000,000, left by a near relative who had just died without issuo in Holland. The statement '"went the rounds" in the newspapers of the dominion. The result is that Mr Taylor, in less than a month since the firat announcement of his prospective good fortune, has received over sixty letters from people who are utter strangers to him. The J writers invariably begin by congratulating him, and end with a request for 1 pecuniary assistance. Some bear the unmistakable mark of t.ho professional begn -letter winter, but there are othere itless prompted by genuine bardship. One gentleman writes from Melbourne. asking for the prospective beneficinry's assistance in founding a new religious ?ect. The pen is mightier than the sword, The rifle or the gun ; Ten thousand battles it has fought, Ten thousand victories won. But here's a mightier power still, A conqueror that's sure; It vanquishes our coughs and cold*. It's Woods' Great Peppermint Ct.rc

A gra.it of £3OOO was voted by Parliament for the erection of a hostel in connection with the Girls' High Sclioql at Invercargill, and the necessary appropriation has now been made by Cabinet. A Press Association telegram from D lined in' reports that Frederick Percy Evans, a clerk employed by the 13lined in City Corporation, was to-day committed for trial on a charge of the embezzlement of corporation money. Captain R Hatchwell, J.P., and Mr F. Anderson, J P., presided at a sitting of the' Lyttelton Police Court this morning, when James Manning, on a charge of having committed an unnatural offence on Saturday last, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. The remarkably gocd stag's head obtained at Mount Algidus, near the Uppe" Rakaia Gorge, by Mr G. Gerard last week may be seen at the Christchurch office of the Tourist Department. It is very heavy and symmetrical., and has' been greatly admired by visitors.

Arrangements were made by the Council of the Canterbury Philosophical Institute and the Mayor to give a civic reception to Captain Amundsen on his arrival in Christchurch, but Dr L. Cockayne, president of the Institute, waited on the Mayor to-day and stated that Captain Amundsen's representative had informed him that the explorer .would not accept a civic reception. The function, therefore, will not be held.

Residents in the vicinity of the Phillipstown Church have for some time been loud in their complaints of the state of some of the drains in the district. A reporter who visited the locality in question found that the drains were indeed evil smelling. At some places stagnant water had collected, and towards evening, when the atmosphere became colder, the drains gave forth offensive smelling gases, and the appearance of some ot the drains suggested that they had not been cleaned fop some time.

A general meeting of subscribers to the Tai Tapu Library was held to arrange for ncflding tho annual social. Mr A. R. Forbes occupied the chair. It was decided to hold the social on May 31, to take the same form as on previous occasions. Messrs Agar and L. Morgan (secretary) were appointed a concert committee to arrange for the musical portion, and Mr J. Doyle undertook to attend to the dance to follow. Mr J. Heinzmann offered to bring out performers from Christchurch, and Mesdames Penlington and Brake were deputed to arrange for the catering. On Friday evening Mr George Witty, tyl.P., will be entertained at a complimentary social by the electors of Darfield and surrounding districts, when he 'will bo presented with an illuminated address appreciative of his services to the electorate. Several members of Parliament have accepted invitations to be present, and it is expected that there will be a large gathering. Th-a promoters have received a telegram from the Prime Minister expressing regret "that .other engagements will prevent him from being present to do honour to the member for the district, and stating that lie would advise later regarding Cabinet representation at the presentation.

At the Motukarara camp on Sunday morning Captain-Chaplain Mitchell, of Kaiapoi, conducted service for the troops who wers not members of tho Anglican Church. The chaplain took as his subject " Our Heritage," and referred to the connection between privilege and. i responsibility. The address was listened to with the utmost attention. Before closing the service the chaplain referred to the wreck of the Titanic, and moved the following resolution. the officers and men standing at the salute:—" That we express fyir profound regret at the disaster which has overtaken the Titanic, and desire to place on record our deep sympathy with the sorrowing relatives."

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., a case was called in which the defendant was a maaseur. The plaintiff's counsel stated that the defendant was a. "doctor of masseur," and* claimed that he possessed a degree from America, though whether an American degree was any qualification for practice counsel could not say. Mr T. W. Rowe said that the defendant's brass plate on his door bore the letters M.T.D., which he (Mr Rowe) had been informed by defendant stood for Doctor of Mental Thereupy. The Magistrate smiled, but did not oppose an adjournment of the case to enable defendant to see if his practice could not enable him to pay his debts.

During the hearing of a maintenance case at the S.M. Court, Auckland, 011 Friday, says the " Post," the solicitor, far the defendant handed in accounts to show that a husband in receipt of £3 per week sulary had received from various firms in the city accounts for clothes for his wife which totted up to quite a big sum in a few months. One dress which cost £ls 15s the wife explained was for a ball at Wellington. Then there was £3 3s for a silk blouse, and tor costumes £7 17s 6d, £4 14s (id, and another at the same figure. There was an account for a sac suit at £5, which the husband said was not for himself, but for a relative of his wife. There was also a bill for £5 for the hire of a motor-launch, which money the husband said he had already given his wife, who also collected £2 10s from those in the party. There were also accounts for motor-cars.

Very iew of'the large number of immigrants who arrived in Wellington by the Gorinthic recently have so far called upon the Labour Department for assistance in obtaining employment, and no difficulty has been experienced in finding work for the bulk of those who have done so. An illustration of the speedy manner in which the newcomers were provided for was mentioned by an the Department to » Times representative. It concerned a family of four-a man, his X and their two daughters. They called at the head office on the morning after arrival. The father was provided with work at the elder daughter accepted a telegraphic offer of a situation which arrived while they were waiting m the room, the younger daughter was engaged ten minutes later, and the following morning the mother also found congenial employment. Perhaps you have some special engagement, have a headache and afraid to go. You needn't be. Steam's Headache Cure makes the going possible. 2