LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10925, 14 November 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

j All the Canterbury trout streams were reported clear this morning. i The following vessels will be within 1 range of the radio stations to-night:— Auckland —Maheno and Talune. Wellington Maheno, Willocbra and Moana. A woman writer in the " Post" finds grounds for rejoicing thus: It is an ill wind that blows no one any good, and, though one may deplore the circumstances, it must bo sadly gratifying to ambulance and first-aid students to dress and bandage real accidents instead of dull make-believe patients. It is all the difference between the baby and the doll to a child, and there has been gain on both sides, skilled service ! on one hand and experience of the real thing on the other. j The Whangamomona County Council at its last meeting passed the following resolution: —"That this Council is of opinion that the clause in the new Land Bill allowing holders of sections to dispense with residence is contrary to the best interests of settlement, as the fewer settlers on a road the greater trouble the remaining settlers have to get schools, telephones and stores, and other necessary facilities." It was decided to telegraph the resolution to the Prime Minister and the Hon Mr Anstey. The Lyttelton Marine Band will play the following programme of music on the Victoria Square rotunda this evening, commencing at eight o'clock: — March, "Mount Egmont" (Trussell); songe Lente, " Cavessante" (Lambert); tost selection, " Nabucco" (Verdi); (this is one of the selections that will be played at the Invercargill band contest next week); trombone solo, " The Trombone Polka" (Boulcourt), soloist Mr W. Lanham; concert waltz, " Silver Showers" (Rimmor), soloist Mr E. Sullivan; test selection, "Les Huguenots " (Meyerbeer), (also one of the Invercargill test selections); quickstep, "B. B. and C. F," (Ord-Hume). Says a Sydney paper: The family of Mr David Morrison, of Birchgrove Road, Balmain, is rejoicing greatly, on account of a diamond tiara that has been awarded them by Dame Fortune. The fickle goddess has been good to them —diamond ta-ra-ras aren't as plentiful as pumpkins round Balmain way. Mr Morrison, who is a boilermaker, working at Mort's Dock, won the first prize in the Eight Hour Art Union, so the coveted diamond tiara, or its value, £750, became his on presentation of the lucky ticket. The second prize, a diamond necklet and pendant, valued at £4OO, was won by Mr Clifton, Anelzark, of Boundary Jtoad, Kurri Kurri.

It is not often that a local body is the possessor of a goldfield, and is practically unaware of the fact. Such is apparently the case- with members of the Pohangina County Council. On Saturday a letter was received from the Paymaster-General, advising that the sura of 10s had been remitted to the Council's credit at its bank, the amount being " goldfields revenue." When the letter had been read,, Councillor Howe said he would like to know where the goldfield was. "At the fork of the Oroua River/' replied the clerk. The chairman stated he believed a man was up there prospecting. "Well, he must be getting something out of it," remarked Councillor Howie, " or we wo\ild not be paid 10s. ' Matters in the local territorial circles are at present fairly quiet, but the following events past and to come may be of some interest to territorials: —£200 lias been voted to each military district for the purpose of holding group rifle meetings. The competition will bo open to territorials, senior cadets and compulsory members of rifle clubs. Entrance fees'will cover the cost of rationing expenses connected with the meeting, anything over to augment t the prize list. In each of these meetings a trophy will be awarded for the best shot in each military district, while in the larger centres it is customary_ for honorary territorials to donate prizes, so that the meetings should be well catered for in this respect.

Fear is the nnderminer of all determinations; and necessity the victorious rebel of all laws.—Sir Philip Sidney.

Alfred Edward Tomlinson has been arrested in Wellington on three charges of his having embezzled money amounting to £SO 3s 6d, belonging to his employers, Messrs Goilin and Co.

Three horses belonging to the Wellington Corporation were sent to Palmerston North to compete in the Manawatu Show. The team captured a champion plate, three first prizes, one sqcond, and two thirds. There are some queer jokers in Invercargill. A taxi with a married couple aboard hurried off to the railway station the other day. A placard on the back of the vehicle bore this inscription: "Newly married; off to paradise."

The Torv Government and party—the "solid party" of whose determination to put the "Reform" Bills on the Statute Book so rofoch has been heard—are like a ship without a rudder, floundering about hopelessly in a sea of promises broken, pledges abandoned. Bills unprepared, r.nd a genera! chaotic caricature of Parliamentary procedure.—" New Zealand Times." Says tho Hokitika "Star":—The local merchants and storekeepers are worthy of ©very credit for having up till now supplied the people's requirements without any advance in prico, notwithstanding the strike. Thisis the more commendable seeing that in our neighbouring town of Greymouth poor people had to pay last week 28s for a 501b bag of flour and 561b bag of sugar. Exception is being taken by county councils throughout New Zealand regarding the provision in the Railways Amendment Bill that local authorities rh&W be liable for the cost of laying down of level railway crossings, alterations of same, gates, bells, or other appliances that the Department _ may deem necessary, also the conversion of level crossings into subways or overhead bridges. A smart Gisborne business man foresaw at the beginning of the present strike trouble that there was likely to be a scarcity of sugar in Gisborne and in the dominion generally, and as soon as the first news of the strike was received telegraphed to n Wellington wholesale firm asking at what price per ton they would deliver sugar in Gisborne. He received the laconic and expressive reply, £4OOO per ton." We have been told that Mr Massey has been facing the situation boldly. We have been told that the country owes him a debt of gratitude for his action. But, beyond being vague, noncommittal and unduly irritable, what has he done to conciliate the contending parties or to prevent inconvenience to the thousands of people who ought never to have been worried over the matter at all? Southland " News."

A well-known Wanganui motor expert had a sensational experience and a most miraculous escape from serious injury on Sunday at the "Devil's Elbow" on the Wangaehu Hill. He was driving a 50 h.p. racing cycle car, when the wheels skidded., and driver .and car were precipitated over the hank, reachin terra firma 30ft or 40ft below. Marvellous to relate, the driver did not receive, so much as a scratch, and the car was undamaged. By the aid of ropes the car was subsequently hauled back to the road, and the motorist continued his journey. At the Scottish Society's " gathering of the clans" last night every member of the audience was presented with a sprig of heather with a card attached giving the name and address of the sender in Scotland, and requesting the recipient' to acknowledge by post receipt of the sprig to the donor at Home. Nearly every young man in the audience wore his sprig., card and all, as a buttonhole, and this presented a sight that perhaps could not be seen in any other part of New Zealand. There will be another distribution of heather at the concert to-night. Thus discoursed a Christchurch paper fifty years ago:—" We are much alarmed at observing a peculiar contraction of the. muscles of • the face which is gradually coming upon most of the ladies in Christchurch. The screwingup of the nose and eyes which is inseparable from a habitual residence in a dusty town is beginning to be painfully perceptible in their otherwise charming features. Use and disuse are rapidly coming into play, and we are seriously frightened at the prospect before us. The hideousnese of the male sex is a matter of small moment, but it is intolerable that 'the AngloSaxon type of beauty should be suffered to degenerate into the hateful contortions with which we are becoming so painfully familiar merely because people won t water their streets."

Robert M'Donald writes to a Wellington paper:—Would you please publish this appeal of mine to the watersiders: "Workmates, as it is publicly known that I have joined the new Union, I have been asked by one of you, and I have acknowledged the truth. I wae not ashamed of anything. My way of thinking it would be a good thing for the whole of New Zealand if a lot more would do the same. To-day I have my wife home from the Hospital, and when I go back to work I am going to leave her unprotected with three I was born and bred in this country,- and I am going back for the love of New Zealand. Why should any New Zealander' be afraid to give a lead? I am doing it hoping others will follow. If I am doing wrong—l may be—but I am doing the best I can think for everyone in New Zealand. The only thing that will stop me from going back will be personal violence to myself. A New Plymouth resident _ had a rather eventful motor-cycle trip to Napier a few days ago. He was new to motor-cycling, and he had just bought a machine. After one ride on it he decided to visit Napier. At Stratford he ran into a gate, and. a little further on he collided with another gate. Then he was misdirected and he turned off the proper route into a " blind " road, at the end of which he ran into a river. His next adventure was at a spot where the railway line crossed the road. He went over a cattle-stop and was thrown about eight feet up the line. The last incident was running over a dog. With all these mishaps he was scarcely injured, and the motor-cycle did not need even the slightest repair; in faot, the cyclist did not have to open his toolbag once in the whole time. On his return journey he left Napier at 9 a.m. and arrived at Waverley—a 200 miles run—at 5 p.m.; he had one stoppage j of an hour and a half for lunch. i

The banquet of three thousand covers given at Toulouse to M. Poincare promised magnificently, but did not entirely fulfil its promise. One course, and that not the least succulent —roast chicken—dropped out of the menu, . This is how it is now known to have happened, the London " Telegraph" says. All the courses were brought from the kitchen of the hotel in large motor-waggons to the arsenal, where the banquet took place. The waggon containing the roast chickens broke down in the transit. While the chauffeur was busy with his repairs a number of boys who had scented the aroma lifted the awning of the waggon and began to abstract the contents. The chauffeur had to abandon his engine and look after the chickens. A good half-hour passed before ho could find anyone to mount guard, and so enable him to get his motor working again. When at last he reached the arsenal, where the wretched head waiters were tearing their hair, it was to meet the Presidential procession leaving the banqueting hall.