LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11026, 14 March 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'Hia fruit industry in Nelson vili be the subject of n special series of pictures in lbs illustraiions of next week's " Canterbury Times.'' There will a. splendid panoramic photograph ot Messrs lli-ilcy Bros.' young orchard on the Cilenbrook Estate, Stoke, which isevidence of the remarkable development of fruit culture in that, district, and also several suapsliots taken in orchards unil guldens iii the Nelson province. Them will be a capital selection of pictures depicting Ambulance Day iri Invorcorgill and the floral fete held in llokitika on February '25. Mr Scotlatid's aeroplane flight in Christchureh, tho first in the history of the city, will be very linolv described, and there will bo two pleasing illustrations portraying surf bathing nt New Brighton, ine glorious Velasquez picture of Venus, which was damaged by Miss Richardson, a noted suffragette, will Ik* shown, find amongst other Home subjects to be. portrayed will bo tho funeral of Lord Stratbcona. The ladies' swimming -championship nt Auckland will be lully described, as will tho opening of the new ferro-concrete .wharf and railway < station at Picton. There will .be a capital group picture of representatives of the Grand Lodge of Druids who attended the conference held at Timnru recently, and several illustrations dealing with various topical mutters in New Zealand. Tile jouniiil's caHcaturo artist will jjive two neat cartoons dealing ivith tho political situation in New Zealand. The reading pages will W well stocked with the news of the day on subjects of world-wide interest) with special reports on the doings in sporting 'matters, cricket, swimming, boxing and the. many other recreative pastimes that are dealt, wTtli from week to week in the " Canterbury Times." ih« popular magazine will be on sale 'ocally on Tuesday. All the Canterbury trout streams ncre reported clear this morning. A Farmers' Association has been es- ' Sablished at Bromlev to further the intere*ts of the district. A well attended meeting was held on Thursday evening.

' There are now 235 newfipaoois pnli r ,li('d in New Zealand and registered < for tron,<mission at the General Post OSicp. Wellington. Of these '62 are published daily, 36 thrice weekly, '2» twice weekly, 67 Weekly, o fortnight! v monthly, 1 every three weeks and . 1 every four weeks, The postponed massed bands display ou behalf of Mr P. Sullivan, "who was terribly .injured in a motor-cycle accideut some time ago, will take place to-morrow afternoon in the Christcluirch Domain. The bands will assemble in the Square at three o'clock, and will maijch to the playing site near the tea kiosk in the Gardens. jfr J. B. M.'Kinney, general secretary of the Y.M.O.A. at Irivercargill, ■returned by the Niagara from an extended trip abroad. He represented New Zealand at the World's Y.M.O.A. Conference at Edinburgh last .Tune, , mid afterwards spent Keren months in flip United States' and Canada studying modern methods of Association work. Of late year* there lias been a keen interest taken in Bull Dogs, and a few gentlemen of this/city, have met togother for the purpose of seeing if something can be done in forming a Bull Dog Club'for Canterbury, and a meeting lias been called for \\ ednesday evumng in St John Ambulanco Booms, Worcester Street, when all persons who are' interested in the Bull Dog are invited to bo present. , Tlio'following vessels are expected to be within wireless range of the radio stations , to-night:—Wellington—Vic-torlay.Westralia, Ulimaroa, Maori, Waliine and Navua. For Sunday—Maitai and Hawko's Bay. Chatham Islands— Knight Templar aaid Waimana, Auckland—Makura, Riverina, Victoria, -Maitai, Kangatira- and Ulimaroa. Svuaclay —lliverina, .Victoria, Star of Scotland

and Itanyatini. ■ Awarua—Ascot and AVillochra. Awanui—-Inrerkip, Victoria, Riverine, Waimate, Makm'a and Maitai. Sunday—lnverkip, Waimate, Makura, Maunganui and llliiparoa.

The exodus -from Port Darwin continues, says Sydney "Telegraph." Thirty-four of the old Government : staff arrived in Sydney/on March 9by the Taiyuan, To use the expression of one of the party, "Port Darwin is flatter now than it was four years ago." It was further stated that the area required disinfocting. Fever tick aiid " swamp cancer Were prevalent near the coast* and. no matter what anybodj said, the.place was no place for a white man who had to work, • 'ihei'b were times in the day, it ■ was said, when men had to sleep oh accovnt of th'c i, in heat; 6ven the. horsos went to sleep a? Jj' 10 a.m., the weather was so not. There r was no doubt that cattle could be ii; "I raised inland 300 or 400 mi.es, but on i the coast a man did not eat flesh meat mice in a fortnight. Day labour had I;' been stopped, and Russians were em- ■ plnj-od on public works in preference to ' Australians—and this oil contract work. - 'J'ltere was little money, and, in the opinion of those who have just returned to Sydney, it i-s extremely improi able ' that the present arrangements regard- ■ ! ing the administration of th; Territory v will'continue. ' ft was addei that the g'mral opinion among the few people left in the Territory was that Dr Gilruth would not return to it. 'Wcsleyan " or "Methodist"? The Itev* T. A. Jonghin, says the Dnnedin ■" Star, I '.-in moving on Tuesday that .young people's society be formed, *f-:aid that three titles' had been suggested, and of these the committee recommended " The Wesley Guild." A member promptly rose and asked why riot call it " The Methodist Guild." Mr Jonghin answered that Methodist", was the name of the Church. ' " AVcsley " perpetuated the name of its founder. The Rev A. N, Scotter approved of the recommendation. They ■t had been in danger of squeezing out •liihn 'Wesley's name altogether. The ■ Rev T. W.' Vealie feared that by taking the Uame of Wesley' they might alienate the Christian Endeavonrers. The sev ,W. A. Sinclair replied that there"was no wish to interfere with the ; work' of that body. The Rev P. W. ' , Kairclough: "Tf anybody has discovored ■ that- 'Methodist' is a popular name with our young people, lie has discovered more than 1 have. Tt is a nickname. T have no wish to give our young- people a push along a slippery incline. 1 ' Let us carry the recommendation," And " The Wesley Guild" was

carried. The Wellington"' 1 Evening Post" discusses the indiun coolie incubus in 1 hese terms: —Sentimental people, with foft hearts ln-rger ( than their heads, may imagine that men who "do no 'harm " —ari the saving goes'—should not be excluded from these islands. The "Post" is no champion of inhumanity, but wo do believe that tlip bfst. policy fnr "N(ur ZfiMnndors, i'or tho sake of themselves and for the Asiatics 100, is to keep this country as white as possible. Industrial and social troubles follow the trail of Asia's low-grade workers wheu they are numerous pnongh to be a factor. Tlio representatives of the public here should not wait till alien,s. of immensely different) standards of life, are in numbers lo make .1 difficult problem. The Premier's plain duty i& to hare a Bill ready for the early part of tlio session. The Government deserves censure for the delay of a .Yenr, because there is no excuse, of a local or Imperial character, for the deferring of this national insurance, policy. Facts about, the influx of Indians from Fiji were published conspicuously Inst session,* and the subject was discussed in the House of representatives. .Tot nothing noteworthy was done, and the result was that coolies have been at liberty to invade, New Zealand, without any cheek worth mention.

At.a meMing of the Lyttelton bra nob of the Church of England Men s S<v c.ietv, held la.st week, a resolution was passed urging the Government; to submit the Bihlo in State schools quo*ti6n to n referendum at tlic next yon«ral election.

The Duuedin Correspondent of the "Lyttelton Times" ststes Muit :t. is expected GoO Senior Cadets from ,antral Otago will come to Dunedin on April 27, to take part in the parade of the Cadets nest dav before General Sir Inn Hamilton. Ihe Mayor is taking steps to have tliern billeted. Broad smiles greeted 111'' reinling ol a letter from a "financial I'um ottering to lend money at 5 per cent at. the last meeting of the Tiikapuna Borough Council. " What, are your Council a requirements? Please telegraph. 'I he amount is immaterial. J ran this " open sesame" epistle. "You may sniilo. observed the .Mayor (Mr K. JR . Alison) to the councillors, "but a short time .ago a letter of this kind would have been very welcome to public bodies. Borouidi Councils will be relieved lo find the money market so changed. The Council decided to reply that at present they are not in nerd ol loans.

• The committee of tho Christchurfh Citiaens' Association met on Thursday even inc. Mr J. A. Frost iek (president) wns in the chair, and there was a large attendance. Mr H. G. Ell, M.l'., gave an address on " Hating on Unimproved Values," and after replying to questions was accorded a vote of thanks. The sub-committee for public buildings reported regarding the town ball, and Messrs lltirst Seager and Cyrus William* submitted a plan tor the site in Victoria. Square. The nomination of candidates for the coming municipal elections was left over till next meeting. Mr G. M. Butterworth wns appointed to the position ot secretary and canvasser.

Says Marlborough " Express " Mr Ct. \\\ Russell lias at least liad the honest}' and courage to say that ho cannot join forces with the followers ot the " professor" from Milwaukee, mid with' Messrs Semple, Hickey, Holland and other extreme Socialists who made themselves so notorious last December by their campaign of industrial anarchy. But other members of the Liberal Party, are not, it is' rumoured, disinclined to coucliido an alliance with the " Red Feds." ; and until there is some definite announcement fioiu Sil Joseph Ward that the Liberals will rigidly abstain from anv snob degratlinjr political "deal," the rumour »j question will continue, and crtnnot tali to injure the party with its more moderate* supporters throughout the conntry.

■ Strange persons of feeble mental capacity find queer avenues in Mhich to display their weak ideas of humour, and the latest outbreak of these hooligans occurred during the recent - citizens' carnival a;aUierinp» at the Newtown Park (says the Wellington "Times"). Many girl* discovered tJia-t after having visited the more densely crowded uorlions of the ground they had lost portions of their hair, which soiiie stupid vandals had amused themselves by cutting off while the attention of. the victims wa» occupied with the- side-shows or other attractions. Many cases of girls losing large tresses have been reported, and in some instances what- were previously beautiful heads of hair have been quite spoiled. StUpid offelices of this sort are unfortunately 'difficult of detection, though Such An act warrants exemplary punishment.

The stirring strains of drum and fife baifds will soon be revived in the New Zealand military forces, states the Wellington "Dominion." The Defence Department has made arrangements to import fifes, and supply them to t-ho Senior Cadets at cost price, so that for little more than "£5 a company can possess an up-to-date druitt and fife beihd outfit. The Department lias circularised the Senior Cadet- companies throughout the dominion, offering to import from England all instruments required at the following cost, f.o.b. at Wellington Flutes, 88, 18s a dozen; flutes in F, 2s 7d each; piccolos in F, 11 Jd each-/triangles, Is old each; cymbals, 6s 2d per pair; side drums,'complete with carriage and sticks, 32s 6cl each; bass drum, with carriage and sticks, 76s 9d. Half the money has to accompany the order, and the other half is required to be paid on the arrival of the instruments. The Department; on its side, guarantees the instruments in perfect order.

A party comprising Viscount Kelhurn commander of H.M.S. Pvramus. Sir llobert Lockhart and Mr 0. R. Bloomfield returned to Auckland this Week after .enjoying some excellent fishing at WhaitgareUHarbour. The most exciting incident of the trip was provided by a sword fish, apparently about 12ft long and judged at about 3001b weight. It was hooked by .Viscount Kelbiirn and was held in play for a quarter of an hour. The big fish •made a great fight against the_ attempt to capture it, frequently leaping high out of the water, until finally the tackle broke and it escaped. Next day Sir Robert Lockhart hooked a swordfish, believed to be the same one, and again it escaped wit-h the tackle. Another visitor, a 'powerful Scotchman, made special preparations for this big fellow, equipping himself with a line .that would have held a horse. Next day the strordfish took the Scotchman's bait, and this time it seemed as though it would be secured, for the angler tied the line round his waist and played the fish with all his strength. However, the hooks straightened and the swordfish remains at liberty. Speaking at the Wellington Opera House Company's function yesterday, iif Bert Royle, representative in New Zealand for J. C. Williamson, Ltd.), stated that he wished to 'remove a false impression which had somehow taken root in New Zealand; that was an impression to the effect that hi.> firm discouraged other ' managements from coming to New Zealand. " "We have only a certain number of companies," .said Mr Royle, "and I give you my word that we have all our work cut out 'to keep the theatres in Australia filled. Over hero we have three theatres under lease—in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. We cannot fill them with out- own companies, and if other managements do not come along, there must be a great number ol vacant date", and that means loss, because we have to go on paying rent whethei the theatres are open, or closed. Supposing that the three theatres under lease, arc empty for a week, it means a loss of £2OO to J. C. Williamson. Ltd No, we do cur best to induce the managements to come along, and often go out of our way to book New Zealand tour-, for them, and ease their visit by playing on terms. That does not look as if WO were trying to keep them out.'

Police Commissioner Cullcn, who knows much of the .National Park District, states the Wellington •' Dominion." some time ago conceived the idea that .Scotch heather might hetempted to grow on the pumice lands to be threaded shortly by the new AYai-murino-Tokaauu TCoad. He wi-ot.> to a Scotch friend in tho Wnipu district for so me plants, which were, forwarded and planted twelve months ago last July. To his intense plea-urn the heather found the soil congenial. and since then a good deal more planting has taken place with the same successful results. AYhen holiday-making in the Tongariro and Huanehu rountry during .Jmiliary, Mr Cullen frns pleased to find some healthy patches of heather, that looked like spreading over the country. He also learned, much to his surprise, that there was a forty acre patch of heather at Opepe, near Taupo. which lip believes must have originally been planted by mcmhers of the old Armed Contabula rv who may have h'nd seed sent out to them. So encouraging are the prospects that the' Commissioner considers it well within the bo'unds ot possibility that a line grouse, country could be developed from what 'ire now practically waste "rounds.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that a " Gassotte' extraordinary further prorogues Parliament till April 10.

.Mr Ernest Firth, T-'.R.C.0., will give, an organ, recital in J>urhani Street. Church on Wednesday nt 8 p.m. the programme will include tho following items I'reludfc and fugue bv Bach overture, <l ProJiiothcus" (Boolhovoii), and Variations mi Theme in A (Hesse). Shortly after half-past twelve tin? morning fire broke nut in the top (lowof the promises leased by Messrs G. Fleming and Co.. cyc|e and motor experts, 57 Victoria Street. Tho dforts of the brigade confined Iho oulnrenk to a small space and the building was only slightly damaged. The fnre.reargi 11 correspondent of tho " Lvttelton Times" telegraphs that Mr G. \v. UnsßOll, M.P. for Avon, will arrive in Invercargill this evening, and will reply to the Hon A. L. Herdman, who spoke, at Wyndham Inst Wednesday. ill' Husstdl's address will bo delivered on Monday nest. JJo intends to speak at Balclutha on'Jtiesday.. evening.

A 'movement, oinaujit.iiitx from Wellington, is on foot having tor its the formation of a lederation <f the Scottish Societies in ;»cw yjeulnu">'. A copy of the draft constitution and a request that delegates should he appointed to attend" a conference on a date to be fixed, have been _received bv.the Scottish Society of New Zealand. Christchureh. \s the Wakntu wns about to tie up alongside the wharf at Lvttelton last night, n newsboy, in attMliptilig to board' the vessel in too great haste, came to grief and fell into tho water. The lad's cries were heard by a gentleman in the vicinity, who at once jumped into the water and kept the lad afloat until a roue was lowered an:, the oarties hanlea on to the wharf.

■ Advices by! last mail from Honie state that the following pupils or t.ie, Convent, Lower High Street, received certificates from Sir Isaac Pitman and Sous. Phonetic Institute. Bath 1' nil certificate of proficiency for. thorough knowledge of shorthand, theoretical and speed' (80 words per minute): Marv Strout?. Theoretical certificates —lrene Mahon, Grweunio Wilson and Monica Wall.

Canon Harm ay maintains that novradays the most dramatic seritiotis a y° preached' in Ireland (s:iys' the '* Daily Cbroiticlo: A friend of UW heard a preacher in a Connaiight villago patlating on the terrors of hell. " The lion will-roar at ye/..'' he told the congregation. . ''The owls will hoot at ypz. The sarpints will hiss at yez, awl the hyenas will laugh yez to eeorn.' The Cbristchurcb Egg Farmers' Association.'lia.s set up a committee to arrange for the shipment of eggs to Vancouver "on a largo scale next season. :Last year t-ho' Assomation.chartercd one chamber, but it is anticipated that at. least, throe chambers will bo required during the bns,y }>art of tl!e coining season. The Association decided also .to obtain full information as to the advisability of shipping eggs by the monthly service to Hull. Par froiu Wellington "Post'':— Brisk business has been done at the Municipal Fish Market this week. The work of the manager (Mr Ahvard) and his assistant, lias been increasing ever since the New Year opened, and the total ' receipts since , then have been nearly twice as much as during the qprresponding period of last year. 1 hero has IK.'en of late a big demand for fresh trout, due, no doubt, chiefly to the fact that the price, has recently been reduced to 6d per lb. A Press Association telegram from Duiiedin etafes that at a meeting of the-session of Knox Church the following resolution was carried : —" That the session learns with regret that the practice of having funerals on Sundays is increasing; it expresses its- disapprobation of the practice, involving as it does, a serious encroachment on the time and labour of ministers, and instructs' its own ministers to decline Sundav funerals except on occasions of necessity or extreme urgency."

"At'a'recent meeting of the executive I of the Summit Road Association, Mr,' H. (i. Ell, M.P., reported that the Tramway Board'had promised a' donatioh of"£10 10s. It was decided to.] issue to members of the Association ft printed, report on the finances, iilehiduig.il statement showing the work that has been done. The chairman (Mr G. Harper) produced proofs of a booklet the Association is printing for public information, in.order to strengthen the j finances.; It was decided to issue 2000 copies. The secretary was instructed. to write to the New Zealand Forest and Bird Protection Society, wisliiucc.it' every success in its valuable work. ■

The following programme will be played by Dr Bradshaw, .City Organist, at the Mendelssohn B ecital to be given in His-Majesty'!; Theatre to-morrow, at 8.30. p.m. for the organ in 1' minor (No. 1), allegro moderato e serioso, adagio, andante recitativo, finale;. Lieder ohne Worte : . (a) No. 35 in 13 minor, (b) No 27 in E minor (funeral march); overture, " A Midsummer Night's Dream " (for full orchestra); duet 'for two sopranos, " Oh,_ Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast;" variations serieuse from the Pianofore Works (Op. 54); Lieder ohne-Worte, (a) No. 6 in G 'minor (Veuetianiscbrs Gondellietl), (b) No. 22 in F major ; Cornelius March (for full orchestra).

A remarkable instance of Christian union and concord in the bac.kbiocks was cited by a Presbyterian 'home missioner at a conference held in Auckland on Tuesday evening. He stated that his small congregation at one preaching station consisted of four lrvingites (Catholic Apostolic), four Baptists, two Anglicans, four Weslevans and six Presbyterians, the orgauist being a Roman Catholic. "You couldn't find a more united congregation anywhere," he declared. "To go among them is like getting a glimpse of the New Jerusalem." (Laughter.) The same speaker had. a rather different talc to tell of another station in his district. It was usuaJ to hold Sunday afternoon service there in a hall, for which they were charged £1 a year rent," or ud a. service. One Sunday, when they were six months;,., behind with the rent, the congregation drove up to-find, that the door had been locked against them, the party responsible being the office-bearer of another denomination. The whole assemblage had therefore to adjourn to a house a mile and a half away for the service.

Refrring to ilio resignation -of the Governor-tleneral, the Manchester Cuardian " says: "Lord Denm.m has never been particularly robust, and his licalth in tlio Commonwealth lias given him considerable trouble. His resignation of tlio Governor-Generalship of Australia has caused no surprise. His appointment, indeed, caused some flight surprise tohis friends, just as liis entry into polities did. AA'heu lie left Sandhurst ho was chiefly known ;is a capital shot and hunting man, and it ivas expected that lie would remain quietly,.in the hunting and golfing county society in wTiieli he had been brought lip. Jlut he hud a conviction that a niau should do something more for his country. King Edward was much attached" to him. and it. fell to Lord Denivii'.u. as a Lord-in-'Waiting, to break to society the awful-fact of the postponement of the Coronation and of King lOdward's-sudden illness. Mis sister, Lady Bin-low, was on that day giving a lu'tiehcoit party, and her brother was late, ' detained at the Palace,' it was supposed, and at length luncheon bogun -without him. Guests present described the scene a* like a p:|-rty 011 the stage when Lord Penman arrived; rather pale and very anxious, and said, 'Well, there will he 110 Coronation-

Tho king is very ill: there is to be an operation.' At tho same moment tho- news sellers came running down the street shouting their tidings, an-:l London was in incredulous ronfiw-ion. To t base 'present at the luncheon. Lord Dcnman will always lie associated with that day."

The following is the result of the school gardens' competition, judged Uy Mr AV 'H. Lawrence:—Nellie Ra.ssott 11 (id Phoobo Sheerlaw. 1: Mavis Robertson .ind Owen Pi-mlen. 2; Amy Lillv and Dorothy Cusack, «' I social prize, Mavis Bridgmnn and Lonmo Sutton. 4. .

The following procriMnme will be played bv Deri-y's Private Baud m Lin'wood ' Park to-morrow afternoon: — Mim'oli, " 0!<1 lrotiaitles fLosov); seloclion.' "St Pft«l " Uendolssobii); ouphouiiim solo. " Lnml of Glorv" (Kl^ar); air vane, .Ihe Austrian Hymn" (Swift): ''A Hymn of f I, G Homo Laud" (Sullivan); Iwo Chorales" (Bach); march, bocial Life " (Bnohrae). It is seldom that a moinhcr f % fair sox appears at 'the Magistrate's Court as a judgment debtor. but. apart from this. there was some interest attaching to a judgment, summons crfse hoard tit Auckland on Thursday. Counsel for the judgment creditor stated thai; tiio circumstances of tho case wore somewhat peculiar. The debtor was a domestic servant who had been brought out from England by a A\anganui lady under u two years' engagement. After remaining with her employer for & couple of months, howevor, the gir! took her departure, and her mistress obtained judgment against iier m the AVanganui Court for £7 13s 2d, which had been paid towards the cost or l:er passage out. The girl, when placed in Die box. said that she was now in service in, Auckland, and was earning jOS a week'. She was sending money Home to her mother, who was ill need «.r help. She considered, however, that she could spare 2s 6d a week tow ards p«yinjs off the dobt, and flit ordev tvns made accordingly.