LOCAL AND GENERAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11332, 9 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The first session of Canterbury College and the School of Engineering for 15)15 will commence on Saturday. March l.'i. .Mr Tf. Hunter, secretory of the Drivers' Union, tiled an application with the clerk of Awards to-day to have the following employers brought under the drivers' award: -Messrs W . Marsh, baker, Aniberley : J. J3. Coinpton, linker. Tlangiora ; .7. Whitehouse baker. lliuigtbra ; C. B. c . merchant, Aniberley; ■ lull, carrier. AVooden.l; and W. H. Rhodes. coal merchant. Amberley. The Arbitration Court will sit, in Wellington on Marci 16 but it is not known when it will sit in Christchurch.

News has been received "f the death in action in Persia of Lieutenant Kenneth Sinclair Thomson. He was the son of Mr Sinclair Thomson, now residing at Geraldine, and wa.« twenty-six years of age. He was educated at Wanganui College, and then went to St John's College, Cambridge, where ho look his degree in medicine. On leaving the University lift entered th« armv and obtained a. commission m the' Bengal Cavalry. It was only quite recentlv that his parents received news that his repciment had been ordered away on active service in I ere a, and ho had probably only been m the fighting area a few days when he was killed.

A member of the New Zealand foices in Egypt, writing to a fnend m Auckland, «ivs: "Cairo Hairdressers certainlv do not know how to shave. One or two trials of the Greek and Assyrian establishments is usually quite sufficient, and we fall back «PO» olir own outfits. They cut hair well, however taking pains to make a good job. During this operation there is always a little black boy hovering round, and when the customer is ready to go, the little fellow stands with his hat in ono hand a fresh cigarette in the other, and a lighted match between his teeth. For this Sambo expects half a piastre ' backsheesh.' We were much amused at this quaint custom at first. Of cour.-e the tip more than pays for the smoke."'

Wlien questioned regarding the failure of the petition to upset bis election to tho Northern Maori seat 6 s ays the Wbangarei correspondent of the Auckland •'HeraldMr Tau Hennrre expressed pleasure at the result, which, lie said', ho had anticipated. iegret the expense to the country, he said '"and to the Natives who canu so far to hear the proceedings. With one or two exceptions, all the Maoris present were delighted with the decision." The lodging of the petition, he added, had greatly interfered with the performance of his duties. He had been on a tour of the electorate learning tho needs and ieelings of his people, and this had been interrupted. '.l"he now member preferred' not to state his political attitude in definite terms at present. It- is reported that the steamer being bullfc in Dunedin for the Northern Steamship Company will be named Waipu. The vessel is designed to carry GO tons of cargo, with passenger accommodation for about 60 people, tiho will be a very complete ship, fitted with electric light, steam steering gear, steam hoisting plaint, the latest type of life-saving apparatus, including Mill's patent disengaging boat-launch-ing gear, etc., and fine cabin arrangements. The crew's quarters will be in tho bow. Trimming tanks are being provided fore and aft to red'uee the draft to a minimum. When the vessel will be completed is hard to sav. Considerable inconvenience has been oaused' by the war delaying some of the material, particularly piping. One part actually found its way to Samoa, to which place it was traced only after some time had elapsed. In th© hist monthly report of the Wanganui Harbour Board the engineer stated that the dredge had been employed deepening the out along the Jtie&ds Wharf, 100 ft in length having been deepened to 2tift at high water. The two 10-ton locomotive cranes haw arrived. Ono of the bed plates was so badly broken on arrival at Wellington that tho contractors are forwarding a new one. The bed plate of the second 1 oraiiie was delivered in Wellington with several cracks in the castings, and negotiations are now going on with a view to repairing same by the contractor. The pilot reported that ]63 vessels entered and departed to and from the port during the month; tonnage, 21,850 tons: tonnage for j vessels in the roadstead, 21,350 tons. | Two ocean liners in the roadstead dur- ! ing the month transhipped 34 loads of i frozen mutton and general cargo. I

According to mail advices just to hand. some particularly fine large German prize ships were sold in London on January 14. The first of them to ho offered bv the auctioneer was the steel ship Fritz, 2024 tons register, which was built at "Vegesa-ck in IbiU by the Bremer Schiffshan Company. Bidding started at £4000,, and rapidly ran up to £7OOO. but eventually she was secured for £BOOO. The next vessel disposed of was the ship Orlando. 2CK55 tons, and she, like the britz, was built at Yegesack by the Bremer Sell iff shaJi Company. She was secured bv Messrs S. and P. Derbyshire for £7050. The steel ship Olona wa,s next Mibmitted. She was a product of a British vard. Messrs M'Miltan, of 'Dumbarton, being the and is 1818 tons gross register. The first bid was ,Coooo. huh lively bidding began, and in the end she brought £BOOO. The three vessels are well known in Austral ia.

The need for a guarantee for seeds was a matter that received a good deal ot attention from the Morrmsville Farmers' Union this week. Mr Campbell stated that in cort-nhi parts of the United States and also in Germany a purchaser of tceds could gob a guarantee that, under a fair test—say, in a Government laboratory or by damp flannel in a room, he would get about !)0 per cent of germination. He quoted i\ case whore a farmer had purchased cheap ryegrass which showed only 3b per cent of germination. If a farmer was willing to pay for good seed lie should be able to net a guarantee that the seed would germinate under the conditions ho had mentioned. He also quoted a case where a farmer had purchased white clover seed, and 70 per cent had turned out to be crimson clover- a much cheaper variety. It was resolved to bring the matter up at. the approaching provincial conference, by a remit from the branch. It is by no means only men whn transgress in the matter of oysterthieving. Numbers of women have boen eauglu. red-handed, '''and, I'd rather tackle three men than one woman,''' remarked Inspector Bennett fervently, in relating a few of his experiences to an Auckland ''.Herald' 5 reporter. ''l ha<l one once who fought like a tiger. She (■.•.line down to llangitoto on an excursion boat., with a lot of Mason-jars in a hamper, and had just finished filling them for her fish shop when I came round the corner. She was the worst easo I ever tackled, and I've had some pretty hard ones!" So hard in fact, that since one poacher sprang at him with an axe, the inspector has made a point of carrviug a very handy weapon, ft m.ntli.nspike, hidden up his tdoeve., when on watch at night. '• I don't suppose many of them know what a usofvillittlo weapon I carry—it might bo just a.s well to drop them a hint." he added thoughtfully. Mr Bennett's record capture for one day is 15, .ill found poaching on Kangitoto, and his return to town that night was somewhat of a triumphal procession, no fewer than five confiscated boats rocking merrily astern. On boat contained no fewer than 90 sacks of oysters, and fully 100 bonts haw. been confiscated at different times, these usually being returned on payment of a. fine. There have been about a dox-en arres's this summer.

The following is the report on til* Canterbury trout stromas this mornnip:Rangitata (fisliable), Waitaki '"dirty). Waimakariri, both brjafiihes, Oyilii and Rakaia.

'r reply to inquiries made by the tcrbnry Chamber of Ooinmeroe as the progress of the Otira tunnel tho .Minmt-er of Publio Works has replied stating that the tunnel had been fully excavated from the Otira end 2 miles and 1(3 chains, and from the BeaJey end 62 chains, by the end of hist year. 'Die bottom heading had advanced 43 chains during the previous twelve months. The tunnel had been bored from the Otira end 2 miles 36 chains, and from the Bealey end 64 chains. The probable progress during the present year is estimated at 40 chains.

.It may not be, generally known that a soldier on active service cannot be deta inod by the ci vil courts as a witness or party to a, case. The point was mentioned in the Supreme Court at Palmersten North on Tuesday. Counsel for plaintiff in a case before the Court stated that he had tried to subpoena a witness who had enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary FSroe, but, as he was on the point of sailing, counsel did not proceed,. Mr Justice Chapman observed that there was a special section, which stated that a soldier, under such circumstances, could not be detained as a defendant or witness. ""

In connection with the all-import-ant question of petrol supplies, it is claimed that the island of Trinidad—famous for its pitch lake—is producing motor spirit that is purely British. Th« area owned by the Trinidad Oentral Oilfields, Ltd., yields the remarkable portion of 38 to 40 per cent of the finest quality motor spirit. This is exceptionally high when compared with the average yield of spirit from crude oils throughout the world, which is stated to be only about 8 per cent, it present the entire output of the com* pany is taken by the Admiralty an< one of the co-operative petrol supply societies.

Tho glad eye was in the ascendant at Mataura Islaud on Tuesday thi* week (states the Wyndham Farmer "). It was monthly pay-day at tha dairy factory. and the 29 suppliers subscribing to the institution between them lifted_ almost a cool, £3ooo—to be exnot. £2373 7s 7d. That averages al- - £B2 per supplier. The lowest cheque was for £BO or thereabouts, but tho vogue was mostly £6O to £BO. Six wont into the " century " figures, two of them being just over and under respectively the £2OO mark. In addition to the usual Is per lb butter-fat payment. an extra. 2d- was being apportioned, covering previous months'of the" season. Mataura Island may well be designated a land of milk and money I

What is considered to be the longest trek ever undertaken by any section of the New Zealand Defence Forrss has just been oompleted by members of the Wellington I) Battery, under Major Petherielc. The men left Wellington about 10 a.m. on Saturday week, and that day covered 23 miles, which is a very creditable performance. After the first day, an average of 16 miles per day was covered. On Friday they arrived at Palmerston after a 98 milee' trek. The transport waggons, which included a special vehicle carrying the Roberts's travelling cooker, arrived about 11.30. The horses and men. although tired, looked little the worto for their long march. The main body arrived about 12.10, after "attacking ' PalmeTston, via the Manawatu Bridge. During the march, 15 specialists, who were mounted on fine horses, did praotical manoeuvring work on the hills and surrounding country. In order to minimise the transport work all the forage and quantities of stores, etc.. were sent from' Wellington by rail, and were picked up at different points along the road. On Thursday . the battery was inspected near Shannon by Colonel Robin, who expressed himself as very pleased with the general appoaranoe and physique of the men. On Friday night the men camped on the show grounds, and left for Wellington on Saturday.

The London correspondent of the "Star'' writes, under date London, January 20 :—We hare received a very interesting letter this week from Mr W. Hiles, of Chrjstchurch, who with his wife after baring visited Jerrey, Guernsey and Dorsetshire, is at present staying at Westcliffe-on-Sea. " We have four large liners anchored off Southend pier at present, filled with German prisoners (both civilian and prisoners of war). I happened to see a lot of the latter and -they were truly a. motley lot. Austrians, Germans, Bavarians, etc., and I guess they were glad to be taken as they bid us good morning quite cheerily in vtery good English. On Christmas Day we nad a flying visit from German airmen. We heard the firing quite -plainly. Gur airmen promptly tackled them, finiifjc numerous shots, hut in the fog thej crept away to the Fatherland, to o.r intense satisfaction, not wanting any kulture in the shape qf German bombs. It caused quite a sensation, fallowing as it did so closely on the unfortunate blowing up of the Bulwark we took for heavy gun practice). Pome n)le here saw the flash as Ghat-ham irectly opposite here. Ad lights are strictly prohibited here and one must not, show any lights from windows, and the sea front and pier, one? a blaze of light, is now liiacK as Egypt's night! '

A correspondent writing to the " Otago Dnily Times" draws attention to the colour question which in the near future must call for serious and earnest consideration. He says:—"A white Australasia is one of the fundamentals of colonial policy. Broadly, it is 'submitted, it is sound: it is not in the interest of those citizens of Empire who live under the Southe'ii Cross that there should he an 'open' door. But the question with, which we must be faced is: Ought the door to be 'closed,' which, in effect, it is? Are we citizens of a colony first, < f Empire afterwards? Brothers who are fighting side by side with onr own against a common enemy may not set foot on the shores of our colonies, for they cannot satisfy the existing test, yet they, like ourselves, are citizens of Empire. We all claim to he Imperialists in the sense in which we vs® that--not too hanpv—word. Are wa really between an open door and one that is closed ? To-dav some, members of the family of bmpire may enter only one room of the home; whilst the educated alien may roam over the entire house. The question involved is on? altogether outside party. TCach politico! party - has followers whose views, whilst broadly in agreement., differ, ' inter se.' on many questions. Ha* the time arrived—it must come—when lenders of parties could, in concert, profitably talk over this impending question with those with whom they are in touch? Colonists are, from temperament and environment, liberal in their attitude—none more so than those to whom concession means something. Should existing conditions of admittance be relaxed? What ought to bo the test ? Ought not those who are in the fighting ranks to be given the freedom of Empire? Would conditions be acceptable? Jt is easier to suggest difficulties than to solve themMy object in penning these lines m to invite consideration of a question which the happening of the unexpected has put for ward----has, indeed, forced upon the earnest and thoughtful consideration of all sorts mid conditions of men amongst us. The colonies are under a deep debt to brothers in India who have given munificently of their substance, have responded to the call. ' Come over and help us.' and ar| standing to-day for our hearths and homes, " What, are we to say to ihoY.i later on? !;

For out-of-door excursions there's nothing Wetter than Thomson's Raspberry Yim'gtu"- Oho botvlo of this highty-ooiuvjiira-ied Rf.spborrv mnke< a trillion ot <lf>lifioiw drink< at Id ppv sripsv All grooi'i>. Ford and .Mtrains. agents.-