LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11593, 11 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Permission has been granted to df* charged returned soldiers to wear their uniforms at the Automobile Association's picnic next Sunday.

The chairman and directors of thfl Technicil College, intend to interview the 'Minister of Education in Christefmrcb to-morrow on matters affecting; the system of technical education.

A pilblic meeting of residents of Woolston will be held at the Oddfellows' Hall on Thursday evening, to consider the proposal that Parliament should be called together and a Bill be immediately brought down to make conscription the law of the land.

Returned, soldiers who intend taking part in the outing arranged by the Canterbury Automobile Association are requested to get into communication immediately with the secretary, Mr C. W. Hervey, so that sufficient cars can be arranged for.

The crowning of the queen in con? nection with the Banks Peninsula Wai Funds anpeal will take place at Little River en Thursday afternoon, when a gala will be held on the Awa-iti Domain. An interesting programme of Maori dances and novel sporting event? has been arranged.

The third annual show of the Canterbury Sweet Pea and Carnation Society will be held in the Art Gallery tomorrow and on Thursday afternoons. Good entries have been received, and lovers of flowers should find much to admire. Soldiers in uniform will be admitted free.

Speaking to an Ashbttrton " Guardian " reporter yesterday. Trooper NRodgers said that enteric fever had claimed a great many victims on *thi GalHpoli Peninsula. "In the hospita.l I was in." Trooper Rodgers remarked, "there were 1400 patients and the great majority of these were suffering from enteric."

Cocksfoot cutting lias started at Aka~ roa and in other parts of the Peninsula, and work wall be general nest week. Owing to the light and short crop the harvest will probably be finished by the end of the month, especially if the dry weather continues. This will make the season the shortest and quickest on record.

Recently complaints were made that New Zealanders in Egyptian hospitals were poorly provided with New _ Zealand newspapers. A Press Association telegram states that the Minister of Defence cabled last week for information and has been advised that the supplies of newspapers are ample, After each mail arrives they are delivered as soon as possible to each hospital in proportion to the number of New Zealand patients therein. The Woolston Band will play the following programme on the Wooiston Band Rotunda this evening, commencing at 8 o'clock:—March, "Le Grenadier" (Gabriel Pares); euphonium solo, "Dear Land of Home" (Valmore); selection, '' Ivanhoe " (Douglas); cornet solo, "Two Eyes of Grey" (Daisy M'Geoch); horn solo, "My Love's Grev Eves" (Daisy M'Geoch); selection, ""Parsifal" (Wagner); entracte, "Bells of St Germains" (Menier); ! sacred selection, " Sabbath Morn" (Weedall); march, "Odeon" (Pryor). ; The possibility of tho Waunakariri River flooding Christchurch was discussed at yesterday's meeting of tae Waimairi County Council. Ono member said that there was danger ot the river flooding Christchurch only during the winter months. Mr T. D- Boag said h© was not so sure of that; the Waimakariri might flood diristclmrch at any time. In February, of 1858, the Waimakariri, swelled; by a constant, ■warm, light rain, had broken its bounds, and had flooded right ovor Christchurch. "And it might do the same again " concluded Mr Boag.

TJia local Maoris, says tho Bluff " Press." are looking with considerable misgivings at the increased cost of living and a number who are unfortunate enough to have been overlooked in the apportionment of mutton-birding rights are viewing the coming winter with concern. "It- certainly does seem absurd that a number of islands that arc never visited by their owners should! be tied up and be inaccessible to Maona who do not possess a titi island. We think that ihe least that owners can do is" to nominate which islands they, are going to use sr.d so throw the other.? open to their less fortunate brethren.

A reporter was approached by a prominent member of the C.D.C. yesterday who said that it had been stated to him by many young fellows that their cmolovers vrere urging them not to enlist* giving as their reasons that; their staffs were already greatly depleted bv enlistments. They had gone to the C.D.C. officer for advice, and ha told them not to hesitate about signing on The Empire's need was mots urgent than that of any private individual or corporation, and if employers had not by this timo trained a sufficient number of meligibles to till places made vacant by enlistments, then they had only themselves- to blame. i The Dunedin correspondent of tho \ •'< Stsr" states that the Otago officers of tho Lands Department have their bands pretty full at present. Their first point of contact with the "land Irangercrs" will bo made ne:ct month, when the 16,000 pores of the Puketoi run, lately held by Mr Watson Sherman, six miles from Ranfurly, will be open for selection. This property is subdivided into eight parts-* One is taken up, but the other seven are to be offered on a day to be fixed by the authorities in Wellington. Another job that is occupying the field staff is the surveying of the Galloway runs. The office men are also preparing the plans of the Bsnmore Estate, consisting of about :>OQ.{JOO acres. It is on this run that 23.000 acres have been reserved for, returned soldiers.

A vigorous assault at arms was mada against the Dimcdin Police Station. about 6.30 ou Saturday evening. Aiys the "Otago Daily Times." Equipped with the primitive armament of our early ancestors, an elderly man sought to force a violent entry, with the object, apparently, of bearding the lions in their den. -He opened the assault with a long-range bombardment of road metal, several pieces of which found their billet in Sub-Inspector Broberg s room through the window, whicii was badlv shattered as a result, lushing home the attack, he charged wildly into the watch-house, and attempted to stab Constable Fallon witu a large sheath-knife. It was now a case of two strong men coming face to face and the struggle that ensued would have been worthy of a gladiatorial arena. Eventually Constable I nllon—doubtless recalling 'an old schoolboy trick—got his assailant's head under one arm, and also gained control over the hand that held "the knife. At ihh moment Detective Hamircrly entered the watchhouse, and with hi-? advent the struggle was over. The bellicose one was at once placed in a padded cell, in the peaceful atmosphere of which he would have ample opportunity for reflection upon the strange s'eries of incidents that had landed him there. On being searched he was found to have in his possession a sheath-knife and a spare blade, a large pocket-knife with the blade open, and seven or eight stones. fie states' that he recently came from Amberley. in North Canterbury, and ia explanation of his conduct he alleges that the police have followed him about from place to place, and have even frequented the house at which he boarded.

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At tho inouest at Oxford yesterday on the body of H. J. J. N. Jennings, who shot himself, a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane' was returned. Mr T. A. B. Kailey was the Coroner. Tho " Taraniaki Herald" deplores tho lack of municipal in New Plymouth, and says:—"For tho second timo in three months a seat on the Borough Council has gone begging in vain, no one being found willing to undertake tho work and responsibilities."

His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Lady Liverpool and suite, intends to make- a trip in northern waters in tho Tutanekai a few weeks hence. Probablv ho will travel round the coast from Onehunga to Auckland, visiting various points of interest on route.

Amongst tho men who will go into camp next week will bo Mr Charles F. Bassett, father of Corporal Cyril Bnssctt, of Auckland, who gained the Victoria Cross for technical services performed with tho utmost skill and daring at Gallipoli. Mr Bassett is fifty years of age, and a printer by trade. He is joining the infantry. The Labour report for the week ending Jauu i:y 8, 1916, states that one single carpenter, one married clerk, thirty-four married labourers, and fifteen single labourers applied for work. Of these two married and two single labourers were given work, ono in Government and three iu private employment. Two painters applied for and obtained work in Government employment. There are still fifty men waiting for work. A popular young actress who has just returned from touring the provinces .(says London "Opinion") tells a good ptory about her efforts at recruiting meetings in some of the towns she visited. Her -eloquence always proved so irresistible that almost before the last words of a speech had left her lips at least two would-be recruits invariably rushed fortvard with dramatic effect. True, they were only the baggage- man of her company and his assistant, both medically unfit, but as their example was often followed by several eligibles, tho fair conspirator insists that tho ruse was wore than justified.

Some excitement was caused among somo of tils settlers near Te Kuiti last week (says tie Auckland " Herald") by the actions of a man, a Swede, who was wandeiing about the bush for several clays. "Eventually ho discarded his clothing, and tho settlers communicated with the police. Constable Kennedy, accompanied by some settlers, located the man in the bush, about four miles from the town, and surrounded him. Tiie constable approached the nude busK dweller, who was armed with an axe, and attempted to use it. The constable's rush, however, was too quick, and he received only a blow from the handle on the shoulder. Tho man. when brought to the police station, said he had fuulno food for a weak, but very little information could be obtained from him. He was.committed to the Auckland Mental Hospital Mr Hugh M'Kenzie, of Beach Bay (Queenstown), has been placed in an awkward predicament through the action of somo shearers who had just arrived from Australia (says the '' Otago Daily Times"). They 'complained of the bread that was baked for them by Mr M'Kenzie's cook, and wished to install one of their own number as cook at £7 a week. Mr M : Kenzie offered to procure bread for them from the Queenstowß, baker, but they then refused to if the woman cook was kept on. Mr M'Kenzie's reply was that the voman cooked at his own house, and if she was good enough for the employer sh e should be good enough for the men-. The latter, however, demanded their wages, and left in a body. They had shorn about 10,000 sheep, and have left about 15,000 in the yards waiting to be shorn.

The. Government lias set apart provisionally half a million acres of land for settlement by soldiers returned from the war. It cannot he said that all this area will he held until the soldkrs come back, because a part of it may be required for other settlement in the meantime, and may be allotted. But 100,003 acres of land has been permanently reserved for soldiers. "I feve not seen all this land," said the Prime Minister to a, Wellington reporter, "but I am given to understand that most of it is good land, in good localities, and easy of access. And if it should become necessarv to buy privately-owned land for soldiers' settlements lam wiling to do it. We do not expect, that we shall need.the bulk of this land until the end of the war . although lam glad to sav that we have already beer, able to find land for soldiers who ar.s in quest of it" For Seaside Holidays. Bathing Oostumes for both sexes, in all <*-es at low prices. Armstrong's, drapers '