LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12061, 17 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Minister of Defence has received a cable message reporting that part of the Twenty-Sixth Reinforcements and the first part of the Twenty-Sevenths have reached a certain port all well.

During June twenty permits were issued for buildings valued at £22,825. Of these twelve were in St Albans, five in tho Central Ward, two in Sydenham and one in Lin wood. "I want a definite assurance about tho city organ," said Councillor F. Burgoyno last! night, " that any capable, reputable organist wishing to give an organ recital shall have access to it." The chairman of the Entertainments Committee said that tho matter would be considered at the next meeting.

The right-of-way between Cathedral Square and Hereford Street by the Harbour Board office, which has been made over to the City Council for all time, has been formally declared a footway only, and cycling through it, besides being inconvenient, owing to the erection of iron bars, will be an offence.

At the request of the Rotorua, Chamber of Commerce the Waitemata County Council has approved the principle of prison labour being utilised in making and maintaining the main arterial roads of the Dominion. Tho Chamber stated that the Minister in charge of the Prison Department had replied to them that there was no surplus labour available for the purpose, but thev also pointed out that prison labour had been utilised with great success recently in making the road between Waiouru and Tokaanu, Lake Taupo. " Wo talk about and deplore loudly the desecration of historic and sacred buildings by tho Huns in France, but let mo tell you that that shocking vandalism pales into insignificance when a New Zealander sees the disgraceful devastation in our midst of tho natural places of beauty that, wo treasure,'.' were the trenchant remarks of an Auckland resident regarding the wrecking of the fine pillar limestone formations that grace :the railway frontage north of Hikurangi. Those rocks, practically the only artistic feature of th.fir kind in New Zealand, are now being hewn down for the purpose of the lime supply. The unusual columns, so stately and striking in their steel-grey colour, set in a fern and bushy background, form a picture that delights, icvery visitor to the district. Even though privilege to demolish the rocks exists, it is to bo much deplored that any person would stoop to effaco the land of one of tho prettiest scenic spots with which North Auckland is endowed.

Tho report of tho Department of Lands and Survey dealing with discharged soldiers' settlement, shows that during she pnst twelve months 14,832 acres vfere opened in tfopi Auckland district for selection by discharged soldiers. Tho total amount of advance:* authorised for the year was £2-!,488, and the amount actually paid £0902. In Ilawkes Bay 45,500 acres suitablefor sheep farming hare been surveyed or partly surveyed, while in Taranaki 834.0 acres, comprising thirteen sections, have been made available to date. In Wellington seven sections have tor on allotted, containing an area of 283;) acres, lh 0 total allotted now being 3(5,22.'} :<cres. The report states that in the more remote districts abutting on "the upper reaches of tho Wanganui River, below Taumanunii, the settlers will be ablo to obtain any quantity of employment, as 41 miles of road formation are necessary, involving an expenditure of .030.000. Other land acre as set forth in tho report arte: —Marlborough, 7974 acres; Nelson, 10,500 acres acquired; 21,000 acres being profiled for offering; West! and, 6505 acres available, none disposed of. Tho report adds that four estates havo'hoen submitted in the Canterbury district, also other sections, whilo areas have also ben acquired in Otago and Southland.

Apparently a plague of hares and rabbits is threatened as one outcome of the shortage of shipping. " Agricola," in his South Island Notes, published/in tho " Farmers' Union Advocate," states:—"The hares and rabbits are punishing very severely the few turnips that aro to bo found in some districts. In fact, unless tho roots are fed down viery shortly, tho pests will got the most of them. I know of instances where the hares travel for miles to got! to some swedes. They eat them down like a mob of sheep, and they cannot be got at because before tho morning dawns they aro miles away again. Their tracks may be seen across the grass paddocks and tho tussocks to where they put in the day, usually some out-oMhc-way gorge or gully. In some cases many aro caught in traps, but that does not do very much after all to thin them out. Last season thousands of them woro killed and sent homo for consumption by wounded 'soldiers and others. This year there is no space in tho freezers for them, and thoy are allowed to roam about at leisure, o'xeent when the sporting instinct asserts itself, or townspeople come out for a day's "shooting to supplement the meat supply."

Ladies know them to have no equal. Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all Chemists and Stores throughout Australasia.

We understand that the Canterbury Motor Company, the Ford car agents will soon, be landing the "Ton-Ford," a one-ton lorry, that- is in such great demand in Canadn."that only a limited number can be landed here, immediately on arrival they will be on view ai tho Canterbury Motor Garage, 166, TXiam Street. o

The latest, additions to the collections at Canterbury Museum are two kcas, a golden pheasant, a grey toal, and an Antarctic penguin.

The folio wine: is a list of stock slaughtered and carcases condemned at the citv abattoirs during June:—Cattle, 923 (12); sheep, 8854 (14); lambs, 867 (1); pigs, 884 (6); calves, 217 (4). The Health Officer has again written to the CitV Council, drawing attention to a request mado by tho Master Painters' Union that the by-laws should prohibit any paperhfinger from repapering over dirty paper or over more than three layers of paper. The Bylaws Committee is considering the matter.

Reference to the destruction of Auckland's volcanic hills war. made at a meeting of the City Council last week, when a recommendation was made by the Reserves Committee to the effect that the attention of the Minister of Lands be drawn to the destructive quarrving operations at present carried on at Mount Albert, one of the beauty spots of Auckland. The council adopted the recommendation. A medical authority reporting on a easo submitted to the Claims Board of the Auckland Patriotic Association, emphasised tho danger of exciting amusements to convalescent soldiers, particularly those suffering from shell-shock, neurasthenia and wound:; in tht< head. It was stated that the extent of improvement, and perhaps complete recovery, in these cases, depended largely upon'the mode of living Cigarette smoking in excess, fa*t motor rides, the excitement, of horse racing, and other like amusement!, wi/i:Jd prove very detrimental in all the eases mentioned, and would k,-op tho patient in a perpetual state of thr. "jumps,''' a state very prejudicial t-j his recovery. Driving along tho Wiekliffe Bay Road recently a resident had an unusual experience, states the " Otago Daily Times."' II:s horse refused to negotiate a sharp bend in tho road, and backed oxeitod.iy. The resident! jumped down from his vehicle to investigate, and to his surprise saw just round the bend a 10ft. seal lying asleep athwart tho road. Its rest the seal made no haste to escape, but with vigorous blows from its flappers disposed of the attacks launched by the dogs and finally made off seawards in leisurely fashion. The discovery of the seal enlightened the resident* as to the recent scarcity of fish in the bav.

The City Council approved of the new tramway shelter at tho Bank of New Zealand stopping-place, provided a passage-way four feet in width be left between the back of the shelter and the Bank of New Zealand premises, in order to allow of foot passengers passing along the footpath without having to push their way through those waiting in the shelter. The roof is also to bo extended to overhang the roadway 'for a distance of four feet further than was shown on the plan. When the matter was discussed last night Councillor J. R. II ay ward protested that the new structure would do away with tho taxicab stand, but he was assured that tho matter was being considered by the Tramway Board.

In American towns high, unsightly fences round reserves and public gardens have for years been barred. Long ago the adoption of the same method in Wellington was proposed, but metwitn considerable opposition from the people, who said that the public, despite appeals, would not respect their own property. Lately, however, the reform has been introduced in one or two places, and has been attended with such success that the application otflhe principle is being extended. Parliament Building grounds are not fenced oil'. except for the low stone surrounding wall, yet tho lawn area has not been damaged. Now the council proposes to place a low concrete wall round the Oourtenay Place plantation. Tho new shrubberies and gardens surrounding the Basin Reserve will be even more open, the only division between the street and tho planted portions being a low kerb. Speaking of these innovations to a "Post" reporter, the chairman of the Reserves Committee remarked that the people were rapidly being educated to a sense of respect for civic property. Much of this might bo traced to the kindergartens, where children were taught when very young to leave flowers unpicked and grass borders untrodden.

That the habitually prodigal person is, contrary to human experience, going to suddenly becomo habitually thrifty as tho result of a thrift'-, campaign is a miracle that the more thoughtful of the thrift enthusiasts do not expect (says tho Melbourne Age"). That some persons, not confirmedly thriftless, inay bo assisted to thriftier ways, is the chief hope. At a meeting in Melbourne, Mrs Fossett, a shopkeeper of twenty-five years' experinece. plainly intimated that her hopes lay in tho rising generation, and in the proper teaching of thrift. iSho described her personal knowledge of a woman, who never had a higher income than £2 5s per week, who reared nino children comfortably, encouraged them all to marry, and provided for her old age herself. One of tho same mother's daughters married a labourer who had much broken time, and her income never exceeded 30s per week. Vet she was rearing three children, and it was her proud boast that she had never owed any person a penny. She used the maternity bonus for its proper purpose—the employment of a. medical man, and the balance of the £- r i sho gave to her mother in return for nursing. '' Our hospitals." said Mrs Fossett, in conclusion, "are filled with women who were neglected at maternity because iliev spent, the bonus on purposes for which it was not provided." Tho remark was asseutingly applauded by many present.