LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12085, 14 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

♦ A cheque for twenty guineas has been received by the Christschurch Fire Brigade from Messrs E. Reece, Ltd., in appreciation of the good work carried out by the brigade at the recent fire on the firm's premises, Colombo Street. The Electricity Committee reported to the Riccarton Borough Council last night that the demand for electric/' lighting was keeping the staff at full pressure. The number of consumers had nearly doubled in the past eight months. The system of loans to ratepayers for electrical installations appeared to be working well. Galvanised iron pipes for water service are reported to be very scarce and dear. Quotations were recently invited for the supply of 2000 ft of lin and 3000 ft of lin for the City Council. The engineer purchased 500 ft of lin and 1000 ft of I'm at the lowest quotation as he had none in stock. Tenders are to lie invited for a further supply of 2000 ft of 3in and 1000 ft of lin. _ At a meeting of the Methodist Social Service Union last night a deputation from the council of the Workers' Educational Association explained the constitution, organisation and aims of the association. It was decided to affiliate with the association. The income tax exemption clause of the Loan Bill and the imprisonment of certain religious conscientious objectors were matters which received special consideration. At Rangiora yesterday, a. horse in a trap driven by a young man named Robert Taylor, bolted on the West Belt, owing to the bit breaking. After galloping for a- distance of nearly two miles along the West and South Bolts and Victoria Street, the trap collided with a post, opposite the Catholic Church and overturned. Taylor was badly bruised, and cut about the face. The trap was damaged,, but the horse suffered no injury. The By-Laws Committee reported to the City Council last night that, children under the age prescribed in the bylaw were in the habit of selling newspapers in the streets, and a recent Court case showed that boys under twelve years of age were selling newspapers as late as 11.20 p.m. The committee proposed to amend the by-law to prohibit boys under fourteen and girls under eighteen from selling newspapers in the streets, and boys unoer sixteen and girls of any age from selling after 9 p.m. On the report of the City Surveyor that no trees should be planted in streets not over 66ft in width, the City Council decided last nigh't not to accede to_ the reqrest of the Beautifying Association for permission to plant trees in Norwood Street. Fisherton. Complaints, it was stated, had been received from pedestrians using the streets where trees had already" been planted regarding the darkened footpaths owing to shadows. The leaves, during the autumn, give much trouble by blocking the gratings iii the side channels. The matter'was briefly debated by Councillor H. G. Ell. who urged that if the people desired it, they should be allowed to plant trees. The question of lighting all the right-of-ways in the city was recently referred to the Lighting Committee for consideration. There are forty-one right-of-ways, seven of which are already lighted, leaving thirty-four to b 0 dealt with. The city electrical engineer estimates the cost of installation'at £2BO, and the 'lamps could be lighted for £2 14s each per annum for the balanco of the twenty-year period, or for £2 6s per annum if the council paid £220 towards the cost of the installation. The committee reported last night thivtd there ,wero more pressing needs for lights in streets than in right-of-ways, and it therefore made no recommendation. The monthly meeting of the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, Mr C. ii. Hewlett, vice-president, iu the chair. The Prime Minister replied to a letter with regard to interning Germans, stating that questions relating to the internment oif ""aliens are being dealt with by the Honourable Minister of Justice. The Dunedin Chamber wrote that it had addressed the Press Association and Newspaper Proprietors' Association, asking that, the title " New Zealand Riflo Brigade" bo used instead of "Lord Liverpool's Own," and asking the Canterbury Chamber to move in the same direction. It was decided to support tho request. Mr J. T. Martin forwarded his resignation as a member of tho council on account of his removal to Wellington. The resignation was accepted witli regret and Mr Martin was congratulated on hivS now appointment. The West land Chamber of Commerce wrote stating that a small deputation had been appointed to confer with Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P., ;ind arrange for a discission with Ministers on the subject of the O'tira tunnel. The statement of income and expenditure for the year ended March 31 last, of the Christchurch Tramway Board, has just been published, and is full of interesting reading and statistics. A useful feature is the cut-leaves index, enabling any special item of the tramways working to be found quickly. Tho chairman's report occupies tho premier position, after which comes tho long roll of honour. Full statistics of the various funds, revenue accounts, special rating areas, etc., follow, the comparative figures for tho previous twelve months being appended. Oyer nineteen million passengers wei> carried during the year, the car mileage being 2,218,726. " Som 0 idea of the steady growth of the board's operations can be gathered from the particulars given of the plant and rolling stock, and it is stated that the staff employed was only three short of 400. the revenue account for each route and extension, and depreciation, operating expenses and other tables are included, as well as details of the sinking and other funds. The publication was printed by the " Lyttelton Times " Company, Limited. 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 Canada that only a limited number can be landed here. Immediately on arrival they will be on view at the Canterbury Motor Garage, 166, T>Jam Street. t>

The articles left in the Ohristchurch tram-cars by passengers during tho year ended March 31 last totalled over 3000. They included 733 parcels, 536 umbrellas, 282 brief bags, 211 purses, 186 coats. 58 dress baskets. 86 pairs of gloves, 45 muffs, 69 concession cards, 59 fur necklets, 33 brooches. 26 push carts. IB watches, 10 articles of jewellery and 13 sums of money. A question was pi it in the City Council last night as to whether anything had been done to prevent overcrowding in the Theatre Royal gallery. Councillor J. A. Floshor said that the city solicitor was of the opinion that having licensed the theatre, the council could not vary the terms. "Till January first?" queried Councillor A. S. Taylor. "Even at all," replied Councillor Flesher. A civic economy to the tune of £6OO was mentioned last night in the Abattoir Committee's report, which statedt that there was a line of 3in cast-iron pipes running from the Abattoir to the sewer in Lincoln Road, formerly used to convey the drainage from the Abattoir to the Drainage Board's sewer. As the drainage was now (Satisfactorily dealt with on the Abattoir lands there was no necessity to keep these pipes in the ground. The City Surveyor estimated that the cost, of taking the pipes up, burning them out and dipping them, would be £'2 per ton, and tbey would then be worth at least £lO per ton. There were about 78 tons, and the committee's recommendation that the work should be authorised was adopted. ' "Business as usual," was the proposal of Councillor E. Peek last night in regard to race week. He remarked that, life was absolutely opposed to the closing of the. City Council offices for five minutes for racing in war time. It it was right that the salaried _ staff could have these days in addition to their holidays, every employee should have the same concession. He concurred with Captain Simson that racing was one of the stumbling-blocks to the winning of tho war. If the council proposed to give every employee a holiday there would be a. public outcry. He moved that, the business of the council should be conducted as usual. I u reply to a question. Councillor F. Burgoyne said that the. custom was to close all day on Tuesday and at noon on Thursday. The motion was not seconded, and the- matter dropped. The City Council's proposal to secure power to extend its present offices on the river bank reserve met with a rebuff last night. when a. letter was read from the Under-Secretary of Lands, stating that the question of extending the City Council Chambers on the adjoining garden reserves could not be included in the "Washing-up" Bill, as requested, but should be dealt with by means of a Local Bill. Councillor Bnrgoyne immediately sugge\@:d that, a Bill should be prepared for presentation to Parliament next year, and suggested that the Mayor should bo asked, while in Wellington, to endeavour to secure the insertion of the clause in the "Washing-up" Bill. Councillor Ell said that it was a. waste of time to go ahead, for it. would be irregular «.nd wrong to attempt to insert such a clause in the "Washingup" Bill. He had told the Minister of Internal Affairs that if such' a, clause was inserted he would oppose the Bill from first clause to last, and would urge that the matter should be referred to the Local Bills Committee. In the past grave injury had been done to public rights by clause* in tho "Washing-up" Bill. He would oppose such encroachment at all times. Councillor Burgoyne's suggestion was agreed to. In a report on the superannuation of City Council employees, Mr S. Baker stated that according to the table supplied him there were 306 employees in the council's service, ranging from seventeen to seventy-two years. There were twenty-one over sixty years of age, and thirteen over sixty-five years o) age. He specially referred to these employees, because age sixty or sixty-five was usually the pensiou period adopted. Eliminating these twenty-one employees, the average age of the remaining 285 employees was 41.8 years. This was rather au unusually high average, but without some method of retirement the tendency would be to have advanced ages in the council's employ, perhaps with loss of efficiency. Naturally there would always bo a, reluctance to summarily dispense with an aged employee who had given long and loyal service, and commercial organisations recognised that under a small mutually contributing bans, some comforting provision could be made for fh.-> old ago of employees, and at the same time improve the efficiency of the institution. Commercially it was regarded as a. sound proposition. It was ascertained during the discussion that one employee was aged seventy-two, although the Mayor said he was not aware, of his identity. Ladies know them to have no equal. Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all Chemists and Stores throughout Australasia.