LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12086, 15 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At a sitting in chambers of the Supreme Court yesterday his Honor Mr Justice Dcnniston granted probate of the will of Donald Maclainc (Mr M'Connell). At a sitting of the Police Court this morning, before Mr H. J. Crowther, J.P., five charges of drunkenness were dealt with. William A r incent, a statutory fifth offender, was fined 10s, with tho usual alternative, and warned that he was "qualifying for the island." Two first offenders were each fined os, and two others were convicted and discharged. The county clerk reported to tho Heathcote County Council last night thaft on Saturday a writ had I>*?7* issued by the Drainage Board regarding the Malcolm Avenue septic tank, and that, under instructions from the chairman, it had been handed to the council's solicitors, with instructions to file a defence. It was also stated that a sample of the effluent from the. tank had been taken on Friday last and forwarded to Mr A. A. Bickerton, Government analyst. An unusual application was made to the Heathcote County Council at its meeting last night by a lady who sought remission of the dog registration fee in respect of her little dog. She stated that she was unable to pay the tax, as her husband was away on active service and she had tho dog for her protection. It was stated, during a subsequent discussion that tho lady was not the owner of the dog. The council decided that the dog tax should be paid, or the animal returned to its owner. At last evening's meeting of the ChristchurchFFier e Board the proceedings were diversified bv the sudden failure of the electric lights with which the board room is illuminated. The members of tho board, however, are nothing if not resourceful, and a eo'aplo of acetylene bicycle lamps were im* mediately brought in, enabling the board to continue its deliberations without interruption. The electric service resumed operations in about Jive* minutes. Both the British and tho French soldiers are now pretty wide Awake to the booby traps set for them by the retreating Germans. One man, however, was nearly caught. He was examining" a partially destroyed house and came, across a bed Avhieh looked very inviting, especially as he was. tired out. Ho was about to throw himself on it, when a chum happened to enter and shouted "Keen off." Jt was well he did, for the pillow contained a charge of high explosive, which only needed a slight pressure to fire it off. AVhen tho block system of milk delivery was under discussion at the Heathcote County Council last night, Mr W. S. Scarf, a member of the council, remarked that it might surprise many to learn that one milkman had been delivering between seventy and eighty gallons a day at Cashmere on the block system. He completed his round in four hours, and as instancing the •efficiency and economy of the system, the vendor was enabled to sell his milk at fourpence a quart. Mr H. Bliss, who spoke on behalf of the Christchurch Dairymen's Association, mentioned that the dairymen had given their word that under the block system the price of milk would be reduced. At last evening's meeting of the Christchurch Fire Board tho chairman (Mr H. Holland) said that during the last twelve months the. losses through fire in the city had amounted to only £9168. The value of the insurance on the buildings in which fires occurred, and of their contents, was £49,000. The loss to insurance companies was £BOO7. Tho properties endangered bv fire totalled in value £92,630. Considering that the capital value of property in the board's district was £13,000,000, that the area was 6107 acres, including 171 miles of streets, the record was a very creditable one. He moved a vote of congratulation to the brigade, which was carried unanimously. Mr Holland added that the expenditure on fire prevention in Christchurch had been £6OOO less than in Dunedin for the same period. A deputation from the Canterbury Dairymen's Association waited on the Heathcote County Council last night in regard to the proposed block system of milk delivery. Mr H. Bliss addressed tho council and answered a number of questions. • During the discussion it was stated that it would be necessary to arrange for a general Bill, which would include all local bodies affected. At present the City Council was the only body mentioned so far as the Bill was concerned. Mr Bliss said he would telegraph to Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., asking him to include in the Bill all local bodies concerned. Mr G. M. •Hall, in moving that the council should support the proposal, referred to its advantages, and said that the same system could bo introduced so far <*:s butchers, bakers and others were concerned. It was a movement that would benefit the public and all concerned. The motion was carried unanimously. "Nerves" result from modern conditions, and VITAFER is an effective, modern remedy. 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The detectives this morning arrested a young man charged with the alleged stealing of a suit case and contents from a Dcnedin hotel. He will be sent to Duneclin i o answer the, charge. A military defaulter was arrested at Cheviot yesterday for failing to parade for medical examination. Ho has been brought to Christchurch and will be handed over to the military authorities. The Standing Committee of the Anglican General Synod will meet at Wellington to-morrow, when important] business is set down for consideration. All the Bishops of tho Anclican G'irareh will attend. Dean Carrington and Mr E. H. Andrews, who will represent; tjie Christchurch diocese, the Primate (Bishop Nevill) and Bishop Julius, left for the north by last evening's ferry steamer. On behalf of the United Federation of Labour, Mr Hiram Hunter, national secretary, has written to the Prime Minister emphatically protesting against War Loan interest being free of income tax. "Take the money, compulsorily as you have taken the men," he writes, '' and do not burden the present and coming generations with fi burden thev have no right to bear." In conclusion, the Government ; s challenged to go to the country upon its Budget proposals. A meeting of householders of the St j\lbans School district was held in the St Albans School last evening to receive the balance-sheet of the recent fair. The- statement showed the receipts to have been £209 14s lOd, and the expenditure £5 os Bd. leaving a balance of £204 9s 2d. The principal! receipts wore:—Produce stall £2O os Bd, concert £l4 (is 9d, tea rooms £2O Ss. sweets stall £ls Os lOcl, book and post-card stall £8 7s, fancy and variety stall £32 lbs 9d, bran-tubs £7 4s, pot plants and flower stall £25 Os 9:1, jumble stall £l3 4s, art union £3O 17s, gate receipts £9 10s, and sale of admission tickets £7 15s Gd. Mr E. IT. Andrews, chairman of tho School Committee, said that, he was pleased with the good, results of tho fair. To augment the funds of the school by that amount was quite beyond his expectations. The chairman of tho Education Board had informed the speaker that an application would have to be made to the Government for the usual subsidy of pound for pound. The committee had decided to tender a social to the householders, in recognition of their valuable assistance. The bal-ance-sheet was adopted without discussion.