LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12174, 24 November 1917, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day's river report is as follows: — Waimakariri North, clear; Waimakariri South, clear; Rakaia, clear; Rarigitata, clear; Rangitata, clear; Waitaki, clear; Opihi, clear. The attitude of a number of scientists, as represented by Dr Charles Mercier, towards the spiritualism of Sir Oliver Lodge, will be dealt wHh by Mr W. W. Collins at the Caledonian Hall, Worcester Street., to-morrow evening, commencing at 7.15. At a meeting of the committee of the Protestant Political Association, held on Tuesday, it was decided to give the fullest publicity to a statement made by the Rev Howard Elliott in regard to the Auckland assault case. The explanation appears in the advertisement columns of to-day's " Star." The next ballot under the Military Service Act is to be held' on Monday, November 26, when some 5000 names will be drawn from Class A of the Second Division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve. The list of names will be published probably on Tuesday, December 4, or Wednesday, December 5. Under the Cook Island Council regulations no dogs are permitted on tho Island of Aitutaki, and the importation of horses is under a landing levy of £'s for each animal, with a further tax of £1 per annum after. This was done to restrict the wholesale importation of horses, which do much damage to the bread-fruit trees and other products. There are no fences there. " We shall not have the highest pitch of national efficiency in this country until we have Labour with us," said Mr A. Leigh Hunt at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. "If we invite Labour to come to meet us, and Labour will not come, we must; go to Labour. If meetings are called on civic questions only your friends attend. If necessary there should be meetings on the street corners, for the question is of such vital importance.'' Although he only recently completed a sentence for sedition, the Dutchman, Ja.n Pieterse, who was a member of the crew of the ill-fated Port Kembla, appeared in the dock in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on Friday, to answer the following charge:—"That on November 22 he did publish a seditious utterance in the Metropolitan Hotel, namely, ' The Kaiser will win this war; good luck to the Kaiser.' " When asked to plead, • Pieterse said, "I no say them. ' On the application of the police, the accused was remanded till the following day. " Worth five times its price," is what everyone says who tries NAZOL " for colds, catarrh, sore throat, and hay fever. "NAZOL" quickly gives relief. 60 doses cost Is 6d. 1 ,

Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court this morning. Two first offenders for drunkenness were each lined 5s and costs. A farthing apiece for nails! Who (remarks the "Dominion'') would have thought that common, ordinary, everyday four-inch wire nails would ever be sold at four a penny? Yet such is the price they are now being indented at for use in Wellington. The price of ordinary wire building nails was, before tho war. 12s per hundredweight (and builders know that the prices of nails are all graded on the standard price of the four-inch article). To-day the quotation is 50s per hundredweight, which, on being worked out, makes the price of each nail one farthing. A large and enthusiastic meeting of supporters of the Puparua Queen Carnival project was held at Awahuri," the residence of Mrs Blair, the candidate chosen to he Soldiers' Queen- Mrs Bradshaw was appointed to the chair, and officers and a committee were elected to secure the advancement of Airs Blair. The colours chosen were blue and white. The following officers were elected:—Chairman, Mrs Bradshaw; secretary, Mrs C. Smith ; treasurer. Mrs F. Barnard; committee, Mesdames Jones, M'Cullough, Sneddon, Woodham, Taylor, Kruse, Highsted, Pattrick, Pugli, Ives and F. W. Schumacher, Misses Clausen, Bradshaw and Schaumacher. The scarcity of farm labour is becoming more acute every day, according to the statements of numbers of reservists who appealed in Palmorston North yesterday (says tho '\Manawatu Standard " of Thursday). One man stated that he had. to rise at. 3.30 in order to get his milking done to enable -them to attend the Appeal Board. Another appelkmt said that two teams on his farm had not been worked for three months, while teams on an adjoining farm were also idle to the shortage of labour. A prominent fiaxmiller stated that half the machinery in his mill was not working ,on account of the lack of skilled hands. In " The Canteeners," Mrs Agnes Dixon, an English lady attached to the French Red Cross, tells of finding all the plants and bushes in Troves wrapped 'jp in paper for the winter. '' The. first garden we saw decorated in this fashion we concluded' was a lunatic asylum—every plant of every size, every rose bush, and tree, and small shrub, was wrapped in coloured waterproof paper, and tic-d neatly and firmly round the waist with twine. The colours were tastefully arranged. O'ne path would have alternate pink and green on one side and purple on tho other, the parcels resembling huge cabbage he.'ds. Another bed might be. nothing but green and white, or there, would be a series of black shiny blobs, varied with yellow and orange." Private P. O'Connor, who stands 7ft 6in high, and weighs 20st 101b, is said to be the tallest man in the British army (remarks the "Sydney Daily Telegraph "). He, returned to Sydney from active service for the second, time a few days ago- A special hammock' had to be constructed for him, and his ivalking-stick would aerve as a tent-pole. His hand can stretch to two octaves on the piano- He has a twin brother the same height as himself, who is a, blacksmith in Canada. Though he was placed as a. guardsman at the High Commissioner's office, in London for eighteen weeks to advertise Australia, he is in reality an Irishman from Limerick. With pride, lie shows the, marks of wounds received in Afghanistan, but is reticent, of the part /ie has played in this war, though ho has twice, seen service.

There is a message- (says the '"Post") for all. not only Old Boys of Wellington College, in an article in " The Wellingtonian,'' referring to the proposed war memorial: "Xow, what' of those who have remained at home, to whom it has not been given to strike a blow in the fight for justice and freedom, hut who have lived snug and prosperous, while others have fought, suffered and died on distant battlefields? It is plainly theirs to see that all that ran be done to make tolerable for those in the fighting line is; done, to see that those who return sick or maimed return to friendly hands, to see that no man's dependents suffer in materia] thin as because his life has been given that we may be free. But is that all? We think not. The name of all the men who have gone to the front, no matter whether they have lived or died, whether their deeds have passed unnoticed or havo gained them position, honour, fame—the names of all. we say, are to be held in everlasting honour, not only bv those who rea.d these lines but by all who in time to enme inherit at this college the traditions which are. now being proved. This city, in the centre of which our college stands, will be no mean city in the years to come, a.nd this college of ours should proudly preserve and pernetuate for that great city of the future the memory and the names of those wo honour today." The magazine contains numerous additions to the "Roll of Honour, and a budget of interesting items concerning Old Bovs on service. ■Modern Hardware. Visitors will find at Hastie, Bull and Pickering's, Cashel Street (opposite Ballantyne s), the very latest ideas in Tools for the Motor, Metal-working and Wood-work-ing, a,nd modern notions in Hardware generally. 1989 Ladies know them to have no equal. Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all Chemists and Stores throughout Australasia. X An ideal drink wiith meals or between meals, is a little KOLA-NIP in a glass of aerated , water. Pure—healthful. Snappy and fuU of twang. Try it toWT" 1

" When I was your age I was up everv morning studvino: at ten minutes to five," said'Mr S."E-'M'Carthy, S.M.. at Petone on Thursday, to a "youth who professed his inability to rise in time to get to work at 7.45. Owing to the scarcity cf turkeys in the local market, Australia has recently been drawn upon, and between two and three tons waight of frozen turkeys recently came into the Dominion, presumably for the. Christmas trade. Some of the oat crops in North Canterbury are reported to be very forward this season. These are mostly Algerians, which were sown for winter feed, but which, owing to the capital growth of pastures right through the season, and the shortage of stock, were not fed off -as usual. Mr T. C. Dawson, speaking at the council of the. Wellington Chamber of Commerce, did not think New Zealand jubilated enough when great military and naval successes were achieved. He moved—"That this council express its appreciation of the British victory on the west front." This was carried with cheers for Sir Douglas Haig. Some few days ago Mr W. Nosworthv, M.P.,' telegraphed to the Hon *W. D. S. Mac Donald, Minister of Agriculture-, asking that the regulation regarding the use of wheat, sacks be altered so that large may bo used, the latter being more economical. The Minister replied that tlie ma.tt.cr would, be taken up by the Board of Trade. The board, however, deemed it inadvisable to make* any alteration in the present arrangements.

According to the "Star" a remarkable feat of microscopic writing has just been performed by an Auckland lad, the son of Air C". F. Gieson, who lias crowded a. total of *24,030 words on a card 3iin by oin, the equivalent of 28,000 words on one side of an ordinary postcard. Considerably over fourteen days of eight hours were occupied in the. task, and it- is believed that the performance constitutes a. record. The card was written for a competition in Australia.

Twenty-seven aliens have registered at the Christchurch Police Station since Tuesday. Among the nationalities represented arp Americans, Spaniards, Russians, Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, subjects of Turkey from Beyrout, Syria and Lebanon, a Hungarian and a Greek and several Germans. Alien wives of British subjects are. required to register. This point should lie kfpt in view, as it is stated that some women are under the, impression that as they are married to a British subject registration is not required. Mr W. W, Mulholland's farm at Darfield was the scene of a very successful trial of the, Avery tractor on Thursday. Mr Lonergan, who represents Messrs A. Hatrick and Co. in the South Island, was in charge of the demonstration, using an 8-16 h.p. tractor, which drew with ease first a Reid and Gray and second an Avery plough, each of three furrows, and a cultivator usually assigned to a six-horse team. The Avery tractor is a consumer of kerosene. The farmers present were, impressed with the performance and the evident, economy of the new engine.

The work of widening the narrow portion of the track leading from Victoria Park to the tea-house at Dyer's Pass is proceeding satisfactorily. The Government having provided the money a small staff of men is now carrying out the work, under the supervision of Mr M'Ennis, Public Works Engineer. The bends of the road will be made sufficiently wide to permit vehicles to pa.ss and it is intended next March to commence the work of planting mesembryanthenrum of various colours along the hill fa.ee on the lower side of the road. This will extend for a mile and in time Mr Ell hopes to have eighty banks of glowing colours, as are to be seen at the foot of the Dyer's Pass Road. The effect, will add to the beauty of the hills and make them a gieater attraction for the people of Cb ristchurch. The Canterbury School Committee's Association mot in the Y.M.C.A. rooms on Thursday night. The president (Mr A. Peverill) presided over an attendance of about thirty members. It was decided to write to Mr (Teorge Witty, MP-, thanking him for his efforts in obtaining an increase in the incidental allowances to school committees recently included in the estimates. The question of children receiving school books free of charge in the event of their being transferred, from another school ancl requiring a different set of books, and also in the case of indigent children, was given consideration. The opinion of those present, was that the regulations applying to the supply of school books should be made more widely known and brought more prominently under the attention of head masters. The Addington delegates suggested that an alteration should be made to the regulation covering boarded-out. children, as it was pointed out that in many cases they might reach the age of fourteen years just prior to the examination, and according to the Department's rules these children must leave, school at the age of fourteen whether they have, obtained their proficiency certificate or not. The matter was referred to the executive for further consideration. It was resolved to write to the Minister of Education regarding the £9'ooo included in the estimates for incidental purposes, to ascertain how the money is to be allowed, and when school committees may expect to receive the increased -capita-, tion. Sufferers from Hay Fever will enjoy speedy relief by breathing in " NAZOL." A never-failing remedy. 60 doses Is 6d. Use the Nazol Inhaler. 1

On Thursday night a severe frost was experienced in North Canterbury, the temperature being low enough to form ice on the water. A good deal of damage was done to potato crops and tender garden plants. On the way to the city _ y'esterday afternoon, alter paying a visit to the new Mitchell Track on the harbour side of Sugar Loaf' Hill, Mr 11. G. Ell M.P.. who was accompanied "by a " Times " reporter, stopped at' the site of the reserve that_ has been acquired on the rise at the junction of the Hacki-bome Road and Dyer's Pass Road and gave ft few details couccniviig tins latest- addition to the scenic reserves at" the Cashmere Hil'ls. The area of the site is one acre and a quarter and from it be obtained one oi the very finest_ of vicus of .the city and the i-übuios. New Brighton, and of the. plains and distant lulls. The site has been secured. by the generosity of the Cashmere Estate and of Messrs \v. H. i.„ee<i and B. Saville. who have both agreed to part with their allotments in the atea for the purpose of making a public reserve. The financing of the site has yet to be arranged,_ and Air Ell hopes to accomplish this with ease when at is fti'lly realised what a valuable asset the reserve will prove to the people of Christchurch. Mr Ell also mentioned that it is intended to erect a shelter as a. soldiers memoiial. The rough state of the Dyer's Pass Road, from the tramway terminus to -Victoria Park, was a matter of comment by a party, headed b> Mi H. G. Ell, M.P., which paid a v.;sit, to the new Mitchell Track on the Sugar Loaf Hill yesterday. Dyers Pass was named after the late John Dyer, one of the early _ settlers in Governor's Bay. It is said the Maoris passed over the hills irom their villages on the plains to their villages round the shores of the head of the hay, Governor's Bay, and to their pa, which at one time stood in the neighbourhood of the 'l'ate Mr T. H. Potts's house, by the track which became Dyer's Road. The track was used as a' footway to Christchurch by the settlers in the early 'fifties, then as a bridle path, and after some formation along the steep faces as a bullock track for sledges until a roadway was made for vehicles. Mr Ell mentioned that the Summit Road Association had taken charge of the road from Victoria Park to Dyer's Pass, and on a small allowance from the Government had no difficulty dm keeping it in good order. He stated that there was no valid reason wliv the other part of the road should not be kept in good order.