LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12712, 6 August 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the Rolleston Street Hail, Linwood, at eight o’clock this evening, an illustrated lecture, explaining the City Council’s proposal to raise a loan of £150,000 for extending the city electricity supply, will be given by Mr E. B. Stork, city electrical engineer. Councillor Herbert will preside. A Bill, providing that women shall have the right to sit in Parliament, will be introduced by Mr Massey as a Government measure during the coming session. This intimation was, states a Press Association telegram, conveyed by Mr Massey yesterday to the president of the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women. A deputation from the Council of Women 1 will wait on Sir Joseph Ward on the subject to-day-Some of the thirty-one electric trucks in use in Christchurch were shown pictorially on the screen at the Theatre -Royal last night, and the city electrical engineer, in showing the two-ton truck purchased by the City Council four and a half years ago, said that it had been in use Continuously, and on a recent test the capacity of the batteries, so far from showing a decrease, showed an increase of 10 per cent oni the original capacity. A curious utilisation! of carrier pigeons was recently attempted in Belgium. This was making them carry contraband goods into France. For a short time twenty-four pigeons were let off regularly from tho Belgian dovecot, each burdened with a small coil of tobacco. They arrived at their French destination rather exhausted, and doubtless glad to be relieved of their load. In one case, however, a pigeon, in making the flight, proved unequal to the effort, fell into the Seine, and was picked up. The system has thus been found out and suppressed. Yesterday afternoon Mr J. B. Merrett met at the Y.M.C.A. a number of returned Soldiers who are interested in poultry culture. He briefly outlined the principles of incubation and the care needed to produce good, healthy chickens. The men joining the classes as arranged by Captain Moore are enthusiasts, and Mr Merrett invited them to visit the Poultry Institute on August 21, when they will be shown the incubators and brooders at work. Practical demonstrations will he given on the methods of incubation and the technical working of the machines. On Thursday next the class will visit the farm of Mr Liggins, Burwood, and the following week Mr Fazackerley’s ; Woolston. At both plants instruction will he given in selection and breeding of poultry. When the report of the special meeting of the W’aimairi County Council, wnich had been held tx> discuss tho question of a Metropolitan Board of W r orks, came up at yesterday’s meetingj Mr C. W- Hervey protested against the fact that the council had not affirmed the principle of Mr W 7 alter Hill’s scheme. The council need not approve of the scheme, but it should have approved of the principle of obtaining drainage for the suburban areas. It was essential in these days that local bodies should stick together. He wished to have his protest recorded in the minutes. Mr W. J. W 7 alter said that the whole council was in favour of the scheme, but the question was where was the money coming from? At a later stage, when a letter was received from the Drainage Board enclosing a copy of the resolutions carried at a meeting ’of delegates held on July 29, the council affirmed the principle of the proposed Board of Works, and approved of the decision to set up a commission to report on the matter. The General Committee of the Port Hills-Akaroa Summit Road Association met on Friday; present—Messrs G. Harper (chairman), F. M. Warren, J. S. dougall, W. G. Jamieson, A. F. Wright, G. T. Booth, A- W. Beaven, E. M. Lovell-Smith, H. G. Ell and O. H. Gilby (secretary). Mr Warren presented a satisfactory statement on the financial position, which showed a decided improvement. It was reported that a firewood cutting plant was working satisfactorily, that the coach service was - being reorganised and would run a trip daily from the tramway terminus to Kennedy’s Bush. The new policy would save the horses ten miles a day, and would provide a store at the tramway terminus for goods required at the Rest Houses. The Heathcote County Council had laid the water service on to the tramway terminus section free. The arrangements were well in hand for tbe_ ceremony of taking possession of Parkinson’s Bush, Gravenor Bush and Port Track Bush Scenic Reserves. A survey of an additional area was beiii'r made. When that area was included in the two present reserves, the whole would be the most beautiful scenic reserve on Banks Peninsula. Hundreds of Christchurch citizens have been cured by Dr Fellow’s Pile Cones when every other known remedy has failed. Price 3s 6d box, from chemists, or direct. Loasby and Co., chemists (opp. Ballantyne’s). X Havo those old-time portraits copied, enlarged or reduced and finished, by our permanent process. We specialise in this and can guarantee satisfaction. Steffano' Webb, Petersen’s Buildings, High Street. ’Phone 1989, X Hardware News. Scarce lines now tq be had at Messrs Hastie, Bull and Pickering’s; Stainless Table Cutlery, English Pocket Knives, Scissors, Enamelled Saucepans, “Mrs Potts” Sad Irons, Chamois Leathers, Modern Tools. * 3209