TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19862, 3 February 1920, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

To-day’s river report states that all the Canterbury fishing rivers are clear.

Messrs Luttroll Bros, have informed the Mayor that they are prepared to crecr, a 1 building on tho Canterbury Hail site, Manchester Street, according to the d csigus submitted, by April lb, in time tor tho visit of the Prince of Wales,

Mr Gladstone Hill, in a telegram from Ashburton to the Mayor, states that the New South Wales Orchestra is willing to return to Christchurch and give a concert in the King Edward Barracks on February II and a matinee in the Iheatro Poyal on the following afternoon.

“ Ton ought to havo learnt discipline at the war, 1 ' said Mr S. E. M'Carthy. B.iU 1 .. to a man who was brought before him to-day on a charge of drunkenness and who pleaded that he had been at tho war for four years. “ The fact that you have been at tho war is no excuse for getting drunk.” 'I ho Montreal Street bridge is still undergoing repairs. It was found necessary to strip off the whole of the decking, and some of the main stringers will have to bo renewed. When the timber work of the bridge has been renewed if is proposed to cover tbe deck with tarred macadam, tbe estimated cost of the work being £3OO. .

So many people were unable to gain admission to Mr .1 inarajadnsa’s lecture on Sunday that the Thcosophical Society, under whoso auspices this distinguished visitor is npw appearing in Christchurch, has decided to change the location for to-morrow’s meeting from the Art Gallery to the King’s Theatre. The subject of tho discourse will bo ” Theosophy and Modern Social Problems.” Tbe Mayor will preside, and vocal music willjie contributed by Mr A. L. Cropp and Mr Frank -Morrison. One shilling will be the price of admission.

In connection with the resolution passed recently by certain members of the Huntly Miners’ Union, at which tho voting was 28 to 7 in favour of a recommendation to the Miners’ Federation to withdraw their dispute from the Alliance of Labour, Mr J. Arhncklc, secretary of the Miners’ Federation, stated to a “Post” reporter that tho decision had been substantially reversed- At a meeting of tbe union bold on ’Tuesday evening Inst tbe resolution with_tho recommendation was rescinded by 95 votes to 7, and tbe mine-owners’ proposals wore rejected. “That.” said Mr Arlniclclo. “shows the true feeling of the fluntly Miners’ Union in regard to the present dispute.” As tho work of the various departments dealing with war matters becomes less tho emergency clerks taken on temporarily are being discharged, says the “ Post.” On Saturday thirty clerks, the majority of them women and girls, left the. "War Expenses Department. and a further seventy will bo dispensed with on February 14. These who have been with the Department for twelve months or over are given, a fortnight’s pay, and those who have less than twelve months’ service a day’s pay for each month of service. For some time past the various war created departments have been receiving resignations from clerks who have secured permanent employment elsewhere.

Paris went wild with joy over the result of the Carpontier-Beokett fight. Despite the rain, which lutd been falling during the evening, several thousands of people were waiting patiently on the boulevards outside the, newspaper offices and the principal cafes where the result was to be mach/known. The news, telephoned by the Continental “Daily Mail,” took the crowd by surprise. Ail were, convinced Hint Carpoutier, their idol, would win, hut none had dared to think he would gain the viotorv in the. first round. So great was their amazement that for n few minutes they wore, incredulous. Hardly n cheer was raised and then, ns the truth was slowly realised, the waiting thousands went toad with delight. There was wave after wave of cheers.

The branch :if the Bank of New Zealand which was opened this morning at Sydenham on the corner of Colombo and Lawson Streets is very conveniently situated for tho business people of the suburb, and, although tho accounts have not yet been transferred from the city office of tho hank, a fair amount nf business was transacted over the counter during tho day. Although the wooden premises of the bank have during the past ton years served as fish* shop, fruit-shot and gramophone shop in turn, alterations and a thorough renovation have mad? the appearance nf the building. quite businesslike. “ These are practically only temporary premises, however,” said Mr K. M. Oliivier. the manager, to a reporter this morning. “As soon as the support accorded the branch merits the step, a more suitable building will be arranged for, and I think wo shall receive that support. Sydenham is going ahead. Many 1 city people come down hero to do their shopping, believing that it pays them to do so.”'

It was iu*t an. old wheel-pit, filled with ironbark chins, tli-nfc Mr Thomas llimlle canto across a day ot two acm while levelling a floor directly under Messrs F. and F. Martin's furniture show room in iho Octagon, says' the Dunedin “ filar. ’’ But the discovery revives in our older citizens memories of sixty years syne or even of an earlier period than that. In or thereabouts there was a wheelwright’? simp on the site—it was, we understand, the only shop in the Octagon then—ami near-by were (fawn’s stables, from where waggons ami coaches shifted for OiihneFs (hilly and other fields. This was a busy spot in those adventurous days. The old pit now brought to light is over Oft below the present street level. YVitli the sharings in the pit was a piece of broken shafting in ouite good condition —probably hj portion of one of Cobb’s coaches. A photograph dated ISS'2, which Messrs F. and F. Martin have in their possession, shows the streets through and around the Octagon in process of formation, heaps of metal being stacked near the monument (the old Fountain, which now adorns, or disfigures, according to the noint of view. Custom Horn" Souare). In this photograph the low roofed building which was the wheelwright’s simp is also to be seen, but the name over the door is not decipherable. On this silo was .afterwards built Collar’s bakery, then Gilchrist's simp, and, later, the buildings where Messrs Martin now have their furniture warehouse.