LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19864, 5 February 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

.During January the -oldierß’ car provided by the Canterbury Automobile Association made twenty-three trips, covering 897 miles and cont eying I3i soldiers. The driver is at present taking Ins annual holiday and the car is being varnished, which will necessitate it being out of commission for ten days.

The Christchurch master butchers at n meeting on Tuesday night decided lodge a claim with the Government in respect to the English wool profits. Is has been computed"that on a fair estimate some of the smaller butchers would bo entitled to about £SOO, while the amount involved in' larger firms is very large.

A statement of receipts and expenditure of the Shipwreck Relief Society of N’ew Zealand for the year ending January 31 last, presented to tho Lvttelton Harbour Board yesterday, shows that the receipts were £1277 10s 9d, and the. expenditure £1076 4s 3d, leaving „ credit balance at the bank of £2Ol 6s 6d.

The Government has e>tended the order of reference of ho Railway Inf|Uiry Board to cuablo tho Ar.-alganiatod bwieicty of Railway Servants to bring forward a request that employees who havQ served forty years, or are sixtv goal’s of age. who can ietire on superannuation of at least £250 should bo compulsorily retired. This phase of the hearing will bo taken on Saturday. At tho Supremo Court at New Plymouth yesterday, befote Mr Justice Sim, the jury returned a verdict for plaintiff in tho re-trial of the claim of Ingram Colson, farmer, of Fitzroy against Ebonezer Wooldridge, gnra-re proprietor, of New Plymouth, for damages caused through the negligent driving of defendant’s car by Leo Walsh Tho sum of £750 was. awarded, with costs, each side to pay its own costs of the first trial.

The trouble at the Cashmere Military Sanatorium has been settled- Mr W E. Lead ley, secretary of the Christ church Returned Soldiers’ Association, states that Colonel Young, OC district, has given orders that the patients are to be ceiled on to vash onlv their own-cups, plates and saucers. General fatigue work will in future hr- done by oicigiligs, This result of tho iiGffotintions is considered very satisfactory. Ihc patients at the Sanatorium wished particualrly, said Mr Loadley, that it should be understood that thov bad always been perfectly satisfied with the administration of their 0.C., Major Aitken.

Dangerous corners in several Christchurch thoroughfares were discussed at last evening s, meeting of the Council ot the Canterbury Automobile Association. Hi 6 Town Clerk wrote stating that lie had written to the Tramway Board informing them that it was not intended to take any steps at present on the question of providing more space for vehicular traffic at some points where the tram track was laid near the footpath. Ihc president (Mr J. S Hawkes) said that the Council of the Association should endeavour to make sure that further action was taken. At piesent motorists were often forced on to their wrong side- It was decided to refer tho matter to the Roads Committee.

The Customs duty payable upon motor-cars imported into Great Britain and Ireland is on the basis of thirtythree and one-third per cent on tho cost, insurance and freight value. 'ln an interesting Jotter read at last evening s meeting of the Council of tho Canterbury Automobile Association, the Ivoj'al Automobile Club. London, stated that, in order to facilitate the tenv porary entry to the United Kingdom of overseas members’ motor-cars the club had arranged with the Customs Department to accept a British Tript'iquo (pass sheet) in each case, which would obviate the necessity of paying tho duty m cash when entering Great Britain and obtaining a. lefund when leaving. On a car valued at £SOO tho duty was £lB3 6s Bcl.

Discussing Town Hall schemes yesterday, a leading builder said that, if tlie proposal to build again on tho Canterbury Hall site wore adopted it would liavo a very serious cffeet upon tho building trade in Christchurch. Carpenters and bricklayers and plasterers would be attracted from other contracts oy tho promise, probably, of higher wages, and a W term of work A big change-over of that kind would mean a heavy set-back to many other works and should certamly bo avoided at tho present time. Ihe best temporary plan, m his opinion, was to put down a floor iu the Kin" Ldwaid Barracks. Tnat would provide adequate accommodation tor the receptions in connection with -.he Prince of Wales s visit.

Unusual conditions attach to the licenses or several accommodation houses m the outlying portions of .North Canterbury, according to statements made at last evening’s meeting of the Canterbury Automobile Association. It appeals that when certain runs wero cut up for settlement, a block was often covered by a clause that the new tenant must take over and run the exwtmg accommodation house. Recently the landlord of mm cl these houses applied for permission to give up this part of his business s<. that ho could devote more time m lus farm, but the request was opposed bv other settlers and ultimately refused bv the Government The Automobile Association, on making inquiries on the subjeet, discovered that vho Tourist Do-part-menfc has no control over the accommodation houses referred to.

During the recent sitting of the Dominion Jpecutive of the New Zealand Returned woldiers Association in Wclafn2t?r a n lei) T utat , i . on from headed by fa' V , LcndI ?y> secretary of the ylirstcliiirch association, waited on Sir Janies Allen (Minister of Defence) with reference to the anomalies that have arisen in connection with the Government war gratuity. After a lengthy interview the Minister agreed to set ui> a committee to investigate anomalous cases and cases ot hardship. l-j c however, made it a proviso tnat secretaries ol local associations should first inquire into all cases and see that only genuine ones were sent before the committee. .Probably the committee will consist of a. representative of the lie turned Soldiers Association and two Government ofhcials. Mr Lendley will inquire into the cases of returned men of Christchurch, who have genuine complaints nun regard to their gratuities. Tho annual meeting of the Beckenham Residents’ Association was held on lucsdsy evening, in the Bowling Club pavilion, the president (Mr M’Gallan) presiding over a good attendance of members. The secretary (Mr T Q Car lisle) presented the annual report and balance-sheet. The report showed that tho activities 0 f the association had re suited in quite a number of necessary works being canoed out to tho benefit of the district in general. A policy for the coming year was outlined, including be.ber road facilities on Eastern and Western Terrace; conveniences and dressing rooms in the park; and extra lighting improvements on tho river banks The etection of officers resulted as follows:—President,, Mi- BulkinAf C0 ’ P a’’ es n Cn > r 1 ; M ; Gallan ; secretary; Mr 1. Q. Carlisle (re-elected). The thanks of the. meeting were tendered to the chairman and secretary for their work during ,the year. Hundreds of Christchurch 'tizons have been cured by Dt Fellow’s Pile Cones when- every other known remedy has failed- ■ Pnro 3s Jd _ box, from and-Co.. T!.. It* ir I a

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