LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19876, 18 February 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The oat harvest in the Mayfield district practically over, and the returns of crops already threshed are reported to be very satisfactory. Very little wheat is grown in tho Mavfield div tnct. The Christchurch Drainage Board at its meeting Inst evening decided to grant its employees an increase in wages of one penny per hour, in accordance with the dictum of the Arbitration Court. An exception was made in the case of the office staff. The Prime Minister stated yesterday that the censorship on news from Fiji, recently enforced in the Dominion, ban been removed. It appears that censorship still is being maintained in Fiji, which_ is not within tho jurisdiction of tho New Zealand Government. Passenger accommodation on steamers leaving New Zealand for England is said by reliable authorities to bo fully booked until May, and in most cases until June and July. 11m exodus will, however, bo much more than balanced by the great number of people in England who arc awaiting their chanco to travel to New Zealand. To provide tho cost of extending the electrical reticulation of tho district, tho Ricca-rton -Borough Council has decided lo raise a further loan of £IOOO for a period of live and a half years at a rate of interest not to exceed 54 per cent a year. If required, a special rate of one-eighth of a penny in tho pound on all ratable property in the borough will be struck. Complaint was made at last night’s meeting of the Canterbury Industrial Association of a shortage of apprentices and consequent lack of workmen in the furniture-making trade, A member of the association said that this trouble was not confined to the furniture industry. The Government had recently asked him to supply a list of vacancies in his bootmaking firm, .in view of tho coming influx of immigrants. He returned a list of 440 vacancies. “ On our side a clean concrete channel and on the other a stinking ditch,” said a member of the Eiccarton Borough Council last evening, referring to tho condition of the boundary roads. The speaker said that in the matter of drainage tho Waimairi County Council was twenty years behind the times, and, in view of the periodical outbreaks of influenza, its attitude was not fair to residents or to local bodies adjoining. It was decided to write to tho County Council suggesting that tho time had arrived for improvement. Speaking at last night’s meeting of tho Canterbury Industrial Association, Mr J. A. Black said that there had recently appeared in an Auckland newspaper five advertisements, one under the other offering £S per week, with no Saturday work, to cabinetmakers. The men needed in tho industry could not bo obtained, he said. If an cmployer Detained a man ho was merely stealing from another employer, for new men were not coming into the trade. Thousands of pounds’ worth of work were being lost to employers through inability to obtain labourTho inspector of the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported to the committee last night that, at the trotting meeting at Addington on Saturday, he had cautioned an owner and a jockey for using an oar-twitch on a horse in one of tho races. Ho insisted on the ear-twitch being removed, and the horse, racing without it in a later race, won and paid a good dividend. The secretary was instructed to send a circular to ail trotting clubs in Canterbury asking them to prohibit the use of the ear-twitch at their meetings.

The chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr H. }j. Sorensen), members and their wives, the board’s engineer and the harbourmaster made an excursion around the harbour yesterday in tho tug Lyttelton, in order to view the different harbour works. .Diamond Harbour was first visited, so that tho Party might see tho place where it is to erect a. now pleasure boat slip for the residents. A visit was then made to Camp Bay, Port Cooper, and Port Levy. At the lastnamed place a number of residents waited on members of the board with a view of having minor improvements carried out. Luncheon was partaken of on board the tug at Port Levy, and, tho weather being fine, tho outing was a very enjoyable one. A discussion upon immigration took place at tho Canterbury Industrial Associalion’s meeting last night. Tho need of adequate housing and provisions for' newcomers was emphasised. Tho president said that some time ago tho 1 nmo Minister stated'%t tho last New Zealand soldier was on the water, and that immigrants would be able to follow speedily. Now the High Commissioner was telling would-be New Zealand immigrants in London that thev could not get passages for twelve months, "hat, asked the president, had luyjpened to tho housing committees formed after the big influenka epidemic? Mr G. Bradley said that tho earlv New Zealand pioneers built their own houses, and ho thought tho immigrants could be robed upon to heln themselves verv ™? o| y in regard to housing. Mr G, " bite said the immigrants could not ho expected to arrive with cement works under their arms. The committee of tho St John Ambulance Association met fast night; present - Colonel F. B. Creswelh (chairman), Hon Mrs Tabu Rhodes. Messes A. E. G. Rhodes, Whittaker and Smith and Messrs A. E. G. Rhodes, J. A. Flesher, H. L. Bowkcr, jun., H. Thomas and Captain W, W. M’Kinney. A motion was passed thanking the Charitable Aid and Hospital Board tor a grant of £IOO. The Ambulance Week Committee reported that arrangements were being made for tho annual appeal Several requests that the use of the ambulance should ho given free were granted. The appointment of Mrs M Mood as district home nurso in the Hokitika district was approved Heaton Rhodes, Director of the New Zealand Ambulance Department, wrote stating that he intended to call a meeting of the Dominion executive on his return from Samoa about March J.o" T t h °ri 6 o e w o tUry f eportcd a cred 't balance - s and accounts amounting to £O6 2s 8d wore passed for payment. 0 Hundreds of Christchurch . itizons have been cured by Dr Follow’s Pile Cones when evoiy other known remedy has failed. Price 3s 6d box, from chemists, or direct. Loasbv and Co chemists (opp. Ballanlyne’s).‘ X ’’ There is one intimate, personal gift that carries with it the , C al spirit ot Christmas—your own portrait. Lot Stella no Webb make it. Petersen's Buildings, High Street, ’Phono 1989. X Save your fruit by bottling it! Full supply “ Ball ” screw-top jars just received. Prices from 5s 3d balf-ioz. Full instructions free. No special apparatus necessary. Hastio, Bull and Pmkcring, Cashel Street. Telephone 2103 and A 4149. With the advent of the real hot weather, ladies will naturally bo lookmg for va.;« and quality m Bathing Caps- Wo have Caps in all colours to suit any costume. Beach Hats that are also ideal for motoring. Our stocks of Sponges. Bath Soaps, Bath Powders nnd I 1 ace lowels nro Tvell worth inspeciipu. E. Cameron Smith. Chemist, 96, Worcester Street (just off Square) , MWS Build up your nerve, brain sml body a all-British Vitafer. recommended y doctors and the medical Press. The Medical Times '’ says Vitafer is afcod ) be recommended where exhaustion of ;e physical or nervous system is due ) either illness or improper feeding isist on VITAFER, 4s 6d, Bs, and 14s i. lour Chemist can secure it if lie as not got it. 4g