TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16350, 12 February 1921, Page 9

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

To-day’s river report states that the Opihi and Waitnki av© fishable, and the Rakaia and both branches of the Waimakariri clear.

The Wahine failed to connect with the south express this morning, being three hours late—half an hour later than on her previous trip- Tho delay is attributed to inferior coal. At the Dnnnevirke and District Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s twelfth, annual show, held on February 9 and 10. Mrs Geo. Lewis (Christchurch) won five firsts and challenge Shield for best Pomeranian with “ Avonor Little Eer.own.”

Jh© Canterbury University College authorities announce that the Charles Cook Memorial Scholarship and the Robert Bell Scholarship will be awarder! in March : and that one Helen Macmillan Brown bursary of £3O will be awarded each year. Further information may be obtainable from tlie Professorial Board. Tlie Canterbury Drivers' Union will to-night to consider the action of employers in refusing a request by the Drivers’ Federation for a conference to disouss a fresh agreement. The request was refused because the employers consider that- the Federation’s proposals are unreasonable, and are not a suitable basis for discussion.

Tli© £aet that sinco "his affairs came prominently under public notice, Mr Allan Hopkins has _ been referred to frequently as Mr W. A. Hopkins has caused a very embarrassing confusion, there being another very well-known land agent, Mr IV. .1. Hopkins, in business in Christchurch. Mr W. J. Hopkins is not related in any way to Mr Allan Hopkins. Under the auspices of tho Sr. John Ambulance Association a first aid class is being organised at the Y.IV.C.A.. .Latimer Square- The coprse of six lectures will’’commence on March 9. and will bo followed by a class in homo nursing. From 7 lo 8 p.m. demonstrations will be given by St John. Ambulance Nursing Sisters, and the lectures, from S to 9. will l*c given by 'Dr Bonar Lindsay. Thif ; class is open to any young woman or girl. The Paternoster Mission continues to attract large numbers of people to the tent at the corner of Colombo Street and Mcorhous© Avenuo. Many are availing themselves of tho question box. tli© queries being answered the same evening as deposited. A “men only” meeting will ho held to-morrow at 3 p.m.. and in the evening at 7- o’clock Mr Paternoster will speak upon tlie special plea of the Churches of Christ in regard to Christian union. The meetings will be ©ontinued all through next week at 7.45 p.m. Dr Thacker, at yesterday’s meeting of the Domains Board, objected to remarks by Mr J. Jamieson at a previous meeting, criticising the proposal to allow motor-cars to enter the Public Gardens and drive on a roadway along the river bank. Dr Thacker explained that speed on the roadway could be restricted to four or five miles an hour, and that those who used the roadway would be admitted to the gardens by tickets, that could b© bought in the city 1 ‘ Scores of people don’t go to the gardens liecause they don’t know where the gardens are,” lie said.

The Ron. C. T. Parr. Minister of Fduc§ition and Health, spent yesterday at Timaru (states a. Press Association message). and had a busy time visiting schools and the hospital, and receiving deputations. He gave sympathetic replies in all cases, but only one definite promise, at. one of the primary schools, which ho .‘‘amid was hopelessly overcrowded. Mr Parr said ho would ask Cabinet for a grant to give immediate relief to this school. The Minister left to-day for Mount Cook, nnd will return to Christchurch on February 25, after visiting Invercargill. Dunedin and Oamaru.

The charge-sheet was not hca\*y at this morning's sitting of the Christchurch Magistrate's Court, Mr V. G. Day, S.M., having but three defendant* to. deal with. A first offender pleaded guiltv to drunkenness and was fined os, in default hours’ imprisonment. * Richard Sheehan, a third offender, pleaded guilty to drunkenness and was fined 20s, in default throe days*’ imprisonment. A fifteen-vear-old lad. at a sitting of the Juvenile Court, admitted cycling on a public footpath and having no light after sunset. and wa.s admonished and discharged. Tho first meeting of the nowly-ap-pointed IVar Memorial Executive was hold yesterday afternoon at the Art Gallery. Mr A. F. Carey was elected chairman of both the executive and the Designs Committee and Messrs AVynIrwin and A. C. Reed joint honorary secretaries, pending tlie appointment of an organiser for the launching of the final campaign when tlie designs nre decided upon. Tim executive hopes that all members of the General C ommittee will attend the deputation which is to wait on the City Council on Monday evening., to ask that provision l>e made on the Estimates for the construction of the under-structure of the Bridge of Remembrance Arrangements hare been made for the opening of the export of apples to London with a shipment of 13.000 cases by the Hororata, leaving Wellington on February 2d. The shipment will comprise Gravenstein, Worcester, Pearmain, and Cox’s Orange .Pippin. This shipment should arrive in Loudon on a bare market after the American shipments have ceased, and is expected to realise up tG 20s and 22s per case- The present consumption in England Is ono million cases per month, and the New Zealand and Australian shipment will not be much more than one million cases for three months. Air J. Longton, president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, states that it is expected to despatch from New Zealand 45,000 :ases in March. 23,000 in April, and i ,000 in May, making a total of 88,000 cases. The London market, lie states, requires the small apples of extra quality, and there will he sufficient oversize from the Londou market to meet New Zealand requirements. Tho Stunner crop is short in Hawke’s Bay and cookers are short all oyer New Zealand. The Nelson district will be able to supply the requirements of all other districts short of dessert varieties- Tt is expected that shipments of Coxks Orange Pippins from Nelson will arrive in Christchurch in about a week’s time. A well-known Dunedin business man, who had been on a visit to Waimate, related an musing incident to an “ Otago Daily Times ” reporter. On Wednesday he found preparations were being made by the business people of Waimate for some event of importance, and inquiries elicited the information that the Prime -Minister, (Mr Massey) was to arrive the following day. The Dunedin man replied that lie thought there must be some mistake, ns ho had noticed by the “ Otago Daily 'l imes ” that Air Massey was in Dunedin, and would oil that day bo the guest of the Otago A. and I*. Society at its annual Summer Show. This information was pooh-poeed by the Waimate people, and wagers of new hats were freely made. The Waimate residents continued to make elaborate preparations'for the welcome and reception of the Prime Minister, who was, among other things, to officially open a large silo which had been erected in connection witli the local flour mill. A dinner worthy of the occasion had been prepared, the town was gaily beflagged, and the school children and a large concourse of people assembled at the railway station to greet the Prime -Minister and his party, who ivere expected to arrive by the first express from Dunedin. As is well-known Air Massey was fulfilling his engagements in Dunedin, and consequently <lid not arrive in AVaimate. The Dunedin man has returned home tho richer by a good many new hats.