LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16530, 14 September 1921, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A social gathering will be held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Waikari, to-morrow evening, when medals will be presented to all local returned soldiers. An address will be given at the Choral Hall on Monday evening by Mr C. E. Stathom. M.P., leader of the National Progressive and Moderate Labour Party. The Mayor (Dr Thacker M P.) will preside. Flying at Sefton on Monday, Mr H. N. Hawker, of the staff of the Canterbury Aviation Company, took up twen-ty-five passengers in an Avro machine. Yesterday Air Hawker flew at "Waipara, and to-day he will give passenger flights at Scargill. He will remain in North Canterbury until Tuesday next, giving flying displays at various centres. The repayment of half of the overdue rates on soldiers’ farms in the Avonhead Settlement is promised by the Government in a letter received yesterday morning by Mr W. E. Leadley, secretary of the Returned Soldiors’ Association, from the Minister of Lands. The amount overdue is £99 2s, and the Minister has given authority for the payment of £44 11s, provided tho County Council will pay £22 5s fid and tho soldier settlers £22 5s fid. The monthly meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Sweet Pea, Carnation and Rose Society was held last Thursday evening. Tho president (Mr G. Jeffreys) presided, over a full attendance. Tho principal business of the evening was consideration of tho schedule for the annual show on January 5 and 6, 1922. The secretary reported that cash and trophies to the value of £3O had been promised by friends and supporters. This was considered most satisfactory 7, in view of the unsettled times the community were passing through. Daring the evening twenty-seven new members were elected. “Olio of our Magistrates fines cyclists a larger amount for being without lights in. the city than for being without lights outside the city.” said a member of tho Canterbury Automobile Association last evening. “In my humble opinion, it should bo the other way about. The real danger is in the outskirts Avhere you suddenly come across unlightcd vehicles.” The chairman said that no distinction should bo made at all. Tho Superintendent of Police wrote stating mat every effort was being made to** detect offenders driving unlighted vehicles, and to bring them before the Court for punishment. The Christchurch Domains Board has decided that it cannot grant the request of tho Canterbury Automobile Association to set apart a parking place for motor-cars in South Hagley Park. At last evening’s meeting of the council of tho assocation a member said that the board seemed to have adopted a short-sighted policy in not agreeing to study the convenience of farmers and others attending the Addington yards. Yet people attending polo and cricket matches could take their cars into the Park. The council resolved not to take any further action in the matter until the parking place in Lowe Street is given a trial. Dr J. Stevenson, at a forestry meeting last night, said that during a visit to Australia recently he was told that New Zealand white pine, after crossing the sea, was not nearly so subject to the borer as it was in its native country, and that in Australia it was more durable and less subject to the borer than were harder ' woods. Dr_ Stevenson asked Mr A. R. Entrican, Engineer of Forest Products to the State Forest Service, if the soil, altitude, and position in which trees grow affected their durability. Mr Entrican said that he thought tbov did. As an illustration, he said that native beeches in Southland were more durable when grown in a high altitude than when grown in a low altitude. A Christchurch resident, who spent last Christmas holidays at Arthur’s Bass, states that school boys from the Arthur’s Pass village, and from Otira, made a practice of roaming through the Pass and gathering large numbers of mountain lilies, Rananculus Lyalli, which they sold to passegers on the coaches. The mountain plants will bloom again soon, and it is suggested that steps should bo taken to prevent the boys from taking the flowers during the coming season. Mountain lilies cover hundreds of acres in the Pass, but systematic destruction of the flowers it it continues season after season, will reduce their numbers. Another suggestion is that tho plants should be legally protected. Superintendent Warner, of the Christchurch Firo Brigade*, made the following remarks on chimney fires in the course of his report at the meeting of the board last night:—“The brigade have been called out to extinguish fourteen chimney fires since July 1 last. I would ask that publicity be given in cases where the .brigade is notified of chimney fires through the telephone exchange, that the person giving the in formation should state definitely that the ‘call’ is for a. chimney fire. The matter can then be dealt with without turning out the plant unnecessarily. In the case of chimney fires at Riccarton, J would suggest that it be n recommendation from the board for the Borough Council to draft a by-law 7 dealing with the matter, so that an information can be laid against persons offending in that direction.” Objections to facilities that would lead to motoring on the beach at North New Brighton were raised at last evening’s meeting of tho council of the Canterbury Automobile Association. A letter received from the secretary of tho North Beach and Waimairi Burgesses’ Association aßked if the council would make a grant towards the cost of putting down a wire-netting road leading from Berry Street to tho hard part of the beach. Mr F. W. Jdhnston said that he regarded tho beach as the children’s playground, and motor-cars and motor-cycles would prove an absolute source of danger. On a previous occasion a road had been laid down to the beach at New Brighton, and this bad led to much complaint through the recklessness of a few irresponsibles. If there were a track at North Beach the New Brighton Borough Council might possibly order its removal. Other members supported Mr Johnston’6 attitude, and it was agreed to leave the matter in abeyance until tho chairman and secretary could report. We produce portraiture that pleases because of its naturalneas. Our prices are moderate, too. Steffano Webb, 252, High Street. ’Phone 1989. 1 Don’t worry because you have Spring Cleaning to do, make it a pleas tire by using Vacuum cleaners, Carpet sweepers, O’Cedar Mops, O’Cedar .Dusters and O’Cedar Oil for mops, for polishing and cleaning. Hastie, Bull, and Pickering, 113, Cashel Street, can supply all these requirements. 1