“ The inculcation of thrift,” said Mr IC. A. Rosevoar at the official opening of the Dunedin Savings Bank’s new premises yesterday, “cannot bo urged too strongly for the welfare of tho community as a whole and tho individual is dependent on the recognition of this vital factor. The execution of the hire purchase system continued the speaker, “has led to extravagance, and is merely a mortgage on future earnings. Prosperity can never be built on such a foundation, ami the sooner this [act is realised, tho better for all concerned.”

The following are the returns of infectious diseases at the Dunedin and Fever Hospitals for the week ended at noon yesterday;—Scarlet fever, admitted one, remaining three; diphtheria, admitted one, remaining four; poliomyelitis, remaining one; erysipelas, discharged one, remaining two;—totals, admitted two, discharged one, remaining 10.

Surely one of tho oldest surviving depositors' with Iho Dunedin Savings Bank ;s Mr D. M. Miller, who, at the opening ceremony of the hank's new premises yesterday, mentioned that his mother opened an account for him at the hank as far hack as ]c65 —just a year after the bank openeu for business. Naturally, said Mr Miller, he did not remember the exact circumstances under which the deposit was made, but a, far as he had hern able to ascertain he v, as one of the oldest depositors.

The Labour Department reports that the number of unemployed on its books yesterday was 161, composed of 63 married and l*a single men. Tho number on the hooks on Monday of last week was IS7.

The principal business before the House of Representatives to-day will be the passing of the resolutions in connection with tariff revision, which will be introduced in the evening. It is likely (telegraphs °ur parliamentary reporter) that the Summer Time Bill will be taken to-morrow. Its fate will depend largely upon what the Railways Department can do to amend the time-tables affecting dairymen. On Friday further clauses of the Estimates will oe ’ taken. There is to bo a new departure in connection with the tariff resolutions. In response to representations it has been decided this year to release a limited number of copies of the resolutions for sale at Custom Houses at the principal ports for two hours after the collectors have received advice of the introduction. bales will be made on the understanding that the rates of duty and exemptions from duty set forth in the schedule of the resolutions do not come into force until they have been passed by the House.

Whether it is in the best interests of youths under 18 years of age to be allowed to frequent billiard saloons was a question that arose at the monthly meeting of the Makara County Council (says tno Auckland Star). The clerk (Mr W. L. Beech), in mentioning that a license had now been granted for a recently-opened saloon at Porirua, pointed out that the council’s by-laws did not make any stipulation regarding the age of those who visited public billiard rooms in its district. “Wo are here to protect our youth,” said Mr Dunbar Sloane. “ I think it is a bad habit for boys to get into, and I am certainly in favour of bringing our regnlations into line with those of the City Council, and fixing the age limit at 18 years.” It was unanimously decided to amend the by-law accordingly.

It was reported at Masterton yesterday (reports a Press Association telegram] mat the Bank of New Zealand proposes to rpen the Waingawa Freezing Works this season. The Wairarapa Frozen Meat Company, which recently decided not to renew the lease of the works from the bank but to operate in conjunction with the Wellington Meat Export Company at Ngaurahanga, vacates the works at the end of September and is understood that the bank proposes to operate them under its own management.

Many local short-wave listeners waited patiently from 5.15 p.m. onwards on Sunday in the hope of picking up Mr Marcuse’s experimental transmission from .London. Unfortunately, in advertising the time of commencement, allowance, apparently, was not made for the fact that daylight saving is in force in England, and most enthusiasts, after listening patiently for some time, gave up all hopes of receiving the broadcast. At 6.15 p.m., however, Mr Marcuse came on the air, and after announcing his station (2NM, Caterham, Surrey, England), explained that he was conducting an experimental Empire broadcast. He then introduced Captain E Fraser, of the British Broadcasting Company. Captain Fraser began by congratulating Mr Marcuse on the success of his efforts, and went on to remark on the difficulties in the way of the scheme. The principal of these, he said, was the difference in time, and he mentioned that he was then speaking at 6 o’clock in the morning—a time when few men felt at their best as far as public speaking was concerned. At this point the transmission broke off suddenly and was not heard again. The broadcast came through perfectly clearly at good earphone strength, and the description of the reception was kindly supplied by Mr W. Barnes, of Mornington.

A dream of many years by the people of New Plymouth which is being gradually realised is to have a first-class harbour, one that will securely shelter the largest vessels trading to the Dominion. The complete 'scheme is to include the building of sea walls, and inside the shelter modern wharves. In 1914 the Walkure, a German steamer, berthed, the first overseas vessel to tie up at the wharf at Moturoa. Later in the year, when the war came, she was captured by a French gunboat near Tahiti, only t 0 be sunk when the German Pacific Fleet bombarded the island port. Subsequently the Walkure was raised, rechristened the Republic, and passed ino the hands of American buyers. Since 1914 many overseas vessels have berthed at New Plymouth. Now the Mataroa is due to berth there, a liner of 12,341 tons, the sixth largest vessel trading to New Zealand. The visit of the Mataroa will be an incentive t • other minor ports with large ambitions. Incidentally it might be remarked that the people of New Plymouth are hopeful of the day when they will have the terminal port for the transtasman trade.

A Press Association message from Greymouth states that James Neilson and William Parsonage, managers of the Blackball mine, were fined £5 each in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning on the information of Mr O. J. Davis, mining inspector, on charges of failing to provide adequate ventilation in the working places.

Mr J. Lcckie, whoso duties as a ranger, take him into the wilds of the West Coast, and into other sparsely populated parts, is more convinced than ever that it would pay the New Zealand Government handsomely to spend, say, £IOOO on the importation of opossums from Tasmania, for liberation in this country, which is good for no other purpose. On the West Coast the stoats and weasels, he says, are killing the native birds, which are so valuable in the forests, and if the stoats as well as the rod deer were killed off, and the country stocked with opossums, a valuable secondary industry could bo established a' practically no cost. Between the Grey River and South Westland, during two months of the j-ear, 200 men were engaged catching opossums, and if the industry were placed on a proper footing, it would provide a great deal of employment at a time of the year when other work was scarce, and would be the means of adding materially to the revenue. On the class of land to which he referred, on the West Coast, 10 acres were required to keep a cow. On the same area 50 opossums could Ibe kept, and they would return at least £2 10s per acre. Tasmania has just gone in for a 10.000 opossum farm project. A company there had secured from the Government a 100 years lease of 50,000 acres, and on this it was intended to breed opossums. The skins of young opossums were at present worth 15s each.

Speaking to a Dominion representative recently, Mr S. W. M. Stilling, manager of the Jenolan Caves, in New South Wales, remarked on the evident efficiency of the New Zealand Tourist Department, and on the splendid spirit of co-operation between the various sections of the Government service interested in the tourist and publicity work. Mr Stilling is an officer of the New South Wales Government Tourist Bureau, and is visiting New Zealand for the purpose of obtaining an insight into local methods of handling tourist traffic. He mentioned that last year 29,400 people made a stay at the houses attached to the Jenolan Caves, in addition to some hundreds of thousands who paid a day visit to the caves by car, or camped out. Mr Stilling added that there was no tourist resort under the New South Wales Government that was not at present paying its wav.

“ This menace of the sheep-killing keas is a serious thing to the high country runholder and is not being brought up as a sort of scare,” declared Mr F. E. r airweather at the Marlborough County Council meeting, when reporting on a conference of the County Council and the Sheepowners’ Union representatives held In Christchurch recently, with the object of discussing concerted action in offering a subsidy for the, destruction of keas. "To show you what the kca menace means to us.” added Mr Fairweathcr, “I may mention (hat only the other night some neighbours of mine, Messrs Jackson Bros., of To Arowheinia, had no fewer than 16 fine hoggets destroyed by keas at one camp. I ho animals were found torn anti bleeding in the morning. Others died two rr three days after they were attacked, the cause of death being blood poisoning, proving that the birds had been killing on another part of till- run Apparently they had been feasting on putrefying carcases and (he filth on their talons and beaks set. .ip blood poisoning in the animals they snb?»tpieniiy attacked. The Messrs JaeksOn immediately secured their rail birds and succeeded in barging three of the marauders. I may mention that 1 do not think nous are on the increase, but it is essential that stern steps he taken to secure their eradication. ’’ I

A large quantity of oversea and Australian mail matter will reach Dunedin this week. The postal authorities advise that the Tahiti, which arrived at Wellington yesterday morning from Sydney, brought 97 bags (including 60 bags from beyond Australia) and 27 hampers for Dunedin. 'iho mail is expected to come to hand this afternoon. The Mahono, which is duo at Wellington to-morrow from uydney, is bringing three bags and one hamper containing Australian mail matter for Dunedin. This mail should come to hand on Thursday afternoon. The Niagara, which arrived at Auckland yesterday from V ancouver, brought English, Continental, American, and Canadian mails. The Dunedin portion is expected to come to hand to-morrow evening. The steamer Karetu, due at Wellington to-morrow from Sydney, is bringing eight bags and four hampers containing Australian mail matter for Dunedin. This mail should arrive here on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Tex Rickard, promoter of numberless championsh.; oxing contests, has offered his battle-scarred ring at the Yankee Stadium to the former Archduke Leopold of Austria as a suitable arena m which to settle his alleged differences with Count Szechenyi, the Hungarian Minister to the United States. The offer was made when the papers reported that the Archduke Leopold, who I s now in Los Angelos, had challenged Count Szechenyi to a duel, and that the duel had been accepted, but that the archduke unfortunately lacked the 5000 dollars necessary to cover his trip back to Hungary. Mr Rickard’s telegram to the archduke is as follows:—“Your Highness, may I now tender to you 5000 dollars and the expenses for your duel with Count Szechenyi, and also 20 per cent, of the gate receipts, provided the affair of honour is held under my auspices at the Yankee Stadium before Thanksgiving Day, and also provided that it is held with, eight-ounce boxing gloves, this offer being subject, of course, to the approval of the New York Commission.”

Speaking at the opening of the Dunedin Savings Bank’s new premises yesterday in the thrift and frugality of the people of Dunedin, Sir John Roberts remarked that he considered climatic conditions were in a large measure responsible for these characteristics. A cold climate, he said, had a sombre and restraining influence, but <n a warm country it was noticeable that the people spent more extravagantly and were apt to be less thrifty than those living in colder latitudes. In a minor way, said the speaker, this was illustrated in New Zealand when one compared the saving proclivities of the people of Dunedin with those of Auckland. Sir John then went on to tell of a conversation he had with an Aucklander during the Exhibition period. The man from the northern city was apparently pessimistic regarding the business outlook in his home town, and considered that a financial disturbance was imminent. His principal complaint, however, appeared to be that whereas a great deal of money was then being spent on public works and improvements, all this money was coming from Dunedin. "He did not know, and I did not trouble to tell him,” concluded Sir John amid laughter, “ that I belonged to Dunedin.” An important suggestion in the interests of Port Chalmers was made at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council by the Mayor (Mr Anderson), -who said that, : n his opinion the time had come when nia borough should make an effort to obtain direct telephone communication with the city, thus obviating the present system of toll charges. In Australia all parts of a city within a radius of 10 miles of the centre were connected with the central bureau, and he would like to see a move by Port Chalmers, supported by Mosgiel, which was about the same distance irom Dunedin, to obtain direct telephones, with the city. They might also ask for the support of the Otago Expansion League, and then lay their request before the Telephone Department. The council unanimously supported the proposal, and it was decided to take steps immediately in the direction advocated bv .tie Mayor.

A wonderful new hapuka ground has recently been discovered in Cook Strait at a distance of about an hour’s run from Tory Channel, dates the Blenheim correspondent of the Lyttelton Times. On Wednesday a Picton launch secured a catch of 190 splendid fish, and as Italian fishermen from Wellington were also operating on the ground it is estimated that tully 2000 hapuka were caught in the one day, “ I think it is the home of ail the hapuka,” said a well-known fisherr--.,. in conversation with a reporter, “ ain 1 when it has been cleaned out , there will be n© more hapuka in the strait. If fishing over the ground continues on the basis of Wednesday’s haul it will in all probability he but a very short time before the ground is "‘cleaned up.” The mailer seems to be one for the Marine Department. It has been ascertained that the average weight of the fish prior to dressing is about Cl lb, and when dressed ready for market about 171 b. The fishermen receive 3d per lb, and on this basis the total value of Wednesday’s catch was about £425. The Picton launch, manned by two men, secured 190 hapuka, fur which they will receive something over £4O. On Friday the same men caught another 127 fish, worth to them just about £3O. The retail value of Wednesday’s catch on the new ground is something like £1275.

In order to do away with the continuous appeals to public charity that are made, Mr J. R. Rendell made the suggestion at the meeting of the Council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce that a community chest should be established, on lines similar to those followed in many American cities (says the Auckland Starl. He explained that the collection of funds would be done entirely .through the offices, shops and factories, no appeasl being made to private houses. All the charitable institutions that now collected spasmodically would share in the funds. Mr Rendell admitted there were a good many difficulties to face in getting the chest going, but if it could be done it would remove a source of complaint from the public, who objected to the present way in which money was collected for charities, particularly by means of street collections. The council expressed appreciation of the trouble Mr Rendell had gone to in gathering information, and asked him to complete his inquiries and submit a further report.

Mr A., F. Chcyne has been appointed by the liquidator to dispose of Douglas Bernstein’s stock of drapery in Dowling street. From Saturday noon until Friday, September 16. the doors of the motor car assembly plant of General Motors Now Zealand, Ltd., at Petonc, will be closed, and operations suspended while a complete inventory is being made. This marks the end of the first year of the assembly operations, which are providing employment for some 250 New Zealand men and women. In this time a total of 2191 cars have been completely assembled by New Zealand labour.

Eggs are down in price. Egginc Water Glass is the best egg preserver; Is Gd a tin, preserves two kerosene tins full. —11. L. Sproscn (Ltd.), Octagon, Dunedin. —Advt.

Barth Electrical Supplies (Ltd.), JO Princes street. Specialists in all kinds of electric appliances and wireless material, also in electrical contracting and repairing by competent electrical staff.—■ Advt.

For Spectaclo-s that sooth the eyes, consult W. V. Sturmer, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., 2 Octagon. Our Business is Exclusively Optical.—Advt. Bronchitis has at last been conquered. Hoffman’s “Double Ex” has bci n proclaimed to be the most efficient remedy for bronchitis, night-coughing, asthma, etc. 2s Gd per bottle, procurable at Hoffman’s Pharmacy, 17 Princes street, Dunedin. — Advt.

A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 12-3.19. —Advt, Diamond Engagement Kings.— Before purchasing compare onr values; large selection just landed: superior quality.— Peter Dick, the most reliable jewellers, watchmakers, and opticians, 490 Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt.