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Evening Star, Issue 15394, 19 January 1914, Page 4

The Manuka, from Melbourne, arrived at the Bluff this afternoon. Her mails will reach Dunedin by the first express from Invercargill to-morrow. The Britannia, the Bleriot monoplane which was presented to the New Zealand Government, made her first flight in the Dominion on Saturday. The flight was made from Epsom (Auckland) by Lieutenant J. J. Hammond, of the Royal Flying Corps, as a preliminary to a public exhibition, on Anniversary "Day, January 29. Lieutenant Hammond took the machine out again yesterday, and for an hour flew over the city and harbor. The monoplane rose to a height of several hundred feet, and at times attained a. speed of 80 miles an hour. The aviator demonstrated that he had absolute command over the machine. The average daily attendance at the Carnegie Public Library for the week ended Saturday "was 619 persons. Scotchmen the Empire over will rejoice to hear that the controversy over the sale of the much-discussed Glenxiddel Burns MSS. by the authorities of Liverpool Athenaeum has been ended, and that the MSS- are to bo returned to Scotland as a gift. Mr John Gribbel, vice-president of the ' Ledger' newspaper, and a member of the Curtis Publishing Company, speaking at a St. Andrews Day dinner in Philadelphia, said he was the owner of the Glenriddel manuscripts. In his speech Mr Gribbel said : " Two weeks ago I was astonished beyond measure when a dealer came to Philadelphia and submitted to me the missing MSS. Having an aversion to the possession of property of a certain class, I refused to consider them as a possible possession of my own, but here they are sold as. merchandise in the market place. They are. now in my possession, but to whom do they belong 4yy right but to Scotland ? These precious writings go to Scotland, to stay for ever, protected by a deed of gift." This announcement was received with loud applause. Mr Gribbel went on to 6ay that he was in. communication with Lord Rosebery as to the institution in Scotland to be entrusted with the permanent custody of the MSS., and that he would ba guided by His Lordship's advice. Even the authorities of the Liverpool institution have received the intelligence with feelings of unmixed satisfaction. An influenthe view that Scotland was " lucky, after having ruined its chance a few years ago, to find itself in the prospective possessicSi of the MSS., and without being called upon to expend money which Burns lovers were prepared to devote in the attempt to get the MSS. back." The number of persons arrested for drunkenness in Dunedin during last year totalled 627, as against 476 for the previous year.

Our Kaitangata correspondent writes: — The picnic fever, commonly associated with this period of the year, is still running high. On Saturday 46 members and friends of the Christian Women's Board of Missions journeyed to Taieri Beach, a rendezvous which, under the ideal weather conditions prevailing, made a delightful place for this annual gathering. The motor launch cruise bcth to and from the beach was greatly enjoyed, and the sports held at the seaside added pleasure to a successful outing, the party returning home by the evening train. The annual meeting of the NewZealand branch of the Edinburgh Watsonian Oiub was held in Dunedin on Friday. The toast of "The Old School" was proposed by Mr W. C. MacGregor, and responded to by Professor Gilray and Mr W. H. Young. The following officers were appointed for the ensuing year:—President, Mr W. C. MacGregor; vice-presidents Professor Gilray, Dr Douglas, Messrs A. Christie, J. G. aPtterson, and R. Story; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr A. T. Russell. At a meeting of the executive of the Hon. Territorials, held on Friday, the secretary reported that the subscriptions were coming in satisfactorily, although a number were still outstanding. lne executive presented a silver challenge cup for the best shot at the Defence Rine Meeting held at Christmas tune, I .™ l was won by Lieutenant J. S. Reid, 4th Otago Regiment. The executive, with the committee of the Overseas Club, undertook to arrange the billeting of all the Senior Cadets who will be in Dunedin to attend the parade on the occasion of General lan Hamilton's visit. Splendid weather is being experienced here (wives our Tapanui correspondent). A sacred concert was held in the State Nursery Gardens yesterday in aid of the hospital funds. The financial results were better than those of last year. The chairman of the Otago Harbor Board (Mr H. E. Moller) and two delegates will leave Dunedin (probably on Thursday) to attend a conference to be held in the Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, on Friday respecting the proposals for the equalisation of waterside labor, the establishment of accident insurance and superannuation schemes in connection therewith, and a variety of other propositions all arising out of what occurred or became known during the recent strike. The ' Southland Times' states that so far Mr J. G. Hazlett has been unable to trace the sheep lost by him some time ago. As the number totalled over 100 the financial loss to Mr Hazlett is over £IOO. Last week the ' Winton Record' mentioned that other farmers had reported losses, and Mr J. Looney, of South Hillend, now informs that paper that since he mustered last October he is 140 sheep short. The disappearance of the sheep is a mystery, and is causing owners of flocks considerable anxiety. At a meeting of the Social Democratic party, held yesterday, Mr J. W. Munro | presiding, a resolution was carried accus- , i'ng the TVlassey Government of permitting the Employers' Association to " ignite the spark of the Jate industrial .flame, and to even yet foment the dying embers by their false pretence, pretentious, and humiliating condition of compulsory Arbitration, which is repugnant to every free man, together with many glaring instances of mean and paltry victimisations of men with families who have been for years efficient workers on the waterside. These formidable obstacles to the exercise of the spirit of fair plav hit below the belt, inasmuch as they touch the stomachs of men, women, and little children, breathe the air of coercion, and are alien attributes in a Christian country. The anomaly of a Government transferring the power of making and enforcing laws to a section of the community is so obviously monstrous that serious comment would be superfluous. Furthermore, no Government could expect any quarter from working people that would allow such an unconstitutional assumption of authority, especially when it threatens public liberty, 'and permits the revival of a bygone odious form of industrial subserviency, as well as eauni-ij; further want and destitution in the lir>:iv-= of those who were prominent during the Lite strike."

Ye-trrdiiv afternoon at the Central Misxioii Y'.-': i-x Men'.-? Bible ("lass the Rev. P. W. Fain-lough gave a most interesting and helpful address entitled 'The Gentlemen of the 1-iible.' He mentioned the names of many of the old patriarchs, and spoke upon the good qualities of their characters. The address was listened to with keen interest, and was much appreciated.

Are the high prices for live stock due to the in Xew Zealand of a meat trust? This question was raised and answered on the Pahiatua Show Ground last week bv a. buyer for a leading freezing works. " Ho pointed out to his interviewer that Xew Zealand farmers wer,; getting bigger prices for stock than they did last \ear, though the London prices were lower. A large Wellington company, he. said, had a thousand lambs on the market a week ago. and had a thousand for the corresponding week a vear ago. They were the onlv lambs on the market, yet they fetched only 6|d against 7£d last year. He suggested the presence on the Xew Zealand market of some vaguely visible power buying stock. "We buyers don't know who thev are." he said, "but we are wondering perpetually whether they are working for the Meat Trust. We feel that is the power lighting against us, but we do not know its strength. It operates through agents, and is buying at hight rates. We know that the Argentine works have been forced to close down, and we are anxious to know whether there is really operating in Xew Zealand a great power seeking to close us down. Also let me give you an instance. A certain two men 13 years ace were mere clerks at Christchurch. To-day they are buving from Auckland to the Bluff. They buy half a million sheep and lambs in Australia in the season, and they took over a freezing works there. We buyers are all asking ourselves who are these men. Are they merely two clerks who in 13 years have amassed such capital as to be able to command a million of money, or are they just agents of an invulnerable trust? We don't know whom we are bumping."

'■ As an instance cf this profit-sharing system, when I visited Rockford, a thriving city in Illinois," states Mr C. H. Poole, ex-member for Auckland West, " I had a conversation with the editor of the Republican paper there. He informed me that they had no industrial difficulties in all that big manufacturing city, because nearly every industry was on the profit-sharing basis. This policy presents many difficulties, I admit, in its initial stages, but success is justifying its adoption." A drowning' accident was narrowly averted on the St. Clair beach about a quarter past 1 yesterday afternoon. It seems that a man got into difficulties, and a young man named Robert Stout pluckily went to his assistance. The rescuer, however, was much embarrassed by the one in peril, who clung to Mr Stout desperately. A warning had been given, and some members of the Life Saving Club got the life-line out, and went to the assistance of the pair, who were taken out of the water. They were not unconscious, but were very much fatigued by their unpleasant experience. At a meeting of the executive of the Farmers' Union at Timaru on Saturday the question of tho tariff on wheat and flour from Australia was discussed. The opinion was expressed, that it would not be a bad thing if Australian wheat were prohibited from entering the Dominion unless the local price exceeded 4s or 4s 6d per bushel. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman to look into in conjunction with others interested, and to take whatever action thought desirable. There were about 500 guests at the annual banquet of the Chamber of Commerce of Rochester, New York, each with a telephone receiver at his ear listening to a speech delivered on December 10 nt the White House by President Wilson. The President had been strongly urged to attend the function in person, but declined, saying that he must adhere to the rule he had made that he would pay no visits during the first year of his residence at tho capital. The committee thereupon adopted the novel scheme of having a speech delivered by the President over the telephone to their members,. and, Dr Wilson readily assented.

The Anderson Bav Horticultural Society held a meeting on "Friday evening, whicft was well attended, and much enthusiasm was shown in the coming shpw. The sweet pea and rose growers will show some of their latest novelties. The following judges were appointed:—Sweet peas, Mr James Rennie; decorative work, Mrs B. C. Haggitt and Mrs A. Lee Smith, jun. ; pot plants, cut flowers other than sweet peas, fruit ; and vegetables, Mr Nathaniel Gordon (Sawyers Bay). The question of promoting the teaching of agriculture in New Zealand was mentioned at the annual meeting of the University Senate this morning. It was stated by the Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) in his annual report that although much was being done to encourage agriculture, all that had been done was not all required, and he hoped that at no distant date there would be professors of agriculture in all the affiliated institutions of the University. The Senate also had the subject brought under their notice by the New Zealand Educational Institute,' who wrote urging that agriculture be made a subject for junior scholarships, and also for the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. The institute's letter was referred to the Science Committee of the Senate. The international aspect of sport was alluded to by the Prime Mniister of Australia (Mr Cook) at a luncheon to the visiting American baseballars recently. "In playing your game here, - ' he told the visitors, "you are playing a far bigger, more important, and "far-reaching game than is apparent on the surface. These national sports of ours are greater unifying forces between the nations of the world to-day than anything else .1 know of. I was talking to the Swedish Consul the other day, and he told mo that the knowledge of Australia had increased wonderfully in Europe since we have been sending competitors to the Olympic Games." So, added Mr Cook, would games tend to draw closer still the bonds of friendship, affection, and good-will between the great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race, America and Australia. " In the human mind there are certain 'twists' or 'kinks.' more or less common to all mankind, which lead us, as a race, to think and act in an illogical manner." So, in the course of an address on ' Some Common Mistakes,' declared Professor Bompas Smith, director of the Education Department of the University of Manchester, the other day. He pointed out that one of the most notable of these almost universal errors was the tendency to believe whatever one is told, without thinking for oneself whether the statement is likely to be true. Another prevalent error is that of a man who. when in a crowd, becomes infected not only with the views but with the emotions of those around him. The third "twist" led a man to adhere stubbornly to his preformed views, though they were conclusively proved to be. fallacious. Fines of £3 each, with alternatives of 14 da3's' imprisonment, were recorded at the I Port Chalmers Court this forenoon against ' Clifford Lock and Harry Crabb, ship's coal trimmers, for repeatedly using obscene language in a loud tone of voice in Beach street between 9 and 10 o'clock on Saturday night. The accused were not present in court, as they had been liberated on bail in order to go away in the ship, the Waiwera, yesterday morning. The Port Chalmers Police are proceeding against five people on charge's of trespassing on the railway line between Port Chalmers and Mihiwaka. Complaints have been made of trespass on that portion of the railway line. In the case of a Wellington hotelkeeper charged with having emplnv-ed an unregistered barmaid, the Inspector of Police said the hotel was well conducted, hut th? police had discovered there a vaunti woman who admitted that she had M-rve-.l in the hotel and had t<dd the defendant that she was registered. However, the polios thought the defendant; should have demanded to see the girl's ■ccTlilicates. The prosecution was brought with the object of making the licensee moiy careful. Mr ! Myers, for the defendant, said that his j client had made reasonable inquiries. The i list, of registered barmaids contained the name of Edith Burton, whereas the girl's name was Mary. While upholding the police in the view that licensees should require production of certificates-. th" Magistrate (says an Association wire) v.\io satisfied that th? defendant had acted in a bona fide manner, and dismissed the case.

Professor T. A. Hunter (Victoria College) has giver: notice to the Stnate of the University of Xew Zealand to rr.ove that the present purely external system of examination for degrees in arts, and science, he abolished, and in place thereof there be >-et up for each subject an examining branch consisting of the responsible teachers, of that subject, in tho four college? ; provided that in any subject the Senate may appoint an examiner from without the teachmn- staffs of the colleges, and such examiner slnll have? right of veto, ar, in the University of Wales.

A Oreymouth telegram ftntes that in tho Magistrate's Court today Professor Norwood wa-s fined £3 for obstructing a footpath. He allegedly hypnotised a subject in tho window of a business place in the town, and thus caused a crowd to collect. Two married women were fined £lO and £2 106 respectively for assault and for hurling epithets at members of the new union at Blackball.

The St. Kilda Municipal Band played a fine programme of music at tho Botanical Gardens yesterday afternoon in thu presence of a large crowd. The programme included the contest march, ' Imperial Echoes ' ; cornet solo, ' The Soul's Awakening ' ; selection, ' A Souvenir of Spain ' ; hymn, ' Lead, Kindly Light' ; march, ' Islack Dyke'; hymn, "Sun of My-Soul'; concert valse, ' Queen of Rubies ' ; selection, ' The Abyssinian Expedition ' ; chorus, ' The Hallelujah'; and quickstep, 'The Imperator.' The band had arranged to play again in the evening, and assembled at 8.15, as advertised, but an unforeseen difficulty cropped up—the electric light had not been turned on. Tho band played two pieces in the dark, and a couple later on, when the light was available, but by this time it wa.s late, and the programme was not completed. Tire members of the band wero naturally very much disappointed at last night's contretemps, and are anxious that the public should know that it was not due to their neglect in any way. The collections during the day were excellent, and the members are confident that the sum necessary to take them to Auckland will be forthcoming. Professor Hight (Canterbury) gave notice at the meeting of the University Senate at the Otago University this morning to move that the Christchurch Committee collect information regarding the cost and practicability of establishing a University Press, and report to the Senate at the next annual meeting.

Just opened, new photographic goods; best brands of plates, paper?, mounts, etc. always in stock. At Gill's, Frederick street: tel. 1,144. Agent for Harrington. N.Z., Ltd. -Udvt.J Watson's No. 10 is a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth the money.— [Advt,] If you wish the service* of llr Morris personally, ho now makes portraits at his horn* or garden studio, 554 George street; telephone 859.—[Advt.] New preparations.—Parmint for coughs, bisurated magnesia, jettaline. mercolised wax, l.ivona At Wilkinson and Son's, chemists.— [Advt.l A glass of Speight's beer at lunch and supper is better than all the tea in China.— [Advt.] Mr J. Steadman (Acme Photo Co.), Georg* street, would like you to look at soms superb enlargements on the new Acme and other paper. Telephone 965.—[Adrt.J Men who know what good whisky is ask for Watsons, No. 10.—[Advt.]