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Evening Star, Issue 17767, 15 September 1921, Page 4

Tho digging at the Southern Reservoir by the two electric shovels is proceeding at a good pace. Mr M’Curdie says that practice is’making the men expert, and that the daily cutting now is at a higher rat© than at any time since the job was started. There" is some talk of i making two shifts when tho • daylight becomes a little longer. In that connection it may ho remarked that tho sun crosses the line next week. Three hundred persons attended the meeting at Invercargill last night at which Mr C. E. Statham expounded the aims and intentions of the National Party. The mayor (Mr Lillicrap) presided. It was a peculiarly attentive audience, and Mr Statham must have made the position clear, for nobody rose when questions were invited. The Otago Acclimatisation Society has sent out 620,000 trout ova this season, mostly to fill northern orders, but including a consignment of 120,000 for Geelong, which went across in the Paloona, and, thanks largely to the care taken by the ship's company, arrived m excellent condition.. In the carrying of fish eggs very much depends on the attention given in transit, and a protracted journey is always injurious, if not fatal. A recently-sent shipment of 200,000 for Nelson took six days to deliver, owing to the vessel calling at so many ports, and a large propo--tion of the ova went bad.. The Paloona landed her lot at Melbourne after a voyage of five days. The ova supplied by tho Otago Society is of three kinds—rainbow', brown, and Loch Leven. Nearly every express from Dunedin to the North during the past week has been so well patronised ns to need extra cars. This morning’s 11.15 train was about full when she started. Tho test football match at Wellington on Saturday is causing tho extra traffic.

Another effect of the recent Great War has been to make out of date maps of Europe which are used in our public schools. This produced an interesting discussion at to-day’s meeting of the Education Board. The George Street committee wrote applying for Phillip’s new map of Europe to be supplied. The senior inspector said he thought schools ought to have a map of Europe, but ho was not sure whether there were any with the latest apportionment of boundaries. Some of the schools bad maps with Czccho-Slavia and Jugo-Slavia marked. It was decided to hold over tho application, inquiries to be made in the meantime regarding the best maps. In the Magistrate’s Court this morning judgment by default, with costs, was given for plaintiffs in the matter Butterworth Bros., Ltd. v. Richard P. Gray (flhristchurcfli), a claim for £36 6s 9d, amount due' on promissory note. Two judgment summonses were also dealt with. Sarah Burleigh sued John Sutherland for ss, balance due on tho judgment, and the defendant, who did not appear, 1 " w r as ordered to pay the amount forthwith, with costs (6s), in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. An order was also made against G. E. Pope for payment forthwith of £l7 Bs, judgment for which had been given in favor of David Milligan, of Wellington. The costs in this case were 20s, and tho default three weeks’ imprisonment.

A large European and American mail is on board the steamer Tahiti, which is due at Wellington on Saturday morning from San Francisco. The local postal authorities have been advised that the Dunedin portion comprises 125 hags. These are expected to come to hand on Monday after, noon, and tho contents will bo delivered in the city and suburbs on Tuesday morning.

The singing at sight class that Mr T. K. Sidey spoke of yesterday is established in Brisbane, not in Sydney. As the Otago Acclimatisation Society does not ask for a return of hawks’ claws till three months have passed, there is no sign at present as to how the killing of these birds is getting on. It is, however, thought that the rewards will stimulate those country folk who dislike the hawk. Not many farmers aro likely to enter upon this crusade; they say tho hawk is their friend as a rabbit-killer. But thoro ara numbers of country residents who reckon they are doing good service in waging war oa these birds of prey, as retaliation for their destruction of native birds and both native and imported game. There is plenty of evidence as to this destruction. Ono observant sportsman tells of how a hawk will patiently watch a clutch of ducklings essaying a swim in 3 pool, and harass thorn by making them keep on diving, until at last ho can pick up the tired duckling at his ease, lifting one at every swoop. From another man the society has been told of his ■watch, by the margin of a stream where a paradise duck had, brought forth a clutch, of ten. Every day a hawk hovered over this nest, ancl in a, week ho had robbed tho mother bird of the lot. A third story relates to the carrying off* of two grown Indian Runners. The hawks are also very destructive on eggs. Central Otago is the part of the country most frequented by the hawks. The New Zealand AlKance wrote to the Education Board to-day asking the board’s approval of an essay competition for chil- ’ dren of public schools, the subject being ‘ Alcohol and the Human Body and Mind. The chairman (Mr J. Wallace) remarked that the Canterbury Board had rejected the proposal A discussion followed, in which Mr Horn said the Alliance would probably use tho essays for advertising purposes. Another member: “No one who Vrites a pro-alcohol essay would get tho prize, although the essay might be tho best from the literary point of view.’’ Tho chairman said that while he saw no harm in the proposal he objected to the Alliance having sent circulars to schools before consulting the board. He did not like the subject going to the schools as a party question. The chief Inspector said the use of alcohol was already in tho hygiene or health programme in tho schools. Tho Chairman: “ The AlKance should be told that nothing should be sent through the schools without first coming before the body governing the schools.*’ On the motion of Mr M'Kinlay, seconded by Mr Wilkinson, it was decided to give the board’s approval to tho scheme. A further motion was carried that no circulars were to be sent to schools unless through the • board.

A Hamilton Association message states that there is still great interest being displayed in the Ongaroto murder trial. The evidence is tho same as was taken at the previous trials regarding the finding of the body and tho incidents at the camp and in the two-up school. The Kaikorai School' Committee applied to the Education Board to-day for parmission to erect a memorial arch on tho Tyne street entrance to the school. The architect’s recommendation being favorable, the board granted the request of the committee,

Mr forecast, comlhunicated at 1.35 p.m.:—Squally S.W. to N.W. winds, and cold rain showers after twelve hours.

There is practically no work offering on the Dunedin waterfront at the present time, and the pay roll of the local watersiders will be very small this week in consequence. The three or four ships which have visited the port during the week provided employment .for a few gangs, but many of the men have barely earned sufficient to pay the rent. One of the single men who has been working on the wharves for several years, and who is looked upon .as a steady, .-reliable worker, reporter that he had not earned sufficient to pay his board for several weeks past, and one could imagine, therefore, the hardships of the married workers. This young man, in spite of the dull period, is one of the free and happy kind, and ho hopes, like many others, to “ earn a few bob in due course with which to .pay his landlady and buy a few smokes.” Tho Corinna provided work for a number of gangs from 8 'a.m. until 4 p.m. yesterday, and a few men were engaged to-day to work tho Hama. With the exception of This vessel and the coastal steamer Kotare, which is laid up, the wharves are desefrted, and the whole waterfront to-day boro a very desolate appearance. There is little prospect of an improvement for some time, as tho only vessels expected are several coasters, and these may arrive at long intervals. Taken altogether, the married men who look to the waterfront for a living are having a very bad time. The effect of the hardening of the money market and the consequent upward tendency in regard to bank interest is now spreading to the people’s banks, and the “small” man and woman whose thrift has enable*} them to put a little by for a rainy day are to get tho benefit of the market. The Dunedin Savings Bank, for instance, announces that the rate of interest on deposits in its case has been raised to 4*J per cent, as from October 1. As these deposits are practically at call this is a distinct advance on rates that are allowed for moneys deposited for a fixed period and on the return that was obtainable on savings a few years ago. John Davidson was before the Police Court this morning on charges of drunkenness and disobedience of a maintenance order in respect of his child. Defendant said that he had been in hospital for six months, and had been unable to got work since. Tho court hooka showed, however, that he had made no payments under the order since October, 1919. On the charge of drunkenness defendant was fined 40s, in default seven days’ imprisonment, and on tho second charge was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor, to be released on payment of tho arrears (£36 17s Bdl.

The conviction of Aliss 11. Wcilzol, graduate nt Victoria College on a charge ot circulating seditious literature, was mentioned at the meeting* of the Victoria College Council last night, when it was decided that a special committee he set np to inquire into specific questions raised by the Director of Education in this connection. During (lie discussion (says a Wellington message) it was pointed out that Miss Wei Del was not a student at the college at the present time. She finished her course at the college, in November, 1920, and had not become connected with (ho Communists till April of this year. Tho foliowing resolution was also passed without discussion;—“This council regrets that tho Minister ot Education, prior to holding tho inquiry asked for, thought it proper to make a public ctatement through tho Press which is very prejudicial to tho reputation of the college.”

“Present indications all point to the conclusion that sheepowners, speaking generally, will have no difficulty in obtaining all the labor required,'’ said Dir Nicholson, secretary of tho Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, yesterday (reports a Christchurch Press Association message). “Applications for shearing are coming in freely, and those shearers with whom 1 have come in contact since the award was made have almost without exception expressed their satisfaction at tho court’s decision.” Economy i.s making itself felt in tho precincts of tho new Parliament Buildings in Wellington, When furnishing was originally considered, about £20,000 was mentioned as the figure necessary to equip tho building in a style in keeping with its permanence and importance; but the actual expenditure is little more than onethird of the amount, owing to many money-saving devices which have 'been adopted. The most important saving has been effected in the matter of carpets, for which, as far as possible, cheap floor covering material substituted. Mails which left ■Wellington on August 2 (par R.M.S. Tahiti via San Francisco) arrived in London on September 9.

A London cable states that in the American singles championship Anderson (Australia) defeated Williams (America), 6-3, 6-5, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4. A motor car, the occupants of which are in the habit of firing guns and flashing a searchlight), has been causing considerable uneasiness among residents of Orakei (near Auckland), at night time for some months past (says the ‘ Herald ’), Mr T. Coates, who recently reported the matter to the police, is offering a reward of £5 to anyone who will furnish information which will lead to the conviction of those responsible for this strange behaviour, Mr Contes states that the European and Maori residents of Orakei have been much disturbed over this menace. “ This mad exhibition,” he says, 11 usually commences at 7 o’clock in the evening and continues at intervals until 3 o’clock in Hie morning, Apart from tip} noise made by the reports of the guns, there is always the danger that stock might be injured, if not actually destroyed. The flashing of the searchlight, in addition, is likely to cause accidents on the road.” Mr Coates said it frequently happened that settlers were out driving at night, and their horses were apt to he frightened by the brilliant light from tho car, and become restive. He predicted a serious, if not a fatal, accident if tho practice was not speedily checked. ‘Asked if tho motorists engaged in rabbit-shooting, Mr Coates said ho did not know, hut added that this could not be accepted as a valid excuse for their weird escapades.

Some time ago the Southland League was approached with a view to obtaining particulars and the estimated cost for tho purchase of a boat suitable for tho Stewart Island service. The' matter was taken up and inquiries made through the High Commissioner, with the result that *ecently tho Hpn. W. Kosworthy received thg following cablegramßeferring to your inquiry in regard to the Stewart Island service, I have been offered the steamer Black Tulip, built in 1800, 100 tons register and 32 tons net, length 100 ft, breadth 17ft 6in, depth Bft Bin, triple expansion average speed 13 knots. She is fitted with a large saloon, three state rooms, and has a largo deck space suitable for the accommodation of about 200 daylight passengers. ' The cost of the vessel would bo approximately £4,000.” The secretary of the league, Mr J. E. Winsioe, said he had sought expert advice in regard to the suitability of the vessel for the Stewart Island service, and understood that it could also bo used for carrying passengers to Milford. It was estimated that the cost of bringing the vessel out to these waters would bo about £I,OOO, and that Jim annual continuous running expenses would amount to about £5,500. If tho Government granted tho £I,OOO subsidy promised it would slightly lower tho working expenses, which, it was considered, could he made up by the passenger traffic during the tourist season. For tho remainder of the ay ear the vessel could probably bo used in tho coastal trade, and all money received in this way would go toward paying tho initial expenditure.

Cr Taverner, chairman of the Finance Committee, made a short and clear statement to the City Council last night as to the 6 per cent, redemption loan. He said that £165,000 had been so far subscribed in cash, and promises to renew by holders of old bonds canio to £120,000. The total reply to date from the citizens was therefore £285,000 out of the £426,000 required. Tho committee regarded the position as quite satisfactory, and believed that tell whole of the balance (£141,000) would come in. Nothing was being done in the way of a boom, but the committee was keeping the matter before the public, and felt justified in aserting' that the (investment was unequalled

* The number of passengers carried by (the Wellington city tramways during its past year’s operations was 37,296,414, which represents an average of 414 rides per capita on the assumption that tho population of tho city and suburbs is OTOOO. Including the mileage run on tho Miramar and Scatonn lines from February 1, 1921 (the date of Miramar’s incorporation with the city), the total mileage for tho year amounted to 3,139,011 miles.

Watson’s No. 10 is a little clearer than most whiskies, but is worth tho money.— [Advt.] Washday drudgery was knocked out in the first round with that remarkable Laundry Help—l“ No-Rubbing.”—[Advt,] A .mooting of clergy and Sunday c-chool teachers will he held in St. Paul’s Scuco.roorn this evening. 'His Lordship tho Bishop' has consented to preside and address thomeeting. A large attendance is expected, to arrange for the annual examination ami other matters of interest to the Diocesan Sunday Schools Association. Biggest and best value household crockery obtainable Todd's White 'House, George street.—[Advt.] “ Cheerio.” Conviviality and friendship suggest tho best—Watson's Ho. 10 Whisky. —[Advt.] Tho Unique Entertainers—a. clever local combination—give an entertainment in the Eoslyn Theatre on Tuesday, September 27. Ladies recommend Martin’s Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all chemists and stores. See you get the genuine.—[Advt.]