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Evening Star, Issue 18160, 28 December 1922, Page 4

There was a mild sensation at the Wingatui racecourse yesterday when a column of smoke was seen issuing from the back of the grand stand in the outside enclosure. A member of the racecourse staff rushed to the scene with a reel of hose, but fortunately this was not needed, _ as the fire had been extinguished with a jug of water -from the bar. It was stated that the incipient outbreak was caused by a careless smoker throwing a lighted cigarette on the stand.

A Gore Association message states that the eighteenth annual summer dominion conference of the Presbyterian Church Bible classes is being hold there. Over 1,000 visitors are in the town. A civic welcome was extended the delegates last evening. The mornings and evenings are being devoted to meetings, and the afternoons to sport. The conference concludes on January 3. Not many of. our theatregoers can carry back their recollection of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ to its introduction upon the Dunedin stage. According to our records, the first presentation of this great work in August of 1869,. when the stock company in which J. Eaynes and Mrs Harry Jackson were the principals put on one programme at the old Princess Theatre portions of ‘ Hamlet,’ 1 Tho Merchant of Venice,’ and ‘Othello.’ The following month the English actor Henry Talbot came to Dunedin and gave the piece as a full night’s programme. The cost included J. J. Bartlett, Woolfo, Joyce, Forde, Mrs Harry Jackson, Jennie Nye, and Gassy Matthews, ,

"The task confronting ns during the coming year,” states the January issue of tho ‘ Public Service Journal,’ “is to perfect our organisation so that our views' may be more steadily .and surely pressed in quarters where most results may be_ expected. Make no mistake about it, your individual actions aro mote limited (in fact, they are deliberately barred by statute) than those of your organisation, which is the only service outlet recognised by the Government, and) it is necessary in your’own interests, if you improvement and maintenance of conditions, to strongly support and further the interests of tho Public Service Association,”

Our Christchurch correspondent telegraphs that at the Church of England Men’s Society conference a remit from the Waiapu Diocesan Conference _ urging the preservation of Sunday primarily as a day of worship and for rest, and appealing to sportsmen in the highest of the nation to refrain from all kinds of organised .sport on that day, was moved by the Ref. 0. Gibson. An amendment was moved by tho Rev. S. Parr to delete the words “and for rest,” on_ tho grounds that the words might bo misinterpreted to mean inaction. Canijp Wilford seconded the amendment. The Rev. W. Bullock said they could only discuss the matter of Sunday observance from tho Christian standpoint. They had no right to foist restrictions upon non-Christian people. Hie chairman said that tho justification for tho appeal to non-Christians was given in the words “ in tho highest interests of the nation.” The amendment was carried.

At to-day’s sitting of the Police Court, before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., John Short, who appeared a week ago on a charge of drunkenness and was remanded for medical treatment, was convicted, and ordered to pay 36s expenses. Work on tho cutting back of Black Jack’s is suspended during the holidays. Mr Wilkie, engineer of the Otago Harbor Board, estimates that about a third of the hewing is done, and that the remainder of the work, including tho forming of tho straight lino to the point, will take a year.

A big shark was seen on Saturday evening swimming close to the esplanade at Seatown (says the Wellington ‘ Post ’) in a. locality which is a favorite spot for bathers. It was wrestling with a conger eel. An alarm was raised,, and Mr Mohrs, who lives near the wharf, shot the shark in the head. It came in shore, and there, mortally wounded, it was hauled over the stones on to ths esplanade to Mr 11. J. Wyatt’s store, where it was hung up for all) to see. It measured Bft 9in in length and 4ft in girth. The capture of the shark made no difference to tho popularity of bathing on Sunday and Monday. At the inquest on William Jack, who committed suicide at Linwood, Christchurch, on Friday, evidence wqs given: that after lie had been found hanging the body was left in that *position for two hours. The coroner at the end of the inquiry said: “I feel it my duty to remark on the fact that the proper course for a person when he finds anyone who has hanged himself or has been found jn the water, is to satisfy himself whether life is extinct. In the case of a man. found hanging the first thing to do is to cut the body down. This young man was left hanging. At least three people saw him, but no one thought of cutting him down. It may be that he hanged himself not long before the body was discovered. I suppose it is that people have a natural abhorrence of death and do not like to touch a body. Of course, it is a shock to the relatives, but I must draw the attention of the public to the fact that in hanging cases the first thing they should do is to cut the body down.”

Touching briefly upon irritation methods in the course of a leading article, the ‘ Public Service Journal ’ questions whether there is the necessary cohesion and singleness of purpose in the association, comprising thirty-six departments and 7,000 officers, to effect a general cessation of work throughout the service. “ Our ranks,” the writer states, “comprise every_ class of worker, from the professional scientist to the laboring charwoman, with traditions, ideas, and interests as wide apart as the Poles. But even granting that such cohesion were possible, would such. _a strike gain the desired end? Unhesitatingly No. Our employer—the State, the people —lias resources of men and money limited only by, the country’s hounds, and,_ further, has tho force of public opinion, which goes hand in hand' with the organisation of government. From the_ points of view both of policy and of principle, strikes for our service are impracticable and undesirable.”

One of the .important Christmastide functions in Dunedin this week was the organ recital given on St. Paul’s Cathedral organ last night by Mr Ethelbert Hey wood. It served as a delightful relief to the jaunty, side of the Chrstmaa revels, and was so enjoyed by a large congregation. Mr Heywood’s comprehensive powers as an organist enabled him to explore and expound over a rich field of subject. The programme included the allegro, adagio, and andante of •Mendelssohn’s ‘ First a Christmas piece by A. Adam, Handel s ‘ Pastoral Symphony,’ the ‘ Unto Us ’ chorus, fantasia by Crison, a pastorale by Best, and the ‘Hallelujah Chorus.’ _Mr Harry Drake, the singer of the occasion, chose ‘lf With All Tour Hearts’ from ‘ Elijah ’ and ‘Bo Thou Faithful,’ and delivered each of these famous solos with force and meaning.

The Otago Early Settlers’ museiim has been very numerously attended during the holidays, the visitors including many from remote parts of the dominion. Right through New Zealand this museum is talked of as unique. The only day it closes in the year is Christmas Day. _ The mast recent addition to the exhilyis is an oil painting of Port Chalhiers in the days when the buildings in view from the bay numbered not mo-re than twenty. The steamer Pirate at anchor is the principal object in the foreground. Captain T. Robertson, of Port Chalmers, was the painter of this picture. It was presented to the museum by Mrs Reid, of Elderslic. Traffic by rail, tram, and harbor ferry svas only equal to that of ordinary times to-day. Still a fair number of people are on holiday bent, and the expresses both north and south were well filled with longdistance travellers. The tramway takings over all lines yesterday amounted to £3OO, an increase of £1 on the same day last year. The traffic by the harbor ferries was fairly light to-day. _ The improved conditions induced more picnickers to visit tlio various beaches than was the case yesterday. An oversea mail landed at Wellington yesterday from the Moeraki reached Dunedin this afternoon. The mail comprised 66 bags and 29 parcel receptacles from the United Kingdom, and 33 bags and 9 hampers from Australia. The contents will be delivered in the city and suburbs tomorrow morning. The Maunganui, which arrived at Wellington early this morning from San Francisco, brought 1,367 bags and receptacles of mails from the United Kingdom and America for New Zealand. The Dunedin portion is expected- to come to hand to-morrow afternoon. \ Watson's No. 10 is a Utile dearer tin most whiskies, but is worth tho money.-* fAdrt.] For best variety and value Xmas toys and novelties we recommend Todd’s While House, George street.—[Advt.’J lie nip for nippy winter weather—Wateon’s No. 10. flue old Scotch whisky.— [Advt.l We hare no patience with slavery in any form; hence our enthusiasm for “No-rub-bing ” Laundry Help, the rescuer of beautiful womanhood from the thraldom of washboard slavery.—Star Stores.—[Advt.] Ladies recommend Martin’s Xplol and Steel Pills. Sold by all ohqmieta and storesSee you gat the genuine.—[Advt.l