Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 18239, 2 April 1923, Page 6

The city streets were fairly quiet on Saturday. bine weather prevailed, and the various sports were carried out under pleasant auspices. The cricket match between Otago and Southland was very poorly patronised, and there was only a fair attendance at the tennis tournaments. The railway traffic on Saturday was not particularly heavy, hut it was in advance of that of Easter Saturday of last year. To-morrow Lot lx the' incoming and outgoing trains will bo fairly heavily laden, as the holiday-makers leave for and return to their homes. Tho weather yesterday was unsettled. Large _ numbers, however, made tho trip by ferry boat to the various bays about the harbor, most of them returning home by the early boats. Members of the Alhambra and Menvalo (Christchurch) football teams wont to the Spit yesterday in the Tarcwai and spent an enjoyable day. Again this morning (lie weather was cold. The 9.30 ferry boat carried about 6CO passengers to the various bays and a like number went by the 10.30 boat. An Association telegram from Invercargill states that Alexander Wilson, a stock buyer, aged forty-seven, and married, committed suicide in a private hospital by hanging himself from a chain fixed above bis bed. He had been in bad health for some time, and nervous and despondent. A brief silting of the City Police Court was held this morning before,Mr J. R. Bartholomew. S.M. A first offender for drunkenness, who had been locked up since Saturday night, was convicted and discharged. Hugh MM.cod. who did not, appear on a charge of drunkenness, was fined £1 (the amount of his hail), with tin alternative of forty-eight hours’ impr'.sonment. In the case of a woman charged with setting fire to a dwellinghouse a remand was granted for a wee;; on the, application of Sub-inspector Eccles. It pays to advertise. Recently an enterprising Wanganui undertaking firm wrote to the Hospital Board asking for permission to erect its business sign in the morgue at the local institution, states tin; ‘ Chronicle.’ “In tho what?” asked one of tho members in tones of surprise. “ L move that permission bo not given,” said another member, and the resolution was carried unanimously.

An Auckland resident, .Mr Charles | .Sehrneder, manager of the Auckland CoI operative Society, Ltd., Symoud.s street, has been missing from his home since .March S (says the Auckland ‘ Herald On- that day ho left for Frankton .1 unction on business, He was last seen at Palmerston North on .March 15. Mr Schroeder, who is believed to bo sufferI ing from loss of memory, is described as j a man about fifty years of aye, with a j brown moustache and hair turning grey. He was dressed in a navy serge suit, with a dark grey overcoat with silk facings. He speaks with a foreign accent. The dangers of the pea rifle in the hands of boys were again illustrated at ' Christchurch on Friday morning, when a 'lady who was visiting Mount Pleasant (one of the Cashmere Hills) was shot through the wrist by a si ray bullet. The lady was tidying her hair when it is supposed that her hand was mistaken for a white rabbit by some lads who were out for sport. The sufferer was quickly motored to the Christchurch Hospital, where she received immediate attention, and was permitted to return to her home. The police have the matter in hand. An effort to organise a big carnival week for Wellington similar to those held at Auckland during the races at Easter and in Christchurch during November, is being made by the ’Wellington Progress League. The example of Dunedin’s Carnival Week was not mentioned. “ I am not one of those who advocate free university education for all,” said the Hon. Sir It. Heaton Ithodes at the opening of a new school near Christchurch. “ I believe that such free education should be for those who are most likely to benefit from it, and not for all, and sundry. I had a good university education myself, audl have always fell the benefit of it, and I think that all who show aptitude should have a chance. I would like to see all win their way by scholarship to the university.” ,

The Director of Education lias issued a circular to education boards and boards of governors of secondary schools and technical high schools, pointing out that section 11 of the Education Act of 1921-22 provides that teachers had to make an oath of allegiance, and managers of private schools were liable to a fine of £SO if this was not complied with. ,Tho department desired to kpow if tlm provision of the Act had teen complied-with by all teachers, and if steps bad been taken to see that all jicwly-appointed teachers and those who re-entered the service bad taken the oath.

(Speaking at a complimentary luncheon tendered him by the Chamber of Commerce on the eve of his departure from Samoa, Colonel Tate, Administrator, referrod_ to the question of elective representation. That was a most difficult problem, he said, in a community such as Samoa. Tho necessary legislation had been ready for Parliament last year. It would bo placed before the House Ibis year, and bo thought ho could say that it was certain to pass. It was hoped that the Prime Minister would ho able to visit Samoa and put the machinery into motion. A bigger task than that which has been set for Dunedin, in raising a balance of £6,0C0, required for a war memorial, at tho rate of £I,OOO a week, is being undertaken by Wellington. There an intensive personal campaign is being organised to raise £25,000 in a fortnight, beginning on April 26. One hundred and thirty sectional committees are being formed to do the collecting, and all churches are being requested to devote their Anzac Day collections to the fund. The amount of £25,000 was fixed as the probable cost of a -symbolical memorial, to surpass anything of the kind that is being elsewhere erected in Australia or New Zealand, on the advice of Mr W. H. Cummer, of Auckland, appointed on the recommendation of tho Institute of Architects to advise tho committee. Tho position of the memorial movements in various centres of the dominion is now ns follows Auckland has decided in favor of a memorial museum to cost £200,000, and has already raised £145.000. Christchurch lias raised some £24,000 for a Bridge of .Remembrance and a column. Dunedin is to erect a memorial at a cost of £IO,OOO, and has in hand some £4,000, Invercargill lias subscribed DIO.OCO, of which £8,500 has been already spent on its monument.

Tho question of military -defaulters and their connection amateur sport in New Zealand was brought under tho notice of the New Zealand Rugby- Union’s executive last week by a letter from Iho general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. A request was made that the Rugby Union seriously consider whether such people should Tie allowed to participate in view of their faihjre to aid the Empire in its hour of need) Was it fair that men who “defaulted” in the greatest game of all were now on the same footing in sport as they were in 1914? The Returned .Soldiers’ Association was strongly against the existing condition which allowed military- defaulters —“in other words, _ men who in practice do not believe in justice or Jaw and order ” —to take equal places with the rest of the community in the pursuits which were boasted of as being one of, if not the, greatest, factors in moulding nur race. It was decided that unions should be circularised with a view to giving effect to the Returned Soldiers’ Association’s wishes.

frtevvart Island is a bird sanctuary, and sportsmen are not allowed to discharge guns there. The matter of not being allowed and shooting are, however, entirely different things, and a 'Wcllinglmiiau who was for several weeks a member of a party on the island stales that the party had a splendid time and (he "shooting was of the best ” (says the 'Wellington • Post ’)• Judging by tile variety of dishes described as being' enjoyed, the praise of the shooting was justified, and guns were freely used. It was mentioned to the speaker that Stewart Island was a bird sanctuary, and shooting was not allowed, and the'reply was that nobody appeared to worry much about that. It is not long since the New Zealand Institute decided that shooting of dtnjr, which are committing depredations on the island, could not be ‘’’’allowed, as (ho birds might be disturbed, but it is pointed nut that the shooting of deer will not disturb the birds nearly so much as will indiscriminate pichiic parties.

A numerical romparsion of the staffs omnloyo-d during German and British omipation of Samoa was made this week by Colonel Tate, ex-Administrator of the man dated territory. The Gorman administration, with the approval ol the Government at Berlin, provided for a staff for 1915 of seventy-three; the present European staff numbered ninety-five, wnilo additional officers had been appointed to the educational and medical services and the radio station. During the GermaiprcHmo the educational stalf numbered five, whereas it was now nine. In the medical service the staff had been increased from six to nineteen, while seven men were employed at the radio station. Ihe native .Samoans employed in the Public Sen ice, were given every encouragmont to cjualify for promotion, said Colonel Unto, classes being held on three afternoons a week for their benefit. It was hnpcd_ that in course of time all the junior positions now held by Europeans would be held by native Samoans and persons born in Samoa, and that Europeans from overseas would ho required only for senior positions such as heads of departments. As a reoult of the. seizure of instruments nt. the recent Dunedin contest, the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Band lias gone mil of existence, but the members, desiring to keep the. combination together, formed a new band, amt approached the Wellington Harbor Board with a. request to take the organisation under its jurisdiction. The request has been acceded to, and the hand will be known ns the Port Nicholson Marino Band. Three members of the Harbor Board—Messrs J. G. Darkness (chairman), IT. I). Bennett, and G. Mitchell—are; to bo associated with the Band Goinmitteo to assist in matters of administration, and the board will give an annual subsidy to the band's funds. The band is now in no way connected with the W atersiders’ Union, and all its property '"ill be under the trusteeship of the Harbor Board. Through Messrs C'has. Bcgg and Co., of Dunedin, the baud lias been equipped with a complete set of new Besson instruments, and the tirst public appearance of the band was made last evening at the Wellington Grand Opera-house, when a recital was given. As the, band is without uniforms, a campaign is being started to raise £I,COO to place the new organisation on a proper financial basis. The band is regarded as a groat musical asset to Wellington. Writing to a member of the ‘Star’ stall’, -Mr P- Bourke, chairman of the Hand Committee, stales that “the men are very keen .about the new band, and everything promises a. successful career.”

The actor’s art may lie appraised in a variety of ways, but it is doubtful if a better” tribute” could be paid Ilian that accorded some of the players in ‘ 1 he Sentime n-tal Bioko’ cm, Saturday night. The play was brimful of humor, and the audience, in ’a holiday mood, appreciated it fully. There was a. tense moment when one of the rogues of the piecty stepped silently in a side door of a room in which stood tha-hero and heroine, and stealthily crossed to leave by another door without their noticing him. It proved too dramatic, however, fen: a male member of the audience in the dress circle. As tho villain neared tho exit, he called, in an appealing tone, “Look out!” to tho huge delight of the others who heard him. No doubt it. was an involuntary exclamation, but to him at any rate the scene was realistically portrayed.

Tho ‘Monthly Abstract of Statistics’ shows that the index number for the three fool groups as at February 15 was 1,496, an increase of 13 points over that for the previous month (1,483), and an increase of 39.81 per cent, over that for July, 1914. A fall of 26 points in the groceries group was due mainly to n fall in tho prices of potatoes and onions. An increase in the prices of butter and eggs accounted for an increase of 33 points in the dairy products group. In the meat group a rise of 48 points was recorded, due mainly to an all-round increase in the juice of mutton.

Hookworm is a- disease which is prevalent in (Samoa, as in most other tropical countries. According to a statement of Colonel Tate, the retiring Administrator, instructional work and curative treatment is being carried out in respect to this malady. It is estimated ijlat hookworm is harbored )iy 90 per re.pt, of (Samoans The story of hookworm and bow to prevent it is being told by moans qf a kineipatograpli film, entitled ‘ Unhooking the Hookworm,’ and by lantern slides on the same subject. At the same time, treatment with carbon tetrachloride, the new_ treatment which has proved successful in Fiji and elsewhere, will be given. By i lie end of this year it is anticipated that- every village will have been visited and everyone treated wjio is fit to lake treatment.

A criticism of the Government’s administration was being made by Mr \V, A. Veitch, M.P., at MorrinsviUe during tho Tanranga ejection campaign, when/a supporter of the Reform Party cried “ Hear, hear,” in a way which indicated that ho did not agree with Mr Veitch’s point of view. Tho interjection, however, caused Mr Veitch to remark, “There's one thing I wish we could say. The runporters of Reform do love and trust their leader. I do wish our people were as loyal to us as Reform supporters arc to Mr Massey."

Comments on the different systems of voting in vogue in Xcw Zealand were made at the hearing of the Oamaru election petition. They arose out of the production of a voting paper with a cross through one name. The question to decide was whether the voter put the cross on the name as the one he desired to vote for, or whether he intended to ( iv-t-s it out. The- Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) said it was certainly very unfortunate in a country like New Zealand that there should bo two methods of voting. Sir John Findlay ; “ It is very confusing.” His Honor : “ It is absurd.”

“ Tho last few years have been years of developmental activities,” states Colonel R. W. Tate, who- has just retired Iroui the Administratorship of Samoa, in reporting upon the island Department oi Health. “The hospital at Apia,” lie adds, “has been considerably enlarged, and lifts crude, unsatisfactory sanitary arrangements of the past have been replaced by tho installation of modern drainage. One outstation at Savaii has been in operation for eighteen months. This year a medical outstation will he established at Aleipata, affording medical aid to- approximately 5.000 people; and several dispensaries, chiefly in association with the various missions, are contemplated at suitable points in both islands. The training of Samoan girls as native nurses has been in operation for four years, and to date twelve have been trained, of whom eight are still in the employ of the Government. Five are at present under training, and another sis: will commence this year. Four Samoan hoys are in training, the intention being to fit thorn for tho position of native inrdical practitioners.”

It is rather singular that while the Government recently decried the use of Java sugar, and actually imposed a duty on sugar for the benefit of the company that refines raw sugar in this country, we are now told that, the Government has entered into a contract for the supply of tins Java sugar, ou the ground that the Fiji product inn is short (states the Rangitikei ‘Advocate’). But Fiji and Java are not the only countries from which this article can bo obtained, and if this matter was left, as it should be, to private enterprise and competition among merchants, there is little doubt that there would be ample supply at a reasonable price. According to the Premier, the Java .sugar will not bo more than J,d per ib dearer than the, Fiji product was, but thou it was previously aliened to he of inferior quality and not suitable for some purposes. Why cannot our Government refrain from interfering and muddling? The, markets for all supplies should ho allowed control only by the law of supply and demand. Moreover. if this- is to bo ,',d per lb dearer, whv not abolish the Id per Ib Customs duty placed on imported sugar?

“In co-operation with other sports organisations through tho Sports Protection League, an effort was made to exempt from amusement tax all sporting bodies .whose sole, object is the fostering of healthy outdoor exercises amongst tho rising generation,” states ilie annual report of the New Zealand Rugby Union. " Unfortunately, the effort was fruitless, although agricultural and pastoral associations were granted relief. The differentiation is hard to understand, for the encouragement of physical development and a love for open-air exercise should he one of the first considerations of the kiale. However, wo have a promise from the Prime Minister flint the position will he reconsidered, and it is Imped this promise will be early given effect to. And this form of taxation abolished.”

The Jewish festival of Passover, lasting eight' days, began on Saturday night.

“There are two boys, one six years and the other .nine years old. They live less than three miles.from the school, yet. they never attend. Their father defies the law because he contends (has the home is more than three miles away. One girl of thirteen years is in Standard 111., and is rather dull. Another is eleven years of age, and is a .little brighter. She ia in Standard ]l. These four children assist their father in milking eighty cows issdit and morning. It should bo slopped.” Such (says the New Phmouth correspondent of the Auckland 'Herald') were conditions in connection with one family in Taranaki described to the Education Board by tho senior inspector, who said the board should know that such conditions existed in the district. He said the attendance oliicer had now stated that the hoys were going to school. A member: “Do (hey milk eighty cows by hand'.'” Mr Valentine: “Yes.” “Full publicity should be given to this case,” said a member,

“and to tho names "as well. Fortunately such cases are not general.”

The climatic conditions were most changeable during the, week-end. The weather was bright mid find on Saturday morning, but there was a sudden shower shortly after 10 a.m. Dull weather prevailed until the evening, when a heavy shower fell a few minutes alter 7 o’clock. The atmosphere cleaved later in the evening. Yesterday morning broke with every promise of a glorious autumn day, the city and suburbs being flooded with bright sunshine from an almost cloudless sky until about 10,50 a.m. The conditions then underwent a sudden change, several light showers falling before midday. Tho afternoon was line, and last night the, conditions wore again almost perfect, the moon being at the full a* id bathing the country with its brilliancy from a cloudless skv. Tho conditions to-day were far from favorable, a cold wind blowing M rough- from tho south-west. • Jt was boisterous at times, and many peuplo preferred to remain in their homes in consequence. Giving evidence before the. Lunacy Commission in Sydney, MissM. I). Onl!e.tt, a member of the Lunacy Deform League, said that she bad been visiting asylums for twelve months, and she hail formed the _ opinion that many people locked up in asylums were * just as sane ns those outside, but they could not get out because nobody knew that they were (here and nobody was allowed to see them. If inquiries were made, declared Miss Gillicit, it would be found that since the Lunacy .Commission was appointed many sane prisoners had been released. In reply to questions, Miss Gillicit said : “ I do not think that (he doctors know that these persons are sane. Doctors do not understand it any more than the man in the street. It is a matter of common sense. 'Flic doctor himself might, he insane. I thought one of the doctors was insane.” Dr Prior, medical superintendent of the I.lydalmere Asylum, said that, provided an ordinary person, questioned an inmate long enough, and had some idea of psychology, lie could tell* whether a person was insane, hut some visitors, after hearing a few sane sentences, ran away with dhc idea that the person was sane. When New Zealand was drawing supplies of wheat from Australia in 19M (says the Melbourne- ‘ Argus ’), the opinion was expressed in the dominion that the prices charged by the Australian Wheat Board were unwarranted. The Minister of Agriculture of New Zealand (Mr Nos-

worthy) made reference to the question the other day when replying to criticisms of the decision of the Ministi-y to maintain the embargo on the importation of wheat and Hour. 'Whatever price the dominion may have been charged for wheat by the Australian Wheat Beard, it is stated that it was no more than other countries had to pay. and in some instances sales were made at a little below oversea parity. The statement by Mr Nnsworthy that he had every reason to believe that flour offered was part of that rejected )>y South Africa is regarded by the Wheat Board authorities as imaginative, especially as tho board did not contract with New Zealand to .supply flour. In the second contract entered into between the two parties it was stipulated that the wheat was to bo of Victorian origin only, and New Zealand bad its own representative to check the sampling. Jt is contended that the New Zealand Minister made that statement for the purpose of influencing support, of the embargo on importations. New season’s photographic goods, excellent stock now arriving. Cameras from 6s. Send your order early lo 11. .1. Gill, 11 ami 13 Frederick street, Dunedin; ’phone 1,141. [Advt.] Try Watson’s No. 10 in Lot milk for nightcap. Induces sound, refreshing sleep. Great whisky.— [Advt.] School children 1 Kindly order “ Thinker ” Note Books and “Golden Rule ” Rulers with brass edge from stationers early,—[Advt.] Biggest and best value in Dunedin in toys and fancy goods obtainable. Try Todd's Btorc, George street.—[Advt 1 Watson’s No. 10 is a little dearer than most, whiskies, but is worth tho money.— [Advt.]