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Evening Star, Issue 18667, 23 June 1924, Page 6

Our Clyde correspondent advises that the weather continues remarkably mild. La.st night heavy rain fell, and a lot of snow has disappeared from the mountain sides. This morning it is fine, but the warm wind blowing suggests an early change. The birthday of the Prince of Wale; is a court holiday, and the Police Court sitting this morning was accordingly a very brief one. Daniel Lockhart appeared to answer a charge of drunkenness, and was fined 10s, in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment, by Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. The Prince of Wales was thirty years old to-day, having been born on Juno 23, 1894. Dunedin citizens think of him as a most engaging young man, and it is not as a mere matter of form that the flags of the official and other buildings wore hoisted this morning. The Fruitgrowers’ Conference that sat at Wellington supported the statement made by Otago that to send to South America apples of the Delicious type that are larger than eighty to the case is only asking for trouble. Last season several varieties of apple trees threw frnit of uncommon size, and they arc risky to carry. ®F or months post there, has been some talk about the New Zealand Refrigerating Company being about to take up the business of buying and slaughtering for the butchers of Dunedin and other cities. The proposal has never boon reduced to writing, bat the butchers have been sounded on the subject, and recently with such definiteness" that tho butchers talked over the matter informally whenever they met at Burnside or elsewhere, with tho result that they have practically, though not in formal tonne, declined the proposal. They do not think that it would work. One of the butchers says; “Wo look upon it. in this way—that it might lie the thin end of a trust wedge to give the company this amount of control, ft would stop a-lf competition in buying, and therefore not be a good thing for the graziers nor the butchers. The consumers, too, would ho badly placed, since the company would be able to dictate the selling price. The company’s representatives say that we can go into the country and buy on equal terms. The answer to that is*that wo already have that right, but we should certainly lose it if the company bad control for a twelvemonth, for it would gradually get tho first right of refusal. Again, the butchers would not bo able to provide the required variety of goods if they had to take only tho dressed meat and did not got the offal as well. Having tho offal, wo are able to sell meat cheaper than if wo had only tho hare carcasses. The scheme was tried in Wellington and proved a failure. Whenever a butcher at the yards wanted a particular line it was run up out of his reach. lam sure that tho butchers are acting in the interests of tho public as well ns in their own interests by declining to agree to tho change. As a fact, meat is as cheap in Dunedin and Invercargill as anywhere in New Zealand—l think cheaper.” Tho improvement in window dressing in Dunedin during tho last few-years was commented upon by an observant citizen in conversation with a- reporter. Ho remarked that, while tho retailers were going in for the study of the art iu earnest before the war, there had been a marked development since 1918. Particularly noticeable was tho practice of devoting one window tor a period to a particular lino, a practice that was responsible for some effective displays. “There is no doubt,” he said, “ that our windows are much brighter affairs now than they used to bo. Whether trade is stimulated thereby is questionable, as practically all the business people are on a par in Ibis direction, hut there can bo no doubt that tho result is much more pleasing to the visitor than was the old arrangement that passed for window dressing—a collection of goods, often ‘ pitched in,’ with no idea of artistic effect,”

In tho report on tho Auckland markets fire inquiry tho Press Association message made an expert witness state that tiro lowest voltage known to kill a man was 738. Tho figures are 73.8,

An .Auckland Press Association telegram states that a camphor wood chest, containing abont £SO worth of clothes and £573 in money, was stolen from a Chinese engineer on the Admiralty tanker Nucnla on the day the vessel arrived there. It is believed that the box was thrown overboard and that its contents are still, aboard the vessel, hut the detectives are unable to trace it or get a chic to the thief.

“ This,” said a local business man today as he showed a ‘ Star ’ reporter a 10s hank note, “ is an article about which I shall weave a story illustrating that Government departments are not the only institutions bound about with ‘ red tape,’ nor yet the only institutions that do not proceed in strictly sensible lines in little matters.'’ Ten days ago, bo explained, one of liia employees accepted a 10s note one end of which was missing. ‘Two of the numerals were on the, missing part — which was about, an eighth of tho whole, note—hut the signature was iutact. On its being presented at his hank it was not accepted, and it was taken to tho bank which issued it. After the business" man had attached his name to imposing-looking papers the note was sent to Wellington, This morning ho received a, ring from the hank. There was morn signing and tho filling in of a cheque form, “ pay self ” (which cast him twopence), and then he was presented with a note for 10s. Tho funny thing abont tho matter is that the note "he received was, besides being extremely dirty," so worn with folding and refolding that the slightest roughness would result in its losing an end as had the one that caused all the trouble. “ Fanny old world, oven in tho solemn realms of lucre,” he commented. A notice now appears in tlio Dunedin tramcars asking passengers to have the exact fares ready. Such’a request is quite reasonable. Conductors cannot get through a full oar in time when every third passenger has to bo given change, and some of the money tendered is quite, beyond a joke. It is not' at all uncommon for a conductor to bo asked to take a penny out of a pound, and pretty well even' conductor with lengthened service has had the experience of being tendered a fiver.

The reason why Otago did not vote at the Fruitgrowers' Conference on the proposition to urge the Government to bring in a Fruit Control Bill was that they had not sufficient information on the subject, particularly as to tho scope that the Act would have if it reached tho Act stage. Mr H. Turner, one of the Otago delegates, says that Mr James Allan, of Nelson, one of the directors of tho New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, is to tear Otago this week to advocate and explain tho proposal. Dir Allan was a member of the Voluntary Control Board that was established in Nelson, and is tlierefore experimentally acquainted with the subject. People go to tho mayor (Dir Livingstone Taplcy) about all forts of things. Quito frequently be is interviewed on the housing problem, not as an abstract question, hat. to ask his aid in finding a honse for a family that has been searching in vain. His Worship is not a house agent, bat he cannot listen with indifference to a statement that a house cannot be got because the applicant has children; and in such cases ho has on several occasions sought the friendly Isc.lp of the. Salvation Army, whose officers, ever ready to do a good turn, have bustled round and found some place to suit Mr Taplcy says he feels much indebted to tho Army for such practical assistance.

With reference to Mr Rollcston’s denial that ho has been approached in connection with the suggested leadership of a new political party, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Wilford) makes the following statement: —“ I quite .believe that Mr Eolleston was never consulted by the ‘ Southland News,’ and quite credit his statement that bo had never heard of any move such as I outlined on Saturday, As I spited to a ‘Times’ representative last Saturday, is it any proof that Mr Rolleston is willing to be used for (be purpose of the ‘Southland News’ merely because the ‘Southland Nows’ considers that Mr Rolleston will fill the bill? But the lesson of the 1 great discovery ’ is this; that the new leader decided upon by the ‘Southland News’ has not been approached yet, and does not even know of the great move which it is suggested will disintegrate the present Liberal Party. There .was not much evidently to make a big story about, was there?”—'Wellington Association message. After dart on a Saturday night, in the dim gaslight of Bond and Crawford streets, which are at that time practically deserted, marry a bottle of beer goes the round among groups of hilarious young men. For a long time the crown stopper presented a difficulty to those not equipped with openers, and at such times tho iron fences of the Queen’s Gardens and the Stuart Monument came in very handy. But the old order has changed, and the difficulty no longer exists. The latest typo of ale bottle is made in such a way that tho stopper can be easily levered off with a largo coin. This probably accounts for the deep cuts that arc appearing on the edges of pennies, half-crowns, and twoshilling pieces.

“I like, the healthy-minded Press of this country,” said Captain Gipsy Pat Smith at the Town Hall, Wellington, “ and the absence from its pages of all the sordid details of divorce and murder. The London dailies simply rush before the, public all the sordid details they can And, and say : ‘ Oh, it must be done, because it ; s what the public demands f That was not so,” said Gipsy PaL Don’t give the public such uninspiring trash, and they will learn to do without it Newspapers are, or should he, organisers of thought, and their influence is inestimable.” He went on to say that there was such a thing as looking at a matter from the wrong angle. For instance, no child should ever bo called an illegitimate. It came into the world a child like anyone else. Let tho mother or father be called illegitimate, but not tho innocent little soul so bora with a stigma.

For many years horses have been mullip'ying in great numbers in thc» Gisborne district, o'ue. to the fact that so many “ brumbies” have boon allowed to run wild (states an exchange). It is estimated that there are many thousands of wild and semi-wild horses on the moor lauds on the coast. The majority of these arc of no particular breed, and they are of very little use. A big round-up of horses is to take place in the near future, and animals when collected will be driven down to the Tokomarn Bay works, where they are to bo killed and boiled down. These works closed recently, and as soon as they have boon straightened np tho horses will bo brought in. It, is estimated that close on 2.000 horses will he killed. The majority of these will he from tho Bnntnrea, district. The projected nw of tho land for dairying has necessitated the removal of the horses.

Steps are being taken bv tho Canterbury Freezing Works and Related Trades Union to have legislation passed providing for precautionary measures being adopted in respect to tho prevention of chrome poisoning of workers in tanneries; also providing for chrome, poisoning being included in the Workers’ Compensation for Accidents Act as a disability, in respect to which compensation shall bo payable. The proposed legislation affects workers in the South Island more than those in the North Island, as there is more tanning work done in the South Island. It is slated that in Canterbury during the past four or five years eight or nine men have been incapacitated owing to chrome poisoning. In 1889 a Napier business firm went bankrupt (says the ‘ Herald ’), and for twenty-five years the creditors had con- - sidered the bankruptcy and any possible dividends dead ami buried. However, during the period the. estate had received increments, and through the death of an interested party a dividend of 12s 6d in the £ was paid the other day. One firm, which had written off the amounting a bad debt in ISOB, received a cheque for £313, snd other creditors have akotoene-fited.

The Brighton Advancement Society has accepted a tender for the construction of a now hall in the township. Tho timber is already on the ground. Mr C. P. Slvorrctt, K.G., asked a witness in tho Supreme Court at Napier whether a small batten interposed between a fulling cylinder and the concrete wharf would appreciably lessen the shock. “ Oh, of course,” answered witness, “every schoolboy knows that a single sheet of newspaper inside tho scat of his trousers appreciably lessons tho shock.”

The Leith Bowling and Croquet Club will hold a concert in the George Street School Hall to-morrow night. The proceeds of the concert will be devoted to tho improvemeat of the club’s new grounds in Woodhaugh. The mayor will preside.

Illingsworth’s British-made roll film tn issued in all standard sizes to suit all makes of cameras. Obtainable at all dealers. —H. J. Gill, Frederick street. — [Advt.] Big variety dolls’ prams (new models), 21s, 255, 30s, 40s.—Todd’s White House, George street—{AdvL] ’Tis said Socrates’s life was marred by his wife’s nagging. She was prematurely aged through doing tho village wash without tho invaluable aid of “No-rubbing” Laundry Help.—[Advt.]