Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 18998, 21 July 1925, Page 6

The sixth animal report of the Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association states that tho efforts of tho executive in regard to improving the direct service between London and South Island ports have been attended, with good results, since tho companies have established a three-weekly service from London and made South Island ports the first ports of arrival. Mr H. G. Campbell, flic clijf.rmaa of the association, being asked to-day as to how the now arrangement was working, answered that the Waimami left London on Juno 4 for Dunedin via Auckland and Napier, and is due here on August 7, while the Port Dunedin left London on Juno 26 direct for Dunedin, and is duo on August 3. Tho time occupied in these journeys represents a saving of twenty-six days on the old timetable. It is important that South Island importers give such support as will assure tho continuance and perhaps an improvement upon the now system.

The Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association executive makes reference in its annual report to the need for improving the coastal services; “Tho Union Company assured us of its intentions in that direction, but tho expectation has not been fully realised, to some extent possibly because the company was unfortunate enough to lose the Konini, one of the boats expected to improve matters. There has again and again been irritating failure in regularity of service, and this is very detrimental to development of trade. This is doubtless very much a consequence of the employment of ships of unduly large tonnage, which incur long delays loading .incl unloading at way ports. Eor tho Dunedin-Napier-Auckland sendee the ships should bo of smaller tonnage, leaving regularly at weekly intervals. _ Such ships would not lose so much time at way ports. Until this arrangement is secured it will be difficult fo develop trade with tho north to the full extent which might bo done.”

At Tapanui yesterday Sir R. Heaton Rhodes was interviewed by both parties to tho dispute over the alFnrestattiou of the Glue Mountains. Farmers who have large holdings in the Crookston district spoke strongly in favor of the scheme Subsequently a deputation of farmers from various parts met Sir Heaton and represented tho opposition, but they explained that their objection was not to the afforestation. They were in favor of it. What they feared was that it would add to tho deer nuisance. The Commissioner assured those objectors that the Forestry Department was ns anxious as anyone to get rid of tho dcor trouble, proof of which was ihat withir tho past twenty months it had paid for 3,100 tails, and during the last fortnight for 400. Ho was assured that deer were now scarce on tho Crookston side of the Blue Mountains, and he added that it, was tho intention of the department to destroy those that remained.

So many applications have been received for positions in the chorus and ballot of the Exhibition Operatic Society that it may he necessary to hold severe tests to reduce tho applicants to the required munlnr. The selection of tho musical comedy and’ tho opera to bo played will he made on Friday, and the tests will probably be held next week. The Exhibition choir was entertained last night in the Tudor Hall of the Savoy bv tho directors. The president (Mr J. Sutherland Ross) and the_ mayor each spoke, and Mr 6. J. Errington (chairman of the Choir Committee) made a few remarks. A novel feature introduced into the programme proved \ groat success. The choir was divided into nine impromptu choirs, and conductors and test }• ogs were drawn out of a hat. Tho . nly serious feature about the competition was the judging, which was done by Mr W. Paget Gale. Mr Hainsworth’s choir won.

The Auckland branch of the LiberalLabor Federation adonted a i(-solution: “We recognise that the change of name does not imply a change of principles, and, having confidence in the Parliamentary Executive, unanimously endorse their action in changing the name, and pledge ourselves to support the National Party. The branch also desires to exprss lively appreciation of the common sense behind the loader’s proposal for a National Party.”—Press Association.

Clouds obscured the sun at sunrise to-day, but from about a quarter to 9 o’clock the veil partly dissipated, and a quarter of an hour later the eclipse could bo plainly observed in Dunedin. The intervention of tho moon when sho is at her greatest distance makes hut a small figure on the face of the sun, so that the eclipse was not in any sense spectacular, but it was quite distinct, and would have been noticed even without any intimation to watch. The best view locally was on the hills above the town smoke. The northern delegates to tho annual meeting of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand arrived in Dunedin this afternoon, and were met by tho president (Mr L. Deans Ritchie) and other members of the local executive. The meeting opens to-morrow morning, and will likely last two days. About twenty delegates are expected to attend from all parts of the dominion.

A Dunedin firm has secured another important building contract in Auckland, the Fletcher Construction Company having been entrusted with the erection of new premises on tho sire or the Thames Hotel, corner of Queen and Customs streets, at a cost of £ll4j3Qft,

Sir R. Heaton Rhodes wan interviewed on ilio Dunedin railway platform this .morning, just, before he boarded the 3J.30 train, by a. deputation from the Southland Progressive League consisting of Mr H. F. Drew (president), Mr W. Alexander, and Mr J. S. Dick (secretary). They asked that afforestation in S'withland be started as soon as possible. Sir Heaton, who is Commissioner of State Forests, replied that his department already had this matter in hand, and It had gone so tar ns to allocate 20,000 acres. The department had not at present tlio money in hand to enable it to make a start (bis year, but it was his desire to begin operations as quickly as possible, and ho hoped that Ids successor would be in a more fortunate position and find himself in the possession of funds wherewith to make a start with a plantation in Southland. Meanwhile ho would be glad of the cooperation of the settlers in the- matter of acquiring suitable areas. Ho could assure the deputation of ready assistance from the department, and he trusted that when the scheme was drawn up it would not meet with opposition such as was shown to the Blue Mountains scheme. The appointment of a permanent surveyor to act on behalf of consignees is "one of the subjects to he brought up at the annual meeting of the Otago importers and Shippers’ Association next week. It is argued that if the importers wero strong enough to pay a surveyor whoso duty would he to go aboard every arriving vessel and sco the batches opened, noting before the cargo was broken out how it was skewed, whether anything had been fraved by working against stanchions, as 'to whether it urns free from water contact, and so on. ho would he the better able to look after importers’ interests and be in a position to know exactly, before claims wero sent in, what 'the facts were.

Even if the dominion wore cut off from supplies’ of Newcastle coal owing to the Australian shipping strike, the New Zealand mines would be able to produce sufficient coal to meet most requirements (wires our Christchurch correspondent). Probably the railways and the gas companies would be the principal sufferers. Men in the coal trade do nob anticipate any such stoppage in the arrival of supplies, for they point out that the Union Steam Ship Company is the main carrier of coal from Newcastle, and its vessels are not affected. Many of the mines on the West Coast are working short time. One big trouble they arc experiencing is that they are unable to produce coal in a largo volume and dispose of all grades. For example, users of small and steam coal are diminishing steadily as the output of hydro-electric power increases. One satisfactory feature is that, although the report of the Commission that inquired into the subject of the use of dominion coal by the Railwav Department has not been made public, much larger quantities than usual of New Zealand coal are being purchased by the department. The Port Chalmers Council last night decided to bold a special meeting to go further into the matter of the water mains, especially in regard to providing a bettor water supply on the high levels at the south end of the town. Our Christchurch correspondent telegraphs that the Council of Christian Congregations last night adopted a ropers' calling attention to Sir George Clifford's statement that more racing days would ho requested, as •.•ell as the removal of certain restrictions “We notice with regret,” continues the report, “that the Premier’s association wil l- the turf is quoted. AVe are slow to believe that Mr Coates will signalise his accession to office by flinging wide the door for further gambling. The transport of goods on the railway was the subject of a question in the House recently, when Mr E. J. Holieston (Timaru) asked what was being done in the matter of extending the cash on delivery system. Inquiries in tlie Railway Department indicate (says a Wellington Association message) that, in order to give the most efficient and most up-to-date service to users of railway facilities, there has already been put in operation a system for the collection of carriers’ charges on consignments entrusted to the department for delivery at officered stations. Under this arrangement any carrier is able to collect from the. Railway Department all charges for conveyance of packages to the forwarding station, the latter adding this charge to the amount collected from the consignee at the receiving station, ami refunding the carrier’s charge to him. Many people are already availing themselves of this facility, and the convenience it presents in the transport, of goods is causing an expansion of railway business over various sections.

An Association message from Auckland states that a rorqual whale, between 40ft and 50fb in length, lias been stranded near the month of the Tamaki River. The body is scarred, possibly as the result of attacks by swordfish or sharks. It is claimed by two men, Morgan and Bennett. On March 11 last Carl Peterson Lindogreen was convicted and fined £IOO by 0 Mr Page, S.M., on a charge of assisting Alfred George- Clements in keeping a common gaming-house at Nelson. Three other charges of assisting Clements to make a bet on a horse race at totalisator odds, printing documents containing statements as to dividends paid on totalisator investments, and publishing documents of a like character, were adjourned pending Mr Pago’s return from England. Yesterday, however, Lindegrcen pleaded guilty to these adjourned charges before Mr Hunt, S.M., at Wellington. Chief-dctoctivo Kemp explained that Lindegrcen had called on him stating that lie had relinquished his position ns organising secretary of the Dominion Sporting Men’s Association, and was going to Christchurch to enter into business. “ Defendant said ho did not want these charges hanging over him like the sword of Damocles, and that ho would plead guilty. Under the circumstances we merely ask for a conviction.” “ Very well,” said the magistrate; “convicted and discharged on the three charges.” —Press Association.

The only delinquents before the Police Court this morning were two men charged with drunkenness. One, Jas. Lean, had been remanded for medical treatment, and Sub-inspector O’Halloran related how the defendant went on a drunken bout in a,country town, and after escaping from the local hospital, developed a bad attack of the If.T.s, during which he smashed windows and did other damage to the extent of about £lO. So far this aspect of the ease had not been gone into by the police or the sufferer. In the meantime, defendant was convicted and ordered to pay the medical expenses incurred (£2 2s), in default seven days imprisonment. The other man charged (on remand) was a first offender, who had, while in a drunken state, come to the police station and asked to be sent to “ the island.” On sobering up, however, he changed his mind; but his wife, who had come to" the conclusion that the island idea was a good one, now wished him to carry it out. With this object she was represented this morning by Mr Gillies, while Mr Irwin appeared for the man. On the latter giving a promise .that he would not offend again he was let off with a warning and a fine of 10s, in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment.. A Nelson Press Association telegram states that at a meeting of _tobacco and cigarette vendors a resolution was carried that, with a view to remedying abuses of the law, the Government be strongly urged to for the licensing of all vendors, giving power to magistrates to cancel licenses upon conviction for offences regarding sales; also to provide a severer penalty than at present.

An Auckland Press Association telegram states that advice has been received that the Tongan cutter Manuka! Nine, which was thought to have foundered, arrived at Tamm, New Hebrides, on 'June 16. The insurance company was preparing to settle the claims.

In the Supreme Court, Christchurch, John George Burgess, aged sixty-one, a builder, for bigamy, was sentenced to three months, with hard labor. The Crown stated that the case had few redeeming features. It was curious that the wife lived only a short distance from where Burgess and the other woman had lived.—Press Association.

The National Executive of the New Zealand Labor Party considered the proposals of the British Medical Association regarding the establishment of private wards in the public hospitals of (he dominion, and decided to oppose them. The parly s policy is to ensure the best medical treatment to all, irrespective of their financial position.— Wellington Association telegram.

Yes, wo have plenty unbreakable metal dolls’ heads from 2e 6d.—Todd's Karm-Kan-nie Dollies’ Hospital, George street (next Plaza).—[Advt.]

Port Chalmers. —J. Watson’s winter clearing sale general drapery, clothing, furnishings. boots and shoes now proceeding.— [Advt.] Patrons of euchro parties a.ro reminded (hat a euchro party will bo held on Thursday night in South Dunedin Town Hall. A handsome oa.k sideboard is the special prize at the euchro party in the South Dunedin Town Hall to-morrow night.

True, conscientious service under every condition: that's what Williamsons, the jewellers, 31 Princes street, assure you of. —[Advt.]