Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 19614, 21 July 1927, Page 6

The fair in connection with Musselburgh School concluded last night, and was a great success, about £l7O being raised towards improvements to tho school grounds. Miss Clive Brain topped the poll for tho “fpieen - ’ competition, and was “crowned’’ by the mayoress (Mrs Hall) amidst groat applause. Keen interest was taken in (he fair, and the chairman of the committee (Mr D. G. Cameron) thanked all workers, especially the Ladles’ Committee, for their magnificent work in aiding the committee to raise the necessary funds to asphalt and generally improve the grounds for the scholars. Judging by photographs of the Owaka district which were produced during the hearing of a case in the Balclutha Court yesterday, it would seem that certain back-country roads, by nature of their prodigious ruts, arc really miniature canals. One witness declared it would meed a diver to get to the bottom of some of them. At yesterday’s •meeting of the Board of Management of the .King Edward Technical College the chairman (Mr T. Scott) referred to the good work done by the late Mr i’etcr Coven while a member of the board, and a motion of sympathy with the relatives was passed. A motorist who arrived in Dunedin last evening from the south reports that the road between Waihola and Titri is suffering from a kind of “highways smallpox,” ior, in addition to ruts winch in these days should be attributable only to tho real backblocks, there is a liberal sprinkling of potholes. In jiis light car he could average only 15 milcs°per hour for many miles.

“The time is rapidly coming when bodies such as ours will have to do everything in their .power to prevent tho extraordinarily high importation'of foreign goods,” stated Mr J. T. Paul, when the Board of Management of the King Edward Technical College yesterday had a. short discussion on . typewriters. An offer was made to the board by the agents of an American typewriter company proposing to supply machines in lots of six. The suggestion was made that tho board should purchase the machines and rent them to the students. The principal stated that he knew of only one make of British machine, and tho keyboard was not the same as that used in the college. He doubled, too, whether the same terms could Tie offered by tho English manufacturers. The principal was given instructions to make the arrangements he thought best.

As to the price of coal and the question.s on the subject that were put in Parliament yesterday, inquiries in Dunedin enable us to state that the Hostport Coal Company docs intend to raise the wholesale price of its screened household coal as Irom Monday next by 2s per ton, and the retail price by (id per bag. This advance is deemed necessary by the directors, owing to the increased cost of production and extra charges of one sort or another. Leading retailers state that the prices of other Now Zealand coals are not to be increased at present so far as is known, but there is to be an advance of 6cl per ton on Australian coal arriving after this date, following the rise in Australia. The first shipments to carry the increase arc duo in New Zealand next month.

A new scheme for the oversight of children who are contacts in their homes of tubercular cases is being introduced by the School Medical Service. The Otago Education Board was informed this morning by the department that the efficient working ot the scheme would necessitate the co-operation of tho school staffs, but that it would not entail a great deal of work. Briefly, what was asked was for a special watch to bo made of the children concerned, for their weights to bo taken, and for charts to be recorded. The board decided ' to ask head masters to cooperate in the scheme.

“Illness and severe weather conditions have considerably reduced the attendance,” stated tho attendance officer (Mr John E. Ryan) to the meeting of the Education Board to-day in reporting for the month ended July 7 18. “ Tho pupils of the city and suburban schools have been affected mostly by severe colds and other minor illnesses. Measles and mumps arc prevailing in tho Onmaru schools, a largo number of pupils being affected, m Otago Central many of the schools nave also had decreased attendances, owing to the severe frost and snow making the roads almost impassable.”

Fire broke out in the smokehouse of a baker’s shop at 66 Elgin road. Mornington, this morning, and the Dunedin Brigade was called to the premises at 6.15. Damage to the extent of £3 was done to tho building, which was insured with the State Fire and Accident Insurance Office for £SOO. Building contractors tackle many strange jobs. One of the queerest in Dunedin, surely, is that which Mr W. M'Lellan has undertaken, this being to shift the sports grand stand at Logan Parle. Tho operation is already proceeding. Tho under-pinning is cut away, and several sets of rails arc being put in to carry the trollies on to which tho stand will he loaded. These rails arc laid to the segment of a circle, and they will he projected as required, thus enabling the building to he slewed round and moved to a position facing and overlooking the sports ground at tho further end of the park. The contractor and his men think nothing of what looks like a difficult feat. They arc so sure of what they arc doing that they are leaving tho scats on the stand, and will not lighten it even by so much as a scratch of paint. In the Supreme Court, Christchurch, William Scholes, on ten charges of forgery, was sentenced to two years in gaol, and declared an habitual criminal. Mr Justice >Sim said the man had indulged in an orgy of false pretences.— Press Association.,

Tho Labor Department reported this morning that the number of married men on tho unemployed register was 146, and that the single men totalled 170. No applicants have been placed.

Taking into consideration the convenience of the public and of the assistants, in view of the fact that the Friday night and Saturday trains have been to suit the altered hours, the retailers havc_ decided _to continue open till 9 ou Friday evening ami till 12.30 p.m. on Saturday.

Even under the most serious conditions it very often happens that an irrepressible humorist will _ deliver his jocular wares without batting an eyelid. During a court case at Halclutha yesterday a witness was asked for the nature of Ins occupation. “Me?” he replied. “Why, I’m the foreman of the unemployed workers.” The Dunedin Eire Brigade is having a busy time. In the past twenty-one days thirty-three calls Jiave been an*swered. The Gisborne Chamber of Commerce discussed' the proposed amendment to 11 1 0 Bankruptcy Act providing for the suppression of reports of bankruptcy meetings at the discretion of the assignee. Several members spoke strongly against the proposal, and it was decided to secure a copy of the Bill for consideration at a special meeting with a view to entering a protest.—Press Association.

Boys are offering freely for clerical work in Dunedin. An advertisement in the ! Star ’ the other day for an office boy produced over 100 applications from boys whose ages, run from fifteen to nineteen. Two-thirds of these young fellows have matriculated. The advertiser says ho is astonished to find such general eligibility, most of the applicants possessing high qualifications and being personally suitable.

Don't judge diamond values by ooinpar ing price lists, (tradings differ. See Williamson's (next Bristol Piano Co.).—[Advt.] for spectacles that soothe the eyes consult \Y. V. Stunner, D.5.0.J., G.A.0.0., 2 Octagon. Our business exclusively optical.—[Advt,] Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Hairdressing executed in first-class style at C. Becky’s Saloons, 245 George street; ’phono 10-650. —[Advt.] The United Starr-Bowkett Building Society advertises a further £2,000 for disposal in Nos. 3 and 9 groups this evening.