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Evening Star, Issue 19708, 8 November 1927, Page 6

Tho delay in lighting the St. Kilda borough at nights claimed the attention of the local council at its meeting last night. Gr 15. Longworth said he had noticed the lights in the whole_ of the borough were not turned on until about half »u hour after the city had been lighted. This had been the ease for some time. He did not know the cause of the delay, but he thought the electrical department should be written to and asked to put the matter right. Other councillors had also noticed that the borough was not lighted until after the city. It was then moved and seconded that the electrical department be communicated with and asked to rectify tho matter. The motion was carried.

The sixty-fifth anniversary social of tire United’ Congregational Church was held in the Jubilee Hall last evening, tho Uev. W. Saunders presiding over a largo attendance. A lengthy and comprehensive animal report was submitted. and in this social the church work was reviewed in detail. The financial statement showed a satisfactory credit balance. Hr Mcrrinston wa« present, and in a brief address referred to the deep affection existing between the Congregational Church and thy mother church. Ho spoke of the loss the church would sustain through the resignation of the Eev. Saunders, and paid a sincere tribute to tho minister and his splendid work. Several pleasing musical items were given, and an enjoyable social evening was spent.

A charge of attempting to break and enter the Excelsior Tea Booms at Avondale. Auckland, with intent _ to commit a crime was preferred against a girl aged sixteen in the Police Court, and she was ordered to appear in the Children’s Court on November 9. M.V J. Nicholson, a partner in the tea rooms, who was sleeping on the premises, was awakened by the sound of breaking glass at 1 o’clock in the morning. Looking through the window ho was amazed to seo the outline of a girl, who ran away. Nicholson ami Constable Delaney searched the _ district in a motor car, eventually sighting a girl in the Great North road. Sho tried to escape, but a constable Wont in pursuit, and soon captured her.—Press Association.

Tho members of the Samoan Commission returned to Auckland by the Niagara yesterday. Sir Charles Skcrrett (Chief Justice), chairman, left for Wellington last night, and will be joined later in tho week by Judge lilacCormiek, of tha Native Land Court. No indication was given when the report is likely to bo completed, but a considerable amount remains to be clone.—Press Association.

Early and proseoit-day immigrants were compared in short addresses given to members of the British Immigrants’' Club at a meeting in the Early Settlers’ Hall last night. One of the main objects of the club’s activities is the establishment of a depot in each of the four centres, where "employment could be arranged and tho_ now arrivals could bo met hy those interested in their welfare.; Mr W. J. Gomm and Mrs Jones-Neilson gave the addresses, and during the evening the following contributed to the programme:— Songs, Misses Boll; recitation, Miss J). Wilker; Highland fling, Miss Ruby Eoxj piano solo, Mrs A. J. Boss.

Any hope of reprieve for the Old Post Olfico building in Princes street is presumably extinguished by nu advertisement in this issue by which the district engineer of the Public Works Department calls tenders for the sale of the building for removal. It is noted, also, that the tenders must bo deposited within a week. They close at noon on the 15th hist. The promises are well in bud.

The Taieri Amateur Athletic Club waited on the Mosgicl Borough Council last evening with a view to improvements to the Recreation Ground,especially in the direction of a cycling track and grass cutting. Messrs Frew, Gilchrist, and Prydo represented the club, ft was decided to do what was possible with the funds available, and to make inquiries regarding the purchase of a horse-drawn lawu mower-

Roxburgh fruitgrowers arc anxiously awaiting the Government’s declaration as to tlie charge that the Public Works Department will make for the carriage of this season’s fruit on the extension section of the railway from Miller’s Flat to Roxburgh. The growers think 2d per case would be enough; the department lias suggested 3d.

New season’s potatoes have lately dribbled into the Dunedin market. Now they are coming to hand freely from the north, Pukekoho (Auckland) being one of the chief sources of supply, Cauliflowers are becoming scarce, but cabbages arc being rushed into the mans as the herald of what promises co be a plentiful spring crop. The animal meeting of the General Assembly of tbo Presbyterian Church of New Zealand will commence in St. Paul’s Church, Christchurch, on November 15. A number of important questions will come before the assembly lor consideration, including tbo resignation of Professor Hcwitson, master of Knox College, and the appointment of his successor; the resignation of the Rev. FI. Barton as foreign mission .secretary, with a view to re-accepting ministerial work; and the retirement of the Rev. Professor Gumming, professor of Old Testament language and literature. A question that is sure to cause debate is a proposal by the Finance Committee to inaugurate a semijubilee fund of £250,000, the first £50,000 to bo allotcd to the beneficiary fund and 'lO per cent, of the remainder to form a permanent loan fund for buildings. The general treasurer asks to he relieved of his duties at the end of 1923.

At a special meeting of tlio Otago Cricket Association Executive, held yi\storclty evening, it was resolved to allow Uio conch (L. C. Eastman) to play for the Rest of New Zealand against the New Zealand team in the match at Wellington beginning on Eriday next; .but, owing to the fact that ho had only' just commenced his coaching dutic.s, and that the bad weather had interfered with those duties, the association regretted that it could not spare him for the Chrischnreh match. A. suggestion by the Wellington Cricket Association that the hours for Blanket Shield matches should bo 13 to 1.30; 2.15 to 4.30, 4.45 to 7 p.m., was agreed to, except til la the starting hour was nut at 11 a.m., and not noon. A further suggestion that these matches be limited to four days was also agreed to. These matters will he finally decided at the forthcoming conference of provincial associations.

There was a clean sheet at the City Police Court this morning. The braodcastcd description of the Canterbury Jockey Chib’s races yesterday was interrupted by the breaking down of tbo relay communication between Piccarton racecourse and the radio studio in lb city. The descriptions of tlie fifth and sixth races wore not broadcasted. Otherwise, the transmission, as on Saturday, was excellent, and reception was good in Dunedin. The description of the races were given by Mr Allardycc, who was consistently accurate and graphic in his reports. Sitting in Chambers to-day His Honor Mr Justice Sim granted probate in the estates of Edward Charles Sandford (Mr A. C. Stephens), Charles Beadle (Mr J. 'Wilkinson). Mary Ann Hurcomb (Mr G. Callaway), of Naseby; Catherine Elder (Mr ,F. B. Adams), of Port Chalmers. Letters of administration were granted in the estate of Peter Williamson (Mr W. L. Moore). By 9 votes to 5 on a purely party division, the Christchurch City Council adapted the principle of municipalising; the milk supply of rlni city. The Milk Committee reported that it bad recently submitted to the council for, consideration a report by Mr Pi. E. Herron, together with a number of suggestions made by the dairymen’s associations and others. The committee had further considered the matter, and was of th© opinion that the time was now opportune for tbo institution of a municipal milk supply.—Press Association telegram. Tbo retail price index (dominion weighted average) for the three food groups as at September 15 was 1,527 (on the base average prices in the four centres during the year 1909-13 1,000), a decrease of 8 points as compared with that of the previous month and an increase of 42.7 over that for July, 1914. The index number for the groceries group lias fallen 8 points, this being accounted lor by small reductions in the prices of bread, flour, and sugar. Milk and eggs nrc_ both showing the. .summer-time reduction. Bacon is also falling in price. The combined effect of these reductions, in. spite of the small steady increase in the charge for, butter, lias been to cause a. fall of 31 points in the dairy produce index number. Meat is continuing to show the tendency towards a general increase, there being an upward movement of 9 points in the index number for this group since last month. The general increase began in June last, prior to which date meat prices showed a consistent fall since December, 1925. Expenditure on food constitutes somewhat less than two-fifths of the expenditure of the average household. In order to present a more complete picture of movements in retail prices generally, statistics regarding the retail prices of clothing, drapery, footwear, and miscellaneous items of family expenditure are collected at quarterly intervals, and when combined with the indexes of food, rent, fuel, and light approximately 87 per cent, of the average household expenditure is represented. The August indexes for rent, clothing, and miscellaneous items have been combined with the September prices for food, fuel, and light, the resultant allgroups index being C 0.7 per cent, above that for July, 1914. It now takes £1 12s 2d on the .average to purchase what could be purchased for £1 in that month. —Abstract of Statistics.

n "A * nip ’in the air is worth two in tlie bar ” is the slogan of tho man who gets up early and does a bit of work in the garden before breakfast, lb., has been suggested to us that another early “nip” will now bo available to those who disagree with tho slogan quoted, for instead of waiting till the sun says 9 o’clock, the early starter may have his initial quencher for tho day when our Sidey clocks strike that hour, which will bo just an hour earlier than he has been able to get it previously. i Financial difficulties continue lo crop up in connection with the reconstruction of the Main South road, which was commenced on October 25. At last evening’s meeting of the Green Island Borough Council intimation was received that the Taicri County Council was not prepared to pay the sum of £BS 14s Id in addition to its original grant. After the matter had been discussed bv the council in committee it was resolved that a deputation be sent to the next mooting of the county council, It was reported that tho contractors. who began operations at tho foot of Look-out Point, had reached tho neighborhood of the track to Concord Hill, most of tho having been diverted into the Kaikorai Valley road and Short street in tho meantime.

giel Borough Council, on Cr Garrett’s motion, it was decided to write requesting the Railways Department to reinstate the old time-table on the Otago Central brancTt, so that the morning train would connect with the train from Outram, which left Mosgicl at present at 8.22 a.m. That the borough of Green Island is going ahead fast is proved by the building report which was received at last evening’s meeting of the council. It was stated that permits for the erection of buildings to the value of £5,905 had been issued last month—a record. The council was informed also that the Railway Department had purchased a piece of land in Abbotsford with a view to ■ establishing a railway settlement which would provide cottages for those workers transferred from Addington. There has been.a great demand for land in that locality, and all the sections have been taken up. At Napier Mr Justice MacGregor complimented the district on the absence of serious crime. Addressing the grand jury on a ease arising from a fatal motor accident, the judge said motorists had to observe the rule of the road, refrain from speeding, and keep a good lookout.—Press Association.

The quarterly sitting of the Supremo Court, Palmerston North, commenced this morning before Mr Justice Ostler, who congratulated tiro district on its comparative absence from crime. Five cases (he said) would bo presented to the grand jury, none of them of the most serious nature. In four the grand jury would have tio difficulty in finding true bills, la the other case there were peculiar circumstances. A man was charged with the theft of furniture and jewellery which his wife claimed was hers. The law laid it down that a husband or a wife could not bo guilty of the theft of each other’s property while living together. The grand jury had to be satisfied that there was sufficient evidence that the parties were living apart before they sent tbo case for trial. —Press Association.

The unsatisfactory slate of the Wan kouaiti County section of the Dunedin Christchurch mam highway was a subject of discussion tins morning at the meeting of the Otago District Hignways Council. A memo., was received from the Main Highways Board drawing attention to the fact, ana detailing the stops to bo taken to ensure that repairs would bo effected. Mr J. il. Marks, the Public Worms engineer lor the Otago district, submitted a financial statement of the Waikouaiti County Council, which showed its total estimated revenue lor the year ending March 31, 1928, to be £11,938, and the estimated expenditure, including a hospital levy of £2,237 6s Bd, to bo £3,611 l&s 4d. Only about £701) was now Jolt for the maintenance of the highway during the remainder of the year. In response to the demands of the Main Highways Board the county had started the work, but it was not quite dear whether enough money would bo available to complete it. It was decided that the Main Highways Board bo informed of the county’s financial, position, and of what the county council was attempting to accomplish. The case of Mr A. M. Richards, a Presbyterian student who was recently lined £lll for refusing military service in Auckland, will come before the General Assembly this month upon the report of the Public Questions Committee. In that report the matter of compulsory military training is discussed, and the committee expresses the opinion that the Assembly’s resolution does not bear out the interpretation put upon it by Mr Pilchards. “ The Assembly clearly, desires the abolition of compulsory military training and in effect calls upon the people of the church to demand its abolition, but the Assembly does nos even suggest, that while the law remains unaltered its young men should refuse service.”

The number of unemployed now on the pay roll of the Public Works Department in Dunedin district is just about tlio same as in the past month oy.two. Some of them are thinking that the extra petrol tax may mean their financial salvation in placing more money at tlio disposal of the Main Highways Board. Tlio cleverest of us are liable to be bowled over by a simple proposition. A guest at one of our principal hotels thoughtlessly put his watch back an hour instead of forward on Sunday night. Going out on. Monday morning for his pipe-opener before breakfast, ho hoard tlio Stock Exchange clock strike nine, and, comparing his watch, ho found he was an hour slow; so lie hurried back for his bacon and toast, and was much surprised when the attendants told him it was 10 o’clock. Between his own muddle and the tardiness of the Exchange clock as to “ Sidey time” he lost two hours. It is officially announced that all the Now Zealand Broadcasting Company’s stations will endeavor to rebroadcast the Prince of Wales’s speech at the Albert Hall next Saturday from 8.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m., London transmission being made from SSW on 24. metres.— Press Association.

For spectacles that soothe the eyes consult W. V, Sturmer, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., 2 Octagon. Our business .s exclusively optical. [Advt.]

Tlio farewell lectures on the Melanesian Mission will bo given by .Major H. N. Robinson to-night and to-morrow. The major will describe interesting scenes of island life, and give, up-10-rlato information concerning the missionary work and problems of the Pacific.

For Diamond Engagement Kings and reliable Watches, Peter Dick, the most reliable Watchmakers, jewellers, and opticians.— [Advt.] A sale of work will be opened at the United Gongrcgation.il Church to-morrow evening _by Mr ,1. H. Wilkinson, and will be continued on Thursday afternoon and evening.

Diamonds will prove an Investment if secured at Williamson’s, the diamond exports (next Tho Bristol Piano Co.). —[Advt,]