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Evening Star, Issue 19839, 12 April 1928, Page 6

No business at the City Police Court this morning. Samples ol engineers’ waste made from low-grade flax fibre have been manufactured locally, and the experiment has been so successful that extensive commercial developments are likely to take place. By practical use of phormium tonax fibre a waste possessing the appearance and softness of merino wool can be obtained. One of the greatest advantages of this substance is, of course, that it can become an out-and-out New Zealand industry, and the fact that it is a particularly effective absorbent is another important point in its favor. After having been officially tested it has been pronounced superior to the cotton variety of waste at present imported, in addition to which it appears that the flax material can ho put to uses of considerably more importance than as an oil absorbent. There is very little doubt that if this industry is pushed New Zealand, and possibly Australia also, will bo independent of outside markets for supplies of this engineering commoditvThe opening of the railway extension from Miller’s Flat to Roxburgh, which has been in progress for over two years, will be an event not only of great importance to _ Otago, but to Dunedin, through which the produce from the Central will pass. More production in the Central moans even greater strength to Dunedin. Realising this, the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce is working hard to make the opening of the railway on Wednesday next a great success. The Roxburgh people have arranged a big programme of celebration, and at the request of the chapiber, the department is running a special train, which will leave Dunedin at 7 a.m. and return at 8 p.m., perhaps the only occasion for many years on which city people will be able to make the trip by rail in one day. Many city business and public citizens are making the trip, and their interest will servo to engender the spirit of good feeling and co-opera-tion between city and country.

Members of the Otugo Aero Club saw Mr W. U. Steel yesterday and asked for the support of the Otago Expansion League of which he is secretary, in respect to the club’s claim for the use of one of the eight Moth aeroplanes that are being imported by the Government, four to be available to aero clubs for training purposes. The claim is made necessary by the announcement that two are to be allotted to Christchurch and two to Auckland. The Expansion League is in sympathy with the club, and is trying to arrange for a deputation to the Defence Minister (the Hon. F. J. Rolleston) when he comes to open the Roxburgh railway. It will bo pointed out, if the deputation is received, that the Otago Aero .Club anticipated the action of the government in undertaking to provide private aero clubs with machines for training purposes, being first in the field; also that it is the only organisation in New Zealand that is entitled to the use of an aeroplane under the conditions laid down, and 'that it has two qualified flight lieutenants as instructors. In these circumstances the overlooking of Otago seems to be a mistake.

At Upper Hutt yesterday William Gorrie was charged before Mr Page, S.M., with _ unlawfully having opossum skins in his possession. Andrew George Gorrie, a brother, was charged with having taken or killed opossums without a license. Over 300 skins were found on William Gorrie’s premises. Ho was fined £4O and his brother £2o.—Wellington Press Association telegram. Mr H. L. Paterson, vice-president of tho Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, and Mr J. M. White (secretary) appeared before the Otago Land Board this morning, acting for the association in support of a petition signed by twenty returned soldiers in respect to the Last Chance block of approximately 2,300 acres in the Cairn Hill survey district, between Butchers’ Creek, the Clutha River, and the Dun-cdin-Clydo road. This block used to lie part of the Earnscleugh run, but was exchanged for a block adjoining Conroy’s Gully on which the Messrs Spain wished to erect a wooished. Mr D. W. H. Moorehead, who holds a 40-acre orchard adjoining, applied for tho renewable lease over this Last Chance block, for which there is now an irrigation scheme, and he asked for it without ballot. The Minister advertised that objections properly lodged would be considered to-day. Prior to this a number of returned soldiers applied, and wore refused on the ground that the Public Works Department could not give an assurance of water for irrigation purposes; The request of the association to-day was that the block bo put to ballot with preference to returned soldiers. Mr Galbiaith (commissioner) announced half an hour later that tho board had resolved that the lease bo offered for selection on the optional system, with a capital value of 12s 6d per acre, valuation for improvements to be paid for in cash; in other words, that the land goes to ballot with the statutory preference to returned soldiers Pedestrians of Dunedin arc now beginning to attribute some definite value to thoAystem which decrees that they should keep to the left while using the pavements. Even though the rule has come to bo fairly well observed there is still room for improvement. Time and time again hurrying pedestrians have to empiov a nippy side-step to avoid colliding "with “flappers” who, poor slaves of fashion, have adopted the practice of peering mto small mirrors, encased in their handbags, for the purpose of dabbing on those half-dozen grains of powdei which don’t make any difference. Needless to say, tho pavement is not a boudoir. What an uproar there would be if a mere man started shaving in a tram car! Replying to a Christchurch complaint that three different telephones hud to he used and twenty minutes wasted before the exchange contd be raised yesterday to put through a fire call by a city resident, the district telegraph engineer says 'that the delay is much regretted, but was duo to the extraordinary rush of business about 10 a.m., due to people making inquiries by 'phone as to the postponement of the day’s races, and the operators had more traffic than they could handle.—Press Association.

“See your own province first,” was evidently the slogan of the large majorty of Dunedin holiday makers at Easter, for, according to the local Tourist Department, the provincial resorts proved very popular, Queenstown, Pembroke, and Hawea being fully booked. In-fact, would-be visitors to these places had to bo turned away, and the same applied to Mount Cook. Te A'nau and Manapouri were well patronised, though not to the same extent. Stewart Island, too, was visited hv large numbers of people. Local traffic has been heavier this year than was the case the previous Easter, but the number of people travelling north was smaller than was the case last year.

With a view to trying out the possibilities oi' road transport in Canterbury the Kailway Department has taken over the motor bus services running between Kowai Kush and Christchurch, Springfield and Christchurch, and Coalga to and Christchurch as trom Monday next. The existing timetables will bo maintained. —Kress Association. /

A shipload of men and material was despatched to Milford Sound last week in connection with the new hostel tiiat is being erected there, it is anticipated that tho hostel will bo ready for the opening of the season next Easter.

Two outside advertising agents in Australia have been appointed by the New Zealand Tourist Department, Mr R. M. Firth, lately of Invercargill, taking up duties iu Melbourne, and Mr TT. 13. iiarnett in Sydney. Mr Firth was highly thought of during his term as tourist agent at Invercargill, and prior to his present appointment he was stationed at Wanganui. The duty of tho agents is to attract to Now Zealand and to lecture on New Zealand resorts.

With the advent of winter, one takes a survey of the unemployment outlook, and though there are still a largo number of men out of work, tho position does not appear to be as alarming as was the case at this time last year. Fifty men who were selected last week began on Government relief works on the Alain South road on Tuesday, and fifty more are being placed on the Mer-ton-Pidmerston road. Of these thirtyone have already been selected and the remainder of the men will leave on Friday morning. The Government Unemployment Bureau reports that little outside work is offering at tho present time.

Very constant has been the attendance at the Municipal Baths during the past few months, and so iar as receipts go it is likely that this wdl be the best year on record. With tho advent of colder weather the attendance now shows signs of falling off, but according to ticket sales the receipts for the year ending March 31 should be easily above last year’s total of £1,203.

The fat cattle sale at Burnside yesterday was dull, and there was a general decrease of admit 15s per head in the prices.

For spectacle? that soothe the eyes consult W. V, Stumer, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., 2 Octagon. Our business .s exclusively optical.—[Advt-3 • Leap year proposals lead to Williamsons (next The Bristol Piano Co.), whore the good rings are made at fair prices.—[Advt.] The Railway Department advertises' in this issue particulars of fares and train arrangements in connection with the opening of Miller’s Flat-Roxburgh extension on April 18.