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Evening Star, Issue 20864, 6 August 1931, Page 8

A firo gutted tlio whole of the. front portion of the Wniron Motor Garage Company's promises at midnight. Fifteen curs were burnt, and the. stock was damaged by smoko and water. The brigade effected a. good save, the lire being extinguished within five minutes of the alarm. The building and contents were insured in the Norwich Union office Press Association telegram.

“ What is needed is that the whole of David street should bo widened from Main South road to Cargill road, 1 ' said Cr Mitchell at the meeting of tho City Council last night in respect to a question asked at the previous meeting. He added that the matter was too big to be considered at present, and would have to bo deferred There did not seem to be any need for taking some property at Forbury Corner, where the visibility was good. The job would have to bo done as a whole. The steamer Matakaua, which arrived in Wellington from London this week, included in her cargo a consignment of 300 cases of Russian matches. Tho consignees are the Russo Export Agency, of Sydney. The matches were shipped to Wellington, and were consigned to order. There are fifty gross in a case, so it means there have been landed in Wellington 150,000 gross. It is stated that a similar shipment has been made to Auckland. A Wellington merchant stated that tin’s new deevlopment would receive tho serious consideration of the Government. It was the intention of a well-known firm to start manufacturing safety matches in New Zealand, which would bo tho means of creating work for a number of unemployed, it was possible that the likelihood of Russian competition might cause the company to alter its views, and not start a factory. It might be well, he added, for tho Government to adjust the Customs duties to meet tho situation. It was stated in a message which appeared on Tuesday morning that in tho opinion of the Associated Chambers of Commerce a tax on tlm profits of public body trading operations would produce £lo_,ooo. This amount (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) should have been £150,000. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that a 10 per cent, cut on wages, salaries, and allowances as from August 1 was decided upon by the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday. Exception is made of employees earning £IOO per annum and Joss, and of tho special daily rate paid to employees engaged on diviug work. Between £3,000 and £4,000 will bo saved, and the Finance Committee is to make a report to the next meeting of tho board as to the disposal of tin’s money. At the meeting of the City Council last night Cr Allens chairman of the Reserves Committee, replied to correspondence that had appeared in tho newspapers regarding scenic reserves at Flagstaff, Mount Cargill, and Signal Hill. There seemed to lie an impression abroad that tbosQ areas belonged to the city, -.ho said, but they were Crown lands. Tho Government made regulations for tho clearing of noxious growth, but it did not apply those regulations to itself, and the result was that those areas were very largely overgrown with manuka and noxious growth of various kinds. It was possible the council might take over those areas in the near future, because tho Government had requested it from time to time to do so, but if ifc_ did there was no thought whatever of interfering with native bush. On Flagstaff it had boon suggested that the council intended planting to within two chains of tho crest of the hill, but there was no thought of planting within ton eleven thirty chains of the top. There was nothing but waste scrub there, and scrub was always a danger,to tho council’s own afforestation areas. Ho simply wanted to make it clear that the council had no intention, even if it took over Flagstaff, of planting within even thirty chains of the crest of the hill. At the meeting of tho Mosgicl Borough Council last night the Picture Theatre Committee reported having called tenders for lease of tho Coronation Hall for picture entertainments, and having accepted tho tender of Messrs Stone and Strain for a live years’ lease at a satisfactory rental. Messrs Stone and Strain are installing a, •* talkie ” plant, and tho lease provides for four nights per week.

At the meeting of the Mosgiel Borough Cmmcil last evening, in reply to a question, the chairman of works reported that fifty-live gallpns pur minute were at present llowmg into the reservoir. The clerk reported that, according to a standard authority, assuming the pipes were new and truly laid, the pipes in question should deliver 08.34 gallons per minute. The daily consumption was between 110,000 and 120,000 gallons per day.

The preliminary proceedings in connection with the trial of George Errol Coats, charged with the murder of Phyllis Avis Symons, will bo commenced in the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday next. When Coats appeared and was further remanded today, Mr Treadwell (for_ tho accused) offered no objection, saying ho understood that tins was to bo tho final remand.—Wellington Press Association telegram.

At a sitting of tho Police Court this morning Thomas Edward Rogers was charged with tho theft of three B batteries, valued at £4 14s 6d, tho property of Douglas Whitson. Upon his pleading not guilty, the police asked for a remand till August 14. 11ns was granted, tho accused being allowed bail hi his own recognisance of £SO. Robert Duncan Smart, 'a statutory first offender, was lined 12s Gd for ' •unkenness, in default twontv-four hours’ imprisonment. Mr J, R. Bartholomew, S.M., was on the bench.

For his organ recital last evening Dr Galway arranged a most attractive programme. Of outstanding interest was tlie slow movement of Beethoven’s violin concerto, a performance of great beauty and charm. The city organist’s artistry and skill in demonstrating those qualities obviously delighted tho whole audience. Other items that wore deservedly popular were the powerful Bncli ‘Prohide and Fugue in E Minor,’ the Gnilmant ‘Fourth Sonata.’ and the ‘Triumph Song’ by Baynon. Cni’s ‘Berceuse’ and the Schumann ‘ Maclitstuck ’ were in highly effective contrast. Tho melodious overture to Rossini’s ‘Barber of Seville’ rounded off tho programme very pleasantly. Dr Galway was assisted at this recital by Mr Frank Watt, a bass of unusual quality and power. Air Watt impressed everyone with his excellent performances of an aria from Alozart’s ‘ Alagio Flute’ and Schubert’s wonderfully dramatic 1 Erl King,’ the motif of which was first interestingly outlined by Dr Galway. A Dunedin man whose business takes him into every corner of the central and southern areas told a ‘ Star ’ reporter yesterday that Stewart Island was also feeling the pinch caused by the economic depression. In fact, some of the Stewart Islanders wore in a verybad way, bo said. Ever since the Bluff Harbour Board bad withdrawn the tug Southland from tho Eovcaux Strait service—this had happened some eighteen months ago—tho hoarding house keepers had boon bard put to it to make ends meet. A small vessel, run by Captain Hamilton, maintained a periodical mail service, but its passenger accommodation was not likely to encourage tourists to make tho trip, it seeing! that the Bluff Harbour Board found that tho' service did not pay, and, stating that it was not faced with tho liability to maintain it, that body had closed down on the run. “If pri.ato enterprise cannot come to tho rescue I think it is up to the Government to do something about it throiigu tho Tourist Department,’’ added the ■‘ Star’s ’ informant.

Whenever the bleakness of winter sweeps over Dunedin the more cheerful citizens usually try to comfort their pessimistic .brethren with the remark, ‘‘Well, never mind, it’s the same all through New Zealand.” It. seems a pity to discourage such optimism, but the fact remains that the bad weather which was recently Dunedin’s lot has not been experienced in many other places —certainly not in the North Island. A local business man, who is just as competent to pronounce judgment on the weather as anybody else, states that while Dunedin was in the throes of her latest cold snap lie was touring the North Island. Ho encountered plenty of rain there, but the atmosphere was soft and mild, and spring flowers had already made their appearance.

The systematic demolition of the Royal Arcade hardly permits a comparison with a shell-torn street in Armentieres. Nor yet does it call up a faithful picture of the ravages which can be caused by a bad earthquake. All the same, a casual glance down the historic byway from High street to Maclaggau street, or vice versa, docs give the fleeting impression that tho place has been subjected to a bombardment or a ’quake. Broken walls, revealing internal decorations of an oldfashioned pattern, will bo there to-day and gone to-morrow. Soon there will bo nothing left but heaps of bricks and mortar. These will quickly bo removed, and the, waste area will closely resemble a now Rost Office.

Yardmen attached to tho railway staff at Dunedin were surprised yesterday morning, when the ChristchurchInvcrcargill goods train steamed in, to find that the roof of one of tho big VB waggons was missing. It was not until inquiries were made into the loss by communication by telephone and telegraph between Oamaru and Palmerston that tho roof was found by the line two miles north of Hampden. When tho train was passing through North Otago early in the morning the wind was of exceptional severity, and the gust which lifted tho heavy roof off the wagon, ono of tho type used for the carriage of oysters between Bluff and Christchurch, must have been of tremendous force and toruadic in its action, as tho eaves are very small. When the roof was lifted off it dropped on to the telephone wires, breaking communication with the north. Tho Postal authorities advise that tho Temeraire left Sydney for Wellington on Wednesday with twenty bags of mail and five parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should reach Dunedin on Tuesday afternoon. The Niagara, due on Monday at Auckland from Vancouver, has 143 bags of mail for Dunedin. The mail should reach the local post office on Wednesday evening.

The National Executive of tho United Patty has confirmed tho selection of Mr W. B. Darlow as tho party’s candidate for the Waitemata seat. Mr Darlow is a member of the Waitemata Power Board and the Auckland Harbour Board.—Wellington correspondent.

Tho introduction of the 5s totalisator at Forbury Park is not likely to take place, but there is every chance of the system of payment of dividends for straight-out wins and first, second, and third places being introduced. Trotting dubs have been authorised by the Trotting Conference to adopt the system if they think fit. The Forbury Park Club’s cbmmittee, stated the president (Mr B. S. Irwin) to-day has not discussed the introduction of the scheme, but the question would be fully considered after the executive had obtained a consensus of opinion from members at the annual meeting to bo bold this month.

Mr H. L. Tapley, who was member for Dunedin North from 1925 to 1928, has been approached by representative deputations and asked to contest the scat at the forthcoming election. A decision has not yet been reached by Mr Tapley. Ho was elected as a Reform candidate, and if lie stands this year it will probably- be ns an Independent Reformer, as lie is strongly in favour of fusion between United and Reform.

The proper branding and marketing of New Zealand produce lias long exercised the minds of the primary producers, while the secondary industries are unfailing in their keenness to earn credit for the country’s productions. There is something wrong, however, when New Zealand tallow can bo shipped to India marked as “-Best Australasian mutton tallow.” Workers on the wharf were greatly surprised to see fifty big casks landed on the Wainui, which is bound for Melbourne for transhipment to Bombay, bearing the stencil marking “ Best Australasian mutton tallow,” whereas the tallow is of New Zealand production. A Peninsula resident has a number of fallen trees on his property, but he lias found that firewood can be bought at a lower price than he would have to pay men at unemployed labour i for cutting the trees.

The special meeting of the Otago Harbour Board, called for to-night to discuss Leith Hood protection works to bo put in hand, has been deferred for a week. The reports from the engineering department have been completed, but further information for the board is required. Tho now system of train control on .the north lino has proved so successful in the speeding-up of services and the reducing of delays to a minimum that the system is being extended to the south line The train running branch in Dunedin is directly connected to every station on the north line as far as Oamarn and all directions for controlling the traffic, which was formerly controlled by the individual station masters and flag stations on the various sections of the line, are now issued from the Dunedin office. By means of a daily graph the progress of each train is watched without interruption. The extension of tho system to tho south lino entails the renewal of telephone wires. Consequent on the decision of tho Otago Harbour Board to reduce its stuff because of the serious decline in revenue, thirty employees have been given notice of dismissal, to take effect from the middle of next week. Tho conference of officers of the Department of Agriculture and others interested in grassland research was resumed at Palmerston North this morning, when it was decided to form an association for tho advancement of grass farming. The following officers wore elected;—President, Mr A. H. Cockayne; secretary and treasurer, Mr R. P. Connell; hon. auditor, Mr C. H. Sehwass; committee—Messrs A. W, Hudson, F. L. Scrivener, aid J. W. Hadfiehl. It was resolved that tho first annual meetinn- bo held at Lincoln College in December.—Press Association.

The biennial conference of tho Post and Telegraph Association was opened by tho Postmaster-General. Ho said that while Ids sympathies were with the officers of tho department it was not possible at the present juncture to improve the conditions of tho service, lu tho course of his presidential address Air Brown said the subject to be dealt with was that of again submitting to the Government the proposal to have salaries and wage? assessed on the value of services rcnde,i[sd. —Press Association.

Unlike streets in other cities, the Dunedin ones are not well placarded with “ Parking ” and “ No parking ” divisions, and many motorists fail to realise that tho western side of the street in Moray place west, between View street and Stuart street, although seemingly an ideal parking place, is not an authorised one. Motorists are continually, although unwittingly, breaking tho by-law in this locality, and are often penalised for doing so, and it was an appreciated action of Traffic Inspector Watson last night when ho patrolled this locality when tho demand for parking space was great owing to the Victoria League dance in the Savoy, and notified motorists as to the correct parking. A Christchurch Association telegram states that the West Coast line to Arthur’s Pass was cleared of wreckage this morning and the nonnal service resumed. Fourteen entity trucks on a goods train left tho lino at the Staircase yesterday and _ one hundred men had to work over-night clearing the debris. A chimney fire at 74 St. Andrew street was attended to by the Fire Brigade at 5.55 last evening. Save roar eyes. Bo wise, ami consult W. V. ” Stunner (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.— [Advt.l Tho Palais Dansa it, Concert Chamber, Town Hall, advertises in this issue a speoinl “ Gift Night ” for this coming Saturday.