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Evening Star, Issue 20986, 28 December 1931, Page 6

No damage was done when grass caught fire at the corner of Union and Clyde streets early yesterday afternoon. The brigade turned out at 12.fi. The third New Zealand Esperanto Congress was opened at Christchurch on Saturday. A welcome was extended by the mayor (Mr ]). G. Sullivan), and then Professor J. Macmillan Brown addressed the delegates, who subsequently discussed association business. A motion was carried urging the Now Zealand Government to approach the League of Nations with a view to having Esperanto taught in all schools of countries belonging to the League, because of its influence in promoting world peace. The Dunedin tramway traffic on Saturday is indicated by the takings—£3B2 7s—as against £393 3s 5d on the corresponding day of last year, a drop of £lO 6s fid. That is a fair return considering all things. Yesterday the traffic was very light, the rain in the afternoon the cause. ’ As usual, the corporation buses have >een in fair demand. Persons who desire a quick run on which they can get close to beauty spots, no matter what the weather’ may bo, find that these buses suit their purpose. A Wellington Association message states that the Jubilee floating dock was off the Brothers light at 9 this morning, and is expected to enter port between 6 and 7 this evening. Quite naturally our holiday-makers who are travelling by rail rush the new cars. It would bo a poor compliment to the workshops hands wero it otherwise. But all cannot secure that luxury. The department has done its best to extend it. For some time there have been twenty of the new cars on the running between Christchurch and Invercargill. Now there are no fewer than fifty doing constant service with the expresses and mail trains. The public should be, and as a whole no doubt are, pleased with this effort towards their comfort. It would be unreasonable to assume that those passengers who cannot secure seats in the new cars have any real grievance. When the railways’ policy of 187 D was introduced Julius Vogel said the idea was to give the people a mode of transit superior to that of the bullock wagon. Wo have improved on that a lot in the meantime, but are 'as yet hardly at .the stage where everybody can be provided with pampering of the Rolls-Royce order.

Roses Laving this year bloomed earlier than, usual in Dunedin, the show of the first flowering in the Botanic Gardens is now nearly over; yet the display is worth seeing, if only to find out lor certain what varieties last well. Sweet williams are this season of wonderful colour. Begonias are coming on promisingly, and will shortly be very attractive in the open borders. Zoualo geraniums, under glass, are quite glorious, and some of the orchids are in bloom. The brisk railway traffic on Boxing Day continued to the very last of the running in the Dunedin district. Yesterday the 9.30 train to Oamarn carried no fewer than 450 as she left the city station, and the train from Oamaru due in Dunedin at 8.30 was such a monster, bringing over 800 passengers, that an assisting engine and extra cars had to be sent from town at 6 p.m. to help it in from Waitati. The Sunday night trains to and from Christchurch were well patronised. This morning the passenger loadings from Dunedin on the principal trains were as f0110w7.50 to Central, 150; 8.33 to Invercargill, 350; 8.40 to Christchurch, 200; 11.35 to Christchurch, 240. The first train from Christchurch to-day, arriving at Dunedin at 4.18 p.m., started with 270. The postal authorities advise that the following vessels are en route to New Zealand or are due to arrive to-day with mailsWainui, Melbourne to Bluff, twenty-eight bags and three parcel receptacles ; due Monday evening. _ Sydney Maru, Melbourne to Wellington three bags and one parcel receptacle; due Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. Monowai, Sydney, Wellington, seven bags and seven parcel receptacles; due Thursday evening. Golden Cross, Los Angeles to Auckland, four parcel receptacles ; duo Tuesday evening. Christmas was a period of quiet enjoyment at Port Chalmers. On Christmas Eve shopping was brisk, and the brass band, taking up a central position in the nand rotunda in King Edward square, played an acceptable programme which included seasonable numbers. Yesterday Christmas services were held in the churches, the choral, singing being an outstanding feature. To-day the weather was milder, and a number of people attended the regatta across the harbour, others making the popular outing to the Spit, where a large number of week-enders and visitors were picnicking for the holidays. Visitors to Dunedin from the country and other towns were specially thought of when it was arranged that Dr Galway should give a recital on the Town Hall organ on Wednesday evening of this week, but no doubt many of our citizens' who attend these recitals regularly will also bo attracted, since they, will have the opportunity of hearing again some of the compositions (and Dr Galway’s interpretations thereof) that have on previous occasions given them great pleasure. Important items of the programme are * The Ride of the Valkyrie,’ the symphonic poem ‘ Finlandia,’ the overture to ‘ William Tell,’ the ‘ Suite Gothique ’ by Boellraann, and Handel’s ‘ Concerto in P Major.’ The selection of pieces is such as to afford enjoyment to . music-lovers of every grade. A police party raided a house in Victoria street in the city yesterday afternoon, and found about twenty-seven men playing hazards. Three escaped through an upstairs window and reached a shop verandah and swarmed down tho poles to tho street. The others -were arrested, and to-day Mato Dragicivich (thirty-three) was fined £25 or two months’ imprisonment for keeping a common gaming house. Twentythree others who pleaded guilty to being found on the premises wore each fined £3 or seven days’ imprisonment. Most of them wore Dalmatians. —Auckland Press Association telegram.

A correspondent writes: —“ Who says Dunedin girls are ‘ stick-in-the-muds’ ? Those who wero fortunate to bo at St. Clair about 3 o’clock on Saturday afternoon will give a most vigorous denial to this statement. Those gaily-coloured beach pyjamas which are held in such contempt by certain reverend gentlemen are not dashing enough for one young miss. The damsel to whom wo are referring made leisurely progress from one end of the Esplanade to the other clad in a blazer and a pair of w hka flannel trousers. Both she and her companion, who was dressed in the moro conventional skirt, seemed entirely oblivious of the gazo of many pairs of eyes. Of course, many proverbial pious hands were hold up in horror, but the majority regarded her with open amusement, coupled with a certain amount of admiration for her boldness. Indeed, oven the ranks of Tuscany (in the shape of a large policeman), could scarce forbear to cheer.”

Although the broken weather during the past few days was not exactly what holiday-makers were wishing for, the rain has not been accompanied by storminess, and the spells of bright sunshine have allowed trampers and others to get out and enjoy themselves, even the bowlers being able to carry on. Yesterday afternoon the rain came on quite gently, it did not develop with violence, and a pleasant evening ensued, a fineweather sky betokening the sunny morning to-day. If things meteorological have not panned out quite as the youngsters were hoping for, they might have been much worse. Special Christmas services were held either on Sunday or Christinas Day in practically all the churches in Mosgici and the Taieri. The East Taieri Presbyterian Choir visited Saddle Hill and Allanton. Rev. A. C. Watson accompanied them and preached. Both at the morning and evening services ,at East Taieri the choir also sang Christmas hymns nd carols. A special anthem was sung by a children’s choir. Rev. Mr Ferry visited all the Anglican churches in turn and conducted Christmas services. At Allanton and Outram Catholic Churches Rev Father M'Mahon officiated, and at Mosgiel, commencing at 'midnight, Rev. Father Walls sang a “Missa Cantata.” Ho also officiated at 8 and 9 o’clock the same morning. The choir sang special Christmas hymns and anthems, both at the midnight mass and on the previous Sunday evening. Miss Quelch was organist. At West Taieri Church a sacred concert was held. In addition to this a special service was held earlier in the evening. Rev. D. M. M'Kenzio was the preacher. Two quartet parties and several soloists supplemented the choir’s efforts. Miss Wills was organist. Mosgici Presbyterians wero also treated to some special singing by the choir and friends. Rev. H. Graham preached, and Mr C. Skinner was organist. A combined service was held by the Mosgiel ministers on Christmas Day at 10 a.m. in the Presbyterian Church. “ Aucklander ” writes that there is a St. Thomas’s Church (Church of England) in Union street, Auckland, standing for at least thirty-five years. A 1 Star ’ article on * St. Thomas’s Day ’ had expressed doubt whether there was any church of the name in New Zealand, and this is the fourth since brought to notice by correspondents. While Mr Hamish Armstrong, of Akitio, was taxiing out of the aerodrome at the Napier club’s grounds in his private plane, he struck a hole and the machine was overturned. The pilot escaped injury, but the plane was slightly' damaged. The propeller was broken, and also one wing. The undercarriage was not damaged. The result of the magisterial recount in connection with the election for the Rangitikei seat has been officially announced as follows:—A. Stuart (Coalition Reform) 4,162; J. T. Hogan (Independent) 4,147. Mr Stuart increased his majority by two. Two steam trawlers, the Sir William Wallace, and Result, were sunk at the inner harbour during the week-end. It is believed that the seacocks of the former, which was the larger boat, were opened, and her sinking compelled the other boat, to which she was moored, to heel over. Both vessels are the property of the New Zealand Trawling Company.—Napier Press Association telegram. “ I wish to thank the police for the attention and courtesy they showed me while I was in there,” said a first offender, charged with drunkenness, at the Police Court this morning, after ho had been convicted and discharged by the presiding justices (Messrs H. E. Holler and J. Stratton).-

Save your eyes. Be wise, and consult W. V. Sturmer (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.— [Advt.]