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Evening Star, Issue 21581, 29 November 1933, Page 8

Although no definite advice has been received from the West Coast, it is believed that Mr Frank M'Qunid, who was tho victim in the mining fatality, was at one time a member of the Police Force in Dunedin. There was a Francis M'Quaid attached to the police force here during the Exhibition who left Dunedin in 1927, and it is thought that he was identical with tho man killed in Monday's explosion.

With the object of making more widely known amongst business men the value of the Y.W.C.A. to present-day society, a meeting was convened by the directors of the organisation yesterday afternoon, when it was explained that an appeal for funds was to be made carlv in the New Year. After welcoming'the guests, the president (Mrs llegg) announced that an anonymous donor had that morning made a gif'e of £IOO to the funds as a mark of appreciation of the work. Mr S. P. Cameron, a member of the Advisory Board, stressed the need for continued support from the business and professional people of the city. The balance-sheet of the association showed that during the past year inroads to the extent of £2OB had been made into the accumulated funds, and he pointed out that the members of the association’s committee had the right to expect that behind them they would have the citizens who had the welfare of young people at heart. The general secretary (Miss D. M. Lynn) outlined some of the activities of the organisation, and made particular reference to the assistance which was being given to girls under sixteen years of age, for whom the Government did not encourage the official committee dealing with the unemployment problem to do anything. Mill. K, Wilkinson and the Mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox) also spoke in connection with the work, the latter referring to tho Y.W.C.A.’s part in the formation of an international brotherhood. An Otago orchard owner, one of those whose trees suffered severely by tire big frost of this season, says that the Canterbury visitor’s estimate of £IOO,OOO damage is not unreasonably high, considering that of apples alone 108,000 cases were exported from this district last season, valued at the least at 10s 6d per case, and that the loss in stone fruit will be almost as great. It is noted at Ettrick, in one orchard, that the frost irreparably spoiled for the season five of the seven varieties of apples grown there, and that two varieties arc only partly injured. The two that to some extent withstood the destroyer are Delicious and Cleopatra. The saving influence with those two varieties is attributed to the denseness of their foliage. Our informant adds that the loss of the stone crop hits very hard the small growers, who look for quick returns from local marketing to supply immediate needs. An appeal case of considerable interest to dairy factories generally was heard before His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy in the Supremo Court to-day. The appellants were the Silverstream Dairy Company Ltd., and the Mosgiel Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd., which appealed against its conviction under a regulation of the Fisheries Act of having allowed to flow into the Silverstream a liquid dangerous to fish. Mr E. J, Anderson appeared for the appellants, and Mr P. S. Anderson for the Otago Acclimatisation Society. Both parties agreeing, His Honour said he would take the magistrate’s notes of the evidence as the evidence on tho hearing on appeal. Argument by counsel on tho appeal, which was chiefly based on law, engaged the attention of His Honour throughout the morning. This evening lovers of art and tho public generally will have the last opportunity of viewing the annual exhibition of tho Otago Art Society at the Pioneer Hall. The display is one of the very best for some years, and comprises work by well-known artists from various parts of the dominion as well as by local painters. There are over 300 pictures in oil and water colours, black-and-white sketches, lino cuts, photographs, and examples of craft work. Yesterday the exhibition was visited by a number of senior scholars from the Macandrcw Road and Mornington Schools. The following sales have been recorded;—‘Roses,’ by Miss Kathleen Salmond; ‘A Gateway, Salisbury,’ by E. I. D. Turner; silk embroidery, by Miss Margaret Russell; and a log box, the work of Miss Margery A. Helps.

Picture theatre patrons will be interested to learn that the Octagon Theatre is being taken over on January I from'Messrs J. C. Williamson Ltd. by Mr G. L. Johnston, who, following the Fuller-Hay ward regime, controlled it from 1918 till 1929. Mr Johnston, who has been in the north for some years, is now back in Dunedin, and in an interview with a 1 Star' reporter this morning he said that the theatre would probably be ready for opening about a week after New Year’s Day. Considerable renovations would be made in the interior of the building, and the most modern type of plant would be installed. The matter of resuscitating an orchestra had not yet been definitely decided upon, but the public could rest assured that everything would be done to make the theatre as comfortable and attractive as any in New Zealand. It will be remembered that in the days of the silent films the Octagon was noted for its talented orchestra, which was looked upon as one of the finest instrumental combinations in the city. It was due to the enterprise of Mr Johnston that it became so popular. The first conductor at this period was Mr A. F. Neate, and then Mr Johnson arranged for the services of M. de Rose, now conductor of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra. The Octagon has also had the distinction of being the first theatre in Dunedin and the second in New Zealand to screen a talking picture. Samuel Heinrich Schwabe, of Dessau, during the nienteenth century discovered the maximum and minimum period of sunspots. For more than thirty years ho observed the sun on every possible clear day. At 9.12 this morning, the City Fire Brigade answered an automatic false alarm from the Town Hall.

The Union Company states that bookings for the holiday interisland services have commenced earlier than usual this year, and the sailings just prior to Christmas arc already heavily booked. They are especially heavy for the Wahinc on December 22, and the Rangatira on December 23.

The attempt of L. G. Fleming, the young Christchurch cyclist, on the tinpaced record of 14hr 52min 51sec, established by W. L. Oldman in 1911, from Christchurch to Dunedin will conclude at the Caledonian Ground, and should Fleming’s effort be successful he should ride into the Caledonian Ground during the progress of the Otago Athletic and Cycling Club’s meeting this evening.

Little Dorothy Edith Dodds, the child who was drowned in the sea off the St. KHda Beach on Saturday afternoon, was buried at the Anderson’s Bay Cemetery yesterday afternoon. The funeral brought together a large number of residents to whom the circumstances of the fatality made a pathetic appeal. As the story is narrated in the district, fourteen of the inmates of the Presbyterian orphanage wore in the beach party. One of the boys who went into the surf was seen to be in trouble, and his sister and Dorothy waded out to help him. The helpers in turn were caught by the current, and whilst the brother and sister were rescued Dorothy was swept out beyond recovery alive. Scores of wreaths were brought to the funeral, one of them being sent by four boys belonging to Kaitangata. The service in the home was conducted by the Revs. G. H. Jnpp and O. Miller, ami the ministers at the graveside were the Iters. G, L. Taylor and W. Trotter.

Notification from the Minister of Stamp Duties that the question of withdrawing from local bodies the privilege of free searches in the Land Transfer Office was under consideration, was received by the Christchurch Drainage Board last night. The Minister’s letter, dealing with the payments for searches, stated that there was no specific authority for allowing searches for other purposes than the recovery of rates, and for “town planning to be made without the prescribed fee, although it was recognised that the searches entailed in bringing up to date boards sewer area maps should be made without charge.—Press Association.

At the North Taieri aerodrome tills afternoon the mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox),.the city councillors and the assistant town clerk (Mr R. A. Johnston) were the guests of the Otago Aero Club, the occasion constituting an official celebration of the acquisition of the new cabin aeroplane.

Save your eyes; B« wise and consult W. V. Stunner (optician. 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision tor old age.—f Advt-1 Tho Railway Department advertises in this issue particulars of a special cheap day excursion Dunedin to Invercargill on Sunday, December 3^The intention is to make the excursion as attractive as possible by putting on fast special trains and exceptionally cheap fares, also reserving seats (or both journeys for Is. Palais Da usa nt announces the recommencement of its popular Saturday night dances this week. The Moonshine Cabaret ballroom lias been selected as tho most suitable hall, and with its appointments and line dancing iloor it should please patrons.