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Evening Star, Issue 21632, 30 January 1934, Page 8

There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning.

The postal authorities advise that the Canadian Victor left Sydney on Saturday tor Wanganui with live bags of Australian mail. The mail should reach hero towards the week-end.

Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, Richard Ashfield Collins was proceeded against by his wife in respect to an application tor separation, maintenance, and guardianship orders. Mr O. G. Stevens appeared for the complainant and Mr J. G. Warrington tor the defendant. Mr Stevens said the application was the culminating point of an unhappy married life. Atter lengthy evidence had been heard the case was adjourned until Friday.

Affiliated with the Now Zealand Astronomical Society are several* secondary schools which have their astronomical clubs and are taking a keen interest in astronomy. These are Wellington College, the Ashburton High School, and the Southland Boys’ High School. The Ashburton School possesses a 6in rehector. At Wellington College a finely-equipped observatory with a Sin Zeiss refractor is available for the students. This is a pleasing aspect of the progress of the society, and it is hoped that still more schools will, on seeing the educational value, follow the example of those mentioned. Membeis of the .society in the teaching profession . also do good work, and, in particular, mention may be made of Mr S. R. Fairbrother, at Little Wanganui School, Te Namu, and Mr W. it. Mechaelis, F.R.A.S., at Alexandra, states the annual report of „the society.

Palestine was particularly suitable for the cultivation of citrus fruits, and during the last few years great progress had been made in that industry, said Dr Benzoin Shein, in an interview in Wellington, which he is visit ing under the auspices of the world Zionist organisation. It was estimated that the export of oranges for the current season would amount to 6,000,000 cases. A small orchard of about 7£ acres was sufficient to provide for the needs of an ordinary family. Dr Shein said that important work had been done in the clearing of swamps, which formerly were infested with malarial mosquitoes. Another achievement was the electrification of the country by means of water-power obtained from the Jordan and Jarmuk Rivers. There was also a prospect of the development of an important chemical industry connected with the Dead Sea, which contained large quantities of bromides and sulphides.

The personnel of the Fletcher Construction Company’s directing staff on the Dunedin Post Office contract is settled thus: Mr James Fletcher, managing director of the company; Mr James Biere, superintendent of works; Mr J. Rillstohe, supervisor of quarries, stone yard, and steel yard; Mr C. Malfas, manager of the stone yard at Pclichet Bay. Mr Fletcher will be hero once a month during the construction. Between whiles he is to be represented by Mr Rillstone.

The January number, of the Otago Art Society’s bulletin contains an article by Mr A. E. Baxter, a Christchurch artist, on the pictures that he was impressed by in the English galleries during his recent visit. In his travels Mr Baxter met many New Zealanders, and most were studying art. Among them were Mabel Hill, Miss Todd, and Heber Thompson, of Dunedin. Mr Thompson is now a member of the Royal Painters and Etchers’ Society, London, and seems quite established there. Mabel Hill has a studio m Chelsea and shows at the various exhibitions. Mr Baxter adds: “1 saw quite a lot of the late E. Murray Fuller and his wife, and through them became acquainted with a number of painters who, by the way, are not above giving criticism and hints to any student who asks. It was due largely to such criticism that I eventually sent works in for exhibition, and I was gratified to find that I had been successful in having works hung in four of the principal exhibitions—one in the R.A., two in the R. 1., two in the R.8.A., and one in the Paris Salon.” Mention by Mr Baxter of Mabel Hill (Mrs J. M'lndoe) brings to mind the fact that one of her recent works, a portrait of James Quinn, a well-known portrait painter, has been accepted by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters for hanging in its very exclusive gallery.

Last year the timber trade between the West Coast and Australia accounted for less than 2,000,00Uft from New Zealand, and it is hoped that this year the export will exceed S,OOO,UUUit, according to a statement by officials of the West Coast Sawmillers’ _ Association, who arrived back in Christchurch from the Coast on Saturday. At a conference held on the West Coast last week it was decided that the association should control and develop the export trade in rimu _ through the one channel. Members visited Butler’s mill at Ruatapu, where ideas on modern methods of handling "timber were exchanged. When the need of devising ways and means to raise funds to make the beaches safer was being discussed by the Otago Head Centre of the Royal Life Saving Society last night, the president (Mr H. H. Henderson) said that at the St. Clair summer life-sav-ing contest at St. Clair on Sunday the collection totalled only £4 6s 6d, despite tho fact that there wore several thousands present. This worked out at less than Id a head! Recent dredging at 'the Kaik, consequent on a tidal sand drift in that locality, has slowed up reclamation at Mussel Bay. Activity in the latter place is likely to be soon resumed. The reclaiming of portion of tho area to a finished level is likely to take place when a much-discussed, drain has been constructed. Three engineers have that matter under consideration, and a combined recommendation from them has to be approved by the Harbour Board and the Borough Council, which are the local bodies effected. Mr F. J. Williams, who is one of the engineers, told a ‘ Star ’ reporter that he could not foresee any great difficulty in having the material for construction of the drain on the site in a month. The drain is to be of large-size concrete piping.

Three valuable rams, one a' Southdown and the others Lincolns, imported from England, via Australia, tor breeding jiurposes, arrived at Wellington by the Marama. The Lincolns arc for Mr William Rayner, “ The Cliffs,” Masterton, and the Southdown is for Messrs M‘Lauchlan and Uysart, of Bleilhean. Three months were spent by the sheep in quarantine in Australia, and they were taken to Some’s Island on their arrival for a further quarantine period of twenty eight days. Further shipments of chilled beef from the Wairarapa will bo made early in March by Messrs Borthwick and Sons. Mr E. G. Norman, managing director, stated yesterday (says a Rress Association telegram from Masterton) that they intended to go right ahead with the trade. The firm had made two successful experimental shipments last year.

The postal authorities advise that the Ruahine, due at Auckland on Friday from London, has fifteen bags of English mails* and 150 parcel receptacles for New Zealand. The Dunedin portion is due on Monday morning.

The contract for the conversion of the old Plaza Theatre into a modern talking picture establishment for Amalgamated Theatres Ltd. was let yesterday to Messrs Wood and M'Cormack. Messrs Miller and White are the architects for the work, which includes the remodelling of' the present entrance, the removal of the existing stairway, the erection of a new stalls foyer, sweet stall, stair to the circle, and a proscenium in front of the screen. The whole of the interior will be redecorated, and most of the existing columns supporting the circle will be removed to afford better visability. The whole undertaking will involve an expenditure of several thousand pounds. Yesterday afternoon the Green Island division of the Fire Brigade extinguished a chimney fire in Main road, Green Island, and at 6.2 in the evening the city machines turned out in response to a malicious false alarm from the corner of Serpentine avenue and Queen’s drive. An accidental false alarm from Messrs John Edmond’s premises was responsible for the brigade turning out again at 10.11. Shortly after 9 this morning another malicious alarm was registered, this being in Castle street, -while at 9.35 a call was received tu a five-roomed wooden dwelling at 482 Cargill road. There was an outbreak in a detached outhouse, which was slightly damaged before the flames were suppressed. Sparks from .the copper fire caused the blaze.

A car driven by Mr Trevor Seabourne Harris, ol St. Clair, was proceeding north along Princes street last night, when it lost a wheel opposite the premises of Messrs James Wren and Co. The car swung across the road, and the wheel charged into the front of .Messrs John Edmond Ltd. r 'ons ; Jerable damage was done, the plate-glass window being broken, while at the same time the automatic fire alarm inside was set going, the Central Fire Brigade being quickly on the scene.

A novel method of recapturing an escaped hapuka weighing probably 501 b was adopted by the occupant of a launch off New Plymouth the other day. In accordance with its habit, the fish, with others, came to the surface after the light had gone out of it. It became unhooked, however, and it semed that it would be lost, for it was too far away to reach from the launch. 1; was then than one of the men jumped overboard with a hand line. Svimming up to the exhausted fish ho rehooked it.

Holding that some allowance should he made on an occasion such as Christmas Eve, Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., at Gisborne, declined to impose penalties on a number of defendants who appeared on charges of being on licenseel premises after hours. The men who had purchased liquor, ancj also the licensee and the barman of one hotel, too. convicted and discharged, while a fhargo against a second licensee was dismissed as trivial, in view of the fact tint defendant had an unbroken record of forty years as a licensee, without a corviction being recorded against him. Tht charges arose out of raids made on December 23, which was observed as Christinas Eve, the facts in all cases beiig admitted.

tailway passenger traffic is of pretty ful dimensions just now with the close of the school holidays drawing near. Full trains are tho rule, and in an effd't to cope satisfactorily with the position the department is putting on an extra service on the north line on Safurday. A special train for Christchurch will leave Dunedin at 8.40 a.m., and an extra train from Christchurch will arrive hero at 8.54. ■\fhcn fire broke out in a house near the Roman Catholic Church at Te Kaiao, a few miles north of Kohukohi, tho church service was .interrupted while members of the congregation made strenuous efforts to save the {milling and contents, which, however, wort totally destroyed. .Although Dunedin cricketing followers are compensated by the playing of a Ust match here between the Australiau'eleven and New Zealand, the itinerary'wbich is published to-night disclosls that Canterbury lias been allotted thr® matches ns against the one to this!province. In Canterbury matches are jto be played against Canterbury and!against t\vo of the northern provimp’s minor associations, Ashburton amllSonth Canterbury. Yet Otago, wbiih lias two strong minor associations in limtliland and North Otago, is-al-lot l<|l only the lest mateli.

An important city work that has been begun since the holidays is that of extending the storm-water conduit from King Edward street to the tram stop at the mouth of the Glen. The job will take some time. It is being carried on by the ordinary engineering staff of the Drainage Board under the control of Mr J. G. Alexander. The conduit from King Edward street to the foreshore lias answered so well in time of heavy rain as to warrant the belief that the extension will be of great service in keeping flood water off the Flat,. A short list of business occupied the attention of tho Magistrate’s .Court this morning, Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., giving judgment, with costs, for plaintiffs in the following undefended cases ;—‘ Evening Star ’ Co. Ltd. v. Joe Doe (Invercargill), £3, advertising ; Nimmo and Blair Ltd. v. N. R. Simonsen (Opouri Valley, Marlborborough), 19s 4d, goods supplied; James Jackson (Tomahawk) v. J. Binney (Tomahawk), £1 13s 7d, goods supplied.

Save your eyes. Be wise and consult \V. V. Stunner (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.—[Advt-I The Blacks (Ophir) School will hold a reuion at Easter, and all ex-pupils and teachers will bo making an effort to attend the function to meet the schoolmates and masters of their time. AH connected with tho school who have not yet received the circular in connection with tho function are directed in an advertisement in this issue to communicate with the secretary.

Owing to the close of the school vacation the Railway Department is arranging to run the 8.40 a.m. Duuedin-Christcburch and 12.25 p.m. C'hrislchurch-Dnncdin mail trains on Saturday, February 5. See advertisement in this issue.