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Evening Star, Issue 21634, 1 February 1934, Page 8

Foxton’s unemployed have formed a co-operative society and are handling the distribution of groceries, meat and milk among themselves. Members were addressed on behalf of the New Zealand co-operative movement. The society has been formed on sound business lines and is reported to be progressing. It is announced that the society intends to create a distress fund from profits for the benefit of members. Routine business was dealt with at the meeting of the Drainage Board last night, presided over by Rev. E. T. Cox. Following the ordinary meeting a special meeting passed a resolution to bo confirmed at a subsequent meeting of the board and operate as a special order, authorising the raising of a loan of £184,500 for the purpose of repaying a loan of £210,000, which matured on July 1, 1934. A further special meeting passed a resolution authorising the raising of a loan of £IOO,OOO, being the second instalment of a loan of £250,000 authorised pursuant to “ The Dunedin District Drainage and Sewerage Amendment Act, 1930.” Resolutions were also passed authorising the striking of a special rate as security for the interest on the board’s conversion loan. “ The British Labour Party has a strong revenge prospect; it would sooner make the rich poor than make the poor rich.” This astounding remark (says the Melbourne ‘ Age ’) was made by a man who has devised a system of international finance which its armies of upholders claim would, if adopted, almost turn the world into a semi-paradise. In explanation of his charge against the British Labour Party, Major Douglas, interviewed aboard the Maloja, said that in Britain the greatest opposition to the social credit proposals came from the partyLabour was peculiarly susceptible to propaganda, being animated by the revenge motive—the rich to be made poor, rather than that the poor be made rich. On Sunday evening the Anderson’s Bay branch of Star Stores Ltd. was broken into and a considerable amount of groceries stolen. Entrance to the premises was gained by breaking a glass panel in the front door and forcing the lock. To owners of horse-drawn vehicles the slippery nature of the bitumen streets in the city and also on the higher levels has always proved troublesome. The spreading of sand on the steeper streets during the winter months has lessened to a small degree the danger to horses. A change in the fashion of footwear for the horses has, however, entirely solved this difficult problm. Rubber shoes have recentlv been introduced into Wellington with every success, and they should seen be seen on the Dunedin streets. The shoes, which are mounted on a thin foundation of metal, are made in all sizes, and it is claimed that instead of lasting for three or four weeks, ns in the case of ordinary shoes, their average life is about sixteen weeks. At last night’s meeting of the Drainage Board, the tender of the Iron and Steel Co. of New Zealand Ltd., for the supply and delivery of fifty tons of mild steel reinforcing rods was accepted, the price being £576 12s.

It seems probable that the St. Kilda Band will bo the sole representative of Dunedin at the New Zealand Brass Bands’ Association’s contest at Wellington this month, commencing on the 19th. The contests are only for A and B grade bands, therefore one or two Otago bands of the C grade that are good enough for competition playing are not eligible. The St. Kilda men are arranging to start on the journey on Saturday, the 17th. This band has a groat record in contests. It has not missed once since Mr James Dixon took over the conductorship nearly eleven years ago, and its placings by the 'judges are highly creditable. “ The best January I have had in three years,” is the answer of a leading property salesman of Dunedin to a question as to how he finds business. Genuine inquiries for various classes of property-—shops, hotels, and dwellings —are quite frequent, and transactions are more readily come to now than for many months past. The dwellings that appear to be most in demand arc those valued at about £I,OOO. For that type of property there has been an easing in owners’ values. A place that was in the market for £1,300 three years ago is now sometimes purchasable for about £I,OOO to effect a prompt sale, as in the case of an owner going away. Every country in the world seems to want to claim the depression as its own, according to Signor T. Flocchini, who has visited forty-three countries in the last nine months, and who is at present in Christchurch. “ Every where I go business men agree that the depression is world-wide,” he said, “ but they all say that, however bad the crisis faced by other countries may be, that faced by their own country is _ the worst of all.” He added that within the last year trade conditions seemed to have improved, and the outlook of the business community in every country was much better. A unique and unsolicited memento of Mr Lincoln Ellsworth’s visit to Dunedin is held by Athol Ogilvie, a pupil of the Albany Street School., On Monday the lad wandered down to the wharf to inspect the Wyatt Earp, and, inspired by the wish to be useful, he set to and assisted the first mate and the crew to handle some packages. While he was so engaged Mr Ellsworth himself came along, and, in his customary kindly manner, gave his youthful assistant a word of appreciation. Further, the leader put his hand into his pocket and gave the boy a Norwegian coin which was carried by him across the North Polar Sea. The coin is about the size of a threepenny piece and is of about the same value in British money. To complete the good deed Mr Ellsworth made the following signed inscription in the boy’s note book:—“ The Norwegian coin was carried by me on the airship Norge across the Polar Sea from Spitzbergen to Alaska, May 11-13, 1926.”

A speculator is reported to have bought the whole of the remainder of the season’s cheese output of a southern Hawke’s Bay factory (says the ‘ Taranaki Daily News’). His venture will cost him the major part of £IO,OOO, some of which he has recently cleared ■in wool speculation. Men in touch with the cheese situation seen recently at New Plymouth thought there was a fair chance of the speculator making money oh his deal, depending , of course, on what he paid per pound for the cheese. The position _in England now with cheese is that it is the cheapest food when the prices of other foods are compared with it, it was stated. Therefore, there is every_ chance of it showing an improvement in value, particularly as meat is steadily rising. Lamb is double the price it was this time last year, and there is every indication that mutton will share in the rise. A certain measure of control of imports of meat to Great Britain, particularly from Argentina, is a meat price-cutting factor. The restriction of imports of bacon from foreign countries has resulted in a 50 per cent, increase in the price of that foodstuff in Britain. All these factors make cheese now the cheapest food on the British market at to-day’s values.

There was keen competition from butchers at the start of the lamb sale at Burnside yesterday, and exporters commenced operating at the increased schedule. When the sale was nearing the end butchers’ supplies were filled, and values at this stage were firm at the exporters’ increase. “ I believe that if it were not for Hitler, Germany would have become a Communist country,” said Mr H. Spear, of Wellington, who has returned from a tour of the Continent and elsewhere. Mr Spear was in Berlin at the time of the German President’s birthday. Hitler then had a great showing of followers, and a list opened for signatures of adherents totalled over 2,500,000 in a very short time, while later 700,000 were waiting to sign up. Mr Spear travelled a good deal amongst the working communities of the country. On the farms men were working twelve and fourteen hours a day, and on some farms double shifts were being worked. Germany was being cultivated to a greater extent than any other country he saw in his travels. Asked how the building trade was progressing, carpenters assured him that they were very busy. In some parts of Germany there were not sufficient carpenters to get through the work, and for special lines men were being brought in from outside. During the past few days a rumour has been current that, owing to the continued prevalence of measles, some of the State schools would not open on February 6. An inquiry from the secretary of the Education Board, however, elicits the information that every school will open on Tuesday, February 6. It is not until then that the effects of the epidemic on attendances can be gauged, and an estimate arrived at as to how the circumstances are likely to effect the individual schools.

Counsel to a witness at the Wanganui Court: “When would you say a man was intoxicated?” Witness: “A man is intoxicated nowadays when he* has one.” Counsel; “When is _ a man intoxicated in your view? ” Witness: “It a man takes half a dozen whiskies he is getting a bit full. Counsel: “ If a man had a couple or shandies at 1 o’clock would you say he was intoxicated two hours afterwards? ” Witness: “ Oh, no. “ That the Prime Minister be urged to repeal the marriage Jaws,” was the text of a startling motion put forward by Mr G. Stanton at a public meeting in the Greymouth Town Hall (states the ‘Grey Star ’). It was absolutely over the odds, he explained, amidst laughter, for the Prime Minister, or any Minister of the Crown, to ask a man to leave his wife and family, and go miles and miles to enter a camp at TVeheka. It was stated: “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder,” and if married men were to leave their wives and go away down to Weheka, it was up to the Prime Minister to repeal the marriage laws. The Chairman (the mayor, Mr J. W. Greenslade) said he could not accept the motion. He added that if such a motion were sent up to the Minister, “ he would probably think wo arc running loose down boro.” (Laughter).

When the Finance Committee’s report was being considered at last night’s meeting of the City Council, discussion took place as to whether the yearly review of superannuation retirements of council employees should bo dealt with in open council or in committee, the council deciding that the matter should be taken in committee. Cr Jones raised the question. Cr Shaddock said he considered that the matter of the review of superannuation retirements should be considered by the council in committee. If they went further, names and individuals would have to be discussed. Personally, he refused to discuss parties in open council. The mayor: “ My ruling is that it be taken in committee.”. The only way Cr Jones could get over the matter would be for him to give notice of motion to move that the resolution’ that the question of salaries and wages be considered in committee, be rescinded. Cr Jones then moved that standing orders be suspended for the purpose of dealng with the question of superannuation and retiring officers in Council. _ They were going to deal with the retirement of certain officers, and he did not see why they should not take it in open council. Cr Silverstone seconded the motion which was lost. Favourable comment was passed at a meeting of directors of the "Wairarapa Rurual Intermediate Credit Association on the phenomenal change for the better in the position of borrowers who relied on sheep fai ming. The directors felt that the sheep farmer could now be expected to confoim to the policy of the board and make an annual reduction in his overdraft limits; The district supervisor stated that the board was willing to take over the accounts of farmers who could show a satisfactory margin of security on their stock and implements. Collateral security in the nature of mortgages on land or a guarantee would be accepted in suitable cases. Pleading guilty to a charge of stealing a suitcase containing clothing and books valued at £7, the property of the magistrate, Mr Levien, a charge of unlawful conversion of a motor cycle, four charges of obtaining credit by fraud, and a charge of obtaining goods and money by false representation, Harley Townsend Lowe, aged 29, w-as convicted and sentenced to a term of reformative detention extending over three years by Mr S. L. Paterson, S. M., in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court yesterday. On a further charge of forgery the accused was remanded to appear at Napier on February 7.

A married women named M'Dowell was fined £5, costs included, at Petone yesterday for the theft of gas. It was urged for her that the offence was of only a fortnight’s duration, and a plea was made that the meter was leaking and that gas was costing her £2 a month. It was stated that a hawker came 'to her door, smelled gas, and said that he could show the woman how to connect the gas so as not to register. Her husband was ignorant of this being done. The Anglican Parish Church of St. James at Southbridge was totally destroyed by fire at daybreak yesterday. When discovered the flames were far beyond control, and nothing could be saved. The police are investigating the have been of incendiary origin. The inoutbreak, which, it is thought, may surances were £675 on the church, £IOO on the furnishings, and £75 on the organ , all with the Church Property Trustees. At last night’s ‘ meeting of the City Council, Cr Shepherd said that his attention had been drawn to tlm quantity of cocksfoot growing on city reserves, and he wondered if it might not be made available to a section of the community more in need of money than the schoolboys who were obtaining the proceeds of the sale of cocksfoot. Cr Campbell supported Cr Shepherd and said that he thought many men might make a little money reaping and threshing cocksfoot. It was going to waste. Cr Jones said that he thought the raising of money from this source was a thing of the past for this season. “ No,” said Cr Campbell, “it is not ripe yet.” Cr Jones said that the matter would come up at the meeting of he Reserves Committee. Containing the information that the Scottish societies of Dunedin are contemplating chartering a special steamer to take a big delegation across to Melbourne for the centenary celebrations, an interesting paragraph has been going the rounds of northern newspapers. That there is nothing authentic in the story has been proved by the result of inquiries made in Dunedin. It is stated that the story must be an elaboration of the warm invitation to go to Melbourne which was issued by the Victorian visitors who were here recently. Possibly some of the Australians have suggested that a ship should be chartered, but it is extremely doubtful whether Dunedin’s travelling population is large enough to enable a few societies to organise such a venture.

A Christchurch youngster, aged about two years, and of an enterprising turn of mind, decided the other day to investigate the possibilities of one of the switches of the electric oven as a possible source of amusement. Sheer persistency eventually led to the breaking of the switch, and the disappearance of the _ protective covering. Then came a series of complaints from the child of burns, and it was not until a visitor poked an exploring finger into' the decapitated switch that their source was revealed. His pipe shot across the length of the room and he leaped high in the air as he experienced a respectable shock. The electrician was hastily called next day. Dripping and treacle are often included in the ration of food given out to applicants for relief at the central depot; but it was suggested by the Rev. L. M'Master at a meeting of the Metropolitan Relief Association that the dripping should be replaced by an extra ration of butter (says the Christchurch ‘Press’). The suggestion was accepted, but was not approved, the director of the depot, Mr T. H. Cape-Williamson, claiming that families which could not eat the dripping (the best beef dripping available) ought not to be receiving relief at all. Mr M‘Master said that many women used the dripping for soap or for the fire. Mr F. W. J. Belton reminded members that the rations supplied by the association were not intended to be the sole food support of families receiving assistance. The Lincoln Ellsworth expedition ship Wyatt Earp will probably dock at Port Chalmers on Monday week. While in dock she is to be scrubbed, scraped, and painted, her engine is to bo overhauled, and her rudder adjusted, while any other work found necessary will be done at the same time. It is not known yet whether she will return to the wharf at Dunedin or proceed to Auckland. Port Chalmers residents arc notified that the corporation water officers are about to conduct a house-to-house inspection of all water services. Leaky water taps and other defective fittings are responsible for a wastage of water which it is intended to stop now that thy warm, dry weather is setting in.

The postal authorities advise that the Manganui due at Wellington on Monday from San Francisco has forty bags of English and American mail for Dunedin and twelve parcel receptacles. The mail is due at the local office on Tuesday afternoon. About 8 o’clock on Monday evening a boy apparently ten years old, son of Mr F. Fox, of Surrey street, Caversham, dismounted on the Rattray street wharf from his bicycle to look at the Wyatt Earp, and whilst leaning over to view, the name on the stern of the vessel he and his bicycle fell into the water. Without hesitation a bystander dived in fully clothed, and held up the youngster until by means of a rope and a ladder both were got out. One of the onlookers took the boy home in his car, returning to the wharf to restore the bicycle to its owner. Another car-owner who saw the occurrence was pleased to carry home the young man who had so promptly effected 1 the rescue. This young man did not wish any public notice of what he had done, but_ tne inquiry as to his name was persisted in, and it was found that he is Mr Eric Pringle, aged 26, of 412 Cumberland street. It was also learned irom relatives that this was Eric Pringle s second rescue of the sort, he having jumped into the water at Portobello about four years ago to save a me. Mr Fox asks us to oblige the family by thanking Mr Pringle and all others who helped. There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning.

Pretty and pleasing, with a colourful display of many blooms, the PortUialiners railway garden is at present very noticeable. Interest in keeping such gardens attractive is stimulated by the Gardening Circle of the Otago Women s Club Two years ago Port Chalmers tied with Balclutha for the coveted trophy awarded to the best kept railway station garden in Otago. Last year Port Chalmers won the cup outright, and this year it serins to be well in the running for another win. The Port Chalmers queen carnival results were announced last night, and Miss Dorothy Smith was declared jubilee regatta queen in the Town Halt Miss Smith was the Citizens’ and Regatta Committee’s nominee, the other candidates for regal honours being Miss Isabel Leftwich, representing the Queen s Drive Boating Club, and IVLss Laura Nelson in the colours of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club. The queen was cheered when the result was announced, and cheers were also accorded the other candidates, who assumed the status of ladies-in-waiting.. Mr W. J. Wilson, chairman of the Regatta Committee, gave out the results, adding that the effort had realised about £4OO for Saturday’s regatta. He thanked everybody wlio had assisted, and asked for their attendance at the regatta.

Save your eyes. Be wise and consult W. V. Stunner (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.—[Advt.l J. V. Hanna announces that his ballroom dancing classes reopen this week. The Railway Department advertises in this issue particulars of excursion fares and train 'arrangements in connection with the Dunedin races on February 3 and 10.