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Evening Star, Issue 21722, 17 May 1934, Page 8

In view of certain statements that have been circulated concerning the administration of the central depot, to which the director takes exception, Mr George Harper, chairman of the Metropolitan Relief Association, waited on the mayor with the request that he appoint some competent citizen to inquire into the truth or otherwise of the statements made. The mayor has agreed to the request, and an inquiry will be held as soon as possible. Mr Arthur Donnelly has agreed to preside at the investigation.—Christchurch Press Association.

Intimation has been received by the Hospital Board from the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics, England, undertaking the request to obtain applications and submit a recommendation for appointment to the staff of a certificated teacher qualified in medical electricity and light. ~

Under the will of George Jameson the following bequests have been made (reports a Press Association telegram from Christchurch) Clergy pension fund of the Christchurch Diocese, £100; St. Saviour’s Orphanage (equally for Shirley and Timaru Homes), £100; Salvation” Army, Christchurch, £100; Boy Scouts, Christchurch, £SO; Karitanc Home, Christchurch, £SO; Christchurch Arts Society, £SO; Y.M.C.A., Christchurch, £100; Domains Board, Christchurch, £SO; trustees of St. Matthew's Church room, Christchurch, £SO; Community of the Sacred Name, £SO. Irritation tactics by waterside workers are again delaying shipping at Wellington. For nearly a week past goslow methods have been used to delay cargo handling operations on most if not all overseas vessels in port. In addition, certain vessels have not been able to work overtime at night. The trouble, as was the case recently at Auckland, New Plymouth, and Christchurch, is due to tho demand for increased pay and different working conditions.—Press Association.

The adduction of a girl aged a few days over sixteen was admitted in the New Plymouth court by a half-caste Maori farm worker named John Southern, aged 23, who was remanded on bail for sentence. Southern was working for the girl’s parents, and the evidence was that a mutual infatuation arose. After the girl passed the ago of sixteen they ran away to Stratford, where they tried to get married, but they had neither a license nor the consent of the parents. The postal authorities advise that the mails which left Wellington on April 17 per the Maunganui via San Francisco, arrived in London on May 15. The Mariposa, from San Pedro, due at Auckland on Friday, has seventy bags of English and American mail for Dunedin, which should reach the local office on Monday morning. As the sale of fat sheep continued at Burnside yesterday, opening prices slipped back in some cases, and no interest was taken in inferior and ragged sorts. Extra prime heavy wethers made to 30s 3d ; prime heavy wethers, 26s to 28s 6d; medium, 23s 9d to 25s 6d; extra prime heavy ewes, to 22s 6d; prime, 15s 9d to 19s; medium and lighter sorts, 13s to 15s.

The beautification of the hillside in Upper Duke street, opposite the Leith howling green, was proposed by the Dunedin North and Leith Amenities Society in a letter to the Amenities Society last night. At present the steep face was more or less covered with broom and other useless shrubs and trees. Mr Tannook, the writer stated, was favourable to some improvements being carried out, and suggested that flowering native plants such as pohutakawa, rata, clianthus (kaka beak). on the upper part of the face, and that on the lower part flax and other small native plants be grown. The labour was available. Although its funds were limited, the Dunedin North Society was prepared to donate a sura to assist in having this desirable amenity carried out. Approval was given the proposals, which were adopted for inclusion in the society’s schedule of recommendations to the City Council. “ His driving was such that he vos a menace on the road,” said Inspector J. E. Ainsworth, of the Main Highways Board, when charging David Lloyd Clay, medical practitioner, in the Lower Hutt Magistrate’s Court wtih driving in a manner which might have been dangerous and with driving after being forbidden to do so by the traffic inspector. The defendant was fined £lO and costs by Mr E. Page, S.M., on the first charge, and the second charge was withdrawn. The Hospital Committee recommends to the Hospital Board that the request of the New Zealand Trained Nurses’ Association for the establishment of a refresher course for registered nurses in recognised training schools for nurses be approved, that permission be given, and_ nurses availing themselves of such facilities pay a fee of £1 Is. No definite lectures to bo given to such graduate nurses, but they be given an opportunity to see what is being clone in the hospital. It is suggested that the course bo of one month’s duration An enjoyable social evening was held in Ravensbourne Town Hall on Tuesday, when the local branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association invited residents to a dance, the music for which was played by the Palais Royal Band. The following gave items:—Mr J. Galloway, song; Miss M'Sloy, recitation ; Miss, V. Ward, song; sailor’s hornpipe, Miss D. Smith; F. Wheeler and P. Thornicroft, cornet and trombone duet; F. Wheeler, cornet solo. .Mrs F. I. M'lvor was the official pianist. Mr Allen M'Donald acted as M.C. Mr Thomas, president of the Dunedin R.S.A., gave a short address, and Mr ,C. J. Davie, the local president, also spoke. Thanks to the ladies of the district, a dainty supper was served. “ It seems to me that amenities and town planning cannot go together,” said Mr A. C. Cameron at last night’s meeting of the Amenities Society. To achieve good results, an amenities society had to work in close co-operation with the City Corporation, and it could not afford to offend the civic authorities in any way. At present, a town planning society had to be almost a belligerent body, educating the public and the City Council, which was not of a type that took kindly to education. There was a feeling among members that the society was not attempting to deal with town planning. Ho gave notice of motion that the activities of the society be discussed at an early date, to define the town planning side. The Mackay Harbour Board has received authority from the Government to borrow £1,024,000 for the construction of a much-needed harbour, and tenders have been called for the work (writes the Queensland correspondent of the Melbourne ‘ Age ’). The harbour works will enclose 140 acres, protected by northern and southern breakwaters, with an entrance 600 ft wide. At high water springs the depth of water at the berthings will be 54ft, and in the swinging basin 45ft. It has been decided, as the calling for tenders indicates, not to carry out the job by day labour. That is rather a singular smash of the Labour platform, which provides. for dav labour, and the work to be done is in the Premier’s electorate. But the Mackay folk have gone beyond that apostasy. It was lately decided to carry out sewerage works, the city engineer’s estimate of cost in a fixed area being £69,606, if done by day labour. The town council took the bit in its teeth and called tenders, getting the price to £49,329, or a saving of £20,277. Mackay is more or less a Labour stronghold. but some of the representative men are hard-headed, and when they want a job done, to be paid for out of their own funds, they are no respecters of party shibboleths.

Application lias been made to the tonu clerk by the Hospital Board tor the parking area in Cumberland street, adjacent to the Dunedin bonding green, to bo closed after 8 p.m., more especially during the winter time, as it is found that there is great disturbance to the patients and members of dm nursing staff.

The annual meeting of the Otago' branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, to be opened this evening, is planned to extend over four sessions. Miss M. Magill, president of the New Zealand Educational Institute—the only lady president during fifty-one years—arrived from Wellington this afternoon, and is to address tho branch on Friday afternoon. Other addresses are to be given by Mr W. A. Service, (senior inspector) and Professor Shelley (of Canterbury College). Tho roll of the branch carries the names of 426 full members, six honorary members, 27 junior members, and one life member. The main cause of the decrease in membership by 40 as compared with the previous year is that a separate branch has been formed by South Otago. The heating of some tar caused an outbreak of fire at Calder’s Quarry, North-east Valley shortly before 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, but the City Fire Brigade quickly extinguished the outbreak and very little damage was done. Tho issue of the 1934-35 motor driving licenses commenced hero at the beginning of the month, but, only 320 drivers out of a total of some 6,000 have so far availed themselves of the opportunity of securing their new licenses early. The usual last day rush is expected on May 31. A watch is to be kept next month on all cars, and all licensed drivers stopped will be issued with a small pink coloured official paper, which they will bo requested to stick on the windscreen. Any car not bearing this ticket after a reasonable lapse of time is liable to be held up at any time, so for their own convenience drivers should display the paper in a conspicuous place as soon as it is received.

The new retail prices for tobacco and cigarettes, following on the fixing of minimum prices by the manufacturers, came into force in Dunedin yesterday, Prices are now uniform in all shops. The Otago Motor Club has been advised that the Otira road will be closed for traffic for the next two, weeks.. As one man was unable to obtain a tent for his wife and himself to go to camp, the mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox) wired Mr J. Bromley, the Unemployment Board member, who made the statement in Dunedin a few weeks ago the tents would be available to married men for 2s 6d a week, asking for an explanation. Mr Bromley replied this morning that he had made arrangements with the Public Works Department for the distribution of tents, and the district office should have authority to issue them by now. During the past mouth four persons have been admitted to and four discharged from the Talboys Home and Infirmary Ward. At present 137 inmates remain in the institution. Renewed complaints of the danger of the post and rails in London street below the Littlcbourne road were made at last night’s meeting of the Dunedin Amenities Society jjy Mr A. E.-Henry. Ho wrote that the railing was a menace, as there was no rule for traffic to keep to the left. He suggested that lengths of the railings and the concrete at both ends should bo removed. The chairman (Mr Crosby Morris) said the danger in London street would be minimised if a one-way road was declared—traffic -to the north to take the upper road and traffic towards the High School to take the lower route. The City Council advised that further consideration was being given the question of improving a dangerous corner in Littlcbourne crescent. The society decided to recommend a one-way traffic rule in London street. At the Police Court- this morning, Stephen William Lancelot Boreham pleaded not guilty to a charge of drunkenness, .but after hearing the evidence of two constables, the Magistrate (Mr J E. Bartholomew) fined Boreham 20s, in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment.

Application his been made by the Hospital Committee of the Otago Board to the Director-General for the approval of the Minister to the board purchasing an electro-surgical knife for the Dunedin Hospital, in view of this institution being a base hospital, and the teaching school of the dominion. The world may not have had occasion to catch its breath over a recent proposal of the City Council to prohibit the eating of peanuts in theatres and other places of indoor amusement, but it is exercising many of our people very unpleasantly (writes the Brisbane correspondent of the Mol bourne’ ‘Age’). The idea is that the scraps of the nuts attract rats to the theatres_ and halls, and Brisbane for tho time being is passing through a period in which war against rats has been declared. But not only the folk who like to munch peanuts as an aid to the enjoyment of the pictures and what not are protesting. The Queensland Peanut Board has gone to the Minister of Agriculture asking his kind offices to prevent the civic authorities destroying one of the State’s cherished industries. The Minister has passed the matter on to the City Council, and now that we have a Labour Lord Mayor and a big Labour majority of aldermen there may be some backing of the Minister of Agriculture if he backs up the Peanut Board. At first it was proposed to stop the sale of “ lols. and chocs, (lollies and chocolate) in the theatres and halls, but the howl of protest was so loud that the council backed down, except in regard to the peanuts. And not one word has been said of the obvious sinister attempt to stop one of the delights of theatregoers—the throwing of peanuts at each other. Intimation has been received by the Otago Hospital Board from the Direc-tor-General of Health and from the Unemployment Board that the provision of humanised milk, kariol, etc., will be provided through the Unemployment Board’s ration relief scheme.