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Evening Star, Issue 21878, 15 November 1934, Page 8

The Auckland Provincial Fanners’ Union resolved yesterday to establish a fighting fund to resist the Agriculture (Emergency Powers) Act. Bitter opposition to the legislation was expressed at a meeting which was held in camera, and it was decided to appeal for funds to the farmers throughout the dominion. A special sub-commit-tee was appointed to formulate an alternative plan tor the rehabilitation of the dairy industry. A blast was fired in the Harbour Board’s quarry at the Spit this morning, largely for the purpose of removing a protruding “ toe ” at the bottom of the face. Technically it was the most difficult blast yet fired at the Spit, and the result is regarded as the most successful. A considerable portion of the blasted stone was in large pieces suitable for miking up the stonework at the end of the Mole that was flattened out by the recent heavy weather.

Amateur gardeners need not be deterred by the sunshiny weather from bedding out such plants as are ready for lifting. This advice is inferred from the practical operations in the Dunedin reserves. Mr Tannock’s men have just about finished the bedding out of annuals, taking the precaution to water them in, and they are standing up well, the warmth in the soil making them welcome. Thirteen applications were received by the Otago Land Board for the renewable lease of a North Otago section in the Windsor Park settlement, the area 268 acres, suitable for mixed farming. The applicants were examined yesterday morning, and five of them were in the ballot at the afternoon sitting, when Mr C. F. Wedge, of Palmerston, was the winner. The hoard sat again to-day, its business, as usual, largely relating lo applications concerning which it is the board’s duty to recommend, fhc final word as to what is to be done in eaeli application for relief resting with the Minister of Lands.

Seventy-five thousand two-shilling pieces are now on sale at all banks at three shillings each (says the Melbourne Age'). This is not a catch. The coins are a special Centenary issue, bearing the device of the head on one side and the Centenary emblem of a mounted lancer on the other. They therefore have special value to numismatists, who have already bought freely of them, and they will become more and more valuable as time goes on. Many are being bought as Christmas gifts for friends overseas. Collectors other than numismatists are buying them, and visitors, too, are showing an interest in them, but the general public has not yet evinced any sort of money itch for the three-shilling two-shilling piece. Jt is pointed out by the authorities that the issue of the florins is strictly limited. The Governor (Lord Huntingfield) bought two dozen of the florins when they were first issued.

A youth, James D. Hewett, whose father flew across the Tasman, appeared on summons in the Police Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop his motor car at the rear of a tram in Wellesley street one day last month. He explained that at the particular time he was thinking of his father, who was flying in the centenary air race. Tho Magistrate, Mr Hunt (to Hewett): “ Is that right, your father was flying in the air race?” “ Yes, sir, I was thinking of him as I was driving and forgot to stop.” (Laughter.) Mr Hunt (smiling) : “All right, ] won’t line you. You are convicted and discharged.”—Auckland correspondent.

Entries in the various sections in the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society’s forthcoming show closed on Tuesday night, and it was announced this morning that numbers had been well kept up. Several new breeders are to compete this year, and there is every indication that the quality of pedigree animals will be good. Considerable interest is already being taken in the competitions, and on the afternoon of People’s Day an attractive programme is to be submitted. Competition was steady from the commencement of the fat sheep sale at Burnside yesterday. Prime shorn wethers were slightly firmer than last week, other sorts equalling late rates. Toward the close the market eased considerably, prices then being from Is to Is 6d lower than at the opening. Extra prime woolly wethers made to 33a 9d; prime woolly wethers, 27s to 30s; medium woolly wethers, 24s to 265; extra heavy shorn wethers to 29s 9d; prime heavy shorn wethers, 25s to 27s 6d; medium shorn wethers, 22s to 245: light shorn wethers, 18s to 21s; heavy woolly ewes to 28s; prime woolly ewes, 24s to 26s 6d; medium woolly ewes, 2ls to 235; light from 17s; heavy shorn ewes to 23s 6d; prime shorn ewes, 20s to 225; medium, 16s to 19s; light from 12s upwards. The supply of fat lambs was m excess of requirements, and prices, therefore, showed a decline. Heavies were 2s cheaper than before, and mediums and lights about 3s. Extra prime heavy sold to 29s 6d; prime, 24s to 265; medium, 21s to 235; light from 18s. The West Coast bullocks in the store cattle pens made up to £7 3s for four-year-olds and £6 9s for three-year-olds. A pen of very forward heifers in the same draft, brought £5 4s.

Need for the exercise of considerable care by motorists in such places as the Manuka Gorge, Cromwell Gorge, the Kawarau Gorge was stressed to-clay by the secretary of the Automobile Association of Otago (Mr W. F. Sutton). Mr Sutton stated that most of the counties had new graders which occupied practically the whole of the road. It takes some manoeuvring to get the graders off the road to enable motor cars to pass, and motorists are requested to exercise caution when they see notices posted that graders are working ahead. One or two minor accidents have already been reported, and the association is issuing a general warning to motorists to obviate the possibility of some serious mishap taking place. Tree clippings catching fire on the Montecillo reserve required the attention of the City Fire Brigade at 7.04 last evening. The outbreak was suppressed before any damage had been done.

Brightness is a feature of the pictures in the annual exhibition of the Otago Art Society at present being held in the Pioneer Hall. The general standard of the work shown js commendably high, many of the foremost artists of the dominion being represented in a display that embodies a wide range of oils, water colours, black and white sketches, etchings, and art photographs. The subjects are varied and interesting, and the technique of the different exhibitors will repay close study. This morning it was reported that further sales had been made, the following pictures having been disposed of:—‘ Oats,’ by Archibald Nicol; and ‘ Ben Lomond from Walter Peaks,’ by M. B. Holloway. , The exhibition will be open daily till November 29.

“ There is too much drinking. 1 have seen girls of thirteen or fourteen ‘ drunk as cuckoos said a councillor at a meeting of the Rokianga County Council when a letter was received from ■the Methodist Church authorities asking that it be.made a condition of the hire of the hall for dancing that no intoxicating liquor be permitted in or near the hall. On the night of the hospital dance in Rawcue he counted twelve empty bottles near his car, and there was a nice little girl drunk, he added. Another councillor thought the position would right itself. “It is pretty hard if a fellow cannot have a drink,” he said. The first councillor: “ Now if you had daughters, how would you like them to go to a dance and get drunk? ” The council decided that it could take no action except to give its moral support to the request.—-Auckland correspondent.

Already massive, the Dunedin Post Office building is becoming bigger every day, the work under the Fletcher Construction Company’s contract proceeding steadily. Mr James Fletcher, answering a reporter’s inquiries yesterday, gave some particulars. The final shipment of structural steel from England is due at the end of this month, and the contractors anticipate that the fabrication of it by Stevenson and Cook will be completed about the middle of January. The oilly work remaining to be done on the steel after January will bo the rivetting. The preparation of the granite for the lower stories is progressing up to schedule time. A considerable quantity of the finished granite is now being transported to the site from the yard at Pelichet Bay, and a start is to be made at the end of December with placing it in position. The concrete work for the walls and floors is now being completed to the first floor level, and this clothing of the steel skeleton with concrete will be finished to the height of another floor before the end of the year. Mr Fletcher did not go on to boast about the expertness of his company’s employees, nor of the well-thought-out co-ordina-tion by which no one branch of the contract is held up to wait for another, but the leisured folk who watch the work day by, day are impressed with the system, by the skill of the workers, and by the efficiency of the machinery, specially the cranes.

The postal authorities advise that the Mariposa left Sydney on Wednesday for Auckland with forty-eight bags of Australian mail, and two parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail is due at the local office on Tuesday afternoon. The children’s party given by the ship’s company of H.M.S. Dunedin this afternoon was a joyous affair indeed, and all joined in the fun,' the sailors apparently enjoying it as much as their young charges. An “at home ” given by the officers yesterday afternoon was attended by a number of friends and prominent citizens. To-morrow a charity dance will be held in the Town Hall, and it is hoped that it will be well attended by the public, as the proceeds will be devoted to the dependents of three ratings who died during the commission. On Monday evening a miniature rifle match was fired between teams from the cruiser and the R.N.V.R., while a water polo match between the reservists and the ship was played oh Tuesday, the ship’s team being beaten by six goals to five. East evening the Otago Division, R.N.V.R., was inspected by Rear-Ad-miral F-. Burges-Watson, commodore commanding the New Zealand station. Fifteen reservists from the Otago Division are undergoing training on hoard while the vessel is in Dunedin, Two cricket matches have been arranged against the Otago Cricket Association’s team of colts and against a team representing the Imperial exServicemen’s Association. It is also; hoped to arrange a Soccer match against the Mosgiel team. If this eventuates it will be the fifth of a series, and will be the deciding one, each side having won two.

Inquiries at the Dunedin More Work Campaign office in the Town Hall disclose great progress in the canvassers’ good work. No less than £32,000 has now been promised in work, to be done before the close of the year, showing in an unmistakable manner the growing confidence in the minds of local residents and business executives. It requires but £I,OOO per day to reach the figure aimed at before the close of the year, and this figure will easily he reached if everybody will help by sending their completed registration cards to the organiser’s office without delay.

Visitors to the Dunedin Botanic Gardens are apt.to wander about aimlessly, enticed to generalities by the luxury, of walking on carpet grass and by the great variety of pretty things in the beds and holders. To fully appreciate the wealth of the Gardens they should make a point of seeing the leading beauties as they come on seasonally. Just now, in the glasshouses, the schizanthus is a feature, mostly hybrids from the Wistonersis, known as the butterfly flower. There is also a fine show of Gloxinia, and the pelargoniums that are replacing the cinerarias are of rare quality. In the open the German iris is prominent, also a pretty border of biennial stocks and ranunculus, and the roses are budding freely, some of the earlier sorts putting out rich blooms. On the hill the later rhododendrons, Ponticum hybrids, are making a brave show, and the native calmisias (runuiiculus Lyalli) are as vigorous as those grown in the mountains. Our superintendent of reserves has thoroughly established three zones of rhododendrons, thus securing a continuous show of them from mid-winter to Christmas.

In the Police Court to-day before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., Archibald Thomson M‘Cully Dixon (21), William Dixon (26), and 'Norman James West (24), were charged with the theft, on August 26 at Hooper’s Inlet, of a low pressure range, valued at £u, the property of Hugh Clark. William Dixon and West were also charged with committing mischief at Birchwood on. September .26 by damaging a steam engine, the property of George Shepherd Edie, to the extent of £2O. The Dixon brothers were represented by Mr J. G. Warrington. Chief-Detective Young said West and Archibald Dixon were before Mr Bartholomew, S.M., last month on a charge of mischief and he asked for an adjournment till next Wednesday so that accused could appear before that magistrate. West was at present serving a sentence in the Dunedin prison, and the Dixons had appeared voluntarily. The adjournment was granted.

Foundations for the four tennis courts at the St. Kilda Beach have been in the course of construction for five weeks, and have now been completed. Extra land was acquired -by the Beach Improvement Society from the Domain Board for the purpose, and. if at any time it is found necessary to lay .additional courts, there is still a large area which should be available. Tenders for the asphalting of the courts- were invited a month ago, but only one contractor submitted an estimate. The specifications have been revised, and tenders are again to be called for. If a tender is accepted within the next month the courts may be opened fo the public within a few weeks of their completition. It is unfortunate that they were pot ready for the commencement of thlrnew season, but whenever they are opened they should prove a most decided attraction to players as well as to visitors to the beach