Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 22327, 1 May 1936, Page 8

The new season’s mutton birds now on the local market are of excellent quality. They are bringing prices in advance of those ruling last year. There is no change in the local price of eggs, which are bringing the wholesale price of 2s a dozen for guaranteed quality. On the local fruit and produce market business has been quiet during the past week. Ample supplies of all lines nave been available, and prices in most cases have not been high. Heavy supplies of dessert pears continue to arrive, over-ripe fruit showing very poor returns to the consignors. There is a slightly better inquiry for good dessert apples, Cox’s Orange being the variety that is most in demand. For these increased prices are obtainable. Strawberries are still available. Good consignments of hothouse tomatoes and Gros Colmar grapes are arriving, and Failles have firmed for these. Out-door grown tomatoes are now getting in short supply, the quality being only second grade. Oranges are very short of requirements. Transhipments ox the Makura have a very good inquiry, tiriees for both oranges and lemons having firmed considerably, hair sales took place in ripe bananas over the week. North Island passion fruit and Queensland pineapples, which arrived dining the week, brought increased values. Most lines of vegetables are in over supply. Cauliflowers are most difficult to sell at particularly low values. There is a fair demand for potatoes and onions.

Further evidence and legal opinion were heard by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon in the case in which Bing, Harris and Co. Ltd. proceeded against the Texas Company (Australasia) Ltd., of Wellington, and George Philip Sage, claiming the sum of £l2 18s 3d for damages resulting from a collision between two motor cars. Ivan W, Hardie, insurance agent, gave evidence on behalf of the claim, and Mr J. C. Mowat, who appeared for the defendants, said that the defence had boon embarrassed by the great delay in bringing the matter before the court, and the only evidence ho could present was that of the defendant Sage taken in Christchurch. He submitted that the defendant was not negligent, but conceded that ho might have approached the intersection at an excessive speed. The intersection was a bad one with a high hedge, but the defendant had been keeping a careful look-out. Had the plaintiff pulled up immediately instead of proceeding 2.3 feet over the intersection, he could have avoided an accident.—The Magistrate remarked that it was unfortunate that such a delay had occurred in bringing the case to court. He was impressed with the evidence of the witnesses Mills and Sanders, but found that of the defendant Sage contradictory in several important instances. He considered that Mills had acted in a satisfactory manner, but the driver of the oncoming car had been travelling at an excessive speed, and had not kept a proper look-out. Judgment would therefore be for the plaintiff company fop the amount claimed, with court costs (£1 15a), solicitors’ fees (£3 13s), and witness’s expenses (14s). The Beverley-Begg Observatory will be opened for the season to-morrow at 7.30 p.m., and from then onwards on every Saturday and Wednesday evening, weather permitting. On these nights the Observatory will be open to the public to view the heavens with the two telescopes installed in the Observatory. At present the giant planet Jupiter is in a good position, for observation 1 . The moon always brings great satisfaction to those who avail themselves of views through the telescopes, especially in the first and third quarters, as then the shadows cast by Ae craters and mountain ranges are most pronounced. In the early evenings just now the great nebula in Orion is visible, but towards the end of May will be too low on the western horizon to view. Among other beauties of the heavens are star clusters nebula, doable, triple, and multiple systems of star-, the greater and smaller Magci.an clouds, and also rich portions of the Milky Way. The best way to the Observatory is by the Rattray street tram to the junction, from there the path to the Observatory runs parallel to the tram line coming hack towards town. Private parties can be arranged with the director or any member of the committee.

“ That this meeting of the Dunedin branch of the United Council of Working Women protests strongly at the inadequacy of the new rates of pay for relief workers, particularly those for sustenance men, and the astonishing lack of provision made for women and youths. This amounts to a betrayal of the working class, and is most regrettable in view of the promises made by you in the Town Hall prior to the elections.” The above resolution has been sent to the Premier. It was stated by an estate agent this morning that the demand for houses to rent was at the present time greatly in excess of the supply, while since the New Year the rentals asked had shown a slight increase. The District Public Trustee (Mr G. H. Eliffe) said that hp had not been advised of any intention of the Public Trust to raise the rents of houses on estates belonging to it in Dunedin, similar to the action taken in Wellington, where, it is reported, several tenants have been advised that their rents will bo raised. It was only natural, however, that the law of supply and demand should operate during a shortage of houses and tend to increase rents. It was not intended to take advantage of the situation, however, and make an all-round increase. Circulars issued to Wellington tenants stated that rental values had increased recently, and that the Public Trustee was compelled to obtain the maximum return from any property over which lie had control. The tenants were asked to reply by return mail stating whether they intended to remain in occupation at the higher rent. In one case the increase was reported to be appronmately 22 per cent. The staff of the reserves department is at present constructing a stone kerb on the Princes street edge of the Market Reserve and putting in a flower border behind it. This will encourage the public to walk on the footpath instead of causing an unsightly path to appear at the edge through the wearing down of the grass. The mayor (Mr E. T. Cox) has received a ‘cheque for £246 from the Minister of Internal Affairs as Dunedin’s share of the profits of the Leap Year art union. The money will be devoted to the mayor’s relief fund.

Tho premises of the Dunedin Demolition Company in Wilkie road were broken into last night and £8 Is was stolen from a safe which was blown open with gelignite, an explosive of which the burglars evidently had some knowledge. Nothing else was taken. The safe was badly damaged.

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union’s day of iprayer commenced in tho Hanover Street Bantist Church this afternoon, Mrs J. Hiott, Dominion president, and Mrs H. D. Bedford, district president, presiding in turn. The subject matter of the prayers embraced the work amongst the young, peace in the world, and the success of the unions’ anti-gambling department. Not only have the Anzac stamps attracted attention in the Dominion, but an inquiry has been received from overseas. Yesterday afternoon Mr 0. L. Kerens informed a 1 Star ’ reporter that Messrs Stanley Gibbons bad written asking for a specimen of the stamps and particulars relating to their issue, for insertion in their monthly catalogue supplement. Philatelists, at least, will realise what this means, for the Stanley Gibbons firm is recognised as the largest stamp firm in the British Empire, while its catalogue is perhaps the most popular in the world. Sales of the Anzac stamps are still progressing satisfactorily, while tho sales of the special ftetnrned Soldiers’ Association envelopes now range between 50,000 and 60,000. A fishing motor boat broke away from her moorings at Port Chalmers during the gale last night, and drove down the harbour. This morning she was inched up undamaged against a sandbank in the middle of the harbour. Fortunately she was not carried against the rocky foreshore adjacent to the sandbank.

The postal authorities advise that mails which left Dunedin on INI arch ‘2B via Vancouver arrived in London on April AO.

Kye strain —for eye comfort, for heller vision, consult, Stjiriner and Watson Lid., Opticians, 2 Octagon, Dunedin. —[Advt.l

Tremendous reductions at the. Tudor Booh Company’s sale now on.—Under Savoy.— f Advl.]