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Evening Star, Issue 22413, 10 August 1936, Page 8

At the monthly sitting of the Mosgiel Magistrate’s Court, John Stanley M'Mxlian pleaded guilty to charges of negligent driving and of being an unlicensed motor driver. While driving a motor lorry he ran down a cyclist named Thomas Dee, who had subsequently to receive medical attention. The defendant was convicted and fined £2 and costs 10s, and was ordered to pay medical expenses amounting to £6 2s 6d to the injured cyclist. • On the second charge he was fined 10s and costs 10s. The Mosgiel Borough Council is endeavouring to stamp out the practice of riding bicycles without lights. At the monthly sitting of the Magistrate’s Court the following were fined 5s with costs 10s each for this offence; —Colin Miller, Robert S. Gibson, Ernest Ball, William E. Finnic, and Simon Kenny.

Already the local branch of the Government Tourist Department has had a number of inquiries from overseas concerning itineraries to be arranged during the coming summer. There has been one big booking from a London business man who is commencing his tour in December , and is covering the whole of New Zealand, his itinerary embracing all of the South Island resorts. The prospects are very promising concerning visitors from Australia, the inquiries so far being for itineraries in December and January. Dunedin’s small boys have autographhunting reduced to a fine art, and each Saturday night that a professional wrestling contest is staged in the Town Hal! it is not uncommon to find anything up to 100 lads seeking admittance to the wrestlers’ quarters to secure their autographs. It is a fact, too, that the most prized signatures are those of Earl M'Cready and Paul Boesch, and these wrestlers have always proved themselves willing to accede to the requests of the young fry for their autographs. An amusing interlude was provided prior to the commencement of the Soccer match at Erospect Park on Saturday. A motor car, of not too recent design, coming from Highgate circled in the approved “ dirt-track ” manner, finishing on the corner of the ground. One of those things the* driver had not provided for, however, occurred, for as the car came to a stop, the left back wheel gracefully collapsed, tipping tlie vehicle half over, to the amusement of numerous spectators.

The excursion to Christchurch which has been arranged for next week-end by the Sunshine Club is likely to prove popular on account of the variety of attractions to be provided, including football, racing, and winter show. The booking so far has been very heavy. Monday is usually an “ off ” morning as far as the first express for the north is concerned, hut to-day was the exception. Grand National Week is doubtless attracting a large number of people to the Canterbury capital, and this morning’s early train carried about 260 passengers, necessitating an extra car being attached to tho train.

In the course of his address at the tree planting ceremony at the Janies Powell Rest Home on Saturday Hon. W. Downie Stewart, chairman of the General Committee of the Patients and Prisoners’ Aid Society, said that Mr Tannock tried to educate the public to plant trees, and he hoped he would also educate them so that they would not he cut down as soon ns they reached maturity. In New Zealand there was a tendency to cut down trees as soon as they reached magnificent proportions, instead of leaving them to be an asset and a beauty to the country*

A copy of ‘ New Zealand in the News ’ has been received by tho local branch of the Tourist Department, this being the publication prepared by the New Zealand Government Tourist and Publicity Departments and sent to newspapers all over the world, as well as to the New Zealand Trade Commissioners overseas and representatives of the Tourist Department. The publication is issued monthly, and the latest number contains much that should be of interest to people in other countries. Parliament’s work is interestingly dealt with, there being an account of 12 important Acts passed. The views of a prominent American film star on New Zealand’s tourist attractions are elaborated upon, improved trade conditions are dealt with, and mention is made of New Zealand’s biggest railway bridge, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. This is the one being erected on the East Coast railway line, spanning the Mohaka Gorge. It is to be 908 ft long and 310 ft above the river. Trade items include comments on New Zealand products, there are Nature notes, and an article dealing with New Zealand’s centennial celebrations.

Regular visitors to Central Otago by car may not always stop to consider the debt owed by motorists to the A.A. (Otago) for the valuable work it has done in making roads safer for motorists and routes easier to follow, but a tribute to the Automobile Association’s work, was paid by a visitor who recently returned from Central. He remarked on the many dangerous curves, unexpected creeks, and bridges to be met with on various parts of the Central roads, all traps for tho unwary motorists, but wherever these occurred notices had been erected, and he declared that they were a boon to the motorist who was not accustomed to the district.

The Members of the Fruit Marketing Committee —Mr Alfred Coleman (chairman), Mr J. A. Campbell (director of the horticulture division of the Department of Agriculture), and Mr J. E. Thomas (of the Department of Industries and Commerce) —left yesterday to hear evidence at Roxburgh today and at Alexandra to-morrow. • The purpose of the committee is to investigate the methods of handling and marketing locally-grown and imported fruit and vegetables throughout New Zealand. The committee will return to Dunedin on Thursday to hear further evidence.

One of the major jobs of the city engineering department at present is the building of the new bridge in Anzac Avenue to span the additional channel being constructed for the Leith flood protection works, and very satisfactory progress is being made. All the piles have now been driven for foundation purposes, and one of the abutments has been ’completed. It is on the northeast side that the existing bridge is being extended, the new portion being practically a duplicate of the present structure.

Philatelists were pleased this morning to receive letters by the “ tin can mail ” from the island of Niuafoou, in the Tongan group. The envelopes have been carefully marked so as not to ruin the face of the stamps, a matter of importance to collectors. A rubber stamp across the face of each envelope intimates This letter, enclosed in a water-tight tin, was put into the sea from the cruise steamer Monowai, oft' Niuafoou, or ‘ Tin Can Island,’ in the Tongan group, latitude 15deg 33min south, longitude 175 deg 39min west, on July 15, 1936. Commander, G. G. Morgan, D.S.C.” Since Miss Ruth Perry, a New Zealand mezzo-soprano who, during her residence in Dunedin and other parts of the Dominion, met with couspxcious success in her radio and concert engagements, went to England last year to gain further knowledge she has only once been heard in a short wave broadcast from Daventry. On that occasion reception in Dunedin was considerably marred by atmospheric . nditions, so her many friends and admirers will welcome the news that Miss Perry will again sing for the 8.8. C. on Wednesday evening at 5.45, when she will be'heard in a recital in collaboration with Miss Kathleen Levi, the New Zealand pianist. Incidentally, Miss Eileen Driscoll, another New Zealand soprano, broadcast' from Daventry yesterday, the programme being received here early in the morning.

Very satisfactory progress is being made with the Deep Creek scheme for the augmentation of the water_ supply of the city of Dunedin. The pipe line has been laid from the source of supply to the Taieri River bridge, which has been completed, and oyer which the contractors are now laying pipes. Sixty-four men, under the direction of the city engineer’s_ staff, are at present engaged in linking up the pipe line system from Stoney Kuowe to the Ross Creek Reservoir.

At a meeting of the Otago of the Piping and Dancing Association it was decided that Miss Margaret M'Millan (Dunedin) was the winner of the Kempthorne, Prosser Ltd. special prize for tho best lady dancer at the championship gathering, gaining 351 marks. Miss Gladys Doran (Oamaru) and Miss Millie Baxter (Dunedin) tied for second place, with 247 marks. Interest is increasing in the return game between the Otago and Southland Rugby fifteens at Invercargill on August 22, and inquiries have been made concerning provision being made by the Railway Department for the conveyance of Otago enthusiasts to Invercargill for the game. A member of the train running staff told a Star reporter to-day that the number ox special trains to be arranged depended on the support the department was likely to get, but definitely there would be something additional to the ordinary service on the Saturday morning of the match, a special returning to Dunedin on Saturday night. If sufficient inducement offered there would possibly be a special tram from Invercargill ahead of the ordinary express on Saturday night.

Auction rooms have always provided a happy hunting ground for collectors, not the smallest section of whom are book collectors. An instance of this was provided at a recent auction sale, where a copy of Brackens ‘ Musings in Maoriland ’ was knocked donn for one shilling. When informed of the sale this morning, a locai dealer expressed surprise at the price, the volume being worth considerably more.

In future dogs are not permitted m shops or auction marts where food is sold for human consumption, a regulation to this effect being published in the latest Government ‘ Gazette.’ Owners or occupiers are not permitted to have dogs on the premises, or to allow the animals to enter, and owners of (fnirnals are not permitted to take them on such premises. The enthusiasm for boxing shown by many in Central Otago was well illustrated at the tournament held at Omakau on Friday night. The largo audience included supporters from many parts of the Central, but the record must have been held by the party of enthusiasts who travelled 85 miles by bus to be present, and returned the same night, immediately after the tournament.

Inquiry made this morning showed that conditions in the saddlery trade were much the same as they were at this time last year. A local saddler stated this morning that things had been a little quiet of late, possibly because the farmers had been awaiting intimation of the prices they were going to get for their produce, for nowadays the hulk of the saddlery business was done with country clients. The tanners, however, had been very busy, mostly on account of the improvement in the boot trade.

The various reservoirs supplying the city with water are practically full at present, there being about 140,000,000 gallons in storage out of a maximum capacity of 148,000,000 gallons. With the exception of depletions in January, February, and June there has been little cause for anxiety during the year, and for the present period of the year the position is very satisfactory. In tbe Police Court this morning Thomas Landreth, who appeared voluntarily, was fined 10s and cpsts for driving a lorry without a license. The court was occupied all morning with the hearing of maintenance cases and other domestic disputes. Dr Galway’s organ programme_ on the Town Hall instrument last night was of tho brilliant order, including such major works as Vierne’s Symphony No. 1 (tho graceful pastorale and the dynamic finale), the exciting Hungarian March from ‘ Faust ’ (Berlioz), John Ireland’s vigorous ‘ Alla Marcia,’ Fanlkes’ very expressive fantasia on Luther’s hymn ‘ Ein Feste Berg,’ ‘ The North Wind (Bowley), and an unusual_ Arensky item, ‘ Basso Ostiuato,’ which afforded convincing evidence of Dr Galway’s pedal virtuosity. On the lighter side were the lovely Bach air, ‘ My Heart Ever Faithful,’ Guilmant’s 1 Prayer and Cradle Song,’ and tho Brahms ‘ Cradle Song ’ —in sum a very substantial programme, played with invariable skill. _ Miss Audrey M‘Caul’s piano solo, Liszt’s Etude in D flat, revealed her as a pianist of fluency and perception. The vocal side of the entertainment was provided by Miss Mary Somerville (contralto), wbo sang ‘Break! Break 1 Break!’ (Carey), and ‘ If My Thoughts Had Only Wings (Hahn), with delightful expression, and Mr Evan Tuckwnll, who was equally successful in his presentation of Beslcy’s ‘ There is No Abiding. The pianoforte accompaniments to the vocal solos were played by Mrs Alfred Walmsley.

JSye strain—for eye comfort, for better vision, consult Sturmer and Watson Ltd., Ooticiane. 2 Octacou. Dunedin. —[Advt.J