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Evening Star, Issue 22526, 19 December 1936, Page 16

Tbo report of the assessors who were appointed by tho Government to value fi class broadcasting stations has been completed and is now' in the hands of the Government. The Prime Minister (the Hon. M. J. Savage), who is also Minister in Charge of Broadcasting, stated yesterday that, preparatory to tho Government taking over the stations, it would be ■ necessary for negotiations to bo entered into with the proprietors of stations. “We desire to acquire the stations,” said Mr Savage, “ and those we cannot acquire will have lo be subsidised.” White butterflies have invaded the North Otago district in force this season, ami in many of those districts situated near the foothills large numbers of tbo post are to be seen flying about. In and. around Kurow white butterflies are becoming a menace, and already farmers report that root crops are beginning to reveal evidence of their ravages.- In many quarters the position is becoming very serious, and citizens have requested) to make every effort to exterminate what is becoming, especially in this district, an increasingly destructive pest.

Some idea of the amount of nails and other junk that is strewn over our main highways can be gauged from the report submitted to the Waitaki County Council by the Main Highways Board regarding tho work of the magnetic truck. The report stated that the truck was doing excellent work in patrolling the various highways, and) that as much as HOLb of nails and_ other junk had been taken from five miles of road in this county. The first sealing coat of the main highway from Camara to Maheno has been completed, and, according to the engineer of the Waitaki County Council, a satisfactory surface has been made. This completes tho “ dustless ” surface from Waitaki bridge to Hillgrove, a distance of about 35 miles, and will no doubt be appreciated, not only by the travelling public, but also by the people living beside the road, who have had a particularly trying time with tho dust nuisance.

The postal authorities adviso that the Waikouaiti left Sydney for Bluff yesterday with 17 bags of mail and 18 parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should come to hand about Tuesday next. The Awatea left Sydney on Friday for Wellington with 28 bags of Australian mail and the London air mail of December 12. The latter should be to hand by air liner at 1.30 p.m. Monday and the former on Tuesday afternoon.

Experiments were made yesterday by the Traffic Department of the Wellington City Council with a voice amplification system on a patrol car. By this means an inspector is able to instruct drivers while their cars are actually on the move. The tests were entirely successful, and, although the apparatus is attached only for experimental purposes in the meantime, it is anticipated that the system will later be adopted permanently. A tribute 'to the 1: courtesy of a : motorist was paid by an inspector" of the Main Highways Board in the Upper Hutt Court yesterday in a charge against Sir James, Steele Maitland of exceeding 30 miles per hour in the borough. The inspector said the defendant was followed at a speed of between 50 and 55 miles per hour. The bitumen was wet at the time. The defendant admitted doing 60 miles per hour, and said he had come from England, had been in New Zealand only two months, and lived in Auckland. “ We were in complete agreement on the speed and the locality, and he even suggested a place in Wellington where 1 could serve a summons, as he was leaving town,” said the inspector. “It is refreshing to come across a motorist of this kind.” The defendant, who did not appear, was fined £l.

As the result of the abandonment of the Christmas treat for the children of deceased soldiers and of soldiers in hospital, the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association met on Wednesday night and made up parcels containing toys for tho children who had been invited. Parcels for 90 families, with toys for 160 children, were wrapped and addressed, and were all delivered by carriers on Thursday,

Fire completely destroyed a large building on the corner of Lower High street and Wall street in Waimate shortly after 3.15 on _ Thursday morning. The damage is estimated at £I,OOO. The efforts of the firemen were greatly hampered by poor water pressure. A single-story corrugated iron structure, it was originally a blacksmith’s workshop, and for some years was a joinery factory. Recently it had been used as a store by the Waimate Auction Company and by Mr L. D. West, a wool and skin buyer. Destroyed in the blaze were several machines valued at £250, 3,000 ft of oak timber several hundred feet of Oregon timber, and cases of mirrors, the property of the Auction Company. The building was insured and Mr West also had a cover on his stock. Five boys will leave Dunedin on January 7 for Flock House to undergo a course of farm training under the scheme for the admission of the sons of deceased and returned soldiers. The average age of the boys, who come from Waikouaiti, Kaitangata, Naseby, St. Bathans, and Dunedin, is 15 years, and they have just completed their primary school course. Three boys who have completed their course will return to Dunedin next week, and after the holidays will proceed to employment with fanners in the country. At present there are 10 Otago boys at Flock House. The secretary (Mr O. L. Ferens) of the Otago Provincial Committee of the scheme reports that the boys invariably give completassatisfaction to their employers and that at present there is a big waiting list of farmers.

Up till the gale of two days ago, the Dunedin fish supply was being fairly well maintained, and there is every prospect of a plentiful supplv with the return of good weather. The only fish which has been scarce is bine cod, and a local fish merchant states that in 35 years’ experience he has never known such a shortage of this particular fish. The same merchant stated that the past season for whitebait had been the worst ever known.

Dargaville, the largest town in New Zealand not connected with the Government’s hydro - electric power schemes, will over the week-end lose its identity in this respect, for a 70mile high-power line, stretching from Auckland city to Marerctu North Auckland), serving Warkworth Town and Eodney Conntv on route, has been completed! and will be livened up over the week-end, states'an Association message from Dargaville,

The opinion that the only real security for Britain and the Empire lay in all-round disarmament to a reasonable level was expressed by Mr H. E. Hyde, a London journalist associated with the League of Nations in Geneva, when speaking of the international situation to members of the Auckland Travel Club at their monthly luncheon meeting. The value of a system of collective security as a m6ans toward peace,* and the importance of New Zealand’s position as a member of the Council of the League of Nations, were emphasised by Mr Hyde, who said that if the New Zealand Government put forward proposals at Geneva for general, disarmament and a European collective security system they would be welcomed by the masses of the more apprehensive countries as the best way of averting the terrible tragedy which was rapidly creeping on Europe. When the Rangitan© was in the Caribbean Sea, two days out from Panama, a huge dolphin which kept abreast of the vessel for fully half an hour created a great deal of interest among _tbe_passengers on board. Mr H. White-Wicfc-ham, an angler of 40 years’ experience, said on the arrival of the ship at Wellington that the fish, which was extremely well proportioned, was _ about 25ft or 30ft in length. He estimated the weight at easily 10 } 0001 b. This monster of the seas came in quite close to the Rangitane, occasionally falling astern, but with a flick of its powerful tail quickly drawing level again. Thomas Paumea Clark, a half-cast© Maori of Tologa Bay, was committed for sentence on a charge of assault causing bodily harm on George Walker, another half-caste. The evidence showed that the accused found Walker with a Maori girl who had jilted him the day before, and attacked him with a hoe, inflicting head injuries, which necessitated hospital treatment. —Gisborne Press Association.

Some comment on the value of proper speech was made by Mr M. H. Oram, chairman of the Palmerston North High School Board of Governors, at a recent gathering. He said that he had been struck by the poorness of speech of those being examined before entering the teaching profession. There seemed to be a feeling among boys that it was more manly -to use slang and slovenly speech, but definitely that was not so. There was nothing more valuable a boy could acquire during school life than to he able to speak properly and express himself in adequate and pleasing words. A Press Association telegram from Auckland reports that bequests of £SOO each to the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society and the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were made by Mr John Linnette Harvey, who died at Auckland on December 8. /

Discussing the danger caused by the use of improper charges for a certain type of hand chemical fire extinguisher, the Hon. W. E. Parry said to-day that the experience of the Government Department was that regular maintenance, at least annually, was essential to keep extinguishers in effective order. A committee _of departmental experts was considering the question with the object of establishing a minimum standard for the construction of extinguishers, and was alse_ getting advice on matters of maintenance.— Auckland Press Association.

“ 5.W.0.” sends us 10s for the Spanish medical relief fund. .

Remarking that the dog was obedient and did what his_ master told him, Mr Wyvern Wilson imposed a fine of £5 and costs (£1) in the Auckland Police Court yesterday when Stephen Carter, a young man, appeared on summons charged with urging a dog to attack another young man named Churches at Panmure on October 21. He pleaded not guilty. The police said that after the men had been drinking together in an hotel Carter “ sooled ” his black cattle dog on to Churches, and later that night the dog bit Churches on both legs and tore his trousers.

Eye strain—for eye comfort, for ■ bettor vision, consult Stunner and Watson Ltd., opticians, 2 Octagon, Dunedin.—[Advt.J

The Dominion Building Society notifies a special offer to investors, inviting shares for funds to be applied on the basis of a first mortgage bearing interest at current first mortgage rates. The Dunedin Highland Pipe Band, under Pipe-major Walker, will give another of its popular concerts at St. Clair Beach tomorrow. A special programme of music to suit all tastes has been prepared.- The band is endeavouring to get new uniforms, and a liberal collection is asked for.