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Evening Star, Issue 23128, 30 November 1938, Page 10

Recent rains have raised the level of tho Leith slightly, and this has hindered work to some extent on the Malvern street bridge, the men having to work in the bed of the stream putting in the abutments. However, the job is well in hand and should be completed according to schedule time., for the second half of the old bridge is uoyv being demolished,

During the six months’ training which they will undergo aboard H.M.S. Achilles, Leading Signalman D. L. Millar and Able Seaman T. R. Roydhousc, of the Otago Division, R.N.V.H., will almost circle the globe. After their departure from New Zealand they will call at Suva on December 6, and afterwards proceed to Tahiti, Balboa, through the Panama Canal to Jamaica, and on to Portsmouth, arriving there on January 25. After 10 days’ leave in England, tho trainees return to Portland on February 21 and leave England on February 28. They will be at Gibraltar from March 4 to March 25, and from March 25 to May 1 their ship will be with tho Mediterranean FI eet for manoeuvres, arriving back in Auckland via Suez on Juno 1. Tho weather for the Otago Centro’s “ learn to swim ” week has been of a most inclement nature, attendances being affected considerably as a result. Nevertheless, good work has been accomplished by tho instructors, especially at the evening sessions, and many of the pupils have made splendid progress. due to the fact that the instructors have been able to devote more time to their tuition than would have been tho ease had the attendances been greater. With a further Dominion effort in view in February, the instructors and officials associated with tho present effort have been enabled to gain much valuable information to make for a groat success of tho later effort, when it is hoped tho weather will be more favourable for swimming. “ Learn to swim ” periods are being held throughout tho present week. An interesting insight into the origin of summer and winter cruises was given this morn in"; by Mr Arnold W. Johnson, general manager in Australia for the Orient Lino, who is at present in Dunedin. When the English summer was in full swing and the Australians were experiencing their winter, the Australian passenger trade languished, he said. No one wished to leave Australia in tho summer to arrive in England for the winter, and vice versa. So the Orient Line devised a scheme whereby the gap could be filled in profitably. Cruises lasting about a month were run to the Mediterranean or Norwegian Sounds in the winter; these, however, were expensive and beyond the means of other than the rioh man. Gradually it became realised that it would be preferable to shorten the cruising time and offer the same facilities to all. Thus the 13-day cruise within the scope of all pockets became the accepted thing in winter. Noting tho successes of the Orient Line, other companies followed suit, and now winter cruises are equally as popular in Australia and New Zealand as in tho United Kingdom. Traffic-inspector R. G. M'Dowell caused a temporary wave of astonishment at a meeting of the Dunedin Citizens’ Committee held last night to discuss Road Safety Week. He mentioned that posters for distribution to the public were being printed in Auckland, “How many?’’ asked the chairman (Mr M, C. Henderson). It was Mr M'Dowell’s reply that caused the gasp of surprise. “ The printing is 800,000,1ie replied. When the total was queried, Mr M'Dowcll added that eight -different cards, each of a different colour and topic, comprised the printing, 100,000 or each being issued. By the time all these are put into circulation there should be little excuse for New Zealanders not being conscious of Road Safety Week. Calendars for the coming year are now being distributed by firms, and as usual they include information of general interest as well as the usual details of the days, weeks, and months. Easter next year will be in April, Good Friday falling on April 7. Anzac Day, April 25, will be on a Tuesday. King’s Day, tho holiday set aside to mark the birthday of the sovereign, although it is not the actual date of his birthday, has been permanently fixed for the first Monday in Juno by Act of Parliament, and next year if will be on Juno 5. Labour Day, tho fourth Monday in October, will be on October 23. Christmas Day will bo on a Monday next year, so that it will be a long week-end for the festive season, especially for those whose places of business close all day on Saturday. Anniversary Day in the Wellington province falls on January 22, a Sunday. The Auckland Anniversary Day is also on a Sunday, Otago and Southland have theirs on a Thursday, and Canterbury on a Saturday. To-day, November 30, is St. Andrew’s Day, a fact fittingly noted by the flying "of flags. St. Andrew was one of Christ’s apostles, and was one of those who on the Mount of Olives heard the prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem. St. Andrew’s later life is purely traditional. He is said to have preached in Scythia, and so to have become the patron saint of Russia, and to have suffered martyrdom at Patrae about 70 A.n. Tradition has it that some of the St. Andrew relics were removed to Constantinople, and in the eighth century were taken to Scotland, of which country he is the patron saint. As St. Andrew’s Day is always nearest to Advent Sunday, it is either the first or the last festival of . the church year. The monthly meeting of the Musselburgh School Committee was held last night, the chairman (Mr W. M. Caddie) presiding. The head master reported a very satisfactory attendance for the month, the average being 93 per cent. The school’s cricket and tennis teams were meeting with gratifying successes. The annual break-up will take place on December 15. A motion of sympathy with the relatives of tho late Mr Madlreo was carried. Fourteen refugee German Jews are now residing in Christchurch. The families are no charge on the general communffcv, as, according to the Rev. S. N. Salas, the rabbi in Christchurch, the heads'of these families have all scoured positions. A larger number of refugees have taken their place in the more numerous Jewish communities in Wellington and Auckland.

As the vears increase, so has the appeal to the Dunedin public of Handel’s immortal oratorio. ‘ The Messiah,’ apparently declined. The music, once a feature' of the Choral Society’s performances, was a firm favourite, bub now its rendition lias placed a financial burden on the society. However, it is determined not to disturb the unbroken line of presentations of the oratorio, and this year the work will be presented in ’Hirst Church early next month. The only other occasion on which the society performed ‘ The Messiah ’ in a church was over 50 years ago in Knox Church as part of the commemoration to mark the opening of the church building. Only a few more days remain during which the fine collection of pictures tit the annual exhibition of the Otago Art Society may be viewed in the Pioneer Hall, the closing date being Saturday. As a display of the work of Now Zealand artists the exhibition is a representative one, and in that respect should be found as instructive as it is meritorious. Altogether there are over 400 pictures, including oils, water colours, black and white sketches, etchings, and art photographs, and craft work is represented by sculpture, modelling, and art needlework. The public art union in connection with the exhibition will bo drawn to-morrow evening..

Construction work on the new Birch street wharf is progressing satisfactorily, and the engineer in charge advises that the woitk may he completed by Easter. The work of strengthening the Rattray street wharf is also being pushed forward.

The Railway Department advertises in this issue particulars of another popular excursion, Dunedin to Invercargill, on Sunday, 4th December.

The Ladies’ Sewing Guild of the St. John Ambulance Association will bold a Christams fair in the new ambulance building, Lower York Place, on Friday next, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be a work stall, provision stall, sweet stall, and flower and plant stall, all amply equipped. It is hoped there will be a good attendance of the public, whose generosity is counted on to help forward the invaluable work the Ambulance Association is carrying on in pity and province,