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Evening Star, Issue 23147, 22 December 1938, Page 10

There will be no publication of the < Evening Star ’ on Monday next—December 26.

An unusual and touching token at once of thrift and of generosity was received by the mayor (Mr A. 11. Allen) this morning. It consisted of five worn and tattered bank notes, four of tho Bank of New Zealand, and one of tho Union Bank, of a total value of £3o— careful hoardings. Moths had not corrupted them, but rust had obtained an entrance to the place where apparently they bad been kept for years, as ivas shown by stains of iron on some of the notes, while one was prodigal of holes, and all showed thetr age. An unsigned message with the parcel, apparently in the handwriting of a woman, read: “Thanksgiving offering for Chinese refugee children. _ The Union Bank note bore date ot issue 190-5 and the other dates to 1924. Tho mayor would be glad if tho anonymous giver would call on him. A slight earthquake was felt by a few people in the south end of the city about 5 p.m. yesterday evening, but in the scurry of a busy workaday world it went unnoticed by many. The tremor was sufficient to start electric lights gently swinging.

In tho membership campaign contest between the Returned Soldiers’ Associations of Dunedin and of Christchurch, the figures at December 15 were: — Christchurch 2,925, Dunedin 2,436. A daily message to motorists, with the idea of lessening the risk of' accident over the holiday period, is being offered this week by the Automobile Association (Otago). On the subject of motor collisions, the message to-day states that at a recent meeting ot the National Safety Congress, in London, Colonel M. O’Gorman, C. 8., said: ‘A collision is when two people try to occupy tho same bit of road at the same time. Why on earth should they try to do such a silly thing? I wdl toll you: it is because one does not know what the other is going to do, so that both try to get in the same place at the same time. That could be avoided, however, if the one knew what the other was going to do next. Ships rarely collide at sea because there is a ru ] e —show your helm, show your intention, let'the other man know your intention.”

The in avo r (Mr A. H. Allen) acknowledges with thanks receipts of the xollowm<' further donations to the appeal on behalf of the New Zealand Council for the “ Adoption ” of Chinese Refugee Children Previously acknowledged £l2O 2s; Miss Gay Nelson. £5 6s Pet 6l- Barr > £4 ; st - Martln ’, s Senior Girls’ Bible Class, £1; total, £136 7s.

A Rotorua Association message states that a fire last evening destroyed the central portion of a large timber mill at Mamaku operated by the G. A. Gainnian Company. The mill had closed down in the afternoon for the holidays and was unoccupied when the outbreak was discovered. Chiefly as the result of the strenuous effort of volunteer fire fighters, the outbreak was restricted to one section of tho building, and did not reach the large stacks of timber in the yards. The main engine was put out of commission, but the planing machines were saved. The building and plant were covered by insurance. Members of the National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation are to be allowed travelling expenses, according to an Order in Council published with last night’s ‘ Gazette.’ Each member of the council will receive one guinea a day or part of a day on which he is actually engaged in transacting the business of tho council. Travelling expenses will also be allowed as well as a travelling allowance of £1 5s a day for personal expenses. Mr C. Roy Spademan, organist for Knox Church, will give an afterchurch recital in the Town Hall on Sunday evening. Visitors to the city will no doubt welcome an opportunity of hearing the Town Hall organ, and Mr Spackman has chosen an interesting programme of items in affinity with the Christmas season. The items are a.s follows:—‘Gothic March’ (Salome), ‘ Sunset Melody ’ (Vincent), ‘ A Scotch Carol ’ (arranged Guilmaut), ‘Evensong’ (Easthopo Martin), ‘ Offertoiro on Two Christmas Carols ’ (Guilmant), ‘ Serenade ’ (Victor Herbert), ‘ Andante in I 1 ’ ’ (special request, Wely), ‘The Holy Boy’ (Ireland), ‘ Offortoire for Christmas Season ’ (Barrett). Tho organist will bo assisted by tho Otago Girls’ High School Carol Party (conductor, Miss Molly Spackman). who will sing ‘ In tho Bleak Mid-winter ’ (Holst), ‘ Hark, How Sweetly tho Bells” (George Fox), ‘ Child in tho Manger ’ (Old French), ‘ Holy Night ’ (arranged Hugh Roberton), and Miss Jean M‘Lay, who will contribute ‘ He Was Despised,’ ‘ Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind be Opened,’ ‘He Shall Feed His Flock’ (‘Messiah, Handel). There will ho no charge for admission. Tho opinion is expressed by Mr G. H. Mackley, general manager of railways, that when the railway bus terminal in Cumberland street is completed it will be the largest and bestequipped in New Zealand. Tb is also pleasing to note that, considering the difficulty experienced through tho shortage of steel, the work is progressing satisfactorily. Tho terminal will bo a very groat convenience to users of the road services and to the department itself. It is hoped that the work will ho completed within the next four months.

“ Twelve days have now passed without a. fatal accident on the roads of the Dominion,” said the Minister of Transport ' (Mr Scinnlo) yesterday. “ This is tbo second longest free period over recorded in Now Zealand and is an achievement of which all road-users might well be proud. The safety pennants in Auckland. Wellington, and Dunedin have not had to bo'taken down for over a, fortnight.”

Mr Webb, Minister of Labour, states that the (Government has decided to continue the operation of scheme 13 of unemployment relief until January 31. It had previously been announced that tills scheme, which gives employment to some thousands of men throughout the Dominion, would bo discontinued at the end of this year. It enables a subsidy. eiiual to full wages, to bo paid to local authorities for carrying out works of national or local utility. Mr Webb added that before the end of January he would further review the position to decide whether scheme 13 is to bo continued beyond that date.—• Wellington correspondent. Towards the close of the fat cattle auction nt Burnside yesterday, buyers had filled their requirements for the holiday season, and values were inclined to ease. 'Three hundred store cattle were penned, including several pens of three and four-year-old and a number of younger cattle. The sale was a. firm one throughout, three ami four-year-old steers bringing from £9 to £ll As. Fat sheep forward numbered about 1,500, comprising principally ewes. Wethers were confined principally to medium descriptions. Values at the beginning of the auction were firmer by Is a head for prime heavy ewes and wethers, with the latter more in demand. Medium and light ewes were hard to dispose of tis the sale progressed, and a reduction in values was shown. All heavy sheep wore in good demand at the conclusion of the market. and were selling ■ at the general irnnroved rates, but lighter sheep were still not required. Values were, for extra prime heavy wethers, to £1 9s Cd ; prime heavy, from £1 5s to £T 7s Cd; medium, from £l. Is 9d to £1 3s 6d; light, down to 18s; extra prime heavy ewes, to 245; prime heavy, from 19s to £1 Is; medium, from 14s Gd to 17s 3d; and light, down to 9s. The curious position of to-day and tomorrow being the longest days in tbo year is a rare occurrence that merits the explanation given by Mr W. D. Anderson, a member of tbo Otago Astronomical branch of the Royal Society. In those two days the sun will have reached its most southerly point, bringing with it the. longest day in this hemisphere. Tho sun enters the zodiacal sign Capricorn ns at midnight to-night, when it will begin to set a course northward once more. Its distance this time, incidentally, is 91,000,000 miles, and it will then occupy a position about 1,600 miles south of tho Equator. In the four main railwav workshop areas—Otahuhu, Hutt, Addington, and Hillside—space lias been allotted for tho provision of facilities required by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Tho Railway Department is working in conjunction with the Air Force in the construction and equipping of the workshops required by the latter for the maintenance of machines and the training of personnel of tho mechanical branch.

At a meeting of the Otago branch of tho New Zealand Surf Life Saving Association, Mr H. H. Henderson presided over a full attendance of delegates. Advice was received that the City Council had voted £35 for a patrolman on St. Clair beach for a period of eight weeks, and that the St. Kilda Council had voted £5 towards the cost of a patrolman on the St. Kilda beach. Appointments of patrolmen were mado for both beaches, subject to a satisfactory test ot ability. After a discussion on ways and means it was decided that as tho amount of £5 available for patrolman at St. Kilda beach could ho subsidised to only a small extent from the association’s funds it would only he possible to pay the wages of a patrolman for two weeks on that beach, and that unless further funds were forthcoming the St. Kilda beach would bo without the services of a patrolman after that period.

Estates probated at Auckland in December included those of Jabez William James Marks (£45,000), Edward Glasson Phillipps (£30,000), Harry Arthur Purser, gentleman. (£25,000), Samuel John Atkins, hotelkeeper (£22,000), John Barclay Henri’, retired bank manager (£20,000), Richard Yanstone, of Opotiki, retired farmer (£17,000), Arthur George Buchanan, commission agent (£15.000), John Farrell, architect (£13,000). —Press Association. “ We have too many other problems of greater importance to think about,” declared Mr Savage to-day commenting on the protest against a report that the Government was considering the establishment of a State lottery. This matter, added Mr Savage, had never been considered by Cabinet, nor was it likely to receive attention.—Wellington correspondent.