LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 9 August 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Some curiosity lias been shown by members of Parliament, in addressing questions to the Cabinet benches, in regard to the salary of the newlyappointed General Manager of Railways. The amount is set down in the Estimates, presented in the House of Representatives this week, as £3500 a year: v

It was stated by Sir John Russell during the course of his lecture at the School: of Music last evening that experiments v into tomato growing at Kothainsted Experiment Station had resulted in an increased yield of 7 tons to the. acre. It is stated in the “Dominion” thatowing to no fruit being shipped from Nelson, to Wellington on Monday in consequence of the -local holiday there was a shortage of apples at the markets and an appreciable rise in the price on Tuesday, first grade Stunners realising 8s a case as against 5s to 6s per ca'se last week.

The Hamilton. Borough Council resolved to raise an additional loan of £IOOO for unemployed relief works, states a Press Association telegram.

A number of items of interest appear on the list of unauthorised expenditure during the past financial year, disclosed in the public accounts. Bonuses paid to sessional employees of the Legislative Department during last year’s record session, .of Parliament totalled £565 15s. Compassionate . allowances of £9OO to tlie widow of the late Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M.. and £ISOO-to the widow of the late Mr Justice Aiptrs, were paid by the Justice Department. Recruiting for the New Zealand- Division of the Royal Navy, according to tlie annual naval report, has continued to bo satisfactory during the past year. Forty-seven seamen boys, nine stokers, and eigh t miscellaneous ratings have been entered in New Zealand. So far as seaman boys and stokers are concerned, tiiere is no shortage of applicants, states the report, and it is possible to select the best. The number of artisan and artificer candidates is, however, not so satisfactory, and there is inclined lo be an insufficiency of competent n.nd experienced workmen. This is doubtless due to tlie opportunities which arc open to skilled men on shore. There are at present 351 activeservice ratings who have been recruited in the- Dominion serving in the New Zealand Division.

The cpicstion of taking out a special insurance policy, covering the New Plymouth borough health inspector (Mr R. Day) against any disease which he might contract during the course of his official visits to' homes in which a patient is suffering from some infectious complaint, was raised hv .Mr Day at a meeting of tlie council this week, and as a result it was unanimouslv decided to take out a policy (reports the'"News"). Councillor W. VV. Thomson said the need for such insurance was evident from the fact that there were at present ten nurses at the hospital suffering from, infectious complaints . they had contracted from patients.

Loyal Nelson Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F., will hold a dance on Saturday night in aid of the children’s Christmas tree fund.

Nelson College old girls are notified in this issue of the musical and dramatic evening to be held in the gymnasium at the College to-morrow (Friday) evening at 8 o’clock.

The .Minister of Public Works (the Hon. K. S. Williams) has forwarded the following letter to Mr 11. Atm ore, M.P., regarding tile existing mail services to Okiwi Bay:—“ln response to the representations of the settlers I duly placed the matter before the Hon. tlio Postmaster-General, and I now understand that the question of a service from Nelson as requested by the settlers has already received the "Department’s attention and alternative tenders are now being invited for such a connection. The settlers will understand, of course, that the matter of its establishment will depend on the amount of the lowesttender received. I may say . that at present the French Pass-CVoixelles contractor calls at Okiwi Bay and'other places in the Croixelles Harbour ns required, hut J understand -.that at Okiwi Bay itself there is only one settler who ’is served by a private hag from the French Pass.”

In dealing willi various groups of organisms, Sir John Russell remarked during the course of his lecture last evening that we were dependent on these organisms for all we got out of the land. So far as lie knew only one sample of dust had been free from Hfe—dust gathered when Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened. This dust had lain there for 3500 years in absolute dryness, and during that time all the organisms had died.

At the Harbour Board meeting yesterday Mr Gould referred to the Progress' League’s coming deputation to Parliament next week to urge the claims for completion of the NelsonWest Coast railway. He explained that it was hoped evc'jy local body in the district would 'bus represented, and lie asked thelßoard to appoint a delegate. It was movdd that the chairman be appointed, but after expressing himself in sympathy with the deputation and its object no said that it would be impossible for him to get away. Mr F. I. Ledger was then appointed to- represent the board.

A recent issue of “The Illustrated London News” contains a special article on “Why Stars Split in Two” by Professor A. *W. Bickerton. A subtitle of the article is “The Unique ‘Doubling’ .of Nova* Pictoris explained by a ‘Collision’ Theory.” The article is profusely illustrated -and is an indication of the importance now attached abroad to the Professor’s astrpnomical work. It is of interest that a granddaughter of the Professor is at present in Nelson. -

In reply to Mr Justice Sims’s remarks in connection with Wellington Hospital doctors, arising out of the injuries received by a carter when his express was struck by a tram, the Hospital authorities state that- the man was admitted to the Hospital against his wish and was seen by the ward doctor. He complained of no" pain and demanded to go home. An examination revealed nothing to suggest fractured ribs, but as it had been an accident case the doctor persuaded him to stay the night to be X-rayed. In the morning the man persisted in going home, asserting that lie felt nothing wrong, and as the X-ray showed no sign of fracture to the doctor examining it he was allowed to go. If the Hospital is to guard against suggestions of lack of care it means that anybody reporting to the hospital with a mere scratch would require to be held there against his will, as the merest seraph might result in blood poisoning. The man having left the Hospital of his own accord, placed himself under the care of his regular medical practitioner, who attended him until his death. The circumstances were investigated at the time of the inquest and no charge had, been made against the Hospital. Such anomalies as , occurred in this case are not infrequent. If diagnoses' could he made as easily as some people suggest, the practice of surgery and medicine would be much easier than it. is. In this case the X-ray was a good shadowgraph, and c-ven after the post-mortem findings, does not suggest any fracture.—Press Association. , .

There has never been such a wealth of feed available in July and August.as is in evidence on the dairy farms cf the Waikato this winter (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The health of the dairy cows has never been better. Calving is proceeding with a minimum of ill-effects and production for this time of the year is on a higher level than it has been for years. The sale of marked calves from proved dams, whose production records are attested by the Herd-testing Association, the activities of a company in buying up unwanted calves for the veal trade, -and the work of the Tig-marketing Association in providing new outlets for pork, have been factors in the improved position of the dairyman. A prominent farmer -expressed the opinion that it was most important that prices for dairy produce shouid not rise above their present level. They were now on a payable basis, and consumers were able to pay the ruling values. If these were increased consumption would drop, and a reaction would set in which would be detrimental to the interests of the producers. Sheepfarmers in the Waikato are concciiitvating on the fat lamb trade, and are establishing a splendid reputation for themselves by the high quality of the lambs they are marketing. The beef market is sound, and th'e prospects generally for all classes of farming are exceptionally good.

.The Standing Committee of the Christchurch Diocese lias decided, to provide the additional finance needed tor a vicarage at Chatham Islands, states the “Church News.” A permanent residence is necessary, as spare houses are none too plentiful on the island, and the tenure of the vicar's present house is uncertain. .Mr and Mrs Barnett have agreed to stay on the island for an additional yeai', four years in all, and the Standing Committee feels the need to provide adequate housing for them and their successors, as it is recognised by the committee that the diocese should use every effort to maintain the religious ministrations on the islands. There are about 500 people, half 'of them pakeha, half Maori, and the only other religious body providing administrations there is the Roman Catholic Church. Building is very expensive, however, chiefly owing to the cost of freight on materials. and a small house of about four rooms will cost about £I2OO. The islanders hope to provide about £l5O cash, and to take up a parochial loan for about £150; the vicarage grant now available will provide £250, or possibly £4OO is Synod increases the vicarage grants to that figure, as the Standing Committee intends to propose; and Standing Committee decided to make the church extension funds and if necessary the home and Maori minion funds responsible for a fifteen-year loan up to £550, to enable the building to be erected as soon as the islanders arrange lheir part of the finance. “In England some time ago these men would have been sent to gaol, and at one time they would have been deported to Australia,'” said Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M.. at the Lumsden Magistrate’s Court last week, in inflicting penalties ranging from £lO to. £25 on seven men nroeeeded against by the Southland Acclimatisation Society on various charges of poaching trout, during a close season and of shooting and Doing in possession of paradise duck. The prosecutions were instituted by the society’s ranger and related to occurrences at the Mararoa River near the lake on and ?6th June. Altogether the offences cost the seven men concerned in the vicinity of £l5O.

We have received complaints' to ' the effect that certain members of-the Nelson representative football team misbehaved themselves at the hotel in Takaka on Saturday night. On the allegations being submitted to the manager of the team a general denial was given, although it was admitted that when the team after returning to the hotel from, the dance requested refreshments, which were at first refused, there was a “mild demonstration,” which subsided -immediately upon the request being ultimately acceded to. It was added that the Nelson men were not concerned in certain incidents which took place.

Mr Flavell, general manager of the Westport Coal Company, when questioned concerning the statement to the effect that there was a decrease in the output of the Denniston mine, stated Hint any such falling away of output was due to the advances made in electiical devices, both as regards home and commercial uses, and also to the fact that the world’s fleet of oilburning' steamers was growing larger. This was a development which was being universally felt. For instance, a huge electrical apparatus installed in Victoria had affected the output of the Newcastle mines. In connection with the Westport district, however, the difficulties experienced by steamers in negotiating the bar had been another cause of the decrease as far as the mines themselves were concerned There was an unlimited quantity of coal available.

“Modern science is the most expensive luxury we have, next to horse racing,” declared Sir John Russpll in his address to members of the New Zealand and University Clubs in Wellington. He explained that scientific apparatus 1 cost,such a great deal of money tliat it was highly essential to have some central bureau which was capable of testing new kinds, of apparatus and j:ev methods. The ordinary research worker had not, as a rule, unlimited funds at iiis disposal, hence it was necessary for him to know what was best in the'way of apparatus so that he need not waste money. In this direction a central bureau could do invaluable work. “Science,” says Sir John Russell, “is recognised ns the goose that lays _ the golden eggs. It is, in fact, called in to intervene when politicians make mistakes in matters concerning production, but the trouble is, in these days of advanced journalism, that the goose’s laying is expected to be dramatic and spectacular. But the goose should not be embarrassed, and science should not be hurried ”

Substantial bequests nave been made by the late Miss Annie McPherson to the Hamilton Beautifying Society and Cathedral. Miss McPherson, who died on Monday,' 1 aged 78, was the daughter of the late Captain James McPherson, of the Fourth Waikatos, who settled in Hamilton in 1866. The amount of the bequests has not yet been announced. — Press Association.' A splendid wharepuni, which when completed will contain some of the finest productions of Maori craftsmanship, is in course,of construction at Murupara, a picturesque Maori village occupying an isolated spot 43 miles from Rotorua, at the confluence of the Rangitaiki and Whirinaki Rivers and at the foot of the great range which divides the Kaingaroa Plains from the Urewera country (states a Hamilton correspondent). The builders of the wharepuni are two fine old Maoris from Whakatane who are doing the whole of the work from! the hard manual labour involved to the carving of the most intricate designs. Painstaking attention Fas been given-to detail, which is manifested in the work that has qlready been done on the building. By a process known only to themselves these craftsmen are carving a large number of huge pukatea beams, which are, to support the roof of the Wharepiini. When dressed these beams will be- decorated with designs in various colours. But the outstanding feature of the work is the magnificent carving. Twenty-six great totrira slabs, not less than 15in. wide and 3in thick, will he covered with a maze of intricate figures, which will cunningly portray a multitude of scenes illustrating events in Maori history and legend. The wharepuni will be opened in January next. The Arawa Trust Board is contributing substantially toward the cost of the building, which will stand as a lasting monument to q dying Maori art.

Saturday was the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Otira Tunnel. Inquiries made indicate that Coast opinion regards the tunnel as being very successful and of much benefit to the Coast (writes the Greymouth correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times’). The Mayor of Greymouth, Mr J. W. Greensiacle, said that at the outset, the majority viewed the opening of the tunnel with qualhis, knowing it was going to seriously affect methods of business now in vogue on the Coast. It did this, but.now the transition stage had passed successfully and business people had settled down to the new set of conditions* there were few business men who were not now prepared to set aside what little adverse conditions they had had to face when the first effects of the opening of the tunnel manifested themselves and take tliq larger view arc! admit that the tunnel had justified itself as the best source of development that the Coast has yet had come its way. Mr D. Tenneni, chairman of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Guild, pronounced the tunnel the greatest boon to. the timber industry on the Coast to-day. Besides bringing Coast sawmillers intb direct touch with customers in Canterbury, the tunnel had made it possible to deal in lines which could not be previously handled. The desirability or otherwise of using pinus insignis timber in buildings formed a topic of discussion.at a meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council this week (reports the “News”). The question was raised in a letter from the Hastings Borough Council asking what the council’s views on the matter were. The New Plymouth building inspector (Mr R. Day) said that the use of pinus insignis in buildings was not encouraged, although there was no rule on the matter. The timber was rarely used in houses, and then only as studs and ceiling joists. In his opinion it should not he used in any position where it would become damp. Councillor P. Amnore said that pinus insignis was preferable to some of the timbers being used, and although it should not be used for weather hoards or outside work, it was quite, suitable for studs and ceiling joists. He thought the me of it should not. be prohibited. The Mayor (Mr H. V. S. Griffiths) said the use" of pinus insignis was not generally understood, for if it was properly mt from old trees and was well seasoned t was quite satisfactory if it was i r.t exposed to the weather. It was deckled that a copy of the inspector’s report he forwarded 'to the Hastings Borough Council.

At the Police Court at Invercargill, Charles Trillo, a taxi proprietor, was fined £SO for keeping liquor for sale in his office. —Press Association.

In to-day’s issue the Railway Department draws attention to train arrangements and issue, of excursion fares in connection with the Nelson-Otago football match on Saturday next. ,

A deputation from the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation is to wait on the Nelson Harbour Beard at its next monthly meeting to discuss facilities for the export of fruit from Nelson and Mapua during next season.

At the Magistrate’s Court in Blenheim yesterday Francis Thomas Kennedy (Mr C. T. Smith) pleaded guilty to a series of cheque frauds in Nelson, Wellington, Petone and Blenheim, and elected to he dealt with summarily (states “The Express”). There were seven distinct charges, involving a total amount of £27 10s. Constable Healy, who represented the police, said the accused had ten children. He got possession of a cheque hook and went to Nelson, where he issued three cheques, and then proceeded to Wellington and Petone, where he issued others. He was a good tradesman and his trouble was due to drink, hut he had not “played the game” with his wife, who had been left to struggle along and who had certainly not received any of the proceeds of the frauds. The accused had not been in trouble since 1918, when ho was fined £5 for assault. The Magistrate imposed a sentence of 12 months’ reformative detention.

The Nelson Rugby Union is holding another of its popular complimentary dances in the Velma next Saturday, this time in honour of the Otago representatives. 5