Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14706, 5 June 1920, Page 4

Several changes are to be noted in the local defence staff. Captain Redmond, N.Z.S.C., has been transferred to Dunedin as staff officer. His place has been taken by Captain H. D. McHugh, M.C., N.Z.S.C., as officer in charge. Lieut. R. L. Hunt has been appointed adjutant of the 10th (North Otago) Regiment, and Lieut. J. Sooullar has been appointed area officer at Alexandra. Sergt.-Major C. B. Wright has been temporarily transferred to Trenthanl, and his place has been taken by Sergt.-Major A- -JS. Stevens, who later goes to Alexandra. Staff-Sergt.-Major Hendersoii has been appointed to the sth Mounted Rifles, with headquarters here. Sergt.-Major Graham and Mr R-. M. Meldrum have both left the Defence office, and Mr J'. R. Mair has been transferred from Invercargill to the clerical staff. The yield of mangolds grown by the Papakaio School for the Otago A. and P. Society's - field competition was at the rate of. 57-J tons to the acre, while the swedes were at the rate of 43 1-7 tons per acre. These yields show the fertility of the soil of North Otago, as both plots were practically unmanured, and they had to depend for water on the rainfall, which, during the first five months of this year, was very little indeed. Traction engine-owners in the County are notified by advertisement that owners of all engines not registered on or before'the 26th inst. will be prosecuted. Eschewing the formal popular concert, with its excess-of dignity and lack of cheer, its interminable waits, and -iteration of overworked songs, the Orchestral Society has decided to give a more breezy and informal entertainment in the form of vaudeville. There are but two vocalists in- serious vein, Mr Borthwick (baritone) and Mrs Q.uiglev (soprano). Miss Isie Duff, of Dunedin, is an entertainer whose entrance is always the signal for applause, and Miss Lily Stevens' highly artistic ci-Mices arc warmly commended by those who l have seen them. The chief funmakers will, be Messrs Art. Inkster (Waimate) and J. McLean (Oamaru). The instrumental portion of the programme will be supplied by Miss All- - of Timaru (violiniste) and Master Raymond Dell (flautist). Various balancing feats will be performed by Mr A. Rivier, including the balancing of a trotting sulky on his chin. Messrs Rivier and McLean combine in an excruciatingly comical boxing match, a care-killer. The Oamaru Orchestral Society will attend in a good muster and will play its latest selections. All funds, over expenses, will be handed to the Oamaru Orchestral Society. The box plan opens at Begg's on Monday. Mr Bruce Christie is advertising in to-night's issue a large sale of firstclass investment stocks in well-known companies, also Government Bonds maturing in December next) These shares and bonds are being sold on account of the Trustees in the estate of the late Mrs Elizabeth Dowling. They include "1500 shares in the National Mortgage and Agency Company, 1500 shares in Messrs Mason, Struthers and Company, 520 shares in the National Insurance Company of New Zealandj two Government Bonds of £IOO each and one £SOO bond. This serves a splendid opportunity for those in quest of really first-class-investments. Full particulars may be obtained from the auctioneer. The -King's Birthday was very fittingly celebrated by the St. Luke's Boy' Scouts, by holding a field day at Bushy Beacli,. ; The Scouts, 54 strong, under Scoutmaster Barter, saluted the flag before departure, and then held a parade via Severn . street and Thames street, after which they departed for the scene of the manoeuvres, following Scout signs all the way. An enjoyable and instructive: day was spent at the beach, uot the least interesting event being the appearance of a- seal on the rocks. The visitor was -some 5 feet long, and its! graceful swimming and habits greatly attracted the Scouts. ; The fancy dress skating carnival was ' concluded at the Drill Hall last night when tbere was again a good attendance. The competitions resulted as follows Half-mile race: C. Clark 1, D. Patterson.. 2., Egg and spoon race: Miss M. Gleeson. Couples' race: Miss: D. Stiokman and N,. Stewart. Hurdle race: W. Maynard- 1, F. Maynard 2. ! Boys' race: J. Stickman 1, D. . Gleeson | 2, V. Malian 3. The rink will be open the usual session this evening; There are 011 view at "Mr Wylie's (jeweller) a pair of beautiful 'William Turner white chrysanthemums, the best of the incurved Japanese section. They were grown in the' open by Mrs W. Henderson, Lune street. The blooms are some eight inches in diameter, and are worthy of inspection. The Huia Hockey Club, Kurow, will open the season with a match against the Haaktaramea team on Thursday next, at 2.30 p.m. Afternoon tea will be dispensed and ladies-are requested to'bring a'basket. One of the largest property deals for years- has been-.- concluded by Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co,: in -the sale of Mr R. C. Gillies' property in -the Haka Valley, comprising in all 7915 acres of freehold, at a- price which we understand is over £60,000. A valuable;, leasehold .of some 3000 adjoining acres goes to the buyer also. Messrs -Pyne, .Gould, Guinness, Ltd.. will conduct a. clearing sale on Tuesday. Bth June, on account of Messrs Fog- ! arty'and Son, Studholme, The farm has been' sold, aiid everything "will be putup for unreserved sale. In. addition to a- dozen good cows and heifers a number of superior draught horses will come under the hammer. -Further particulars are contained in our advertising columns , The South Canterbury Auctioneers' Association will hold a stock sale at- the Glenavy saleyards on Monday next. Present entries number 750 ewes and lambs. Further entries are being taken. The Post's Auckland- correspondent telegraphs: "An amusing incident, illustrating the keenness. permea ting .the land agency business, occurred: ill the Magistrate's Court yesterday. It arose through a sale of property having been placed in the hands of more than one agent without- priority, and commission was payable to-'the-.-agent-,..wh0 concluded the deal. The first agent's witness stated.that lie went to the owner's residence to report the sale of his-pro-, perty, and was told that the man was at church.. He therefore went to St. Benedict's. Mr J. J, Sullivan: "Did you find him there?"—" Yes," replied witness. 'fWhat,was he : doing 1 ?" ."On his knees praying.'' "Did you start praying yourself ?. No ; but you talked 'business rieht ...away, ; kneeling down beside him?" , '.'T tplct him .T Ijad sold' liis house for £875,. and he reph that he' had a letter in his pocket stating, thai another firm had- sold the house for £900."- Mr Sullivan:, /'So yoju abandoned religion in;.the church; for ; - imsiness, and knelt down to do it?" "No, I leaned and half-knelt over hitn fo report the sale." It was stated _af4 terwfirds by counsel -that commission had been paid- in full to the other firm.

11l connection with, tlie visit of General Birdwood to Oamaru. all soldiers who have: served under hie command are invited to attend a luncheon to be held in his honor in the; Queen's Hotel j 'on Friday next: I Mr Baldwin will a meeting of the New Zealand Workers' Union in the Oddfellows' Half, Coquet street, 011 Monday night, 7th inst., at 8 o'clock. A further reminder is given of the [jumble sale to be held at Totara on Thursday next. The effort, which is receiving splendid support, is in aid mf the hall funds. A host of competitions for baking and shooting have been arranged. and a number of sideshows will iriereaso the amusement-. The "fair will be opened at 2.30 p.m. This afternoon Mr Bruce Christie of- ] fered xnree allotments at Campbell's Bay, Kakanui, containing about 26 poels-each.. Lot 1, with a- four-roomed cottage, was purchased by Mr D. L. Patterson for £150; lot 2 by Mr Thos. Mclner;iey at £47; lot 3 by Mr Jas. Gerrie at £46. There was good competition for-the three lots. The horse sale at the Commercial Stables to-day by the National Mortgage and Agency Company dragged in places and a. number of animals and turnouts were passed in. Draughts sold from £2O to £3B, but bidding was not brisk. A general meeting of thp Homo -Ser-vice-League of New Zealand will be held in tile Oddfellows' Hall, Coquet street 011 Wednesday next-. Those eligible for membership are men who have been assessed and have served within the Do--1 minion during the war. lln connection with the Press Association telegram from Auckland, with reference to the hide market having slumped, which appeared in our issue of yesterday, a. representative of the Daily Times was shown invoices of local hide sales which indicate that at all events there is no downward tendency in prices at the Dunedin hide sales. The invoices referred to were for sales held on the 20th and 24th ult., and the total purchases approximated £6OOO. On the latter date ox hides realised from 20d to 23Jd per lb, and cow hides from 17d to 19jd, which are practically the same figures as were realised four days previously. During a discussion on the high price of woollen goods at the Auckland Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union last week," Mr A. A. Ross said that the extreme prices of woollen goods in the Dominion were due to the fact, that the New Zealand woollen mills could sell their output for export at fabulous prices. Notwithstanding that there was a huge accumulation of wool in Britain it was under Governmentcontrol, and the Home mills could not obtain the raw material. Arising out of the discussion on wages . at the Council last night; in reply to the statement that Mr Ross had. just come off a long spell of illness on full pay, Councillor Rodman said that as a result of Mr Ross' work during the last- month the Council had been furnished with. a very full report that would take days to go through. The Mayor said he was glad this had been mentioned. They had, through Mr Ross, the best and most comprehensive report 011.. the borough waterworks it had ever had. • It was something the Council had been unavailingly trying to get for a very long time. A Picton centenarian, Mr William Fortes'cue, celebrated his 103 rd birthday on Monday last. Mr Fortescue arrived in New Zealand in 1840, landing at Petone, where he acted as storekeeper for the New Zealand Land Company. Later on he went to Marlborough., arriving just after the Wairau massacre. - He joined the throng at Gabriel's Gully at the time of the rush, arid followed the golden vein, particularly at Mahakipawa, until recent years. Upon being presented to the Prince of Wales at Picton recently, the old man remarked: "Yes, I remember your father, your grandfather, and your great-grand-father, too: and I also lived in"the reign of George 111." The want of rain is preventing the breaking-up of lands for grain-growing. Fallow land can be worked, and a large amount has already been dealt with, a. good proportion of it having been sown with wheat'. But farmers who are in town to-day report that lea land is so dry and hard that it is impossible to break it up satisfactorily, and most-grain-growers have been compelled to abandon the task in the meantime. This is a great pity, as there is a verify ide determination if possible to sow a much larger area of wheat than in any of the last few years. A good steady rain of 48 hours' duration, if it came early, would'mean a large production of wheat in this district.