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Otago Daily Times, Issue 15820, 19 July 1913, Page 8

With tire end of the Addrese-in-Reply debate on Thursday night the members of tho Houso of Representatives were in working humour yesterday, and settled down to tho first day of genuine constmctive legislation. The Order Paper contained over a dozen Bills for the second reading, nearly all being Government measures. Fairly early in the afternoon a "start was made upon the first—The Shops and Offices Bill, which was introduced by the Prime Minister. He moved the second reading pro forma, and tho.motion was carried, the Bill being referred to tho Labour Bilk' Committee. The Hon. A. L. Herdman promised to refer the Architects Bill to a special committee, to .be get up on Tuesday, as there was considerable condemnation of some of its provisions. Excellent progress was made with a number of other 6econd readings, and altogether eight measures were successfully put through this stage, with the result that on resuming at 10 o'clock, after tho supper adjournment, the Prime Minister congratulated members on the good work done, and moved the adjournment. Tho event of the House rising at 10 o'clock on a Friday night is quite noteworthy, and supports the general polioy of the Government avoiding, if possible, lato nights. In tho course of the preliminary business of tho day the Minister of Public Works made an interesting statement about the small contract system, and a slight storm was occasioned by Mr E. Scott proposing that his place on the Westport Harbour Board Inquiry Committee should be taken- by Mr M'Kenzie.

When the Kowhai was stranded at tho Heads some time a<ro the mechanical appliances of the Harbour Board proved invaluable in enabling the steamer to be got off the beach and to be brought into dock at Port Chalmers.' For its services the board made a claim on the Union Company of £1500, but, owing to representations made by tho company, the board decided to reduce its ckim to £500. Tho company, •however, is now communicating with tho board asking that this amount bo still further reduced, and tho application will come up for consideration at the nest monthly meeting of the board.

According to a. return presented to Parliament yesterday there were issued in tho dominion in the last financial year 70,435 money orders, valued at £190,169 17s 3d, on Australia, and 81,007, valued at £262,944 9s 7d, on the United Kingdom and foreign countries.

A man named Samuel Weir, who has been working in the Amalgamated Company's claim for some time, and vrae engaged on the 12, to 8 eliift, failed to put ixi an appearance on Wednesday night. When the men were going home from work at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning they found Weir's coat and hat lying alongsido the Toviot Eiver, immediately above the Teviot bridge, and on the matter being reported the local constable had the riven dragged, without result. Marks were found where Weir had apparently gone into the river, and there were also footmarks leading from the river up tho bank aad on to the road. It us surmised that Weir got into tho river, came out again, took off his hat and coat, which were wet, and then wandered away somewhere else. It haa been noticeable that for the past few days he had been rather strange, and absentminded. The police are making every inquiry into the matter. Weir was a quiet and inoffensive man, and was well liked. • Up till 10 pjn. on Thursday no trace of the missing man had been discovered. ,

A meeting of representatives from tho Dunedin Navafe, Waterside Workers, and the Loyal Orange Institution was held' in tho Garrison Hall last night for the purpose of organising a benefit on behalf of the widow and orphans of the kte Mr W. J. Napier, who was washed overboard from tho steamer Waitomo. It was decided to hold a concert on a date mid', place to bo fixed. Messrs R, C. Fair and W. J. Dwigltt were elected joint secretaries, and committees were appointed to look after tho advertising and rnusical arrangements. Judging by the offers of support received the indications aro that the function will be a successful one.

Tho engineer to the Harbour Board will submit a report to tho next meeting covering the question of the sale of the tag Kopirtaa so «x>n as the now tug Duncdit> M read; to take the water.

Most people have some idea of the inflammablo nature of benzine underV/ertaiit conditions; consequently the arrival of the steamer Havre at the Rattray street wharf yesterday with 62,000 cases of that valuable commodity on board occasioned a good deal of interest. Conspicuous notices in English and Chinese indicated that smoking on board the- vessel or on the wharf alongside was Btriotly prohibited. Tho injunction was obeyed to tho letter by the ship's company and those engaged in handling tho benzine, but scvoral onlookers smoked away quito unconcernedly until firmly requested to desist. Like gunpowder, benzino is quite safe when handled by -those 'who realise their responsibilities to the Meet extent, but in order to obviate unnecessary risk of a calamity we have been requested to warn the public of tho serious results that mjiy possibly follow if any person thoughtlessly drops a match or spark near tho prohibited area whilst the Havro is discharging her cargo.

Our Alexandra correspondent states that there is a likelihood of the Manuherikia irrigation scheme materialising. It is understood that the Government has approached the Olrig Company and the Borough Council with a view to purchasing tho Olrig race and tho Borough Council's Chatto Creek race for irrigation purposes. The Borough Council met on Wednesday and decided to ask for definite information as to how the water would be used, the price, etc, before placing the race under offer. „

Our Cromwell correspondent reports that the weather has been exceptionally fine during the past week for the farmers and pastoralists, and there k every prospect of a splendid season

That tho comparatively mild weather experienced for some little time is not viewed in a very appreciative light by all sections of the ajmrainity will be-ainderstood when it is 6toied that it has caused a decided lull in the,, coal trade. As a consequence of this falling off in the demand tho Kaitarrgata Coal Company has found that its daily output just now exceeds requirements, and a brief halt has therefore been called in two of tho mines. It was intimated on Thursday evening that there would be no work yesterday in the CastJehill mine, while at 1 p.m. yesterday the whistle was sounded to indicate a cessation of work in tho No. 1 mine. We are informed, however, that the stoppage wQI be but brief, and work will in nil probability bo resumed on Monday. This is the first oocasion on which the mines have been slack at this season of the year, but this may be' accounted for by the fact that the output this winter has been greater than in post years. The new endless hauiigo rope for No. 1 mine is expected to arrive in a few days, and will probably be installed at tho end of next week.

The sub-committee of the Otago Harbour Board which was appointed at the last meeting of the board to approve of. the most advantageous tender for making alterations to Dredge 222 . has decided to accept the price given by Messrs Stevenson and Cook, of £2250. By the terms of tho tender the successful tenderers are allowed the use' of the board's dock at Port Chalmers free of charge for a period of 12 days. Only the ono tender came before the sub-committee. It is intended to cut the dredge through at the bow, and run tho ladder in there, and she will thus bo able to dredge end on olose up to the wharf. Wihen the alterations are completed the present system of double dredging will be done away with, as heretofore Dredgo 404 has been required to pick up tho spoil close to the wharves and then deposit it again where it could be dealt with by tio big dredgo.

One of the most important matters to come before the Standing Committee of the Harbour Board at its monthly meeting nest Friday will bo the remit from the board in regard to the matter of taking steps to secure power to rate upon the rateable 'value of the property within a district to bo known as the Otajfo Harbour District The finding of the committee will come up for approval at the meeting of the board to be held in the evening.

At the weekly meeting of tiho Finance Committee of tihe $ity Council last evening the question of erecting Turkish baths as an addition to the baths now being erected in Moray place came up for discussion. It was finally decided, as n pnJiminary step, to ask the contractors for the present authorised baths to submit a price at which they would be prepared to constrnct the Turkish baths—conditional, of course, on tho council ultimately deciding to agree to go on with the addition. The estimated price as submitted to the oouncil by the building surveyor some time back was £2500.

We understand that the fiim of Messrs John Mill and Co. has decided.to continue its contract with the Harbour Board for the receiving and delivery of cargo at Dunedin, The board, it -will be remembered, at its last meeting, decided to offer the firm an increase of L£d per ton on its existing contract price of 9d per ton, it being .pointed out by the contractors that since the contract had been, entered into a considerable increase in the rate of wages had taken place. The firm was given the option of accepting tho advance of l£d, or of terminating its contract. The board now intends at its next meeting to consider tho advisability of "passmg on" tho advance to tho consignees,

Mr Parata, member for the Southern Maori district, is asking the Government whether it can "see its way to assist, by subsidy or otherwise, the conveyance by sea of the Natives on their annual visit to

the nnrttcm-bird islands? Tho mutton-bird

is the main food of tho Maoris of Ngaitahu, who own theso islands. The cost of tho passage from tho mainland to theso elands, a' distance of not more than' 50 mike, is £4 10s per head, and this is said to bo severely felt by tho Natives, who must go to obtain their annual supply of food. The assistance sought is represented by Mr Parata to bo only analogous to the assistance rendered to farmers byXthe expenditure of money on road 3 to give access to their farms.

In response to a call from the May-Oat-way installation at the Phoanix Company's factory, hi Mackggan street, the Fire Brigade tamed out shortly after 6 o'clock last evening. Tho alarm, however, was a. [also one. A Christcbn-ch Press reporter waa informed on Thursday that a burglary mas committed in Papanui on Thursday, 10t!h insi. It was alleged that three men were implioated in the theft of a quantity of jewellery, meet of which has since been recovered. The polios aro said to have got on tho track of tho thieves in a rather strange manner. One of the thieves " put up" as his stako in a city billiard room, a, brooch, which was subsequently identified as a portion of the stolen jowellery. The matter was mentioned to tho police authorities on Thursday, but they wero somewhat reticent regarding tho alleged • burglary. Tho matter has boon followed up, however, and an arrest is expected to bo mode shortly hi another city.

The weather during' tho last week has been exceptionally mild (says our Naseby correspondent), and skating and curling could only bo indulged in intermittently. Present indications, however, are for frosty weather. A fairly largo number of visitors havo been staying in tho town, and appear to have thoroughly enjoyed the bright sunny days and tho picturesque scene afforded by tho snow-clad surroundings. Numerous inquiries have been mat'o regarding the state of the ice, and arrangements have now been made, with the Tourist Department to supply intending visitors with full particulars as to the possibilities for skating and curling. At least ono of ,t!io curling clubs has agreed to placo a dam and tho chib'6 curling stones at tho disposal of visitors.

In conversation with a Daily Times reporter yesterday afternoon Mr Rylands, chief engineer of tho steamer Havre, spokevery highly in praise of his Chinese assistants, and in proof of their regard for the machinery which they assist to keep in a high state of working efficiency, he stated that on several occasions when the steamer was being badly buffeted by heavy seas his men had burned incense among tho machinery to appease the wrath of evil spirits. "They would not smoke on this ship for £100 while the hatches are open," ■ho . subsequently remarked, and ho also stated that ho never had any occasion to remind them of dangers to bo apprehended from benzino cargoes, of which they were always most careful As the men were extremely sensitive to rebuke from their superior officers, the latter had to be very certain of their facts before taking them to task for anything, but When convinced of tile justness of the complaint they submitted with their customary Oriental stoic-

Specimens o£ the new police force badges, to bo supplied by J. R. Gaunt'and Son, London, have arrived in Wellington. The rank of officers will be denoted in future by a crown, iand star. Superintendents will show a crown at each shoulder—rank equivalent to that of a major in the Territorials. Inspectors will have three stars at each shoulder —equivalent to the rank of captain; and sub-inspectors two etare—equivalent to the rank of lieutenant. Sergeants will have a, crown on tho right arm, instead of the lace worn hitherto. Sergeants and constables aro to have a bronze badge on their helmets, tho badges to be surmounted by a crown, with tho monogram " N.Z.P." in the centre, and artistic fern-loaves at tho sides. A similar design, oh a smaller scale, will be used for the badges to be worn by the inspectors and sub-inspectors. Tho officers' now caps will be of the same shapo as that worn by Territorial officer*; the silver braid is to be discarded. Constables' shakos axe to be replaced by helmets. Their numbers will be worn on each side of tho neck of their coats, and a full supply of the figures will bo available in a few days.

The suggestion has been made to. tho City Council by Mr J. R. Kemp that two or more turf mounds, of a height of 18 or 24 inches, with a slope on each side, should bo constructed in tho Woodhaugh Gardens, mainly with the object that elderly people may be enabled to recline on them in ease and with oomiort.

Tho prospectus of the Universal Supply Association of New Zealand is published elsewhere in this issuo. The.capital of the association is £5000, and the object is to enter into busness on co-operative lines. It is intended to open shops in Dunedin and other parts of New Zealand for the manufacture and sale of clothing, mercery, boots, groceries, etc. It" is provided that no shareholder may hold more than five shares, and when applications for 1500 shares have been received the provisional directors may proceed to allotment.

At the Kew Methodist Church to-morrow evening tho Rev. E. Drake will preach on "A Tempest in a Brain." Victor Hugo's "Lea Miserablcs" will bo used in illustration.

| The subject of tho Rev. W. F. Kennedy's lecture at the Unitarian service in the Club House Hall, Moray place, to-morrow evening will bo "The Stirring Story of thej Strugglo for Religious Freedom." The usual musical programme will be given to-morrow afternoon in tho Octagon Hall. Mr W. Paget Gale .will bo the leader, and will be assisted by Mr V 7. H. M'Kenzie' and Mr Colin Gray. The Scoretary of the Money Club reports that applications for- loans to the amount of £620 and for eight shares were received at this week's meeting of the trustees. The jubilee of the arrival of the ship Wave Queen, which reached Port Chalmers frorh Glasgow on the 22nd July, 1863, will be celebrated' at the Early Settlers' Hall on Tuesday next. The third of the series of meetings for men being held on Sunday afternoons in tho Young Men's Christian Association Rooms will nn Sunday afternoon next be addressed by tho Rev. W. Slade, whose subject, is "A Programme for Life." Notices of tho following Sunday services will be found in our advertising columns:— Anglican-St. Paul's, AH Saints', St. Matthew's. Presbyterian—First, Russell Street, Knox, Stuart Hall, St. Andrew' 6, Kensington. Roelyn. South Dunedin, North-East Valley, Opoho, Green Island. Congregational—Moray Place, St Clair. BaptistHanover Street. Methodist—Trinity, Woodhaugh, Central Mission, Cargill Road, Kew, Fairfield, Abbotsford, Dundas Street, Ravensbonrne, North-East Valley. St. Kilda, Anderson's Bay, Broad Bay, Highcliff. Salvation Army. Theceophical Society. Church of Christ, Tabernacle, Roslvn. Unitarians.

" Perfect" B.S.A. Motor Cycles.—"Everything that tho name implies." Ulster—so miles, Ist; flying mile, Ist, 2nd, 3rd, flth.— W. Stuart Wilson, Bond street.— Advt.

See tho new stock of porcelain statues, pictures, and photo frames, lowest prices; make handsome presents.—Chiaroni's Gallery.—Advt.

Broadway's Mixture is most highly spoken of by sufferers from rheumatism and gout; it gives immediate relief. Obtainable from Wilkinson and Son, chemists. Princes street.—Advt

"The mind is often depressed, temper uncertain, sleep disturbed "—when you suffer* from constipation. Indigestion, headaches, frequently piles, add to the misery. Take "Wahoo"; it cleanses, removes causes, and heals. A wonderful medicine I " Wahoo." 2s 6d bottle.—Advt.

Tho Big Sale.—Tho first week of our sale has attended with phenomenal success. All previous records are broken. Be suro and get your share of the bargains offered. —Mollisons Limited.—Advt

Wo recommend for watch, clock, and jewellery repairs A. J. Shaw, 13 Rattray street. Absolutely the best in Dunedin.— Advt.

Your Eyes.—A new discovery for removing cataracts, films, whito specks, etc., without operations. Send for particulars and testimonials. Free. \E. W. Hall, herbalist, 117 Armagh street, Christehureh.—Advt.

This season's jewellery for evening wear is very dainty. Intending purchasers should mako a point of seeing it at once, and thus have the best choice.—G. and T. Yoiinc (Ltd.),. 88 Princes street,

For Chronio _ Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is 6d. 2s 6d.—Advt A. E.\T. Blake'ley, dentist, Bank of Auj. tralasia, comer of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Offioe). Telephone 1859.— Advt.

Who is Peter Diok?-The most reliable Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Certiorated Consulting Optician, 490 Moray place (off Princes st.), Dunedin. Charges moderate—Advt