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Otago Daily Times, Issue 16339, 23 March 1915, Page 4

There will be only one delivery by letter carriers to-day (Anniversary Day). Tho English mail which was despatched from- Duncdin via San Francisco, per Oceanic line on February 8, reached London on the 20th inst.—six days late.

Tho Telegraph Department advises that in addition to packed week-end cable messages, the acceptance of which was prohibited in January, packed doferred-rato oablo messages are now prohibited. Each must be complete in itself, and must not contain messages for two or more persons. This applies to all routes.

So far as can be gathered (saj3 our Wellington correspondent) there is no general desire for an eurly scsaion of Parliament. Even tho Opposition, it is stated, do not want an early session. In any case tho fact that tho High Court cannot hear the points reserved tor it in connection with the election petitions till April 12 will put all idea of an early session out of the question, because after the High Court has given its decision tho Election Courts may again have to take up their inquiries, necessitating probably tho calling of further evidence and possibly even a by-election.

A conference of dologates from the various branches of the printing trades will be held at Wellington at Easter, for the purpose, of considering the question of a general amalgamation of the whole of the trades. Mr It. Ferguson has been appointed as the delegate from the 'Otago Typographical Society, and Mr A. H. Hind will represent the Otago printers' machinists and bookbinders. Tho highest yield of wheat recorded this season locally (says our Christchurch correspondent) is 970 bushels from 11 acres on tho Cashmere Estate, near Christchurch — an average of 83 bushels per acre. A Papanui farmer has obtained 900 bushels from 11 acres—an averago of fc'2 bushels per acre. Tho Cashmere return is believed to bo a record for tho dominion. At the City Police Court yesterday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., the application of Caroline Belcher for the issue of a prohibition order against her husband, William Belcher, came up for consideration. Tho application had been made at a previous sitting of the court, and had been adjourned. Mr A. C. Hanlon, appearing for tho applicant yesterday, stated that he had been instructed to withdraw the application, and this course was taken, with tho consent of Mr D. D. Macdonald, who appeared for the- defendant. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that James Wilh'arn Simpson, •a. member of the Expeditionary Force, was remanded to appear at Dunedin on a charge of failing to comply with a. maintenance order. Simpson objected to a remand, saying he had sent sums of money direct to his wife. The police, stated that Simpson enlisted under tho name of Williams. They only ascertained his real name -when the man was arrested for drunkenness. At a garden party held in Major Grigor's grounds on . Wednesday, March 10, under the auspices of the Balclutha Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union, the sum of £23 8s was raised. After paying expenses the committee was able to donato £10 to missions end £10 to Belgian relief, and £2 to the Presbyterian Orphanage. Tho ram and ewe fair, to be held under the auspices of tho Otago A. and P. Society, will take place at Burnside on Thursday, April 8, and breeders are reminded that the entries will close at the secretary's office on Wednesday, 31st inst. Those intending to compete in the Fields Competitions are also reminded that entries will close on the 31st inst. Considerable" interest is already being taken in the Winter Show, and numerous exhibits are expected in the farm and live stock classes, vrhilo the piitries in the fruit classes, especially apples suitable for export, promises to bo exceptionally good. Tha schedule of prizes and full particulars of the forthcoming Winter Show will shortly be issued to members of tho society and intending exhibitors. At the conclusion of the sitting of the City Polico Court yesterday, Mr W. Belcher, . addressing Mr Bartholomew, S.M., said: Your Worship, I want to lay an information, and I do, it in public. The Magistrate: Informations are not sworn in public. -Mr Bartholomew then left the bench, whereupon Mr Belcher said: "Is it not possible to lay an information here?" He was cut short by a loud order for silence by the court orderly. John O'Tbole, a seaman on the steamer St. Ursula, was fined £1 at the Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday for castingoffensive matter in a public place on Saturday afternoon, and on a further charge of drunkenness he was convicted and discharged. Mr T. Scbllay was the presiding justice.

The annual harvest social in connection with St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church was held in the Church Hall last evening, and. proved a decided success. Several large stalls were laden with locally-grown fruit, flowers, vegetables, home-made bread, cakes, and preserves, all of which found ready purchasers, with tho result that the church funds were substantially augmented. A programme of musical items, songs, etc., followed, and was thoroughly enjoyed by those present. A Press Association message from Greymouth reports that the camp of the 13th Regiment was struck on Saturday last. The 12th Regiment (Nelson) local camp is said to be the first camp at which tho whole interior arrangements were carried out without the assistance of civilians. Tho cooking was done' by members of the different companies, no civilians being employed in work of any kind. There were no complaints as to the victualling. In the course of a' reminiscent chat, Captain H. Johnson, who is retiring from the post of harbourmaster at Wellington at tho end of the month, stated (says the Dominion) that ho was in charge of the Wanaka at the time when she used to work up and down the coast -with the Taiaroa. He had left Dunedin on Saturday, September 10, 1886, for Lyttclton, and the Taiaroa left Wellington for the same port. When the Wanaka arrived at Lyttelton on the Sunday Can tain Johnson was summoned to tho office, and instructions were given to him to proceed at once to Waipapa Point, where the Taiaroa had been wrecked with loss of life. A diver and his gear were taken on board, and the Wanaka left as soon as possible. When she reached Waipapa Point (near Kaikoura) it was found that tho Taiaroa was high and dry, and they could do nothing. At a crowded protest meeting held by the Social Democratic Party in the Grand Picture Palace on Sunday night, the following motions wore carried unanimously on a show of hands : —That as tho present war crisis has been taken advantage of by unscrupulous exploiters for the purpose of manipulating the pri?es of foodstuff's, so as to wring greater profits for themselves out of their fellow-citizens during a time of national trial.., and as this process has already produced unnecessary hardships among the mass of the people, and is likely to continue in accentuated form if private exploitation is unchecked, this meeting of citizens call upon tho Government to immediately assume possession of tho wheat, flour, and meat supplies of the country, to establish a permanent and independent court with power to enforce maximum prices for all commodities; and to ensure by State enterprise that sufficient wheat is grown in New Zealand next season not only fur tho people of this country, but for the purpose of exportation at minimum price to assist the people of Britain; that this mooting condemn attempts at defraying expenditure arising out of the war by means of street collections and other semicharitablo methods as beneath the dignity of a democratio country, and demand that a graduated war tax be imposed upon land and incomes to meet all war expenditure.

Tho following resolutions wore carried unanimously at an adjourned meeting of the Bay Town Board last week:—"That tho necessary steps be taken to raise a loan in ordor to improvo tho district," and a sub-committee consisting .of tho chairman (Mr T. Somervillo), and Messrs J. R. Pairbairn and , J. Whyto, was instructed to draw up a schedule of works, not. to exceed £5000, and submit tho samo to tho board for its approval at a meeting on April 12. It was also agreed that tho drain between Rawhiti street and tho Main road bo proceeded with at once, subj<«ct to the necessary agreement being signed by the parties interested.

It ia understood that the local manufacturers of biscuits have decided to raise the prices of their goods by ltl per lb, presumably on account of the high price of flour. A deputation of ratepayers waited on Cr Sincock, of Mornington, last night, and requested "him to stand for the mayoralty. Or Sincock, we arc informed, promised to give, the matter serious consideration and to reply within a day or two. Therw is every likelihood of his acceding- to the request

The Queenstown Branch of the Otago Expansion League has for some time been interesting itself in the opening of a- golf links at this popular tourist resort. A suitable piece of land has been secured, and Mr A. Simson, of Queenstown, in conjunction with a. practical golfer from Gore, have been busy laying out tho grounds, and it is expected that tho Queenstown Golf Links will bo open for play tho week after Easter. Tho Tourist Department of the Government has promised to give some assistance when a local club is former!.

Tho monthly meeting of the Country Development Committee of the Otago Expansion Loa-gue was held in the league's office, Stock Exchange Buildings, last even- j ing; present— Messrs Crosby Morris (in the chair), A. Moritzson, E. E. Clowes, E. Tamblyn, G. M. Marshall,' and D. Tannock. The question of urging upon the Government tho desirability of conducting experimental plots on the slopes of Mount Oargill, or in the Silver Peaks district was discussed at length. Mr Tannock guv,! a groat deal of interesting information concerning his experiences in experimental plots in the West Indies, and also with the ground now used as a nursery by the City Corporation, and which, he stated, had originally grown nothing but manuka, but wiieh would now, as a result of judicious manuring and treatment, grow any tree or plant. Letters were received from the Hon. W. F. Massey and the Hon. W. Fraser, promising- to give careful consideration to tho question of the prosecution of tho Lawrence-Roxburgh railway. Tho latest sacrifice for the Belgians to be reported i 3 that of a citizen who sold his shirt to provide money for the distressed Allies. It was at a. gathering given in "Wellington on Saturday evening by tho Wellington Bowling Club in honour of a team from the Christchurch Club. Mr W. Helliwell, manager of the visiting team, wora a shirt' that excited some admiring comment. He generously, suggested that ii any of his friends coveted the garment he would sell it, the proceeds to go to the Belgian Fund. An auction -was neld and tne shirt was sold and resold several times, the original owner eventually buying it Daek for £1. The "sale" yielded about £30 altogether.

x Among the through passengers to Sydney by the Maramu. irom Cian Francisco was Mr E. D. Kees, a well-known brewer, of ■Sydney. Mr Rees was in Germany when tlio war broke out, and, although he did not experience any particular hardships; he and his party lost tho wholo of their luggage. "That doesn't matter to me," he said .speaking to a Post reporter; "it's only a matter of £1500 or £1800 worth of stuff which can ba replaced, and I would sooner give £5000 .than be in Europe- at the present time. I'm sorry for poor little Switzerland," he added. "She was running very short of food when I left, and, in addition, she has to keep her army on a war footing. Holland, too, is in a very unfortunate position. In addition to her own troubles in regard to food supplies, and so on, she has to feed and look after hundreds of thousands of Belgian refugees, and the strain must be enormous."

The steamer Kotorua, which arrived at Auckland on Tuesday, brought about 80 third-class passengers from London (says the Star). Most of these are. females, and many have come out to join relatives who precoded them to New Zealand. One effect of the war has been to reduce rather than to increase the number of people leaving England to make homes in newer countries. Some of those' who arrived on Tuesday state that conditions in the ■ Old Country were very unsettled when they left, owing to the great enthusiasm which prevails in regard to recruiting among the workers, as well as other classes of the community.

Great care is taken to provide against the possibility of secret dispatches from the Imperial Government to the New Zealand Government, which have to be carried by steamers, falling into "the hands of the enemy. They are placed m a special mail bag- and handed over to the custody of the. master of the ship. The .bag is heavily weighted, and if the capture of the, ship appears at any time to be unavoidable the captain's instructions are to throw the bag overboard. TJie heavy weight causes the bag to sink at once. The dispatches are lost, of course, but they would be lost in such circumstances in any event, and if they go to the bottom of the sea they are safe from perusal by any alien enemy or anyono else.

During a lecture at Rongotea Tecently (says the Manawatu Standard) Mr E. Newman, M.1 , ., briefly dealt with the farming of bush land. "This is almost a unique kind of farming," he said,- "and each settler has had to find out for.himself how to work his farm to the best advantage. So far it has been easy work, because the grass took well in most instances and, given the proper class of stock, success was almost assured. But now a lot of the bush land is going back, the finer grasses are dying out, and are being replaced by poorer grasses, and it is a great and important question, both for the bush farmers and the State, how theso pastures can be restored." Mr Newman advised bush farmers to consider oaiefully the advice given by Mr Baylis, of the Agricultural Department,, who had made a study of the subject, and delivered lectures under "the auspices of the Farmers' Union.

When Mr W. Pryor, of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, was reading to the Wellington Arbitration Court on Wednesday reports as to the state of trada and profits in the flour-milling industry (says the Evening Post), Mr E. J. Carey, union advocate, asked what about the millers who had received the Canadian wheat. Mr Pryor replied that tho importations, when distributed among millers, were too small and the quality was not good enough to permit of the Canadian flour being- sold with a mixture- of New Zealand flour. Mr Carey said he knew of on© miller who received 700 tons of wheat.- The price was such that the flour should have been sold at £14 10s, but the miller was charging £18 ss. Mr Pryor: "You think you tnow." His Honor Mr Justice Stringer said that as a matter of business while New Zealand flour was selling at one price Canadian could not be sold at another figure. He did not think that any miller received the quantity mentioned by Mr Carey.

The maritime strike -was a failure, according to the latest monthly report of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, "and," adds that publication, "that is how most strikes end—no good to the worker," no good to the employer, both suffer." When the strike took place the business of the society in Australasia was carried on by the District Committee in Australia, and the following sums were given by members towards the strikerGrant from District Committee, £505Auckland, £1 Is 6d; Dunedin, £54 UsAdelaide, £80; Balmain, £24 12s; Bathurst', £12 6s 3d; Brisbane, first and second, £86 14s 3d; Bundaberg, £6 5s 6d; Gcelong, £19 11s 6d; Newcastle, New South Wales, £7 12s; Redfern, £36 Os 6d; Sydney first £87 2s 10d; Townsville, £12 ss; Melbourne' first, £143 11s. 9d Melbourne, second, £66 4s 4d; Melbourne, third, £67 8s iOd; Richmond, Victoria, £47 7s 6d; North Melbourne, £33 Os sd; Brunswick, Victoria, £28 Is; South Melbourne, £15 ss; Williamstown, £13 6s 6d; Bairnsdale, Victoria, £1 11s 9d; Petersham, New South Wales,' £13 12s 9d; Burwood, New South Wales, £4 10s; Sandhurst, £27 8s 6d;—total, £1394 10s Bd.

Tho danger attending fcho discharging of firearms in tho vicinity of houses was illustrated by au incident which occurred at Mount Albert on Sunday week (says the New Ztala-'id Herald). A member of tho Expeditionary Force, who recently returned from Samoa, brought back with him an old German service revolver. On Sunday his younger brother obtained possession of the weapon and some ammunition, and, with several other boye, went shooting birds in an orchard, about 90 yards from the hooiso of Mr W. Shaw, in Frederick street One bullet penetrated the'side of the hous* and struck fcho opposite wall of a rooc; about a foot above a spot where- a young lady was lying on a couch' reading. The bullet was subsequently recovered. It was made of a much harder metal than lead, and, beyond the marks caused by the rifling of tho revolver, was not dented in any way.

Commenting on the discussions concerning the form which a war tax should take, the Farmers' Union Advocate says:—"The farmer recognises tliat, if a tax is necessary, he must pay his quota, and he will do so willingly, provided that it is not a class tax, but that all classes contribute their share in proportion to the benefits received. We also recognise that it is next to impossible to impose a tax that can be perfectly just to everyone; but, speaking nominally, and with reservation, we believe that the taxation for general purposes is fairly equitably imposed, and that a small percentage on existing taxation would meet the needs of the case. It may be true that certain sections of the people have suffered more than others through the war, and .therefore there is all the more- need to see that tho.tax is levied in such a way that such people will benefit by almost complete exemption."

Chrwtchurch, MarclT 20.—Beach races, 50 nailets and 10 miles: "Trnstv" Triumphsfastest time Ist 10 miles, 2nd, 3rd 50 miles. Un every hill and race track, round the Empiro the "Trusty" Triumph has proved ita unqutetioned superiority. The work these wonderful machines are doing against the enemy in Belgium, France, and Russia is e«inired by the whole world. The i 915 Lrmmph far surpasses any of the previous efforts of this famous company May we send you particulars?—W. Stuart Wileoa and Co., Bond street, Dunedin.—Advt

Orders will be booked up to Saturday, 27th, tor genuine tailor-made suits to measure at 63s—worth 90s.—Mollisons Ltd.—* Advt.

Mr J. B. Finlay, of Wellington, who is keenly interested m fruit fanning, is ia town for a few (Jays, staying at the City Hotel, and may bo consulted, especially on Nelson apple lands.—Advt. . Mollisons are showing this week a. splendid collection of new autumn millinery also the btest production in Advt

Fit for the gods—a tumblerful of soda > water flavoured by Watson's No. 10 whisky, A. E. J. Blakeley. dentist. Bank of trajasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets iwxt lelegraph Office). Telephone ,185 a— Advt.

j 5I i r -- i Er ?l s V,^ oot - eß *R«m and mechanical' dentist, 63 Princes street, DuDedin.— Advt H7^ h i? *• PPer^ r Diok? -The most reliable ' WatchmaKer, Jeweller, and Certificated Consulting Optician. 490 Moray place, (off Prinoee street), Dunedw. Charges moderate.—Advt