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Otago Daily Times, Issue 17104, 8 September 1917, Page 6

Representations havo beon made to the Government by some oi the local millers that a special regulation should be introduced prohibiting the use of wheat for feeding fowls. This course lias boen forced on millers by tho alleged action of a South Otago farmer. This fanner has boon holdingl over 1000 sacks of milling wheat for several months, with the hope that the Government might fermit an increase in the prices fixed by regulation. At present tho highest price wliiah can bo received is 5s 10d per bushel. This hopo, howovor, <ippoars to be doomed to disappointment. But tho farmer has now gained his ends by other moans. When tho regulations were passed it was laid down that they should not cover any transaction under 50 bushels. Tho farmei therefore is simply selling his 1000-odd sacks in small lots of under 50 bushels, and lias received l as high as 6s 6d per bushel from buyers, who intend to use fcho wheat for feeding fowls As regards utilising wheat for feeding fcwls, it is stated that at tho Milton poultry farm no wheat is now used, and that highly satisfactory results are obtainc-d from feeding oats, barley, and ryocorn, with plenty of green food.

Tho quarterly meeting of tho Ohalmere Licensing Committee- was attended yesterday by Messrs H. Y. Widdowson, S.M. (chairman). J. Mill, E. Isbister, G. L. Archer, and J. Dicker. An application was made for the transfer of the license for the Railway Hotel, Mosgiel, from Alfred M'lvor M'Robic to Allen Joseph M'Donald. Tho committee refused the transfer, and adjourned the application till October 12 to onaiblo the liccueoo to get a purchasoc.

Some interesting remarks regarding cables and cablo ratca were made by the Postmaster-general in the House of Representatives yesterday. Sir Joseph Ward said ho was always in favour of a reduction of rates on the principle that cheaper ratee resulted in increased business, but in war time the possibility of unforeseen happenings had to bo taken into consideration, aad nothing could well be done in the way of reducing roti-s until the vnu wns over. The Hon. R. 11. Rhodes asked whether the Minister oould 6ay anything about the laying of an Atlantic cable. Sir Joseph Ward said ho was in possession of certain information, but it wag of a confidential nature. 1* was, however, very satisfactory information. There was no vote this year for the Pacifio cable, because it was now paying its way.

Messrs Leu (Kaitangata (Joai Company), Brernner (Green Island Collieries.), and Allan (J. Mill and Co.) h&vo boon selected by the local coal mining companies to act as the Government representatives here under f h» regulations recently issued whereby the distribution oi all coal is to be controlled. The regulations as drafted by the Government are, however, hold by fiie coal merchants to bo unworkable, and the first work of the three men appointed has been to write to tho Miniser in charge pointing out tho weaknesses of the regulations, and making suggestions how these may be overcome.

An excellent record for a youth only 17 yeara of age was unfolded at tho City Police Court yesterday morning, when Frederick Dimoe was charged with deserting his ship. From tho information submitted fco the court by the police it appeared that the lad was quite a veteran in the world of experience. At the age of 15 he became associated with tho 3rd Queen's Regiment, on association which lasted for some three mouths and α-half, when he was discharged, it is belieired, because of hia immature age. Pollowing upon this discharge, however, Dance enlisted in tho sth Royal Fusiliers, being disohaxg-ed for the same reason in October of last year, aftor seeing six months of active service on the Continent Subsequently he obtained employment on rhe oooan-goineJ liner Kotorua, and continued as a steward in this vessel to the time when she was torpedoed in the English Channel, early in the present year. Dance's father, it was also learned, had seen two years and a-half of active service in tho preeent war, serving with the Royal Engineers. Dance, jun., however, deserted his ship quite recently at Lyttelton, but in view of the boy's splendid record the magistrate (Mr J. R Bartholomew, S.M.) consented to the withdrawal of the charge by the police.

During the discussion on the Raihvay Estimates last night Mr M'Calltrm eaid there was a feeling of resentment at the Minister of Railways allowing the head of the department to work fof another department. Several other members severely criticised Mr Hiley. In reply, the Minister (the Hon. W. H. Henries) stated that tho general manager's time belonged to the Railway Department,' and it was only occasionally that he was lent to the De? fence Department. Hβ would be lent to any other department that required hia services if it were for the good of the country. would be churlish not to do so. The same thing would have happened if Sir Joseph Ward or any other Minister had been in- charge.- The Defence Department was also borrowing officers from the Public Works and Health Departments. It ought to be the business of every department and every Minister to render whatever services they could to fee Defence Department, because this department -wanted assistance in every possible

A Press Association telegram states that the Wellington City Council has decided to raise the price of electricity to consumers from the tramway power house by a halfpenny per unit. This applies to power parposes only, not to domestic heating, and is the first increase in charges for municipal services since the war began. . .

Some 20 juveniles from the Middlemarofa Girls' Home of the Salvation Army are visiting Dunedin City over the week-end. These well-trained young people will take part in an open-air service to-night (weather permitting), and will be present at all the meetings in the Dowling Street Hall on Sunday. A special programme has been arranged for the three services, that of the afternoon being an united and unique juvenile

Oommiesionor Hodder, head of the Salvation Army in the dominion, accompanied by Colonel M'Tnnea (chief secretary), and Major Colvin (divisional commander), went v6outh by the express yesterday morning. The Commissioner will conduct special meetings at InvercargiU over the week-end, returning to Dunedin on Monday. On Monday evening Commissioner Hodder will conduct the annual social and reaeae meeting, the chair being occupied by his Worship the Mayor (Mr J. J. Clank). At this gathering ithe Commissioner will deliver an address on the war and social work activities of the organisation. During the evening the children from the Girls' Home will render several drills and action songs, whilst social and patriotic tableaux have been prepared/ by the Dunedin oity young people.

Sergeant Hugh Fraser (who was for eome time on the literary staff of the Chrisfcohurch Press), writing from "Somewhere in France" to a New Plymouth friend, says, in tho course o£ his letter: "That was really a great day for New Zealand, for we captured Messines, a place the Alike had woo. before and could not hold, and which had practically b«»n a German stronghold for two years and a-half. A few days before, certain troops, who recently won an equally strong position, were laying the odds against New Zealand. These troops had won Messines, bat had lost it, and they said to oar chaps, 'ifou will take it, but you won't hold it.' Well, our.chaps did both. A few days before the battle I had a splendid view of the village from our front line, and saw it to bo little but a crumpled ruin in brick on the top of a low rising hill, but in this land of flat country it is theee ridges which mean so much to the army which holds them." v ~ ivumours are current at present among civil servants (says the New, Zealand Times) as to the possibility of the Government placing certain d-epartments under military control. In this connection Mr Fletcher iislced tho Defence Minister in the House of Representatives on Tuesday—(a) Whether it is the intention of the Government to place tho Railway Department and the civil staff of the Defence Department under military control; (b) is if a fact that the scheme for tho Defence Department, with all necessary dfitails as to pay and promotion of the civil staff when it comes under military control, is already drawn up, and only awaiting Ministerial approval; (c) will the Prime Minister give an assurance that the Government will see that members pf the,above departments who refuse to como under military control will not be dispensed with under section 51 of "The Public Service Act, 1912.' "

A rather strange anomaly exists in tho tailoring trado of the dominion.- If a man enters one of the large softwoods houses, and desires to be measured for a factorymade suit, he selects his cloth. One of the hands in the men's department takes his measure, the figures are sent to an outside factory, and tli© purchaser is allowed no "try on." If, however; the man wante what is called a tailor-made gait, the tei'«r of the establishment takes his measure, the suit is made up on the premises, and the purchaser can have a "try on" as frequently as he -wishes. The anomaly comes in when a man o-oos to a bailor who is in business for himself—that is, tho tailoring business is not ono of many departments of a-big establishment, —and wishes to be measured for a factory-made suit. Hβ is measured in this instance by the tailor himself, the suit is made up at tho factory, returned to the tailor's premises, and. the buyer is in this caso allowed a "try on" as often as he requires, The low prices charged by tho Duncdin factories to m«.ko a stiit would surprise the people if they were awaro of them, and they are- hi>her than those which are chartred in Wellington. The factories are supplied with the. clotii selected by the purohaser. but tho linings, etc., aro gupplied by the factory. In view of the small prices which tho tailors m some instances offer for tho factory work, the factories, to mxkn ends moot, have porforeo to put in cheap linings. Ono man connected with tho factory ptrt of t.h<* bus-new crives it as his opinion (hat factories should be required to stamp the quality of tho linings, eta, on tho suits they manufacture, on the samo line* n.-: n. manufacturer of boots has to state whether or not hia boots contain any othar material than leatbac

At tho Poit Chalmers Court yesterday Win. Watson was fined and costs (7s) far allowing a horse to wander in Island terrace. For allowing two eowa to bo at largo in Macandrew road, John Glengarry, t<m., was fined 10s and costs (7s). A prominent Dunedin business man who has several times visited tho WaitaJd River and has obtained all the information possible regarding the quinnat ealmon which have now become thoroughly acclimatised thero, has great faith in tho futuro of a tinned salmon industry for tlio dominion. Ho says. that the peoplo of Dunedin have but a faint idea of the enormous numbers of salmon which every year travel up tho taki, and, presumably, other rivers, to spawn. Ho has also taken tho trouble to obtain all the data possible regarding the habits of tho salmon which aro caught in the rivers of tho west coast of Canada and the United States, and has no doubt that the New Zealand salmon aro of tho samo species as that which provides the basis of the great Canadian and American tinned fish industry. The salmon in thoso great rivers of tho northern hemisphere spawn only once, then .die, and float tail first, dead, battered, and emaciated, down the rivers. Onco a salmon pf tho American species enters a river to spawn, it never turns back. • Escaping tho perils of tho ocean, it enters the river mouth on the last journey Nature requires from it. In the river it ceases to eat, but presses on towards the spawning grounds. Some manage to evade the traps, the nets, the water wheels, etc., which line the river banks, to surmount the rapids, and finally to reach their last destination. Tho Dunedin business man had tho idea that, as the salmon in New Zealand have but a few miles to swim in tho rivers to roach the spawning grounds, as compared with the. hundreds of miles in the rivers of British Columbia and the United 'States, they might not die as the northern fish do, but return to tho ocean. From information which ho has received, howover, ho has ascertained that fish have been seen in the Waitaki, towards the end of the spawning season, floating tail first down the river.

The tramway service of the south end of city was held up last night at 8 o'clock owing to an overhead wire on the corner opposite the Kensington Hotel breaking. The southern service waa disorganised for about half an houa , in consequence of the break..

Inadequacy of pensions to widows under the Publio Service Superannuation Scheme waa the subject of a reference by Mr H. A. Huggins at a Post and Telegraph smoke concert at Wellington. The pension at present was fixed at £18 a year, which had been fixed when the old age pension was also £18. Since then the. old age pension had been increased to £26, and now it waa proposed to make a. further increase to £39. The question had been submitted to actuarial investigation, and it was found that the pension could safely be increased to £52 if the men themselves were willing to make a sacrifice in their superannuation for this purpose The' men vwere willing, but before the change was made there must be legislative authority.

An American journalist has described the brains of the German diplomat as " green blubber." He cited, as a. typical illustration of how an elaborate plot fell through owing to characteristic German stupidity, the ease of Lieutenant- Werner Horn, the young German officer who had been deputed to blow up the Vanceborough bridge. This young man had gone to the trouble of growing a. bearj and disguising himself as a rough, uncouth workman—old clothes, dirty boots, worn-out carpet bag, eta He gave himself away, however, by riding in a Pullman car of the best train Tunning through New England. He was " spotted n at once. Afterwards, when asked why he did not travel in a different sort of train, he replied that he was an officer and a gentleman, and that was the way he was accustomed to travel.

The United Btarr-Bow'kett Society will dispose of £1500 on the 20th inst. Anniversary services will be held at Roslyn Presbyterian Church to-morrow. The preacher will be the Rev. John Paterson, Christchurch.

An united farewell will be given to Chaplain F. T. Read in the Octagon Hall on Sunday afternoon. Chaplain Read will give an address, on "Camp and Hospital Ship Experiences." The secretary of the Dunedin and Suburban Mutual Money CJluib reports that applications for loans to the amount of £652 were received by the trustees this week.

We have to acknowledge receipt of copies | of the Union Company's Pooket Guide for September. . Notices for the following Stmdaj services will be found in our advertising co'nmns:— Anglican—St. Matthew's, St. Paul's, St. Kilda, All Saints'. Presbyterian—First, Russell Street, Knox, Stuart Hall, St. Andrew's, Kensington, Bible School Hall, Caversham, Roslyn, North-East Valley, Opoho. Methodist—Trinity, Central Mission, Dundas Street, Ravensbourne, Caversham, Cargill Road, Benevolent, Glenaven, Woodhaugh, Abboteford, Fairfield. Congregational—St. Clair, Moray Place. Baptist—Hanover Street. Church of Christ — Tabernacle. Y.M.C.A. Salvation Army— Bowling street. Y.W.C.A. Dunedin Spiritualists. Orchestral Hall, Rattray street. Theosophical Society. " Stuart Wilson serves Otago " with motor cycles. Write for particulars of the HarleyDavidson, the motor cycle magnificent, 290292 Princes street.—Advt. Winter at Akaroa, where geraniums thrive the year round. Winter tariffs: Oars, 25s return, from Broad way'e, Christchurch, daily, 2 p.m. —Advt. Children's half-crown Peter-pan washing hats are selling for one shilling at the great assigned stock sale by Mollisons Ltd. —Advt. For Influenza take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Never fails. Is 6d, 2s 6d.— Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist, Bank of Australasia, corner of' Bond and Rattray streer-3 (next Telegraph. Office). Telephone 1859.— Advt. The inimitable flavour of Watson's No. 10 is due to its rare quality.—Advt. Dunedin parents are hereby urged to cncottrago their children to study Shakespeare's startling pronouncement" on "Thinking." a3 printed on ctver of the "Thinker's Favourite Writing Tablets."—Sargood, Son, and Ewen (Limited), wholesale agents for " Thinker."—Advt. To Users of Electricity and Others.—We invite you to call and inspect the very complete range of heating _ and cooking apparatus, etc, displayed in our show rooms. —Turnbull and Jones (Limited), electrical engineers, Lower Stuart street, Dunedin.—Advt Just landed, few bowls, vases, etc., in heavy solid brass; hand-worked; high-class gifts.—Peter Dick, jeweller and importer, Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt.