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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18542, 1 May 1922, Page 4

The vital statistics for the Bwnlh of April are:—Births 126, deaths TO, and marriages 71. For April, 1921, the figures were: —Births 176, deaths 68, and marriages 76. There is a considerable falling-off in births, an increase id the number of deaths, and a decrease of fits in the number qf marriages, A Press Association message states that a Wellington lady lias given I £IOO debentore to the College Board of Governors for an annual prize to girls and who shall write the best essays, on some spedfio subject inculcating good citkensUßi,

The local net diatom* duties for April amounted to £40,1289 Os 9d and the beer duty to £12,837 4s Id. In April of last year the net Customs duties were £59,496 12* 3d and the beer duty .was £7769 15s Bd. There has been, therefore, a fallingoff locally of £19,207 in the net Customs duties and an increase of a little over £SOOO in beer duty, the latter being largely accounted for by a heavier duty.

Other lignite coals are being reduced in price. Messrs Christie Brothers announce a reduction of 5s per ton in the price of New Brighton coal and of 2s per ton in the price of the coal from the Saddle Hill and Mosgiel mines.

The secretary of the Education Department wrote to the Wellington board stating that the department objected to the board paying interest on investments into the general fund, ond insisting that the interest must follow capital and bo credited to the account from which it is derived (says a Press Association wire from VS ellington). Exception was also taken to the expenditure on general account exceeding the receipts by £2OOO. The chairmen said the practice with regard to interest was of long standing, and had the approval of the Government auditors. He also referred adversely to the new regulations regarding technical and life-saving classes. They had right small technical centres, and four of them would not now be able to Carry oh. He said they should protest strongly against the attitude of the department with regard to the general account. Tile grant to the board had been unwarrantably reduced in spite of increases in costs oli all sorts. The members of the board were practically unanimous in condemning the department’s attitude. One declared that it wa? about time a Royal Commission was appointed to investigate its methods, for the results would astonish the community. It was decided to reply that the Audit Department had for years held the board’s procedure with regard to interest to be correct.

As showing the unsatisfactory nature of the truck which is at present used for the conveyance of fruit on the railways, it may b© mentioned that for a period of several weeks during the warm weather the fruit arrived in Wellington in a very deteriorated condition. The Wellington agent of the Central Otago Fruitgrowers’ Association states that ih© loss resulting from bad storage between Dunedin and Lyttelton amounted to about £BOO. This figure was a very moderate estimate, because on March 2 and 4 fruit worth £713 was handled, and the loss on this amounted to within a few shillings of £IBO. The agent added that the position was intolerable, and should there be a hot spell over a considerable period it would practically put a stop to the consignment of fruit to the north. The foregoing figures shew the Association that it is just as necessary to have a well-ventilated type of truck for the carriage of the fruit from Dunedin to Lyttelton as it is from Central Otago to Dunedin. Speaking on the subject of brown rot, Mr A. Ashworth, of Alexandra, told a Daily Times reporter the other day that undoubtedly the spores of the disease were in the district, and during the present season its incidence hod been accentuated by overheating in the present trucks. The embargo on Australian trees had also given the industry something of a setback, as Central Otago had largely been planted with Victorian trees, which had been found the most suitable for the district.

Within the short period of a few weeks two of the Crown, the Hon. J. G. Coates and the Hon. G. J. Anderson—one from the far north and the other Irom :tho southern end of the dominion — have visited Central Otago at the invitation of Mr J. Horn, M.P., mainly for the purpose of viewing the results Of irrigation and the potentialities of the country under the application of an increased supply of water. Nothing could bo more convincing chan actual demonstrations of this kind. Wherever the land has come under me influence of irrigation patches of green stand out like emeralds in a dull setting of brown, and there are evidences of prosperity in orchard and pasture and in the stacks of lucerne which are to carry stock through the winter. Fruitlands and Ripponvalo, with upwards of 100,000 trees between them, are looking remarkably well, although both places could do with more water; and the same condition of things exists on Galloway Flat and Ida Valley. Mr Horn, whose faith in the whole district is boundless, says he is of opinion that one day more fat stock will be sent to the market off Ida Valley than from the fertile Taieri plain. Just outside Naseby there is the Ranfurly nursery of pinus insignia and yellow pipe trees, over a million and ahalf in all, and it ’is proposed to apply water to certain portions of this nursery next season, with a view to ascertaining whether the growth of the trees will be accelerated. If that effect is produced the trees in places will soon require to bo thinned of planted out, as they now appear to be getting rather congested. A scheme is also under consideration for the irrigation of the large Moniototo plain, and at some future date there will scarcely be any water flowing in ’the rivers and streams of Central Otago, as it will have been practically all diverted for the purpose of fertilising land that is now barren. It would be highly instructive if the local officers of the Public Works Department prepared a short report setting forth what has actually been done by way of irrigation, the length of th© races constructed, the expenditure involved, and the amount of country served and to be served in the future. Irrigation is still in its infancy in Central Otago, and, this being so, another thing that is required to ensure the best results is a pamphlet of instructions to the settlers describing in a practical manner the most economical and efficient way of distributing th© water. Already in certain places there is evidence of the need for a system of drainage to follow in the wake of irrigation. In all these matters, as well as in other directions, the Public Works and the Lands Departments, by working hand in hard, can do a great deol for the future prosperity of the district. Both Mr Coates and Mr Anderson have been very much impressed with what they have seen, and if Mr Massey could now be induced to visit Central Otago the claims of the district would be very clearly realised by the executive, of which Bir William Fraser is also a mom nor.

The fact that a portion of the proceeds of the sale of poppies is to be sent to France in payment for flowers received created considern’ 'e discussion at, a meeting of the Auckland Soldiers’ Mothers’ League (says a Press Association wire from Auckland). A resolution was passed that the meeting is strongly opposed to the sale in New Zealand of flowers made in any country out* side the British Empire in commemoration of our dead soldiers. It was emphasised that the full results of such an effort as was made on Poppy Day should bo expended in the dominion for the benetit of New Zealand men.

A score of persons met, recently in the Museum lecture room for the purpose of taking some corporate action to foster the cause of classical studies in Dunedin amt its neighbourhood. It was resolved that a centre of the New Zealand branch of the Classical Association should be formed in Dunedin, and the first general meeting iwas fixed for Wednesday next. The Museum authorities have placed their lecture room at the service of this new society, and it is proposed to hold monthly meetings throughout the winter. The specific objects of the society are to impress upon public opinion the claim of classical studies to an eminent place in the national scheme of education, to improve the practice of classical teaching by free discussion of its scope and methods, to encourage investigation and call attention to new discoveries, and to create opportunities for friendly intercourse and co-operation among all lovers, of classical learning in the district. All speakers stressed the important influence that such a body might have in developing a broader outlook and a quickened consoiousrfess of the relations of the classics to other forms of knowledge and other departments of investigation. The secretary of the Otago Aoclimotisalion Society received a wire on Saturday from the Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, advising that as owners of automatic guns would not have sufficient timo to get them altered for the duck-shooting season as directed by the Minister, it was not considered desirable to enforce the prohibition against the use of these guns this season provided the gune used have not a larger bore than size No. 12 at the muzzle and do hot okefeed 101 b in weight.

The Bt. Andrew’s Literary and Debating dub held its annual meeting on Saturday. The Rev. H. Maclean presided over a largo attendance. The annual report drawn up by the chairman (Mr G. F. Inglis) was read and confirmed, and the accounts as submitted by the treasurer were adopted The following office-bearers were appointed:—Hon. president, Dr Waddell: president, Rev. H. Maclean; vice-presi-dents —Messrs J. Farquharsoq, J. Hogg, and A, Burns; chairman. Mr G. F. Inglis; vicechairman, Mr H. Burrell; hon. secretary, Mr D. M. Malloch; hon. treasurer, Mr I. S . M'Donald; editors of Mirror, Miss Mcrcsr and Mr L. S. Rogers; committee— Messrs Wilson, Larsen, and M'Queen. The club expressed regret at losing the services of the former editor of the Mirror, Mr 11. M. Christie, who is going to Gore, and also tyio services of Mr A. C. Cameron, vho is on an extended visit to the Old Country. Iho syllabus for the year was discussed, and the session promises to be a very good one.

At the Magistrate’s Court, Mosgiel, on Friday, before Mr. J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., J. Eustace, Stanley Hall, Harold Hendry. John Farrell, John Benjamin Steel, and three juveniles were charged with breaking and entering a vinery belonging to Mr John Robertson, Gordon road, Mosgiel, and stealing therefrom a quantity of grapes. The adults pleaded guilty, and one juvenile was absent. The magistrate therefore adjourned the case till June 23. Some cases under the Arms Registration Act were also adjourned till the same date. William W'yllie, who, was proceeded against by the Mosgiel Borough Council, was fined 5s and ccets for allowing a horse to wander. In the City Police Court on Saturday, before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., a young n an who hac], been impersonating the police by going around St. Clair posing as a detective and inquiring for a man wanted for theft at Oamaru, was remanded till Friday, the accused to be under the control of the Probation Officer meantime. Publication of the name wag withheld. Arthur Ernest Liddicoat came up for sentence on a charge of stealing three gratings valued at 30s, the property of Luke Clyde Hazlett, and* was sent to prison for a month, with hard labour. %

An Order-in-Council gazetted prescribes the following increased rates of interest in respect of local body loans:—New Plymouth Borough Council £2OOO for municipal work, per cent. ; Waimairi County Council £SOOO, channelling and asphalting Papamii district. per cent, for a term of 10 years; Christchurch Tramway Board, £20,000 for the development and improvement of the tramway system, per cent.

A correspondent writes to the Mana-w-itu Daily Times: The Rualiine Range was once the home of thousands of pairs of huia. These birds wore exceedingly tame, and were to be found in pairs always, male and female, the one with a short, sharp, strong beak, with which the huhu, or white pine grub, was pecked clear of the tree trunk in which it made its home; the other with extremely long and slender bill, to probe the hole and extract the grub. The very tame nature o! the birds sealed their fate, and they are now extinct. Stuffed specimens should command really good prices from European or American museums. Our own people are not yet ready to value them. They were too late to realise this when these beautiful birds still lived. A Palmerston North enthusiast spent' about £250 in Maori search parties some 15 years ago in the endeavour to secure living pairs for transport to the Kapiti Island sanctuary. Unfortunately, his love for the natural history of his native land was not rewarded. The birds were of greenishblack, with a band of white at the tips of the tail feathers, which were much prized by the Maori people, who would pay as much as £6 for a single feather. This, doubtless, led to their extinction. They wejrja. distinguished also by a handsome orango wattle and a white bill. Mr G. M'Carthy owns a couple of sections in Livingstone street, Morningsido (says the Auckland Star). He had not poid them a visit of inspection for several months until Saturday last. Then he found that one section had been improved —very much improved. In fact, there was a nice house on it, nearly completer! Visions of a fairy godmother were dispelled when, upon inquiry, Mr M'Carthy difeoverod that the purchaser of another section had made a mistake and gone ahead with a building on the wrong block. Now the man who made the blunder will either have to pull down the house or buy tha section on which, in some incomprehensible fashion, he started to build five months ago. The launch Madeline, with fresh trevalli, is due at Dunedin wharf this morning about 8 a.m. Never a mechanical stop when you ride a Hurley-Davidspn motor cycle. Otago agents: W. A. Justice and Co., Imperial Gt.rage. 292 Princes street Dunedin —.Advt Always use a little “Golden Rule” Soap w.th the famous “No-Rubbing” Laundry II sip for washing clothes scientifically clean. —Mrs E Curran, agent for “No-Rub-biig.”—Advt. A snip: 100 dozen men’s wide-end ties, stripe and floral effects, all shades; worth from 2s fidto 3s fid. Clearing price. Is 3d each.—Mollisons Ltd.—Advt. Woods’ Great Peppermint' Cure, for Coughs and Colds, never fails.—Advt. Watson’s No. 10 is a little dearer than mast whiskies, but is worth the money - Advt. A E. J. Blakeley, dentist, Bank of Austnlaai*, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859. Advt. , Save your Eyes.—Consult Peter G. Dick. D.8.0.A., F. 1.0., London, consulting and oculists’ optician.—“ Peter Dick,” jewellers and opticians, Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt.