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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18751, 3 January 1923, Page 4

The Manuka is expected to reach Wellington on Thursday, bringing an Australian mail, tho local portion of which should reach hero on Friday evening. Tho total railway returns for last Saturday, so far as Dunedin is concerned, show that nearly 400 more pasongers travelled than on December 51, 1921. The total f or that date was 2026, and lor last Saturday it was 2411. These figures include excursion and ordinary tickets, the details being for 1921, 1373 ordinary and 655 excursion tickets, and for 1922, 1467 ordinary and 944 t-x----cursion tickets. Bookings for two days ahead of December 31 in both years are also included. The actual holiday excursion issues last Saturday were as follow: —From Dunedin for North Island stations 30, north oi Dunedin 418, south of Dunedin 2SSO, branches north and south 157, Queenstown 2'. and miscellaneous 38; total, 499. Tho inwaiyi train on Monday evening from Oamarji was a very heavy one, and brought 923 passengers.

Portions of Central Otago are at present being visited with rains that, while welcome from the strictly pastoral point of view, are likely to interfere with shearing operations should they continue. As illustrative of the vagaries of i the climate of the district at times, it may be mentioned that there was a- good deal of rain in Middlemarch and its immediate vicinity on Monday, bat two miles distant the sky was almost cloudless. William Holland-Makin, charged at Wellington yesterday with forging a cheque for £650 in favour of Thomas Wells, was remanded till January 10 on bail (says a Press Association message). Daniel Richard Cooper, aged 41 and his wife, Martha Elizabeth, aged 29, charged with having hit Johnsonville, in November) unlawfully detained tho infant child of Hugo Lupi -ml Lily Lister, ',wore remanded till January 10. Bail was not asked.

A deputation representing 17 electorates waited on Mr T. M. Wilford at Auckland in connection with forming an Auckland branch of the New Zealand Liberal-Labour Federation (says a Press Association message). The speakers stressed the necessity of a strong organisation to back Liberals and Moderate Labour members. Mr Wilford referred to the progress of the movement elsewhere, and said that the formation of an Auckland bench was immediately necessary. A resolution was unanimously carried pledging all delegates to /do their ufmost in perfecting the organisation of the party. A Wellington Press Association message states that the latest information concerning the proposed visit of the French cruisers Jules Michelet and Victor Hugo is that only the former null come to New Zealand. She Will arrive at Auckland on January remains there till January 23. She will arrive at Wellington on January 25, and remains there till January 31. She has 34 officers and 750 of a crew. Four members of the Commercial Mission are aboard the Jules Michelet.

• A brief sitting of the Police Court yesterday morning was presided over by Mr A. Anderson, J.P. Peter Black was lifted 10s, with tho alternative of 48 hours’ imprisonment, for drunkenness, and- Emmett James Hussey, who did not appear. 20s, with the same alternative, for a similar offence. Ayouth named Charles Leslie Bear, who had been arrested by Detective Roycroft the previous day on a charge of stealing a bicycle, was remanded till Friday. Tlie weather was very pleasant yesterday morning, and as a result- tho streets of the city bore a somewhat deserted appearance during tho greater part of the day, a largo number of peor.lo taking advantage of the favourable conditions to enjoy ah outing in the country. The railway traffic was fairly heavy, and the harbour excursion steamers were moderately well natronised. Hie wenth'-r remained fine until the evening, when rain fell for an hour or two. A considerable number of people returned to town Inst night in readiness to resume work after the holiday vacation.

Some of the young men of the Winton district celebrated the passing of tho Old Year and tho birth of the New\Year in a novel fashion (says the Southland Times). Tho residents of the township who were abroad early on Sunday morning witnessed an unusual sight. From the appearance of the main street it looked as if a barricade had been hastily erected to ward off an attack. Ploughs, carts, drays, and nil sorts of agricultural implements lined the footpath 'from one end of the street to the other, and even the gun which stood in front of the post office as a memento of the recent war had been dragged from its customary position. Apparently the men bad ransacked backyards from all over the neighbourhood, pjid the owners of the various articles had some difficulty in sorting out j,he.ir property. The joke, if joke it can be called, did not end there, and the caps were removed from the concrete fence recently erected around tho English Church property. The people of Winton do not regard the men’s action in the light of a joke, and would be delighted to see due punishment meted out to the perpetrators* A very happy company were the passengers and shin’s company of the steamer Otarama, which arrived at Auckland t n Sunday with 311 immigrants from Liverpool (wires our Auckland correspondent). Tho steamer might very well be designated a “Scots ship,” for quite 80 per cent, of the immigrants on board were of Scottish extraction. Among the passengers were ’.o fewer,than 109 children under 15 years ot age. The immigrants are all of a fine type, and are highly rated by the ship’s officers. They are coming out principally to take Jp’ farming, mining, and domestic duties. fit the total of 311 passengers, 100 are for Auckland, 117 for Wellington, 45 for Lyttelton, and 49 for Dunedin. An anecdote relating to the enrlv history of the Presbyterian Church Auckland was related by the Prime Minister when laying the foundation stone of St. John’s Presbyterian Church at Papatoetoe (wires our Auckland correspondent). He said that before St. Andrew’s Churqh. the first Presbyterian Church in Auckland, was built, the Presbyterians had great difficulty in finding a place for worship, but obtained, perhaps by political influence, which was not unknown even in those days, the use of the Supreme Court for services. It was not the present building, but an old one in Queen street. It was customary in Presbyterian Churches for elders to have a pew to themselves. The accommodation in court was limited, but the elders bad their pew, in this case the dock. Naturally they, were the targets of many jokes and gibes. A rumour was current yesterday that there had been a serious brawl pn the wharf the previous evening between unionists and free labourers, and that the appearance cf the police put an end to the fighting. ’ I 1 rom inquiry it seems that three unionists standing on the wharf made some offensive remarks to free labourers on board one cf the steamers, the word “scab.” probably preceded by an adjective, being about the worst that was said, and that on the appearance of a constable, who ordered the unionists ' off, the three offenders walked away. Later a man from another steamer came ashore and stumbled over a rope, receiving slight injury to his side. The police yesterday arrested a young man on a charge of stealing a silver wristlet watch, valued at £3.'tli e property of John Leaf. The accused will bo brought before the court this morning

The frequency of tho complaints in regard to the use of tho “dope needle” are a nuisance to others than tho persons more immediately affected (says a Sydney writer). Sydney footpaths are always crowded, and in getting about it is impossible always to avoid contact- with others j\ quite harmless gentleman, carrying a carelesslyrolled newspaper with a projecting edge, was turned upon by a woman whom this edge had happened to touch, and for a time it appeared that he might be given in charge. Tlie proportion of women suffering from nerve strain is known to be large, and, as they go their way at hair-trigger tension. ■ it is not surprising that the crowd pressure is a constant source of suspicion, and occasionally of alarm, that still further affects thorn. If a man could catch the dope fiend (assuming that there--is _ one), he would compensate himself and his fellows for ionic of the reflected effects of this strain.

It may surprise the Now Zealanders to know that well-informed people in the United States consider that New Zealand is 10 minutes’ soil from Australia by ferry boat. That was the opinion expressed, by an American to Mr C. J. De Garvis, the dried fruit exriert and exporter, when ha was in Now York recently. Others were under the impression that both New Zealand and Australia were populated by black people, with a few white soldiers and tennis players; that Australia, was about the size of the State of Virginia and that Now Zealand was merely a rock where some fishing was done. The moral for both countries is to advertise, advertise themselves, and again advertise themselves. For the point naturally arises, if they think that in progressive, alert America, what muse b« the opinion in other places? When there is trouble of any sort anywhere, or where assistance is required for most purposes, the police are immediately called upon as a matter of course to give that assistance, but, as Inspector Hutton pointed out to a Poverty Bay Herald representative, when it comes to a settling up of expenses incurred in rendering that assistance, in many cases the persons benefiting by the police action decline to pay. A case occurred some time ago in the Bay of Plenty, when the police were informed that a man's life was in danger through the engine of his launch breaking down. The launch was drifting in among the rocks and breakers, and it was only through assistance organised by the police that the man’s life was saved. Yet when an account for certain police expenses was presented, the man, and subsequently a relative, declined to do anything. As no' imprest account is provided by the Police Department for meeting such oases, it often happens that such expense falls upon the individual members of the force responsible. There was also a case close to Gisborne recently,in which prompt police action probably saved a man’s life, yet the police expenses incurred thereby remain unpaid. In cases where a person is unable to pay, it is a matter for the charitable aid authorities to meet the account, but when the persons concerned or close relatives have the means, tho accounts are not recognised by the charitable aid bodies,, and the expense falls upon thp police. In some instances these expenses are very heavy, as is evidenced by the fact that the cost of getting a man recently from a remote part of the police district to the hospital was £36. It is to be hoped that many residents of Christchurch will make at least one good resolution for the New Year and act up to it. The manner in which the “keep to the left” rule of the pavement is ignored by fairly large numbers who ought, by this time, to bo familiar with its requirements suggests that it could be made ihe subject of a New Year resolution with great advantage. During the holiday period its nonobservance has been very noticeable, much of it being due, probably, to an influx of visitors from other centres where the ‘‘keep to the left” rule only applies to vehicles; but all the non-observers are not visitors. One curious effect of the want of conformity is that on occasions the crowd on the pavements is divided into three—those anxious to adhere to the “keep to the left” rule being compelled to steer a middle course. More often there is a complete absence of anything approaching order, and, at -times, the footpath in front of the Cathedral presents a most confused crowd of pedestrians. According to visitors from Sydney, where ihe “keep to the left” rule is in force, the observance of the rule is compulsory and an individual attempting to go against ’.he stream of pedestrians is practically turned right round, and is compelled to keep "on side.”

It is possible that, however unpromising the material might seem at first glance, a comio opera could be written on fowls. The soldiers’ settlement at Bankstown, »n outer suburb of Sydney, supplies the base (says the Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne Argus). A v -groups* of men were settled there with their families and allowed maintenance money. They were to “make good” as poultry farmers. True, they knew nothing about poultry farming, but they were told with confidence and smiles that they need not worry—the Government had experts who mode the business as easy as kissing your hand. Each farmer received from the authorities 36 hens, for which he wag debited £4O and told to go ahead and make his fortune. Presumably there was a male bird likewise, but it is not officially present. These hens, if all “world-beaters,” would not lay more than 18 dozen eggs a week. The soldiers might have lived on that return when eggs were up, but they had ’.O chance. Officials ruled that these eggs had to be saved for setting to produce the stock of the farm. . Faulty incubators, lack of knowledge, expensive fowl fpod, and the long wait to get the farms stocked complete the story. There are soldiers and their wives who never again wish to hear a hen cackle.

A striking, and in some ways remarkable, record of the Canterbury earthquake was made by the seismograph at the Kelburn observatory (says the Wellington Post). The time of the first wave is shown as three and a-half minutes past three. The unusual feature of the record is the evidence it gives of successive shocks which at intervals checked) the swinging of the seismograph boom, so that the record is broken Up into sections. Dr C. E. Adams, the Government. Seismologist, states that the time of arrival of the shock in Wellington agrees closely with the assumption that the disturbance centred dose to Waikari, which is 4Cj miles north of Christchurch, Dr Adams reports the curious circumstance that one of the observatory clocks was found to have lost three seconds, presumably owing to the effect of the earthquake. Dr C. M. Hector reports that his clock was stopped at a few minutes after 3 o’clock. Friday’s Grey River Argus says:—The cable message recording the death of Professor George Samuel Sale in England has more than a passing interest for West Coasters, as Mr Sale was .the most notable figure in the earliest days of Hokitika, where he was the principal agent in inaugurating the capital of Westland. Ho thus won the cognomen of “King,” and his word was as much law as that of any King. Officially he was “Warden” Sale. Ho was Deputy Superintendent, Magistrate, treasurer, warden, and many other duties fell to him, including that of amateur surveyor, for he “surveyed’ Revell street, which ia about the only crooked street in the southern town. It was virtually laid out, however, before Mr Sale looked it over. He designed the Court buildings, a relic of which is the Supreme Court Hall, in Sewell street The Govornor-Genrai s horse" are rt present running in the hospital grounds, which were recently transferred from the City Council in exchange for the Point Chevalier Park (says the Auckland Star). A strong fence has been erected to define the area, and on the City Council’s side oi the ’fence the horses used by the council have been grazing during the Christmas holidays. When the Hospital Board member's were up at the hospital recently, and were looking at the new property recently brought under their charge, it was remarked what a truly democratic country New Zealand is, because there were the carefullygroomed horses belonging to the Vioe-Regal stables hobnobbing over the fence with the hollow-backed old slaves belonging to the council. “A truly Christmas scene.” raid one of the members, “and truly symbolic of the spirit of the season, for even the spirit of goodwill has descended to the animal kingdom because the horses which follow the hounds and the horses which cart the garbage of the city through our streets can bite one another’s manes and have a gambol up and down the sides of the fence together—a lesson to all humanity.” Mr Arthur Cocks, New South Wales Treasurer, is almost obsessed with the idea that the average pedestrian is bent on getting run over by a motor car, preferably hjs car, writes a Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne Argus. Any reference in his hearing to “jay-walkers” will draw forth a hearty “hoar, hear.” He does not suggest that pedestrians should wear bells and jangle them when about to cross a road or while in transit, but he spends much time in endeavouring to hit upon some, plan which would disabuse the pedestrian of the idea that ho has an exclusive right to the highway, and prevent him from committing suicide in a wiy that must distress any motorist of fine feelings. Those who complain that they are “arrovontly honked” off the road are held to have no case. A Bill having to do with these features of traffic may yet see the light in the Legislative Assembly. .

A letter sent to all candidates for Parliament by Mr Fen H. Morgan, chairman of the British Empire Producers’ Organisation, voicing tho views of the great Overseas’ Empire Producing Association represented by that body, said that all the difficulties of this country and the Empira oversea call for a common solution—namely, a firm economic policy for the Empire as a whole. The lead for such policy, which would be welcomed everywhere, should come from the centre of the Empire. and from the Imperial Parliament. The organisation believes it vital to create and maintain a system of real Empire proferenco in the widest sense, preference in all public body contracts, in finance, and in shipping, and in easy recognition of all Empire products’; it seeks to secure prosperity for the agricultural interests of the United Kingdom and throughout the British Empire, with a view to increasing supplies of agricultural produce and providing a bulwark against starvation in time of war; to safeguard ihe raw materials of the British Empire and to promote, co-operation and reciprocity in trading between Great Britain and all parts of the British dominions; and, in short, to make‘the Empire self-supporting in all necessities and to use the resources of the British family to keep the peonies of the Empire prosperously employed. Notwithstanding early intimations of drastic action, Mr Bavin (New South Wales Attorney-General) has been very slow in wiping out charity art unions and carnivals that are more or less bogus. None of these things is quite satisfactory in every detail (writes a Sydney correspondent), and before Mr Bavin took office he was well aware of tho fact. Men still stand in doorways in the city raucously imploring passers-by to take their lucky larst.’ They dangle their special opportunity for weeks. Apart from the street nuisances, the number of tickets sold bears no relation to the value of the prizes, nor does there appear to be any check, on the number. As to charity carnivals, there have been many exposures of them. However generous the support the expenses are the main feature, and private persons appear to benefit more than the worthy objects that are usually the excuse for tho venture. The Attorney-General is boing watched very closely in this connection, but with little confidence that his early zeal will be revived. The argument going on among undergraduates of Sydney University in regard to tho popular form of its name is not xinely to be terminated this summer, says one writer. Some consider that it is undignified to have it spoken of as “the Uni.,” and contend, with heat, that ’Varsity is much to be preferred. They affect to .bo astonished that “Uni.” ever got recognition, though they admit that its use is now general. When the university first went into the football field the contraction “Uni.” was adopted. “Go it Uni.” was naturally preferred to “Go to it, ’Varsity.” Moreover, in those days there was a song current called “Lah-di-dah,” and anything that could be so labelled was condemned. The euphony of ’Varsity was, considered to trend that way. Undergraduates have only recently developed this assumption cf dignity. 1 In their magazine they frequently refer to each other as a “stood,” which is short for student. \

When a busy man answers his telephone, and is requested by a shrill, girlish 'Voice at the other end of the wire to “wait a minute, please, Mr Biank would like to speak to you,” he soon comes to the conclusion that time is indeed precious, and that patience is a virtue, especially if Mr Blank decides to finish dictating to his typist® before taking up his telephone to commence his “urgent” business conversation. This practice of instructing office girls to ring up telephone numbers is even more annoying when the caller merely says, “Wait nminute” without saying for whom the call is being made. This practice of instructing office girls to make telephone calls and ask the person with whom it is desired to converse to “wait a minute” was severely criticised by a Wellington business man last week (says the Post). “My time is as precious as any other man’s, ’’ he said, “and I strongly resent having to hang on to a receiver for minutes on end waiting for someone to speak to mo. This is_ a practice which should be stopped, for it results in an awful waste of time. If I want to speak to anyone on the telephone I ring up ,myself, and I don’t see why others cannot do the same." \

One of the strangest incidents ever recorded on a rifle range occurred at 600 yards in the championship finals at War nganui. While Carter C’etone) was aiming, a sparrow alighted on the barrel of his rifle. After a lot of “shooing” it flew off, and, flying along the mound, decided to pay K. J. King (Opaki) a friendly visit, so it sat on his barrel also. Meanwhile Carter had fired his interrupted shot and registered a magpie, commonly known amongst riflemen as a “bird.” After King had removed the visitor he also fired, and got a “bird.” The incident, and also the results of the two shots, created the most amusing diversion of the meeting. '

West Coasters have adopted with, enthusiasm a proposal to hold a British and International Exhibition at Hokitika at the end of the present year, to commemorate the completion of the Arthur’s Pass tunnel, an I to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the province of Westland (says the Christchurch Press). An influential committee and a strong executive of leading public men and citizens has been formed to carry thrpugh the project, and the advieo of Mr T. W, Woodroffe, supervisor of the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition in Christchurch, has been sought and readily obtained. It is estimated that the exhibition buildings will give not less than 70,000 feet of space, and the best position in Hokitika will be chosen for the site. A splendid prosperity is predicted for the West Coast as a result of the railway communication available upon completion of the tunnel, and the exhibition .will afford traders of all classes a unique opportunity of placing their’wares before practically the whole population <>f the Coast. The promoters ore issuing a prospectus in the near future, and every endeavour will be made to attract exhibitors from near and far, and make the exhibition, which is to be continued from December 15, 1923, to February 2, 1924, an important occasion in respect to the future, besides a monument to 60 years of progress in Westland.

£SO Reduction: 1923 model Harley-David-son motor cvcles, fitted with carrier*. lamps, pump, tools’, Goodyear tyres; best value offering. Remember, £SO per machine reduction. 1925 models now on view.—W A. Justice and Co., Imperial Garage. Princes street. Dunedin.—Advt. Support nation-wide, dharacter-building goods, comprising “Golden Rule” Soap, “No-Rubbing” Laundry Help, “Keep Smiling” Floor Polish, and “Golden Rule” School Rulers. —W. Secular & Co. (Ltd.), wholesale distributors.—Advt. i The always-busy tailor, the tailor that has set Dunedin buzzing—G. S. Roberts, Stock Exchange Buildings. It’s the material in the garment that gives the wear. See that it is good.—Advt. Captain A. W. Pearse, who is visiting New Zeeland, representing the Port of Lon- f don, has a notice in this issue relating to the advantages of the Port of London as a market for beet produce.—Advt, A final reminder advertisement appears in this issue regarding sale of Hawero. Borough ■ Council sale of leases of hotel and shop properties.—Advt, Attention is directed to the advertisement in this issue of Hawera Borougo Council sale of leases of hotel aid shop properties. —Advt. Port Chalmers.—Clearing sale for ten days. All showroom poods and boots and shoes.—J. Watson (Ltd.), George street. Port -Chalmers.—Advt. Buy your Christmas gifts now while we have the largo selections.—Mollisons Ltd., corner George and Frederick streets, Dunedin.—Advt. The nip for pippy winter wdither, Watson's No 10. Fine old Scotch whisky.— Advt. . , A. E- J. Blakeley, dentist, Bank cf Australasia, corner of Bond an<3 Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 3859.-' Advt. Xmaa Jewellery.—Just landed, large selection diamond rings, watches, brooches, pen- , dants, and silver ware. Compare value*.— Peter Dick,. Jewellers, 490 Moray place.— Advt.