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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18753, 5 January 1923, Page 4

The second express for the north yesterday morning was a little late in arriving from the south, but it was despatched ou the remainder of its journey almost on time. It consisted of 11 carriages, and many of its passengers were returning holidaymakers.

There was a medium yarding of fas sheep at the Burnside saleyards yesterday, the total number being 2U44. They consisted chiefly of prune snorn, wethers. Competition was keen and prices a shade firmer, best shorn wethers bringing 38s to 40s and extra heavy up to 445. Prices per lb were as follows: —Extra heavy wethers 5d to sjd; prime wethers, Sid to 6d; prime light wethers, 6di to bid; prime heavy ewes, 4|d to sd; prime light ewes, 5d to Sid; aged ewes, 4id. A complete clearance was effected. Three hundred and eighteen lambs of good quality were yarded. As the butchers had a large number ol lambs over from Christmas week they did not compete, and the whole of the yarding was secured by exporters. Prime heavy lamb brought Bd* to Bid per lb and prime and light lambs, Bid to 9d. There was a small yarding of 164 head of fat cattle ot good quality, which on account of the shortage sold at an advance of about 25s per head ou the previous prices. Prime heavy ox beef sold at from 30s to 52s per 1001 b, medium quality ox beef at up to 30s; light and inferior from 26s to 28s. Very few heifers were yardedi and t>iey sold well at 20a to 24s per 1001 b. Cow beef was worth from 18s to 20« per 1001 b. Pigs were in short supply end prices were correspondingly firmer. Baconers brought from 6Jd to 8d and porkers from 7£d to Bid a lb.

A Christchurch Press Association message says that the Arbitration Court has allowed the appeal of W. H. Roberts against the decision of Mr Wyvom Wilson, S.M., who fined him £lO for striking on ih© Wakatu at Lyttelton Last May. The court holds that the industrial agreement entered into by the Ship Owners’ Federation is not in force as between the Wakatu Steamship Company and its employees. A Wellington Press Association message says that it is announced that, following upon the refusal of the Government to permit the members of the Post arid Telegraph ‘Association to affiliate with the Alliance of Labour, the executive of the former body has instructed the permanent secretary to draft a petition the King praying that the New Zealand Government be prevented from wilfully denying British subjects their lawful rights of free association within the limits of the Jaw. A Wellington Pres* Association message says that a seamen named Mott Wickliff, who was on the Mooraki, who refused duty in Sydney, and there served imprisonment with others, was convicted and discharged for stowing away on the Manuka, Mr T. W. Young (secretary of the federation) undertaking to pay his faro.

Carpenters working in the Jff.B. warehouse, Dowling street, called the Fire Brigade to tho scene at 1.30 yesterday afternoon by accidentally setting off the automatic alarm.

Farmers in tho Strath Taieri are wishing that the weather world take a change (writes our correspondent). It is a new thing here to cry halt to the rain. But we have had more .than enough for a while. Rain fell on 15 days in December, registering Sin 27 points, and each day of January so far has been wet, giving 1 inch 55 points of rain up til! one o’clock to-day (Thursday). Gladbrook Station haa finished shearing and the manager reports a splendid clip, but many of the smaller runs have not yet made a start, and there is no early prospect of them doing so as, tho rain is still falling. Root crops are just jumping ahead, and in many places the cereals are higher than the wire fences which enclose them. Such a sight has not been seen here for many years. A few weeks quiet sunny weather would bo greatly welcomed now.

Our Auckland correspondent wires that according to most business peqple approached, the planning of improved supervision of sales, on and outside the counter, and the policy of warning off where .the symptoms were acute, and of tactful but very obvious training in doubtful cases, had helped very largely to head shoppers off from the temptation of picking and stealing. At any rate, whatever the cause all were agreed that shops were never freer from the shop-lifting post than during the recent Christmas rush, and they are of opinion that with the continuance of improved observation, combined with the warning-off system in doubtful eases, and relentless publicity in detected cases, this class of crime will be kept to a minimum. As an instance of the preparedness of shopkeepers ia this resnoct, it might be mentioned that on Christmas Eve, when one of the big houses was crowded,, and the electric light suddenly failed, a row of lighted candles and half a dozen shop assistants appeared like magic round,the cash register, and almost before the shopper.* Pad realised what had gone wrong, the whole of the affected department was like a fairy chamber aglow with dozens of waxen lights. The transformation scene was not a matter of entertainment, hut of sheer hard-headed business.

An American visitor, in a newspaper interview/ last week (says our Sydney correspondent writing on December 27) expressed his astonishment that nobody hod ever written a song about Sydney Harbour — a song that would have a world-wide appeal. Very much the same thought must liave struck the directors of the Sydney Ferries Company at about the same time. For years they have been transporting people all over the harbour, and have had littleor nothing to say about its beauties. Ihey have come out of their shell now, however, and have started a “boost-the-har-bour” campaign. Circulars, posters, and pamphlets have been employed to tell Sydney people about the beauties of the harbour and river resorts, and how beat they can get to them. In addition to this, the company is offering valuable prizes for the best essays on harbour and river trips, the competitions being open to all. During this holiday season the harbour and river traffic is expected to exceed any previous year, and the company has made extensive preparations for ’ handing big crowds of travellers. This will probably help to wipe off the arrears in the numbers of passengers carried during the year ended Juno lost which, as against the previous year, showed a falling off of more than a million. The only reason that can be assigned for this big drop is that there were no fewer than 28 wet week-ends, when people preferred to stay at homo rather than bravo the elements in pursuit of doubtful pleasure. Our Christchurch correspondent wires that repealed efforts have boon made by Mr Jenkin, president of the Industrial Exhibition, to secure the presence of Mr Massey before the close of the exhibition at the end of the week. On Wednesday Mr Jenkin wired Mr Massey ns follows: “I would remind you that the -exhibition closes on Saturday night, and again urge you to endeavo-ur to spend one day here, say Saturday.” Mr Massey replied as follows: “Your telegram received, but very mncti regret it is impossible for me to visit Christchurch at present in order to attend the exhibition beTore it closes. I have been spending a. few days in my own constituency, which, as a matter of fact, sees very little’ of me, and to which a visit was due; but I find that arrears of work have been accumulating to such an extent since the end of the session that my time will bo more than occupied in overtaking the business. I am very glad to learn that the exhibition has been a great success, and I am particularly pleased with the good feeling which exists between the primary and secondary industries.” Our Ohristehuich correspondent wires that Christchurch will, not see MacLaren play in the Test match which begins to-day. Ho has injured a knee, and Dr Pope, the medical adviser to the team baa advised him not to nlay ior two or uiree weeks.

Our Wellington correspondent wires as follows: Ti Kwang Heng, Consul for the Republic of China, writes to the evening paper a well merited rebuke to some of the hoodlums who make a practice of insulting the Chinese people in their midst. His letter is as follows:—I was informed on my arrival in the dominion in August, 1921, that New Zealand was a wonderful country, that the climate was mild and salubrious, the scenery grand, and the people hospitable. After being in the country for about a year I found my informants seemed to be almost correct in every particular, the one small exception I found was in regard to the people of this dominion. Although the majority of the people in this country appear to be kind and courteous to strangers yet there are some who in their behaviour towards the Chinese are anything but kind. They regard a Chinese as a creature without feelings, as one to be played with, and as one to be insulted and ill-used. During the last year I have heard many complaints from my countrymen regarding the insults they have received from New Zealanders, and I have on more than one occasion experienced these insults myself. On the day before yesterday (the 2nd January) I ' was out at; Island Bay with my wife and family, when three people called out in my hearing the most filthy language. Some of the milder terms used by these people when addressing the Chinese are, ‘‘Chow,” “yellow belly,” ‘“yellow guts,” “Ohinkee,” “Ching Chow,” “Chow Chow,” etc. I myself have had words thrown at me, and when I leave my pate in the performance of my duties as Consul for Chum - do so in fear and dread of insists which may be east at mo before I return to my home. China was an ally of the _ British Empire in the Great War, and did pood work by expelling all Germans who were plottimr mischief in the Far East, and I think that it is a poor return to a friendlv nation that its subjects cannot appear in public jn New Zealand without risk of being insulted. Recently the Wellington police were informed that a man was missing from a house in the city (wires our Wellington correspondent). In the course of a search of the premises in order to dear up the mystery a box was found containing about £2OOO, representing the savings of about 20 years. No less than £IOOO of the money was in silver. The money is now safely in the keeping of one of the banks. The supposed missing man, about whose safety considerable anxiety wa® felt, has now turned up.

The local waterfront was again busy yesterday when three Union Company steamers—the Whangape, Waipori, and Kaitaugata —were engaged in discharging and loading. The Waihora, from Singapore and •Somamng, via Bunbury, berthed at the Rattray street vfrharf at 2.55 p.m. yesterday. She has a considerable quantity of Eastern merchandise and a quantity of Australian hardwood for discharge hare, and will proceed to northern ports to complete unloading. It is hoped to despatch her to-morrow for Lyttelton. The coastal steamsr Holmdale completed loading and sailed last night for Wanganui, via portal Tho Waipori also sailed last night for GrCymouth. The Commonwealth and Dominion Line steamer Port Darwin, from Glasgow and Liverpool, via northern porta and Lyttelton, is due here at 5 a.m. tqday with over 1000 tons of general cargo for this port. Tho same company’s steamer Port Lincoln, from Now York, via nprthern ports, is due here on Sunday with 800 tons of general American cargo. One or two coastal steamers are also expected shortly, so a busy period will ensue.

Somewhat over fifty years ago a fanner living midway between Palmerston and Feilding deposited a sum of money which represented the proceeds of two bales of lambs’ wool, in the Post Office in the name of hid infant daughter (says the New Zealand Times). Knowing that it could not be drawn until she was seven years old, the , book was carefully put away and duly forgotten. Last week her youngest daughter was married, and in turning over a drawer tho book was found and presented to thn, bride. With compound interest, this wedding gift of fine unspan wool gave a return of £62 per bale.

Two young boys who eaoaped from the Weraroa Training: School on Christmas Eve, stole a gig, horse and harness at Palmerston North, and travelled to Wairoa, There they stole sundry articles, and cooked food by means of a kerosene tin. By this time the horse was played out, so they confiscated another from Mr Martin Edwards, a well-known footballer. Sergeant Wade, of Wairoa, followed tho miscreants as far as Whakaki over heavy roads. Finally he communicated with the Gisborne police, who captured the boys, and sent them back to Napier.

“Niekelling,” a trouble which experts with the rifle often meet with at shooting competitions, was apparently not in evidence at the meeting of the Auckland Rifle Association, held at Penrose. This probably was on account of the cool temperature ‘which prevailed throughout the day. Riflemen say that the nickel coating, on the bullets is now not of the same degree of hardness as in former times, __ and consequently on a hot day tends to upset the rifling of the barrel. It is also suggested that the finish now given to the rifling in the barrels' is not quite so good v as it was before the war, and this despite the fact that the cost to-day of a rifle is much higher than formerly

As the result of being held up by the shipping strike in New Zealand, two Sydney aldermen found on their return that their seals had been lost. They were Aldermen Archibald Davidson, of Glebe, and Alderman Christison, of Vaucluse, and they lost their seats through their failure to take the Oath of. Allegiance and sign Declaration of Cfflitce, within the prescribed 14 days. Both returned to Sydney by the Ulimaroa three days too late ‘to complete the formalities necessary following on their election. Alderman Davidson was on a business and! pleasure trip to New Zealand, and it was no fault of his that he did not transmit to the clerk the documents so vital to his assuming his seat in the Glebe Council. He was. warned by cable of his peril. He promptly appeared before a justice of the peace, signed the Oath of Allegiance to his Majesty, ami made and subscribed the declaration. that he would faithfully' fulfil his duties to the ■ best of his ability. This he transmitted by cable at considerable expense, but this method was not the one laid down in the Local Government Act, and it is held that his neglect to transmit the Oath of Allegiance in the prescribed way shall be deemed a refusal to accept office, and to cause an extraordinary vacancy.

“The Canterbury Society of Art* is now even more sensible than it was last year of the fact that surely something -must be done with regard to the ’ Art Gallery,” said the retiring president, Dr G. M. Lester, at the annual general meeting. ‘‘Every time I come here and sea those infernal idiots—oil! I don’t supposa I had better eay that! —these young folk jazzing round those rooms, it gives me the blues; I don’t like it happening in this gallery. But I am still more annoyed when I see fancy fairs with stalls and booths built almost up to the pictures on the walls. All this moving about takes place in the midst of our collection of pictures. I hope soma steps will be taken, this year to stop it.” There was no discussion on the subject.

Pennant Hills, New South Wales, boasts a woman resident, who farms her own little plot of nine aerfes, runs her own motor lorry, and delivers butter, fruit, poultry, eggs, etc., direct to the customers in the oity and elsewhere (stales the Sydney Mail). The adventurous lady ia Mrs Bromley, a young Englishwoman, the daughter of a Somerset farmer. As well ns gaining experience on her home farm she studied scientific methods at the Midlands Agricultural School, later driving an ambulance, and finally marrying a “Digger,”, who is engaged in the city. Mrs Bromley is the hon. secretary, of thb Primary Production Association. ■ \

A well-known cattle dealer of Tasmania (says the Melbourne Argus) has discovered a large vessel jammed between rocks about nine miles beyond the Pieman River, on the west coast. Hie wreck probably occurred 40 er 50 years ago. As far as can bo ascertained, the wreck was not hitherto known of. The vessel had been covered with sand for years, but the course of the sand drift had changed, and the sea had washed off the covering and exposed the wreck. The identity of the vessel is un-. known.

Experiments in the Riverina district in New South Wales have demonstrated the practicability of carrying on harvesting by night as well ns by day {writes our Sydney correspondent). The first farmer to make a trial was Mr H. E. Bradtko, of Albury, who early in the season, at an outlay of £75, had a pair of electric lamps fitted to a header for the purpose of taking off his wheat crop after dark. Another lamp was placed over the bag filler. The electric light was found to bo thoroughly satisfactory. The trial consisted of day and night operations for five aiid a half days. In this time the header got through 220 acres. Without the night work eight days would have been required. A number ot other farmers all over the country have followed Mr Bradtke’s lead, and in ell cases the results seem to have been so sa:isfactory that it .is safe to say that next season the bulk of the harvesting on the largo farms will bo carried out as a continuous operation. During the past two seasons a considerable amount of ploughing, it may bo mentioned, has been got through at night time in Now South Walesp particularly in the Southern Riverina district. ■ At the Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday morning, before Messrs A Cable and D. A. De Mans, J.P.’s, Edward George Ludwig was charged with drunkenness, and also with resisting the police. Ludwig was fined 10s ort the first charge, and £1 on the second. On Sunday morning a stray sheep, wandering aimlessly about Marine Square. Devonport. strayed on to the footpath and saw its reflection in a shop window (says the Auckland Star). Determined to get to the sheep inside, which was a reflection of itself, it commenced to butt at the large window pane, and would have soon got in had not a clergyman, fleet of foot and strong of arm, rushed to the scone and put the sheep out of harm’s way) Arr amusing story was told of a New Zealander’s experiences in America by Mr Moran, American Consul, at the civio reception to the American athletes in Wellington. On being asked by an American from what country he came, the colonial replied. “New Zealand.” The American did not know where -this place was_ situated, so they adjourned to a public libraryand after a perusal of an old map they found that New Zealand was indicated by two small dots in the middle of the ocean. ‘ ‘That’s where I oome from,” said the New Zealander proudly. The American looked fit the map for a minute—“Abom! What do you do when the tides come in ? Font stowaways were discovered aboard Abe steamer Otarama which arrived at Auck- ■ land from Liverpool on Sunday They were all boys about T 9 years old, and, being unable* to obtain work in England, had decided to try their fortunes in a new country. They worked excellently on TS-e voyage, taro serving in the stokehold, and t'-o others as stewards. In view of their conduct on board the ship’s authorities decided to take no action against them. Two Christchurch fishermen had an unenviable experience last week. A small fishing boat manned by John Seavnson (Burwood) and William Hoffendon (Richmond) left Sumner at 11.50 a.m. en December 28 to spend a couple of days fishing in the bays. On December 30 when off Le Bon’s Bay the engine stopped and the boat began to leak. Fortunately a message was sent from the Akaroa lighthouse to the constable at Aharon* to the effect that a boat was at anchor in distress near the Heads. The constable immediately obtained a launch and went out to the Hoads arriving there at 4 a.m. The occupants who had calculated that the boat would sink by 4.30 were towed safely into Akaroa harbour. We have received wall calendars from Messrs George Dyer and Co. and Mr Arthur I). Rilev. , . , Morning and afternoon teas are again being served at the Otago Women’s Club, and the committee expect later to make arrangements for lunches. Meetings will bo held on January 6 at Miller’s Flat and Roxburgh for the purpose of forming Farmers’ Union branches.— 5/11/22. £SO Reduction; 1923 model Harley-David-son motor cycles, fitted with carriers, lamps, pump tools, Goodyear tyres; best value offering. Remember, £SO per machine reduction. 1023 models now on view.—M A. Justice and Co., Imperial Garage, Princes street. Dunedin. —Advt. Now Zealand leads the world for "NoRubbing” Laundry Help, “Golden Rule” .Soap, “Keep Smiling ’ Floor Polish, and “Golden Rule” School Rulers—J. Rattray A, Son (Ltd.), wholesale distributors—Advt. The always-busy tailor, the tailor that has set Dunedin burning—G. S. Roberts, Stock Exchange Buildings. It’s the material in the garment that gives the wear. See that it is good.—Advt Port Chalmers.- 1 —Clearing sale for ten days- All showroom goods and boots and shoes.—J- Watson (Ltd.), Georgo street, Port Chalmers.—Advt. Buy your Christmas gifts now while we have the large selections.—Mollisons Ltd., corner George and Frederick streets, Dunedin,—Advt. The nip for nippy winter weather, Watson’s No. 10. Fine old Scotch whisky.— Advt. A. E. J- Blakeley, dentist Bank cf Australasia, comer of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office;. Telephone 3359. Advt. Xma 9 Jewellery.—Just landed, large selection diamond rings, watches, brooches, pendants, and silver ware/ Compare values.— Peter Dick, Jewellers, 490 Moray place,— Advt.