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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18768, 23 January 1923, Page 6

The price of butter has again been raised Id ]>er lb. The retail price is now Is lOd per lb. Over 30 car loads will leave from the Town Hall at 9.30 this morning on a. visit to Waipori. The party will consist of the delegates to the University Senate, city councillors, the child visitors from the Chatham Islands, and representatives of the press. Given tine weather, an interesting and enjoyable day should result from the trip, which has been organised by the City Council. The Chancellor (Professor J. Macmillan Brown) announced at- the meeting of the University Senate yesterday afternoon that the Macmillan Brown prize for Inst yearhad been awarded to Miss Ethnie Tosswill, of Canterbury College. The subject was “Terra Incognita.'’ The Chancellor added (hat the subject for the next competition for this prize would be “The Call of the Mountains.” It may be mentioned that the competition is one for the best original imaginative composition in either prose or verse. The Chatham Islands children, who are at present visiting Now Zealand, arrived here by the tirst express from tiro north yesterday, and were officially welcomed at. the railway station by the Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas) and representatives of the School Committees’ Association. There was a largo crowd to witness the arrival of the party, which consists of seven girls, seven boys, and tive adults. Mr Douglas, in extending to the visitors a hearty welcome to Dunedin, said that ho was sure the visit would be of great educational value to the children, as some of them would no doubt see more of the cities they were visiting than many of the local children. Dunedin was proud to welcome (hern, and every effort would be made to make (heir stay a pleasant one. Mr J. A. Thomson, a Chatham Islands school teacher, who is accompanying the children, briefly thanked the Mayor," the School Committees’ Association, and the citizens of Dunedin for such a. cordial reception. As Mr Douglas had said, the visit would ho of groat educational value to the children, and it was with that object in view that he had proposed the visit some time ago. Arriving, as they had, from wide and* thinly-populated sandy stretches, the largo cities of New Zealand were to them like a trip to Paradise. Cheers wore exchanged, and the children then departed to their lodgings. The children will assemble at the Octagon at 9.50 a.m. today and will leave there by motor for Waipori. The annual interprovincial cricket niatch between Otago and Canterbury will be played at Cnrisbrook on January 26, 27, ami 29. The Canterbury team, which will arrive by the second express on Thursday next, is a good side, being strong in both hatting and bowling. The Otago players have put up a very creditable performance in l>oth matches so far this season, and as a result the match with is being looked forward to with a groat deal of interest. On the journey from Christchurch yesterday the Chatham Islands children were entertained at Ashburton. Temuka, Timaru, and Palmerston, and provided with refreshments as well as fruit and chocolates. At riihnerston, where afternoon tea was provided on the platform, (ho children wore met by the Hon. E. IT. Clark (Mayor) and Mr Sutherland (chairman of the District nirh School Committee). Mr (dark expressed surprise to (bid that. -Mrs Thomson, wife of the headmaster of (he Te One School, was formerly a Miss Martin, a member of a well-known family in tile district.

Forty-two children from St, Mary’s Orphanage were provided with an enjoyable outing on Saturday, when Mr 11. Reid, motor lorry proprietor, conveyed them to Carey’s Bay, near Port Chalmers, in the i)voruing and brought them back at 6 o’clock in the evening. The children, who are looking forward to another trip which has been promised to them by Mr Reid, wore each presented with a toy by Messrs Braithwaito and Co., and fruit was supplied by Messrs Sagar and Sparrow.

A middle-aged woman was arrested by Acting-detectives Sneddon and Roycroft yesterday on a* charge of breaking and entering the residence of Canon Neville, dealing goods to the value of £22 5s therefrom. She will appear before the court this morning.

Evidently the gun has not lost its attraction for holiday makers. Over 146 new arms were registered in the Dunedin pplic« cfistrict during December. No fewer than 7600 arms have been registered at the central office since the Act came into force.

A man named William Walker Johnston escaped on Sunday from the Nelson Gaol, where he was waiting the decision of the Prisons Board for a bread# of his probationary license, issued at Auckland. He was smartly captured early yesterday morning by the Blenheim police, under Sergeant Clarkson, on his way to Christchurch in a taxi.

A Press Association message from Westport states that yesterday afternoon Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., sent the following reply to the Prime Minister’s telegram of Saturday : —“Thanks for definite information that Parliament will meet next month. With reference to the latter portion of your telegram, I fail to see how you can overlook the fact that only 38 members have been returned as Government supporters, as against 4S who sat in the last Parliament, and that the Government, therefore, cannot carry on unless it receives an accession of strength from members who are elected as its opponents. I respectfully submit that the raising of ancient bogies does not dispose of this fact.’*

A Press Association telegram from Gisborne on January 13 stated that a sheep farmer named Albert lid ward Harris had been arrested and remanded in connection with a charge preferred against a married woman named Frances Quinn arising out of the alleged illegal use of an instrument on a girl who was seriously ill in the Gisborne Hospital. A message received from Wellington states that the- correct name at the male accused is Albert Ernest Harris.

In reply to a letter inquiring as to councillors being eligible legally to act for an insurance company with which the council did business, Mr T. F. Martin, counsel for the Municipal Association of New Zealand, wrote to the Port Chalmers Borough Council stating that such councillors could legally act only if the prctniums payable by the council on business done through the councillor-agent did not exceed the £5 and £lO limits specified in the Act. These limits affected the premiums, and not merely the agents’ commission. In reply to a question at night’s meeting of the council, the Mayor said one of his councillors who was an insurance agent was resigning.

The Waimate branch of the Farmers’ Union, at a meeting on Satm'day, considered a letter from Mr D. F. Richardson, of Willow-bridge, in regard to a line of wheat grown by him which had not been purchased by the Government. The letter ■stated that although the Government grader has classed the wheat as undergrade, a miller had offered to take it at April price s Mr Kippenborger said he had not hud h . wheat accepted, and he asked the meeting to support a motion stating that some growers in the district had not received fair treatment from the Government. His wheat had been machine-cleaned and a .grain buyer had said his wheat was true milling wheat. Ho moved —“That this union expresses its dissatisfaction with the treatment some of the farmers in 'this district had received from the Government in regard to their wheat, and regrets that the Government did not accept the suggestion that arbitrators should be appointed in disputed cases.” The motion was carried unanimously. There is a small creek, or stream, not far from Opunake, which is said to be the lair of a gigantic eel, one which is said to be well-known to the Maoris of the district. The eel is described as being of considerable length and thickness. The tell a story of this big eel being once caught on a hook, but his strength was such that the Maori who had hold of the line was dragged into the water. It is said that the Maoris claim that this particular eel is a very old acquaintance, and that ho has been known to them for “eighty years.” Some of the Natives, it is said, speak of the eel with bated breath, and are inclined to the opinion that ho is not an eel at all, but a ‘‘taniwhn,”

Certain complaints made by inmates of Roto Roa Island who are returned soldiers wore received by the executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association. Among other matters, it was stated that returned soldiers in receipt of pensions had £1 a week- taken olf their pensions. Mr E. F. Andrews said ha had visited the island on • u previous occasion, when only minor complaints had been put forward. He was sure the statement regarding the pensions was not correct. It was decided to ascertain if two representatives of the association could accompany Mr J. W. Poynton. S.M.. on his next magisterial visit to the island, and investigate the complaints. A story illustrative of cool nerve is told regarding an occurrence in the suburbs within the last lew (says the Auckland Herald). A lady customer went to a small shop and was served by a new assistant. Next day gbe culled again and, seeing the proprietor, said something about his having got an assistant. 'I he reply was: “ That must have been the man who robbed the till while I was in the back room.” It must have required a steadynerve for the man to pose as an assistant and serve a customer with the possibility of the proprietor returning at any moment. The man had his hat on when the customer entered the shop, but. politely removed it while executing her order.

Some idea of the inroads of tho leaf” on the great flax-producing- area in the Makorua. Swamp, passed by all travellers on the Main Trunk line, may be gathered from the drastic reduction that, has taken place in the number of strippers operating at the mills. Seifert’s big mill, at Mironui, is running two in the place of nine; Te Mukunui, t wo, covering an area that was occupied by Ashloa, two, and Tokomaru, two: Aker’s mill, none, where 10 were formerly running; Craw’s, none, whore three were formerly at work. Investigations into (he cause and prevention of the disease are being conducted at Makerua Swamp by Mr Rmerle, who has been engaged for the purpose. It is understood that he is inclined to attribute the disease to the flax being cut too close lo Ihe roots of the plant. This, it. is said, weakens the resistance of the plant to attacks of disease. Ho proposes that cutting should be higher above the root than is usual, and only the outer leaves should lie cut. In this case a crop would Ixi available every two years, and so compensate for the higher cost of cutting. It remains to be seen whether this is commercially practicable. Since the war the standard of the London police has deteriorated (says an exouungej. itocenlly there have been accusations u, the press that many of the police are guilty of petty blackmail. It is said (hat the street hawkers in the city who neglect to tip the constable on the beat with an occasional half-crown are harassed and kept continually on the move; and the street women in the West End who neglect to tip (he plainclothes men are arrested for soliciting, while their wiser sisters go free. There has also been an outcry in the newspapers at (ho number of men arrested on charges of annoying women in the streets. The annoyance consists, according to police evidence, in trying to strike up an acquaintance with women, who when spoken to by strange men hurry away. It is seldom that these women complain to the police of having been annoyed. The outcry against arrests or this kind has reached such n, stage that some metropolitan magistrates have decided not to convict men charged with annoyiu* women on the uncorroborated evidence of the police. They have informed the police tlu-t tho women annoyed must bs produced as witnesses.

The number of marks gained by K. S. Birrell, of the Musselburgh School, in the junior national scholarship was 615, not 515 as stated in a Press Association telegram which wo published on the 13th inst.

A Press Association message from Wanganui states that the New Zealand Master Bakers’ conference will open there this morning. The . delegates were tendered a civic welcome last evening. At a meeting of the Waimato branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Saturday 'Mr Sinclair and Mr Patterson, who attended the recent conference of wheat growers of Mid, North, and South Canterbury, gave a resume of the work done at thq conference, at which it was decided to ask that the basic price of wheat be 5s 6d per bushel. After the position had been thoroughly explained it was decided, on the motion of .Mr I. Andrew —“That this meeting endorses the suggestions made at the Ashburton conference in regard to the fixing of prices for wheat and that the Government be asked to keep the embargo on wheat.” ♦ The Burns anniversary concert is to be held in His Majesty’s Theatre to-night. £SO Reduction: 1925 model Harley-David-sor. motor cycles, fitted with carriers. 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. Dunedin ladies quite enjoy' acquainting new-comers with the wonderful _ laboursaving and perfect washing qualities of “No-Rubbing” Laundry Help; Is packet.— Advt. The always-busy tailor, the tailor that has set Dunedin buzzing—G. S. Roberts, Stock Exchange ..Buildings, It’s the mate-

rial in the garment that gives the wear. See that it is good.—Advt. You can buy such pretty boxes of Lingerie Braid for 3s lid; 5 pieces, 4 shades, in each box; at Mollison’s (Ltd.), George street, Dunedin. —Advt. Try Watson’s No. 10 in hot milk for nightcap. Induces sound, refreshing sleep. Great

whisky.—Advt. A. IS- J- Blakeley, dentist, Bank cf Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859.—• Advt. Choice Jewellery.—Just landed, large selection diamond rings, fratches, brooches, pendants, and silver ware. Compare values.— Peter Dick, Jewellers, 490 Moray place.— Advt.