OF NEW ZEALAND INTEREST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18899, 27 June 1923, Page 8

OF NEW ZEALAND INTEREST.

RAUPAKAHA’S WAR PADDLE. REV. J. o. NORTH ON BETTING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 10. ‘‘Round the Town,” which can hardly bo called a well-known London journal, has a tilt in its current issue at the New Zealand Government and makes a comparison which could only be inspired by the necessity and hunger which sometimes assails the free lance journalist in Fleet street. The paragraph in question is as follows:—‘Tn deference to popular wishes the New Zealand Government is officially discouraging the use of the term ‘Australasia’ as including New Zealand. Mr dp Valera, of course, has fo;- a considerable time objected to the use of the term British Empire’ as including Ireland. ADVENTURES IN THE EARLY DAYS. Mr J. Morewood Dowsett is contributing an entertaining series of articles in the "New Voice” concerning his 40 years of adventure. It would appear that his experiences in New Zealand date back to fairly earlv days. He tolls an interesting story of sheep-stealing, horse trading, and lost opportunities. With regard to lostopportunities, ho says: ‘‘Talking of Sir Julius Vogel, I once asked him to join me in the purchase of the old convict ship Success, then lying- in Sydney harbour, as I was convinced she would prove a profitable venture. To use his own words, ‘lt is a very morbid part of the population that would visit such a boat if brought to England.’ But my idea was carried out by others, and some years after her first visit here I was told by one in charge of her that she was worth £IOO,OOO on the Melbourne Stock Exchange at that time.” The information regarding the moa is rather amusing: “The ,mca bird—the biggest bird ever known, and a re-plica, of which you can see to-dav in Messrs Rowland Ward’s window in Piccadilly—used to feed upon snakes, and is said to have exterminated them and afterwards to have kindly died out itself. A moa cn-dd smash a man to the ground with its foot.” Mr Dowsett gives some information regarding Eauparaha which will be new to many readers. “Eauparaha went to Kaiapoi after killing the people of Kaikoura, and Omihi, an old chief of Kaiapoi, wished to make peace, and sent Tamaiharaniii to see him. They made peace, but after make peace, and sent Tamailmranui to sea him. They made peace, but after Tamaiharaniii had returned Eauparaha went to another pa (village) called Tuahiwi, and there sought for the grandmother of Tamaiharanui and dug un her body and ate it, decomposed, as it was. I have Eaunaraha’s war paddle. Sir Julius Vogel and Sir Walter Buffer asked me to present it to the Imperial Institute, hut it is in the basement of my present house.” TAX ON BETTING. Like a true journalist, the Eev. J. J. North has seized upon the burning question of the day, of which ho has special knowledge, and pursued the subject untiringly. Through the columns of The Times, the Manchester Guardian, and other London dailies, his name has become well known through his antagonism to State recognition of betting. The j>ast week two columns are devoted to his view's in the Sunday School Chronicle. Amongst other things, be says: ‘T have always had the greatest admiration for the traditional attitude of Great Britain towards gambling. That the soul of Britain—as well as America—should be untainted by casinos is very wonderful; and the freedom of the Government from any connection with gambling has this great advantage, that it leaves them in a. position to deal with any gambling problems as they arise. But the Government of Greet Britain has been sleeping. That gambling should be common on athletic- games is, from a dominion point of view, most astonishing. A bookmaker plying his business at a football match in Nov,' Zealand would be badly handled by the lovers of the game. We all know' by bitter experience that for financial interests to lie associated with the result of a game is sure to have a corrupt influence.’’

“If the Government yields to the cry of the bookmaker and the gambler, and to the citizens who refuse to regard the moral issues of any question, it is my firm conviction that in a few years the ruin of the country will be so threatening that the Government will, in a panic, do what the Government of a century ago did—abolish all forms of State participation in so antisocial and economically dangerous a vice.” BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. . The Daily Despatch (Manchester) calls attention to the tact that “as tlie result of persistent buying the shares of the Bank of New Zealand have reached 525, the highest price for a long lime, and, inversely, the yield they represent has been reduced to 4j per cent., which even for a security of this kind is comparatively small. The fact of the matter is that a higher dividend is expected next month. The interim payment of Is 4d per share, less tax, was larger than last year, and the final of Is 6d per share must be improved upon, too, - to warrant the present valuation of the shares. New Zealand is prosperous, and the Budget position is hopeiul, too.”