Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18946, 21 August 1923, Page 6

S The petition of W. J. Rodgers, of Pomnhaka for the reinstatement of a level crossing to give access to his property has been referred by tho Petitions Committee to the Government for consideration (reports our Wellington correspondent). In regard to the petition asking the Government to acquire the Nightcaps Coal ' Company 1 j railway from Wairio to Nightcaps, the Petitions Committee has no recommendation to make.

The fimnd Jury yesterday (says a Press Association message from Christchurch) made the recommendation:— “That this Grand Jury is of opinion that when a person-has been convicted on a charge of driving a motor to the danger of the public, power should be given to the judge or magistrate, should circumstances warrant it, to prohibit such person from holding a license or .driving a motor in any district in tiro dominion, and that after such prohibition it should he a penal offence for any such person so prohibited to drive a car or motor in the dominion." Mr Justice Heed said he firmly agreed with the recommendation, and he hoped its effect would be to cause legislation to be carried in that direction. Conspicuous for a beautiful fur-coat was the occupant who sat in solitary state in a dress circle scat at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night, lending ear to Jean Gerardy’s memorable playing of an old Hebrew chant—a model of absorbed appreciation. The sympathy of the audience was not upon the side of the usher who, at the close of the item, literally bundled the listener out of the auditorium to the accompaniment of a protest no loader than the finest pianissimo of the artist’s' ’cello. No whisper of scandal has been raised, but who shall say that a oat has no soul for music?

A lad named John Gartshoro Robertson, aged 16, was charged at the Napier Police Court yesterday morning with arson, by wilfully sotting fire to the homestead on the Smedloy Tikakino, on March 25, when the 1 building was completely destroyed (says a Press Association message). The accused, who pleaded guilty, was committed for sentence. Robertson admitted to the detective that he set fire to tho house out of spite in consequence of differences with the manager of the estate. At a meeting of tho Otago Farmers’ Union Mutual Firo Insurance Association, it was decided to leave the appointment of a secretary (in place of the late Mr Hugh Mitchell) in the hands of tho chairman and vice-chairman. Figures submitted revealed a very satisfactory increase in fho volume of business, and showed that the farmers as a body wore more than ever taking advantage of the benefits to bo derived from their own organisation. When tho matter of landing oversea cargo at Port Chalmers instead of at Dunedin was under review, it was stated that delay resulted when tho cargo was landed at Port Chalmers. This matter of alleged delay' was brought up,/ at a meeting of the Port Chalmers Council, and it was then stated that tho Railway Department was being blamed for delay in delivery of the goods at Dunedin. Tho council considered this should be referred to the Railway Department, and that course was adopted. At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council a letter was received from the Railway Department in reply to the council’s representations. This letter, which appears in another column, was regarded by the council as an adequate reply to the allegations of delay, and it was decided to make it public. AT a meeting of tho Southland Motor Association last evening (telegraphs our correspondent) a working model of an automatic danger-signal for railway crossings was exhibited. Tho model was favourably commented on by members, and it was decided to refer it to the South Island Motor Union with a recommendation that it be placed before the Government. The device is very simple in construction, and it is estimated that a maximum of £SO will be required to erect it. It consists of a stud (on. the line, near a crossing), which strikes the cow-oatchcr and lowprs the signal suspended across the rerj at the crossing. It is an invention of M. Samuel Graham, of East Gore, who has already had several inventions taken up successfully. He is willing to let the Government have the device at iis own mice.

Tho largest direct shipment of produce that has over arrived at Auckland from Australia was brought by the Canadian Traveller, which arrived at Auckland on Friday morning from Melbourne and Geelong. This vessel had over 3000 tons, including 70,000 bales of chaff, 3500 bags of onions, 1900 bags of bran, 1300 bags of flour, 1000 bags of pollard, and 60 coses of tobacco. Tho novelty of seeing chaff packed in bales attracted some attention on tho waterfront when the vessel commenced to discharge, and it was evident that much greater economy in carriage was obtainable by this method than by carriage in sacks. The steamer made a good trip of six days from the Australian coast, having experienced following winds all the way.

A Wellington Press Association message states that tho Technical Board intends approaching the Government for a grant of £20,000 to complete the building and equipment for the now overcrowded classes.

A young man was arrested yesterday by Constable Mnrtyn, and will bo charged in the City Police Court this morning with stealing articles from the Oban Hotel. Two years ago a well-known Tc Kuiti resident returned from a holiday to Australia with two turtles. After a week or so one disappeared, and has not been seen since. The other haunted the precincts of the house for nearly three months before it, too, finally disappeared. On going to tho gateway yesterday (Wednesday) for the mail, one of the members of the family was considerably surprised to see one of tho turtles sunning itself on the banks of a creek near the gate. For 20 months tho turtle apparently had lived near the creek incidentally surviving two severe frosty winters.

Tire following is tfis return of infectious diseases in the Dunedin and fever hospitals for the week ended at noon yesterday:— Scarlet fever—remaining two; diphtheria—admitted one, remaining six; cerebrospinal meningitis—remaining one; pulmonary tuberculosis —remaining six; active pulmonary pneumonia—remaining two; measles—remaining one; pneumonic influenza—discharged two, remaining 13; ordinary influenza —discharged two, remaining four; —total remaining, 35.

There is every prospect of a plentiful and unchecked water supply for the Waipori power-house for the next year. The snow on th© Lammerlaws is plentiful and blown with cold winds into deep drifts. Th© recent sunny days and keen frosty nights have alternately melted and then frozen the surface until the drifts are packed hard like ice, and the thaw will be slow and gradual. The Deepstream catchment (from which the corporation races carry the water to the Waipori River) is particularly well packed with drifted snow, /|md it will be January and possibly .February before the water supply from this somtee diminishes. The condi-. tions this year are reminiscent of 33 years ago, when for three years in succession, each winter’s snow fell on th© unmelted remains of the last year’s snow-wreaths. A meeting of the Society for th© Protection of Women and Children was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon; present—Archdeacon Ourzon-Siggors (in the chair), the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley), the Rev. M. Diamond, Mr Duncan Wright, Mesdafhes Cameron, Murray, Hiett, Foster, Baker, Miss Runciman, Commandant Simpson, and Sister Nora. Apologies for absence were received From Mrs W. A.flUim, Dr Siedeberg, Revs. O, Dallas ton, and V. G. B. King. A number of cases were reported by the secretary (57 in all), and several of these were Biscussed by the committee.

Two Australian moils are due to arrive here on Thursday night. One, consisting of 89 bags of letters, left Sydney on Friday by the Marama for Auckland, and the other, consisting of 14 bags and 15 parcel receptacles, left Sydney on Saturday by the Ulimaroa for Wellington.

At a meeting of the North Otago Executive of the Farmers’ Union, Mr D. J. Ross mentioned the question of the continuation \of th© railway from Dunback to Kokonga. The distance was only 25 miles, and the construction of the railway would be a boon to Central Otago. When in Wellington recently, he had conferred with the Minister of Public Works upon the subject. The Minister admitted that the railway was necateato, and had expressed the opinion thatf imwbuld ultimately come. The Middlemaroh railway line was becoming dangerous, and it was expected that it would ultimately have to bo abandoned. Mr Rosa pointed out that the farmers of Central Otago were at present losing one shilling per head on their sheep, on account of the long distance they had to convey them' bv rail. On the motion of Mr Ross, it was decided that a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs R. B. Meek, J. Macdonald, J. Newlands, and the president approach the Chamber of Commerce upon the subject, and endeavour to arrange for concerted action.

Speaking at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Devonport, recently, the Rev. R. S. Watson, in illustrating the great demand there was amongst thinking men today for facts which had been thoroughly tested and proved, made reference to the coming Hickson mission. He approached vthb subject with a good deal of reserve, and his attitude was really one of sympathetic doubt. He hoped that the mission would result in all the good that was expected of it, but they had to test it by hard, solid facts. He had been trying to learn all he could upon the subject, and the facts he had gathered were not'conclusive. People to-day were looking for truth, and if, after the mission, it could oe truthfully stated people had had their bodily ailments healed, he would be one of the first to acknowledge the benefits of the mission. If those who were ill went to a doctor and got a certificate regarding thcdr state of health, and then after going to the mission they got another certificate a few months hence, and the doctor admitted that good had been done, that would be the test of efficiency. So far he had not been able to trace sufficiently facts that would make him believe that the treatment through faith had cured people .in any great numbers. In the meantime people would look on and would demand the facts as they were produced to them. He hoped, however, the mission would do good. Young follows are not always entirely to blame apparently for preferring town to country life (remarks an exchange). Here is a case in point: A New Plymouth boy, between 16 and 17, has been working on a farm in the Aokura district, and was making good, those best able to form an opinion being satisfied ho would be a success on the land. His wages were 35s a week and found, and ,ho was to get a little extra by way of gifts such as a calf and a young pig. His mother, however, writes him enclosing a “Wanted” advertisement and stating that she has secured the job for him at £1 a week, but that it will bo more later on if.lie suits, and so the boy gives up his position in the country and comes back to town. The worst feature of the mother’s letter, however, is that she encourages the boy to tell a falsehood in leaving his work out in the country by saying that ho has to come to town “to help his mother because dad is ill.”

A Blenheim taxi won the distinction of being th<3 first, motor-car to make the trip to Upcot, in the Upper Awatere, without suffering the ignominy of having to bo towed out of difficulties with horses (relates the Marlborough Express). Since the big May flood the road from the Woodman’s Bend onward has been in a decidedly precarious condition,' and even the Molesworth coach has’ had considerable difficulty in keeping to its schedule. The car which made the trip had a full load of passengers and luggage, and struck hard going at the exceedingly steep cutting which has been newly made at the Woodman’s Bend. The cutting rises straight out of the riverbed, and is deep in shingle and mud, the machine sinking beyond the axles. The Aotea Saddle was a snag to negotiate, while the cutting near Cow Creek almost stopped the car. The Sandstone Cutting was found to bo in its worst condition, while the road from the Jordan to the Limestone Ford was in a fearful state with the cuttings particularly bad. The 24 miles or so from Woodman’s Bend to the Limestone occupied about a couple of hours of most hazardous travelling. The driver deslaros that he would not attempt the trip again, but he considered that the road would improve, and become reasonably negotiable, with the approach of the summof.

In the presence of a large, number of prison officials and criminal mvestigators a drug known as scopolamine was administered recently to three inmates of San Quentin Gaol, California. The contention of the, doctor conducting the experiment was that scopolamine rendered its subjects incapable of mental inhibition so that it became impossible for them to tell a lie while under its influence. After the drug was administered, it is reported, John F. Farrar, who was convicted of murdering a Chinese at Sacramento, California, dieclosed that the fatal shot was fired by another man, Eugene O’Leary, who was sentenced on a theft charge, furnished the authorities with information as to his identity, while a third prisoner, a negro named Johnson, confessed his guilt and admitted several other crimes. Th e experiments are not held to be conclusive by Now York criminologists, who declare that scopolamine results in a condition resembling hypnotism. While loosening the tongues of those to whom it is administered it renders them peculiarly susceptible to suggestions.

“He ran into a constable and knocked him over,’’ explained Senior-sergeant Mathew to the Hamilton Court, when Leslie Tisch was charged with riding his bicycle without a light in Hamilton East on a recent evening. "Why,” asked Mr Young, S.M?, of defendant, “did you run into the constable?” “I didn’t know he was a constable,” explained defendant amidst laughter. His Worship: “You mean that if you’d known he was a constable you wouldn’t have run into him?” Defendant: “Yes.”—(Laughter.) Defendant eventually explained that he would have got off his machine had he known, that it was a policeman who was trying to obstruct him. As it was (says the Waikato Times), they both crashed.in the road together. Defendant was fined 15s and costs.

An interesting aerial . contest was witnessed in the Rangitane district the other day (relates the Rangitikei Advocate). The combatants were a hawk and what appeared to be two magpies. Whatever had been the issue at stake, the contest was certainly worthy of it, for it was a strenuous one to the participants. Time after time the hawk would swoop on to one of tho magpies, and almost immediately the other magpie would dive in. Feathers fluffed away almost at every renewed attack. The* contest was carried on until the trio went out of sight over some trees. Until then, honours or points seemed to be about even in the unrefereed contest. The diving and soaring of the birds brought back vivid recollections of aerial fighting seen in Flanders.

Both given the knock-out by “ No-rubKng” , Laundry Help—hard work, and disease bacteria concealed in ©oiled clothing. It’© hygienic.—Advt. There’s nothing like Fairy Wonder for washing, scrubbing, greasy dishes, etc.; 31b packets, Is lOd.—Advt. Heinz Peanut Butter. Deliciously appetising, wholesome, economical; saves butter. Splendid for school lunches.—Advt. For influenza, take Woods' Great Popper* mint Cure. —Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray street© (next Telegraph Office;. Telephone 1859. Advt. Who is Peter Dick? The most reliable watchmaker, jeweller, and qualified optician Always the leading firm for repairs. Established 1889. Dunedin.—Advt.