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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18997, 19 October 1923, Page 4

It is yet too early to form a definite opinion as to lambing results in Otago and Southland, but reports from low-oountry farmers indicate that the percentage is likely to be very good. The climatic conditions whioh have existed during the lambing season have been usually favourable, with the result that the mortality has been comparatively light. On the stations and runs up-country lambing has little more than commenced, so that no estimate can be formed a® to results in that quarter. Weather conditions count for a great deal in lambing, but even assuming that good, open weather prevails during the remainder of the present month, it does not follow that the percentage of lambs will be anything like as good as it was during the past three or four years. In most oases the owes are in poor condition, as the result of the hard winter they have come through, and as a consequence “motherless” lambs will unfortunately be common, and when the docking tallies are made up it will probably be found that on the country affected by the snow the percentage will be considerate below the average of previous years. One satisfactory feature of the paddock lambing this year is the number of twins. Triplets, too, are somewhat more plentiful than formerly. Near Oamaru, for example, on© sees a small paddock containing 10 ewes and 30 lambs. These, it may be mentioned, are the triplets from a comparatively small flock. Mr W. B. Steel, secretary of the Otago Expansion League, received word yesterdhy that a proclamation has been gazetted authorising the creation of the Otago Electric Power Board. The territories included in the board’s operations are portions of the counties of Waihomo, Waikouniti, Bruce, and Clutha and the boroughs of Palmerston, Waikouaiti, Kaitangata, and Balclutha. These territories constitute what is known as the inner area. The outer area, to which the board will also have the right to supply electric power, is composed of the remaining portions of the counties named above and the counties of Maniototo, Taieri and Tuapeka. It should be added that the Taieri is at present being supplied by the Dunedin City Council, but the Otago Power Board will also have the right to serve this district with electricity. It is proposed, when the Power Board is elected, to hold a conference, under the supervision of Mr L. Birks, Chief Government Electrical Engineer, of members of the Dunedin City Council, the North Otago and Otago Power Boards, and the Public Works Department, to make the necessary arrangements for the transfer of electric supply from the Oity Corporation to the various boards.

It is understood that something tangible will result following cn the conference held at the local Public Works Office by the Government engineers and the parties who are for and against the proposal to dam the Kawarau River at its outlet from Lake Wakntipu. Tho next step will be the preparing oUa report by the Government engineers on the project, and it will then be discovered how the application of the Kawarau Mining Company for a license to construct the dam, is likely to be viewed. Tho Conciliation Commissioner (Mr W. H. Dagger) has sent to the parties interested his decision in the ease recently brought in the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court by the Dunedin Printers’, Machinists, Bookbinders, and Related Trades Union against the Otago Daily Times and Witness Newspapers Company. Mr Bartholomew nonsuited the union, which then brought the case before the Conciliation Commissioner. Mr Dagger’s decision is as follows; —After reviewing tho statements of the parties, I have come to the conclusion that it is not an offence for an employer to employ a day worker on a night shift, provided 10 per cent, is added to his wage for the time worked during such period. Claus© 5 (a) provides that all overtime worked beyond the hours prescribed shall be paid for at overtime rates. This clause is very ambiguous, and appears to provide for payment of extra rates onlyafter ordinary hours of work have been performed. I am of the opinion that the said worker is entitled to payment as follows; A full day’s wages as a day worker, £4 16s 3d, plus 10 per cent, on the hours worked during tho night on Tuesday in tho week, Is 4jd, being a total of £4 17s 7jd, The defendant company had been paying the workman £4 18s 9d per week. At the City Police Court yesterday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., a first offender for drunkenness was remanded for a week for medical treatment. At the Te Kniti Magistrate's Court (says a Press Association message) John Cowper, an elderly one-armed carrier was fined £SO on a charge of sly grog-selling. Tho evidence disclosed that accused received 140 bottles of whisky in 25 days. The whisky was ordered by telegrams bearing fictitious signatures. John Cowp r, jun., was fined £2O for attaching fictitious names to the orders, and Cowper, sen., was also fined £5 on a similar charge.

Mr T. Buxton, lecturer end organiser of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union, during ids recent visit of three days to the Balelutha district, added over 30 members to the Balclutha branch of the union. D© intends to visit tho district Inter and complete the canvass of the parts where he has not already been. The provincial executive at its meeting yesterday decided that. Mr Buxton is to organise the whole of the Otago district, and it is inviting branches to give him their whole-hearted support in his work. A detailed itinerary will Ire mapped out within the next few days, and due notice will bo given to tho various centres to be visited.

The Farmers’ Union Mutual Fire Insurance Association held the first: meeting in its new rooms in Stuart street yesterday, when the secretary, Mr S. P. Cameron, reported that £29,522 of new business bad been secured since the previous meeting. By an Order-in-Council the name of James Reynolds Hayno, of Dunedin (says a Wellington Press Association message) is to be erased from the, pharmaceutical register of New Zealand, Haync having been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of all members of the Pharmacy Board of New Zealand, renders him unfit to bo on t-be register.

The Hon. W. Noswoitliy and Sir R. H. Rhodes were among- the speakers at a luncheon at (ho Ellesmere A. and P. show yesterday (says a Christchurch Press Association message). On the question of defence, Sir R, 11. Rhodes said he was making every effort to render 'military service as easy as possible, and he was substituting continuous training instead of half-day parades, which had been found irksome by some. The day of peace had not yet dawned, and it wa.s essential to make some provision against attack .and not to rely altogether on file Navy. Ho was looking to the Imperial Conference in London to gain some idea of what our defence policy of the future should bo, how much should be left to the Navy, and how much to the air service.

The quarterly attendance returns for the period ended September 30, 1923, compiled by the Otago Education Board, show that there were 259 schools in operation in the district. The average weekly number of pupils on the roll during the quarter was 21,778, comprising 11,323 boys and 10.455 girls. The average attendance was 9987 hoys and' 9057 girls, making a total of 19,044. or 650 less than the previous quarter and 1035 less than for the September quarter of 1922. The average attendances for the city and suburban schools were: Forbnry 655. Caversham 594, North-East Valley 594, Musselburgh 545, Kaikorai 533. Albany Street 522, Momington 520, Macandrew Road 518, Normal 510, High Street 477, George Street 471, St. Clair 468, Arthur Street 399. Kensington 325, Maori Hill 320. Green Island 291, Moray Place 278, Anderson’s Bay 266. Ravensbourne 210, Wakari 118, Concord 102, and Leith Valley 41. The averages for the Oamaru schools were: South School 498, North School 450, Middle School 127. The averages for the district high schools were: Port Chalmers 424, Baldutha 391, Tokomairiro 315, Palmerston 225, Alexandra 182, Lawrence 156. Tapanui 144, and Owaka 147. During the quarter a school was opened at Hilderthorpe. “It’s like hunting for a whisky still,” commented a councillor at the meeting of the Waitotara County Council after hearing a recital of the difficulties encountered in trying to natch owners of cattle who were obtaining free grazing on some of the back-country roads. “It is less encouraging,” replied another councillor. It, seems (slates tile Taranaki Daily News) that the ranger had made several attempts to locate the straying cattle, but when he arrived on the scene it was only to lind the road as bare of slock as old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard was of the proverbial bone. It was also mentioned that the telephone was handy in passing along word that the ranger was coming. Councillors agreed that it was no use impounding the stock, and that the best method was to proceed against the owners for trespass. The engineer also agreed to take a hand in the game.

The following letter, from a Palmerston North resident, was received at the last meeting of the Kairanga County Council (says the Manawatu Daily Times:—“Just a line to ask you why your council doesn’t do something to the tar roads to keep horses from falling. I know 11 different people who have come out of their traps through their horses slipping on the smooth surface. It’s beautiful for you gentlemen with your motor-oars, but my pocket won’t stand it, yet you could easily put a thin coat of Tar and throw’ fine sand on top and don’t Roll it Tt would Save us from danger those of us with horses. My horse slipped and I went flying out and hurt myself very much a horse came down last week and 5 persons came out, and were hurt very much please don’t wait till some of us get killed. Have a little thought for us with horses.” “Quite right., too !” came a general chorus from the councillors. “There were about 25 ‘came out’ altogether,” said the chairman. He stated a length of the road had been treated, but “those w’ith horses” invariably neglected to use it. It was decided to treat several chains of the road in the manner desired.

The importance frequently attaching to the dehorning of cattle was emphasised in a marked manner at Annesbrook (Nelson) the other day. After many years’ close association with stock of all descriptions, Mr L. Ingham had a. most unenviable experience with his bull, and had the animal not been dehorned it is almost certain a fatality would have resulted. Mr Ingham was disentangling the bull’s chain from some short scrub, w’hen the animal charged him, knocking him down against a log of wood which was lying on the ground. In that position the bull had its intended victim in an awkward position, but. fortunately, with the chain ’still entangled, it could only reach Air Ingham’s legs. These the bull butted savagely with his head and kept Air Ingham pinned against the log. At first be tried to get the bull away by tearing at its eyes, but this seemed only still further to infuriate the animal. Soon, however, Air Ingham managed to got a firm grip of the ring in the nose, and as a . result of a great wrench was able to force the bull to move its head up, enabling him to slip over the log into safety. Had the animal not been dehorned, it is evident it would have been able to inflict fatal injuries. Although considerably bruised, Mr Ingham is little the worse for his unenviable experience.

The late Mr John Flower, who died at Wakapuaka recently, was associated with the early history of the cable station at Wakapuaka. and assisted in erecting the first buildings and fencing off the grounds. On one occasion he related to a member of the Wanganui Herald staff how he discovered a barrel of sherry. He was walking along the boulder bank when he noticed a barrel floating in the bay. He waited till it came ashore and found it was particularly heavy. He rolled it up sufficiently high and covered it up till that evening. He then got his brother, and the two tapped the barrel and found it was over-proof sherry. There was great rejoicing among the cable staff at this unexpected windfall, and the operators on the other side of the Tasman began to wonder what had gone wrong with the signals from Waka. The sherry 'was part of the cargo of the Queen Bee, which was wrecked off Farewell Spit. On another occasion, when the Delaware was wrecked, Mr Flower slated that he found a heavy case, and thought his luck was in again. He took good care that none of the Maoris living in the locality saw the case until ho had time to make investigations. He opened it up at night, and discovered that it contained nothing more valuable than moleskin pants.

The Labour Parly will hold a plain and fancy dress ball in the Early Settlers’ Hall on Monday night. The Peninsula Ferry Company advertises its time-table for Labour Day. At a meeting of the directors, the manager was instructed to make inquiries regarding another steamer, which, if brought to a successful issue, will mean the people residing at Macandrew’s Bay will be able to reach town in time to start work either at 8 a.m, or 9 a.m. and in a like manner return home in the evening. There will be also a midday trip, practically making Macandrew’s a suburb of Dunedin. The United Starr-Bowkett Building Society advertises £SOOO for disposal. Only a few' more shares are available in No. 7 group. A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859. Advt. Diamond Engagement Rings.—Before purchasing compare our values; large selection, superior quality.—Peter Dick, direct importers jewellery, watches, etc., 490 Mora" place, Dunedin. —Advt.