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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19067, 12 January 1924, Page 8

The returns of the Dunedin Savings Bank for the quarter ended December 31, 1923, show that the deposits during that period amounted to £107,567 15s sd, and the withdrawals to £108,265 8s lid. The total amount standing to credit of depositors on December 51 was £820,753 Bs. It has further to bo noted that interest is allowed to depositors at the rate of 4J per cent. It has been represented, to us that a number of motorists have been deterred this season from driving across he Grown ‘terrace by exaggerated reports as to f he difficulties to be encountered oh the road and as to damage suffered by cars on it. A Dunedin motorist, who had not previously been over the road, but was not dissuaded from making the trift informs ns that he found, that it presented no difficulties of a kind which need cause any anxiety to a careful driver. As a matter of fact, one Dunedin visitor drove from Pembroke to Queenstown and back again, without anv misnap whatever, on one day during the holidays. That the Church is losing ha grip is candidly confessed by not a few clergymen (writes our Sydney correspondent). The problem is to bring it more into touch with the people —to make religion and church life a source of strength and inspiration which can be felt. The Rev. J. B. Fulton, Presbyterian minister in one of the coastal towns, largely a holiday resort, contends that the churches should adopt some new method to reach “that half of the population now beyond their influence.” The moving pictures have already invaded some of the churches, Mr Fulton, however, has broken new ground. On Christmas Day, instead of utilising his church, he hired the local picture theatre, and staged a series of tableaux depicting biblical scenes. He also included in the programme moving pictures of sacred objects as well as addresses and community singing. The new methods certainly attracted a big crowd. An amazing story of what can happen on the New Zealand Railways is boastfully related in one of the daily newspapers by Mr Rov M’Donald, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council (reports our Sydney correspondent). “Last year I was in New Zealand,” Mr McDonald says. “I discovered when I got on the boat for the return voyage that I had left my M.L.O. railway pass in Sydney.- I had travelled over the dominion railway system with a gilf pass on my watchchain. It was my Australian Jockey Club membership token !” Through a tube on the engine bursting, the 6.50 a.m. train from Invercargill to Clinton was two' and a-quarter hours late in reaching Clinton yesterday. The accident occurred between Waipatu and Clinton. There was no disorganisation >f the service? in this district on this account, and ail trains were on time. Inquiries made by the secretary of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association of the Minister of Lands (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) into the question of the disposal of the stock on the Teviot Station has been advanced a further stage. The Minister was asked if his promise that the profit on the stock would be applied in reduction of its cost when it was sold to the soldier settlers would be carried out. In reply, the Minister stated that the sheep would be valued by competent valuers, and the terms fixed. The association is instituting further inquiries as to who, in the opinion of the authorities, is entitled to them, its contention being that they should be offered to the original soldier settlers, the subsequent soldier settlers, and finally to others interested. It is anticipated that the whole of the stock will be disposed of, es it is being offered by ballot about the middle of February,

At a recent meeting of the shareholders of the Daniel Hayne? Trust (Ltd.), the Perpetual Trustees Estate and Agency Company of New Zealand was appointed secretary for the trust in the place of Mr J. Tait, who lately resigned the position in question, and Mr Alfred Ibbotson, the chief accountant of the Perpetual Company, was appointed a director of the Daniel Haynes Trust Company. The assets of the trust comprise some of the finest buildings in tho city.

Some time ago a committee of Maia residents was -formed, and have since been actively engaged in preparing a petition to present to the Minister of Railways (the Hon. J. G. Coates) asking for the establishment of a flag station at the Rothesay end of Ravensboume at tho foot of De Lacey street Their efforts have borne fruit, and yesterday an official from the Dunedin traffic office visited the district and was shown over the country which would be served by th e flag station. it

was stated that the Minister will be visiting Dunedin this month, and Mr J. Vv. Munro, M.P., has undertaken to introduce a deputation from this district. There are over 200 people who would be served by the flag station, the majority of thom»being family ticket holders.

Tlie through passenger train service from Christchurch to Greymouth, which has been running daily since December 13, will continue until January 22, and then a reversion to the usual time-table —Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday—will be made. This augmented service was commenced to cope with the traffic over the holidays and because of the Hokitika Exhibition, and the trains have been well patronised.

The planting of timber trees was advocated by the Hon. J. G. Coates in lis recent visit to the north (says the Auckland Star). He advised settlers to put out at least 500 or 600 trees a year, from which, he said, their children would reap a handsome income in the future, if the planters did not. Whilst the north is one of the best timbered provinces of New Zealand, it might become one of the worst if settlers were not very careful, added the Minister) who pointed to the lead being given tho dominion by Hawke’s Bay, which is planfc- ' ing out millions of trees annually.

An outstanding example of “red tape” was shown in Auckland the other evening in connection with the presentations of a gold watch, and a cheque to each of the three men who assisted in arresting a dangerous criminal at Mount Albert in August last (says the Auckland Star). Mr T. Dennis was unable to attend, so his wife appeared in his stead. Inspector Bales announced that in addition to the watches subscribed for by the police the Government had granted monetary rewards for the same exploit. Tho two men present received their watches and cheques, but the lady was only permitted to receive the watch for her husband, the inspector announcing that the third cheque could not bo banded o'*er, as he would have to take Mr Dennis’s receipt in accordance with the Treasury regulations. Mrs Dennis smiled, and so did the large number of police present. Mrs Parr, wife of the Minister o* Justice, remarked that there was too much “red tape” about the business. This neat expression of what appeared to be a rather hide-bound system, considering the circumstances, was greeted by hearty langbter by all present.

Reference was recently made in Nature, the English scientific journal, to the proposal that the public should provide money to enable Mr Spahlinger to carry on his work. Referring to a previous article, the writer said Mr Spahlinger’s claims were shown to rest on a series of categoric state-, ments, of which scientific proof. is stillawaited. “In some mysterious way, however, the subject recurs like the seasons, and yet we get no further. We are now informed that he cannot produce the ‘goods’ because the Spahlinger family fortune, to the extent of £BO,OOO, has been spent in the experiments, and therefore more will be required before the public can taste the benefit. When it is remembered that such a sum would nearly maintain the Rockefeller Institute in New York for a year, it is difficult to understand why the result is so meagre. ... It would seem advisable to know something about the remedy apart from the claims made on its behalf.”

Recently complaints have been made by Gore and Mataura firms regarding the length of time it takes to get goods from the port of Bluff to those centres (writes our Gore correspondent). A case of goods ex the steamer Naxdana, which recently discharged at Bluff, took three weeks to i each Mataura, and this fact was brought under the notice of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce this week, when a letter was received from Messrs Mac Gibbon and Sons on the matter. The firm in question forwarded a copy of a letter it had received from Messrs Brace, Windle, Blyth, and Co. , (Ltd.), wholesale leather merchants, ol Dunedin, as follows;—“Very much regret the inconvenience caused you by the boots not arriving ex the Nardana, Certainly tho boat has been in some three or four weeks, but the delay has been entirely due to the Southland port, which, unfortunately, is very slow at discharging any boat. We have learned by experience now that if goods are wanted urgently it is best to ship them to Dunedin and not to the Bluff and a number of our Gore clients are getting their goods shipped to Dunedm to save time, A member of tho chamber declared tbat tbis was another example the Dunedin people trying to “rub it in” to the disadvantage of the Bluff port He gave it as his opinion that the Dunedin people did not want to work in with Invercargill. despite the fact that they had said they desired to do so. The president slated that the matter certainly called for inquiries being fijade, because the Dunedin firm was evidently trying to create a wrong impression in order to get the business done through Dunedin. The meeting 'decided to take steps to make full inquiries in order to ascertain where the fault lay.

The New Zealand Shipping Company advises that passengers ex the Rotorua, from London and Southampton, which arrived at Wellington yesterday morning, came south by the Wahine last night. Otago and Southland passengers will reach Dunedin by the first express this afternoon. Passengers’ _ luggage will be forwarded by the Waipori, which is to leave Wellington to-day for Lyttelton and Dunedin,.

We are informed that the statement which we published yesterday with reference to the transference of the steamer Ruapehu from a berth at Dunedin to a berth at Port Chalmers was misleading and calculated to create a misapprehension. When the steamer arrived on Sunday last she had 1560 tons of cargo for this port. Labour was scarce; it was not possible to form more than one complete gang of waterside workers to discharge the cargo; and a second gang was made up by the inclusion in it of a portion of the ship’s crew. By the operations of these gangs the whole of the cargo with the exception of less than 200 tons, the bulk of which consisted of iron, had been discharged by 10 0’c1..-r«: on Wednesday night, and in addition, the steamer had taken over 5000 boxes of butter as outward cargo. If the steamer had not then been transferred to Port Chalmers, where 4600 bales of woo] were awaiting shipment, the agents say that it would not have been possible to despatch her before Tuesday next. As it is, it is hoped that she may be able to leave to-day at a saving in time of three days. It is claimed that the inward cargo which was not discharged at Dunedin was of a class that is not urgently required

The Gore Hospital at the beginning of December contained 27 patients (writes our correspondent). During the month 23 more wore admitted and 27 discharged. .Only one death occurred. At this week’s meeting of the Southland Hospital Board the secretary ( Mr T. Pryde) reported that the additions to the Gore tiospifal are now nearing completion, and during tho month tho new steam boiler was put into commission and connected up with .the existing as well as the new water service.

At e, special meeting of the Queenstown Borough Council on Thursday night (reports our correspondent) it was decided to observe Wednesday as the statutory halfholiday in the borough for the ensuing 12 months. Last year the custom of the Wednesday half-holiday was broken, and Saturday was observed in its stead. After a year’s trial, however, it was considered that the half holiday at the week-end was not in the best interests of a tourist centre like Queenstown, nor was it as convenient for country shopping.

The United Stavr-Bowkett Building Society announces that it has £6OOO for disposal by ballot and sale in its various groups. Tbs new No. 8 Group is now open for membership. The Dunedin Starr-Bowkett Building Society will dispose of £2500 by ballots and sales in tho Nos. 3,4, and 5 Groups on January 16 at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Stuart street. Applications are invited for shares in the No. 5 Group. In the Octagon Hall of the Methodist Central Mission to-morrow evening the Bev. H. E. Bellhouse wild conduct the service, and will preach, upon “ The Unpurchasable Things of Life.” Notices of the following Sunday services will be found in our advertising columns: — Anglican: St. Paul’s, St. Matthew’s, All Saints’. Presbyterian: First, Knox. St. Andrew’s, North-East Valley. Methodist: Central Mission, Trinity, St Kilda, Du'ndaa Street. Baptist: Hanover Street, Mornington. Congregational: Moray Place, Wesley; Cargill Road. Salvation Army, Dowling street. Church of Christ: Tabernacle. Thcosophiste, Oddfellows’ Hall. Mr “ Bingy ” Williams, of Auckland, will conduct an after-church short gospel service in the Octagon Hall to-morrow, to follow the usual service. A E 3 Blakeley, dentist. Bank of Ana tralaaia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office}. Telephone 1559. Advt Choice Jewellery; compare our values; large selection diamond rings, watches, bracelets, silverware, etc.—Peter Dick, jewellers. 490 Moray place.—Advt. The Pacific Starr-Bowkett Building to#iety invites applications for membership in No. 5 Group. Call for booklet. Office, S 6 Ring Edward street.—Advt. You cannot get better value in engagement rings than at Williamson’s, ..the diamond setters, next door to The Bristol Advt.