GENERAL NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19465, 28 April 1925, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

A very successful concert, was broadcasted from Station 4YA on Saturday evening. The Maori singers who are visiting the city were responsible for part of the programme, which was as follows: Pianoforte solo, “Ballad in D Minor,’’ Miss Mavis Grieve; trio, “Invercargill March,’’ Mr and Mrs E, Hunter and Mr F. O'Neill; solo. “But the Lord is mindful of His own,” Mr M‘Lean; cornet solo, “Friend of Mine,” Mr E. Hunter; violin solo, “Ave Maria,” Mrs E. Hunter; hymn by the Maori singers; lecturette, “The Maori,” Mr H. D. Skinner, lecturer in Kthpiology, University; anthem, “We will rejoice,” the Maori Choir; trio, ‘‘God send you back to me,” Mr and Mrs Hunter and Mr F. Woolicott: song. “Nazareth,” Mr M‘Lcan; Maori hymn by the Maori Choir; hymn, “E Tama ma,” Methodist Maori Party; cornet solo, “Answer,” Mr E. Hunter; Waiata by Maori Mission Party; violin selection, “A little love, a little kiss,” Mr and Mrs Hunter and Mr Woolicott, The accompanist was Mr F. Woolicott. The monthly meeting of the North-East Valley branch of the W.C.T.U. was held in the institute on Thursday. Mrs Peart, the president, gave a short address, expressing sympathy with those to whom Anzac Day recalls sad memories. The delegates to the recent convention gave, their reports. A motion of sympathy to Mrs Beveridge in her recent bereavement was passed, after which a new member was admitted to the union. On Thursday evening a concert was broadcasted from 4YA. Madame Newcomhe Hall had charge of the programme, which was very much appreciated by the listeners-in. The programme was as follows: —Piano selection, “Magnolia Blossoms”; song, “Nirvana,” Mr. T. Bachop; song, “Roberto.” Madame Newcombe Hall; duet, “He wipes the tear from every eye,” Miss M. Morris and Mr R. Morris; talk by Mrs J. Sutherland Rose (president of the Women’s Section of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition); talk by Miss Jean Begg; song. “Believe me if all those endearing your charms,” Mr H. Denford; song, “Elegy,” Miss Flossie Ennnerson; violin solo, “Minuet.” Miss Sparrow; recitation, “If,” Miss Hilda M'Lachlan : song, “A String of Pearls,” Miss Florence Bremner; song, “Because.” Mr T. Bachop; song, “The Little Nightingale,” composed and sung by Madame Newcombe Hall; violin solo, ‘Moto Perpotus.” Miss Sparrow: song, “Annie T.auric,” Madame Newcombe Hall; recitation. “I must, go down to the seas again,” Miss M'Lachlan; duet, “A Lover’s Request.” Madame Newcombe Hall and Mis-s Alary Kune; piano selection, “Napoleon’s Last’ Charge” ; song (violin obligato), Gounod's “Ave Maria,” Madame Nowcombe Hall (violin. Miss Sparrow); song, “Schubert's Serenade,” Miss Florence Bremner , song, Mr 1. Bachop. 'I lie accompanists were Mr N. Bachop and Miss Kane.

THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTION, TO THE EDITOR. Snt, —I desire to correct one item in yomf report of mv address on the 23rd inst. at South Dunedin Town Hall. It reads: "Between and 1924 £40,000,000 had passed through the bank." In order to avoid any mistake on this point I wish to state that the figure should read £14,000,000.-1 am, etc., S. J. EtSTOS. Caversham, April 27. S^R, —You did a real service to fiie eleo* tors in your leader of Thursday, last when you directed attention to the attitude towards the profits of the trading concerns adopted by the Labour aspirants for seats on the City Council. These "wizards of finance" contend that the city should make no profit from the vast undertakings in which the ratepayers have pledged their property as security for the two millions of loan money that have been used in these ventures. The ratepaysrs. are now enjoying, as the result of the rplendid management of these concerns, a remission of rates equal to 6d in the pound of their respective rateable values. Under the Labour policy this remission would disappear and the necessary shortage made up by increasing the rates by fid, or an advance of 25 per cent, in the general rate. Therefore, it behoves the large army of workers who are direct payers of rates to get a fim hold of this fact and spend a few minutes in computing just what it would cost them in additional rates if these "wizards of finance," who are seeking their support in the facred name of Labour, were successful on Wednesday next. They might also, at the same time, ask themselves if the past training and experience, or, in a word, the nast record of these Labour candidates is likely to ensure a continuation of the sound financial policy that has characterised the administiation of the council's business during the past. If they will do this, I am perfectly sure that, whatever their political views may be, they would take your advice* and see that no material change is made in the constitution of the City Council. Indeed, they would do well to see that not one of these> so-called Labour representatives is given a pl&ce at the council table.—l am, etc.. April 24 Safett First. DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL TO THE EDITOR. ' Sir,—-In view of the visit of Mr Grounds to Dunedin, a review of the board's actions and proposals, compared with the operation of the Meat Board, would not be oat of place, and perhaps Mr Grounds will be kind enough to answer a few of the questions that are exercising the minds of dairymen at the present time. The inducement to dairymen to favour the setting up of the Dairy Produce Board was the.unqualified success of the Meat Board's operations and the hope that the same happy results would accrue from the operations of the Dairy Board. Uniike the price of mutton and Jamb, which has increased 100 per cent, since the institution of the board, the price of dairy produce has. steadily declined. Now, as no sane man would attribute the whole of the increase in the price of meat to the activities of the Meat Board, neither would he blame the Dairy Board for the absence of any such rise in the price of the produce it controls. But Ido say that the sheep farmer of this country owes a debt of gratitude to the Moat Board for the wise and efficient control it has exercised. It has confined its activities to the regulation of Hupplies, the securing of reduction in freights and insurance, the improvement of the grade" of meat, and, not the least, the enforcement of the leaving of the kidney in the lamb saved for the sheep farmer in one year what would pay the salaries and expenses of the board for the next twenty years. These things, along with others, the. Meat Board has done, but one thing it has wisely left undone: it has refrained from interfering with the channels of trade. I am interested in both meat and dairy produce, and can to-day dispose of my mutton and lamb by sellinff on the farm, or on the hooks, or f.0.b., or if I choose I can consign on my own account. I firmly believe that a part of, the increase in the price of meat is duer«v to the jrreater confidence that the exporter has in operating under the wise control exercised by the board. Anyone following the arrival Home of shipments of dairy produce can see no evidence there of regulation of supply. The Dairy Board has largely confined its time and attention in coming to the great resolution of absolute control. To be entrusted with the greater things we should first prove ourselves faithful in the smaller things. Mr Poison, president of the New Zealand Tanners' Union, who has spared neither time nor money in the interests of the farmers, and who took a very active part in the institution of control, apparently views with apprehension the hasty and rash decision of the Dairy Control Board. Will Mr Grounds tell us if the board intend to pool the whole of the season's output over both North and South Island? Has the board made any financial provision to enable factories to make a decent advance to suppliers? Does he think, in the face of the price that dairy produce is commanding to-day, that the extravagant salaries for appointments made and to be made are justified.—l am, etc., April 27. Daiesman. THE BOWEN FALLS. TO THE EDITOE. Sir,—l have read the letters of both Mb Orchiston and Mr Bevan xSrown in your , issue of the 31st ult., upon the subject of the nitrates scheme, and I hold Mr Orchiston to be right and Mr Brown absolutely wrong. Mr Brown might as well have lamented that Niagara should have been harnessed as that the two million horsepower of the Bowen Falls should not come into use for our wants. I am utterly sick and tired of reading the lamentable effusions of a few extremists who wish to stop all progress for the sake of unattractive native scenery or a few useless native birds. I have been over 60 years in New Zealand, and never found any practical advantage in either. In the war of the early sixties, all we ever hoped to get was a pigeon or two, a kaka, or a pukeko. But for hundreds of miles in the North Island the native birds vigre conspicuous by their absence. It is their utter inutility that strikes homes to anyone who knows the immense good a flock of starlings, thrushes, or blackbirds do in any paddock, cleaning it up of all harmful insects to our great 6heep industry. When a National Park was declared at ■ Milford Sound, hydro-electricity had not assumed the importance it now has, and it would be simple madness on our parts not to utilise the two million h.p. at the Bowea Falls. Let me tell Mr Brown that every fall, gully, or lake in New Zealand where • water-power can be harnessed will be so harnessed in spite of a*i the unattractive native scenery. Do I not remember well, as a young man, the unattractive fern-clad prairie lands we had to march through (often wet to the thighs), interspersed with bush, lake, and swamp, and how I loathed its unimproved condition. And now that same country is all smiling homesteads, good grass paddocks, and something pleasant for the eye to rest upon. I remember when much of the land round Wellington and Auckland harbours was bushclad to the sea edge. That is what Mr Brown wants to continue, with the preservation of his unattractive native scenery, and • no cities like Wellington and Auckland. He should go to one of the Chathams, or Kerguelen, or a score of uninhabited Pacific Islands I know, as he is a very bad advocate for the progress of New Zealand. I admit we have made mistakes in attempting yet awhile to grass some of the wrong land. But public mistake is our heritage. Look at the ghastly blunders England makes on every hand. But there is no mistake in harnessing up our waterpower; and to exempt the two millions h.p. that can be got from the Bowen Falls would be a ghastly blunder indeed. I do hope we shall hear no more about unattractive Native scenery and these few useless Native birds, but devoto our whole attention to regrassing the lands we have wrongly treated, even if we have to re-afforest them into the unattractiveness they formerly were in. "We must have some bush to preserve our grass, so let these bad lands go bacts into bush. At Dry River (18,000 acres) I used to fell 600 to 800 acres a year, and the limestone hills took the grass well. I felled about 5000 acres, which carry new about 6000 sheep and other stock. This M what New Zealand wants, not a lot of twaddle about native bush or a few ridiculous native birds. So if nitrates can be made at Bowen Falls, let it be dor.e, and hang the native scenery. We will make our own scenery a hundred times better than the native. According to Mr Brown we should not be here at all, but his miserable native scenery and the Maoris should have everything to themselves. But we are here, and intend to improve the place. I strongly adviee Mr Brown to go to one of the Islands of the Unicn Group in the Pacific (now part of New Zealand) and revel in what he finds there.—l am, etc., COI.EMA.X PmtiJrs. Carterton, Wairarapa, April 16.