THE EXHIBITION TRAFFIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19500, 8 June 1925, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION TRAFFIC.

The public is hardly likely to be satis-

fied with the information supplied by the chairman of the Tramways Committee in answer to a question at the last meeting of the City Council as to the steps that are being taken in order to prepare for the traffic during the Exhibition season. Councillor Douglas, chairman of the committee, seems to have supposed that the question had reference only to_ the progress that is being made with the construction of the line from the intersection of George and Albany streets to the Exhibition site. At aH events, with the exception of the statement that a third Corporation bus would be ready for use in a fortnight’s time, his answer was simply to the effect that “the department was pushing on with all the available money it had and was well on with the line.” But the construction of the line to the Exhibition site constitutes only an instalment of the provision which must be made for coping with a traffic that will bo exceptionally heavy for a period of not less than six months. The necessary complement to the construction of the new line must be the provision of rolling-stock to carry the traffic. It will probably not be extravagant to say that the rolling-stock of the Tramways Department was fully .employed last week in order to meet the demand created by the presence of a considerable number of visitors to town. It is a safe prediction, however, that during the currency of the Exhibition there will continuously be a larger number of visitors in Dunedin than there was last week. The extension of the area served by the tramway system would in ordinary circumstances necessitate the employment of additional stock. The circumstances of the Exhibition season will, however, be extraordinary. There, will not only be an enlarged system of operations, but there will be also an exceptional amount of traffic. It is impossible to imagine that the Tramways Committee has not envisaged the demand that will be made upon the service under its control, but the information afforded by its chairman at the meeting of the City Council last week does not convey the impression that it* is making the preparations that will be necessary if that demand is to be met in an adequate manner.

Twelve bankruptcies were notified in last week’s issue of the New Zealand Gazette, Nino of the number were in the North Island The City Fire Brigade was called out at 6.12 p.m. on Saturday to Briscoe’s iron foundry at the oomer of Birch and Buller streets. A small fire had broken out, but no damage was done. About a quarter to one yesterday afternoon the Brigade was called to a chimney fire at 648 Cumberland street. A joy ride in a motor car came to a sudden end before it had well begun at Devonport on Saturday evening, when a. seven-seater Cadillac car crashed into a ■baker’s shop, smashing in the window and scattering cakes in all directions. The car (says our Auckland correspondent) is owned by Mrs A'Deane, of Hawke’s Bay, who is staying at the Esplanade Hotel. The oar was left outside the hotel at 6.15 p.m. while Mrs A’Doane was at tea. Two men entered the car shortly afterwards, and drove up Victoria road. The driver was not experienced, and drove into the bakery owned by , Messrs McGregor and Montgomery. A plate glass window was shattered, and the verandah supports were broken. The front of the car was badly damaged, and the axle was broken. One man, who was slightly injured, was arrested while running away, and the other was arrested about midnight. The car, which is practically a new one, is valued at £I4OO. An interesting reference to the forthcoming Exhibition is to be found in the Oban Times,’ of April 11, in its Edinburgh letter. “Dunedin,” the correspondent writes, “is to hold an Exhibition from November, 1925, to April, 1926, a period which covers the southern summer, and from accO'imts it bids fair to bo a remarkable effort for a young colony. Manufacturing in New Zealand i a steadily increasing, and the Exhibition shows the determination to encourage their own productions. The Southern Island, of which Dunedin is the principal city, is often called the Scotch Island, because of the preponderance of Scottish settlers. So we can understand the grit of the people. Besides, what natural advantages they possess! The country is selfsupporting, and it can export annually 11 million pou'"’ ! worth of wool, nearly three Millions worth of skins, 10 millions worth of butter, nearly seven millions worth of cheese, and nine millions worth of frozen meat. All this from a population of a million and a-quarter! It is a far cry to Dunedin from Edinburgh, but some official recognition from the Mother City might bo given to the Dunedin Exhibition.” Hi s Honor, Mr Justice Sim, has granted probate of the estates of the following: Elizabeth Smith (Dunedin), Mary Jane Moyso (Dunedin), George Tvl'Mullan (Dunedin), Thomas Ourrie McLennan (Dunedin), and Eliza Jane Gerves (Carey’s Bay). Letters of administration were granted in the estates of the following:—David Connell (Dunedin), and Margaret Aitkenhead (Port Molyneux). Winter Carnival Week in Dunedin supplies material for the illustrated pages in the Otago Witness, to be published tomorrow. Two pages of pictures are devoted to the Winter Show and the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting is fully covered. Anzac Day in Samoa is represented by a page of striking views, and three pictures of t(io scenic grandeur of West land show beauty spots on the West' bast. The Waitaki Collie Dog Club’s trials, cappur; u.;., ui Wellington, the railway smash at Kakihi, Lord Balfour at Jerusalem, and a number of topical pictures set off an interesting issue. The awards in the Cross-word Puzzle Competi--1 ion are announced and a now competitive puzzle—No. s—is5 —is published. As the available space is limited within 'u women's section for display purposes at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition L has been deemed advisable to arrange displays of special exhibits of women’s varied handiwork at specified periods throughout the course of the Exhibition as so many of the women of Now Zealand are skilled in needlework, oroohet, knitting, and all branches of the crafts. Tie “Special Exhibits” periods of the women’s section will give every woman in the dominion a chance to exhibit her work for award. A schedule giving particulars of the special oxiubiis has now been issued.

A fine type of cargo carrier—tho HuddartParker Company’s new steamer Hebbum—arrived at Dunedin on Saturday morning. The vessel, which is making her first visit to Ne\p Zealand, came from New York, via Panama, Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Timaru, under charter to the Commonwealth and Dominion Line. She brought a cargo of case oil and general American/ freight for discharge at the ports named. The Hebbum was built by the Blyth Shipbuilding and Dry Docks, Limited, and was launched in February last. She is a single screw steamer, with a carrying capacity of 6520 tons. The vessel is c* the well-deck type, with her engines and fridge in the middle of the ship, and has a raised poop and forecastle head. The accommodation for master and officers is on the bridge deck, the sailors are berthed forward and the firemen aft. Cargo is carried in five hatches, three forward and two aft. The cargo derricks are fitted to the three masts, and besides two steam winches at each hatch there are two friction winches on the fore-deck for discharging coal. The engines are. triple expansion, and they were constructed by the North-Eastern Marine Engineering Comany, of Wallsend-on-Tyne. The speed of the vessel is 10| knots. After being fitted out at Blyth the Hebbum went to the Tyne for bunkers and then proceeded to Philadelphia, in ballast, and there loaded a part cargo. She completed loading at New York, and sailed from that port on April 13, and arrived at Auckland on May 20. From Dunedin the Hebbum will proceed to Sydney, where she will, be delivered to her owners, and will be subsequently employed in tho inter-State cargo trade. There was a brief sitting of the CSty Police Court on Saturday morning, when Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., was on tho bench. John M’Sweeney was fined 10b, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment, for drunkenness, and a first offender was similarly dealt with. At the annual meeting of the Timaru Licensing Committee, held last Thursday, the chairman (Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.) made reference to the amount of drinking alleged to be going on at dances in Timaru, and said that tho attention of tho public should be drawn to the practice. He did not blame tho licensees of hotels, for they probably had no control over the matter, but nevertheless there was a considerable amount of drinking going on. As citizens of the town, the members of the committee deprecated such conduct, which oast a blot on the reputation of the town. They trusted that such conditions would be discontinued. The revision of the railway tariff’, which at any time is a stupendous task and one not to be undertaken lightly, has been practically completed. Before the now scale is put into operation it will have to be approved of by the Minister of Railways (the Hon. J. G. Coates), and os Mr Coates will naturally want to survey the various schedules and arrive at his decisions before the session, it is probable that the new tariff will make its appearance a* an early* date. To add to tho interest and attractiveness of the, women’s section at the New Zealand and South Seaa Exhibition the committee would like as many working exhibits as possible. In other exhibitions this has been a feature of great interest and ■ most remunerative to the exhibitor. Such exhibits a s basket-weaving, rug-making, metal work, hand-loom -weaving, Batik work, and sweetymaking are suggested. A woman may rent space'within the section, fit that space up as her workshop, and work at her, craft, selling or taking orders for what she makes. A remark which Cr R. M‘Keen made on the housing position in resulted in a challenge from Mr W. S. Wilson, who offered to contribute £lO to the Wellington Plunket Society if Cr M‘Keen was able to prove to an adjudicator that there were families living in tents and sheds in the environs of Wellington. The Mayor of Wellington was appointed adjudicator, and the conclusion of the party which made an inspection under Cr M'Keen’s guidance was that the house shortage in Wellington was as acute as it ever was. The Mayor, Mr Norwood, at the end of the inspection, said that Cr M'Keen had proved his case, and consequently Mr Wilson hag been called upon to pay his £lO to the Plunket Society. In reply to a remit to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates) from' the conference of South Island Leagues, held recently in Invercargill, asking him to. consider the question of the formation of two Highways Boards, one for the North island, and the other for the South, the Minister says that he considers there is no necessity for the formation of more than one board. The Southland Times states that this refers to the statement made by Mr F. W. Purkert, chairman of the Main Highways Board, ■ that on the last highways estimates the South Island was given 1 practically everything asked for, while tho North Island demands, amounting to £4IB,(XX), were pruned very drastically. The South Island asked for only £42,000. Mr Furkert concluded by saying that several hundred thousands of pounds were available for South Island roads, but the money was locked up because it had not been asked for. There was some commotion on the mid- 1 day express as it was drawing out from the Christchurch station on Friday (says the Lyttelton Times). A belated passenger, witty ’coat and bag in hand, rushed out of a taxi on to the station, and tried to step on to one of the carriage platforms. Although the train had got way on, it was going slowly. His coat caught in the iron gate. As he could not quickly release himself. he, was dragged along the station. The train was pulled up promptly, and passengers on board were somewhat alarmed. The belated passenger was not injured, but his coat and bag went where he might have gone-7-undor the wheels. He missed the train after all. Tho following resolution of-the Dominion Executive for the Protestant Political Association has been forwarded to the Attor-hey-General: “The Dominion Executive of the Protestant Political Association, being acquainted with the facts as published in the press and as disclosed by certain telegrams published by the Attorney-Genera), congratulates the Attorney-General upon his decision to exercise the high powers properly entrusted to him under the War Regulations Continuance Act, 1919, to order the deportation of one Lyons. The determination of the Attorney-General to enforce his decision affords a sense of security in the knowledge that New Zealand is not to become a welcoming asylum for revolutionaries and disloyalists. Further, the decision and action of Sir Francis Bell are in harmony with the recent actions of the Governments of Great Britain and France, and reflect the desire of all loyal citizens.” Maxwell Kissell, the youth who was tried in August, 1923, for the murder of a man named Mackenzie, in the Ashburton district, is at present detained in Mount .Eden Gaol, and the Christchurch branch of the Howard League for Penal Reform has protested to the Minister.of Justice against Kissell being allowed to associate with criminals in that institution. The verdict in the case was that tho prisoner was guilty of murder while temporarily insane, and there was a strong recommendation that ho should be detained in a suitable institution. In reply to the league’s first letter of protest tho Minister of Justice stated that the prisoner shortly after conviction was sent to the Waikeria Reformatory to be employed in farm work. The conditions at Waikeria were in no way similar to those of a prison and Kissel was not treated as a prisoner. After a time it was found that Kissel did not appreciate tho advantage of being at Waikeria and tho superintendent reported that he made no effort to settle down. It was then decided to transfer him to Mount Eden prison, where ho is at present detained. In a later letter the Minister stated that Kissel is under the observation of a mental export who will report from time to lime as to his mental condition.