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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19550, 5 August 1925, Page 6

Yesterday was the eleventh anniversary of the declaration of war on Germany by Great Britain. It was on July 28. 1914, that Austiia declared war on Serbia. On tho first day of the following month Germany declared war on Russia; two days later she declared war on France, and on August. 4 Great Britain’s declaration of hostilities was announced.

Tho register of Dunedin residents who have accommodation available for Exhibition visitors as paying guests closed on Monday with a roll of 4300,'and it is now ofilcially estimated, after going into figures, that there will be accommodation in Dunedin for 10,000 visitors. "‘I am totally opposed to party government,” declared Mr do la Perrello (Awarua) in tho House of Representatives yesterday. Me described tho waste of time in Parliament as shameful. The best brains, ho said, were not being got to servo the country. This was a time for team work in tho broadest sense, and let tho House get down to team work in the interests ot this very fine country, and, incidentally, in tho interests of every electorate. The Roslyn section of tho City Fir© Brigade received a call shortly after V o’clock last evening to a high tension power polo near the tram , lei minus in the EaiIcorai Valley. Tho fire was promptly extinguished. Never before had they seen such an efficient and well-equipped fire brigade ns the Dunedin Brigade, was a tribute paid yesterday by two visitors from Canada, who, under the direction of Deputy-superin-tendent J. J. Salmon, inspected the headquarters of Dunedin fire-fighting forces.

At tho Central Fire Station last evening service honours were presented to several members of tho brigade by Fire Chief A G. Napier. • The honours wore distributed os follows: —Foreman 11. Murray, two twoyears’ gold bars (32 years’ service), Foreman W. Morrison, six years’ gold bar (18 years’ service), Motorman J. V. Salmon, two years’ gold bar (12 years’ service), Fireman J. Craig, five years’ silver medal; Fireman F. Laidlaw, three years’ certificate; Fireman R. Walker, two years’ silver bar (seven years’ service). Mr Napier said he hoped tho receipients, and also all the members of the brigade, would remain in tho service to qualify for the 25 years' gold star. Deputy Fire Chief J. J. Salmon and Foreman 0. B. Elliott supplemented Mr Napier’s remarks. A resident of Dunedin had an enlightening experience a day or two ago as to the price of glass. Having decided to • build a small glass house he rang up a well-known firm of glaziers, and was told that glass could bo supplied at 52s 6d per 100 square feet The amateur ordered some 60ft by letter, and called for the glass, which was duly deposited in his car. Having a strong dislike to running accounts he asked for his bill, which ho expected to be about £l. Tho bill was duly . handed to him, and amounted to 38s. “How’s this,” exclaimed the buyer, “you quoted me 32s 6d for 100 ft.” “Quito right,” replied the shopman, “but that is by the case.. If you take less we charge for it by the pane." “Righto,” said the customer, “as you charge 38s for 60ft and only 32s 6d -for 100 ft, take out the partially filled case you have put in the car, and put in a whole case.” And so ho went home with 40 extra feet of glass and paid 5s 6d less than ho would have done on his original order. He is still pondering over the business proclivities of tho firm, and wonders what the profit must be when glass is sold by the pane. As the result of being run into yesterday morning by a shunting train, a cart, tho property of Mr M. Stevenson is almost a complete wreck - . Tho accident occurred at the Rattray street crossing. A train ot trucks was being pushed by an engine on the goods siding, when the leading truck struck tho cart. No one was injured. A Palmerston North Press Association telegram says that by the Manawatu County Council’s vote yesterday of £IOO a total in band for tho Wellington Provincial Court at the Now Zealand and South Seas Exhibition is now £3350. Tho following arc the returns of infectious disease oases dealt with at tho Dunedin and Fever Hospitals for tho week ending at noon on Monday Scarlet feverremaining, 4; diphtheria —admitted 4, discharged 4, remaining 23; erysipelas—admitted 2, discharged 1, remaining 1. Totals: Admitted, 6; discharged, 5; remaining. 15

Many citizens visited the new motor ship Port Dunedin on Monday evening, and again last evening, and everyone admired • he vessel's splendid appointments. A new innovation —a wireless direction finder, conspicuous by half a dozen white poles with wires attached, situated just abaft the funnel on the upper deck—proved a magnet for visitors. The ship’s cargo is being discharged in first-class order. A luncheon will be held on board to-day, which will be attended by the Mayor (Mr 11. _ L. Taplcy) and representatives of tho various shipping companies and business boasr*. At 3.30 p.m. to-day a function to celebrate the arrival of the Port Dunedin *nd l.ee inauguration of the now 1 ./t.drn -&.mh Island service will be hold in vhe Wentworth Tea-rooms, This function v. ill be attended by representatives of shipping companies and of several business hrwju

Naturally, when the announcement of the election of the Hon. J. G. Coates to the Prime Ministership of New Zealand reached London, there was a demand for his photograph from the press (writes our London correspondent on July 1). Whether the press print these photographs at once or not following an announcement of this description, they always require them for their “library,” where they are held available for use at a moment’s notice. The only photograph in London of the Prime Minister was an enlarged portrait in the New Zealand pavilion at the Wembley Exhibition. Fortunately, the High Commissioner’s Publicity Office had anticipated this demand, and had a number of copies struck off, from which a supply has been sent to the press.

A white parrot, the property of the captain of the new motor vessel Port Dunedin, is no respecter of persons. Nevertheless the bird is very talkative, and is very intelligent, if such an appellation can bo applied to a member of the feathered tribe. When the Mayor and other city folk entered the captain’s cabin after the Port Dunedin arrived on Monday afternoon, it was hard to say whether the parrot welcomed or resented the invasion. At any rate, while the Mayor was saying uis little piece, the parrot kept up a continual chatter. The words uttered by the biro were very distinct, and ’the Mayor later said something to the effect that ■ “even the blessed parrot had to join in the fun and make his voice heard.” The captain’s cabin was somewhat crowded with visitors, and the parrot, who evidently resented the fact that no notice had been taken 01 his chattering, gave vent to his feelings by nipping a piece from the lower garment of one of the visitors —a young man who was anxious to interview the captain. The youth was standing near the cage, and the bird came to grips in double quick time. The remarks made afterwards by the young man concerning parrots in general were not very complimentary. A story of how a number of students worked a “frame up” on a bookseller who has a reputation for driving a hard bargain in the purchase of second-hand books, is at present being told with great glee by those who played a part in the comedytragedy. One of the students interviewed the bookseller, and told him he wanted to sell a book. He was hard up and required the money. He wanted so much for the book. The bookseller pooh-poohed the idea of placing such a value on it. Lengthy argument, ensued, but neither would budge, and no sale followed. Remarkable to state, an hour or two later a man came into the ship, and wanted to purchase this particular book. The bookseller had to admit he did not have it in his shop. At intervals that afternoon, and again next morning anxious would-be purchasers called and asked for the book, of course without result. Then came the man who had wanted to sell the book. He had evidently forgotten about his desire to sell on the previous day, and wanted to purchase a book with a fictitious high sounding name which he knew the bookseller did not stock. The bookseller again had to admit that he, could not supply. His thoughts, however, were on the book winch he had declined to buy on the previous day. He now wanted to buy it. The student was not enthusiastic. This book, he had since learned, was being inquired for by several students, and he intended to keep it till he got its full worth. Intense bargaining ensued, and at long last the sale was effected; the book, strangely enough, was produced, and a substantial sum passed into the hands of the joyful student. But there have been no further inquiries for the muchprized and much-sought-after book. It is still on the shelves of the bookseller. It is, in fact, a “dud” book.

lx is stated in the Morning Post (says our London correspondent) that Rudyard Kipling, in conversation with a New Zealander, recently confessed that ho had eaten, or had helped to eat, a kiwi when he visited that overseas dominion “down under.” The kiwi is the wingless, longbilled New Zealand bird which is supposed to be a diminutive cousin of the extinct rnoa. Its flesh resembles a combination of string, cement, and oil, and the fact that Mr Kipling survived the meal is a tribute to his digestive powers.

The postal authorities advise that the R.M.S. Makura, which arrived at Wellington on Sunday night from San Francisco, brought the following mails for Dunedin: — London 83 bags, Marino Post Office 19 bags, San Francisco 21 bags and do hampers. The letter portion came to hand yesterday afternoon, and the contents will he delivered 1 in the city, and suburbs this morning. The balance of the mail is expected to arrive to-night or to-morrow morning. The Maunganui, which arrived at Wellington early on Monday morning from Sydney, brought 114 bags of United Kingdom and Australian mails, also 10 parcel receptacles, for Dunedin. The greater portion came to nand yesterday afternoon, and the remainder is expected to arrive to-night. In connection with the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, arrangements have been made to hold the first New Zealand Salon of Photography. The Arts Section has built a special gallery to house the exhibits, which will be displayed on a buft background and under glass. Some 2000 invitations to contribute photographs have been sent out, and there is scarcely a pictoralisc of repute in the whole globe who has not been asked to send in specimens of his work. The English photographic papers have given prominent notices of the salon. Special awards will be given to Australian and New Zealand exhibitors sending in the best four prints. It is confidently expected that there will bo collected one of the finest selections ot pictorial photographs ever exhibited south of the line.

At the quarterly criminal sitting of the Supreme Court yesterday, two applications for exemption from service on the common jury were granted by his Honor Mr Justice Sim.

At' the meeting of the American Fleet Week Committee yesterday afternoon, a cablegram was received from the Com-mander-in-Chief, Melbourne, through the Minister of Internal Affairs, as follows: “Will play several games of baseball if the weather permits, but regret that there will be no lacrosse or football. Boxing will be held, but no wrestling.” At Stirling on Thursday night the Gov--ernment grader (Mr A. 0. Boss) was explaining the value of herd-testing: “In France and Scotland dairy cows were often bought and sold purely on their butterfat record,” he said. “He knew of a cow being sold in Scotland for £SOO on her butter-fat record alone.” At this stage a member of the audience interjected: “Bet it wasn’t in Aberdeen.”

An agent of the Hotel Workers' and Boarding-house Employees’ Union was in Balclutha last week endeavouring to form a branch of the union. Ib is understood that the emissary did not meet with much success.

At the meeting of the American Fleet Week Committee yesterday afternoon a telegram was received from Mil J. Hislop, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, slating that Admiral Morwell, of the tender Melville, was afraid that the destroyers would not reach Dunedin before daylight on Tuesday, August 11. Ho had been advised, however, that the movements of the ships’ would bo notified by wireless as well as their time of arrival early enough for the local committee to make arrangements for the reception. Mr Hislop had been fi rlhcr advised that Admiral Morwell would be glad to comply with the arrangements made with regard to official calls. Mr Hislop asked the committee to advise the chairman of the Harbour Board and the officer commanding the military district.

The exterior of St. Andrew’s Church having been recently painted and renovated. (he work of renovating the interior has now been put in hand. With a view to raising the necessary funds, a varied and attractive bazaar is being held in the Waddell Hall, Carroll street, this afternoon and evening.

30 years’ experience. That’s your guarantee that Williamsons (next the Bristol Cod are expert ringmakers and diamond setters.-—Ad vt. Woods - Groat Peppermint Cure, tor Coughs and Colds, never fails.—Advt. A. E- J- Blakelay and W. E. Baglay, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859. —Advt. Save Your Eyes.—Consult Peter O. Dick, D.8.0.A., F. 1.0., London, consulting and oculists’ optician.' —“Peter Dick,” Jewellers and optometrists, Moray place, Dunedin.— Advt.