Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19799, 26 May 1926, Page 8

The battle of what buildings are to remain on Logan Park, if any at all, appears to be now reaching a conclusion. It will be remembered that the City Council failed to come to a decision whether it should make an offer for the purchase, on behalf of the city, of the Art Gallery and Festival Hall, and the council “has still failed to move definitely one way or the other, although it is well known that the large majority of the councillors are opposed to any such purchase. The representatives of the sports’ bodies were expected to give a lead to the City Council, and after holding two meetings—one with representatives of the City Council ana one on their own accord— they are still hostile to the purchase of either the Art Gallery or the Festival flail. That is the position as regards (he City Council, and the sports’ bodies. A new phase of the situation has now to be recorded. The belated discovery has been made that the Art Gallery is located on the 20 acres of the park already allocated to the University Council, and it understood that the University Council will have no objection to it remaining there. That being so the sports’ bodies consider that the purchase or non-purchase of the Art Gallery is now no concern of theirs—that it is the business of the University Council to carry on any further negotiations It is also understood that the University Council does not now desire to retain its full 20 acres, and that it is prepared to hand over some of the area allotted to it to the ordinary park area. Summing up the position, it is now fairly well assured that the Art Gallery will remain where it is, and that the Festival Hall will be pulled down. There is only one thing not vet clear, and that is whether the Art Gallery is to be used for its original purpose or' is to be turned into s dressing shed. Probably it will remain as an Art Gallcrv.

Nineteen bags of English, Canadian, American, and Island letters, ex the Aorangi at Auckland, will reach Dunedin this evening. The contents will be delivered in the city and suburbs to-morrow morning. The remainder of the Aorangi s mail, consisting of newspapers and parcels, should come to hand to-morrow. The steamer Manuka, which is due at Wellington this evening from Melbourne, is carrying eight bags and eight hampers of Australian mail matter for Dunedin. This mail is expected to arrive here on Friday evening. '

There was great excitement, in the Otago Daily Times office at the luncheon hour yesterday. Overnight a large rat had found its wav into a petrol tin, and as it could not climb the slippery tin walls it was there yesterday morning. The human instinct to watch a rat hunt is net dead, and an inquiry was hurriedly made round the office to ascertain if anybody owned a rat-catching foxy. The inquiry proved successful, and the dog was to be brought to the office at the lunch hour. The arrival of the owner with his dog proved quite an event, and the operations were watched with the keenest interest hy 20 or 30 employees. One of the more venturesome got a piece of sacking, and the covered fin was carefully carried to a ‘ where both dog and rat would have fair play with no beg pardons. “One minute.” called an excited bystander. “Wait till I get the Witness photographer.” However, the position was so tense that the photographer could not be waited for. “All sot?" cried the owner, as his dog jumped expectantly around. “Lift off th-> cover." The volunteer who took on this task had a peep under the cover first, and he then exclaimed in deep disappointment that the rat was dead. It was dead all right, and it was ultimately discovered that the mischievous small bov was again to blame. He had lifted the fin over to a nearby gas jet, carried a bit of tubing into the rat s prison, turned on the gas, and had quite successfully anticipated the execution by the foxy. His name will he execrated for a day or two, and if the dog bites him he will have only himself to blame.

Sitting in Chambers yesterday, his Honor Mr Justice l Sim granted the following probates :—Daniel Black Waters (Mr H. Brasch): Isabella Finch, Tokomniriro (Mr S C. Marshall); Patrick Rodden (Mr A. 0. Neill); Margaret Thomson. Pukeuri fMi A. O Creagh): Margaret Jane Love, Breen Island iMr J Wilkinson); William Souter. Waikouaiti (Mr W. C. -\rkle); Christopher Anderson. Ci 1 to— (Mr A. Duncan) ; William Alexander Clieeney, Mosgiel (Mr D. Ramsay); John Doogue, Bryclone (Mr A. G. Neill).

Workmen at Logan Park are at present be sy altering the interior of the spacious motor pavilion in preparation for the Winter Show. Many of the trade stalls have already been erected at the western end of the building, and a casual inspection shows that the many lessons in advertising rind display taught by the Exhibition have been carefully noted by the exhibitors at the forthcoming show. One or two of the stalls from the Exhibition are to be utilised Sete- ii motor exhibitors who intend showing in the Winter Show have kept their stands intact, and the various vehicle* remain at Logan Park awaiting reorganised display.

Tlie Very Rev. John Walker, of Ballarat, who has come to Dunedin to take part in the jubilee celebrations of the Presbyterian Theological College has an association with Dunedin in its early days that fairly entitles him to rank as one of the early settlers. He first came to to Dunedin with his father. Mr David Walker, as far back a* ISSS. and at that time his father acquired some valuable sections in Dunedin and also in Inverc’argill. Mr Walker spent an interesting hour at the Early Settlers’ Hall yesterday, and joined as a member of the Early Settlers’ Association.

Notwithstanding the many counterattractions which are always a feature of Winter Show Week, this year’s Fanciers’ Club Show bids fair to be as successful as' any of its predecessors. The secretary reports that entries are particularly heavy, especially in the poultry section, and although the final figures were not available yesterday, there is a certainty of between 300 and 400 exhibitors coming forward. The outstanding feature of_ the show will be the canary section, and judging hy the entries which have been received, the competition in this da's should be the keenest which has ever been displayed since the inception of tbs show. Pigeons are well represented, especially in the Homer classes, and it is rumoured that some very fine birds will be shown. Entries in the cat, children’s pet, and dog sections are also heavy, and in the lastnamed class especially, cocker spaniels will be predominant.

Under a new scheme, the Labour Department co-operater with the Returned Soldieis’ Association in finding work for economic pensioners. In Otago alone, there are over 100 such pensioners, who, whilst they can do light manual labour, are unable to cope with heavy work. Mr J. M White, secretary of the Returned Sold ers’ Association, states that he ha* a list of about 20 returned men seeking employment, most of whom are unable to undertake any description of manual work.

One reason for the dearth of candidates for the ministry touched on by the Rev. John Walker, of Ballarat, in the course of his address in First Church last evening, was the poor salaries usually given. Not that the men were mercenary, he said, but they hoped to marry some good woman, and they did not want to have her heart eaten out with poverty. That was quite reasonable. That was something for the church to think about. Many of our university-trained’ men were receiving far less than wharf labourers and miners. “This is inhuman and unchristian,” said Mr Walker, “and very often it is the result of thoughtlessness on the part of the Deacons’ Court or the members of the church.” )

That a red rose is every other colour hut red is one of the principles of light wjiich were expounded to a meeting of the astronomical branch of the Otago Institute last night by Mr George Hoffman, the chairman of the branch. “It sounds paradoxical,” said Mr Hoffman, who was speaking on “The Condition of Things Which We Call Light,” “but a rose is only red because it refuses to have anything to do with that colour in the spectrum, but sends ’ back. The colour of an object is the colour of the light it sends back.” The speaker referred to the different theories as to what constituted light. The idea that li'-ht was the throwing out of particles from a luminous body seemed to have held the stage up till the seventeenth century. The theory that ;t was not an emission but a wave or radiation, was than put forward. Later, however, Newton disputed that in favour of the old theory that it was an emission. A great number of the phenomena associated with light were well explained by Newton's idea, but the idea did not explain everything. In the eighteenth century Thomas Young, a thorough investigator, expounded his view-, which were opposed to those of Newton, and which showed that light was after all a wave or an undulation in a medium. Dr Jack supplemented Mr Hoffman’s remarks, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the speaker.

A man, not altogether unknown in Dunedin journalistic circles, whilst on a motoring trip to Christchurch recently, had an experience which will warn him in future to dress more in keeping, with his position. Having received an imitation to go far a day’s shooting, he set off on foot, dressed in his oldest and most decayed garments and a pair of boots which had seen better days, to the appointed rendezvous, which was a well-known hotel in the Cathedral City. Not quite certain of his hearings, the journalist, meeting a welldressed citizen, inquired the way to the hostelry. He was somewhat taken aback when the latter gave him the required

direction, and. evidently judging the man by his clothes, added: “They - !! give you a good big beer there too.” The Pensions Appeal Board will commence .its Dunedin srssAn on June 2, when the chairman of the board (Sir John Hosking) will preside. The local representatives are Dr Cannalt Jones (Government representative) and Dr 35. J. O’Neill, who will represent the Returned Soldiers’ Association.

Spawning £isk have already put in appearance at the mouth ef the Water of Leith, and a good many of them have made their way some distance up the stream in the direction of the spawning beds. Such an early run promises well for a good spawning season.

At the Lawrence Magistrate's Court yesterdav the following persons were convicted and fined for exposing lice-infected sheep for sale:—E. Skinner (Waitahuna), £l, and costs (13s); R. Hunter (Tuapeka West), 10s. and costs (7s): G. Scott (Puketi), ss, and costs (£1). Inspector Kitto appeared for the department.

As a local citizen was passing over Victoria bridge (reports our Hawera correspondent) he was accosted by a yoang man as follows: “Here you are, Id chap. I don't want it, I an- tired of life.” The “it” he referred to was a bank book, and his objective was evidently the Pate a River, 60ft below. The pedestrian grappled ’ with the young man. who had mounted the parapet, and forcibly pulled him back. The citizen then persuaded the man to accompany him up the street, leaving him for a few minutes at the corner of Fenton street while he communicated with the police. When he returned the man had disappeared, and the police are still searching for him.

At the function held when the electric light was turned on at Lovell's Flat on Friday night, Mr Jasper Clark, the former chairman of the Otago Power Board, who was defeated at the recent election, spoke as follows regarding the formation of the hoard: —“I was approached on several occasions by deputations who pressed me very hard to let the proposal to form an Electric Power Board drop, and 'n every occasion I refused, because I was determined that the country should be reticulated, and the majority of the ratepayer* being favourable, only the undertaker i id have stopped me.* Nevertheless I am quite satisfied that had I dropped out at that juncture the country districts would not have been reticulated for many years. A few influential men who were not satisfied with this went secretly to Wellington, and brought pressure to bear on the late Mr Massey with a view to delaying and blocking the whole business. This necessitated a trip tc put our side of he story before the Prime Minister, with the result that he decided to is=ue a license and allow us to proceed. The express from the north wg« about 37 minutes late in reaching Dun lin yesterday afternoon, not arriving here till about 4.55. The train, which was a heavy one. was delayed at Selwvn, where a carriage. in which a vaudeville company was travelling, developed a hot box. This carriage had to be taken off the train, but it was replaced by another at Ashburton. The train left for Invercargill about 5.15 p.m.

The following are the returns of infectious disease cases at .'.e Dunedin and Fever Hospitals for the week end at noon on Monday:—Scarlet fever —admitted 4, discharged 2, remaining 4: diphtheria—admitted 1, discharged 6, remaining 10; erysipelas—remaining 1; typhoid fever — discharged 1, remaining 0. Total cases admitted 5, discharged 9, remaining 17. One local wireless amateur at east did not share the general disappointment of those who listened-in on Saturday for the broadcasting of the Toti Dal Monte concert in Melbourne. About 10.45 p.m. Mr D. E. Booth, of George street, heard what was evidently the second half of the programme, Toti Dal Monte singing four numbers. Her. voice came through clearly and strongly. Two of the items were “Carnivjl de Venice" and “By the Maters of Minnetonka.”

Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., presided over a short sitting of the City Police Court yesterday ■ morning, and co.ivicted end discharged one first offender, -'barged with drunkenness. Frederick Newman was charged with having, on May 24, at Dunedin, been absent without leave from the Canadian Government steamer Canadian Explorer, of which he was a fireman Defendant said he knew nothing about it, ■when called upon to plead, bu Senior Sergeant Quartermain explained that what Newman meant was that he ha-’ net been wilfully absent. Mr A. C. Stephens appeared for the ship’s agents (Messrs H. L. Tapley and Co.). James Henry Duncan, manager of the company, aid defendant had no right to be ashore at all. The ship had sailed at 4.30 on Monday afternoon, for Wellington and Auckland. Defeniiat was also a restricted immigrant, and be (witness) desired to have him sent to Wellington in custody. Defendant was convicted, and sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment, and was also ordered to be placed on board the vessel.

Messrs Wood and M‘Cormack, of Dunedin, are the successful contractors for the new Public Trust offices, Dunedin. Mr C. W. Wood, of Christchurch, has drawn the plans, and Messrs Mandono and Fraser are to supervise the erection. The following tenders (for Sydney sandstone exterior) were received: —Wood and M’Cormack, £53,258: Love Bros., £53,654; W. H. Naylor, £54,771; W. M’Lellan, £55,668; R. Crawford and Co., £57,099: J. and W. Jamieson (Christchurch), £60,145; P. Graham and Son (Christchurch), £50.830; Ross, King, and Mullinger, £65,797; James M’Gill and Sons, £67,000; Orr Campbell. £72,647. A further contingent of new settlers reached Wellington yesterday morning by the steamer Ruapehu, from Southampton. The South Island quota crossed Cook Strait last night, and those booked for Otago and Southland are expected to reach Dunedin this evening by the express from Christchurch.

‘‘Mine is a very dry job,” said the Hon. F. J. Rolleston, Minister of Defence, when approached by a Christchurch Press reporter on the railway station on Saturday night. “I’m afraid I have very little to tell the ne.vspapers as a rule. Mine is not like the job of the Minister of Health, for instance, who can always find something to talk about.” Mr Rolleston mentioned that it was said that those who spoke least had most time to think. “A Wellington newspaper,” he said, “commented on this saying with the remark that some member of the Cabinet must be very deep thinkers indeed. They included me in that category.” One of the members of the deputation which waited on the Wellington City Council on Thursday last in regard to the unemployment situation said he had been told that applicants at the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board’s offices would be previded with one meal per day, and added that he was not aware whether that was the usual policy of the hospital authorities in such circumstances. The chairman of te Social Welfare Committee (Mr George Petherick) says that this statement is somewhat misleading, and points out that all cases are dealt with on their merits. In some cases a meal per day is found to suffice, but the assistance given varies according to the circumstances.

Considerable dissatisfaction has been expressed by motorists at the decision of the Ashburton County Council to close the Rangitata bridge against traffic during the hours of 8 till noon and 1 till 5 p.m., while extensive repairs to the decking of the bridge are carried out (says the Lyttelton Times). It is contended that the closing of the bridge could be avoided without in any way impeding the progress of the repairs The Geraldine County Council is taking action in the matter as the closing of the bridge is causing considerable inconvenience to ratepayers in the county.

It is estimated that there are still approximately 40,000 cases of apples available for export from the Nelson district, and growers are endeavouring to secure additional shipping space (reports the Mail). It is felt that the exporting of 4U.000 cases will be a great relief to the local markets, which are likely to be heavily supplied, with correspondingly low prices. The Exporters’ Association was communicated with on Monday by Motueka growers, who stated that there were 20.000 to 25,000 cases there for export, and asked that this association co-operate in an effort to secure further shipping space. The fact that the steamer Devon is going to Nelson this w-ek may furnish an opportunity for getting more apples away. “The great need on the part of the Church of England is the need of more advertising," said Archbishop Averill at the meeting of the board of the Papatoetoe Orphans’ Home last week (reports the New Zealand Herald). “We are far too modest in acquainting the public with our accomplishments,” said the Archbishop. He could assure the press that the photographs which appeared from time to time illustrating the work of the Church were much appreciated by the publi-. He thought that were the social service department of the church to prepare photographs as part of its propaganda equipment the public would become better acquainted with its activities, and at the same time realise more fully its own responsibilities ’ ■ the matter of rapport.

“No one can accuse Mr F. K. Hunt, P.M., of excessive severity when he threatens careless and reckless motorists with cancellation of their licenses for « third offence 'says the Wellington Post). “The driver who offends three times within a reasonable period has certainly proved himself a menace to other users of the road. In their interests he must he removed. The law requires proof of fitness before a driving license is issued, and there is every justification for withdrawing that license when the holder shows that he is unfit. Traffic, especially in the cities, is now too heavy to allow juggernauts to be abroad. Three offences is more than the careful motorist w'll need, jnd we are inclined to the view three mav be more than enough to nrove the recklessness of some drivers. We do not wish to create a variation of the ‘one dog, one bite’ precedent in our law; ‘One motorist, three accidents.’ ”

Citizens are reminded of the “Fourth Annual Circus” which takes place this week —to-morrow and Saturday evenings •—ia the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium,.by some 250 members of the various classes. An interesting and attractive programme has been arranged, and patrons are assured of a good night’s fun. Euchre will be played to night in the South Dunedin Town Hall. On Saturday a special train, stopping at specified stations, will leave Dunedin at 7.35 a.m arriving in Oaniaru at 10.50 a.m. to connect with the train to the Oamaru racecourse. The return train will leave Oamaru at 5.35 p.m Buy an Alarm from the people who know clocks and a sure satisfaction. —Williamsons (next the Bristol). —Advt. Eyes are precious At first sign of weakness uo to the qualified and experienced (20 rears) optometrist, W V Stnrmer. D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., Octagon, Dunedin. Most up-to-date equipment, including test eleetrically-lit testing charts installed.—Advt. A. E J Blakeley and W R Bagley, dentists. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (nest Telegraph Office) Telephone 1860 —Advt. Make no mistake. For honest value in jewellery, watches, and optical goods. “Pete* Dick.” the most reliable watch makers, jewellers, and optometrists. 490 Moray place (opp. City Hotel).—Advt.