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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19906, 28 September 1926, Page 8

A large quantity of oversea mail matter will reach Dunedin this week. The Maheno. which is due at Wellington to-day from Sydney, is bringing 47 bags (including o« bags from beyond Australia) and 21 hampers for Dunedin. This mail should come to hand to-morrow evening. The Marama, due at Auckland to-day from Sydney, has four bags and one hamper containing Australian mail matter for Dunedin. The mail in expected to arrive on Thursday' afternoon. The Tahiti, which arrived at Wei lington yesterday from San Francisco, brought a large English, Continental, and American mail for New Zealand. The local portion is expected to come to hand this afternoon, and the contents will be delivered in the city and suburbs to-morrow morning. The total number of unemployed registered at the Town Hall was increased by one yesterday. Two now applicants ■Were enrolled, and one man was placed in private employment Some people are luckier than others, and a man who motored along Cumberland street the other evening must be counted among the lucky ones. As most people know a big main sewer is'being laid at a great depth in Hanover street just now, and work is going on at the intersection of Castle street All traffic is blocked there with the exception of tram traffic, the rails c or which are temporarily supported over a yawning chasm. The motorist in question, keeping straight on the tram rails, drove gaily past all the big warning notices, past the red lights at the street intersection, and across the excavation. When he was : ust across he suddenly saw what he had done, and realised what would have happened had the car for a moment left the rails; and it is said that he was so unnerved by the shock that he is now taking a little spell from motor driving. Other motorists will be well advised not to emulate his feat. As evidence that tuis are not now as scarce is was generally believed, a resident of Leith Valley states that for the last four or five days a flock of upwards of 18 tuis has been inhabiting a large kowhai tree on his property, adjoining the main road. These birds are to be seen all day long busily extracting the nectar from the flowers of the kowhai, and are not at all timid when anyone approaches them. To flash through his disordered brain a picture of “pink peacocks playing cornets” was the grim jest played by John Barleycorn on one of his servants who appeared before Mr H. W. Bundle. S.M., at the Police Court yesterday charged with drunkenness. The Senior Sergeant said that this unfortunate had come to the police station with the complaint that his fellowlodgers in the boarding house where he was staying had been pulling down the fireplace and throwing the bricks at him. and when he was removed to the cell the peacocks had appeared. On the Senior Sergeant’s suggestion the accused was remanded for a week for medical attention.

Yesterday was the nineteenth anniversary of New Zealand’s attainment of the status of a dominion. Flags were flown on some of the public buildings, and a holiday was observed by the banks and the Stock Exchange. In the case of a young stowaway on the Matakana from Liverpool, who appeared before the court at Auckland (says the Star), the Senior Sergeant stressed the point that a number of men were stowing away on vessels from Home and unless given some form of punishment others would be induced to come to the Dominion in like manner. The trouble was that stowaways were never medically examined before departure or on arrival. Accused, David Sloan, was convicted and remanded for sentence. He told the magistrate that he could not got work in England and he tramped from London to Liverpool before going aboard the Matakana. The master of the steamer stated that his conduct had been exemplary.

Official information has been received bj the Government that his Majesty the King has issued a warrant enabling a special badge to be worn in future by Knights Bachelor. On appropriate occasions the badge, which measures about three inches by two inches, may be worn upon the left side of the coat or outer garment, The badge is described thus: “Upon an oval medallion of vermilion, enclosed by a scroll, a cross-hilted sword belted and sheathed, pommel upwards, between two spurs, the whole set about with the swordbelt, all vilt.” A taxi-driver named W. T. Waldren had a miraculous escape from serious injury early yesterday evening, wh*« his car ran into the fence on tile lower rood to Port Chalmers, a short distance past the Exhibition, and fell over the bank on to the railway line below. Ho escaped with only a few minor cuts and abrasions. It is understood that the mishap was due to a defective steering gear.

In welcoming their Excellencies the Governor-General and Lady Alice Ferguason to Blenheim, Mr A. M. W. Adams, the chairman of the Marlborough County Council, said the occasion reminded him of the fact that in 1860 his grandfather had had the honour of welcoming and entertaining Governor Gore-Brown and his party (states the Blenheim correspondent of the,' Lyttelton Times). The Governor was visiting Marlborough, in connection with the separation of the province from Nelson. “In those days,” said Mr Adams, “things were rather primitive. The Governor notified my grandfather of his intended visit, and naturally my people desired to have things as nice as possible, but their household staff consisted of only a married couple and a little maid, and needless to say the staff was rather disturbing at having to cate r for vice-royalty. In the long run the Governor was accommodated in the only spare bedroom and his staff had to sleep in a haystack under a tarpaulin. However, I believe they enjoyed themselves.”— (Laughter.) Mr Adams added that die maid to whom he referred was now a grandmother, and a grandson of the ploughman who had had to act as butler was still working at Longledale.—(Applause.)

At the engineers’ dispute, which was heard before the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr W. H. Hagger, at Christchurch on Friday, Mr T. 0. Bishop, the agent of the employers, laid great stress upon the value of piecework both to the employer and the employee (states the Lyttelton Times). “A full indulgence in piecework,” said Mr Bishop, “would enable us to keep pace with America, our greatest rival. Over there the system is based upon payment by result, and that result has proved very beneficial to both sides. In this country and in England, the employers have abused the piecework system for 200 years, and, now that we are out to put things to rights, the employees are naturally shy about taking it on.” In illustration, Mr Bishop supplied the following figures, taken from the paysheet of a large manufacturing concern in New Zealand. One man d'd hoars’ work of) time rates, and earned £2B 3s lid. He was then put on to piecework, doing 1876 hours’ work and earning £291 16s Id, making his year’s he had remained on time rates, his earnings would have amounted to £221 13s, which represented a loss of £9B 7s for the year. The second man worked the same hours_ on the same conditions, his earnings for time work being £23 6s 4d and for pieework £240 17s 3d; total £264 3s 7d. Had he remained on time rates, ha would have earned only £lB3 7s Id. losing £BO 16s 6d.

Some reference was made by tde president of the Otago Acclimatisation Society (Mr C. P. Butterworth) last evening in regard to the introduction of the beaver, and to certain uncomplimentary remarks made by Dr Benham. Mr Butterworth mentioned that the proposition had originally been made by Captain Ellis, head of the Forestry Department, and Mr L. O. Tripp had brought the matter before the acclimatisation societies. Mr Butterworth emphasised the splendid work done by Mr Tripp in connection with acclimatisation work, and moved that the Otago Society place on record its appreciation of the invaluable services rendered by Mr Tripp during the 25 years he had been associated with acclimatisation matters. The mover of the motion mentioned that the introduction.of the, beaver- had. been opposed. The motion was carried amidst applause.

According to a report from Mr F. W. Pellett, which was presented at last night’s meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, an unusual visitor recently prut in an appearance at Clydevale. Mr Pellett said that Mr Powell, of Clydevale, rung him up and stated that an albatross had alighted on the road near his house. The bird must have been driven inland by rough weather, he thought. The Rev. J. J. North agrees with_ the conclusion of the Rev. Dr Ranston in a recent speech that there are many hopeful signs in modern life, the growth of numanitarianism, for example, and considers that the outlook for religion is distinctly good (states the New Zealand Herald). “I should say that, between the gloomy Dean in England and the optimistic professor of theology in New Zealand, those who try to diagnose this age and its morals have need to walk warily. For unrelieved pessimism I have nothing but hate. The pessimist in the last analysis is always an athiest. With the rollicking optimist I find myself out of sympathy. A very good working philosophy of life is ‘ameliorism.’ On the whole the relationship between the sexes is more wholesome than ever before. The new intimacy between boys and girls, especially in outdoor exercises, is all for good. The most pathetic thing in life is simply this: We accept from Christianity the idea that life is of a great value and insist on educating everybody, but most people cannot make out what life is for. Somebody has said it is like trying to play football with the goalposts pulled up and half a dozen referees blowing whistles all the time. Vision of purpose is what the world needs. When i = comes to the last ditch we find ourselves standing before the Man' of Nazareth.”

Soma comparisons, in general respects, between the people of New Zealand and those of the United States of America, are made by a New Zealand resident in Madison. Wisconsin, in a letter to a friend in Wellington (states the Post). “From the point of view of respect for the law and respect for authority, education in general, the attitude of youth to its elders, ana other things which as Britishers we cherish, give me ‘Noo Zeeland,’ as the Yank says,’ he comments. “Wisconsin is the principal dairying State of the Union, but here again we can give them points in most respects. We are better organised, and turn out better products more cheaply than is the case here. In New Zealand farming, cooperation plays an important part; here there is practically none. The farmer works harder and longer hours here, but he does not seem to get anywhere. He takes no time off for sport. Sport in this country, as we know it, does not exist. A tew fans play baseball and a few golf. Lawn tennis is more general in the cities. But I think the character of the American lacks something because he does not as a nation indulge in sport.”

The Foresters’ bazaar at Green Island was brought to a successful conclusion on Friday night, when over £llO was taken for the evening. It is expected that the total amount that will result from the effort will be in the vicinity of £2OO. Latest in wireless crystals. Have you tried Neutron, the latest marvel; price Is 6d, with silver cat whisker. —Barth Electrical Supplies (Ltd.), 90 Princes street (opp. National Bank). —Advt. Rubber Sponges.—Just secured a lovelyconsignment of Rubbe• Sponges, post free 2s 6d each. —H. L. Sprosen (Ltd.), chemist. Octagon, the cash chemists.— Advt.

Eyes are precious. At first sign ot weakness go to the qualified and experienced (20 years) optometrist, W V. Sturmer, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., Octagon. Dunedin. Most up-to-date equipment, including test electrically-lit testing charts installed. —Advt

A. E J Blakeley and W, E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office) Telcphom IS.fO Advt Make no mistake. For honest value in jewellery, watches, and optical goods, “ Peter Dick,” the most reliable watchmakers, jewellers, and optometrists, 490 Moray place (opp City Hotel).—Advt.