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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19977, 20 December 1926, Page 10

The correspondence opened by the secn;tary of the Otago Hospital Board on Saturday morning included a letter in the following terms—viz.: “Find enclosed £2O as a Christmas gift to the Hospital funds. From Anon.” Accompanying the letter were two £lO notes. Needless to say the receipt of a letter so laconic in its terms and so valuable in its contents was highly appreciated.

Fourteen bankruptcies were notified in last week’s issue of the New Zealand Gazette. Eleven of the number were in the North Island.

With regard to the recent compaint made by the Otago Shippers and Importers’ Association regarding the delay in the arrival of the steamer Whangape' at Lyttelton from Sydney, the Union Company states that this was due to the recent overtime strike at Sydney and Newcastle. The strike caused a stoppage of work by the cranedrivers, and consequently there was a congestion of shipping. The Whangape was in readiness to leave Sydney about December 2 for South Island ports, or 16 days after the departure of the Karetu. The delay of the Whangape until December 10 was entirely beyond the control of the Union Company. It is, however, stated that the cargo carried by the_ Whangape will be discharged at Dunedin in time for the Christmas market. Local merchants should not be perturbed, as the Karetu will be despatched from Sydney about to-morrow for Bluff, Dunedin, Lyttelton, and Timaru. The Whangape, which is expected at Dunedin /to-morrow, will return to Sydney before the end °j the year, to load, and will be despatched from the New South Wales early in January for Lyttelton and Dunedin, The delay to the Whangape at Sydney early this month was mentioned on two occasions in press telegrams from Sydney. Although they will contribute personally to the Dobson Mine disaster fund, the members of the Waimairi Council decided on Friday evening (reports our special correspondent in Auckland) that a council grant must be refused on principle. We must put a stop to this continual appeal for relief,” said Mr H., Kitson, “but to show that I am not mean I will open a Dobson list among the members of the council. It was agreed that, as the miners who lost their lives were insured, the matter of further relief for their dependents was one for the Government to consider.

Despite their efforts the police have been unable to run to earth Samuel Arthur Pudney, an habitual criminal who escaped from Mount Eden Gaol on the evening- of Sunday, December 5 (reports our special correspondent in Auckland). Pudney has been at liberty, therefore, for just two weeks.

The ponderous machinery of the law was set in motion in order (reports our special correspondent in Auckland) that a small boy could be charged in the Children’s Court to-day with stealing twopence. The boy was caught taking the money from a bather’s clothing at the a trivial matter, said the police sergeant, but a great deal of this type of theft was going on;

The illustrated sections of the Otago Witness, to be published to-morrow, is augmented with four extra pages, which are so bright and artistic in subject matter that they express to a nicety the joviality and lightheartedness of the spirit of Christmas. Young people in all sorts _pf guises are seen in holiday mood, while kittens and birds and similar pets strike original poses. For artistic value the two pages of views of the rugged beauty of Doubtful Sound and front page showing the turn of the track in the Rhododendron Dell, Botanic Gardens, Dunedin, dappled in sunlight will be hard to better. Pictures of news value cover a wide and diverse range. The Girl Guides display at Tahuna Park, Dun edin, some prize beasts at Wyndham Show, the motor cycle hill-climbing contests Wellington, the Wellington Trotting Club’s summer meeting, the Royal wedding at Stockholm, the Sanders Cup trials in Auckland, and subjects of a like nature all being represented. With regard to unusual photographs, mention must be made of those which show the four-masted 1 barque Souvenir in the grip of. a storm. _ The flying rigging and broken spars give one a realistic picture of what the late Joseph Conrad may have had in mind when he wrote his masterpiece, “Typhoon.” The illustrations which make up the other pages are of an equally artistic and interesting nature, and the literary pages are largely devoted to articles and stories appropriate to the season.

Mr Justice Sim, sitting in Chambers in tho Supreme Court on Saturday, granted probate in connection with the following estates :—William Quin, Tapanui (Mr W. B. Naylor); Julia Fitzgibbon, Hampden (Mr E J. Smith); Magnus George Tait, Waiwera South (Mr John Wilkinson); Bessie Ann Sutherland 1 , Clinton (Mr E. J. Smith); George Hodgkins, Naseby (Mr J. I. Fraser); Judith Croft, Alma (Mr L. H. Sumpter); Thomas Cairns, Oamaru (Mr H. J. S. Grater); James George Walter Scott, Dunedin (Mr F. B. Adams); Elizabeth Benzie, Ahuriri Flat (Mr H. E. Alloo); Marion Mitchell, North-East Valley (Mr H. Webb); George Hutton, Dunedin (Mr F. B. Adams): and Alexander Black, Dunedin (Mr Collier).

During the hearing of an assault case at Invercargill on Thursday, counsel for the plaintiff, Mr Gordon Reed, learnt quite a lot about alcohol and its effect on the human body (remarks the Times). In crossexamining a witness he expressed incredulity that a man whom ho had seen sober at 8.25 could be drunk at 9. “That's quite easy,” declared witness. “I’ve got drunk—and properly drunk—in 10 minutes.” In questioning another witness Mr Reed asked, “Don’t you drink, then?” This caused the circus band great indignation, for he declared that he was a man and could take a drink with anyone. Mr Reed became equally indignant at the idea that the definition of a man was one who could take a drink. “For your benefit I would like to inform you that we do not all f drink,” declared counsel. The new trial of the claim by James Lang, draper, against the New Zealand Insurance Company for £750 in respect of insurance on the stock-in-trade destroyed by a fire, after a three days’ hearing, ended in e verdict by the jury in favour of the defendant company (reports a Wellington Press Association message).

A congratulatory message from the Post-master-general of Canada on the occasion of the duplication of the Pacific cable was replied to by the Hon. Downie Stewart, who hopes the effect will be still further to develop the good relations that have always existed between Canada and New Zealand.

A man who is “wanted” in Dunedin in connection with a charge of false pretences has been arrested in Adelaide. A member of the local police force will leave this week to escort him back to Dunedin.

The fact that many deserving primary school pupils are debarred by lack of financial means from entering secondary schools was referred to by the head mistress of the Auckland Girls’ Grammar .School, Miss E. M. Johnston, at the prize-giving ceremony on Wednesday (states the Star). She also remarked that, of those who did enter the secondary schools, too many left before the end of their second year, and sometimes before the end of their first year, to follow ‘blind alley” occupations. Miss Johnston added: “We are told that the country is spending as much on education as it can afford, but one wonders that the institution of a loan fund for deserving secondary school pupils and university students has not commended itself to Treasury and Education Department as a possible solution of the problem. From such a fund pupils and students plight, under proper guarantees, borrow such sums as would enable them to continue their education until they were fitted to follow a useful profession of occupation. This would help considerably to prevent a wastage that there is bound to be when pupils are forced, as too many of them are, under the present conditions into uncongenial or unsuitable occupations.”

■An Auckland wireless enthusiast was rather surprised the other night when examining his set to find that he himself was a sort of animated aerial (reports the Star). He had disconnected his aerial in order to make some readjustments with a condenser, and accidentally picked up a t short length of wire he has attached to the terminal where he connects up with the aerial. No sooner had he touched the wire than the set began to function. The reception was not quite so good as when the aerial was connected, but the fact that the set worked at all rather puzzled the owner. When this incident was retailed to a wireless expert the latter said it was quite a common occurrence. The explanation was that the man had become a sort of condenser aerial, and so caused the set to work. The expert explained that a sensitive set would receive from the Auckland station without anything at all in the shape of an aerial and such improvements had been made that it was possible to build a very small affair that could rest on one corner of an office table and be capable of receiving from Australia. Of course it was different when it came to sending ; then more or less elaborate aerials were imperative.

At a meeting of the South Otago Progress League, held at Balclutha on Thursday night, it was decided to apply to the Health Department for a dental nurse, to be stationed at Balclutha. Information had been received that a nurse was available for some country centre in Otago* end it was considered that, from its central position, Balclutha would bo eminently suitable. Mr W. Kean brought up the subject of electric fire alarms, and suggested that half a dozen or so of these alarm* (which on being set in motion would automatically ring the firobell at the brigade station) should be installed at different points in the borough. It was pointed out that the present method, by which it was necessary to rush to the brigade station and ring the bell, was obsolete, and it was decided to draw up a request to the Fire Board on the subject.

A Press Association message from Auckland states that the Colonial Sugar Company announces that the prices of all grades of raw and refined sugars will be advanced by IDs a ton from to-day. Summonses have been issued charging Constable Macartney with having committed perjury during the hearing of the recent civil action, in which John Lockett was awarded £175 damages against the constable for wrongful arrest and assault. The case will be called on to-day, when an adjournment will be asked for. Further evidences that cargo-handling facilities at Wellington are up to date was provided at the meeting of the Harbour Board on Wednesday evening, when the chairman (Mr M. Cohen) referred to a case of rapid discharge (states the Evening Post). “You will be glad to know,” said Mr Cohen, “that very good work was done in the discharge of the Port Melbourne at Pipitea wharf last week. This vessel brought 3298 tons of mixed cargo, and commenced discharging at 2 p.m. on the 9th inst., finishing at 2.15 p.m. on the Hth inst. The, total hours were 27 i and the average tons per hour 121, with a net average of 1346 tons per day, a remarkable feature being that over 2000 tons of mixed cargo were discharged on one day —loth inst.—thereby constituting a record for the port in the discharge o! cargo.” A letter was received from the manager of the C. and D. Line congratulating the board on the performance.

In the City Police Court on Saturday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., Henry Barrett was charged that, with intent to defraud, ha did obtain goods to the value o! 16a 5d from the Drapery Importing Company of New Zealand by representing that he had made arrangements with Mr Trewern, a commercial traveller, employed by the firm. Detective Beer, who asked for a remand, said that the defendant was arrested at Waimate. There were other charges pehding against him. A remand till Wednesday next was granted. Harold Boreham, who was charged with drunkenness, pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s, in default 24 hours. Senior Sergeant Quartermam asked that a prohibition order bo issued against the defendant, but his Worship declined the application. A startling but easily explained anomaly ‘occurs in the latest \volume of the Census and Statistics Office' on agricultural ana pastoral production (states the Evening Post). In some counties the total area held as farm land is larger than the total area of the county; and thus the part appears to be greater than the whole. In case any reader should regard this as an amazing discovery, the Government Statistician carefully explains that he found it first: “Where holdings are situated in two or more counties, the practice is to return the holding in the county in which the homestead is situated. Consequently, in some cases, it will be found that the area returned as occupied in the county is greater than the whole area of the county itself. Counties in which this has occurred are Waipukurau, Castlepoint, Eketahuna, Awatere. Maniototo, Waihemo, and Waimate. In Awatere County one large run overlaps into two other counties, and he greater portion of the run is actually not situated in the county in which it is shown.’’

A “lead” in gold was struck the other morning at the corner of High street and Vulcan lane by a workman engaged in picking up the road in the former thoroughfare (states the Auckland Star). It might be termed a “dab” of colour, yet was more in the nature of an alluvial deposit. What was of greater consequence to the finder was that .it was a minted specimen—a halfsovereign bearing the date 1864. About that period of Auckland’s history a number of well-known hostelries of the earlier days were located in this vicinity, and many an odd coin would be dropped and swallowed, by the mud of the highway after closing hours. In short, a search for further gold and silver “veins” might prove fairly profitable in the neighbourhood, but it is doubtful if the City Council would consider the return commensurate with the cost of removing the “mullock heaps” of the miners in order to enable traffic to resume its flow after the “field” had petered out.

“I think we have got the finest plat* and buildings that I have seen anywhere, ’ said Mr R. E. Alexander, director of Lincoln College, at the break-up cereifiony at Lincoln on Thursday afternoon (states the Lyttelton Tiroes). “And wo should stick to them,” he added. “The architecture and general lay-out are excellent and we have to thank the old pioneers. Those pioneers (aid out the place for a specific purpose, and are we going to keep to that specific proposal? Many of you regarded Dr Hilgendorf’s experiments a few years ago in plant-breeding as a joke, but do you still regard them as a joke.” There were cries of “No,” and the speaker went on to refer to’ the research work of Mr M. J. Scott at the college, and appealed for sympathy and practical support. Ho mentioned that the building housing the seed-testing plant had been given by the wheat-growers of Canterbury and Otago, and said that that gift was a recognition of the research work being done. He hoped that within the next 10 years there would be other gifts showing that the research operations were being appreciated.

A special Christmas Euchre tournament will be held to-night in the Waratah Tea Rooms. The prizes, including 10 Christmas hams and four Christmas stockings. Seasonal greetings, which are reaprocated, have been received from the officers of the Railway Department and also from the local executive of the Manchester Unity. The address at the anniversary concert of the Burns Club next month is to be delivered by Mr W, R. Brugh. The Railways Department is advertising particulars of the train services during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the exte&sion of the period during which hohdav excursion tickets will be issued. In th- report of the Girls’ High school break-up which appeared in Saturday morning's issue. P. Martyr, was reported as being dux in Class VI N. This was incorrect. M. Lawson, who was first in English, geography and mathematics and third in hygiene was first in this class. ‘Notwithstanding the frantic efforts of numerous imitations “No-rubbing Laundry Help” goes smilingly on its way m close company with thrifty housewives everywhere. “So say all of us. Dunedin grocers.—Advt. Gift buying becomes a pleasure when selecting from such a fine stock as Williamsons the jewellers, show you.—-Aavt. The Children’s Favourite Toy Shop is “Todd’s” White House, 133 George street, for Guns, Dolls, Prams, Horses, Barrows, Mechanical Toys, etc.—Advt. Eczema, varicose ulcers, and all skin irritation succssfully treated by Hoffman’s special remedy. Full particulars from Hoffman’s Pharmacy. 17 Princes street (next Begg’s).—Advt. Eyes are precious. At first sign of weakness go. to the qualified and experienced (20 years) optometrist, W. V. Stunner, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., Octagon. Dnnedin. Most up-to-date equipment, including test electrically-lit testing charts installed.—Advt. A. B. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph OlHi-et Telephone IKS!). — Advt Christmas jewellery. Gifts that last! , Peter Dick, Moray place, Dunedin, has a specially-selected stock of high-class diamond engagement rings _ and reliable watches, and has been satisfying the public during the last 40 years in these hnea.—Advt.