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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19981, 24 December 1926, Page 12

There will be no publication of the Otago Daily Times to-morrow.

An outbreak of fire in the back of a shop and residence in Queen’s Drive, St. Kilda, at 6.20 yesterday evening resulted in damage to the extent of £3O being done. The blaze, which spread from a rubbish fire in a grate, was quickly extinguished by the crews of machines from the Central and South Dunedin Stations. The contents of the building were insured in the Northern office for £SOO and the building itself in the United office for £I7OO. The shop wag owned bv Mr S. P. Leith and occupied by Mr A. G. Lambert. The City Brigade was summoned at 8.43 p.m. to a bush fire in Leith street, but no damage was done.

The Transport Appeal Board yesterday (reports our special correspondent in Christchurch) upheld an appeal by the Christchurch Tramway Board against the decision of the licensing authority that the board would have to run Sunday time-tables on the board’s bus routes.

A good deal of sneak thieving is at present going on in the vicinity of the Otago University. Locks have been stolen and the tennis courts have been broken into and damaged, and in one place a rustic fence was broken down and some of the woodwork removed. With the exception of a very light shower on Monday the weather this week has been unbroken (reports our Middlemarch correspondent), and ideal conditions have prevailed. Shearing is in full swing, and the sheep are shearing well after the few days of heat. Although the wool is light the return is better than was expected. Lambs ' are doing well, and the prospects are good.

A five-seater Buick motor car, owned by Mr G. C. Roger, of Dawsons (Ltd.) was stolen from Moray place on Wednesday night, and recovered in South Dunedin yesterday. No trace of the thief or thieves was discovered.

The conditions under which the New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board may give notice of its intention to assume the control of fruit intended for export were prescribed by an Order-in-Council last night (reports our special correspondent in Wellington). Where notice is given by publication it must appear in the Gazette and in at least two newspapers circulating in the provincial district affected. Notice by service may be 'dven personally, _ or forwarded by registered post. The time to be specified as that from which control will operate shall not be less than 30 days from the last publication of any notice given.by the publication or from the dateof service of a notice served personally, or from the date when the notice served by post should Ije delivered in the ordinary course of the post. Some of the newspapers are making an attractive feature of the sidelights in the city police courts and of the little human touches that never find their way into the ordinary reports (writes our Sydney correspondent). One paper, for example, featured the extraordinary fact, which reads almost like fiction, that, a man named Luck was fined a day or two ago at one of these courts for having driven a car while under the influence of liquor; that one Robert Burns also came under the eye of the magistrate; that a man named Salmon had to answer to a charge of having stolen a tin of salmon; and that a gentleman named Crook had to answer another charge. The mention of Salmon reminds one of a candidate by that name at one of the State parliamentary elections. Among his audience on one occasion was a man who obviously did not agree with him. He had been silent for a long time, but finally he had to articulate his objection to the candidate’s arguments, 1 Oh, he muttered, “get back into your tin. In order to enable the Government Statistician to compile the statistics _of dairy produce according .to production of the various districts additional authority is given him by an Order-in-Council gazetted last night to collect statistics in regard to the butter and cheese exported from the Dominion (reports our special correspondent in Wellington). _ The owner, or person in charge of a building for the storage, cooling, freezing, examination, or grading of butter or cheese for -export will be required to furnish to the statistician the particulars in regard to any export and shipment of butter or cheese made or proposed to be made.

There was quite an influx of shipping at the port of Dunedin during the past two days, and the wharves presented a busy appearance yesterday. The Katoa arrived on Wednesday from Bluff, and a large number of waterside workers were engaged throughout the day and yesterday in loading various kinds of merchandise into the ships’ capacious holds. The Katoa is the last vessel to load here before the holidays, and local merchant have taken full ad vantage of the opportunity to ship goods to Wellington, New Plymouth, Napier, Gisborne, and Auckland. Motor lorries ana other vehicles deposited loads of merchandise at the Birch street wharf for two or three days, with the result that the Katoa is carrying one of the largest general cargoes sent away from this port for some time past. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Line steamer Athenic, which arrived at Port Chalmers on Wednesday evening from London and Southampton, via Wellington, is discharging a large shipment of general merchandise. Two steamers arrived at Dunedin yesterday with important goous for the Christmas market. The Waipiata landed a quantity of fresh fruit from Fiji ex the steamer Kaitoke at Auckland, and the Kahika discharged fresh fruit from Papeete and Rarotonga, and also dried fruits from San Francisco, ex the Makura at Wellington. The - waterfront will be idle from this evening until next Tuesday morning. The only vessels expected during the Christmas holiday period are the Tekoa, due to-day from Liverpool via northern ports, and the Calm on Saturday from Bluff. The French warship Cassiopee is expected on Monday morning from Auckland. The IP/aipiata and Kahika will be laid up at Port Chalmers until after the holidays.

A heavily-laden motor waggon, owned by the New Zealand Express Company, piet with a mishap on the Birch street wharf on Wednesday evening. The lorry, which was carrying a ship’s propeller weighing over five tons for shipment by the Katoa, was proceeding along the outer portion of the wharf when a small section of the planking collapsed. The off front wheel sank into ,the depression, and the heavy lorry was canted over at . a dangerous angle. The driver jumped clear. It took over four hours to raise the lorry and remove it clear of the hole in the wharf. The work was carried out with lifting jacks. What is termed “conscience money” usually takes it form in small amounts (states our Sydney correspondent), a fact which invests with special interest a windfall under this head which was received a few days ago by the Railw’ay Department of New South Wales. It amounted to £ls, and came all the way from the Irish Free State. The same department can thank one of the recent evangelical missions for amount of 2s. It appears from the sender’s' confession to the department that when a child, about 30 years ago, the ticket collector on a train on which he was travelling, missed going to him for his fare. That is his version of it, at ail events. A little while back, however, an evangelist came to the town in which the roan is now living, and told his audience that the Lord would not hear them if they had iniquity in their hearts. In the audience was the man in question. His mind went back to the day when he was a child ana travelled free on the railways. He sent the department 2s, which incidentally included interest. Another person with a qualm of conscience recently sent the department 12s 4jrd. He was precise as well as honest.

A geological report on the recent Morrinsville earthquakes has been furnished to the Dominion Observatory by Mr L. I. Grange, of the Geological Survey Department (states the Evening Post). He describes the 41 tremors which were felt, giving the most severe shock a value of 8 on the Rossi-Forel scale. The severity of the shocks was confined to a small area embracing the township, an outer area of only a few miles in diameter being affected. He reports confusion as to the direction from which the shocks came, but states that they were .evidently of shallow origin, and probably caused by movement along a fault trending W.N.W. on the eastern side of the Pakaroa Range. Rumours that the shocks affected the Te Aroha hot springs he shows to be without foundation.

According to a gazetted amendment to the Local Election and Polls Act of 1926, which embraces every description of vote recording from a loan poll to a general election, returning officers and their deputies and assistants are in for a busy time. At previous elections it was only required that the roll number of the voter and the initials of the returning officer should be put on the voting paper, which was then stamped, involving in all three movements. Under the amendment five movements are required. A consecutive number has to be put on the voting paper, which is then turned down at the corner, the roll number has to be placed on the paper’s counterfoil, the paper has to be officially marked with the officer’s initials and then stamped. Under the amendment, too, a bona fide voter not on the roll can vote by declaration. This latter will also involve additional work and will probably necessitate the assigning of a special deputy for the job, with the possibility, also, of having a special booth for the taking of declarations. It would seem that the elections of the future will prove costly and laborious affairs.

The opinion that Marlborough farmers are not particularly interested in the Rural Credits scheme was expressed at a meeting of the Blenheim branch of the Farmers’ Union (says an exchange). The Marlborough Provincial Executive forwarded a copy of the followin resolution carried at tho recent Dominion Executive meeting, “That this executive should continue to agitate for legislation embodying the recommendations made by the Rural Credits Commission in its report, and that provincial committees be set up to carry on the movement.” It was stated that there was bo strong agitation in Marlborough for ttte establishment of the rural credits scheme, because most Marlborough farmers were able to fianance themselves and were unlikely to take advantage of the scheme. Mr V. H. Dodson asked whether advances could be obtained for flood relief purposes, and the chairman (Mr A. J. Mills) replied that it was like every other banking scheme. One could get an advance if one had the security, and not without. He considered that the Bank of New Zealand’s new policy met all requirements and practically cut the ground from under the rural credits scheme. The branch decided to “receive” the Provincial Executive’s letter.

“The trouble was that in the Southern Police Court the accused was placed under a misunderstanding in regard to the conditions on Roto Roa Island,” said Mr J. J. Sullivan in the Auckland Police Court on Tuesday when appearing for Howard Bunn, who pleaded guilty to refusing to work under the Salvation Army authorities (states the New Zealand Herald). “My client was interested in about 30 acres of land in North Canterbury, and there was a dispute concerning his period of detention on the island. He was told before he consented to go that there was wonderful fishing to be had and no work to be done, and. also that there were a good bowling green and plenty of doctors and solicitors, so that he was assured of an intellectual time.”— (Laughter.) A Salvation Army official said that the accused had decided to abide by the regulations on the island since he had been in the court. In these circumstances the authorities were willing to give him another chance. The magistrate remarked that the accused was very lucky to be given another chance. It was usual in such cases to transfer the man straight to prison. The accused would be ordered back to the island for the remainder of his term.

Certain maintenance work at the Waipori power station head works is to be put ia hand during the approaching holiday season when the work can bo carried out with a minimum of inconvenience to consumers. To permit the work comg on while the plant will be running during the holiday week, preliminary operations involving a shut down of the Waipori plant are to be undertaken in the early houra of Christmas Day, Sunday, and possibly Monday. From about 12.45 a.m. on Christmas morning, 12 midnight on Christmas night, and, if necessary, _l2 midnight on Sunday night, Waipori will be shut down and the whole of the load will be^ taken by the Diesel engines in the converter station. It is hoped to have the Waipori plant running again not later than 6.30 a.m. on Christmas Day, 9 ,a.m. on Sunday, and 6 a.m. on Monday. These arrangements have been made so that consumers will ba affected in as small a degree and for as short a time as possible; but as the load that the Diesel engines can carry is_ limited to JOOO horse-power, it is essential that all Consumers should co-operate by being as sparing as possible with the use of any electrical fitting or appliance whatsoever (including lamps), in order to obviate the necessity of cutting off current completely from some parts of the supply area, a measure which would' have to be adopted in the event of the Diesel engines becoming overloaded. Country consumers, either of the city or the Otago Electric Power Board, using motors for drivimr milking machines will also be affected. With reference to the Christchurch City Council’s refusal to allow the Christchurch Gas Company to erect ventilating shafts at the governor pits installed by the company at various points on the outskirts of the city (states the Lyttelton Times), it was reported at Tuesday night’s meeting of the council that the company had written stating that it claimed that under its Acts it had authority to erect suclj works as ib considered necessary for the effectual carrying on of its business, subject only to the council’s right of superintendence and approval as to the manner in which the work was to be done. The letter also stated that the company had been advised that the powers conferred upon the council did not extend to an absolute power of veto in respect of works, the carrying out of which was essential to the company a undertaking. Provision was made in the Company’s Act for the reference of a dispute to two justices of the peace or a magistrate, and the directors of the company suggested an appeal to the courts for the purpose of obtaining in a friendly way a ruling of the company’s powers under the Act. As the city solicitor’s opinion docs not coincide with that of the company, the council decided to intimate to the company its willingntss to leave the matter in its hands to institute the suggested action.

Mr H. G. EH, who has been instrumental in introducing a coach and four to Christchurch, waited on the City Council cm Tuesday night to object to the action of the By-laws Committee in refusing the application of the Christchurch Coaching Club for permission to establish a Cobb and Co.'s coach service (states the Star). Mr Ell said it seemed to him that it was exceptional treatment. He _ had seen pantechnicons in the city with as many as six horses. He did not intend to use the main streets at all, and he did not want a parking place for the coach. The most delightful parts of the city had been selected for the drive, and the coach would not interfere with any traffic. He wanted to leave Christchurch with an English stage coach, and he asked for the opportunity of charging half a crown merely to help him in attaining his ideal. He had a careful driver, and was willing that he should be submitted to any tests by the chief traffic inspector. After Mr Ell had retired, Cr A"-ar said that the By-laws Committee was most sympathetc wth Mr Ell’s proposals, hut. in view of the report it had received from the traffic department, it had decided that it could not recommend that the application be granted. Cr A. W. Beeyen moved as an amendment to the adoption of the report that the report be referred back to the committee with a view to some arrangement being made with Mr Ell. Cr Beaven’s amendment was carried. Science as applied to shoe-fitting, per medium of the X-ray is the latest invention to arrive in Dunedin. An Otago Dailv Times representative was shown in one "of Dunedin’s leading footwear stores to-day the working of the “Ped-o-soope,” or X-ray shoe fitting machine. The device is not only exceedingly novel; but is of great scientific value. By standing on a small raised dias and looking through an aperture it is possible to see right through the shoes to the bones of the feet. The outline of the shoe is plainly visible with the skeleton of the foot lying in position. Any shortness of fitting or compressed flesh can instantaneously be detected. Another interesting feature is that three people may have a view of the process at the same time. This appliance will undoubtedly be of great value in fitting children’s shoes, which are sc often found to be too small soon after purchasing. The * T*ed-o-scope ’is British manufacture and electrically operated.

Information received from the teamways manager (Mr W. H. MaoKerma) shows that the City Corporation buses conform in most respects to the additional regulation that have lately been issued. There are one or two small details that will have to be seen to, but/ generally speaking, the regulations will not affect these buses. They are all equipped with emergency doors, and, in fact, the only requirement that is not fulfilled so far is the equipment bumpers on & few of the buses. This, however, will be seen to ih due course.

The possibility of opening a market m England for frozen eels was recently investigated by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society (reports the New Zealand Herald). A reply was received from Billingsgate Markets that a consignment sent from New Zealand was not a success. Mr C. A. Whitney expressed the opinion that it might yet be possible to establish commercial markets in Birmingham and Manchester, If the trade was once started, he thought good business would result. New Zealand had at present to compete, with Holland and Belgium. The value of frozen eels at Home was about Is per , lb. The council decided to get information regarding shipping freights, and to discuss the question later.

After hearing evidence in an alleged negligent driving cases by a motorist at the W’hangarei Court the other day (states the Advocate), Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., in reserving his judgment pending a personal ■visit to the locality, recommended the employment of a competent instructor for a period, so as to enable the local police staff to present an accurate map to -which he thought the court was entitled, for guidance in these cases, which were becoming increasingly numerous. Apart from criminal prosecutions, civil proceedings for considerable amounts might follow. They should present such maps correctly drawn to scale, ■with definite distances as to marks of •biddings, forces obstructing the view, and any other aspect which would help at the hearing of the case. He would undertake personally to draw up such a map on a plan in half an hour, and reiterated that, if such tuition were necessary for local conetablcs, as appeared by the plan in front of him, attention should he given to tho matter.

Referring to the question of finding suitable employment for boys leaving school, Mr T M. Wilford, M.P., at the break-up function of tho Hutt Valley High School, warned the mothers present against rushing into the folly of making their boy an engineer because he was fond of engines (states the Evening Post). He did not think that there was any occupation worse paid than that of engineers, especially electrical engineers in the Old Country. He found men with responsibility, electrical who had passed high examinations, receiving no greater salary than £4 per week To every boy ho advised that he should get an objective. ‘Hitch your wagon to a «tar if you like,” said Mr Wilford, even if you never reach the start. Von must have a goal. You might as well try and play football without it as live without it. ‘ Even if you do not succeed in reaching your goal, tho fight is worth while; having a definite object is worth while, and the result on your character and your value as a citizen will then be definite.”

The number of new cases of hydatid disease in New Zealand occurring every year mav now be regarded as about 150, and there is no evidence to show that the incidence is either increasing or diminishing (states Dr L E. Barnett, in an article in the New Zealand -Medical Journal). 1 am satisfied,” he says, “that the incidence, both in human beings and stock, could be very decidedly reduced—possibly almost to vanishing point-if a vigorous campaign against hydatid infection were instituted. It has to be remembered that our meat export industry is of immense value to the Dominion, and great circumspection is necessary in tho publishing of details regarding the frequency of cysts in the viscera of animals killed in the abattoirs. Although hydatid infection o! Human beings through eating cysts, cooked or uncooked, cannot occur, yet the public does not know this, and would not believe it if it were told. Hence a scare might easily develop, and the meat industry be prejudiced. As it is, the freezing companies in New Zealand lose some revenue by having to destroy something like 50 per cent, of the livers of animals killed for food purposes. Our great rival m the moat industry, the Argentine Republic, is, however, in like case—indeed, even worse than we are.”

Christmas greetings, which are heartily reciprocated, have been received from the following:— The Hon. O J. Hawker. the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association the Christchurch Sun, the Telegraph, and ihe vveea (Erisbone), and Major A. Greene, and. the New Zealand Shipping Company. The Rev. J. M. Simpson will preach on Sunday in St. Stephens Church. The sermons will he appropriate to the close ° f At 2 Knos Church the services on Sunday will be continued by the Kev. W. Jj. Marsh M.A., C.F., who will preach at 11 am. on “The Best Gift of All” and at 6.30 p.m. on “Profit and Loss Account, 1926/’ . , , The Christmas Day service arranged by the Council of Christian Congregations to be held in First Church at 10 a.m. will be conducted by the Rev. H. E. Belllmuse, and the preacher will be the Rev. W. L. Marsh, M.A. . . i u Christmas-tide services will be held at Trinity Methodist Church Stuart street, on Sunday, conducted by the Rev. xi. L. Bellhouse. who will preach m the morning on “The First Christmas Carol and in the evening on ‘The Christ Who Comes Out of Egypt.” At the latter service me eolo “Nazareth” will bo sung. , “The Wonder of the Christian Gospel will be the Rev. W. 1!. Scott’s subject at Cargill Road Methodist Church on Sunday evening. A service will be held at 8 a.m. to-morrow'. . ... , , ~ A united Christmas service will be held in First Church to-morrow at 10 a.m., conducted by the Rev. H. E. Bellhouse and the Rev. W. L. Marsh, M.A. A collection will be taken up on behalf of the Dobson Miners’ Relief Fund. Notices of the following Sunday services will be found in our advertising columns : —Anglican : St. Paul’s, All Saints’ Presbyterian: First, Knox, Caversham, Maori Hill. Kaikorai, Morning ton South Dunedin, St. Stephen s. Congregational; Moray Place, united (King street) Methodist: Central Mission, Trinity, Dundas Street, Cargill Road, balvation Army: Dowling street. Christmas services will be held in the ’Central Mission. Octagon Hall, on Sunday. The Rev. W. Walker will preach in the morning on “God's Unspeakable Gift and in the evening “The Messages of Chnstm Christmas Day services will be held in the Salvation Army Fortress, Dowling street, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. In the evening the service will be of a special character. Lantern slides will be shown picturing the early life of Christ. Appropriate music and singing will he rendered by band and soloists. The fortress will be suitably decorated by Treasurer Hughson. Christmas bells will be _ played. Christmas song sheets will be provided for the congregation. Ensign Montgomery especially invites visitors to the fortress this Christmas season. Passengers intending to travel to and from Portobello are advised to see the advertisement of the Portobello railway ferry steamer Tarewai appearing in this issue. To-morrow only a reduced service will be run, but a late boat will connect with the late train on Christmas Eve, and extra trips will be run on Monday to Portobello. A boat will also be run to the Macandrew’s Bay regatta if the weather is fine. We have to acknowledge calendars tor 1927 from Messrs Williamson Jeffery (Ltd.) and Keith Ramsay. The Railway Department has made full arrangements for holiday traffic to Portobello, via Port Chalmers, during the next week. The ferry steamer Tarewai will connect with Dunedin-Port Chalmers trains each day. Only a limited service will be run to-morrow, but a late boat will connect with the late train tonight. Extra trips will be run on Monday, and a boat will also run to Macandrew’s Bay for the local regatta.

Gift buying becomes a pleasure when selecting from such a fine stock as Williamsons the jewellers, show you.—Advt. Fivers Fine Face Powders, including the new Sun-tan Powder, only 2s 6d box; by post, 2s 9d. Special presents for gentlemen arrived by last boat. H. L. Sprosen (Ltd.), chemists. Octagon, Dunedin. —Advt. The pungent, refreshing aroma arising from “No-rubbing Laundry Help” suds is only further proof of. its great scientific sanitary value. "So say all of us.” Dunedin grocers. —Advt. No better or more useful Presnets tor your friend than something electrical. Splendid selection at Barth Electrical Supplies (Ltd.), SO Princes street, specialists in latest electric appliances, also wireless sets and material.—Advt. 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 sueessfully 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.G., Octagon. Dun edin. Most up-to-date equipment, including test electrically-lit testing charts in stalled.—-Advt. A IS J Blakeley and W E Bagley, dentists. Bank of Australasia corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office) Telephom IS.l9—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 lines. — Advt