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Otago Daily Times, Issue 20319, 30 January 1928, Page 6

The postal authorities advise that the Makura, which is due at Wellington this morning from Sydney, is bringing 97 bags of mail (including 65 bags from beyond Australia), and 39 hampers containing second-class matter for Dunedin. The mail is expected to came to hand to-morrow afternoon. The steamer Maunganui, which is due at Wellington to-morrow from Sydney, has eight bags and four hampers containing Australian mail matter for Dunedin. This mail should arrive on Wednesday afternoon. Mails from the United Kingdom, the Continent, and Canada, ex the Aorangi at Auckland, should reach Dunedin to-morrow afternoon.

The secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has received a letter sent to the chief postmaster, Wanganui, by Mr A. G. Ohesswas, of Makakaho, in which ho states that between 9.25 and 10 p.m. on January 10 he and his wife heard what they considered could not be anything else but an aeroplane, both having heard aeroplanes before. They live 40 miles inland from Waitotara railway station, and tho only road passing the House is a bridle track, so that it would have been impossible for it to be the sound of a motor car or any other vehicle. The statement tallies with that of Mr Metcalf who, it was reported on January 17, said that he heard the engine of an aeroplane in the same locality.

The Secretary of the Otago Harbour Board points out to us, in connection with the statistics contained in the annual report by the chairman of the board, that the value of the exports from the port in last financial year were nearly £19,000 above, not below, those of the previous year. He directs attention also to the fact that during the U months the board was able out of general account to help loan account to the extent of £15,023, thu s saving tho necessity to issue debentures—and pay interest—for the amount.

An adopted son who does not mind doing a little light housework, but who, apparently, has a rooted objection to any form of permanent employment, appeared before the City Police Court on Saturday ana pleaded not guilty to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person in that he had no visible lawful means of support. la evidence, it was stated that the defendant Robert Hall Rogers, who lived with his adopted parents (aged 72 and 74 years respectively), had done no work for 10 years, with the exception of a few months 5a 1925. He had been told to leave and fintt work, but bad consistently refused to do so. The defendant pointed out that he was iu the habit of cooking the meals ana sweeping out the house; but this, his adopted father asserted, amounted to very little, as there were only himself and his wife in the house, and the latter, who was an invalid, ate next to nothing. “Do you think,” inquired the Magistrate (Mr J. R. Bartholomew), “that it i s a fair thing to sponge on these old people as you are doing? ” “ I sometimes do a little journalism, and I am willing to work.” the defendant began. “You’ll have to,” sharp’y interjected Mr Bartholomew, as he convicted the accused and ordered him to coins up for sentence when called upon. “ You will also leave the house at once.”

The following public bequests have been made under the will of the late Mrs H. K. Wilkinson:—Karitaae-Harris Hospital. £25; Dunedin Presbyterian Social Service Association, £25; Y.M.C.A., £25; Y.W.C.A., £25; Knox College scholarship fund, £25; Knox: Church Youths’ work, £25.

A Press Association telegram from Masterton states that the new St. Patrick’s School, which was erected by the parishioners of Masterton to commemorate Monsignor M'Kenna’s 40 years’ continuous service as parish priest in Masterton, was opened yesterday by Archbishop Redwood, assisted by Archbishop O’Shea,

Arnold Vaughan Sutton, who was already on probation for passing valueless cheques, appeared before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., at the City Police Court on Saturday and pleaded guilty to a similar offence. The police evidence showed that the defendant presented a cheque at the shop of George Leonard Newton, who was absent at the time, but had left a boy in charge. The boy had not sufficient change for the cheque, which wa s drawn for £5, but gave Sutton £1 on account, and retained the cheque, which was eventuaTv found to be valueless. “ Obtaining money in this fashion is a habit of the accused, remarked Detective Beer, in pointing out that Sutton’s previous often 'o wa & ain-oss identical with the present o.ie He suggested that the accused should be remanded until the probation officer (Mr J. Garbutt) returned. A remand until Friday, February 3, _ was granted, an application for lx.ix being refused.

Horace Humphries, a well-known resident of Rotorua, left on a shooting expedition on Friday and has not returned (says a Press Association telegram). A large search party party ha s gone out. Tha weather is intensely hot. Bright and spirited pictures of a topical nature characterise the illustrated section of the Otago Witness to be published tomorrow. One full page goe s to describing the Cornwell Cup yachting contest at Auckland, in which there has been so much interest taken, while another depicts tha New Zealand swimming champions in Dunedin during the race for the Annette Kellerman Cup in Otago Harbour. A third page shows events in the Life-saving Championship competitions at St. Clair, Dunedin. The Dominion Bowling Championships at Christchurch; events in the international lawn tennis match teUveen France and New Zealand at Wellington; and in the interprovincial cricket match between Wellington and Otago at Dunedin; the long farewell in connection with the trans-Tasman flight; Wellington Racing Club’s summer meeting at Trentham; and similar subjects make further pictorial news; while two beautiful views—“ Lord’s River, Stewart Island,” and “ At Maclennan, Gatlin’s River,” form an arresting front page. The Railways Department will shortly bring into operation a selector telephone system for the control of all trains between Christchurch and Oamaru. A single copper wire line has been installed between these two stations, and ■ communicat ion has bee a etablished between the two towns, reception being very clear. The person in control will be stationed in the District Railway office in Moorehouse avenue, Christchurch, and he will have charge of all trains and tonnage, will arrange crossings and alterations where necessary, and will watch the quick despatch of live stock, perishable goods, and so on. Particulars will be supplied to him from each and if special trains are necessary, he wiTl make all arrangements. It is hoped tha* the new system will ensure mixed and passenger trains running up to time, leaving the goods trains to do all other work. Under the system Christchurch can call up Timaru, for instance, without any other station receiving the call, and the same applies to all other stations, which, in turn, can only communicate with headquarters. The system represents a new departure in the method of controlling the running of trains, and is also being installed on the section of line between Wellington and Marton. It is not known exactly when it will be put into operation, but its inauguration will not be long delayed.

A man aged about 30 years, & resident oi Waitahuna, wearing a light grey hat, navy blue suit, blue grey overcoat, black bcols, and about sft 6in in height, has been missing from his home since Monday last. He has dark brown hair, brown eyes, is ot a sallow complexion, and is clean shaven. He was last seen in Dunedin.

The Grey District diamond jubilee will be held at Greymouth from Februarv 26 to March 3 of this year. An invitation to be present has been extended to the chairman of the Taieri County Council (Cr W. Blair) and to the Mayor of Mosgiel (Mr J. P. Walls), who have also been asked to endeavour to convey a similar invitation to any former residents of the West Coast who may now be living in the district they represent.

An alarming experience that was welcome in its subsequent result befell a Bell Bock (Taranaki) farmer, a few days ago (says a northern exchange). He had been engaged for several days sinking a well for water on his property and when a depth of 65ft was reached without any apparent satisfactory result the farmer reluctantly decided to abandon the shaft and try m another locality. Suddenly the ground began to tremble and lift beneath his feec in a most alarming manner. Hurried calllt were made for a bucket and the farmer, without waiting to collect his tools, was hauled out. Before he reached the surface, however, water began to pour into the well and in a few minutes it was estimated it had reached a depth of 40ftThe following day it wa s within sft or 6ft of the top.

A party consisting of Messrs F. N. Adams, R. M. Adams, D. Haslam (U.S.A.), R. L. Wigley and A. E. Horwell, a few days ago, made the first trip by motor car over the new road from the Hermitage to the Blue Lakes (says the Timaru Herald). This road is under construction by the Public Works Department, and at present the completed portion is sev n miles m away from the Hermitage, just underneath, the Blue Lakes. The new road is to bo taken to the Tasman Glacier, Wid the Glacier trip, which, in existing conditions, occupies three days, will, on comp.etion. of the work, be accomplished in the ona day.

Disapproval of tho 1927 amendment to the Shops ar t d Offices Act wa s voiced on Friday by Mr W. J. Masson, a member ot the Christchurch Fruitgrowers’ Association Isays the Lyttelton Times). He stated that flowers and seeds were always associated with the fruit business. Florists were in too small a way of business to handle tha amount of flowers grown. The amendment would affect also auctioneers, who handled hundreds of bundles. If the amendment were enforced fruiterers would have to consider closing their shops at 5.30 p.m., and converting them into general concerns ta sell tobacco, groceries, and drapery. Tho law seemed to have been made by thoughtless individuals out to encourage general’ emporiums with unlimited capital. This would eliminate the smaller shopkeeper and would encourage opposition from moneyed business firms. Fruiterers had been a shuttl'

rock for some time past, and some of bad been shut out of business.

An interesting tour of the world has just been completed by Mr and Mrs F. J. White, of Whangarei, who returned to Auckland by the Ulimaroa from Sydney on Tuesday. They spent two years in England and on the Continent, and visitcc Egypt and Palestine. In addition they visited Norway on the summer cruise made by the Otranto. Mr White was greatly impressed with the excellent motoring roads of England. He said one could go for miles and mile s without a bump and the wear and tear on the car was almost negligible. ' As a member of the Whangarei and Auckland Racing Clubs, Mr White was greatly interested in racing in England, and with Mrs White attended two Derbys and two Ascots. “England leads the world in the high breeding and beauty of her racehorses,” he stated. “I attended the great horse shown in Ireland and there- saw 1000 purebred horses. 1 never thought I could s ee such a sight ana shall never forget it. The jumping was wonderful.”

The timber shortage on Norfolk Island is very acute, on account of tho mills being unable to handle the contracts, stated Mr E. J. Forrest, of Gisborne, who returned recently from a holiday at the island. Lar quantities of timber are always on order, but the inadequate machinery and plant cannot cope with the demands. Various Australian timbers have been imported for building purposes, bu this proves highly expensive. The importance of the timber question to the island cannot be over-esti-mated. The pine, indigenous to the island, is rapidly disappearing, and the lack of Building timber must eventually obtrude itself. Waste and spoilage have been rampant, and no provision has been made for future generations, nor much thought apparently given them. Mr A. Leigh Hunt, chairman of the VVelRngton branch of the English-speaking Union, has received a letter from ex-Presi-dent W. H. Taft, Chief Justice of the United States, thanking hi mfor a letter sent to him expressing the branch’s appreciation of Mr Taft’s remarks made at the beginning of September when welcoming Lord Hewart, Lord Chief Justice of England, to a gathering of the American Bar Association at Buffalo. On'that occasion, Mr Taft, in the course of felicitous remarks on British justice, said that th edebt America owed to Britain for her law and form of government could never be repaid. Mr Taft writes to Mr Hunt as -follows: *' I thank you very much for your letter of November 19, in which you speak of my address in welcoming Lord Hewart, Lord Chief Justice of England, to a gathering of the American Bar Association at Buffalo. It gratifies me much to know that you approve the sentiments therein expressed. The English Bar had given the 'American Bar in 1924 a wonderful and most hospitable reception in London. There never will be such another feast of appreciation and worship of the Common Law as there was in that centre where the common law flourished, and we in tho American Bar in 1927 were only attempting in some email way to express to our English hosts of 1924 our high and grateful appreciation of what they had done for us. I am delighted to know that you are preserving the English-speaking Union successfully in New Zealand, and that you feel the real necessity for cordial co-operation between the British Commonwealth of Nations and our country.” '

Negotiations for the supply of about 500 pair of quail for restocking the Poverty Bay district have been entered into by the East Coast Acclimatisation Society, but so far it is not certain wheher it will be possible to obtain the birds (says an exchange). The quail are to be got from Norfolk Island, ■where they are not protected, and the society i s awaiting permission from the Government to purchase them. Of late quail have becofhe very scarce in the dis trict. One hundred pheasants have been ordered from Auckland by the society, and these will be delivered at Gisborne and released at the end of next month or early in March. Poverty Bay breeders of pheasants have been successful this summer, and the society expects to get at least 150 birds from them.

A display of feminine limbs advertising a morion picture on a Devonporfc hoarding reconriv incensed a resident of the suburb (says the New Zealand Herald). In a letter received by the Ttevonport Borough Council at it s last meeting he denounced it as immoral and suggested that the council should have it removed. The Mayor (Mr E. Aldridge); I saw the poster and to me it did not _ seem indecent. I saw the picture and it was very amusing. A Councillor: I stood in front of it for five minutes, your Worship. The Mayor; Were you looking at it? The Councillor: Most certainly. I was admiring it. “We live in a seaside resort, said the Mayor after further discussion, “and we should be the last to complain about a picture of a lady in a bathing suit. We have the living thing on oug beaches, and perhaps no worse than that displaved on the poster. At anv > rate, the film has finished it s season now. One of the most disturbing features of the landscape at the present time, in the opinion of many farmers, is the prevalence of blue borage, which is more in evidence this season than ever before (says the Marlborough Express). This plant appears to be spreading at a dangorou s rate, and it blue flowers have painted whole paddocks, roadsides, and riverbeds. Borage, from a distance, adds a pleasing colour note to the countryside viewed in a purely aesthetic light; but"it i s safe to say that the farming community very soon will be glad to dispense with this as they will prefer the weed’s room to its blue beauty. At one time borage was found only in scattered patches, but it has now taken possession of big areas in most parts of the province. A leading pastoralist remarked that he was becoming deeply concerned over the spread of borage, as it certainly was not wanted on the low country, at any rate. In the high country, where stock, often had no option but to eat it, it wa s regarded a 3 a useful fodder plant; but on the lower levels it could not be eaten off except by hopelessly over stocking. Blue borage is not yet on the schedule of noxious weeds in either Marlborough or Awatere, ‘ but the time is rapidly approaching, when, in consequence of it s amazing increase, measures will have to be adopted to outlaw it.

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