ANXIETY RELIEVED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20705, 1 May 1929, Page 8

ANXIETY RELIEVED

The news of the safety of Captain Chandler and Mr C. A. M'Donald, who had set out on Monday to fly from Hastings, to Blenheim and had failed to reach their destination, happily relieves the anxiety that was naturally excited concerning -them. The occupants of other machines which travelled slightly in advance of that of Captain Chandler over the same route had reported the existence of very bad conditions over Cook Strait. , Short as the passage of the strait is, the non-arrival of the aviators could only give rise to misgivings. Cook Strait has a reputation of its own as a place in which the forces of Nature are prone to concentrate in revels disconcerting to seamen and shipping, and the airman passing over such a region in weather too thick to enable him to see his way might readily find himself in an uncomfortable predicament. In circumstances of uncertainty such as were created in this instance, the imagination is only too assiduous in endeavouring to fill in the blanks. As it turns out, Captain Chandler: and Mr M'Donald—their plane being forced down, it is stated, by engine trouble—were fortunate in effecting a safe landing at Ship Cove in the Marlborough Sounds, and were able, without much delay, make known their whereabouts. The promptitude with which steps were taken to organise an'effective search, both by sea and air, for the missing men has been a satisfactory feature of the episode. Aviation is in its infancy: in New Zealand, but is now making definite progress. A serious aerial mishap would be a discouraging set-back to it at the present time.

The steamer Karetu, which is due at Bluff on Saturday from Sydney, is bringing 30 bags of oversea and Australian mail and two parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail is expected to come to hand on Sunday night. Ever since motor traffic assumed dimensions of sufficient magnitude to indicate that the question of road construction and maintenance; would have to receive careful attention and, revision at the hands of the local authorities the condition of the Main North road leading to Waikouatiti has been a source of extreme annoyance and expense, especially to motorists. The Otago Motor Club, backed up by the hearty co-operation of motorists generally, has gone to a tremendous amount of trouble with the object of bringing about a better state of affairs, and those interested will be pleased to learn that the road over the Kilmpg is at last to be reconstructed and made into a high-grade type of road. Negotiations, have been in progress for some considerable time, and many disappointments have been experienced by motorists owing to their failure, but persistence has brought its reward; and Mr A. E. Ansell, M.P., received information yesterday that the Highways Board -had. agreed to reconstruct the road from Waitati to the northern end of the Kilmog, a distance of seven miles and ahalf. Mr Ball, the district Public Works engineer,, has promised that thd work will be undertaken almost immediately. Within three or four weeks men and machinery will be on the road in order to carry out the reconstruction as agreed upon. The remainder of the road as far as the Waikouaiti Borough boundary will be maintained in good order with gravel until such time as arrangements' can be made for its reconstruction.

The hearing of the case in which George Spiers was charged with having stolen from R. Hudson and Co. 15 bags of wheat valued at £l6 10s, was concluded yesterday morning at a special sitting of the City Police Court, befpre Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. Evidence of a shortage of 15 bags of wheat in consignments arriving between April 2 and April 20 was given by Alfred Hudson, and the accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed in his own recognisahce of £IOO, Mr C. J. L. White, instructed by Mr A. C. Hanlon, represented the accused. “ The committee has grarited permission for the procession provided that the association will guarantee that the behaviour of the students will be more orderly than on former occasions and that none of the exhibits in the procession are of a suggestive nature." The above paragraph from the report of the By-laws Committee presented to the Christchurch City Council on Monday night had reference to an application received from the Canterbury College Students’ Association for permission to bold the annual procession of students on Tuesday, May 7, The committee further reported that permission had been granted for a collection-to be taken up along the route of the procession, and whilst the procession was in Cathedral square. The proceeds of the Collection are to be devoted to the furnishing «f the Students’ Union building. The action of the committee was approved.

A correspondent, whose letter was published in our issue yesterday,, referred to the question of compensation of Dunedin sufferers by the recent flood, and went on to ask: “What.about those farmers in and around Berwick, Henley, and Ototia, who have practically lost all their crop and winter feed, while in some cases their grass lands are ruined, and will require to be reconditioned and again sown down in grass? ” The writer stated that he trusted Mr ,E. A. Ansell, ■ M.P., would, give the matter his attention and get some assistance for those who had suffered. Mr Ansell informs us that he has already visited the district, and has seen the serious damage that has been sustained by the settlers. He has been in communication with the Prime Minister ■ with the object of securing financial assistance for those who.require it, and has received the following letter from Sir Joseph Ward:— “ I am in receipt of your letter with regard to flood damage at the Taieri. I have directed the Lands Department to institute inquiries as to the damage, and to report to the Government in order that the position as to the lands may be reviewed.”

Mr Justice Smith presided over the quarterly session of the Supreme Court, which began yesterday morning. William Neilson Mackie pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent assault, and was remanded for sentence until the close of the sessions. William James- Park, who pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with intent to commit rape and indecent assault, was convicted on the second count, and was also remanded until the end of the sessions for sentence. The case in which Henry George Parsons and William Stewart Scott were charged with the- theft of tobacco, was adjourned until to-morrow to enable Parsons to secure counsel.

The vital statistics for the month just expired arc as follow—Births. 122; deaths, 68; marriages, "75.. For the corresponding month. of 1928, the figures were: Births, 117; deaths, SO; and marriages, 72. There has consequently been an increase in births of 5, a decrease in deaths of 18, and marriages stand just about the same. At the City Police Court yesterday, Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., fined a first offender who was charged with drunkenness, the amount of cab hire (3s), in default 24 hours’ imprisonment.

Lessees of railway bookstalls recently became concerned over a circular issued by the Railways Department stating that it was its intention, on the expiration of their leases, not to call for further ten" ders. The Minister of Railways (Mr W. B. Taverner) informed a Daily Times reporter yesterday that there was no intention to alter the existing arrangements, and that when the bookstall leases expired tenders for • their renewal ' would be invited, as usual. The Minister added that the other proposal would have meant that the department was entering into a' line of business, a practice which “was contrary td the general policy of the Government. Replying to a deputation of the Huntly Miners’ Union at Hamilton yesterday (states a Press Association message), Mr W. A. Veitch, Minister of Mines, said that he was considering a method by which the Arbitration Court could hear compensation cases more" promptly than was done now. Such cases, he considered, should be left to the judge.alone to decide.

‘ The passengers by the steamer Tamaroa, which arrived at Auckland on Monday night from London, incliided 60 assisted immigrants, comprising’ 17 men, 22 women, 21 children, and 20 boys ,brought out tinder the Church of England scheme.’ The latter are described as an exceptionally fine, lot (states a Press Association telegram from Auckland). Who is’ the oldest inhabitant of New Zealand? In 1926, when-the last'census was taken, the oldest European recorded himself- as -108-years -old, 1 but- one ‘Maori, said he was 125, “ which,” ■ the'’Qovernr ment Statistician remarks, “ is understood to be easily the greatest age ever returned at any census in New Zealand.” The man, if he still lives' (and if his memory .is good), must now be 128. He was “in his prime ” , when . New Zealand- became a British colony.

The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) has concluded negotiations with.', Commander Byrd over the introduction, of' the expedition’s sledging dogs to the New Zealand mainland, and the result has been communicated to Commander Byrd’s base in Little America in the Antarctic.' The Government cannot relax the quarantine regulations safeguarding against the introduction of disease into New Zealand, but is prepared to recognise a certificate that the, dogs were free from disease on their shipment from- Canada, and when the quarantine period from this date hhs expired the dogs can be taken to Mount Cook for vwork on the Tasman Glacier. “ This is the. best we can do for the expedition,” remarked Sir Joseph Ward, “ and three months from now the dogs can get into the snow country. They will be kept well away from sheep territory, under the. close supervision of expert team men and confined entirely to the snow country. We considered carefully the possibility of prejudicing sheep owners before coming to a decision, and, while anxious to give every facility to Commander Byrd, this is the best we can do.” ~

. There was one man in Armagh street on Monday (says the Lyttelton Times) who had found a silver lining in the rain clouds. As he worked he smiled to himself, for were not all the business men in the street wearing collars again, and is he not a laundryman? The man with the smile was the Chinaman who would not sign the agreement which was cirou lated in Armagh street last summer, by which all signatories, agreed to discard collars. The agreement- was the forerunner of the Dress Reform League, which has decided to .lie dormant until Health Week in October. A trip along Armagh street during the morning revealed to a reporter that'starched collars are again in favour. In fact, in the whole length of the block between Colombo and Manchester . streets not an ■ open neck could bo. seen among the men behind the counters, but, cold, rain and nil, the girl employees of the shops still had their low necks. A prominent member of the Dress Reform League who was interviewed (he also wore a stiff collar) explained that the league was for dress reform in the summer, and, as a very late start had been made, it had been decided not to carry out an ' active campaign until Health Week in October. He has hopes that next winter will see open collars in vogue among business men, for he believes that if men become accustomed to them in summer they will wear them all the year round. So the Chinese laundryman. being a winner on poiu: s in the first round, looks forward to the second with* composure. ,

The opinion that game fish at the Bay of Islands have been less plentiful this season, compared with some of the past seasons, is held by Mr G. 8. Reade, the well-known veteran angler, who returned to Auckland on Friday from the north. Mr Read-came into prominence some time ago in connection with a magnificent gift of £1,000,0000 to found a naval college in England. Now in his eighty-fourth year; he takes things quietly, but is just, as keen an angler as he was in his younger days. , During the present, season Mr Reade landed some nice- fish, his best' being a striped marlin of 3481 b. He always uses a sporting line—an old-fashioned Nottingham reel with a grip brake. He played one of his fish for 70 minutes—quite a feat for an octogenarian—although some years ago he had an experience of a fish being on his line for nine hours. Mr Reade is keenly looking forward to the next fishing season and more battles with the makes and striped marlins at the Bay of Islands. In his young days Mr Reade had a varied experience of big game hunting in India and Assam.

. A Press Association telegram from WcU lington states that the secretary' of thft General Post Ollice received the following report from the Sydney radio station at 10.10 p.m, yesterday, New Zealand time: —“ Yacht Almnira reported disabled 10 miles north-east of Seal Rocks. She has a broken rudder, and the steamer Tuncurry left Foster at noon to render assistance, and will probably have made communication with, the yacht. Vessels in the vicinity arc requested: to keep a lookout as a precautionary measure. ? On each of the pillars in the new seawall on Caroline Bay has been placed tha name of one of the Great War battlefields, and most of the names have some association with the service of the New Zealand forces (says the Timaru Herald). These names, which are cast in bronze metal locally, are a creditable exposition of the brass moulder’s work, and are probably as good as any that could be obtained from England or Australia. The’ name plates will be polished, and then lacquered to the colour of gold, and the work of preserving the colour effect and keeping them clean will be undertaken by the Boy Scouts of Timaru. The work is being carried out by the Caroline Bay Association, and it is its intention to erect a sundial about the centre of the wall. Oh tile face of the pedestal there will he piaced a roll of honour plate, hearing the names .of the 11 V.C. heroes, connected with the New. Zealand military forces in the Great War.

An interesting research, the results of which have been recently published by l the University Press of the University of California, concerns itself with the rudders'of ferry boats. The work wai prompted by numerous accidents at San Irancisco, due to failure of vessels to enter the slipways centrally.. The sUr* prising thing about this research is that it indicates that little has been done in this field, where one would expect-com-plete knowledge to exist. “In most easel the rudder, with its area low in the water, showed a more decided tendency to alter the course of a ferry than did the original shaped, rudder, or the rudder which had its area near the surface of the water," writes Professor Charles F; Gross, 1 who was in charge,of the work, “There is a decided effect on steering dependent upon whether the rudder is long on the surface of the water, long at the bottpin of the ship, or has a small portion of its area forward of the centre line of the rudder stock.” As control is of utmost importance in a crowded harbour, 'too much stress cannot be laid ufion work of this type. ' ' . v

Old girls and friends of Coliimba Gbllege are reminded that the DramaticGlub will present “The Maker of Dreams” "Op 0 Me Thumb ”, *on Mondays in the Constance Hall. . * *, “

Sorrell and Son,” the film version of Warwick Deeping’s well-known novel, will be screened at Hampden on Friday, ■ t ;, If yon are looking for health, happiness, and prosjjenty join the Dunedin Radiant Health Club. Meets weekly. Membership only 2s 6d a year. Ring secretary, phone 12-765.—Advt.

Have your Diamond, Ring overhauled at Williamsons. • They arc the ringmaking specialists, (next the Bristol).— Advt. ■ .

W. V: Sturmer, G.A.0.C.,’ D.S.O.fv optician. Consulting room, 2 Octagon, Dunedin. Most modern scientific equipment for sight testing.—Advt. ’A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E; 1 Dagler, dentists. Bank of Australasia/ corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next .Telegraph Office) Telephone .12-359;—Adn. . Diamond Engagement Rings.— Before purchasing compare our values; - large selection; superior, quality.—Peter Djtk, the most' reliable jewellers, watchmakers, and opticians, 490 Moray place. Dunedin. Advt. '