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Otago Daily Times, Issue 20959, 24 February 1930, Page 8

The postal authorities advise that the Mamma left Sydney on Friday for Wellington with eight bags of mail and 30 parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should reach Dunedin on Wednesday afternoon.

Although eight miles of preliminary, construction work which were. laid down 18 years ago north-west of Parnassus have been scrapped (remarks the Christchurch Press, referring to the commencement of construction work on the South Island Main Trunk railway), it should be pointed out that this length of line has fallen into a state of disrepair, and if it had not been abandoned would have required the expenditure of a substantial sum of money before trains could he run upon it. There are those who still are of opinion that the original route is the better one, because of the wider area of country which it would serve; hut against this it is contended that the present policy in railway construction is to take the shortest suitable route between important terminals on main lines, and to leave the motors to act as feeders from inland.

Several speakers at a meeting of the Fur Trappers' Association at Wellington urged that trappers should be allowed to take dogs with them into State Forest reserves. Reference was made to the increasing menace of wild,pigs and,goats, and the opinion was expressed that it was useless to urge the destruction while denying the use of dogs to trappers. "It is practically impossible to get a wild pig out of the bush without dogs, and the hunting does not repay the effort,” said one speaker. It was decided to approach the State Forest Service with the request that opossum trappers should he allowed the use of at least one dog. The public are invited to a meeting in the Council Chambers, Town Hall, this afternoon, at 3 o’clock, to hear the organiser of the obstetrical endowment fund appeal (Dr Doris Gordon) give an address. The Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) will preside, and Lady Ferguson will support Dr Gordon. The topical nature of most of the illustrated section of the Otago Witness, to be published to-morrow, will make a strong appeal to readers. In the first place there is a full page showing the crews, the boats, and some of the races in progress, in connection with the Cornwall Cup contest held last week in Otago Harbour. Secondly, there is the Dunedin Jockejt Club's autumn meeting at Wingatui with the -horses in action, two finishes, and the presentation of the James Hazlett Gold Cup. Thirdly, there is a large flashlight impression of the citizens’ ball at the New Town Hall, and one of the massed choirs and orchestra in front of the organ. Elderly Bowlers’ Day in Dunedin is represented by a group of interesting photpgraphs, while similar groups are shown in connection with, War. rington’s recent gala day and the annual regatta at Ravensbourne. Other pictures of less local, though perhaps wider appeal, are a page dealing with the conference of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, held last week in Christchurch, a page of the Teaneraki (Enfield) School jubilee, views in connection with Tapanui Farmers’ Club’s annual show, i and the visit of Lord and Lady Craigavon to Queenstown. . The front page gives a breezy impression of fun in the sand and surf round Wellington Harbour, further noteworthy pictures in the issue being “War-time Pilots at the Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch,” “ A House of Commons’ Uniform,” “ Princess Mary’s Second Son Learns to Ride,” and “ The Speechly Mile Swimming Contest at Timaru."

The adjourned inquest into the circumstances attending the deaths of’ David Vernon Wilkins (motor mechanic) and David Edmonds (labourer), 'who were killed in a motor collision on the lower Peninsula road on New Year’s Day, will be resumed on Thursday morning at the Courthouse, Dunedin.

Despite the unpleasant weather conditions yesterday morning, those who patronised the Railways Department’s excursion to Roxburgh were fully rewarded for their hardihood. The train left at .8 a.m. with about 200 passengers on board, and about 80 more were picked up between Dunedin and Lawrence. Roxburgh, the terminus of the railway, was reached in good time, and a fleet of waiting motor buses conveyed the passengers to the township without delay. Some of the visitors took advantage of the Roxburgh Borough Council’s motor camping ground for picnic spots, but most of them visited various orchards in the Roxburgh and Coal Creek districts, and sampled the fruit. To those who had not visited Roxburgh before, the extent to which fruit farming is carried on in the district was a revelation. Another spot which attracted some of the excursionists was the coal sluicing area at Coal Creek, where the mineral "is obtained by sluicing, the earth and then digging the coal out. The weather was fine, but the enjoyment of the day was marred by a strong wind. The excursion was under the supervision of Mr C. Barnes, of the Railways Department.

Our Invercargill csrrespondent telegraphs: “The sum of £IOO,OOO is to be spent in Dunedin in the interests of maternal welfares,” declared Dr Doris Gordon, organiser of the New Zealand Obstetrical Society, at a meeting here in connection with the campaign to raise funds to endow a chair of midwifery and gynoeology at the Otago Medical School. Dr Gordon assured her audience that there is no parochialism in the movement, which practically originated in Auckland, and is enthusiastically supported by the whole of New Zealand. The Government had provided £50,000 for an up-to-date obstetrical hospital and with subsidies the endowment fund, for which an appeal was now being made, should produce another £50,000 —a recognition of the national service that the project will give.

The next all-New Zealand Maori lawn tennis tournament is to be conducted at Gisborne next month. In addition to the tournament, there will be an immense gathering of Natives of the principal tribal districts of New Zealand, and discussions will take place on problems confronting the Native race. The Minister 'oh Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata, is expected to visit Gisborne in connection with the tournament.

“In an enlightened country such as ours, it is deplorable that there are so many people who have not a sense of fairness to respond in some way or other to ,requests for payment of their indebtedness,” stated a report received at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board or. Tuesday concerning the payment of hospital fees (reports the New Zealand Herald). “A little courtesy expended in-this way would not only save the board from much trouble and expenditure, but it would also save the debtor from the ultimate action which must be taken in court.” It was stated that a number of persons had failed to reply to the board’s request for an explanation. The annual conference of the Municipal Association will be opened in Invercargill on Wednesday, March 5. Prior to the conference there will be held a preliminary meeting of the executive, consisting of the Mayors of the four principal centres, with the Mayor of Wanganui irattendance, in recognition of the fact that last year’s conference was held in that city. A large number of remits will be dealt with.

la pursuance of Ilia endeavours to stimulate in the Native race interest in production from the land, the Minister of Native Affairs (Sir Apirana Ngata) addressed a meeting of Maoris at Kawhia last week. Sir Apirana said he had come to try to*help the people, and he asked for their co-operation. Maoris on the east and.west coasts had the same problems and troubles to overcome. They were looking to the young people to revive the energy of their forefathers. As their proverb had it: “When the older generation is exhausted, replace it with virile youth.” The Minister said he did not come as a teacher. He came because of a long desire to see them, and, secondly, as Minister representing the Maori people, to learn their wants, to hear their views, and seek a way out. The work was already in hand. Waste lands were being brought into cultivation by Maori farmers, in Rotorua, in Waikato, and in Waiukß. He concluded with a strong appeal to join the movement, promising them the assistance of the Government.

Trade at the port of Greymouth continues to show a general increase. Last month the timber exported totalled 1,706,400 super feet, bringing the total since April 1 last to 3,523,470 super feet, an increase of 3,040,710 super feet, in comparison with the same period last year. The coal exported last month was 20,607 tons, and the total for 10 months was 262.461 J tons, an increase of 62,865 tons.

At a sitting of the City Police Court on Saturday morning, before Mr J. H. Bartholomew, S.M., Albert Joseph Bell, on a charge of drunkenness, was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment. Senior Sergeant* Quartermain stating that the defendant was an habitual drunkard. A first offender for, drunkenness was fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. Some of the amusing experiences met in clerical life were referred to' by the retiring Bishop of Waiapu, Dr Sedgwick, when speaking at a garden party at the Deanery in Napier (says the Hawke’s Bay Herald). Two of the best were connected with the cut of a bishop’s clothes. The bishop raised much laughter by saying that one old -lady had once complimented him on having skirts of the right length, while he caused much laughter by narrating how he overheard a workman in the stret once refer to him as “ a Highlander in mourning.”

On a combined business and pleasure trip to New Zealand, Mr Patrick Hennessy, of Cognac, France, is at present on a visit to the South Island. This is Mi” Hennessy's first visit to these shores, and since his arrival a little over a month ago he has spent a thoroughly enjoyable time in the town and country districts of the North Island, where in every respect New Zealanders have appealed to him as a delightful and most hospitable people. Mr Hennessy said he had noticed, the great amount of unemployment in New Zealand, finding it in contrast to condi tions in France, where, at any rate, amongst Frenchmen, unemployment was practically unknown. “There are a few men out of work, of course,” he said, “but you will find that they are mostly foreigners and isolated cases of discontented workers. The French are an exceedingly happy, democratic, and satisfied people, keen on their occupations, and not afraid of work. There are ample means of earning a livelihood in all the country districts, and you will find some of the cleverest of- the French people in these localities.”

“ There , are 30,000,000 Sunday School children in the. world, constituting a splendid nucleus for ■ the establishment of a Christian Commonwealth of Nations,” stated the. Rev. E. P. Blamires (general secretary to the Methodist Young People's Department) at a young people's demonstration, held at- Wesley Church, Taranaki street, Wellington, the other night, under the auspices of the annual conference of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. No fewer than 11,000,000 of those children, he added, were in the Methodist Sunday Schools of, the world, the teaching in which was given in some 150 different languages; so. that it- might very safely ‘be said that at least 150 to 200 nations were' represented by those 30,000.000 of Sunday, school children (approximately). Mr Blamires referred with great appreciation to the valuable: work done for the Sunday school movement in New Zealand by the late Mr George Tiller, of. Wellington, for many years . superintendent of , the Wesley Church Sunday School, whiqh at the end of last century was the largest Sunday school in New Zealand, having 800 scholars on the roll. He told also how Mr Tiller had visited America and had introduced into this country the “ cradleroll ” system which obtained in Mr Wa|amaker’s Sunday school there—a syJlm now in operation and producing wonderful results throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion.—(Applause.) School in these days is far more popular 'among children than it was only a little over a decade ago, but despite the fact that many would not he willing to miss attending on a day on which it is open, most are only too willing to participate in any holiday. Questioning by the Minister of Education, Mr H. At-’ more, of the children in the district schools has demonstrated this, and seldom was a dissentient voice raised at the prospect of the promised holiday in honour of'the Minister’s fist visit to the district, At Muriwai, near Gisborne, however, the Minister had a surprise in store for him. He asked the scholars, who included a large number of Maoris, whether they would like a holiday. Several voices answered “No.” So surprised was he that the Minister repeated the question, with the same response, and then satisfied himself that they knew what a holiday was. He then asked for a show of hands of those’ who would like a holiday, and while a number of hands -went up, practically the whole of the Maori children were content to show their disregard for the offer. In his surprise, the Minister turned to the headmaster, who gave the assurance that the Maori children were quite genuine; they would rather attend school than stay at home, he said. The campaign -against the scattering of litter and the defacing of our countryside continues apace (states a writer in the Overseas Monthly). A booklet has been published by the Dryad Press, of Leicester, containing poems, slogans, and notices appealing to the thoughtless tripper. One handbill concludes with these words: “This is literature, not litter, so when you Jiave read it please hand it on to someone else or burn it, don’t throw it down.” The litter baskets at Weston-super-Mare now bear the following notice:— You can go where you will without fear; But there’s one thing we wish to make clear, Be you walker or sitter. We object to your litter; Take it home, or else put it in here.” If there is anything in the old superstition about luck following the finder of a four-leaved clover, there should be a lot of good fortune in store for a lady who went botanising on a farm at Mangere (states an Auckland newspaper). She found a whole patch of clover with four leaves, but her best find was when she picked a three-leaved, a four-leaved, and a five-leaved, all on the one stalk. Inquiries made at a number of North Taranaki dairy factories show that the general tendency this season has been a moderate change-over from cheese m favour of butter (reports the Taranaki News). Averaging the output over a number of factories it appears that between 53 and 54 boxes of butter are being ■ produced this season where 50 were produced last season, which means ah . increase in the butter output from North Taranaki this season of approximately 7 per cent. Cheese, on the other hand, shows a slight decline, but there is every reason to suppose, from the inquiries made, that the total production in butterfat for this season will show an advance of over 6 per cent, on last season’s outr put.

A semi-serious complaint that there wait no use in the world for a retired bishop was made .by Bishop Sedgwick, ex-Bishop of Waiapu, when speaking at the garden party held in Napier a few days ago. “Now I am retired I find all that I am useful for is hanging,” he said. “Within the past few days I have been twice hung —hung in the diocesan offices. A I least my picture has been, and that was supposed to be me. For the second hanging even the nails protested against having to take a retired bishop, and would not go into the wall. There is not much use, I see, for a retired bishop. He cannot take a seat at the Lambeth Conference, he cannot do this or that. I can promise’ Bishop Williams this: though, the peopla and the clergy will work with him, help him and assist him, when his time comes they will simply hang him, just as they did to me."

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