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Otago Daily Times, Issue 21163, 22 October 1930, Page 8

The City Fire Brigade was called out twice yesterday as the result of chimney fires, one call being received at 8.56 a.m. to a house at 12 Clifford street, Dalmore, and the other at 3.18 p.m. to a house at 6 Littlebourne road. There was a clean sheet at the City Police Court yesterday morning.

Owing to the necessity of increasing the stock of carriages in the South Island, and the fact of there being a shortage of men at Addington, applications are being called at, the Hillside Workshops from those employees who are desirous of being trans 7 ferred to the northern works. Some 25 men are- required, and those employees who were transferred from Christchurch to Dunedin some time ago are eagerly seizing the opportunity of getting back to Addington. It is stated that the transfer does not signify any change in the policy, of the Railways Department, -under which the construction of carriages is to be centralised at Addington and the construction of locomotives at Hillside.

The University Council was advised by the secretary of the Otago Hospital Board at its meeting yesterday afternoon that at a special meeting of-a committee of the board appointed to prepare a report in regard to the proposed site of the new maternity hospital, the following resolutions had been carried While from the point of view of the amenities and the possible ideas of probable inmates who may prefer a detached Unit to’ an institution in the vicinity of the General Hos pital, the London‘street site may be preferable, the committee feels if must give due weight to the expert opinion of the medical superintendent, ■ and therefore recommends the Cumberland street site. (2) In the event of the Cumberland street site being secured, this committee is strongly of the opinion that the whole, of the properties' from Hanover street up to the Nurses’ Home should be acquired,” Since the result of this meeting is to be reported back to a conference of the University Council and the board, it was suggested that the conferences should take place to-morrow night. The council agreed to the holding of the conference.* The council also received a letter from . the Dunedin Bowling Club stating that it would use every means in its power to prevent its property being taken for a site for the hospital. A party which recently visited the Wanaka district made the trip to ’ the Niger Falls, where a Government hut once stood, and while there was led to’.believe that the hut, which had been used by trampers climbing Mount Aspiring, had been built at large cost and had been sold,to the landowner for £5 because he had complained that -visitors had pulled out his fence posts to light fires. It is certain that a number of the party left the spot firmly convinced that the Government bad made a quite inexcusable blunder, but inquiries made in Dunedin have

disclosed quite a different story. The, hut was built about 27 years ago at a cost of between £6O and £7O. In those days it was very necessary, but since the introduction of motor cars the trip from Pembroke to the hut and back can be made in a few hours. Gradually the-hut fell into a serious state of disrepair. and be* came a convenient stopping place for rabbiterg and others for whom it was not intended. The partition dividing the hut into two rooms was pulled down for firing, and gradually the whole of the flooring disappeared. A Dunedin resident, in fact, described it as. a disgrace that the Government should tolerate the existence of such a place. When the farmer on whose land the hut stood asked for its removal the Government had no option but to do so, and it accepted his offer for the material. An offer was recently made by the land holders in the district to build the hut if the Government landed the materials at Pembroke. The Government signified its inability to place any sum on the Estimates immediately, but stated that it hoped to do so next year. The new hut, it is stated, will be built at a spot where it will be used only by trampers. It was reported by the Finance Committee at the meeting of the University Council yesterday afternoon that a letter had been received from the Minister of Education (Mr H. Atmore) stating that Cabinet had now approved of payment of £IO,OOO subsidy in respect of the Obstetrical Chair. It was resolved that the council express its thanks to' the Minister and ask him if he would give an indication as to when this year’s subsidy, and also next year’s subsidy would be paid. The Holmdale, which arrived at Dunedin yesterday morning from Wellington, encountered a terrific gale all the way down the coast. She, was pounded by heavy seas and a fierce south-west gale crossing Cook Strait on Saturday night. The gale increased in force when, the vesseb was off Banks Peninsula, and she made little headway. The Holmdale was kept on her course, and was about 20 miles south of Akaroa lighthouse when she ran into the worst part of the storm. Pounded by heavy seas, and with big waves smashing on her decks, the vessel laboured and rolled almost rails under. The wind blew with such terrific force that the vessel made practically no headway, as she covered only 20 miles in five hours. As the gale showed no signs of abating. Captain Williams turned the Holmdale and sought shelter in Akaroa Harbour. The ship remained at an anchorage in sheltered waters until Monday, when the voyage was resumed. A strong southerly wind and fairly heavy seas were encountered on the run from Akaroa to Otago Heads. Captain Williams described the storm as the worst encountered by the Holmdale for several years. Although the vessel shipped a great deal of water when battling with the gale off Banks Peninsula, practically no damage was done. The covers on the for’ard hatch were shifted, and the whistle and other halyards were blown adrift. The Otago University Council, at its meeting yesterday, resolved to adopt a resolution of the Professorial Board to the effect that a recommendation be sent to the University of New Zealand that the Home Science diploma course be not recognised for the granting of University bursaries.

The through express from Invercargill, which is due at Dunedin at 11.20, did not reach here yesterday till 12 o’clock. The delay was caused through a wagon being derailed on the Gatlins line and the holding up of the express at Balclutha to enable the passengers on the branch train to come on to the Burnside, sales. ‘ A bus went from Balclutha, took 20 passengers off the branch train, and brought them on to- join the express. It was expected that the express would make up time on the run to Christchurch, or else that the ferry steamer would be held back to enable passengers to the North Island t*> get aboard. A report on the Dunedin Fire Brigade by the Government inspector of New Zea land brigades working under the jurisdiction of fire boards (Mr T. T. Hugo) was placed before yesterday’s meeting of the Fire Board. . The report stated that the inspection and subsequent drill at the Central Station on February 8 were carried out in a smart and efficient manner, as was also the turn-out at the South Dunedin and Roslyn out-stations. All the stations and equipment were found in firstclass order. The question of the water supply for fire extinction purposes in Dunedin had caused anxiety for some time past.

The old stone windmill at the corner of St. Andrew’s and Windmill roads,. Epsom, Auckland, will be demolished in the next few weeks by the owner in furtherance of his plans for the subdivision and sale of the property. Two years ago an effort was made by the neighbouring residents to save this well-known landmark, one of the oldest remaining stone buildings in Auckland, but the scheme came to nothing (states the New Zealand Herald). The bnihlina is nearly 80 years old, and has been unused for 50 years. The wooden dwelling that’stands only two feet away from it is now empty, and a notice-board near the road reads: “ Allotments for Sale.” The adjacent section has been sold, and on it workmen arc building a modern twr-storey residence. The owner of the mill, Mr T. Fordyce. lives at 09 Balmoral road. Mount Eden. " I am going to put some dynamite under it and blow it up,” he said on Friday. “ It' is in the way, and will not help me to realise my property.”

Our London correspondent writes, on September • s:—ln order to increase its usefulness' to the industrial and, commercial world, the Royal Empire Society has introduced a new membership rule by which members of. British firms appointed to positions overseas may become Temporary Fellows for the three months immediately preceding their departure without entrance, fee or subscription.. It is hoped that the concession will be of special value to banks’, and other institutions with extensive connections overseas. ■

That drinking incidental to weddings was among the causes of the alleged loosening of the morals of the,young people, of New Zealand Was the opinion expressed by the Rev. W. J. Comrie, who, by -invitation, addressed the Auckland Diocesan Synod on Friday on “ Temperance.” He said he had not seen the book reflecting on the,young women, which had been the subject of comment during the past few days, and he was not there to defend the assertions made in .it. ftowever, statements made by the . registrar-genetal of the Presbyterian Church and by workers among the young peptic were very serious. The cold facts of the records of births, of children conceived 1 outside marital relationship were enough to give anyone pause. “What has this to do with temperance?’”, it might be asked,” continued Mr Comrie. “ The hip ■ flask and social drinking , have-- been at the bottom of that immorality. No people can endure if the foundations ot its morals arc sapped. I have .been charged with exaggeration! A minister of your church in another dioefesesaid after I had spoken on these lines, ‘You . are quite right.’ How this wave 'of immorality among owr young people ib to be checked is one of the things this synod- has seriously to consider. The clergy of ydur church .and mine are largely responsible because of the, amount of drinking, tolerated at wedding breakfasts.” The speaker added that the. country was still suffering from the after-effects of the war and the Wave of - extravagance which had" been passing over the world. “We have : been living beyond our means and ; we’ have to pay for it, hot only, in hard cash, but in a loosening of 'morals,” he said. Probably the first case of its kind in New Zealand was heard ,at the Nelson Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, morning before Mr T. E. Maunsell, S.M., when three men were charged with, riding in a petrol tank, wagon, not being in charge nor authorised persons employed by the owner nor inspectors appointed. under the Explosives and. Dangerous Goods'Aet. The driver of the wagon was also charged -with permitting the. men to ride on the tanker. Evidence showed that the three men, who had left the relief works at Tophouse, had walked 16 miles on the way when the tank-wagon came along. It was raining hard at the : time and the driver responded to their call for a “ lift ” and brought them into Nelson, One of the men, however, was “wanted” by the police, who captured their man., His arrest brought about the charges. Senior .Sergeant W. J. Butler explained'that under the Act persons riding on such a lorry were liable, to a fine of £IOO. He thought- it was the first case of its kind, .and did not want a heavy penalty. However, the practice was dangerous, and the police did not consider it a minor offence. He said, that - there was a danger of explosions'occurring, and one had been recorded, and the Government had, a very good reason for making the regulation. The ; magistrate: “There should be a-copy of these regulations in the cab of each wagon.” One of the passengers said that he was sorry he had got the driver into, trouble, they had walked 17 miles that day in the rain and-—— the magistrate: “Yes, I understand.” “Well, perhaps you’ve never had that experience, sir,” said the passenger, to the amusement of the court. The - magistrate decided to record convictions against the men, who were ordered to pay costs, 10s each. The Shipping World (London, September 10) has the accompanying reference to the new floating dock’ for New Zealand: —The new 17,000-ton floating dry dock which is to be built by, Messrs Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson, Ltd., of Wallsend-on-Tyne, for the Wellington Harbour Board, New Zealand, is of interest not only on account of her large size, but also because, when completed, she will have to be towed 13,500 miles in order to reach her destination. The dock, which is to be built to the designs of Messrs Clark, and Standfield, of Westminster, will have, the following dimensions: —Overall length, including the platforms, 584 ft; clear width, 88tt; width overall, 117 ft 6in, The towage of the completed dock. has been entrusted to L, Smit and Co.’s Internationale Slecpdienst, of Rotterdam, which firm, it may he recalled, towed the Singapore dry dock from the Tyne to the naval base at Singapore. Owing to the width of the new Wellington dock.it will not be possible to use the Panama Canal route, and the voyage will therefore ' be made via the Suez Canal and Macassar, and through the Straits of Torres! The voyage, it is hoped, will begin in July next year, and it will occupy about seven mouths. Writing on August 21, our London correspondent states that the Rev. Vincent King (Dunedin) and his son have been touring in the North of England. They first stayed with relatives at Birkenhead, and then they made an interesting journey through Northumberland, Yorkshire; and Durham. They visited Stratford-on-Avon, Warwick, Oxford, and Avebury. The last mentioned place, in Wiltshire, was especially interesting to' Mr King, as his grandfather was rector there from 1863 to 1894, and he met many old people who knew his grandfather well. The Druid remains at Avebury, Mr King considers more important than those at Stonehenge. They are certainly more extensive, as they cover a circumference of 4440 ft, and they are as high as the Stonehenge monoliths. Mr King visited the war cemetery at,Brockenhurst, and he was greatly impressed with the way it is kept. The memorial cross was decorated with leaves and flowers on the day that he was there. After a month in London, Mr King and his sen intend to tour the battlefields and visit the cfemeterics of particular New Zealand interest. A recommendation that the Kawarau Gold Mining Amalgamation Bill should be allowed to proceed with minor amendments was made by the Goldfields and Mines’ Committee which reported upon the measure to the House of Representatives yesterday. The chairman of the committee (Mr G. C. C. Black) said that £IO,OOO had. been; deposited by the company with the Public Trustee as security against auy damage that might arise through the breaking of the whole or part of the dam, and an amendment in-the Bill proposed to give the company power to use £6OOO of this to meet certain liabilities, and the other £4OOO would be held to meet the claims of the Cromwell Development Company, an arrangement which had been made after evidence from both sides had been heard by the committee. In the meantime the dam could be used only for experimental purposes, and before any other work .could be started the £IO,OOO would have to! be redeposited with the Public Trustee. Other amendments merely safeguarded the position of the Crown. An Auckland woman who is on a tour abroad (says the Star) writes from Buenos Aires, describing the excitement of an international football match between Uruguay and Argentina. The match was played at Montevideo, and 20,000 Argentines went across to support their team. The Postmaster-general chartered a boat for his staff to see the match, but on account of the dense tog the boats were unable to reach Montevideo in time. Upon arrival at Montevideo 80 revolvers were confiscated from the Argentines. The test resulted in a narrow win for the Uruguayans. In Buenos Aires the Argentines paraded the streets hooting the Uruguayans. They stoned the windows of the Uruguayan Consul’s office, and a young girl who waved a Uruguayan flag in one of the main streets was'stoned and finally had to be removed to hospital. The woman adds: “Oh! They are an excitable, dangerous lot.”

A report, submitted by Superintendent J. J. Salmon, of the -Dunedin City Fire Brigade, to yesterday’s meeting of the Fire Board, stated., that the St. John-Am-bulance machines had answered' 108 calls and travelled9oo miles during the past month. The report also .stated that .difficulty was being experienced in carrying on the work, as No. 1 ambulance, which had done considerable work :.during past years, had broken down. At the present time the whole of the ambulance work was being carried out by two machines. If the work was to' be carried out in an efficient manner, it was essential that three machines should be available at all times. The only comment made in connection with the report was a question by one of the board members. The secretary of the board said that the question of procuring another machine refeted with the St. John Ambulance authorities. A demonstration of the exhibits in the new wing of the Museum was given, to members of the public by the Association of Friends of the Museum last night. The object of the .association, as its name implies, is to assist the Museum authorities, and- the whole of-its funds are devoted to the purchase of exhibits. All the necessary information regarding the collections wag, given to those present by.'Mr H. D. Skinner and other -members of the association. The attendance last night was not as large as was. expected, and it is hoped that a greater number will take'the further opportunity of viewing the collections that , will be provided to-night. r Tho following petition has -been prepared liy Messrs J .Carter and J. Nolan, -and, after it has been signed by those of the unemployed in Dunedin who have had previous farming experience, it will be presented, to the . Acting-Prime Minister (Mr E. A, Ransom) in his capacity as Minister of Lands:—“ We, the undersigned, respectfully beg ,to draw the attention of , the Minister of. Lands to the apparent neglect of the South Island, particularly the Otago 'and Southland land districts,- with regard to the recent - legislation which gives exceptional advantages to settlers desirous of selecting undeveloped Crown or settlement land, with the right to advances from Lands Development Board. The Crown Lands Guide, corrected to July 1, 1030, shows a. gross area of some 61,000 acres, under the heading of undeveloped Crown lands, in :the North Island, chiefly in the North Auckland, Auckland, and Taranaki districts, whereas thbre is only an area, of 4200 acres under this heading in the South Island, 2800'acres (all bearing bush) in Westland, afid 1800 acres in Southland. - The Auckland lands arc very inferior light lands, chiefly of pumice for(nation; and .will -not. respond to development to anything like the same extent M deteriorated lands in Otago and Southland. Many of us have had considerable ' experience in farming, and feel sure that under the. provisions whereby the Lands Development Board is empowered to’ grant advances we. could make good on undeveloped or deteriorated lands in'Otago or Southland. We‘therefore beg that you will favour our request with your earnest consideration, and give us the opportunity of earning a living on the land.”

The report of Professor P. G. Hornell upon the Waikaremoana electric power scheme will not be placed before Parliament before the end of the session, according to a statement by 'the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr E, A. Ransom) in reply to an urgent question by Mr W. E. Barnard (Labour member for Napier) in the House of Representatives yesterday. ■ Mr Ransom said' the report would not be ready in titoe for' presentation, but it would be delivered to the Government later. Reference to the cost of Professor Hornell’s investigations was made by Mr J. S. Fletcher (Independent member for Grey Lynn) in notice of a question to the Acting-prime Minister. He ashed to: be supplied with details of the expenditure in connection with the Arapuni, Waikaremoana, and. Waitaki investigations.

Our London correspondent, writing on September 11, remarks;—The number of inquiries received at* the High Commissioner’s Office from intending tourists-to New Zealand has been very considerable during the past few months. .Every effort is there made to supply the fullest'information. In this, connection ihe following is an example of acknowledgments received:—" Dr Louis Smith acknowledges with thanks, the copy of official list of hotels in New Zealand, just received. He also would like to send his keen appreciation of the great courtesy shown him.and his wife by the officials at the New Zealand Government Office, which has helped very much in the arrangements, for his forthcoming trip to New Zealand." Dr Smith writes from Queen Anne’s mansions. . ■

Strong support of the movement to introduce religious teaching into primary schools was voiced by Mr E. D. Mosley* S.M., at a meeting held in Christchurch on Monday night to conclude the Robert Raikes jubilee celebrations. Mr Mosley said that he was at last convinced,' after many years of opposition to The proposal, that some form of religious teaching should be introduced into the primary schools. “Education without a knowledge of the teachings of Christ is not worth twopence/’ said Mr Mosley. "I am convinced that we will never attain our ideals unless in some way or other the teachings of Christ are introduced, into our primary schools. Religion has been taught for many years in 'some of - our Secondary schools, and my experience of the boys who have passed through them is that they are. the better for it. Why shouldn’t the boys and girls in our primary schools have the same benefits? ”

The Railways Department advertises in this issue particulars of excursion fares and train arrangements in connection with Labour Day and Oamaru races on October 27; and Gore races on October 27 and 29. , An opportunity will be given the people of Dunedin to see some of the attractions which the western side of the Southern Alps contains by means of a lantern lep-. ture which will be given in the Y.M.C.A. Hall this evening. These views, taken by Mr Eric James during an exploration visit to the country north of Milford Sound, will be explained by the explorer himself, and a first-hand knowledge of them thereby conveyed. The lecture will be given under the auspices of the Otago Expansion League, and citizens are invited to.attend. The Napier Borough Council invites applications up to noon on Saturday, November 1, for the position, of assistant town clerk. Particulars will be found in our advertising .columns. The Dominion Building Society _ advertises the twenty-first ballot meeting on Thursday, October 30, when the sum of £OOOO will be balloted. An advertisement appears elsewhere in this issue giving particulars of the Otago Labour Day Association’s programme for the sports which will be held on the Caledonian Grounds on Labour Day. In addition to the athletic events there will be piping and dancing, children s sports, a baby fenow, and a'hidden treasure hunt. The Tramways Band will be .in attendance. An art union will be conducted in conjunction with the sports, the prizes being four valuable works of art. Art union tickets arc now on ea!6, and admit holders to grounds. The _ Labour Day Association has arranged.with the Tramways Department to run special cars. Luncheon will be procurable at the grounds. W. V. Stunner, G.A.0.C., D. 5.0.1., optician. Consulting room, 2 Octagon, Dunedin. Most modern scientific’equipment for sight testing.—Advt.' , A.. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telcernph Office) Telenhnnc 12-359,—Advt. S, E Ferguson. G.P.0.C., consulting optician, watchmaker, and jeweller Consult us about vonr eves; our advice end long experience are at your disposal. Optical repairs a specialty: done «t ■horthst notice.—4s Georce street.—Advt. We succeed by successful testing.—Peter Dick, jewellers, watchmakers, and opti•ians. 490 Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt,