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Otago Daily Times, Issue 21267, 23 February 1931, Page 6

At a meeting of the Dominion yachting delegates on Saturday night, there was a lengthy discussion on the proposed formation of the New Zealand Power Boat and Sailing Association, the purpose of which would be the control of all interprovincial sailing and power boat races. At the present time separate bodies control the Sanders and Cornwell Cup contests and power boat events in various parts of the country. It is thought that these latter events could be made more representative and carry more honour to the winners if controlled by a Dominion organisation.

The ordination service of the Methodist Conference is to take place in Trinity Church this morning, when seven ordinants will be ordained to the work of the Christian ministry. The Rev. A. N, Scotter, B.A. (ex-president of the conference), will deliver the ordination charge, while a number of prominent ministers will take part in the service. To-morrow evening a musical festival is to be held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, when the United Methodist choirs will render some very excellent concerted music and a number of the best artists of the city will sing and play and recite.

The visiting Sanders Cup crews and delegates, accompanied by members of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association, were taken for a motor drive through Taieri yesterday. Afternoon tea was provided at Outram Glen. Although the weather was not very pleasant, the outing was a most enjoyable one. Auckland holders of cheques drawn upon Napier and Hastings banks have been suffering a certain amount of inconvenience in negotiating.them (states the Herald). The policy of the banks is to accept these cheques on deposit for collection only—not to allow them to pass to the credit of the customers’ accounts until it has been ascertained by correspondence that they have been met. With regard to Hawke’s Bay people now in Auckland, who are drawing upon their own accounts, the practice is to cash the cheques of all who are vouched for by a reputable person, or at any rate to make an advance upon the amount of the cheque—in fact, to take any reasonable course to meet the convenience of the holder or dra%ver.

Though holding the position of United States Ambassador to Britain, General Dawes, in addressing members of the American Legion in London, did not hesitate to criticise the methods of their country’s War Department in the war. They had 2,000,000 soldiers 3000 miles from home, he said, from -which we received no munitions, no horses, few rifles, little artillery, and not a single aeroplane. Out of every 13 pounds of food supplied American soldiers, Great Britain and France, especially Great Britain, supplied eight pounds. All requests to both these countries for supplies and assistance were granted, even at a sacrifice. America had had to ask Britain for anaesthetics because United States men were enduring operations without them, and they were given without question, whether Britain had sufficient for herself or not. “It was then,” he added, “I recognised the greatness of the British Government and the British Army.” The naval minesweeper Wakakura left Dunedin on Saturday afternoon for Lyttelton with the final draft of Royal Naval Volunteer Reservists from the Otago division. The draft will undergo a period of training with Canterbury reservists this week, and will return to Dunedin by ran next Saturday.

In the Police Court on Saturday morning David Stewart appeared for sentence on a charge of the theft of cigarettes tobacco, and cigarette papers at Clyde, of a total value of £3 18s 7d. the property of Edward John O’Reilly. Chief Detective Cameron said that the accused showed penitence. The magistrate (Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) said that in view of the probation officer’s report he would admit the accused to probation for a period of two years, subject to special conditions. In addition to the six special trains which took spectators to the Otago Aero Club’s pageant, three picnic trains left Dunedin on Saturday morning. There were 14 cars on the train to Milton, which was run for the Hillside Workshops picnic; eight on the Evansdale train, for the Harbour Board’s picnic, and eight on the Port Chalmers watersiders’ picnic train, which went to Waihola. The express from the south in the morning carried a large number of passengers, many of whom left the train at Wingatui to transfer to other trains going to the pageant.

The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr P. A. de la Perrelle) stated on Friday that the Government proposes to bring down - appropriate legislation during th* special session of Parliament postponing the date of local elections in towns stricken by the earthquake disaster.

That magistrates’ note of cases were not infallible was pointed out by Mr Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court recently during the hearing of a claim for damages arising from a motor car collision. In cross-examination counsel referred to the discrepancies between some of witnesses’ statements and their evidence given in another court. The difference was revealed both in counsel’s own notes and those, of the magistrate. “You know how many mistakes are made in magistrates’ notes,” said his Honor. “ Counsel in taking notes' also make mistakes.”

A wide variety of subjects will be presented in the photographic pages of the Otago Witness, to be published to-morrow. In the centre pages there are three particularly fine views—one depicting the farfamed Taieri Plain, another the Inland Kaikouras, and the third is an attractive station scene. Further views of the earthquake stricken area give some additional idea of the disaster which has come to the Dominion. Life in the palm-fringed islands off the Queensland coast makes an appeal through the remarkably fine photographic views, and these afford a contrast to the photographs taken in our own land on the occasion of the visit of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce to the Gatlins district. The Sanders Cup races are the subject of some excellent illustrations, and another photograph which has the sea as its basis is the scuttling of the s.s. Mararoa. The jubilee of the Timaru South School, Elderly Bowlers’ Day at Dunedin, and a picture of the very large number of delegates to the conference of New Zealand gas engineers have each a. particular interest. The official opening of the William Quin Memorial Gates at the Tapanui Hospital is featured by two illustrations, and there are several other subjects which cannot fail to interest.

A report received by the Otago Acclimatisation Society from Central Otago states that fishing has been good at Paerau except when the river was in flood. Good catches have been made both by Dunedin sportsmen who have visited the district and also by local anglers. Though the river was high last week it was expected to be fishable again this week.

According to a prominent Reform member of Parliament, it is anticipated that early in the forthcoming session the Labour Party will move a vote of no confidence in the Government. The member referred to says that there is little prospect of such a motion being carried, as it is realised that the Reform Party is prepared to vote with the United Party and thus prevent its defeat. He also states that the Labour Party is fully aware of what is likely to happen, and that it will naturally make as much political capital as possible out of the safe posit’on in which it finds itself. Whether the Labour Party would move a no confidence motion unless it was sure it was going to be defeated might not be very clear to the unitiated, said the Reform member, but if one read the lines the position was quite transparent.

An intimation that he would make a full statement regarding the sliding scale of duties on wheat and flour during the short session of Parliament next month was given by the Prime Minister. “I realise it is necessary,” he said, “ to make a statement with as little delay as possible, as farmers will soon want to begin making preparation for their next season’s crop. No doubt, with a general fall in the prices of commodities all round, and with reductions in costs, there will have to be reductions, not only in the price of wheat, but in the milling and baking, industries as well.” Mr Forbes .added that already he had set in train an investigation of the wheat and flour position by the Department of Industries and Commerce and the Customs Department, and he hoped shortly to have the whole of the facts before him. Interviewed last night, a produce merchant remarked that millers need not be concerned that the Government would take action in regard to the 1931 harvest.

An important statement by the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) is made in a telegram received in reply to a message from a meeting of farmers held at Knapdale recently, setting out that they were unable to pay the present award wages to mill workers (states our special correspondent at Invercargill). The telegram, which was read at the meeting of the provincial ' executive of the Farmers’ Union on Saturday afternoon, stated: "In cases where all the parties to an award are agreeable to the modification of the terms of such award, the Government will not interfere, but it will require legislation to suspend or vary the provisions of awards.”

About 200 people from Dunedin took advantage of the Railways Department’s excursion to the Waitaki hydro electric works yesterday. The weather was unpleasant when the train left town at 7.20 a.m., but by the time Waikouaiti was. passed the rain had ceased, and did not make another appearance until 4.30 p.m., when the excursionists were leaving on the return journey. Seventy-five persons joined the train at Oamaru, and when Kurow was reached the engine was uncoupled, and the train was drawn to the works by five of the small public works locomotives—three in front and two at the rear. Most of the visitors spent the afternoon in inspecting various parts of the works, and were impressed with the nitude of the undertaking. There was no doubt that it was a popular trip, as many intimated a desire to become further acquainted with Waitaki hydro, should the Railways Department run another excursion.

Sunday, March 8, is to be observed in churches throughout New Zealand as a special day of intercession for the guidance of those who are dealing with the problem of unemployment, as a result of representations made by the Primate, Archbishop Averill (states a Press Association telegram from Wellington). The Roman Catholic Church has agreed to cooperate with the Anglican Church in this matter, and hold simultaneous prayers in its churches, while efforts are now being made to secure the co-operation also of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist churches. A message has been sent by Archbishop Averill to the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) embodying a request that the day be recognised officially as a “ national and civic day of prayer for guidance in these difficult times. If the Government’s sanction is obtained the observance of the day will be universal throughout the Dominion.