"THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21386, 14 July 1931, Page 6

"THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS."

No matter what man may choose to do nor how he may conduct himself, the laws of Nature do not promise him an assured continuance on earth. They leave him, within wide limits, to determine his own future. He need not progress. He can, if he chooses, degenerate, or even, in the end, become extinct. Happily for the future of the human race we are at present more favourably situated than mankind has ever been before. We have much more power over Nature than in the past, and, because we have far more knowledge, we have infinitely more control over the conditions of life than our forefathers possessed. Consequently, notwithstanding the fact that the present age is one of restriction and repression, of stress and strain, we are interested, although not greatly impressed, by the announcement that Mr John D. Rockefeller has attained the age of 92 years. The promise of Eliphaz the Temanite to Job, “ Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of wheat cometh in in his season,” was never more abundantly fulfilled than in our day and generation. Around and about us we know and see those who, by reason of strength,’ have made the days of their years to surpass the threescore years and -ten of the Psalmist, and whose strength is yet not labour and sorrow. This much has science achieved for the race, and in view of the great advances that have been made in the vital sciences of medicine, hygiene and dietetics, it is only to be expected that the figures that represent the average duration of human life should be constantly growing. It is possible, however, that the popular conception of the lengthening life span of humanity takes too much account of the influence of old age in the calculation of the mean and not enough of other important considerations that have undoubtedly contributed vastly to the present condition of affairs. What may be said to have had as great an effect in raising the average as any other factor in modern life is the close attention that is now paid to the subject of infant and child welfare. The effects brought about by modern methods and modern nursing upon the lives of children from- infancy through childhood to adolescence represent a conservation of years that cannot be without result in lifting the average expectation of life above that of our ancestors. At the beginning of the present century the needless sacrifice of infant life in practically every country of the world was a reflection on civilisation. The life of one out of every five children born was terminated before its first birthday through various causes which were largely avoidable. To-day, thanks to the work of Sir Truby King and others, the death rate of infants in the Dominion has been materially reduced and in other • countries effective work has resulted in marked reductions in mortality of the young. It has been estimated that 100 years ago a newly born child had 67 chances in a hundred of attaining maturity—that is, of reaching the age of 21 years. At the present time its chances are 90 in a hundred. In other words, 33 out of every hundred died a century ago, and now only ten fail to reach adulthood. Sanitation, communal and domestic, and the continual battle against epidemic and ■ disease which public authorities are waging have decreased national loss of life to an important degree. The improvement of industrial conditions, including the abolition of child labour and the gradual change for the better in the standard of living of the masses, has also exerted a powerful influence in increasing not only the usefulness but also the length of the lives of thousands who in generations past laid down the burden of existence almost before the first flush of youth had passed, beaten and broken by the unequal struggle against a life that was unsheltered and severe. It is necessary, in arriving at any conclusions respecting longevity and in assessing the gains of the past, that full recognition should be given to those factors which contribute to a higher average rather than to actual old age.

Mr Justice Kennedy has granted probate in the following estates:—Nicholas Smith, of Dunedin (Mr G. Gallaway); William' Muirhead, of Dunedin (Mr G. Gallaway); William Lang, of Dunedin (Mr F. G. Duncan); Thomas Stirling Shaw, of Dunedin (Mr J. N. Thompson); John Thomson, of Stoney Creek (Mr R. R. Grigor); William Finlay Sligo, of Dunedin (Mr F. B. Adams); Mary Mill, of Port Chalmers (Mr G. Gallaway); and Jean Allan, of Dunedin (Mr W. R. Brugh). Letters of administration were granted in the estates of Vincent Elliot Edgar, of Dunedin (Mr W. R. Brugh); Oliver James Hall, of Miller’s Flat (Mr S. Fletcher); and Samuel Richard Smith, of Waikouaiti (Mr E. Rolfe).

There is a very serious congestion of business in the English law courts. The Trinity sessions began last month with 1072 actions for trial in the King’s Bench Division. Of these 870 were arrears from last term, many of which were set down a year ago. The total compares with 673 a year ago and with 428 —an exceptionally low figure—in 1929. Only once, in 1921, has such a total been - approached and exceeded during the present century. Our cable news a few weeks recorded the fact that Sir Charles Trevelyan, ex-Ministcr of Education in the Labour Government at Home, having expressed a hope that wealth might be more evenly distributed than at present, Mr Alfred Denville, prospective Conservative candidate for the seat now held by Sir Charles in Newcastle, had offered to distribute half his fortune to the poor of Newcastle if Sir Charles would do the same. The reply by Sir Charles Trevelyan to this challenge was not cabled. As reported in the Daily Telegraph it was; “I don’t care a damn for Mr Denville. I have nothing to say.”

Flight-lieutenant Somerset Thomas, of the staff of the Wigram Aerodrome, ■ will arrive in-Dunedin to-day, and this afternoon he will examine eight flying members of the Otago Aero Club for their A pilots’ licenses. Messrs H. M'Kinlay, C. C. jßyar, A. Burbidge, C. M. Ellis, S. C. Gourley, I. Penrose, L. Stewart, and J. Stevenson are the candidates, and should they be successful 16 of Flyingofficer Olsen’s pupils will then have gained their licenses since October last.

The Government motor ship Maui Pomare arrived at Dunedin yesterday afternoon from Apia and Niue Island after an uneventful voyage. The vessel brought ID passengers for New Zealand and 7091 cases of bananas. The cargo is one of the largest brought by the ship for some, time past. The shipment from Niue Island comprised 1200 eases, and the consignment from Samoa consisted of 5891 cases. About 2000 cases will be discharged at Dunedin, and the remainder at Lyttelton, Wellington, and Auckland. The fruit appears to be in excellent condition.

The following are the returns of infectious diseases at the Dunedin, Fever, and Wakari Hospitals for the week ended at noon yesterday;—Scarlet fever —admitted 1, discharged 4, remaining 22; diphtheria—discharged 4, remaining 7; paratyphoid fever—discharged 2, remaining 1; ophthalmia neonatorum—remaining 1. Totals; Admitted 1, discharged 10, remaining 31. • Land'and income taxes were considered by the Earners’ Union Conference in Wellington on Friday. A remit from Otago was as follows:—“ That this conference again urges that all taxes on capital, such as land tax, be abolished, and, except direct taxes on gifts and deceased estates, all direct taxation be in the form of income tax.” The opinion that no Government would abolish land tax was expressed by Mr J. R. Franklin (Wanganui), who said that it was a system that could be used to break up large estates. If the land was properly valued according to its productive value it was a fair system. Mr J. Livingston (Hawke s Bay) also expressed the opinion that no Government' would take away ■ land tax for income tax. If the conference asked for income tax they would get both. The remit was carried by 35 votes to 27.

Dealing with the subject of • English in schools, the report of the inspectors of schools, published in the Wellington Education Board’s annual report for 1930, states that the writing of compositions remained at a good level in Standards U> 111, and IV. Standards V and VI, however, seldom showed a sufficient advance on the preceding classes. Although there was a pleasing freedom from grammatical errors, vocabulary was meagre. Monotony of treatment and a lack of variety of subjects were too common, and work was confined almost entirely to so-called essay-writing and letter-writing. It was suggested in the report that play-writing, reporting, interviewing, paragraph, advertisement and poster writing, and verse writing, should be included in the school work. Spelling remained at much the same level. Too little seemed to be done in a given time, and wasteful methods of testing were adopted. The use of a spelling book necessitating the consulting of a dictionary followed by the laborious framing of often inaccurate sentences, did little to teach the pupil how to spell. It would be preferable, says the report, if the words chosen were seen in their proper context, say, in the School Journal or other text-books.

- Tile increase in the amount of unemployment and the reductions that have been made in salaries and wages have created problems for life insurance companies owing to the great difficulty many people are having in keeping up the payment of their premiums. Most of the companies have shown a readiness to meet the circumstances of those insured with them by agreeing to postpone the payment of premiums in eases of hardship or to arrange for payments by instalments, but a number of people have been compelled to let their policies lapse. The problem has been aggravated by the fact that many people carry insurances up to the limit of their resources and when their incomes are reduced they find the burden particularly heavy. Lower bonuses have been paid by most of the companies this year, but on account of the huge reserves that are held the reductions have not been as great as might have been expected.

The " use more, wool ” campaign which has provided a slogan for the various branches of file Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union throughout Eastern Southland is finding very gratifying support, particularly at Mataura (writes our correspondent), where some 30 members and non-members gather weekly to receive instruction at the hands of persons well acocomplished in the intricacies of knitting. Already a variety of articles have been made and forwarded to the Gore Clothing Club, whose commendable philanthropic work extends to all parts of the district. Besides assisting in the recovery of prices for the primary producer the campaign has provided a way for those desirous of alleviating the distress of families in want by the manufacture of woollen goods for distribution through charitable institutions. An interesting case was dealt with before the magistrate (Mr J. H. Salmon) at Wanganui yesterday, when a Maori, Ruby William Matthews, was charged with intent to defraud he obtained from the Unemployment Board three separate amounts of £1 17e 6d by means of a false pretence by representing that he was married and was supporting his wife and two children. The evidence disclosed that the defendant had no dependents, and was in receipt of a war pension of £3 4s per month. Mr W. J. Treadwell contended that there was no contract between the defendant and the Unemployment Board, and that .the money was secured not as the result of a false pretence, but for work, and also that work was not capable of being stolen. The magistrate said it was clear the defendant did not obtain the money by false pretences. He obtained only the right to work. The only thing the defendant was guilty of was obtaining a contract of service by false representation. He dismissed the information, and suggested that an amended one might be laid.

Extensive alterations which will include the construction of four modern shops oil the Princes street frontage are to hi carried out in the Grand Picture Theatre, which has-been standing idle for the past two years. Tenders for the work closed yesterday, and the estimates received are at present under consideration by the architect, Mr D. G. Mowat, who hhs, planned the alterations so that, after the construction of the shops, the remainder of the ground floor will be available for offices or, an auction room. A sale of the old fittings of the theatre will be held on Friday.

Some time between 10 and 10.10 p.m. last evening, a Baby Austin motor car belonging to Mr D. W. Stewart, of. Rattray street, was removed from in front of the Art School in Moray place. The car, which is dark blue in colour, bears the registered number 154-163, and the seats have recently been recovered with tapestry. The front number plate is attached with rubber bands and a further mark of identification is an iron bracket on the right front mudguard.

Advice was received last night from the Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) that the weather at Naeeby was fine and the ice was in perfect order for the curling competitions, in winch 64 players are participating. In yesterday’s games, which were watched by about 200 interested spectators, Blackstone Hill beat Alpine by 21 points to 20, and Alpine beat Cambrian by 18 points to 14. The competitions will be continued to-day. Mr Black added that the roads were in good order, and the journey to Naseby could be made in about four hours. -

On arriving at the Olfai Post Office at 6.30 yesterday morning to sort the mail, the postmaster (Mr V. Rbbertshaw) discovered (says a Press Association telegram from Invercargill) that a robbery had occurred. The glass panel of the door had been smashed above the latch and an entry effected in this manner. The safe, which showed no evidence of having been tampered with, was standing open, and approximately £l3B in cash was missing. In another safe, which was locked, was the sum of £75, but this money was not touched. No postal orders or registered mail were tampered with. A child going to school discovered the cash bos which had contained the money lying open some 300 yards from the scene of the robbery, and handed it to . Constable White, of Nightcaps. , -

A complaint in connection with children playing with trolleys on footpaths received at last night’s meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council in the form of an anonymous letter from a ratepayer. Several councillors objected to the reading of anonymous letters, but the Mayor (Mr J. Watson) reuled that,the letter should be read. The Mayor said that the practice was dangerous, as the--racing trolleys were a menace to old people. The council decided to hand the letter to the police.

Under the will of the late Nicholas Smith, of Dunedin, retired draper, the following bequests are made:—To the rector of the Catholic Ecclesiastical Seminary at Mosgiel, known as the Holy Cross College, to be used as a bursary for the education for the priesthood of a - poor student, £3OO, and to the Mother Superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Anderson’s Bay, for the purposes of the Home for the Old, £IOO. Contingent legacies of smaller amounts are left to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, for such religious, educational, or charitable purposes as he may think fit; to the rector of the Christian Brothers’ College, known as “Redcastle,” Oamani; to the Brother Superior of the Christian Brothers’ High School, Dunedin, and to other, educational institutions of the Roman Catholic Church.

Consequent on the death of the lif® tenant in the estate of Samuel. Richter, deceased, late of Christchurch, under whose will the Public Trustee is executor and trustee, , the Salvation. Army, to whom the remainder of the estate is bequeathed, benefits to the extent of approximately £ll7O.

The demolition of a very old and known landmark, the history of which is fragrant of the early pioneering days, is at present being undertaken (writes our Mataura , correspondent)* Situated on the old Mataura-Clinton coach road, once the main thoroughfare to Dunedin, the Otaraia Hotel, scene of bustling activity , before the era of the motor car, a building which has provided a meal or a bed r for many a weary .traveller, has housed its last guest. With the construction of the railway via Mataura, Gore, Pukerau, and Waipahi and the development of the main road north through the places faamed. traffic was diverted from the Otaraia district, and the hotel ceased to prosper. Built as far back as 1860, it has • withstood the vicissitudes of time remarkably well, but is now no longer fit for human habitation, and the owner, Mr J. Clark, is at present engaged in pulling it down. Many quaint relics have been discovered within the building,, and among them what is obviously a “ gnider ” muzzle-loading rifle is perhaps the most important. Evidence that the newspaper enjoyed a large circulation, and was put to more uses than one in those far-off days was disclosed when the wallpapers were removed. Page* from the Otago Witness and the Mataura Ensign, dating some 40 years, were revealed. i.

Interesting details of a mutual trust between Chinese generally were revealed in a, bankruptcy ease on Thursday, in Wellington (says the Dominion). It wa* stated that not 10 per cent., of the Chinese employees in this country kept banking accounts, their money being handed over, to their countrymen who were in business. The trust was regarded as inviolable among the Chinese, and an interpreter recalled a case which had come before him in Auckland, in which the- trustee of a deceased estate had paid over £2OOO to a nephew instead of to the widow of the deceased. The nephew had gambled the money away, and the trustee had been ordered by Mr Justice Stringer to make good the £2OOO to the widow in China.

The opinion that unnecessarily harsh fetters are sometimes shackled to a man desirous of contracting a second marriage because of the failure of his first alliance was expressed by an Auckland solicitor when commenting on the problem of maintenance arrears. Those in touch with this problem in the courts claim there has recently been a disconcerting increase in the number of men who, in defiance of maintenance obligations toward a divorced wife, contract a second marriage, and then claim inability to keep two homes going. When summoned for arrears of maintenance such defaulters usually retort with an application for the variation of the order. “There is frequently another side to such cases,” said the solicitor. “Often when difficulties arise between husband and wife the parties enter into a separation agreement, made in the presence of a solicitor. Such agreements usually provide that the husband shall pay his wife maintenance during her life, but that payments shall if the woman re-marries should the existing marriage be dissolved. Usually one of the parties, or possibly both, has in eon- , templation a divorce on the grounds of mutual separation for three years. A working man finds, when he contemplates seeking a divorce, that he has entered into a contract to pay his wife mainten-. ance, and that such maintenance will not cease on a decree absolute being granted. As he is probably in receipt of, say, £4 a week, it means he can never hope to remarry; The earning ‘capacity of his former wife does not, in practice, affect the right of maintenance payments, and thus she can obtain an order in the Supreme Court, enforceable, by attachment, which means the man can be arrested for non-payment,_ even although the woman may be earning sufficient tc keep herself. , The object of divorce after three years’ separation is surely to enable the couple to seek a normal married lif* in another alliance. Making it financially impossible for a mah to do so means thar the object aimed at by the statute is impossible of achievement.”

It is believed in Wellington that the labour difficulty on the Westport waterfront is likely to be settled amicably during the coming week, as a result of advice given from influential quarters in the Labour movement. Marketing conditions and the prospects for the future of the dairy industry formed the subject of a comprehensive review by Mr W. Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., and of Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., when he addressed representatives of companies associated with Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., at Palmerston North on Thursday last. The address traversed a survey of experiences gained and observations made during a visit to Australia, the United Kingdom, the Baltic States, the United States, and Canada. This was followed by Mr Goodfellow intimating that owing to the chaotic marketing conditions existent in the industry he could not see any prospect of the Amalgamated Dairies in the present circumstances rendering a useful service to the industry. He therefore announced that the directors of Amalgamated Dairies and the .New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company, Ltd., had unanimously decided that they would suspend operations so far as outside companies were concerned. The strong recommendation was given by Mr Goodfellow that'the only way the industry could hope to effect much-needed improvement in the marketing eqd of the business would be by the steady formation of groups on a territorial basis. The executive of the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society has decided to name August “ Bird Month.” Usually it is the most trying month of the year for birds. Most of the autumn berries have disappeared in August, and there is not much to take their place, the insects not having awakened from their winter sleep, and there being little nectar in the flowers. In a circular issued by the society, Mr J, C. Anderson states: “ More food trees planted, more food given, more shelter provided, means more birds; and more birds means more assistance against the huge invisible army pf insect pests. Many species of birds take fat freely, especially beef suet. Many also like potato, especially baked potato, ■or porridge, not excepting tuis and bellbirds, which can also be fed on sugar syrup, three parts water to one of sugar by measure. ” Even pumpkin is appreci-, ated by some in the winter.”

In the Jnv«nile Court at Masterton on Saturday, a young girl appeared on a charge of having set fire to her father’s house at Mauriceville West about three years ago with the result that it was burned down. She was further charged with having attempted, on May 29 last, to set fire to a house also belonging to her father at Mauriceville East. The police stated that in 1928 there was an epidemic of fires at Mauriceville West, where the girl was living at the time. Her father’s house was burned down in July, 1928. Inquiries were made by the police without result. Residents of Mauriceville became alarmed at the frequency of the mysterious fires and detectives investigatedi but did not meet with any success. Although the accused girl was suspected, she denied all knowledge of the fires. On May 29 last an attempt was made to, burn down her father’s house at Mauriceville East, and as a result of police inquiries the girl admitted setting fire to some newspapers and chips which had been, placed in a washstand in one of the rooms of the house. She also admitted setting fire to the house at Mauriceville West in 1928. There was nothing to connect the girl with the other fires in 1928, although there were suspicious circumstances. In a statement to the police, the girl said that she could not account for her action. The' magistrate (Mr J. Miller) said that the girl had a mental kink. He committed her to the care of the Superintendent of Child Welfare in order that she might be sent to a home where she would have medical care.

Mr D. MTntosh was one of the representatives of the Taieri County Council at the conference last Saturday relative to -Brighton affairs. His name was inadvertently given in our report as Cooper. Save your eyes. Be wise, and consult W. V. Stumer (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.— A r E : J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and. Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 12-359.—Advt. New lines to hand: Shavex, Liquid Nail Polish, Is; Tangee Lip Sticks, Is; Fausta, new French Face Powder, Is 6d; sample Combs to suit everybody; Wave Setters, Is a card of six.—H. L. Sprosen, chemist?, corner Octagon and George street, leading toilet specialists, agents for Zann Pile Cure. —Advt. Supplies still available of the Listeners’ Guide, 2s;6d copy, 2s lOd posted—Barth Electrical Supplies, Ltd., 56 Princes street. —Advt. To see well, see us.—Peter Dick, jewellers, watchmakers, and opticians, 490 Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt.