Mails from Overseas

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21640, 10 May 1932, Page 6

Mails from Overseas

The steamer Kalingo, which is due at Auckland on Thursday from Melbourne, is bringing two bags of Australian mail and one parcel receptacle for Dunedin. The mail should reach the local Post Office jnext Monday morning. The steamer Waihemo, which arrived at Auckland on Sunday from San Francisco, brought three bags of American mail and two parcel receptacles for Dunedin. This mail is expected to come to hand this afternoon.

Mails Reach London New Zealand mails which were despatched from Auckland by the Niagara on April 5 for the United Kingdom, via Vancouver, reached London on May, 7.

Infectious Diseases

The returns of infectious diseases furnished by the Dunedin Hospital authorities for the past week relate only to scarlet fever, one case of which was discharged cured and one admitted, leaving a total of 10 remaining.

Poppy Day Returns The secretary of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association (Mr 0. L. Ferens) reports that £I7OB 2s 3d has now been received as a result of the Poppy Day collection. The latest returns to hand are as follow: —Waitahuna (per Returned Soldiers’ Association), £5; Waipiata (per Mrs Cook), £8 ss; Tahakopa (per Returned Soldiers’ Association), £1 17s lOd. Towering Kauri Columns

A Rotarian, in recounting to the New Plymouth Rotary Club some of his impressions of a trip north, said that the kauri trees in the Waipoua State Forest and Trounson’s Bush were amongst the greatest sights in the Dominion, and, from a tree-lover’s point of view, one of the greatest in the world. One tree, set amongst other stately trees, just off the main road through the State forest, was 42ft in circumference, or 14ft in diameter, with a straight bole for from 50ft to 60ft, and a crown of foliage towering overhead. It was a trhly remarkable specimen, yet eclipsed in size by another kauri in a more inaccessible spot. The trees in Trounson’s Bush were equally impressive, the stately columns putting him in mind of the 100 granite columns to be found in the Temple of Luxor, Lower Egypt, only that the kauris were much thicker in bole and more beautiful in form.

Australian Teachers Dissatisfied Speaking at the Auckland Educational Conference at the Auckland University College on Thursday night, Professor A. B. Fitt, who presided, said that his observation from three years’ teaching experience in Melbourne was that the Australian teachers were not a happy band under the centralised system of education, All thought that education there was over-centralised. In the midst of their complaints he remembered the felicitous conditions that prevailed in New Zealand, and he was able to see very clearly the contrast the different systems had produced.

Red Cross Society’s Fund# “ To such an extent has the society’* resources been encroached upon to meet the abnormal demand for relief that if it is to carry on without serious contraction in its activities it is necessary that revenue should be forthcoming,” said the chairman (Mr F, Hurley) at a meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Red Cross Society on Thursday last. The chairman reported that a considerable’ time ago application had been made to the Government for a permit to hold an art union. Since the last meeting of the society the matter had been raised again. He felt that the society and its work, which had been carried out on a Dominion-wide basis, was entitled to a special claim, as whatever wag raised from an art union would be disbursed in relieving distress. He hoped that those responsible for the issuing of permits would appreciate this faot and strengthen the hands of the society in its work.

Spirit of Adventure Two young Aucklanders have decided (says the Star) that this is the time to work their way round the world. Messrs George Gussey and Phil' Eva, ex-news-vendors, and both in their raid-twenties, are about to prepare for this venture by tramping from end to end of New- Zealand, down the east : coast and up the west coast, slowly working their way in the hope that they may finish the circuit a little the richer in cash as well as in knowledge of their native land. They then propose to expend some of their small capital in going to England to take advantage of arrangements by which they expect to be provided with motor cycle and, side-car. Then their real tour of the world is expected to begin. They propose to circle the globe by motor cycle, working at whatever they find to do by the way, and extolling the merits and beauties of New Zealand. 1

Graduation Ceremony in Auckland The annual graduation ceremony of the Auckland University College will be held in the Town Hall on Thursday afternoon, when degrees and awards will be conferred by Sir George Fowlds, president of the council, acting on behalf of the chancellor of the New Zealand University. Addresses will be given by Sir George Fowlds, Professor P. W. Burbidge, chairman of the Professorial Board, and Mr M. Sullivan, president of the Students’ Association. There will \agaia be no students’ procession. Although it is unlikely that the former ban on such .frolics will be maintained (says the New Zealand Herald), the students feel the expenditure that would be involved in preparing for a procession would be. unjustified at the present time. Winner of Art Union

The winner of the “Happy Days” art union is Mrs Andrew, of North Loburn, whose husband has been an invalid for. about 16 years. Together with a family of two boys and a girl, Mrs Andrew manages a farm of about 600 acres. The family is not very well known in the district,, for the . reason that it came from North Otago only about six months ago. According to Mr Colin How, farmer, of North Loburn, with* whom, a representative of the Christchurch Press had a conversation by telephone on Sunday night, Mrs Andrew was asked to purchase a ticket by a street seller in Christchurch. “It is ho use my buying a ticket,” said Mrs Andrew, “ I have no luck.” However, fortunately for herself, she:chapged her mind, produced the necessary halfcrown, in return for which she was given what was to turn out to be the winning ticket. On Saturday night, when the art union results were being broadcast, Mrs Andrew beard that “Mrs No Luck,” of North Loburn, had gained the first prize, but as she did not know what name the vendor had written on the back of her ticket, it did not occur to her >that she might be the winner. On Sunday after noon she was curious enough about the matter to ask Mr How to ascertain for her who the winner was. Mr How telephoned to a newspaper office, and was told the winning number. ,“ It was. not till 7 o’clock that Mrs Andrew knew her good fortune,” he said to the reporter. “ I can say that the prize will be wel-’ come.’j Retail'Prices . i

The monthly Abstract of Statistics states that the Dominion retail price index number for the three food groups combined as at March 15 was 702 (ou, the base —average of prices ruling during the years 1926 to 1930 equal 1000), a decrease of 18 points when compared with that for the previous month, and an increase of 12.7 per cent, over July, 1914, food prices. The recent fall in flour and bread prices is reflected in a decrease of 54 points in the index number for the groceries group; while the dairy products index number has risen by three points. Meat prices continue to fall slowly, the March, 1932, index for this group showing a decrease of six points as compared with the February figure, and of 41 points, or 5.0 per cent., since March, 1931. When- the Dominion index numbers for food and fuel and light for the month of March are combined with the February .indexes for rent, clothing, and miscellaneous groups, the resultant “ all groups ” index number is 868 (on the base —average of prices ruling during 1926 to 1930, equal 1000), an increase of 38.2 per cent, over the July, 1914, level of retail prices; Above Mount Cook

Circling 3000 feet above Mount Cook, Mrs Reeves, of Ashburton, had a remarkable view of both coasts of the South Island, as well as being able to look-upon Mount Cook as perhaps only one or two at most have ever been able to do. Chartering an Aero Club plane, Mrs Reeves left the Ashburton airport at -9.30 a.m. (says the Timaru Herald), the plane being piloted by Mr P. Curran. The air was very calm and there was not a cloud in the sky, so that the whole of the Cahterbury Plains was clearly visible as the' Moth began to climb, and always in front there was the 12,349 feet peak which was the goal. Gaining altitude all the way, the plane had reached about 15,000 feet by the time Mount Cook was reached. About half an hour was spent _ cruising around the mountain, and the return journey was commenced. Petrol ran low on the way back to Ashburton and a landing was made in a paddock at Mayfield, where further supplies' Were obtained. Ashburton was reached at 1.35 o’clock, a little over tfyree hours after the start. ,