Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21694, 12 July 1932, Page 6

The New Post Office At a meeting held yesterday and attended by members of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, the Manufacturers’ Association, the Otago Expansion League, and representatives of the local builders and architects, matters in connection with the new Post Office were discussed,. No official report, of the proceedings was made available to the press, but it is understood that a decision was made to prosecute inquiries with a view to learning what assistance could be obtained from the Unemployment Board with regard to a subsidy on the work. It was also determined to obtain information as to how the Post Office could be most economically built, with special reference to the elaborate specifications prepared by the Government architects. Public Health Return*

The following are the returns of infectious diseases at the Dunedin and Fever Hospitals for the week ended at noon yesterday: —Scarlet fever —admitted 2, discharged 3, remaining 13; diphtheria —discharged 1; paratyphoid fever —remaining 1, ■ Totals: Admitted 2, discharged 4, remaining 14.

Alleged Wrongful Dismissal Further evidence was heard by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon in the case in which Aubrey Henry Fisher proceeded against the A 1 Cash Butchery for £9l 5s for alleged wrongful dismissal or alternately for £Bl 5s in lieu of three months’ notice. The case is one in which the plaintiff, a director of the defendant company, was dismissed from his position as manager of one of the shops ‘in. consequence of alleged irregularities re-, garding the sale of meat by him to a man set up in a hawking business. Evidence for the defence was given by William Hastie, chairman of directors of the company, John W. Thomas, and Oswald Cooper, directors, concerning the suspension and dismissal of plaintiff, following on the investigation of the disposition by. Fisher of money received on account of meat sold to the hawker. Plaintiff had, originally said that the money had been rung up on the cash register, but when the • spools were produced he said the money was in an old coat at the shop. All the witnesses stated that Fisher had confessed to having misappropriated the money, and agreed to make a statement, but had changed his mind. The case was further adjourned at 5.30 p.m. until Friday morning. The Capping Book

The colourful cover of, this year? Capping Book represents a-lavish intention that does not go unfulfilled in the contents of a publication which is certain to make the usual annual appeal when it is offered for sale on the streets of the city to-day. Notwithstanding the suppression of processional nonsense and the deletion of other notable features from this year’s Capping Carnival, the student wit is as nimble as ever, the parodist has lost none of his exuberant impertinence, and the cartoonist is even mote^ free than before with well-known physiognomies, both in and out of the University. This year there is an original and care-freo choice of subjects for the gentle raillery of the magazine that has not always been apparent in this gay journal. Too often the same personages, with the same pec-cadilloes,-were pilloried year after year to the exclusion of many equally “deserving” objects, but on this occasion many new faces and forms make their appearance, and the old standbys appear to have been given a spell. It was only natural that the chancellor of the University, in view of the happenings of the past year, should receive special attention, but having disposed of him the magazine proceeds to depict or deride the peculiarities and appearance of a wide variety of people who have contrived to find their way into the limelight since last July. Politics, national and municipal, sporting, social, and national events, and topicalities of all kinds are mentioned either in caricature, in verse or in prose, and the general reader will find in most of the skits and sketches references and jibes that are easily grasped and recognised. Some have an obscure origin with which the student mind alone is familiar, but these are very few. Sparkling originality and gay' abandon - characterise the efforts of the student advertising agents, who have drafted and displayed in novel and amusing ways many diverting advertisements.

Pine Hill Road Extension At the last meeting of the City Council, a deputation consisting of Mrs W. Bell and Messrs W. J. M'Dowell and T. Murphy, of Pine Hill, attended to support a petition from 900 residents of Pine Hill asking that Pine Hill road should be extended to the upper portion of Bethune’s Gully. It was claimed that the road, if opened, would provide an ideal route for observation buses, that the formation work would provide considerable employment, and that many benefits would accrue to residents of Pine Hill. The council referred the matter to the Works Committee, and it received further consideration last evening, when it was decided that, as considerable survey work would be necessary, the matter should be left in, the hands of the city engineer (Mr J. G. Alexander) to make preliminary investigations.

The Farmer’s Pound The farmer’s £1 is now worth only 10s 8d in the Dominion, compared with 20s in 1914, according to a statement made by the Minister of Labour (Mr A. Hamilton) to the annual conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Thursday night. The Minister said he came there that night not as a Minister of the Crown, but as chairman of the Unemployment Board. He appreciated farmers’ difli culties, and the difficulty of endeavouring to overcome the economic storm which ’had burst over the world. To show how this had affected farmers, he could tell them that the farmer’s £l, which in 1914 wag worth 20s, had now dwindled to 10s Bd. In 1917 the farmer’s £1 was worth 23s Bd, showing that the farmer had had a good innings during the war years. During the 1922 slump the farmer’s £1 had dwindled to 16s, and up to 1931 the average was about 11s lOd. In May of this year, the farmer’s £1 had shrunk to 10s Bd.

Chimney Fire A. chimney fire at 44 Driver street. South Dunedin, was attended by the South Dunedin Fire Brigade at about 8.20 a.m. yesterday. No damage was clone.

Fisheries Regulations Regulations concerning sea and river fishing are announced in the Gazette. A number of old regulations, dating as far back as 1892, have been revoked and new ones substituted. After setting out the minimum weights and sizes of the different varieties of fish that can be exposed for sale, the regulations deal exhaustively with fishing boats and the responsibilities imposed on their owners A considerable amount of space is given to nets, the meshes, manner of use and where they can be used. The Milford Track

Though the tourist season on the Milford track will not be opened until about the beginning of December, preparations for the summer visitors are now being made. Two men have been working on the track under the supervision of the track manager (Mr L. G. Cheriton) for some months, and considerable improvements have been effected. The Quintin huts have also received attention, the dormitories having been enlarged and the men’s sleeping quarters shifted to a more convenient ' position. Hot and cold showers have been installed, and a room has been provided where wet clothes may be speedily dried. Another matter which has been receiving attention is the track to the Dore Pass, connecting the Eglintou' Valley with Glade House at the head of Lake Te Anau, and it is hoped to have this track ready for the commencement of the season in order that the eai’ly visitors may have an opportunity of enjoying the excellent view which the pass commands. It is understood that some of the northern offices of the. Government Tourist Department have already received inquiries about the Milford track from intending tourists, and there is a possibility of a large party from Australia making the trip early in the season. .

Port Chalmers Requirements' Complaints • regarding the neglected state of the Town Hall, the Pexton’s house, and the cemetery were voiced at last night’s meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council. Cr Anderson said the Town Hall was in a disgraceful condition. Several had been removed near the stage, and this caused a draught, and the walls required attention. People who had attended a meeting in the hall that day must have been under the impression that they were in a freezing chamber. Cr N. Campbell said he had sat for two hours in the hall that day and the atmosphere was extremely cold. The hall was kept clean by the caretaker, and its deplorable condition was no reflection on him.’ The Mayor (Mr J. Watson) and the other members of the council agreed that the hall badly needed “touching up,” and it was decided to instruct the General Committee to make an inspection and submit a report to the council. Cr Annan drew attention to the sexton’s house at the cemetery, which, required some repairs. Cr L. F. Smith said the cemetery first required attention, as it was in a disgraceful condition. The footpaths were a bed of slush in wet weather. The sexton was given assistance by relief workers, and \he should be in a position to make the cemetery presentable. ‘, f Cr Campbell said the sexton was not wholly to blame. A decided improvement-had been made during the past year. The Mayor said the road should bfe formed and the footpaths tarred. It was decided that the General Committee inspect the cemetery and submit a report to the next meeting of the council.

A Spectro-Helioscope Some time ago the Mount Wilson Ob? servatory offered the Dominion- Observatory the use of a spectro-helioscope, an instrument by which changes in the spectrum of. the sun can be observed. At the time when the offer was made' there; seemed to be no money available for taking advantage of it, but a recent meeting of the New Zealand Astronomical Society decided to devote some funds which it has in hand for solar physics research to the, purpose of erecting a suitable, if unpretentious, building to House the instrument. If is hoped later on to be able to raise sufficient funds, to pay for the services ■a- permanent observer. Observations of the sun in this part of the world are very important, Spectro-helioecopes are installed at Greenwich, and other large observatories: and it will-be a valuable' link in the chain of observations to have such an instrument in New Zealand. Incidentally, a spectro-helioscope should be a public .draw and a source of revenue, as it is a daylight affair and does not necessitate a night expedition on the part of those who want to have a look.

Superannuation Benefit* Full superannuation benefits under the Government Railways, Superannuation Fund are conferred, by an : Order-in-Couh-cil published on Thursday evening on Mr S. Ingram, general secretary of the New Zealand Railway Tradesmen’s Association, on certain conditions! The Order-in-Coun-cil sets out that before being engaged as secretary, Mr Ingram was- a contributor to the fund as a servant of the Railways Department, paying to the fund 5 per cent of his salary. From May 1 last Mr Ingram is again given the rights of a tributor to the fund, his contribution to be 6 per cent, of his salary received from the association. The association is obliged to pay into the fund each year a sum bearing the same relation to the amount contributed by Mr 'lngram as the 1 total sum paid by the department to the fund by way of subsidy bears to the aggregate of the sums paid into the fund for contributors. The Order-in-Counoil providing for the payments is to be revoked if the members of the association strike or if Mr Ingram is guilty of misconduct which, if he were a member of the department, would in the opinion of the Railways Board justify his dismissal.

Charity Stamp Issue v Figures quoted in a Swiss newspaper showing the huge amounts obtained in Switzerland from the sale of • artistic charity stamps have revived criticism of "the ghastly New Zealand issue” among philatelists in Auckland. “Better Resigns are to be found on our jam tins than that of the last charity issue,”" said a member of the Auckland Philatelists Club last week. “ Surely the Government must realise that if the stamps were artistically designed and well reproduced the overseas sale would be tremendous. Before the last Dominion charity stamp was issued my club received many orders from overseas dealers and collectors, but in nearly every case it was stipulated that purchases were to be made only if the stamps were attractive, and, of course, that meant very few stamps were sent overseas," he added. According to figures published in a Swiss paper recently, the December, 1931, issue i realised over £87,000, of which £35,590 was devoted to charity. The sum realised in New Zealand for the 1931-32 charity issue was £415, compared with £2OOO for the 193031 total.

Concerning Council Resignation# Arising out of a special meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council on June 27, when a resolution was passed asking Crs L. F. Smith, T. Anderson, O. Loll, and J. Craigie to resign, Or Smith placed a letter before last night’s meeting of the council, in which he stated that he considered it was a matter for his own action, He had given the matter some thought and would keep it steadily in view, and would bring it up again in approximately 12 months’ time. Cr T. Anderson also placed a letter before the meeting, in which he stated that he had given the contents of the resolution serious and anxious consideration, and had definitely decided to reconsider the matter next May. The reading of the letters did not raise a discussion —they were merely received.

To; Increase Gama ■: > X 1 :■ At a meeting of the Dunedin Gun Club last night it was unanimou»ly decided—- “ That the club wishes to support the Otago Acclimatisation Society in ite efforts] to increase the number of game in Otago, and marks with interest that the society proposes further to distribute quail and other birds,” Pitfalls for Publishers A bright half-hour was passed by members of the advertising group' of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce-at last ■ Thursday’s luncheon, when Professor R. M. Algie delivered an address on “The Position of the Press.” The speaker ■■ pointed out (says the Auckland Star) that numerous pitfalls were always open, and how easily a newspaper might find itself sued for damages because of something it might have published in all innocence, and the facts of which were correct. Professor Algie dealt with tha publication of photographs, and pointed out that, if a relative of the person: ’ whose picture was published (elt that he had been injured, an agtiou might be taken against the publisher. Caricatures might be held to cast a reflection not upon the person caricatured, but upon a relative, and the relative coujd bring an action, and possibly get damages. Again, fictitious characters, if held by people to “ fit ” a person the readers of' a novel might be acquainted with, were a pitfall for authors, because, although the author might have no knowledge of the person ' whom the, character he created fitted, if. that person suffered because of it, the author was liable tb be sued for damages. Professor Algie quoted numerous eases at law, and dealt interestingly with the facta and decisions of juries. Death Dutie* and Litigation According to statements made in the Court of Appeal in Wellington last week during the hearing of an appeal in connection with the will of Sir George Hunter, the Public Trustee has estimated that an amount of £65,000 would be needed to meet the immediate requirements of the. estate. It was revealed also that interest on the death duties, wa* accruing at the rate of £6 or £7 a day. The costs which would have to be met to cover the whole of the protracted litigation would amount, in the opinion of ons of the counsel engaged, to more than £SOOO. ' ' ’ ■ : Trade with Australia Mr H. C. Jenkins, editor of the Wanganui Chronicle, who returned to New Zealand yesterday by the Makura, after • visit to Australia, said (says a Press Association telegram from .Wellington) that he . had learned that interest, in. the New Zealand market by Australian manufacturers,wagia growing one, The break be-, tween New Zealand and Canada in conse- , quence of the tariff, war and-the favourable exchange with ;the Commonwealth by New Zealand had opened up new lines, of inquiry- Thisi had" been by : the large number > of, Customs inquiries handled by New Zealand Government representatives. There was every prospect of a great change occurring in Australian mentality with regard to the tariff. Share-milking Scheme . Developed originally as a sidfe issue of the Government’s small farm plain ; for absorbing unemployed labour, a, scheme which enables a farmer tp employ, a share milker, with cottage and cowshed; erected for i him vby the Government,. promises (says the , Palmerston -. -North; , correspondent: of the Evening Post) tooutrival the parent project ■in popularity. The outstanding; advantage of the share milking proposition is that the purchase or lease of land is done away with. In brief, the plan is for .any farmer who can put an extra herd of cows on his land, and employ a man and his family to milk it/ to make application to, the partment, and a cottage and cowshed, to cost' £250, will be erected. In the matter of repayment, nothing , is asked of him . for the first 12 months, bat at the end of 18 months he pays his first half-yearly, instalment of ' interest and sinking fund, which amounts to £6 8s 4d per £IOO. Interest' is charged 1 W -the rate of IS; per cent. Repayments are . worked on the amortisation principle, extended over 10 years, or really 11 years-when allowance is made for the first’ 12 months free: The farther may ptorphaSe the buildings outright after three years if He likes, but not before—this to enable the’department to keep control of the unemployment position. The main obligation imposed on the* farmer is that he must keep the cottage occupied by a. share milker. > Th* department' will also’ build _ a cottage under the same financial conditions for a farmer who, is prepared to employ additional workers on his property. The new scheme has met with ‘ great support right through the Manawatu, .Rangitifeei, andTaranaki districts. Question of Procedure,- i ; 4 In' reply *to j a communication/-from the. Port Chalmers Borough Coundl in respect to the procedure to be followed in regard to the reduction of wages and salaries of employees, the Municipal Association of New Zealand has advised that the whole action of the council had been fully considered. The ■ opinion -was expressed that the council was, -so far as procedure was concerned, thoroughly in order in the action if had taken. After dealing with the various resolutions passed by the council at different periods, the association stated that the position on May 18 was that salaries and wages were not affected and remained as they were pa that date. The rescinding resolution of the Mayor (Mr J. Watson), when carried, paved the way for ,the second' resolution. The passing of' the estimates did not, in the opinion of the association, preclude the council from altering salaries or. wages paid to workmen. Probably the Mayor’s resolution was unnecessary. As a matter of procedure, therefore, the council was entitled to-pass the resolution dealing with the salaries. If any obstacles the resolution passed on the Mayor’s rescinding motion did away with these obstacles. The only difficulty that could not arise was that some exception might be taken on the. ground of existing awards or industrial agreements to the action of the council, but that was a matter • which *did not arise in connection with this.* ‘ opinion. The above reply came before last'night’s meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council and was received without discussion. ... . .