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Otago Daily Times, Issue 21831, 19 December 1932, Page 8

A Narrow Escape The White Star aeroplane No. 2, while standing at the Taieri Aerodrome a little after mid-day yesterday, had a narrow escape from destruction by fire. Smoke was noticed coming from the pilot’s cockpit, and the aerodrome staff, upon investigation, found that the pilot’s helmet and cushion in the cockpit were on fire, but this was quickly extinguished. The timely discovery, due to the vigilance of the aerodrome staff, undoubtedly saved the aeroplane from total destruction, and as two other Moth machines were standing nearby, the fire could easily have spread, involving further destruction. It was considered that the cause of the outbreak was due to the sun’s rays striking a pair of goggles which had been left in the cockpit of the aeroplane. Plight of the Farmer “ That this representative meeting of farmers of Ashburton County respectfully requests the Government to call the people of New Zealand together in prayer ” was a resolution passed at Ashburton (says a Press Association telegram) at a meeting of farmers. Another resolution was: “That in view of the disastrous position in which the farmers of New Zealand are placed, which is daily becoming more serious, and in view of the deplorable effect the situation is having on the morale of the individual farmer, also having due regard to the serious situation the diminution in primary production would cause to the whole of New Zealand, the meeting strongly urges that meetings be called in all the centres throughout the South Island to deal definitely with the position, and, if necessary, a South Island conference be held"

Embargo on Fruit

On Saturday morning Mr E. Oswald lleilly, of the Central Produce Mart, received a cablegram from the United States of America asking whether, in view of the Dominion’s embargo on Australian fruit, he would be ordering supplies from California. In reply to this Mr Reilly cabled back as follows: —“In view of America’s attitude towards England, certainly not.” It is stated that no action with regard to the fruit embargo question has yet been taken by the local retailers, who are at present fully occupied with the Christmas rush of trade.

Unemployment Taxation Advice has been received by Mr A. S. Cookson (secretary of the Employers’ Association) that the Unemployment Board has now resolved that the value of board and lodging provided for industrial workers may be assessed for unemployment taxation purposes as follows: Board and lodging, £1 per week; board only, 12s; lodging only, Bs. If meals only are to be provided they are to be assessed at Is each (except where the award fixes a lesser rate), with a maximum of 12s a week. Board and lodging allowances paid in cash must be taxed to the full amount notwithstanding that the amount may be in excess of £1 per week. The above ruling is to take effect from December 9.

Lost Medal Restored During recent excavation operations in North-East Valley workmen discovered, a silver medal which was found to be in an excellent state of preservation. It came into the hands of the secretary of the Otago A. and P. Society (Mr A. E. Duthie) who, finding that it was issued by the Peninsula Society, took it to Portobello on Saturday, and was able to restore it to Mr D. M'Kay, whose father had won the medal 48 years ago. The trophy was for the best yearling halfbred Alderney heifer, and was dated January 2, 1884. An interesting point is that Mr M'Kay remembers taking that particular animal to the show, which was held that year on the Camp road near Larnach Castle. Australian Mails The steamer Wainui, which is due at Bluff this morning from Melbourne, is bringing 36 bags of Australian mail and six parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail is expected to reach the local Post Office this evening. Australian mails are also being carried by the tanker Brunswick (two parcel receptacles), the steamer Zealandia (27 bags and 23 parcel receptacles), and the steamer Marama (two bags). The mails by the Zealandia and Brunswick are expected to come to hand on Wednesday afternoon, and the mail by the Marama on Thursday afternoon. Remanded on Theft Charge In the City Police Court on Saturday morning, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., Arthur Reid Burt was charged with the theft of £4 15s, the property of Leslie Bishop Evans, Chief Detective Young applied for a remand until this morning, which was granted. Late Mrs R. J. Seddon A Wellington Press Association telegram states that a processional cross in memory of Mrs R. J. Seddon has been given by her family to St. Paul’s ProCathedral, in which she worshipped for many years. It was dedicated by Bishop Sprott yesterday. It was landed cs the lonic.

Garden Plots Ravaged What can only be described as an act of despicable vandalism was perpetrated some time on Saturday night, whop several of the garden plots cultivated by unemployed workers at Montecillo were ravaged. In one plot two rows of potatoes and about 40 cabbage plants were torn up .by the roots and scattered wantonly on the ground;. in a second a row of peas was badly damaged for about half its length, while in a third a single row of potatoes has completely vanished. The fact that the owner of one of the plots is at present an inmate of the Montecillo Home for disabled soldiers makes the work of destruction all the more to be decried. It would appear that this uprooting of valuable vegetable plots can only have been the work of a gang of hooligans, and support is lent to this belief by the fact that the croquet lawns at the top end of the plots have been raided, the hoops being torn up and the lawns themselves flooded. The children of the returned soldier were engaged until dusk on Saturday night in watering the plot, which during the illness of their father has been attended to by his brother, and an early worker on going to the spot yesterday morning in order to fill in an hour or two among his vegetables discovered the wreck which had been made. In the circumstances it seems that advantage was taken of the moonlight on Saturday night to carry out the work of destruction. A great deal of time has been spent by the unemployed in the cultivation of these plots, and the results that have been attained are in most cases distinctly creditable. As is only to be expected, therefore, the victims of Saturday night’s raid are greatly discouraged by the return which they have received for their labours, and state that if this condition of affairs is to be allowed to 'continue there is no use going on with the work. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police. Excursion to Timaru

Although the school vacations have during the past few days been responsible for an exodus of holiday-makers from Dunedin, the Railways Department’s excursion to Tinjaru yesterday was well patronised, nearly 300 excursionists taking advantage of the opportunity to pay a one-day visit, to the South Canterbury town. Beautiful weather favoured the trip, and on arrival at Timaru, which was reached shortly before mid-day, the passengers soon dispersed to their various destinations. Some visited friends and others availed themselves of the chance of meeting acquaintances who had arrived by the excursion train from Christchurch, but the majority found their way to Caroline Bay and there filled in the time at their disposal by swimming and basking in the sun, or by picnicking under tire trees that border the beach reserve. The train left on the, return journey at 5 p.m., and its arrival at Dunedin, a little after 9.30, brought to conclusion one of the most enjoyable of the outtings that have been organised this year by the Railways Department.

Too Much fo.r the Maori In explaining to the New Plymouth Rotary Club that few Maoris in the old days ever suffered from dental trouble, Rotarian (Dr) George Home instanced the case of a Maori at Okato who had a swelling in his neck arising from sepsis in a tooth. The doctor told him that he would require to have the offending molar out before he would be rid of the trouble, so he produced his forceps. This was too much for the Maori; he did not like the idea of the instrument being inserted in his mouth. Thereupon, the doctor said he would lance his neck instead. The Maori readily acquiesced, and stood up while the operation was performed and unflinchingly bore the pain involved, after which he nonchalantly invited the doctor into the hotel to take liquid refreshment with him!

Health of the Pig A plea for " that most despised of animals, the pig,” was made to the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals by a retired farmer. He stated that he hoped the society would direct its attention to the accommodation provided for pigs, for these animals were ill-equipped by Nature to withstand violent changes of temperature, and were highly susceptible to heat and cold. He was not concerned about the pig’s health in the summer time, but in the winter time it required protection from the cold. He added that no animal on the farm was so subject to the ravages of tuberculosis as the pig.

White Star Aeroplane The White Star aeroplane No. 2 ayrived at the Taieri airport at noon on Saturday from Timaru with Mr C. E. Prevost, a wool buyer, as a passenger, and later left for Invercargill with films which were urgently required there, returning to Dunedin at 11.35 a.m. yesterday morning with two passengers. The machine departed at 12.35 p.m. for Waimate with Dr Marion Whyte and Master Kenneth Mackay as passengers. The plane was piloted by Mr W. E. Clark, assistant pilot and engineer to New Zealand Airways.

Esperanto Congress The fourth New Zealand Esperanto Congress will take place under the auspices of the New Zealand Esperanto Association at Masterton on Boxing Day and the two following dajrs. Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P., honorary president of the Masterton Esperanto Club, will formally open the congress. The assemblage will include, in addition to the local enthusiasts, club representatives. Universal Esperanto Association delegates, and Esperantists from various parts of the Dominion. The official programme will comprise a ceremonious opening, two business sessions, one' of which will be conducted entirely in Esperanto, a public meeting, a motor tour and picnic, and the social functions which usually accompany such gatherings.

Lorry Crashes Into House A heavy lorry belonging to the Vacuum Oil Company ran back down a steep bill in Spring street, Auckland (says our special correspondent), and crashed into a house occupied by Mrs W. Harris. One corner of a front room of the bouse was carried away completely, one side of the front door smashed to matchwood, and pictures and ornaments were thrown t® the ground and smashed. “ I got a terrible shock,” said Mrs Harris. “ The whole house shook.” The lorry was only slightly damaged.

War on White Butterfly The war on the white butterfly in the Hawke’s Bay province has met with marked success (says an exchange). Reports from various parts indicate that the pest is by no means as prevalent as last year. Market gardeners state that cauliflowers have been almost free from the butterfly, but the cabbage continues to be affected, though to a. lesser degree than before. Field crops, too, show an improvement, and it has been stated that the rninah has played its share in keeping down the pest.

Unearned Wages An amusing story of the early days in Lyttelton was told by the Rev. F. G, Brittan, speaking at the function at" which the Canterbury Pilgrims celebrated Anniversary Day (says the Christchurch Times). In 1849, said Mr Brittan, Captain Thomas was sent out to make preparations for the arrival of the pilgrims in 1850. One of his ’duties was to build barracks to house them on arrival. Carpenters were obtained from Tasmania, and, for labourers, 120 Maoris were brought down from the North Island. The carpenters were paid 4s fid, a day and the Maoris received 2s 6d a day for their work. If the Maoris did not work, they were paid la. “And strange as it. may seem,” said Mr Brittan, “most of the Maoris preferred to be paid the shilling.” Not Yet Heard of the Slump The depression is not world-wide. In Ladakh (or Little Tibet) they have'never heard of it. Depressions and the complexities that go with them are the prerogative of a civilised state, and the Tibetans are still in a primitive condition that precludes any such influences (states the Christchurch Star). Professor Arnold Wall, who has returned to Christchurch after a trip that took him into some of the little-known places of the world, places that stage reached by the Tibetans in, culture as about the same as that of the early, Britons at the time of the Saxon conquest. With tent and camera, Professor Wall penetrated far beyond the borders of Cashmere, spending much of his time at great altitudes in territories that for the most part were completely barren. He learned much of the little-known botany of this region, and has brought back with him a splendid collection of pictures. Professor Wall left Christchurch last March, and most of his time since then has been spent in Cashmere. The most interesting part of his trip was the expedition he made into Ladakh, the nearest approach that may be made to forbidden Tibet, The collection of botanical specimens was’hi* principal concern during, this trip, though his camera vras always in use. He secured a large number of plants, which have been sent to Kew. , The people are Tibetan and speak the Tibetan language. They are Buddhists, very simple, and extremely dirty. Professor Wall travelled about. 250 miles east of Srinagar, the capital of Cashmere, making the journey on foot during July and August with a caravan of five ponies and three men. He walked a total distance of 507 miles. He spent 10 days at Leh, the capital of Ladakh.

, Particulars of the train arrangement* in connection with the Wingatui races on December 26 and 27 are advertised in this issue.

For many years the regulation fountain pen wa s a black, sombre-looking article, and its companion pencil was a . bright metal contraption with no pretensions to beauty, but all this is changed, and the new Eversharp pens and pencils, whi'ch are made to match, are beautiful works of art, as well as being improved from a utilitarian point of view. Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., who have acquired from the New Zealand representative the complete stock of these famous pens and pencils, are selling them at greatly-reduced prices, further particulars of which will he found in our advertising 'columns. Just a few working days are left before the holidays, and by calling now before the last-minute rush you can be sure of a really satisfactory job in car overhaul. —Austin Motors (Otago), Ltd., 284-288 Princes street. Phone 13-215. —Advt. Save your eyes. Be wise.’and consult W. V. Sturmer, optician (2 Octagon), thus conserving eood vision for old age.— Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office) Telephone 12-359.—Advt. Buy that Christmas Gift you requir# from Peter Dick, jewellers and opticians, 490 Moray place, Dunedin. —Advt.