A Rare Visitor

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22101, 3 November 1933, Page 8

A Rare Visitor

A bronze cuckoo was seen in the Leith Valley yesterday morning by Mr G. Clarke, who informed a Daily Times icporter that the visitor was the first of its species that he had noticed there for about 10. years. In the last season during which he saw the birds in the district, Mr Clarke stated, they were very plentiful, and it was his good fortune to see them start on their annual migration. His attention was attracted by a loud fluttering among some willows on the banks of the stream, and a closer inspection showed that a large number of the birds had gathered, flocks of sparrows and other local birds being noisy spectators at the gathering. Soon the cuckoos rose and headed north on the first stage of their journey. Burnside Stock Sales In yesterday’s report of the Burnside stock sales it was stated that best bullocks made up to £l7 7s 6d. This quotation was not correct, as the price obtained for that class of beef was £l3 7s 6d. | Holiday Prospects Inquiries are now being freely made at the Dunedin office of the Government Tourist Department regarding holiday trips at Christmas,-and although resorts all over the Dominion are receiving their share of attention, places that are tavqured within easy distance of Dunedin are Stew-art Island, Queenstown, Pembroke, and the Milford track. In fact, the last-named, which is to be opened on December 2, is attracting more notice than for the past two or three seasons, and the tourist business generally nas been much brighter during the past tew months than it was last year. One of the most popular trips during the coming holiday season will be a walk over the Milford track and then over the new Eglinton Valley road, on the construction of which the work is progressing steadily, followed by a visit to Lake Manapouri. There is also a noticeable inclination on the part of the holiday makers to spend a longer time than the usual two days at the Milford Hostel. 1 Ellsworth Expedition j A message received from Christchurch last evening states that Mr Lincoln Ells- - worth, accompanied by Sir Bruce Stewart, j will probably fly to Dunedin to-morrow. I The Wyatt Earp is expected to arrive here on Wednesday. City Police Court At a sitting of the City Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr J. R! Bartholomew, S.M., Ernest - Alfred Wood ; pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Isabel Thomson Wood. Senior Sergeant Mac Lean said that there was not a great deal in the charge, as it was the result of a squabble which had been going on between the accused and his wife for a number of years. The accused came home on Wednesday somewhat the worse for liquor and he and his wife started the usual wrangle. >He followed her out into a right-of-way and pushed her about, and was then arrested for assault. The accused said he had work to gf> to in Timaru, and that he and his wife had | decided to separate. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within three months if called upon.

A Fine Month at Tekapo The meteorological figures for Lake Tekapo for the month of October are as follows: —The sun shone on 30 days for a total of 246.6 hours, the daily average for the month being 7hr 58min, and the total sunshine for the year to October 31 being 2008 hours, with a daily average for the 10 months of 6.6 hours. Rain fell on nine days in October for a total of 1.04 inches, and the total rainfall for the year to October 31 was only 7.20 inches.

Sequel to Explosion A message from Christchurch states that as the result of two boys' playing with gelignite and one losing his finger in an explosion that followed, the fathe; of one of the boys (Robert Maben Currie) was charged with being in possession, on October 10, of three plugs of gelignite and three detonators without lawful purpose. The defendant-pleaded guilty. As the police did not press for a penalty he was convicted and discharged. Ihe defendant said that he had been on contract work in the country. Some explosives were left over, and he brought them home for safety. His son found them during his absence. Otago School of Mines

In the course of conversation with a Daily Times reporter, Mr G. W. Thomson, who returned yesterday afternoon from a visit to London, mentioned that both in Great Britain and elsewhere he found graduates of the Otago School of Mines occupying high positions in the mining world. As an instance of this he stated that on calling on Messrs Bewick, Moneing and Co., a firm with large interests in Western Australia, he found that the manager was Mr W. A. M'Leod, who was a senior student at the Otago School of Mines when he, himself, was a junior. While in part the high reputation which graduates of the school enjoyed was due to the prestige of Professor Park, in a measure it could be traced to the fact that the New Zealand men were not afraid to take their coats off and settle down to any job, whereas English mining engineers were too much inclined to look on themselves as experts who should not be obliged to undertake ordinary hum-drum tasks. It. was also evident that the mining school in the past had attracted a very high class of students who had given of their best to their profession.

Distraint by Landlords Mr Justice Ostler was called on in the Supreme Court at Napier yesterday to decide whether a landlord has the right to distrain on goods in his premises when a receiver has already taken possession under a debenture. After hearing the evidence, his Honor said it was an important point, and reserved his decision.

Mr M'Dougall Apologises ■ A personal explanation and an apology were made by Mr D. M'Dougall (member for Mataura) as soon as the House of Representatives resumed yesterday afternoon (says our parliamentary reporter). Mr M'Dougall said that during the debate on relief workers’ wages he had made a statement that a Canterbury mem- ; ber of the Unemployment Board was organiser for the Reform Party. “ I find that that is not correct, and that I have been wrongly informed,” he said. " I apologise to the gentleman concerned, and wish to withdraw the statement ” Menace to New Zealand According to Mr G. H. Holford, of Christchurch, the country that is the greatest menace to New Zealand’s dairy- 1 ing industry i$ Australia. Mr Holford. i when speaking at a meeting of the Can- j ■ tcrbury Progress League on Wednesday night, said that Australia had from three to four times as much available dairying land as had New Zealand. Australia had never worried about dairy produce, because she made her money in wool. But now Australian farmers were taking an interest in the industry, and in the last two years dairy produce exports had | doubled. If this went on, it would bring I a definite menace to New Zealand.

Conciliation Council Adjourned A meeting of the Conciliation Council, presided over by the con n iliation commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie), was held yesterday to deal with an industrial dispute between Messrs Brown, Ewing and Co., Ltd,, the D.1.C., Ltd., and the D.S.A., Ltd., with whom were associated a large number of other retail establishments in Otago and Southland, and the Otago and Southland Amalgamated Society of Shop Assistants and Industrial Union of Workers. The assessors for the employers were Messrs A. S. Cookson, N. Wood, G. Crow, and G. Dick, and Mr W. W. Batchelor represented the employees. Mr Batchelor first asked for an adjournment on the grounds that there were negotiations pending for a Dominion conference, but as there were then no assessors for the employees other than the agent the commissioner took. two nominations for assessors in order that the council might be properly constituted. After a short discussion on the position of the ironmongers, the commissioner suggested that an adjournment should be taken in order that the full position might be placed before the union. The Sitting was consequently adjourned until Friday, November 17. Fire in Unoccupied House The City Fire Brigade received a call shortly after 10 o'clock last night to an unoccupied house at 22 Clark street. Slight damage was done to 'the weather boards of the house, which was a wooden structure of four rooms, owned by Mies Brent. The cause of the fire is unknown. Reaction from “ Boom ” An indication of the extent to which interest in mining in the Cromwell district has declined since the “ boom ” last winter, and a reflection, perhaps, of the uncertainty created by the slowness of the Government to declare its attitude with respect to the granting of leases for mining purposes, are contained in the fact that since September 6 69 applications' for mining privileges lodged at the Cromwell Warden’s Court have been withdrawn. Practically all these applications were lodged since the beginning of the year, and it is understood that none of them was for land occupied by the Cromwell Development Company. Salary Cuts Restored The decision of the Auckland Education Board to restore the last salary cut on the office staff follows on similar action taken by the Canterbury Board more than two months ago. In the case of the Canterbury Board, howevex-, the decision was made in committee, and no public intimation was given until yesterday. The cuts restored are those of 10 per cent, imposed on members of the staff receiving salaries over £225, and 6 per cent, on those receiving up to £225. The decision was possible owing to the fact that the board has a reserve fund to draw upon. Ownership of Gold The French Government’s view as to ownership of gold held by the banks is reported in the Economist, London, of September 23. The Finance Minister, in reply to a written question by a deputy, stated definitely the Government’s recognition that the gold reserves of the Bank of France were that bank’s own property. He said: "The amount of the stock of gold figuring in the Bank of France weekly statement represents, solely gold which is the property of the bank, as cover for notes in circulation and deposits on current account.” - Centenarian’s Death A woman who lived in the reign of four monarchs of England—Mrs Frances Mary Speakman—died at the Auckland Infirmary at the great age of 102 years. Although confined to her bed practically since she was taken to the infirmary in December, 1930 (says a Press Association telegram), Mrs Speakman enjoyed comparatively good health until she suffered a stroke a week ago. She retained her faculties to a remarkable degree, but her eyesight had begun to fail. Landing of Fish The prohibition by the Harbour Board with respect to fish being unloaded from the trawler Stina at the punt outside the board’s offices was a subject for discussion on the waterfront yesterday morning. The Stina is not equipped with a der-' rick, and a complaint was made by her owners that when cases containing fish were hauled up to the wharf a considerable quantity was lost. A Harbour Board official explained that since she was built the Stina had made regular trips to Dunedin with fish, but a disagreement had occurred only on two occasions. The board had erected a fish landing stage and escalator at the Port Chalmers wharves, where most of the fish was landed. When the trawlers came to Dunedin they were allotted berths at the Birch street or the Rattray street wharves. The board’s by-laws prohibited persons, for health reasons,. from fishing on the cross wharf and the Birch street wharf as far as what was. known ag the coal dump. The - areas/set aside for fishing areas at all ports were restricted. The punt outside the Harbour Board’s office was placed there for the purpose of providing accommodation for passenger launches and yachts. The landing of fish at the punt had been prohibited since it was moored there. The owners of the Stina, said the official, had defied the board, and had landed fish at the punt. The trawlers were licensed by the Marine Department and the owners did not pay dues to the board. All the other trawlers which came to Dunedin were berthed in accordance with the board’s regulations.

London the Financial Centre “ The letters ‘ N.R.A./ which in America stand for the National Recovery Act, are being interpreted in some quarters as meaning ‘ never refuse anything/ ” said Mr 6. W. Thomson when discussing with a reporter his impressions of the effort which America is making to recover from the depression. Mr Thomson, who travelled through the United States on his way to London at the end of August, said that the opinion was gaining ground in England that President Roosevelt hadA possibly relied too much in his recovery plan on artificial methods in contrast with the British Government, which was more or less content to lot things take their natural course. “By his latest action in appealing to London for help in connection with American currency operations,” concluded the speaker, “President Roosevelt has shown, what Americans had formerly been inclined to question, but which English business men had never doubted, that London is the financial centre of the world.”

The Painter of Carillon It was announced a few days ago that Lord Wakefield of Hythe had purchased for presentation to the Dominion a picture called " Carillon,” symbolising New Zealand’s sacrifice in the Great War. The painter of this picture, Captain William Longstaft', who is not to be confused with Sir John Longstaff, the eminent Australian portrait painter, was an official artist with the Australian Imperial Force in the Great War, and has been resident for a number of years in England. He first came into the public eye when he exhibited a symbolical painting designed to commemorate the opening of the Menin Gate at Ypres. This represented the gate by moonlight and in the foreground appeared a phantom army of the thousands of dead who lie in unknown graves in the famous salient, and whose names are inscribed upon the walls of the gate. Two years ago Captain Longstaff completed another large canvas, entitled “ Handing on the Torch.” On the low sandy coastline of Northern France, around a large stone cross, a party of ghostly Tommies in steel helmets and full war kit, were shown looking towards the English shore, one of them holding aloft a lighted torch. It is believed that the painting purchased bv Lord Wakefield depicts a similar phantom army grouped round the tower of the Wellington War Memorial carillon.

Reserve Bank Governor An indication that the first governor of the Reserve Bank would probably have to be appointed from outside New Zealand was given by the Minister of Finance (Mr J. G. Coates) during the committee stages of the Reserve ,Bank Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Replying to questions, Mr Coates said that it might be necessary in the early years of the bank to look outside New Zealand for a governor. He shared in the general hope that it would be possible to appoint a New Zealander, but the question was whether there was any man in New Zealand with the necessary qualifications and knowledge of central banking. It is interesting to recall (says our parliamentary reporter) that when the South African Central Reserve Bank was established the first governor of the bank was an Englishman. At the end of his first term, however, he was succeeded by the deputy-governor, a South African banker to whom he had been able to transfer his knowledge of central banking during their years of office together. / Gold Discovery in Fiji

What may well prove to be one of the most interesting developments in the gold mining industry of recent years, was brought under Jhe notice of Mr G. W. Thomson, advisory engineer to Industries, Limited, on his return voyage to New Zealand from Great Britain. While he was at Suva he was shown a report drawn up by a reputable Australian geologist regarding a new field which has been discovered in Fiji, which indicated that the general geological conditions were very similar to those encountered in New Guinea, with the exception that no silver was found w<ith the gold as in the latter country. What was of principal interest, however, was the facj; that the report stated that the values of the quartz tested ranged from one ounce to 17 ounces per ton, which, considering that the famous Rand reefs were being worked on values as low as Bdwt per ton, would give phenomenal returns under mass treatment.

Origin of Canterbury Plains A geologist’s explanation of the origin of the Canterbury Plains was given by Mr G. Jobberns in a paper read before the Christchurch Philosophical Institute on Wednesday evening. “The alluvial plains of Canterbury have been built out from the base of the mountains, thus taking the coast line right away from the mountain area,” he said. . “ The Canterbury Plain has been built out far enough to reach a former volcanic island and join it up to the mainland to make Banks Peninsula. This volcanic island had its deep valleys drowned, by landsinkings and it seems to have "been subjected to movement differing from those affecting the rest of Canterbury. It has sunk altogether at least 700 feet, which suggests that it may be independent of the plains.”

Nothing Left for Family Claiming that they had materially assisted in the building up of the estate, Mrs Ellen Milne, widow, of vVoodville, and eight members of her family, took action in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North on Tuesday under the Family Protection Act against the trustees of the estate of Alexander Milne, husband of plaintiff, for relief to be provided from the estate. It was stated that deceased had left his family nothing under hi* will, leaving his estate to a brother in Scotland. Mrs Milne claimed that she had no means beyond a house and was in need of assistance. The children also applied for assistance on the grounds that they had assisted in the building up of the estate. Mr Justice MacGregor made an order for £4 a week for Mrs Milne, and an allowance of £2 a week for a daughter, Mrs Margaret Isobel Clark, of Woodville. He did not think he should make an allowance in the case of the sons, who were between the ages of 20 and 40 years, and were admittedly good !

“workers and : able-bodied. Mrs Milne in her affidavit ; informed the court that it had been by her , industry and the enslaving conditions under which she and her children . had had to work, that .the deceased’s estate had been built up. He had been a cruel and tyrannical husband and father, and had secured a judicial separation on June 1, 1928. Three weeks later he had made" his will, cutting out the whole family. An estimate of the present value of the estate (mostly property in the vicinity of Woodville) was declared at £SOOO.

The Spirit of Rugby . “Although the standard of play in Rugby football in Great Britain is not so high as it is in New Zealand, it is certainly a better type of_play,” said Dr W. Bryden, of the teaching staff of the Christchurch Technical College, on his return on Wednesday, after spending two, years in Edinburgh. Dr Bryden played Rugby for Edinburgh and Edinburgh University against Oxford, Cambridge, and other teams. “ Rugby in Britain is a real amateur sport, played as a recreation, with none of the do or die to win spirit of competition, and is more like the best secondary school football out here. That does not mean that the teams do not play at their best and hardest to win, but the spirit behind their play is different. I enjoyed my two years’ football while I was away far more than the six years I was playing in New Zealand.

The Sigh of a Child It was a sigh of boredom, unmistakable, absolute, and convincing—and it came (says the Auckland Star) at a time that could not have been more' wrong. The picture had just climbed to dramatic heights, a crescendo, so to speak. The heroine had just laid her hand in that of the hero. He had responded by completely shutting here from view in hi* other. She in her turn completed the circuit by giving him her other hand, so there they were, both hands in both hands. They turned to face each other more completely, drawing the while slowly but very surely closer together. It was a dramatic moment. Surely the climax could not be far away. It was a piece of finished acting, taking the large audience with it, step by step, sensation by sensation. Each man and woman in that audience felt as did the pair in the picture. It was at that precise minute, when the woman faced the man, her face raised to his like a flower to the sun, he, his face suddenly setting in stern resolve, that a three-year-old fn the audience, tired beyond measure, bored to extinction, sighed loudly, and with effect incomparable.

A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner o£ Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 12-^s9.—Advt. Save your eyes. Be wise, and consult 1 VV. V. Stunner, optician (2 Octagon); thus conserving good vision for old age.—Advt.

Those who are requiring an engagement ring will do well to inspect our rings.— Peter Dick; ring specialist. 490 Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt. \