NORTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22257, 9 May 1934, Page 10

NORTH OTAGO

WAIAREKA SALE

ACTIVITIES OF THE DISTRICT

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

YOUNG FARMERS' SCHOOL

INSTRUCTIVE LECTURES The second day of'the' school for young farmers at present beih£ held at the Waitaki Boys' High School was productive of further excellent .instruction;ion subjects appertaining to fanning. !" The day's syllabus : commenced with a rery interesting .'lantern .lecture' -on; "Wool" by Mr D. J. Sidey, of Lincoln; College, who first dealt wittotbe growth, of the wool fibre,,arid by means, of lantern slides and diagrams showed the different features of -.good wool and of •undesirable fibres. Mr ,'Sidey ■'. then gave; a more detailed description of the com-, mon faults found in;-'wpol-.- The first' fault to receive attention was the ,ques-, tion of hairiness, which' I ..caused-so. [much, trouble to the manufacturers. - Samples of wool were shown under; the benzol test, •which distinguished between true. and. hairy wool. To overcome Y'the trouble,; •aid Mr Sidey, it was to use. rams showing no sigiis/. of hairiness in their fleeces. In addition, ' it, was important to breed to and'to, line-breed wherever possible, violent out-, crossing ;being avoided;- as i much. us. posj sible. Variations in fibre diameter had also to be avoided if. a .highrclass . wool was the aim of the'.producer. These variations may.be either, ini the size and. shape of neighbouring;'fibres,, or varia-. tions along the length .of the -fibres themselves. The former were'controlled by better breeding and an avoidance of harsh wool or any tendency towards tippiness, which indicated long and short fibres in the same staple. Differences in fibre diameters along the length of the fibres was chiefly caused by. irregular food supply, particularly towards the end of the winter. . An evening up of the food supply throughout the year was an essential of good wool production. Mr Sidey also dealt with coloured films in thp fleece of Down sheep, and various types of discoloured wools. With regard to sheep branding, Mr Sidey "showed how harmful the brand could be to the manufacturer, and the consequent necessity of being careful when branding to use a reasonably small brand, to prevent drops of the fluid ;from getting on to the fleece, to have the brand the correct consistency, and, where possible, to use a fluid recommended by the Wool.lndustries' Research Association. . '■■ ,: ; In his second lecture,.Mr; Sidey gave a brief outline of the work necessary to get the wool clip'up for; market. The first point he stressed was the necessity for absolute cleanliness throughout all the operations.- After I .the fleece had been •horn and thrown out on the table, the man or men responsible for skirting the fleece should have an idea of the class it had to go into. The better class wool should alwavs be' more heavily skirted than the lower class, but the chief es- : eential was to remove all the wool which did not match the bulk of the fleece. When classing it; wag essential to do the work with due regard to the size of the flock. Small clips (under 250 mixed sheep), such as one found on smalLfarms, should be sent into woolbroker s for reclassing. If the flock was small but even, the wool should be classed into about three lots in the shearing-shed, and then sent to the woolbrokers to" be grouped, or inter-, lotted with simflar'wool from other small' flocks. 5 v:With,-lafgeriflocks: of an • even, type,.'the ;«lassing;sshould aim at.m.aking T a few distinct nines of wool, and not a, number of;, small, fancy lots. With larger flocks, it was important to remember that where; there- were some long fibred'fleeces such as hoggets, they should not be mixed with shorter, wools, such as «w>me off older ewes. When packing the wool, nothing'was to be gained by trying to put too much; into the bales—m fact, it was a disadvantage.. If the owner should be at all doubtful about whether the wool was perfectly dry or not, then the longer the woof could stay in the bins

the-better, and such wool should never be pressed too hard. In conclusion, it was stressed that to produce, good wool it wa s essential to breed the correct type to suit the country, to keep to the type, and to use every care when branding the sheep, and during shearing operations, so that the wool ..was displayed for sale in the most attractive style. Mr C. Johnston thanked the speaker for his address. -" ■"■

Following on Mr Sidey's lectures, Mr H. J. Andrew, of Maheno, gave a very instructive' address and demonstration on the; Southdown sheep'.*:' In his opening remarks Mr. Andrew; referred to the great increase in * registered flocks of Southdow'ns in the' Dominion. He stated tliat jn ' 1926 !there : were only 490 regis-tered-Southdown'flocks in New Zealand, and this number, had". grown to 734 registered flocks in 1932. .'At the present ..time there were- close on 1000. registered .•flocks- in the . Dominion. Mr Andrew :dealt with the breed ?type of the sheep; remarking that, the Sputhdown r in 'England was a much smaller sheep than the •New Zealand-Southdown. The' character of the sheep was found generally in the head. In the breed quality of the Southdown there, must not be a >lbok>: arid the sheep must have the power to impress its good qualities on its offspring, v Mr Andrew then pointed out the<salient features of the build of .the-Southdown. The animal had to have a good head, wide between the- ears, and with a thick neck. Good shoulders were essential, with the •shoulder • blades ; well set on. Sound loiris were necessary, with a generally good handling : back and wide hindquarters. The wool had to be of an even quality, about a 56 grade. Mr Andrew answered many interesting questions, and was accorded a vote of thanks by Mr D. Grant. . In the afternoon Messrs J. E. Davies and S. D. Blomfield spoke to the young men on the Young Farmers' School movement. Mr Blomfield, in his remarks, stated that the general economic position showed the necessity for improvement and greater efficiency in production, and the producing of a better, quality article to compete on the London market, He told of the "work being done by the different Governments to provide chances for the dissemination of agricultural, knowledge for those who had to make use of it. ! Mr Blomfield explained the organisation of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers! Clubs, and showed how the movement.was spreading and the work the clubs were doing. Mr Da vies also spoke on these lines, referring more particularly to the work oi the Young Farmers' Clubs in Britain. At the. conclusion of the addresses both speakers were, accorded a hearty vote of thanks. .-;-;■

Dr Hilgendorf, who was introduced by Mr B. B. Blackmore,' gave an address on the characteristics of wheat growing. d.e spoke of the way in. which the Government was collecting details of the various types, and showed the different varieties whieh were most- suited for different districts. It was interesting tcrnote that in the riverside districts of Waitaki there were 20 crops of Dreadnought last year producing 44 bushels an acre; 16 of luscan producing 38; nine of Sensation producing 35; 142 of Hunters producing 32. Of course, Dreadnought, although producing more bushels, did not produce such good'bread, and therefore suffered a reaction' in price. The collecting of ..returns, it was certain, would ultimately help the farmer considerably. In the ■downs-'• behind Oamaru there were 113 crops of ..Tuscan producing. 35 bushels an acre; 290 of Hunters.of redchaff producing 36; 181 of Dreadnought producing 42; and. 37 of Sensation producing 37. These figures were only for the one year, and tests had shown I that Hunters were the best quality. Dr* Hilgendorf went -on to speak of three varieties of wheat that should grown in North Otago. Jumbuck was the best quality of wheat grown in New Zealand from a milling point of

view. Yeoman wheat, which was grown almost exclusively in North Otago, was very suitable to the Waitaki County. It was a very early variety and, even after standing feeding off, would give a high yield. Both varieties were of a higher quality than any other grown in the Dominion. Dr Hilgendorf referred lo the high yield of New Zealand wheat. On an average there was a yield of 32 bushels, which was-exceeded only by Denmark, Belgium, and Holland. Canada's yield was only 18, United States 14, Australia's 12, ' and Russia's yield seven bushels an acre. The' crossing of wheat was another aspect of interest that Dr Hilgendorf spoke on. He referred to the variety known as Cross 7, a cross betwen Tuscan and Canadian white Fyfe. ■This wheat gave- ;'a yield just as good as Tuscan, but "milled better, giving 2 or 3 per cent, more/flour. Cross 7 ; alstS showed a better baking score, and he. was. satisfied that it would compete successfully; with Tuscan and give a loaf. So' good that it would suppress the' i importation of Canadian wheat. '.%■:£.:'. Dr Hilgendorf went on to speak of the pickling of. wheat to prevent disease such as smut." :';,> He;; paid a to the work of the Russian research scientists, etatiiyr that while, at Lincoln College, 3000 different; varieties of wheat were known, in Russia 26,000 had been tabulated. In speaking of the sowing of wheat, he stated that the drills used by farmers were far from satisfactory, as they sowed very irregularly. Farmers appeared .satisfied with them, and until they expressed their dissatisfaction engineers would go on making them the same way; -The regular "distribution ot seed was very important. He and hie colleague had spent three years studying the right time when wheat should be cut. If the seed was cut too _ soon it would shrivel, and if too late it would suffer from shaking. His conclusion had been that the ;right time was when the straw was ripe, all knots were green, nothing could- be squeezed from the grain between the finger and thumb, and when it could be cut with the thumbnail. Farmers had to grow a wheat that would make a loaf to satisfy the public, and there had to be plenty of glutin of high quality in the wheat. This quality and the amount of glutin depended greatly on when the wheat was cut. Dr Hilgendorf spoke of the use of headers for harvesting, and stated that these were found to be entirely satisfactory. There were now some 175 of these machines in Canterbury, and they saved about 5d per bushel in harvesting. If farmers wished to know whether their wheat was ready for cutting they could send a sample to the Wheat Research Institute in Christchurch, and a reply would be telegraphed immediately a test had been made. Dr Hilgendorf concluded by saymp that he advised every farmer to wait until his wheat was Teady to cut, when it would contain only 15 per cent, ot moisture. .- ■ ■ , , ~ A vote of thanks was accorded JJr The young men spent the remainder of the afternoon in sports, and in the evening an interesting lantern lecture was given by; Mr J. E. Davies. NORTHERN DOG TRIALS SUCCESSFUL OAMARU COM- ; PETITOR Mr C. H. Smith, of Oamaru, has returned to Oamaru after visiting various doe trials in North Canterbury, at which he was successful with his dogs, Joe, Chance, and Stan. At the Waikari meetin"' Mr Smith secured first in Huntaway with Joe, in a class of .0 entries. In the Huntaway, Head, Bring Back and Hold, a first place was Jfeured with Stan. At Waipara and Omihi, Mr Smith was third with Moss in the Open, Head, and Bring Back, and in the Open Heading, Bringing Back and Yarding he secured first award with Chance, and m the Open Huntaway and Slew, his (log Joe was placed first, and Stan third. He was awarded third with Moss in the Heading and Yarding at the Cheviot meeting, second with Stan, and fourth with Joe in the Huntaway and Slew. At both the Waikari and Cheviot gatherings Mr Smith's Chance g&iried the special prize for the best rough-haired collie. This competitor gained special cups for the Huntaway and Handy Dog events at the Waikari trials, and at the Waipara meeting obtained &• cup for the Huntaway, and a further cup for most points with three ■dogs. ■ :

I CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GENERAL NEWS;- . ■.,. ■■ j \ High Water at Oamaru —May 9: \ 11.36 a.m. . and 11.59 p.m. . , , * The Oamaru treasurer of Dr Barnardp s i Homes Fund (Mr A. Sievwright) ac- s knowledges with thanks the following con- t tributions:—Previously acknowledged, £l4 j lis 7d; Young Helpers' League (per Mr , A. Fraser, Hilderthprpe School), 15s 2d; \ 'collected by Miss Hewat, £2 3ej Mr J. , Rodman, ss;—total, £17.14 8 9d. f The rainfall recorded by Mr, E. S. \ Brewster at Awamoko from Friday to j yesterday morning amounted to 109 1 points. ■ j Mr Allan Leslie, of Lincoln College, wno , is giving a series of addresses at the . School for Young Farmers now in pro- ] gress, is taking advantage of his visit , to the district to impart his knowledge ] of the most recent investigations that ( have been made in regard to the diseases j and feeding of sheep, and has consented to ( give an address at Maheno on Friday night, and also an address at Hakataramea on Saturday night. Mr Leslie has the reputation of being a convincing and interesting speaker/and can supply a great deal of information in connection with the treatment of stock. • ( To-morrow night the Oamaru Boxing ( Association's touranment will be staged ( in the Opera House, and everything j ] points to a very successful entertainment ] for boxing enthusiasts. The referee will ] be Mr J. A. Johnston, who won the > championship in the navy while in Eng- j land. He has also refereed at Home, ] and also for the Auckland Boxing Asso- ( ciation. While in Australia, Mr John- ; ston was a sparring partner to Sam ; j Langford. The judges for to-morrow ! < night's tournament will be Messrs E. I | Parker, W. L. Notman, and D. Richard- | s son. Some excellent bouts should be . witnessed during the evening, and it is i expected there will be a record crowd. _ , PERSONAL J 1 Miramar Hotel.-—Mr .O. Angus, Mr L. < T. Cuddie, Mr G. Anderson (Dunediri), f Mr and Mrs C. E. Lepper, Mrs Gowans, } ] Mr Wallace (Christchurch), Mr H, B. ; Paulin (Akaroa), Mr W. Stormanth, Mr f A.' Allison, jun. (Kaikoura), Mr R. G. ] Robertson (Whangarei). " \ New Club Hotel—Mr G. England, Mr George Pickles, Mr A. Legh, Mr. L. H. Bowe, Mr A. H. Miller, Mr C. D. Bell, Mr A. L. Craigie (Christchurch), Mr W. T. Samson, Mr E. Tait, Mr A. Heanev (Wellington), Mr C. R. Sheat (Milton), . Mr E. H. Murney, Mr J. G. Butler, Mr • R. G. Suiter,. Mr J. W. Bain, Mr C. ' Wood, Mr N. Bishop, Mr S. Black, Mr J. R. Bruce, Mr P. Caley (Dunedin). MAHENO SCHOOL COMMITTEE -.' ■■ i Following its practice of last year, the Maheno School Committee is holding a ; series of euchre parties during the winter ( months. At the first of these, held in the Maheno Hall, the chairman of the School Committee (Mr A. Watson) presided over a good attendance. The winner of the lady's prize was Miss Gwen Kelcher and the men's Mr A. Muldrew. Consolation prizes were awarded to Miss Gladys Kelcher and Mr J. Wood. After i supper, dancing was indulged in to music I supplied by Mr Lex. Clark. Mr J. M'Leod j j carried out the duties of M.C. Ihe evening was a very successful one, and was j j much enjoyed by those attending. Mr < H. Rapson (secretary) announced that the I tournaments would be held, as far as pos- ( sible, fortnightly, and it was expected . that, these gatherings would be increasingly . popular throughout the season. •■

ADDRESS BY A. 0. HEANEY There was a small attendance at a public meeting convened by the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce in the Borough Council Chambers Inst night, when an address was given by Mr A. O. Heaney, secretary of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand. The presi- ; dent of the Oamaru Chamber (Mr W. K. Tomlinson) occupied the chair and ex- '■■ tended a welcome to Mr Heaney on be- | half of the business men of Oamaru. In his opening remarks Mr Heaney said j that he considered that there should be J some contact between the executive and j individual chambers. He dealt through- ! out his lecture with the national aspect ! of questions which came under the notice of chambers of commerce from their, study jof national activities. It was the aim of the chambers of commerce to assist I the Government and the people of the j Dominion in a return to prosperity. j Mr Heaney discussed State enterprise lin New Zealand, There were experii ments being carried out in'various'nations, tlie instance which .was found in the United States of America being noteworthy chiefly for obscurity of outcome and boldness of scheme. There were those who . claimed with jubilation that the policy of laissez-faire was passing and that this was a good thing. Mr Heaney questioned whether its passing would be a good thing. Laissez-faire had raised England to the highest point in the trade of the world. If private enterpise were to be taken away the country would be in a sorry plight The State should only establish conditions for private enterprise and then stand back to let private enter- ■ prise do the rest. New Zealand was j noted in the last century for its social I experiments. Many enterprises had been started by the State, and if the State had proved more successful than private enterprise credit should be . given. Mr Heaney went on to criticise State intervention in many enterprises. The railways, for instance, had been a heavy liability as a result of political control. . It was only since the railways had been handed.over to an independent board that an improvement had been shown, and that was partly due to road transport restrictions. ' He criticised State enterprise in ] land development, irrigation, water supj ply, drainage, the kauri gum industry, j hydro-electric schemes, cpal mining, : money-lending, tourist business, forestry, i.the administration of estates through the i Public Trust Office, engineering, and life I insurance. Quoting from a report of the National Expenditure Commission, Mr Heaney claimed that these enterprises had been a failure. He was not criticising the present Government, and he did not suggest that some of these schemes should not have been undertaken. There was no guarantee that State intervention in other avenues would meet with any more success. The lessons of the years of depression had been an increased tax burden, losses to private enterprise, injury to private trading, and the inflation of the public debt. The pendulum was not swinging back to prosperity, and a. great deal of blame could be accredited to State intervention. It appeared .that the way to a return to prosperity was to give back to the individual the ability to make money and let him keep it. It was the duty of members of the chambers of commerce to study questions and to evolve proposals to assist in the revival of trade and prosperity.

Chambers of commerce were often accused of being_ " anti" in policy, and it would be well if this accusation was overcome. It should advance to a constructive policy of individualism and freedom in trade. Individualism was the cry that seemed to triumph over those of the magic powers of the State. In conclusion, Tie expressed the hope that his address would show the thoughts of the executive in Wellington. In inviting those present to ask Mr Heaney questions, Mr Tomlinson said he was entirely in accord with the speaker's remarks, and it was time a man' of Mr Heaney's calibre visited the individual chambers of commerce.

Mr Heaney, after answering many interesting questions, was accorded a vote of thanks, moved by Mr R. K. Ireland and carried by acclamation.

MAJESTIC THEATRE ■'" Take a Chance," the new Paramount musical film, will" be shown finally to-uight at the Majestic Theatre. It is a gay comedy concerning the careers of four carnival side-show entertainers who become tired of small-town life and decide to snatch fame and fortune on Broadway. James Dunn and Cliff Edwards, who cannot keep from pocketing other people's watches and miscellaneous valuables, make a splendid team. Dunn, who has played romantic leads exclusively in the past, steps into farce comedy aa though born to it. June Knight and Lillian Roth support them well. "Take a Chance/' has a much stronger plot than the usual musical film, besides, boasting a chorus of Broadway's prettiest girls and at least five songs. Opening at a small-town carnival, the picture follows the careers of the four irrepressible youngsters safely through the villainies of a crooked gambler, a jealous actress, and ends with a double romance between Dunn and Miss Roth and Charles " Buddy" Rogers and June Knight. Robert decider as the gambler who plots the ruin of Miss Knight, and Lilian Bond as the actress who wants to force Rogers to marry her, provide both thrills and laughter throughout the story. POPPY DAY RETURNS The following additional Poppy Day returns are acknowledged by the secretary of the Oamaru Returned Soldiers' Association (MrtN. H. Colquhoun):—Pukeuri Freezing Company, per Mr £. Hook, £b Is; Waitaki Boys' High School, per Mr Milner, £6; Windsor, per Mr W. Calder and school children. £2; Airedale, per head teacher and school children, £1; Kauru Hill, per head teacher and school children, £1 15s: Island Cliff, per Mr Lynesky and school children, £1 10s; Fuschia Creek, per Miss Meyer and school children; 13s; Maheno, per Mr W. Neill, £3 19s; Kakanui, per Mr T. G. Tyson and school children, £1 17s; Waitaki bridge, per Miss Williams and school children, £1 2s; Ardgowan, per Mr W. Mac Nab and school children, £1 14s; Maerewhenua, per Miss Spil'ane and school children, 10s; Otiake, per Mr L. M. Tyrrell and school children, £l v ss;. Enfield, per Mr R. N. Finlay and school children, £3 12s; Ngapara, per Mr F. Kennedy and school children, £3; Papakaio, per Mr W. Bond and school children, £3 ss; Tokarajii, per Miss M. Hobbs and school children, £1 ss; Duntroon, per Mr R. Harrison ana school children, £2 12s. The total Poppy Day collections amount to £l6O to date, with several returns yet to come to hand. SHIPPING NOTES The Opihi is expected on Tuesday, May 15, to load for Wellington, Nelson and New Plymouth, via Timaru and Lyttelton. The Poolta is expected on Wednesday, May 16, to load for Wellington, Napier, and Gisborne, via Timaru and Lyttelton. The Waimarino is expected on Monday, May 28, to load for Wellington and Auckland, via Timaru and Lyttelton; The Waikouaiti is expected to load at Newcastle to-morrow (Thursday), completing for Sydney for despatch on Saturday, May 12, for Bluff, Dunedin, Timaru and Lyttelton. MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING The following were the highest scores at the Oamaru Club's weekly practice shoot:—J. Caldwell 78. H. Koppert 78, J. Millin 78. J I. Robertson 78. E. Taylor 78, W. Gemmell 77. J. Hollow 77. T. Kennedy 77, I. Swinard 77. J. M'Veigh 77, G. Doran 76. J. Dunn 76, R. Hinkley 76, W Munro 76. J. Nimmo 76. G. Dunkley 75 S. Pile 75. H. Brant 73, A. North A. Macintosh 73, H. Rawson 72, E. Lee 71.

OAMARU HARBOUR BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Oamaru Harbour Board was held yesterday morning. There were present: Messrs R. K. Ireland (chairman), A. N. Hayes, R. Milligan, R. A. M'Dowell, E. S. Brewster, R. B. Meek, J. Duncan, J. A. Macpherson, M.P., A. M'lnnes, .and H. Ruddenklau. GENERAL. The Harbours' Association forwarded a synopsis of legislation passed during 1933 relative to harbour boards, investment of sinking funds, and legal opinions. —Received. Correspondence was received from Mr Lee (consulting engineer) and Mr Leggo in reference to the supply of materials required for the quarry shot trial.—Received, and referred to the Standing Committee. The Otago Employers' Association advised that the necessary steps would be taken to secure the removal of the board's name from the list of parties to the engineers' award. —Received. . The Waitaki Hospital Board wrote inviting representatives of the board to attend a proposed conference of local bodies in reference to finding suitable work for the unemployed. The Oamaru Borough Council also wrote asking the board to submit any schemes suitable for unemployed work. —Messrs Ireland and Milligan were appointed' delegates to the proposed conference. The usual grant of £5 5s was made to the funds of the Oamaru Technical School. The Timaru Harbour Board advised ' that the question of hiring the Timaru dredge to the Oamaru Board would again be considered in two months' time. —The Wahganui Harbour Board advised that the dreefce Kaione would be available for hire if suitable for the Oamaru Board's purpose.—lt was reported that other dredges were available, and it was decided to hold over the question for two months, as the position as regards the Oamaru Harbour would not be materially affected. The Gisborne Harbour Board offered its steam shovel, in good order, lor £1250, f.0.b., Gisborne. —The action of the Standing Committee in accepting the offer was approved. Several questions arising out of overdue rates were referred to the Standing Committtee, with power to act. The Waitaki Farmers' Freezing Company wrote confirming the rental of a chamber at the old freezing works, and advising that 120 tons of salt would be shipped by the Port Fairy, for which it wished space reserved.—Approved, the necessary space being reserved. The Transport Co-ordination Board forwarded a questionnaire covering information as to transport connected with the board's activities.—Referred to the Standing Committee, with power to act. UNEMPLOYMENT WORKS, The secretary (Mr T. J. Guthrie) reported on unemployment works as follows: —Week ended April 12, 25 men, wages £27; April 21, stand-down week; April 28, 32 men, wages £37 12s 6d; May 5. 30 men, wages £33 5s; —total to date, £7784 2s 2d. The reclamation had been filled with quarry spoil and levelled, and noxious weeds grubbed out. The trees immediately at the back of the quarry would be lifted and used to fill in the blanks at other parts of the reserve, holes for which were being prepared. Approximately 460 tons of stone had been placed in position on the breakwater apron since the last meeting. The toes on both sides of the tunnel were being gradually removed and the quarry floor cleaned out in readiness for the firing of the shot. The tunnellers have completed 128 feet of the tunnel. The large cavity recently discovered in the breakwater had been filled in. the foreman reporting that a good job had been made, and being particularly pleased with the way the men worked on the job, especially Wolfe, Campbell, and Laing, who worked in the cavity under arduous conditions. A fair quantity of shingle had been lifted off the beach at the foot of the breakwater in readiness for breakwater repairs and the concreting of the pockets in the tunnel. Repairs had been effected to decking of Holmes wharf. The foreman reported # that a considerable amount of mischief had been done to the board's plant by unauthorised persons on Sundays and holidays, and the harbour master had been asked to report if any member of the staff on duty could throw any light on this matter. During April 19 vessels of 19.665 tonnasre cabled at the port, discharging 503 tons of coastal cargo, and loading 1284 tons of coastal cargo and 1379 of overseas, compared with 14 vessels of 13,357 tonnage, discharging 369 tons of coastal cargo, and loading 934 tons of coastal eartro and 405 tons of overseas in April, 1933. The report was received. - Accounts totajlinc: £713 13s 6d were passed for payment. PROGRESS OF THE TUNNEL.

. The chairman of the Standing Committee reported that Mr J. R. Leggo called at Oamaru on May 1, and carried out an.inspection of the tunnel. Mr Leggo reported that the last eight feet of the main west cross drive was through softer rock than was met with in other parts of the tunnel, and that to balance that he would use a milder explosive there. He also stated that when the shot was fired, the probability w&s that the softer material on the top of the quarry would, being lighter, come down last, and roll over and cover the larger stones, nnd give a poor impression of the quarry to the uninitiated, but this should not cause the board members to be disappointed in tho results of the shot. Mr Leggo said he had every fftith in the results of the shot, and promised to come to Oamaru to supervise the loading and firing of the shot. The report was received MAGISTRATE'S COURT The weekly sitting of the Oamaru Magistrate's Court was commenced yesterday afternoon before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. The following fines were inflicted for riding bicycles at night without lights:— Edward Cossar; 5s and co9ts (12s); Norman Farris, 5s and costs (10s); Keith Cassel, 5s and costs (12s); Gordon J. Langley, 5s and costs (3s); James Raymond Sloan, 5s and costs (10s). For driving motor vehicles without the prescribed lights, John E. Harle was fined 5 S and costs (12s); Leslie Willetts, 20s and costs (10s), Willetts being also convicted and discharged for being without a driver's license; John Padkin, 5s and costs (10s); Claude Jones, 5g and costs (10s); James Smith, jun., 5s and costs ( 12s )- . . . For driving without a driver's license, Robert Watson was fined 20a and costs (10s). . » For leaving a stationary motor lorry without lights, Charles Ashton was fined 5s and costs (10s). For riding a bicycle on a footpath, Robert Hutcheson was fined 2s 6d, without costs.

The stock inspector proceeded against Mary Heckler for exposing sheep infested with lice at the Waiareka Yards a fine of 20s and costs (10s) being imposed. W. B. M'Cone wag charged with exposing sheep infested with lice at the Duntroon Yards and was fined 20s land costs (12s). For defaulting in the payment of unemployment levies Sutherland Campbell (Mr L. H. Sumpter) was fined court costs (10s), arrears and fines having been paid. William W. H. Liddicoat was charged with carrying on the business of a brewer without a license and with keeping liquor for sale in the no-license district of Oamaru. —Mr J. H. Main appeared for the collector of Customs (Mr W. J. M'Stay). Sergeant Fearnley conducted the prosecution and Mr R. D. H. Swindley appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty to both charges.—Evidence of a police raid at which a considerable quantity of liquor was seized—the largest amount in recent sly-grog prosecutions—was aiven by Constable Voyce. Gordon W. Shalders, the collector of Customs, and Sergeant Fearnley.—The hearing was adjourned until this morning. COURSING CLUB At a meeting of the North Otago Coursintr Club last night it was decided to postpone the Limit and Maiden Stakes arranged for May 19 to a date towards the end of June. Nominations for the Australian and New Zealand Waterloo Cup were extended to June 4.

OAMARU PRESBYTERY

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Oamaru Presbytery was held in St. Paul's Church yesterday. The moderator (the Rev. A. H. Nordmeyer) occupied the chair. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was observed; ■ A letter was received from the Assembly's Public Questions Committee in reference to the relation of the Christian Church to war.—The letter was submitted to the Public Questions Committee to consider and report at next meeting. A letter was received from the Church Factor in reference to the grant for the new church at Pukeuri, stating that this was in order, the only thing required being an extract minute from the presbytery records. The Rev. L. Williams, of Chalmers Church, Timaru, was present and was associated. It was decided to disapprove of the proposal to include superintendents of the Social Service Association. The . convener .of the Youth Committee reported that a conference of youth workers and the. committee was held, and the following resolution was passed:— " That it be a recommendation- to the presbytery and the District Committee that the Bible class sectional meeting, • women's and men's, be continued as at present, and that the presbytery's Youth Committee, be enlarged to include Sunday school and Bible class . representations, and meet the same night as the Bible class sectional meetings." The Rev. J. Anderson, on behalf of the Pukeuri congregation, thanked the members of the. presbytery for their attendance at the ceremony of laying the' foundation stone. It was decided to request the clerk to communicate with the assembly's Public Questions Committee in reference to the relation of ministers to the charitable aid boards,_ with the request that they inform ministers of the position. At this stage, at the request of the moderator, the Rev. L. Williams addressed the presbytery. . Mr Williams, who has had considerable experience in America, gave an excellent description of church and social life in the States. At the conclusion of the address Mr Williams answered a number of questions, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. W.E.A. At the weekly session of the Oamaru Workers' Educational Association the lecturer (Mr K. C. M'Donald) took as his subject More's "Utopia," and after dealing with the career and personality of Thomas More, he proceeded to discuss his great vision of an ideal commonwealth. ' Utopia" was written just two years after Machiavelli's " The Prince," with which it formed a striking contrast, though the authors were both products of the Renaissance. Michiavelli's cynical view of human nature was replaced in More by a picture of men sinking their own individual desires for the common weal. The Utopians_ were Communists, even their houses being periodically redistributed by lot. All the inhabitants .were obliged to take part in agriculture, 'each serving for two years in the coufatry, and returning to the town to take up the special craft in which he had been trained. Only a few, who showed special aptitude for learning, were released from labour of this kind, but there wa9 universal education, and much of the ample leisure afforded by che sixhour day was utilised in improving the mind. The people dined together in common halls. There was no currency, and all could draw supplies freely from the communal storehouses. Foreign trade wag a State monopoly. The absence of money and private property meant that laws to a large extent, and lawyers entirely, could be dispensed with. There was complete religious toleration, except that those who aid not believe in existence after death' were not allowed to have any share in control of the State, not for religious reasons, but because they mult make bad citizens. While it might be doubted whether More's belief in many of his suggestions was more than academic, his work had inspired countless imitators and had had considerable influence on political thought.

Fat Sheep;—There was a medium' yarding of fat sheep. The beet price obtained was 25s for wethers, . and good ewes' brought up to 16s 9d. -National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd., sold: For John Newlands, 19 ewes 12s 9d, 8 lis 9d; James Mitchell (Weston), 17 ewes 16s. 10 15s 3d, 18 four-tooth wethers 245, 1 20s; William Harvey (Weston), 5 ewes 16s 9d, 1 six-tooth wether 255.-; Dalgety and Co., Ltd., sold: For J. P. Wilson (Herbert), 9 ewes 14s 6d, 5 13s 3d, 1 wether 24a 3d. Wricht, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., sold: For J. H. Miller (Redcastle), 1 lamb 21s. 217 s, 1 wether 20s.

Fat Cattle.—The yarding in the fat cattle pens was small) but a fairly good sale- resulted. The top price was £5 17s 6d for a heifer. National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd., sold: For R. A. Matheson (Weston), 2 heifers £3 15s. Dalgety and Co., Lta., sold: For A. Perkins (Windsor), 1 cow £3-15s. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., sold: For a client, 1 heifer £5 17s 6d. 4 steers £4, 1 £5. Store Sheep.—National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd., sold: For a client, 47 rape ewes 6s Bd. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., sold: For • a client, 87 ewes 8s Bd. ' . Dairy Cows. —Bruce Christie and Co. sold: For D. Esther (Kakanui), 1 cow 30s. North Otago Farmers' Co-opera-tive Association sold: For clients, 1 cow £5 ss, 1 £4, Pigs.—There was a small yarding of pigs.—:—Bruce ; Christie and Co. sold: Beet weaners, 12s to 14s; small, 8s to 9s; purebred boars and sows, 19s to 20s. WOMAN'S DIVISION, FARMERS' UNION Mrs Butt occupied the chair at the monthly meeting of the Ngapara branch of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union, and she gave an interesting demonstration of the making of a rug from wool. Mrs Butt was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The hostesses for the afternoon were Mesdames Blair ■ and Addison, There was a large attendance of members at the meeting of the Livingstone branch. The roll call was "Favourite Recipe," and the competition for the bestdecorated coat hanger was won by Mrs Kennedy, with Mrs Hutton second arid Mesdames- Clarke and R. Cook third (equal). Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses, Mesdames E. Barnes and Hutton. \ At the monthly meeting of the Hilderthorpe branch Mrs Duncan presided over a good attendance of members. The roll call was well responded to, and the competition, "Memory Test," was won by Mrs Matheson. A very enjoyable afternoon tea was served, and this was followed by a social half-hour.