Chimney Fire

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22346, 21 August 1934, Page 8

Chimney Fire

A chimney fire in a dwelling in Leith street claimed the attention of the City Brigade shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday. No damage was done. Soldiers' Membership Contest The Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association now has a lead of 268 over the Christchurch Association in the membership contest conducted by the two bodies. The figures at August 15 were:—Dunedin 1752, Christchurch 1496.

Ship's Fireman Missing A message from Greymouth states that James Woolley, aged 45, a fireman on the Kaimiro, has been missing for several days. He left his kit and money on the boaf at Greymouth. Police inquiries have been fruitless, and it is now feared that Woolley has been drowned.

Soldiers' Re-establishment League The Dominion headquarters of the Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment League has been notified by the Minister of Pensions (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) that the annual grant of £2OOO has been authorised for its purposes.

Burglaries in Wellington A Press Association message from Wellington states that burglars were active in Wadestown, Northland, and Thorndon suburbs on Friday and Saturday evenings. Thirteen houses were entered while the occupants were temporarily absent, and it is estimated that in all £37 in money was stolen. One of the houses entered was that of Mr H. H. Sterling, from which £8 was taken.

Gift from Carnegie Corporation The Timavu Boys' High School has received a handsome donation of pictures and books from the. trustees of the Carnegie Corporation. The gift includes art teaching equipment, and comprises 125 books of reference, and 900 representations of pictures, a large proportion being in colours. The set is priced at 2000 dollars in America,.but, of course, is much more valuable here.

Infectious Diseases

The returns of infectious diseases at the Dunedin Hospital for the week ended at noon yesterday are as follows: — Typhoid fever, remaining 1; erysipelas, admitted 1, remaining 1; ophthalmia neonotorum, admitted 1, remaining 1. At Logan Park for the period three cases of scarlet fever were admitted, two were discharged' and seven remain.

Motor Car Tail Lights Several motor car manufacturers have equipped their latest models with two tail lights, one being set at each side of the rear of the car. The use of such lighting in New Zealand is illegal, according to a statement made by an official of the Dunedin City Traffic Department, and an effort is now being made to have motorists whose cars are so equipped remove the tail light on the left side. The official remarked that twin tail lights were likely to cause confusion out of which a serious accident might easily arise. ..... - : Oriental Advertising

Japanese advertisers evidently believe in the lavish use of similes. " Step inside" is the invitation of a large department store in Tokio. " You will be welcomed as fondly as a ray of sunshine after a rainy day. Each one of our clerks is as amiable as a father seeking a husband for a dowerless daughter. Goods will be despatched to customers' houses with the rapidity of a shot from the cannon's mouth." A grocer proclaims that his "superfine vinegar is more acid than the tongue of the most fiendish mother-in-law." Trouble Indeed

The hazards of bookmaking caused some amusement when they were related by a Maori witness at the Magistrate's Court at Patea. He was being examined by counsel on a bookmaking business with which he had been connected in Patea some years ago, and which had broken up. "And why," asked counsel, "was the business broken up?" "Well," replied the Maori, " a man put £BO on a horse and then drew £SOO from us." Counsel appeared interested. "What was the name of the horse? " he inquired. "Trouble," replied the Maori, and there was laughter in the court. Monowai Headworka

Mr W. Hinchey, chairman of the Southland Electric Power Board, who returned to Invercargill from Wellington on Saturday night, told a Southland Times reporter that he had had a long discussion on the Governments suggestion to purchase the Monowai headworks with the Minister of Public Works (Mr J. Bitchener) and also with Mr Adam Hamilton and the chief electrical engineer to the Public Works Department (Mr F. T. M. Kissel). The matter was at present under consideration by Cabinet, and Mr Bitchener hoped to submit the Government's proposals to the board at an early date. Youthful Rovers

Fired, apparently, with a desire to view the great world that lies beyond New Zealand, three boys—one 12 and the other two 11 years of age —left Owaka, where their parents reside, about 8 o'clock on Sunday evening, after announcing to their mates their intention of walking to Dunedin, there to board a steamer for some destination that they would not divulge. When last seen, the eldest of the trio, Murray. Craig, was wearing blue trousers and a.dark grey coat, and was carrying a sugar bag containing his travelling kit, but details as to the dress of the other two—Robert Li.nwodd and Dick Wratten—had not been received by the police yesterday evening. Expedition Ship Wyatt Earp The Lincoln Ellsworth expedition ship Wyatt Earp, which left Dunedin on August 8 for Auckland, returned to this port last evening. The vessel made the trip to Auckland to load the aeroplane, Polar Star, which was badly damaged on the ice barrier early in January, and which was subsequently repaired at Los Angeles and shipped back to New Zealand by the liner Monterey. The Wyatt Earp brought back the aeroplane pilot (Mr Bernt Balchen), who joined the ship at Auckland, and Sir Hubert Wilkins. The latter embarked at Wellington, where the Wyatt Earp called to load expedition material. The ship was berthed at the Victoria wharf, where the aeroplane will be landed and stored while preparations are being made for the coming expedition to Deception Island. The Wyatt Earp will probably sail at the end of August for the Antarctic regions.

Firm's Grant for Relief A Press Association telegram from Wellington states tliat the directors of Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co., Ltd., have voted £250 for the relief of distress in centres where the firm is doing business. A cheque for fIOO has been handed to the Mayor of Wellington for the relief fund, and the balance of £l5O will be apportioned between Gisborne, Napier, Wanganui, and Dunedin.

What Pictures Do You Prefer? In an effort to find out what types of pictures appeal to the Auckland public, visitors to the loan exhibition of contemporary British art now being held at the Auckland Art Gallery are being supplied with a questionnaire which the committee in charge has prepared. Recipients are asked (says the Star) to express their opinion of the present exhibition, and to give any suggestions that would help the committee in arranging others. They are also invited to mark which of the following classes of pictures they, prefer:— Paintings by old masters, English water colour paintings, modern European paintings, etchings- and engravings, modem drawings and a one-man show (the.artist to be named). The questionnaire will be distributed until the close of the exhibition, at the end of the present week.* Old Coins Several strange coins have recently come into the possession of a Palmerston Xorth shopkeeper. They have beeu proffered at various times as ■ pennies, and, while not. deceived by the resemblance, the shopkeeper accepted them because of their rarity. Probably the most unusual in New Zealand is a , piece of " eight doubles," a Guernsey Island coin of 1885. The reverse side bears the design of three lions, but the coin boastg no intricate pattern. By comparison with other standard coins, its value is very small. Better known is a specimen of the dix centimes of the Empire Francais-under Napoleon 111. This one is-dated: 1862. An Irish penny of 1931 is almost identical in size with the New Zealand, penny. A reminder of- the'early days of Australia is given by a token coin used in 1820 by an Australian hardware firm domiciled in Sydney. - The collection is completed by a cinq centimes of the same period as the larger French coin. It was tendered in change for a halfpenny. ,

The First Consideration "That in view of the apparently-im-proved financial position of the country, and the reduced numbers of registered unemployed, this council respectfully iepresents to the Government that in case any benefits be granted under the forthcoming Budget the increase of provision for the unemployed and of sustenance grants should be the first consideration.'' That resolution was carried unanimously at: a meeting of the Social Council of the Churches in Christchurch on Saturday. The council added that it was not 'inaware of the hardships which many who were dependent on reduced incomes were suffering because of -heavy taxation and the fall in interest rates, - and it would cordially welcome any relief from their distress; but it believed that the country's first obligation was to those who had so patiently endured prolonged anxiety and privation. The council's decision will be forwarded to the-Prime Minister and the Minister of Employment.' ■ "'

The Days of Sail . This year's race -. of the wheat ships from Australia to England, no doubt prompted a correspondent of the Observer to supply ah authentic'record ,c£ passages by some famous clippers of the past. With the exception of' Lightning, American-built - but British-owned, ; they all belong to British firms. The fastest day's run was by Lightning in 1857, when 436 nautical miles were recorded, and the same ship held the record run of 63 days from Melbourne to Liverpool. From the Lizard, v the celebrated Cutty Sark .ran to 50 miles south of Melbourne in-54 days, while in 1868 Thermopylae took 60 days from London to Melfcournei'Six years later Ben Voirlich, a' much'' ship than either of these two, reached Melbourne in 63 days after leaving London. On- the homeward* run Lightning, 2090 tons, more than twice the size' of Cutty Sark or Thermopylae, held the record from Melbourne to Liverpool, though in 1856, the little Heather Belle, of 4"9 tons, did the same voyage in 64 days, only one day over Lightning's record. Two other outstanding runs from Australia were by Cutty SaTk: in 67 days .and Patriarch in 68 days, both from Sydney to the Lizard. . '','■■

Shooting of Native Pigeons "They were given to understand and every one of them, understood that until the prohibition was removed by Parliament that it was against-the law to shoot or kill pigeons," said the Native Minister (Sir Apirana Ngata), in a letter to Mr J. Speer, counsel who defended Rawiri Kopani in a case brought in the Magistrate's Court at Rotorua by Mr A. Kean, conservator of fish and game for the Rotorua district, defendant being charged with illegally shooting pigeons. - The case was heard on August 2, and on that occasion counsel said; he had been informed that the Native Minister had given authority to Natives in the Te Whaiti district to shoot pigeons over a certain area. The magistrate (Mr S: L. Paterson) then ordered the case to be adjourned so that the Minister'could be asked whether he made' the statement. At. a further hearing of the case last week, Mr Speer said that the shooting of pigeons had been going on in that area for years and this was the first time any steps had been taken to stop it. The magistrate said he thought the Natives might have misunderstood the position. In his letter Sir Apirana Ngata further stated that there was no warrant for the statement made that he sanctioned at any time the shooting of pigeons. The defendant was fined £2 and costs.

Particulars are advertised of the special train arrangements in connection with the Rugby football match, . Otago v. Southland, to be played in Dunedin on Saturday. The most costly of all commodities is human labour. Property owners can economise by employing first-class men.— Donald Stuart', Ltd.. slate merchants and roOfinf? contractors.—Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists. Bank of Australasia, oorner of Bond and Rattray streets (nest Tele graph Office). Telephone 12-359: -Advt. Save your. eyes. Be wise, and consult W. V. Sturmer, optician (2 Octagon). thus conserving good vision for old ace.— Advt. ... ..:■..