Mail from Australia

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22530, 26 March 1935, Page 8

Mail from Australia

The Wanganella, which left Sydney on Saturday for Auckland, has 32 bags of Australian mail and 14 parcel receptacles for Dunedin. This is expected to come to hand on Thursday. The Hotel Tragedy

A Presfe Association message from Wellington states that the coroner yesterday viewed the bodies of the victims of the Royal Oak Hotel tragedy. No time has yet been announced for the inquest. All Well on Rangitiki

A report from the New Zealand Shipping Company’s liner Rangitiki, which ss en route from Wellington to London, via Panama, states that all on board are well though unfavourable weather conditions have been experienced. The Rangitiki’s list includes a large number of distinguished passengers, among whom are Lord and Lady Bledisloe and Admiral R. E. Byrd.

The Turakina Dispute After a delay amounting to nearly a day and a-half, the waterside workers who ceased work on the overseas vessel Turakina on Friday afternoon, when one of their number was arrested on a charge of cargo-broaching, recommenced handling the vessel’s cargo at 8 o’clock yesterday morning. The Turakina, which was to have sailed to-day for Nelson, will not now leave this port until Thursday morning. Infectious Diseases

There were few cases of infectious diseases to be treated in the Dunedin Hospital during the week ended mid-day yesterday, One case of typhoid fever was admitted during the period, the patient remaining in the institution at the end of the week. A case of scffirlet fever and another of erysipelas also continued to receive treatment during the week. At the Logan Park institution four cases of scarlet fever werq admitted during the week, eight patients suffering from this disease remaining in the Hospital at the end of the period. Plunket Fellowship

“I have to thank you for the kind proposal in your paper , this morning that a Plunket fellowship be founded,” w'rites Sir Truby King in a letter to the Dominion dated. March 22. Sir‘.Truby refers in his letter to the great harm done to the cause of mother and child by women who “ glibly proclaim that their children are Plunket babies though they are such only in name. The type of mother of whom I complain,” the letter proceeds, “ makes full use of the Plunket nurse’s time and services, but she really depends mainly on her own so-called ‘ mother’s instinct’ to guide her; in other words, she is truly Granny-Ridden.”

Fire Brigade Calls An outbreak of fire occurred yesterday afternoon at the Kiln-dried Timber Company’s factory, Neville street. Carisbrook. The fire was caused by sparks from the furnace igniting the boiler house, which was well alight when the South Dunedin Brigade arrived, the call being received at 3.26.- Despite the amount of highlyinflammable material the fire was quickly got under control, the chief damage being to the weatherhouse. A large quantity of shavings and sawdust wag also destroyed. Two minor calls were also received during the afternoon. An automatic false alarm was received from M Leod’s soap works, Cumberland street, at 3.39, and at 4.22 the brigade was called out to a chimney fire in Castle street.

Broadcasting Board Nominations General denial has been expressed by local radio organisations of the statement published in the Christchurch Press on Friday that the nomination of Mr C. R. Russell, of Christchurch, as a member of the new Broadcasting Board had been endorsed by Otago radio clubs. Far from having joined in the nomination of Mr Russell, some of the clubs were definitely of the opinion that a Christchurch man could not satisfactorily represent the interests of Otago listeners, and local nominations wore forwarded to the Postmaster-general. (Mr A. Hamilton). At least two names, those of Mr J. 1. Passmore and Mr E. Booth, have been forwarded for consideration, and inquiries yesterday failed to elicit any information concerning the endorsement in Otago of Mr Russell’s nomination. Praise for Milford Track “The meals and comfort at the Milford Hostel were really excellent,” remarked ilr Bruce Smith, of Sydney. .1" a Southland Times repoiter. The Australian, with several friends, was in a party whieh*has just returned to civilisation after “doing” the famous track, and all were greatly impressed with the trip. “We arrived at the hostel about 8 o’clock at night and awaiting us was a splendid four-course dinner —soup, blue cod caught in the Sound that day. poultry and meat and about half-a-dozen sweets. The huts along the track, too. we found in excellent order and t'm> officials in charge Jiad roaring fires and appetising fond all ready for us.” In the party was Viscountess Chaplin, who, Mr Bruce Smith said, obviously enjoyed the trip and its experiences. Laid to Rest

The funeral of Te Tlianga Xcpe took piano at Taipairu pa. Waipawa, and was one of the most impressive funeral ceremonies that hag ever taken plane there. The body of the deceased was laid in a marquee, the walls of which were adorned with the paintings of many noted chiefs who had gone before. Seated at the entrance to the marquee were the women mourners, who were wearing the orthodox green spray as a sign of mourning. Three clergymen—Bishop Bennett, the Rev. Hakiwai (step-father of the deceased), and Wi Moana-- were in attendance at the church and a portion of the impressive service was held there. The Rev. Wi Moana and Bishop Bennett officiated at the graveside. The bishop exhorted all the younger Maoris to follow' the example of their deceased brother and hold fast to the religion of their forefat Inns. During the graveside service a choir of male and female voices rendered the “ Lost (,'hord " in a very touching manner and all those present joined in singing the hymn, ‘‘Abide With Me,” thug bringing to a close a touching and reverent ceremony.

All-Jewish Steamships The first al!-Jewish steamship line wa* inaugurated at Genoa last month. The German steamer Hohenstein (5146 ton-0 hauled down the Nazi swastika banner and hoisted instead the blue .and white “ Erez Israel,” the national flag of the Jews in Palestine. The new line will be run by the Jewish-controlled Arnold Bernstein Company, of Hamburg, which has just bought the two Red Star steamers, Pennland and Westernland. It will maintain a freight and passenger service between Haifa and Trieste, with the Hohenstein, which has been renamed Telaviv, and another vessel. Most of the ship’s crew, officers and men, will be Jewish. There will' be only one class for passengers, who can choose between *' kosher ” and “ non-kosher menus. There will be a synagogue on board.

A Long-lived Family

A remarkable record for longevity is enjoyed by the relations of Mr George Pearce, of Auckland, who on Friday, celebrated his ninetieth birthday. He was born on March 23, 1845, at Hilperton Marsh, Wiltshire, and was one of a family of 12, of whom eight are still living. The eldest is 92 and the youngest 73 years of age. Mr Pea.rce’s parents died at the ages of 92 and 94. Those of the-family still living are Mrs H. Osborne (Rhode Island, U.S.A.), 92 years of age; Mr G. Pearce (Mount Eden road, Auckland), 90; Mrs D. Thorpe (Rhode Island), 89; Mr L. Pearce (Trentham), 87; Mrs R. Heywood (London), 82; Mrs S. Walton (Wiltshire) t 79; Mrs E. Bolwell (Burnham-on-Sea, England)', 75; and Mrs A. Ponting (Trentham), 73. Their combined ages tota l 667 years.

Destruction of Delicious Apples . The Auckland fruitgrowers have been offered one shilling a ease by the Government to destroy Delicious apples affected by the codlin moth. , The offer has been made (says our parliamentary reporter) after consultation between the Treasury and the Agriculture Department. The Minister of Finance (Mr J. G. Coates) said this evening that about 75 per cent, of the apples grown in the Auckland district were of the Delicious variety, while some growers confined their operations entirely to that type. The export or sale on the local market of Delicious apples affected by codlin moth had been forbidden, and the destruction of the affected fruit had been ordered. It was realised that such action would result in a heavy loss to the growers, and the Government’s offer of one shilling a case was made with a view to minimising that loss. It was also possible that some assistance to growers would be given through the Unemployment Board.

Mammoth Printing Plant ‘ When Mr J. Nome, ■ the Wellington city librarian, was on a six months’ tour of America from which he has just returned, he had the opportunity at Washington of going over the United States Government Printing Office. The plant occupies 22 acres of floor space, and the cost of land, buildings, and plant was over two millions sterling. Probably this great printing office is* the largest, best equipped, and most complete plant in the world for the production of printing, binding, pressworb, plateraaking, photo-engraving, and the rapid distribution of printed matter. There are 408 typesetting and casting machines in the printing division, and. many of the typesetting machines are operated for 16 hour* a day, especially when Congress is in session. The daily Congressional Record is set up, printed and. delivered within 12 hours each night, regardless of the number of pages. The largest daily record to date contained 366 pages, and the average is about 80 pages and 36,000 copies daily.