Murder Charge

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22826, 10 March 1936, Page 8

Murder Charge

On the application of Chief Detective Young, a further remand till March 10 was granted by Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, when Hugh Urqubart Neil Gunn appeared on remand charged with the murder of William Beatty at Waitepeka on February, 22. When asking for a further remand, Chief Detective Young said he hoped to be able to arrange a suitable date for the hearing this week. Gunn was represented by Mr C. J. L. White. Overseas Mails The Rangitata, due at Wellington on Saturday morning from London, has 1000 bags of English mail and 200 parcel receptacles for New Zealand. The Dunedin portion should reach the local office on Monday morning. The Wanganella left Sydney for Wellington on Saturday with 19 bags of Australian mail and 14 pa'rcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should reach the local office on Thursday afternoon. Air Mail Service The \ following telegram has been forwarded by the secretary of the Otago Expansion League to the Postmastergeneral (Mr F. Jones): —-“Accept congratulations on adoption of policy utilising inland air mail for delivering overseas correspondence.'’ Public Health Returns One case of erysipelas and one of ophthalmia neonatorum and of scarlet fever remained in the Public Hospital at the close of the week ended at noon yesterday. At Logan Park Hospital one scarlet fever patient had been discharged and three still remained. City Fire Calls At 7.35 last evening the City Fire Brigade was called to the premises of the Otago Brush Qompany in King street, and extinguished a minOr outbreak of fire in a semi-detached shed, used as a hair store. Very little damage was done. Shortly after 9 o’clock the brigade received a further call to 797 King street, where fire had broken out in an outbuilding attached to a shop and dwelling occupied by John M'Connachy. The contents of the building, which was insured in the Sun office, were slightly damaged. West Coast Air Service In view of an early extension of the company’s service to the West Coast, Mr E. H. Thomson, managing director of Cook Strait Airways, and Mr G. B. Bolt, technical advisor and chief pilot of the company, are visiting the AVest Coast, inspecting the aerodromes under construction at Greymouth, AVestport, and Hokitika. Mr Thomson said that as soon aa the landing grounds were available an extra aeroplane would be purchased to inaugurate the service between Wellington, Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika. The_ Greymouth aerodrome, when finished, would he quite suitable at all times for the company’s aeroplanes at present being used on the Cook Strait service. The AVestport aerodrome would also be suitable, though one runway wae a little narrow. With the service extended to the Coast for mails am? passengers, the flying time between Hokitika and AVellington would be only tw e hours, with a few minutes’ stop at eact port.

Overseas Bookings Although increased overseas bookings recently have had a corresponding effect on the number of passports issued by the Government, the Minister of Internal ♦ Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) stated yesterday (says a Press Association telegram from Wellignton) that a comparison with last year showed a decrease in the number of passports issued this year. The financial conditions prevailing in New Zealand were reflected in the steep decline noticeable from 1930 to 1934. The total of 4909 issued in 1930 fell to 2455 in 1934. In 1933 3383 were issued, and for 1936 (10 months to date) 2531.

Freezing Works’ Conference A conference of representatives of all sections of freezing works in New Zealand will be held in Wellington this month, probably on the 17th or the 18th. The Minister of Labour (Mr H. T. Annstrong) has been invited to preside, but in view of the pressure of business (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) it is probable he will be able only to attend the conference to hear what the delegates have to say and give a short address. The object of the conference is to consider questions involved in the relationship of the freezing companies to the workers' unions in the industry.

Assessment Court A record sitting of the Assessment Court for the city of Dunedin took place yesterday before Air J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. Not one objection was sustained in court, and of the 25 objections originally submitted 19 were withdrawn and six were struck out, the sitting occupying only about five minutes. “ I must say,” commented £be magistrate, at the conclusion, “ that this sitting discloses a most satisfactory state of affairs. It is a tribute to the efficiency of the city valuer (Mr R. C. T. Evans) and his assistants that there should have been comparatively few objections and that they should all have solved themselves without i any actual appearance in the court.” The city valuation for 1936-37 showed an approximate increase of £20.500 over that for 1935-36.

A Thoughtful Gesture However luxurious, the cars, train travel by night is inevitably associated r wijn» a certain degree of discomfort, and passengers by the express from Christchurch. yesterday morning found themselves faced with a tedious wait at Purakanui until such time as the slip which had occurred at Carey’s Bay had been cleared sufficiently to allow the train to pass through. They were agreeably surprised when a porter made his way through the train and intimated that passengers who desired it would be supplied with a cup of tea in the station. Three were 175 on the traiii. and practically everyone took advantage of the offer which was the result of the courtesy of Mr B, A, O’Kane, porter in charge of the Puiakanui siding, who, with the assistance of Mrs M'Coubery, of Purakanui, prepared the tea and provided biscuits. Several passengers, on arrival at Dunedin, expressed the keenest appreciation of the manner in which Mr O’Kane and Mrs M'Coubery had endeavoured to ameliorate the discomforts of the delay.

Control of Alsatians Representations to the Government for the prohibition of strict control of Alsatian dogs are to be made by the New Zealand Municipal Association, which considered a remit from Mount Albert at the conference. Mr V, A. Coyle moved the following remit, which was adopted:— “ That urgent representation be made to the Government to enact legislation prohibiting the keeping in New Zealand of Alsatian dogs, or, failing this, providing for the strict control of these dogs, and permitting local bodies to fix a higher registration fee than that now payable.” Mr Coyle said: "To say that these dogs are vicious and are a definite menace to the public, especially to children, is no idle statement.”

America and the King’s Death Bishop Kempthorne, Bishop of Polynesia, has arrived in Apia on’ a visit to the Apia Anglican Chaplaincy. He will stay there a month before returning to Suva. The bishop spoke interestingly of his experiences in Europe, the war scare being the main topic of conversation everywhere, also of his trip across the United States and the great impression the death of King George has made on the American people. Asked to preach a memorial sermon in San Francisco, he addressed a gathering of 3000 people in a church, while another 6000 listened to the sermon through amplifiers outside the church. The bishop stated in his sermon that it almost appeared to him that the King of the United States had died, not the King of England.

Bee Sting in Mouth To be stung by a bee at the back of the tongue was the painful experience of a Christchurch man a few days ago. Working in his garden during the afternoon, he decided that a cup of tea would not be amiss. Three small cakes were purchased front a shop in the vicinity, and, after one bite had been taken, a stabbing pain at the back of the throat indicated that something was wrong. An examination revealed a bee, still alive, wriggling in the partly masticated food. Considerable difficulty was experienced in endeavouring to extricate the sting, and it was not until a nearby chemist was visited that it was removed. The tongue swelled with alarming rapidity, but eventually regained, more or less, its normal size. An examire ation of the remainder of the cake showed a small caviety into which the bee had evidently crawled.

Surveyor’* Revenge Holiday makers who have returned from Central Otago have again raised the question how did so many place names receive animal prefixes. Gimmerburn, Ewebnrn, Kyeburn, Hogburn, Sowburn, the Pigroot, and the Valley of the Sow are all names which arouse curiosity and cause amusement. Various reasons for these eccentric names have been advanced, and the latest is attributed to a retired civil servant who was for many years employed in the Survey Department. His explanation is that in the early days the surveyors were most careful to preserve the Maori names and correct spelling. But when they submitted their plans to their chief they were told to go away and substitute names which the people could understand and pronounce. Incensed by this summary rejection of their efforts, they departed and decided to append names which would express their opinion of their chief’s action. They were Scots and so was their chief, but according to the story, he did not appreciate’ the sarcasm implied in such names as Sowburn.

The annual meeting of delegates of the Otago Football Association will be held on Monday, March 30. Barth Electric, Ltd., 36 George street, specialists in everything Electrical. Don’t throw away that old radiator; we specialise in repairs.—Advt. -Eye Strain—For Eye Comfort, for better vision, consult Stumer and 'Vatson, Ltd., Opticians, 2 Octagon, Dunedin.—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.