Mail from Overseas

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22911, 19 June 1936, Page 12

Mail from Overseas

The MqJaroa. which reached V\ elhngton on Wednesday evening from London, has 32 bags of English mail and 54 parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should reach the local office at 1 p.m. to-day. The Makura, due in Wellington on Monday, has 101 bags of mail and seven parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should roach the local office on Tuesday afternoon.

Overseas Air Mails “ The Government has received no word whatever from the British authorities ns yet,” remarked the Postmaster-general (Mr F. Jones) yesterday, when he was asked by a Daily Times reporter whether anything had resulted from the inquiry bj the British Government into the question of inter-Impenal air mails and the linking up of Australia and New Zealand (through a tvanstasman service) with the existing British air mail programme. “ 1 saw ji cabled reference to an agreement having been reached in the matter,” said Mr Jones, ““but we have hoard nothing from the British Government, nor from the High Commissioner in London. Australia, however, seems to have changed its mind and is now willing to co-operate with the British airways and New Zealand in (he forging of the transtasman link.” Artistic Landscape Paintings

Now Zealand landscape paintings executed in oils with considerable technical skill and artistic feeling are at present being exhibited by Mrs John Bethune at No. lo Broadway. About 40 paintings are on view, most of them dealing with subjects which the artist selected during a caravan tour around Kaikoura, Blenheim, Nelson, south-west Canterbury, and Central Otago. A notable feature of the work of Mrs Bethune, who was Miss Phyllis Drummond Sharpe before her marriage, is the clean brightness of her use of the oils and a lightness which one associates more usually with water-colour than with this medium. Site has been particularly successful in her treatment of mountain and lake scenery, and has skilfully captured the elusive atmosphere which gives New Zealand landscapes their peculiar individuality. The exhibition, which has been well patronised during the past few days, will bo concluded to-morrow.

Stolen Car Recovered The Plymouth car, owned by Mr H. W. Edwards, which was stolen from Crawford street on Wednesday evening, -was recovered yesterday in a damaged condition at Stoney Creek, near Balclutha. City Fire Calls r J'he South Dunedin Fire Brigade was called to a chimney (ire in Hunt street, Anderson's Bay. yesterday morning, and the central machines were summoned at 5.30 p.m. by a justifiable false alarm from Messrs Paterson and Barr’s premises in High street.

Magistrate’s Court In the Magistrate's Court yesterday Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., gave judgment by default for the plaintiffs in the following undefended cases;—H. Gardiner v. A. Biocide, claim £1 14s Od, for goods supplied, with costs; J. and S Vickers v. J. Bone, claim 16s 4d, for goods supplied, with costs (11s). Nonagenarian Air Traveller A new record in ages of air travellers in New Zealand was established yesterday, when Mr William Ayson left Dunedin in the Kotuku for Palmerston North. Mr Ayson, who is 95 years of age, arrived in Dunedin by the Royal Albert in 1853. just five years after .the Philip Lang landed the first settlers in this city, and he later proceeded to Gabriel’s Gully when tlie gold rush took place. During the recent anniversary celebrations in connection with the finding of gold, Mr-Ayson took a prominent part, and he has many tales to tell of the early days. Yesterday morning he stated that he had never been alongside an aeroplane but had seen them in the air, and since he had seen so many changes in transport in this country during the last 80 odd years he had no, fears concerning flying, and expressed the opinion that the public would soon take to the air services as they did to Cobb and Co.’s coaches in the early days. School Dental Clinics I Revised rates for telephone installations in school dental clinics were announced by the Postmaster-general (Mr F. Jones) yesterday. Up till recently, he said, it was the practice to charge business rates' for telephones installed in school dental clinics. It was a general principle in connection with telephone rentals that business rates were charged in cases in which the instruments were not installed and ' used for private purposes. However, in view of the special service rendered to the community by school dental clinics, it was decided in May to reduce to the residential rate the rental charge for telephones installed therein, thus placing these institutions on the same basis as primary schools tor telephone rating purposes.

Development of Pig Industry Believing that the recording of investigational and instructional work is vitally necessary for the future development of the pig industry', the annual meeting of the New Zealand Pig Breeders’ Association yesterday (says a Press Association telegram from Palmerston North) passed a resolution favouring a levy of 2d per pig on all pigs killed to enable this work to be carried out.

Consequences of Leisure ‘ The leading article in the New Zealand Medical Journal just issued is headed “ The Consequences of Leisure,” and in it reference is made to the “ 40-hour week.” The article states:—Far be it from the medical profession to criticise the economic measures of the Government in the creation of a ‘4O-hour week,' but we should sound a note of warning as to the possible dangers of too much leisure. Unless the people are educated to appreciate the potentialities of added leisure hours and their steps are guided to utilise tlicin to some productive purpose, a spirit of discontent and indolence may be engendered in our nation.”

No B Station for Wellington The news that no new B station radio licence for Wellington would be issued by the Government, so that Wellington would be without a B station, was conveyed to a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce this week. Mr K. H. Nimmo said that B stations had been forced off the air by the restrictions imposed upon them. Two stations, IZR, Auckland, and 2ZW, Wellington, had been taken over by the Government, but it had made a stipulation that in the event of a change of policy or Government these stations should receive first consideration in any new approach of broadcasting. It seemed that the only solution of the problem of providing an alternative independent service in Wellington would be the purchase of an existing licence and its transfer to Wellington. “ That would be a matter of private business and not something for the chamber to embark upon,” said Mr C. J. B. Norwood. Mr M. G. C. M'Caul expressed the hope that, whatever was done, the Government would deal fairly with each one of the main centres in New Zealand.

Air-conditioning Popular The popularity of air-conditioning in buildings in England and the United States was commented on by Sir L. S. Stohr, a Wellington business man, on his return from a tour abroad. Buildings, instead of having windows lor ventilation, had only panes of glass for lighting, and mechanical installations kept up a constant supply of treated air, maintained at the right degree of temperature • and humidity for comfort whatever the weather. The pure air was most comforting, and the system operated with complete success, and he found that even in a cafe the air was clear and sweet, though it was warmed for comfort and many in the room were smoking. Many new buildings in England wore being equipped with air-conditioning plants, this fact being prominently advertised with placards on tiie front of the premises. He thought it would not bo long before the system become fairly common in Australia and New Zealand, as on the ship by which be travelled four Australian engineers were going to the United States especially to study air-conditioning practice.

An Employer’s Subterfuge Reserved judgment in favour of plaintiff for £l7 11s was given by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., at Palmerston North on Tuesday, on a claim by E. T. Burke against A. G. Farlaud, butcher. The ease was heard two weeks ago, Burke claiming from Farlaud the sum he-held to be due as wages. It was alleged that Faria nd handed over to Burke £4 6s a week, the award wage, and then caused him to refund an amount which made his net earnings £3 a week. While the practice had been followed for some time, the recovery of wages was possible for six months only. “ I have come to the conclusion that the payment of award wages and the repayment of the amount in excess of £3 was a mere subterfuge,” said the magistrate. “ and that the actual amount paid and intended to be paid by the employer was £3, as was arranged when he engaged plaintiff. In these circumstances, I am of the opinion that the plaintiff is entitled to recover for the six months limited by Statute the difference between £3 and the award wages, £4 6s I allow no credit for meat supplied. The evidence is that by custom this is free, and, in any event, it would he a breach of the Act."

Busy London Streets “ ] was deeply impressed with (he vast bulk of traffic in the London streets. It has increased tremendously in recent years, and constitutes a serious problem. I do not know what they will do about it.” said Mr C. E. Jones, of Christchurch, when he arrived at Wellington on Wednesday night by the Mataroa after a visit to England. Mr Jones told a Dominion reporter that he had noticed a great deal of commercial activity in London, where conditions seemed good. The slio]*- were busy, thronged with customers, Building was going ahead rapidly all over England, and in London a large hotel, the Cumberland, bad gone up recently near the Marble Arch.

A Queen Mary Envelope

in conformity with the usual conservative British practice in the issue of commemorative postage stamps philatelic recognition of file Queen Mary and her maiden voyage was .confined to envelope markings only. The French issued a special stamp to commemorate the maiden voyage of the Normandie, and aii'ship and mass aeroplane flights have similarly been recognised by Germany, Italy, and the United States among others, Mr. G. Falconer, of Christcliurcb, has received an envelope carried c/n the Queen Mary s maiden trip from the Clyde, before the first crossing of the Atlantic.. The letter was posted on April 17, and the stamp has the familiar ship’s cancellation: ‘‘Paquebot. Posted at Sea.”, A special rubber stamp was used for the occasion, and its impression on the envelope is in violet j ink. It is considered reasonably certain that some special arrangements were also made for the maiden trip across the Atlantic. “ Thanks for the Buggy Ride ”

It is related by the Wellington Post that a north-bound motorist who had read how Horatius had kept 1 the bridge, found recently a oow keeping the Bulls bridge quite as effectively as Horatius had done. The cow had apparently sat down rather hard on the frost-covered surface of the bridge, right in thc'iniddle of the line, of traffic. Like a follower - of Gandhi, it adopted a policy of "passive resistance, and, deaf to all exhortations, declined 'to move. The line of waiting traffic gradually lengthened, but, despite all manner of kindness (and abuse), it decided to emulate the great Sitting Bull, who planted himself before an advancing American railway line and could not be persuaded to get out of the way of traffic. Arms were waved and strong things said, but the animal would not be cowed. After much cogitation, an ingenious mind suggested that the cow should be carried. Two planks were obtained from a waiting lorry, and manoeuvred under the animal The willing helpers bent' their backs to the strain, but the cow could neither be lifted nor shifted. When all hope seemed gone, a truck of relief workers arrived, and with assistance on all sides the cow was reverently carried to* the other side of the bridge. As the bearers gently lowered the animal to tlie ground she shook herself free and, “ with a twinkle in her eye,” she almost seemed to aajr " Thanks for the buggy riac ” as she contentedly walked away.

Tiles Move Strangely Before the astonished eyes of a senior police official, the tiled floor of the lobby of the Magistrate’s Court in Auckland slowly rose on Tuesday morning. One row of four-inch tiles was forced into the air, and when >t fell back it overlapped by more than half an inch, but even when the pressme had thus been relieved other tiles near by were forced oiit of position. After an inspection,. an official of the Public Works Department stated that the expansion of the tiles was .due to some subsidence of the building, as it would take very little movement to cause the tightly-fitted tiles to rise. There was apparently no movement in the concrete floor, but for some years large cracks have been noticeable in the plastered walls, '