Art Society’s Exhibition

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23500, 14 May 1938, Page 12

Art Society’s Exhibition

All I « The exhibition of the work of some 50 members of the Otago Art Society, which has been held in the society’s room, opposite the old post office in Dowling street, will be concluded at 5 o'clock this afternoon. The sale of A. Dickison’s water colour. “ Old Baths, Moeraki,” is reported. Picture Seats at £lO Each The phenomenally high price of £lO a seat was paid by Londoners who attended the premiere of “A Yank at Oxford,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Eng-lish-made film, which recently enjoyed record business at the Empire Theatre, London. The opening performance of the picture was in aid of the Papworth Village Settlement scheme, a charity which has for its president the Duke of Kent. Among those who attended the premiere were King George VI, Queen Mary, the Princess Royal, and other members of the Royal Family. The Organising Committee included in its membership such well-known personalities as the Duke of Atholl (chairman), Lord Austin, Miss Madeleine Carroll, Mr Noel Coward, Mr Anthony Eden, and the Countess of Oxford and Asquith. “A Yank at Oxford” should, therefore, have more than usual interest for Dunedin residents when it arrives in this city.

South Otago School* Advice has been received by Mr J, A Roy, M.P. for Clutha, that the Minister of Education (Mr P, Fraser) has approved of a grant for, the purchase of a new site at Taieri Mouth on which it is proposed to erect a school to serve the locality. Mr Roy has also, been advised that Cabinet has approved of a grant for an assembly hall at the South Otago High School. - Balclutha. Scottish Harrier Club At the last meeting of the council of Scottish Societies, presided over by Mr James Caldwell, a letter was received from Mr C. Campbell Dawkins asking for support for a Dunedin Scottish Harrier Club which be proposed to form. The proposal met with unanimous approval, and it was resolved to support the formation of a Dunedin Scottish Harrier Club. Mr Caldwell and Mr Arthur Macdonald were deputed to confer with Mr Campbell Dawkins and arrange for a meeting representative of all Scottish interests. when the proposal will b« thoroughly discussed and a decision arrived at.

Mr Gardner Miller’s Articles The absence from this issue of an article by the Rev. D. Gardner Miller will be observed with regret by those who regularly read and appreciate his contributions. Their regret will be deepened by the knowledge that it is owing to indisposition that Mr Miller has been unable to prepare an article for insertion to-day and that his illness is of such a nature that he has been ordered complete rest for several months. He will leave New Zealand by the Doric Star early next month for Great Britain in the hope, in which those who have derived comfort and profit from his articles, will cordially join with him, that he may secure the complete restoration of his health. Philosophical Lecture An interesting lecture on the subject of “Some Recent Development* in the Philosophy of the Sciences ” was given by Dr Karl Popper, lecturer in philosophy at Canterbury College and formerly of the University of Vienna, in the Otago Museum last night. The meeting, which was largely attended, was convened by the Otago branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand in conjunction with the Dunedin Philosophical Club. The president of the branch (Dr C. M. Focken) introduced the speaker, and at the conclusion of the lecture Dr Popper was thanked by Professor J. N. Findlay, professor of philosophy at the University of Otago. An Erroneous Statement Our attention has been directed to the fact that the report in our issue of February 26 of the proceedings in the Supreme Court under its divorce jurisdiction contained an erroneous statement of the ground upon which a rule nisi was granted in the petition of Alexander John McGillivray for a divorce from Florence Ellen McGillivray. The ground on which the suit was based was that of desertion for a period of three years and upwards. By inadvertence, the report stated that misconduct was the ground alleged. We regret the error, and apologise to the respondent for this unmerited reflection on her character which it conveyed. No Wapiti Stalking ... No stalking parties were allowed to enter the wapiti country during this season because of the Government deer-culling parties occupying the area. “It is a matter for regret,” says the Southland Acclimatisation Society in its annual report, “ that a number of parties who intended coming south for wapiti stalking had to be turned away. Representations were made to the department during the year for. local control of this area, but no consideration would be given to stalkers, whether local or overseas. The Southland wapiti herd is the only one of is kind in the southern hemisphere, and to-day is producing heads which rank among the world's best and will attract sportsmen from all parts. The council will continue to press the Government for the right to control this area in the interests of stalker’s. No reports are to hand as to the numbers taken by the Government killer”*. Government dee-killing parties ere at present operating on the moose herd and consequently no stalking parties have been out this season. No reports are to hand as to the number killed.” An Elector Celebrate* Election echoes sometimes resound in unexpected quarters. On polling night in Dunedin a speaker was holding the interested attention of hearers at a ladies’ missionary meeting when a knock came to the door. The lady who answered it found a taxi driver who had called for a passenger, and improved the shining moment by inquiring how the election was going. Informed that Mr Allen had won the mayoral election, she wrote a brief note and handed it to the chairwoman. This official beamed appropriately and passed it on to the secretary, who also showed great interest. Feminine curiosity is proverbial, and by this time the note had attained a significance transcending for the moment the remarks of the speaker, who, not unwillingly, had perforce to stop for a minute or two while the chairwoman, in response to the appealing looks of the audience, announced the result, amidst mild excitement, whereupon an elderly lady, evidently feeling that adequate justice had not been done to the occasion, calmly but deliberately removed her hat and hurled it to Ore ceiling. After this unrehearsed interr lude, the audience settled down and once more gave the speaker its undivided attention.

The 1939 Band Contest At the February conference of the New Zealand Brass Bands’ Association at Palmerston North, an application was received from Christchurch that the contest in 1939 should be held in that city. This application was granted conditionally on the usual terms being agreed to. During the past week the secretary of the association (Mr J. G. Osborne) waited upon the Canterbury branch, in connection with this matter, when it formally agreed to the terms of the association. This means that the championship contest will take place in Christchurch next February. So far, the location of the 1940 contest has not been decided, nor will a decision be made until the next conference of the association.

Seventy Miles an Hour A charge of driving a motor car on the Cambridge-Rotorua road at a speed that might have been dangerous to the public was brought by the Transport Department against Alexander Ferguson McNeil, before Mr S. I* Paterson, S.M., in the Police Court at Cambridge on Wednesday. An inspector of the department stated that the defendant passed him on the road and continued at a rate of 70 miles an hour. Witness set out in pursuit, but it was not until a straight stretch was reached that he was able to stop him. Mr Peter Lewis, who appeared for McNeil, stated that the defendant was a chauffeur in the employ of Mr Eliot Davis, M.L.C., of Auckland. He wa4 unable to appear in court, as his employer required him in connection - with the municipal elections, and he thur pleaded guilty. It was admitted that he was travelling fast, but not dangerously. Mr Lewis asked the magistrate not to suspend the defendant's licence, as his livelihood was affected, “He should have thought of that ba« fore,” said Mr Paterson, in fining the defendant £5, and costs (10s). McNeil’* licence was suspended, and he was disqualified from obtaining another fo* three month*

The Alternatives “ Politics are so important a matter, affecting the whole of our lives, and the lives of even the unborn, that reason and not emotion is necessary for the solution of its problems,” said Mr H. C. Veitch, Nationalist candidate for Wanganui, in a recent address. Mr Veitch said for that reason he did not intend to make an emotional appeal to the audience. They all knew that at the next election the issue was clearcut. Electors would have to choose whether for many years to come the country was to be ruled by a Government encouraging virile independ ence or by a Government which would encourage servile dependence on the community. The final decision would have to be made between private enterprise, in which action would be free, and Government enterprise, subject to the dictation of irresponsible trade union secretaries. Th« White Butterfly A correspondent has-written drawing our attention to the practice of destroying cocoons containing small grubs. We have submitted the letter to the Department of Agriculture in Dunedin, and are favoured with the following observations on this pest:— “ The butterfly insect goes through four stages in its life history, viz., egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult (the butterfly). The parasite lays its eggs in the caterpillar or the chrysalis in the early stage of its development. In a'chrysalis that has been attacked the eggs of the parasite hatch out, turn into grubs, and consume the entire inner or living portion of the chrysalis This, of course, renders it impossible for the butterfly to form. The parasites eventually emerge from the chrysalis as complete winged insects. A parasitised chrysalis is usually very brittle when compared with the somewhat soft chrysalis that has not been attacked. Any chrysalis which is, on freaking open, found to contain a number of small grubs, is parasitised. Off-hand, one would say that the wholesale destruction of white butterfly chrysalids is not warranted when, say, about 20 per cent to 50 per are parasitised. The destruction by hand of the comparatively few chrysalids that can be found will really do very little good or harm. On the whole, those interested, would, however, be well advised to leave these alone where it is known that the parasite has been at work." Elephant to the Rescue

The hero of the floods north of Gisborne is an elephant.' It is one of the star attractions of a touring circus which has been marooned from time to time during the past few weeks on its journeys down the east coast of the North Island. The circus was preparing to leave Tokomaru Bay for Tolaga Bay, but on the hill which rises from the former settlement there are several bad subsidences in the road, which is also extremely slippery. With the help of the elephant, these difficult patches- were negotiated with the greatest ease. The huge animal was harnessed to lorries and wagons, and, making light of the greasy foothold, he pulled them safely through a road which might easily have become a bog. Private motorists travelling down the, coast were also aided by the elephant, as the circus was halted long enough for the animal to do an honourable day’s work. Not Unpunished

It is -not uncommon to see in the newspapers reports of cases of shoplifting, and as often as not ihs culprit is a woman. This type of petty thieving seems to gain a hold on some women, and shopkeepers have reason to know that some become skilled at it, and olten elude the law. It will be generally agreed, however, that the culprit in the following case did not escape altogether unpunished. Accompanied by another young woman, she was standing in a grocer’s shop, and, thinking she was hidden from the sight of the assistant, liberally sampled the dried figs displayed on the counter. Apparently she intended to catch a tram, for she said to her friend, “We had better hurry.” Just then the vigilant assistant showed himself. "Oh, it’s all right," he said ironically, “we don’t close until 9 o’clock.

Affixing of Number Plates Provision for one day of grace each way from the. end of the licensing year in the affixing of motor vehicle number plates is contained in the Transport Bill which has been drafted ready for submission to Parliament. Information to this effect was received by the executive of the South Island Motor Union from the Minister of Transport (Mr R. Semple) at its meeting in Christchurch on Thursday night. The Minister’s letter emphasised that the days of grace would be only for fixing the plates. The vehicle would have to be properly licensed and insured at the correct time. “I am not yet aware whether room will be made on the legislative programme for the consideration of the Transport Bill during the next session,” the letter, said, “but in any case 1 understand that a certain amount of discretion is exercised by the police and traffic authorities, and that no hardship is likely pending the introduction of the legislation.” When the letter had been read, several members expressed the opinion that days of grace would lead to certain difficulties in insurance, and that the scheme would be more of a hindrance than a help. The sensible thing for motorists to do. they said, was to fix their new plates in place, say, a week before the end of May, wire the old ones on top of them, and then just cut the wire when the old plates expired. That would get over all difficulties. The executive referred the letter to the quarterly meeting of the union, to the North Island Motor Union, and to the South Island Motor Union Insurance Association.

The Burns Club’s monthly concert •will he held in the Town Hall Concert Chamber next Wednesday. Members are reminded that season tickets may be obtained at the door. • The monthly luncheons of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, held on the third Tuesday of each month, have proved very successful At the luncheon to be held next Tuesday the sneaker is Mr L. J Greenberg on “A Peep Behind the Scenes of a Commercial Broadcasting Station." On Thursday evening a social meeting of members will be held in the new social hall, when several speakers who visited Sydney recently will give some of their experiences. Members and their wives are invited to attend The Railways Department advertises in this issue that a relief express will leave Christchurch for Dunedin at 9.10 a.m. and Dunedin for Christchurch at 10.50 a.m., and also particulars of the altered running of the usual 8.56 a.m. Dunedin-Oamaru train, next Saturday. The Railways Department advertises in this issue that another special train at cheap excursion fares will be run from Invercargill, stopping at Balclutha, Stirling and Milton, on Sunday, May 22. returning the same day A. Frank Anderson, surgeon dentist, 6 Princes street, Dunedin will visit Waipiata and Patearoa, Thursday, May 19; Ranfurly, Friday, May 20; and Oturehua, Monday, May 23,—Advt. Electric Radiators. Buy radiators for winter comfort. Barth Electric, Ltd., have on show Radiators from 11s Od to £ll 10s to suit all tastes and purses Inspection invited. —Barth Electric. Ltd., 36 George street, Dunedin.—Advt Eye Strain.—For eye comfort or better vision consult Sturmer and Watson, Ltd., opticians. 2 Octagon. Dunedin.— Advt. A E. J. Blakeley and VV. E. Bagley. dentists. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets. Telephone 12-359. —Advt.