Air Mail Reaches London

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23515, 1 June 1938, Page 8

Air Mail Reaches London

The air mail despatched from Dunedin on May 11 reached London on Thursday last.

Fire Brigade Calls At 2.48 a.m. yesterday .he Green Island and City Fire Brigades turned out to Princes street, Green Island, where, a detached washhouse and dairy, owned by Mr Chooquee and occupied by Mr A. Goodley, were completely destroyed by fire. The cause of the outbreak is not known. At 3.30 p.m. machines attended a chimney fire at a house in Ann street, Roslyn. Batchelor Hospital Property

Pursuant to authority now received from the Minister of Health, the Otago Hospital Board proposes to sell the Batchelor Hospital property in Forth street by public auction. At its meeting last night the board decided that arrangements for the sale should be proceeded with.

City Police Court At a sitting of the City Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., Richard James Fogarty, who had been once previously convicted of drunkenness during the past six months, was fined 20s, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment, for a similar offence.

National Party Candidature It was announced' yesterday by the Otago Executive of the National Party that Mr R. McKenzie, the well-known sporting announcer, who had been approached to stand in the interests of the party at the general election, first for the Dunedin South seat and then for the Dunedin Central seat, had declined to accept nomination. Rumours have been freely circulated about the possibility of Mr McKenzie being nominated for each of these seats, but after giving the requests consideration, he has decided not to be a candidate. Hospital Statistic* '

Hospital statistics for April, submitted to last night’s meeting of the Otago Hospital Board, showed that there were 297 patients in hospital at April 30. Twenty-six deaths occurred during the month, and 271 inmates were discharged. The total number of patients admitted during the month was 443, and the total patients treated was 783. Two hundred and thirty operations (HO minor and 120 major) were performed.

Heavy Passenger Traffic The usual 4.18 p.m. express from the north did not arrive in Dunedin yesterday until approximately 4.33. In addition to the regular passenger traffic the express brought a large number of students returning from the term holidays to resume their studies at the University of Otago. There were 17 carriages attached to the train when it pulled into the Dunedin Station, but six were taken off before it departed for the south. The total number of passengers on board when the express arrived at Dunedin was 510.

Response to An Appeal The secretary of the Necessitous Cases Committee of the Mayor’s Relief Organisation expresses the committee’s thanks to the following donors who responded promptly and generously to its appeal published in the Daily Times on Saturday last:— Messrs Charles Gee, Gore, and W. Watt, Misses Reid, “ Worker,” Messrs C. Crocome, Watt, Mirams, and N. R. Walmsley, Mesdames Roy, Matheson, C. Ramsay, Gray, Cameron, King, May, McDowall, and Wallace, Miss Leslie, Mesdames McCrorie, Lord, Gilbert, and Reynolds, Misses Hare and Reynolds, Millers, Ltd., Mesdames Porteous, McKinnon, Riley, Young, and Hope, and “Sympathy.” Two “cash” donations of £1 and three of 10s each were received. Further donations will be acknowledged as received.

Philanthropic Grant# The sum of £IOO was received by the Otago Hospital Board last evening from the Dunedin Savings Bank trustees as a grant towards the work of the Waikouaiti Children's Health Camp. A grant of £4O towards the cost of boots and appliances for infantile paralysis cases was received from the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society (Dunedin branch). Visit of French Sloop

The French Consular Agent (Mr S. D. Neill) received advice yesterday that the French sloop Rigault de Genouilly is due at the Heads from Akaroa at 6.45 a.m, to-day. She will be boarded there by one of the Otago Harbour Board’s pilots, who will bring her up to her berth at the Birch street wharf. The vessel is expected to berth about 8.15 a.m. After her arrival, the commander (Captain Plante) will pay a round of official calls, and these will later be returned. At 3 p.m. Captain Plante will lay a wreath on the fallen soldiers’ memorial in the Queen’s Gardens. A dance for the ship’s company, arranged by the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Otago branch of the Navy League, will be held to-morrow evening at the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall. No other official arrangements have vet been made.

New Zealand Passion Fruit Juice Writing on May 13, our London correspondent remarked: —Among the ex-, hibits in the New Zealand Pavilion at the Empire Exhibition. Glasgow, is New Zealand passion fruit juice, which is bottled by Pashon Products. Ltd., Slough. Before this display was agreed to by the High Commissioner, and also the sale of sample bottles, Mr Jordan required to be satisfied that not only was this particular passion fruit juice being supplied by New Zealand but that there would be supplies available in the future. The New Zealander who is the managing director of the English branch of the company informed Mr Jordan that his firm had approximately 2000 gallons of New Zealand passion fruit juice available: but that the position so far as 1939 is concerned was obscure. It will be a pity if supplies cannot be maintained, as there is a rapidly-growing market.

German Dental Clinics Travelling dental clinics are being employed in German villages as part of the country’s national fitness scheme, according to Dr M. L. Kiwi, a German graduate in dental surgery from the University of Berlin, who arrived at Auckland by the Niagara on Monday on a short visit, to New Zealand before continuing his voyage to Australia, where he intends to set up in practice. Particular attention was paid to primary school children between the ages of 6 and 11, he said, and, as a result, there were few whose teeth were in an unsatisfactory condition.

Admiral Byrd Going South Mr Samuel Hicks, a former British naval officer at Boston, Massachusetts, is busy carving wooden tableware and other wooden equipment for the next Antarctic expedition of Admiral Richard E. Byrd. When the temperature falls to 80 degrees below zero.-Mr Hicks explained, a metal fork will freeze food on its way from the plate to the mouth. So he is carving threepronged wooden forks, complete with meat-cutters and scrapers as well as plates and bowls. His contract includes several other things that are usually made of metal, but have to be wooden for the Antarctic. Among them are toggles for dog harness and heavy pins like belaying pins which will* be driven into the ice to hold down tarpaulins covering tractors, aeroplanes, and other heavy equipment that must be left in the open.

The Queenstown Road Improvements to the narrow portions of the Kingston-Queenstown road will be carried out by the Main Highways Board. This information is contained in a letter from the Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple) to the secretary of the Southland Progress League (Mr J. S. Dick). “ Referring to your letter inquiring about the possibility of effecting some improvement to the narrow portions of the KingstonQueenstown road, I am now able to say that I have discussed the matter with the Main Highways Board,” Mr Semple wrote. “ Because of irregularities in the width of formation, the board intends to widen certain portions which are now somewhat narrow for the convenient passage of two-way traffic, and in conjunction with this work seme protective fencing and stone-walling is contemplated. These improvements will provide a more uniform standard of width, and should remove any cause for apprehension on the part of road users. Before widening work can be undertaken, some further detailed investigations will be necessary, but it is hoped to be able to begin the work during the current financial year.” Boating on Stream Near Timaru Provided satisfactory reports are forthcoming on various phases of the scheme, it is probable that in future Timaru will possess facilities for boating on the Otipua Stream, which it is proposed to beautify from the Main South railway line to the scenic reserve. Moving to this effect in accordance with notice previously given Cr F. B. Foote, at a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council on Mcndcy flight, said that an inspection had been made of the stream, which it was con: ids red could be beautified and made suitable for boating. He did not want any ne In imagine that the stream would become another Avon or anything like it. but it would provide a valuable a cl to Timaru. The motion was carried unanimously. “ Best Job in the Service " The fact that New Zealand is remembered affectionately by some of his predecessors was mentioned by the commodore of the New Zealand L.vision of the Royal Navy. Rear-admiral the Hon. E./R. Drummond, in resphhaing to the - farewell extended to him by the Ex-Royal Naval Men's Association at Auckland ®n Saturday night. Rear-admiral Drummond said he had recently received a letter from Viceadmiral Sir Geoffrey Blake, who said: “ I expect you will be sad at leaving what I consider to be the best job in the service.”

Maori’s Brave Deed A farmhouse at Raketapauma, near Taihape,' occupied by Mr James McDonnell, aged about 83. was burned to the ground about midnight on Saturday, and, but for the courageous action of a Maori employed on the farm. Mr McDonnell might have lost his life. As.it. was, he had a very narrow escape. There'were four : occupants of the house, namely, Mr McDonnell and his son (Mr T. McDonnell), a Maori tMr Fernie Whakatihi), and a housekeeper. The fire had a strong, hold, and the building was blazing fiercely when the occupants were awakened. Mr Whakatihi, who has an artificial leg, immediately entered the room where Mr McDonnell, sen., w: i sleeping and carried him to safety. The rescuer was almost overcome by the flames and emerged with his burden only just in time. This is the third time that Mr Whakatihi has saved a person’s life. He lost his leg while rescuing a boy who was caught in a reaper and binder machine, and later went to the aid of a person who was pinned down by a car near Taupo and saved the man’s life by lifting the car. Alarmist Report Deprecated

An alarmist article, emanating from Wellington and stating that the Government has reached an embarrassing position over its sterling exchange funds, is strongly deprecated in Auckland financial and banking circles. The suggestion that the exchange position is such that an advance in the rate on London is being discussed has drawn the reply that the London position, in view of all the circumstances, is most satisfactory. The matter was referred to the Prime Minister (Mr Savage), who said that comments such as those contained in the report were mischievous and harmful. “There is no embarrassment so far as the Government is concerned,” he said, “ and there is certainly no suggestion of altering the exchange rate.” A financial authority in Auckland said that the whole article was based on faulty premises. There were many people who did not see eye to eye with the Government on a lot of things, but at least they did not make loose statements which could have a damaging effect on the general financial position of the country. Defence Plans Upheld

Exception to criticisms of New Zealand’s defence programme by people writing to the newspapers “without real knowledge ” was taken by Colonel p. H. Bell (officer commanding the southern military district), when he replied to a toast at the annual reunion of the Veterans’ Association in Christchurch. He said such criticism was disheartening to the young men of the country, who were as willing as ever to do their part in the defence of the Dominion. “ What I realy want to do is to say something about the army,” said Colonel Bell, “and I am very glad to be speaking to men of your discretion and experience. There has been a great deal of criticism of the. way in which the New Zealand forces are being reorganised. Everyone seems to know what the country needs But it must be remembered that the reorganisation programme was framed after very great consideration by the Government, after taking the best advice obtainable in New Zealand and in the Mother Country.” It might be that after further experience, the authorities might conclude that something different from the present programme was needed. But reasonable men would give the present plans I. chance before criticising.