No More Oranges

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23670, 30 November 1938, Page 8

No More Oranges

The crews of ships plying between Australia and New Zealand will no longer be able to bring oranges home to their families or friends. The edict has gone forth that the importation of oranges, except through the Internal Marketing Department, is totally prohibited. The masters of ships have been requested to notify their crews that they cannot bring oranges into New Zealand. Otago Drivers’ Union

A meeting of the Otago Drivers’ Union was held last night to consider a resolution—" That the industrial dispute between the New Zealand Federated Drivers’ and Related Trades’ Industrial Association of Workers and Johnston Blue Motors. Auckland, and others be referred to a council of conciliation for settlement ” —but information could not be obtained as to the result of the ballot.

The Art Society’s Exhibition Those who have not yet visited the Otago Art Society’s exhibition at the Pioneer Hall are reminded that there will be an opportunity of doing so for a few more days only. It has, however, been decided to extend the duration of the exhibition till Saturday next. As a display of the work of New Zealand artists the exhibition is very representative, and in that aspect it should be found as instructive as it is meritorious. The standard of painting in the Dominion is being well maintained, and it is probably correct to say that evidence of its advancement is discernible. Certainly New Zealand artists should be able well to hold their own in the successful representation of the landscape of their own country. The public art union in connection with the exhibition will be drawn to-morrow evening. Wills Proved Mr Justice Kennedy has granted probate of the estates of John Forsyth, retired stationer, Riverton; John Stuart, farmer, Waimunui; Jane McGregor Reed, married woman, Invercargill; Ann Cunningham, widow, Winton; Donald Cameron, journalist, Dunedin; Ellen Bannatyne, widow, Matanaka (near Waikouaiti); Andrew Howie, farmer. Nenthorn; Louisa Agnes Wedge, widow, Dunedin; Charles Daniel Sullivan, retired seaman, Ravensbourne; Martha Noonan, widow, Dunedin, and Joseph Boothroyd, shoe representative, Dunedin. High-priced Sovereigns The Australian Commonwealth Bank and the Bank of Australasia were buying sovereigns on Wednesday of last week at £2 2s lid—a record price for Australia. With fine gold at 150 s per oz in London on Saturday, a still higher price should be paid for sovereigns this week. Stingrays Common Stringrays are plentiful on many parts of the New Zealand coast, but accidents such as that reported from Auckland on Monday are very rare, mainly because the stringray is just as anxious to avoid trouble as are bathers. They are not mud feeders, but are most frequently seen on beaches and banks where cockles and shellfish have a footing, for they are shellfish eaters. The ray family is distributed all over the world, and all members have the same family likeness. The long tail carries about halfway along it a long spine (sometimes serrated, sometimes not), which represents the dorsal fin, and varies in length according to the size of the ray, up to six and eight inches. The spine inflicts a painful wound, and is covered by a slime which causes intense inflammation: there is no poison gland, as commonly believed. Keen Air Traveller After travelling by air from Sydney to Holland and returning again by aeroplane from Amsterdam to Sydney, Mrs F. W, Shelton, of Tolaga Bay, returned to Gisborne on Monday morning by Union Airways aeroplane. She is the first woman to make the double journey by the Dutch line, and, on landing at Batavia on the homeward trip she was presented with a bouquet of orchids by the Dutch officials. In spite of the experience of flying in very rough weather at times, Mrs Shelton thoroughly enjoyed travelling by air. She said she could not speak too highly of the efficiency of the service. In addition to these two long journeys, Mrs Shelton travelled from Holland to Southampton by the new Dutch line from Amsterdam, and while spending a fortnight in Britain flew to Glasgow. Later she boarded a Dutch aeroplane at Manchester to return to Amsterdam. Since arriving in New Zealand last week she has flown to Oamaru and back again to Gisborne.

Lorry Driver’s Choice Choosing to crash through the rails of a bridge at Double Crossing, a few miles from Kaitaia, rather than collide with a bus filled with school children, Mr H. Christensen, the owner and driver of a motor truck, narrowly escaped drowning on Monday afternoon, when his vehicle plunged into the river below. Mr Christensen was descending a hill with a load of metal in his truck and noticed a school bus approaching the bridge. With his heavy load he was unable to stop the truck in time, and to avoid the bus he struck the rails. The truck turned a somersault and landed in the river with its wheels uppermost and protruding just above the surface of the water. But for the prompt action of a number of people near the scene of the accident, Mr Christensen would have been drowned. He was taken from the water and revived only after artificial respiration had been applied. He also suffered from severe bruising and shock.

A Duplicated Marriage The unusual case of a man who was married some years ago in an Auckland manse and then remarried the following year to the same bride in the church associated with that manse was mentioned in the Supreme Court at Auckland on Monday. The husband was seeking a divorce, and after evidence had been heard his counsel asked Mr Justice Fair that the first marriage should be dissolved. “I submit that the second marriage is of no effect,” counsel said. In this his Honor agreed, and granted a decree nisi to dissolve the first marriage.

“ Driver's Elbow ” The dangerous practice of motorists who drive with the elbow on the car window was condemned in a statement made by Dr Morris Axford when appearing as an expert witness in a motor accident case at the Auckland Supreme Court. He enumerated the damages received by the plaintiff, who had been struck a glancing blow in a vehicular collision, The plaintiff’s arm had been broken in two places, the wrist was dislocated and fractured, one finger had to be amputated, two others were permanently paralysed, and the thumb and first finger were only of feeble use. “For all practical purposes the plaintiff is little better than a one-armed man,” said the witness. In reply to a question by his Honor Mr Justice Fair, the witness said that during the past 12 months eight or nine such cases had been dealt with at the Auckland Hospital. This type of injury was now so common as to be known as “ driver’s elbow.”

Deer on Stewart Island His determination to do all that was possible to exterminate the deer on Stewart Island and to preserve the island in its native state was expressed by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) in an interview with a Southland Times reporter on Monday. “I am absolutely convinced of the necessity for the destruction of deer,” Mr Parry said, “ and that the campaign must be pursued with even greater vigour if we are to preserve our splendid native bush. It is a wonderful asset from the point of view of the tourist traffic and it gives a clear idea of what New Zealand was like i.i its native state.” The Minister also said he would like to see parties of children sent to Stewart Island to see the beauties of the resort and to study the magnificent native flora. Such trips could be arranged when holiday traffic was not at its height.

The Railways Department advertises particulars of an excursion from Dunedin to Invercargill on Sunday. A. E. J. Blakeley and W E, Bagley. dentists, Bank of Australasia corner of Bond and Rattray streets Telephone 12-359. —Advt Por rings, watches, and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers and opticians, 59 Princes street, Dunedin.—Advt.