“A Surprise Packet"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 8

“A Surprise Packet "

Often there is something intriguing about anonymous letters. One received yesterday morning by the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) containing an unsigned message and five very tattered and decrepit bank notes to a total value of £3O must be almost without precedent. Four of the notes were issued by the Bank of New Zealand and one by the Union Bank, and each bore traces of rust, suggesting that they had been put away for careful keeping in a tin. One of them was conspicuous because of the number of small holes with which it’ was punctured. The Union Bank note was dated 1905, and the others bore the dates from 1917 to 1924. The message, apparently in the handwriting of a woman, read: ‘‘Thanksgiving offering for Chinese refugee children.” • The Mayor would be pleased if the anonymous correspondent would call on him. Wealthy Estates Estates probated at Auckland in December included those of Jabez William James Marks (£45,000), Edward Glasson Phillipps (£30,000), Harry Arthur Purser, gentleman (£25,000), Samuel John Atkins, hotelkeeper (£22,000), John Barclay Henry, retired bank manager (£20,000), Richard Vanstone, of Opotiki, retired farmer (£17,000), Arthur George Buchanan, commission agent (£15,000), John Farrell, architect (£13,000).

Treat For Orphans As the guests of the Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd., and R.K.O. Radio Pictures, about 200 children drawn from the ’orphanages of Dunedin were present yesterday morning at the Octagon Theatre to witness a special screening of the Walt Disney colour film “ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The children were transported from the. orphanages by City Corporation buses, and on arrival at the theatre were accorded an additional treat in a plentiful supply of sweets and ice cream given for the occasion by Messrs Cadbury Fry Hudson, Ltd., Nestles, and the Crystal Ice Cream Company,

Motor Car and Firo

Shortly after 7.30 last evening the City Fire Brigade received a call to Grant street, where fire, caused by a short circuit in the electrical system, had broken out in a Chrysler tourer motor car owned by Mr R. W. Kindley. The outbreak was extinguished before anything beyond the wiring had been damaged.

Bulk Supply of Water The City Council, at a special meeting held on Wednesday, completed negotiations with the St. Kilda Borough Council for an agreement governing the conditions and price for supply of water to the borough for a period of five years from April 1 next.

Western Otago Reading The Public Works Department has more than 100 men steadily at work on the Lower Hollyford road, which is being constructed from the Jlollyford Valley, where it joins the Homer Tunnel road, in the general direction of the West Coast. This road, which will eventually strike the West Coast at Big Bay, will leave the Hollyford Valley near the junction with the Pike River, and after skirting the 'shore of Lake Alabaster will follow the Pike to Big Bay. The route from the Hollyford Valley is not yet definitely fixed, but after reaching Big Bay the road will, in time to come, join up with the road that is being constructed down the West Coast to Jackson's Bay.

Cricket Postponed The Boys’ Cricket Association fixture between Canterbury and Otago, which was postponed on account of the weather conditions on Wednesday, was again postponed yesterday as the wicket at Logan Park was too soft to be played on.

Downpour in Southland The rainfall during the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday was greater than has been recorded in Southland in any one day in the last 25 years, and was an unwelcome prelude to Christmas. A certain amount of flooding occurred in Invercargill during the morning (says our special correspondent), and the weather continued wet and unseasonable, but the damage resulting from the phenomenal rainfall was confined to the flooding of a few basements of business premises. Water gathered on some low-lying suburban gardens and on fields of crops in the country districts, but it clearly fairly (Quickly.

Dunedin Dancers Fifth In the 1938 Australasian Ballroom Dancing Championship, which was held at Melbourne this month, the Dunedin dancers, Mr Leo Schmelz and Miss Cora Duff, were awarded filth place, and both received a handsome silver cup as a prize. Mr J. Brown, manager of the Town Hall dance, who organised the local contest to select the ultimate couple to represent Dunedin across the Tasman, has received advice from Mr Schmelz that the contest was an interesting one, and both he and his partner are pleased with their-performance. The winners were from Melbourne, this being the second year in succession that they have gained this distinction.

New Bridge Planned Work will be commenced early In the New Year on the construction of a modern reinforced concrete bridge over the entrance to the Anderson’s Bay inlet on the Dunedin-Harrington Point main highway. Plans for the bridge, which will consist of three 30feet spans, with a 24-feet roadway and a 4ft Gin footpath on each side, have now been drawn in the Dunedin office of the Public Works Department, and are to be forwarded to Wellington lor approval. The new bridge, which is to replace the existing wooden structure. is of absolutely modern design, and should serve the requirements of traffic on the Peninsula road completely. Railway Overbridge#

Plans have now been prepared for a road traffic overbridge to cross the main north railway line, just north of the township at Waikouaiti. The bridge will be of the standard pattern adopted for those built over railway lines at various other points, will consist of four 50-feet spans, and will have a 24-feet roadway. The Palmerston overbridge, which has been under construction for some time, is now almost completed. Brake Failure# ■./

The latest , figures show that the failure of brakes is a common cause of accidents where vehicle defects are concerned. In Great Britain-last year no fewer than 18.4 per cent, of the fatal accidents attributed to vehicle defects were brought about by faulty brakes. The new regulations relating to the inspection of vehicle brakes are definitely justified, a statement issued by the Automobile Association of Otago declares, and it is hoped there will now be a reduction in the number of accidents due to this cause. The modern braking design is good, the statement adds, and it is remarkable that there should be so many accidents allegedly due to brake failure. Whatever the cause, there is really no excuse for a vehicle that is a potential danger to all classes of traffic being on the road. Film Publicity Abroad

Advice has been received by the Minister in Charge of the Tourist and Publicity Department (Mr F. Langstone) that 16mm. films supplied by his department for visual training were shown to approximately 8000 children in the States of Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho, Dakota, and Nebraska during the months of September, October, and November. This form of education, the Minister said, was much utilised in the United States of America, and many universities, and State education authorities were kept supplied with 16mm. films by the New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department. The Makarora Road

The district public works engineer (Mr T. Keller) advises that the Makarora road is in first-class order right up to the Haast Pass. There appears to be some doubt in the minds of motorists as to the state of the road beyond Cameron’s Creek, and particular mention was made by Mr Keller of the fact that the road to a point 15 miles beyond the Makarora Accommodation House is in excellent condition. This takes one to the Pass itself. Motorists desirous of travelling further may go li miles further on, but they are warned that they do so at their own risk, as the approaches to the temporary bridge over the Fish River are very steep and great care must be taken.

Surgery for Tuberculosis Sweeping changes in the treatment of tubercular diseases in Christchurch are possible if the recommendations of Dr I. C. Macintyre to the Christchurch Hospital Board are adopted. Dr Macintyre recently returned from a trip abroad, where he investigated surgical methods of treatment which he considers essential to this country in the interests both of patients and the public health generally. “In all the up-to-date sanatoria I visited,” he said, " a small surgical block has been built, I am strongly of the opinion now that this should be done at Coronation Hospital at Cashmere. I will not go into details as to what this should consist of beyond saying that a theatre and about a dozen beds (single rooms) for patients while they are in the imme diate post-operative stage would be required.” A committee was appointed to report on the question and tomak« recommendations on buildings, equip ment, and staffing.

Condition* at Queenstown

A report from Queenstown received yesterday afternoon stated that it was raining heavily and rather cold. None of the roads, however, were affected. Accommodation was fully booked in Queenstown for the Christmas and New Year period. Itailway Bookings

Few seats are now obtainable on the expresses both north and south tomorrow, in practically every instance the whole trains having been reserved. The three expresses for the north in the morning are fully booked, and accommodation on the 6.33 p.m. is rapidly being reserved. The 9 a.m. and 4.40 p.m. trains for Invercargill can carry no more passengers, and the relief express at 5.43 p.m. is also practically booked out.

New Zealand Money Refused A former Wellington resident, now living in South Australia, who arrived by the Wanganella on Tuesday, said he .received a surprise when he arrived in Sydney and endeavoured to change a couple of New Zealand banknotes. He tried at the bar of one of the large hotels first, he said, but there they laughed at him and told him that they were not prepared to change New Zealand notes or silver. Next he went to a bank, and there he found that similar instructions had been given. One of the bank officials suggested that he try the New Zealand Government Tourist Office or a well-known travel and tourist agency, but he did not bother because he was coming on to New Zealand. He explained that the reason for tlje timidity in Sydney was the experience that the people had had under the Lang Government. There was no doubt that the New Zealand Government’s import regulations had given rise to concern in Australia as to New Zealand’s stability.

Road Markings on Corner! The Public Works Department intends placing double centre lines on portions of the paved main roads that are considered to be dangerous. These lines are not intended to be a substitute for any present provision, but rather an additional safeguard, and while no regulation will be drawn up at the moment, motorists will be required to understand that whereas they are now expected to keep to the left of single lines on bends, eventually it is proposed to frame regulations which will make it an offence to travel on the wrong side of double lines or overtake vehicles where double lines are laid. At the present time it is suggested that double lines be laid only where visibility is less than 300 feet, and in view of the likelihood of regulations being brought in at a later date, it is urged that motorists should now observe the conditions as mentioned. Many bends are already so marked.

Sheepfarming Problem* The opinion that New Zealand sitting on an economic volcano so far as the sheepfarming industry was concerned was expressed by the Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr A. P. O’Shea) when commenting, in an interview in Wellington, on a proposal by Mr L. T. Daniell, Masterton,, to stabilise returns from fat ewes by means of a levy of 4d a lamb on all lambs exported. The sheep farmer had received a blow through the drop In ewe prices, Mr O’Shea said. This was going to be particularly hard on the men on second and third-class country who were breeding ewes which were eventually used in fat lamb raising. “If we are not careful New Zealand will wake up in a year or two to find that the carrying capacity of our hill country has declined to an alarming extent,” he added. "The problem of the sheep farmer and the economic aspect of the depreciation of the hill country are the most vital matters facing New Zealand at the present time —and they are being ignored. It is not a case of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. It is a case of killing the hen that lays the ordinary work-a-day egg for the family.”

Transfer of Moneys , With reference to the issue of permits for the remission of moneys overseas, the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) has stated that since the first announcement was made it has been decided that applications for permits will be dealt with by the Reserve Bank, and not by the Treasury, and the trading banks have been advised accordingly. If practicable, person; desirous of remitting moneys overseas should make application at least a month prior to the date on which funds are required, but if funds were urgently required the banks would arrange for a prompt decision. “ I would again like to make it clear,” Mr Nash said, “that, reasonable requirements for tourists and travellers or for the maintenance or expenses of relatives abroad will be provided.” An Acceptable Gift The secretary of the local branch of the Crippled Children Society had a pleasant surprise a few days ago. A registered letter addressed to the secretary enclosed a donation from an anonymous invalid lady to the funds of the society. The envelope contained five £5 notes. For this act of generosity the society is extremely grateful to the unknown donor. It is also satisfactory to report that, as the result of a combined function sponsored by the members of the local branch of the New Zealand Musicians’ Union, the sum of £2l has been handed over to the society. Hotel Tariffs in the North

Although hotel tariffs for board and residence have not been increased in Wellington as in Auckland because of the new hotel workers’ award, a leading hotel proprietor stated on Wednesday that increases must be made when the 40-hour week for hotel workers was introduced. He said that tariffs had previously been increased by 10 per cent., but that increase was from the depression level, and there was actually no increase over normal times. The proprietor added that costs had gone up on all sides, and hotelkeepers could not continue on present tariffs. Apart from increased wages, the extra amount that had to be paid for commodities and the big increase in laundry changes had combined to destroy the safe • operating margin. The increases reported from Auckland are for daily tariff rates, and vary from 5 to 7J per cent. The award that increased wages for hotel workers came into operation on December 5, The Railways Department advertises In this issue the calling of tenders for the purchase for removal of a dwelling at Kensington. Tenders are invited by the Public Works Department for the supply of tallow wood crossarms, copper conductor and sleeves, oil circuit breakers, distribution switchboard, asbestos-cement water pipe and fittings, tools and general hardware, portable air compressor and internal combustion engines and generating sets. The Railways Department announces In this issue particulars of train services to Wingatui in connection with the Dunedin Jockey Club's races on Monday and Tuesday. The receipt of calendars from the following is acknowledged with thanks: —Messrs Arthur Barnett, Ltd., Messrs A, and T. Inglis, Ltd., the Mutual Life and Citizens’ Assurance Company, and the T. and G. Mutual Life Society. A E. J Blakeley and W E Hagley dentists. Bank of Australasia cornet of Bond and Rattray streets. Telephone 12-359 Advt For rings, watches, and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers and opticians. 59 princes street. Dunedin, —Advt.