Rough Weather

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23734, 15 February 1939, Page 8

Rough Weather

After a comparatively still day, during which a cool breeze blew from the north-east and the barometer fell from 29.85 inches at 8 a.m. to 29.07 inches at 6 p.m., a heavy thunderstorm, accompanied by a steady downpour of rain, passed over the city, .30 inches falling up till 11 p.m., when the rain ceased. A strong south-westerly wind blew in gusts, and at times reached gale force. The wind and rain were accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning and heavy peals of thunder. About 6 p.m., when the barometer began to rise steeply, there were peculiar variations in the direction of the wind, which blew cool one moment from the north-east and warm the next from the north-west. It finally backed to the south-west and wlls blowing from that direction when the first squalls struck the city about 9.30. The occasional flickering of the electric lights indicated that a certain amount of trouble was being met with, but no damage of any importance had been reported at a late hour last night.

City Police Court There was no sitting of the City Police Court yesterday.

New Municipal Baths

“ I think it would be a disaster if the municipal baths were erected on the Market Reserve,” said Mr John Ash at the meeting of the Dunedin Amenities Society yesterday when the matter was brought up on the agenda paper. On Mr Ash’s motion, the following resolution was carried:—“That this committee, while heartily approving of the proposal to construct additional municipal baths in the city, strongly opposes the utilisation of the Market Reserve for this purpose.” Deceased Estates

The Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) yesterday granted probate of the estate of Mary Agnes Young, of Dunedin, widow. Letters of administration in the estate of Robert Clarke Houston, of Windsor, farmer, were also granted.

City Transport Service* A special meeting of the City Council was held yesterday afternoon for the purpose of considering the tramway services and transport facilities of the city generally. The council discussed a number of reports from the executive officers, and the financial aspect of the services was. also analysed. After the business had been discussed in committee, the meeting was adjourned so that further information could be obtained.

Culture, Wisdom, and Charade*

“ It is indeed a truth,” said the chancellor (Mr J. A. Hanan, M.L.C.', D.C.L.), in the course of his recent address to the Senate of the University of New Zealand, “that abundance of knowledge does not teach man to be wise. Further, a man may be learned and without polish, refinement of mind, or moral sense. Strength and virtue grow out of moral principle and are the fruit of no other soil. Genius and skill unsustained by character will but glitter and vanish. I am reminded here of a pertinent statement made by Lord Josiah Stamp in the course of an illuminating address: ‘Material wealth itself will be destroyed by moral and mental ineptitude. , . . The whole fabric of materialistic society which is now under such particular stress is dependent for its survival upon certain immaterial and moral characteristics: | grit, mental poise, and intrinsic i‘belief.’ ”

'Power Supply Conference 1 A conference of power supply authorities in the South Island will be held i t Timaru on March 1 to discuss - the possibility of a power shortage in the Mouth Island, and to formulate proposals for submission to the Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple). A Icatter issued by the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities’ Association recalls that at the annual conference of the association last year, Sdjtith Island representatives referred tofthe possibility of the Lake Coleridgjp and Waitaki systems becoming ovesrloaded at an early date. The present capacity of the 1 plant is 64,500 kilowatts, plus such overload as might be permissible and wise, the letter addi-. The winter peaks for the last four years have been as follows:—-1334, 32.540 kilowatts: 1835, 36,780 kilowatts; 19301 44.520 kilowatts: 1937, 51,860 kilowattfc; 1938, 60,520 kilowatts. The supply from Lake Coleridge and Waitaki is being extended to Southland and the West Coast, and the load in these districts will be added to the normal increase. All South Island authorities dependent on this supply are vitally concerned. Nursea from Denmark

Thel possibility of obtaining about 10 Danisfy girls for nursing work is to be exploded by a committee of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board, in conjunction with the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Mr W. E. Barnard), vvho is to communicate with the Danish! Government emigration office. In comijnon with other hospital boards throughput the Dominion, the Hawke's Bay Boiprd has experienced for more than a year difficulty in obtaining sufficient trained nurses to staff its hospitals. ',At one stage last year it was stated thfit it might be possible to obtain Australian nurses, but so far no further action has been taken along these lines.

Aerial Rope-way Suggested An aerinl cable leading up to the ski-ing grounds at the Franz Josef Glacier is! strongly advocated by Dr Heinrich Schmidt, who arrived in New Zealand hist November from Vienna, and during; the last two months has been at Fcanz Josef, ski-ing and assisting in guiding work. Besides his medical deg'ree, he holds an Austrian State ski-teacher’s diploma, and a physical training instructor’s degree of the University of Vienna. Discussing the advantages (of such a rope-way, Dr Schmidt said that the difficulty of access of the (ski-ing grounds was probably the \ main factor operating against their, popularity. If such a rope-way cpuld be constructed it would probably be used by a great many not only skiers, but others who wished to get a view of the scenery. 1 The novelty would also be a big attraction for many people, as it would be the first in New Zealand. In this, way, although the initial cost would be large, it would probably pay for Htself in a few years.

English Party on Tour A party of about a dozen English people, who are to make an extensive tour of New Zealand, arrived at Wellington by the Stratheden on Monday. The tour will cover nearly all points of interest in the Dominion, and will terminate towards the end of March, when the party will leave again for Home. The party left England about December 19, said one member, Sir William Thomlinson, and went to Colombo on the Oronsay. A tour of Ceylon was made, and they joined the Stratheden for Australia and New Zealand. Leaving Wellington on Monday night, the party went to Lyttelton and Christchurch, and will continue south ‘ to Timaru, Dunedin, Roxburgh, Queenstown, Wanaka, The Hermitage, and Tekapo. From there they will return to Christchurch and go to Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, Picton, and back to Wellington. They will then journey north, calling at such places as Palmerston North, The Chateau, Waitomo, Rotorua, and Wairakei. They will sail from Auckland for England.

Killer Dog Shot The shooting of a female dog with an Alsatian strain in the Mangaroa Valley by a farmer, Mr W. Lindsay, ended a period in which stock and poultry valued at about £IOO have been killed. Farmers found poultry missing each morning for some time before the dog was seen. After being shot at several *imes she became gun-wise, and was seen only at night. With poultry protected, the dog turned her attention to lambs and calves, once killing a calf and a number of lambs within an hour. One of her pups, caught wandering at night, was used as a decoy, and the dog was destroyed. It is understood the dog was taken to the valley from Wellington by a picnic party and abandoned.

New Zealander In Rom* Owing to the Catholic Centenary and other circumstances, Father P. T. B. McKeefry, private secretary to Bishop Liston, of Auckland, postponed,a holiday trip to Rome last year. By deferring his trip, his friends believe that he will be there for the historic ceremonies following the death of the Pope and the election of his. successor. Leaving Auckland on December 27, Father McKeefry sailed for Italy on January 3, and it is thought probable that as a clerical visitor from one of the most distant dioceses of the Catholic Church, he will be allowed to have some r part in the ceremonies, or at least to be granted special privileges as a spectator in St. Peter’s. During his student days at Propaganda College, Rome, Father McKeefry learned to speak fluent Italian, and acquired an abiding affection for' the Eternal City.

Compulsory Training Advocated

An advocate of compulsory military training, Sir Walter James, a former Premier of Western Australia, was a passenger by the cruise liner Stratheden, which arrived at Wellington from Australia, via Auckland, on Monday. Sir Walter said he doubted whether Australia would succeed with its policy of trying to raise an efficient defence force by voluntary means. "I favour compulsory training,” Sir Walter said. “With it you get discipline. We are sadly lacking in discipline to-day. You New Zealanders are better disciplined than the Australians. The New Zealand troops in the war were better disciplined—l don’t say : braver —than the Australian troops. All Australians speak well of the New Zealand troops.” War Against Deer

During the 1937-38 season, extending from. November to April.' nearly, 100 men engaged by the Department of Internal Affairs to wage war oh, deer in New Zealand destroyed 40,000 animals, including deer,' goats, thar, and chamois, all of which ■ play . havoc ■in native forest. The work was carried out. in spite of . tremendous . difficulties, such as bad weather, flooded rivers, vast forests, lack of transport facilities, and trackless country. Within recent years the campaign against dedr has been intensified. Originally introduced with the object of providing sport for huntsmen, deer found New Zealand an agreeable country, with an abundant food supply and an absence of natural enemies. Tn fugged mountain territories they thrived arid multiplied where their increase was not obvious until .the excess deer population overflowed in such numbers that the stock-carrying capacity of scattered farm lands in back country was considerably reduced, i '

Refugees’ Indirect Route To reach Australia, where they Intend to settle, 29 Jewish refugees from Germany who arrived at Auckland by the South Pacific Line steamer Tasman on Monday have been forced to, take a very indirect route. The refugees embarked at Marseilles and travelled by French steamer to Noumea,' New Caledonia, by way of the Panama canal and Fiji. From Noumea they intended to travel direct to Sydney by another French vessel, but on arrival they found'that this had broken down and would be out of commission for three months. Their only alternative was to ship by the Tasman and proceed by way of New Zealand.

The Railways Department advertises particulars of another popular excursion from Dunedin to Invercargill, to be run on February, 19. A E J. Blakely and W. E. Bagley, dentists. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets. Telephone 12-359.—Advt. • ' For rings, watches and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers land optifcians, 59 Princes street, Dunedin. —Advt.