Overseas Mails

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23811, 18 May 1939, Page 10

Overseas Mails

The Empire mails despatched from Dunedin on April 24 reached London on Sunday last. Fire Brigade Call An outbreak of fire in a motor car in Jubilee street, Mprnington, was attended to by the City Fire Brigade at 10.29 a.m. yesterday. No damage was done.

Burnside Stock Sals

The entry of fat cattle at the Bumside stock sale yesterday totalled <385 head, cows and heifers predominating, with a sprinkling of prime heavy bullocks. Prime butchers’ ox beef was in short supply, and was firm at last rates. Extra prime' heavy bullocks madej to £l9 7s 6d; prime heavy £l4 12s 6d! to £l6 17s 6d; prime £l2 15s to £l4 7s 6d; medium £9 12s 6d to £ll 7s (6dand light from £8 2s 6d; extra prfene heavy cows and heifers to £lO 17s j6d; prime £7 to £9; medium £4 12s'6d,to £5 17s 6d and light from £3 10s. Stores had a large entry of 300 heaid, and a keen demand found prices firm. A pen of forward four-year-olds makie to £l2. There were about 2000 fat sheep on offer, comprising mairjly medium and light weights. The best quality pens attracted most interest, and values appreciated by Is to Is 43d a head. Prime heavy wethers made 25s to 27s 6d; prime 22s 6d to 24s 6ji; medium 18s to 21s; light from l4s; prime heavy ewes to 18s; prime 12s ®d to 15s: medium 9s to 10s 6d; and liglbt from 7s. Only 640 lambs were penneji. the majority being light to medium. Butchers competed for ihe heavier lambs' and exporters kept the rest of the entry up to full schedule ratek. Extra heavy sold to 28s 9d; heavy 23j; to 265; medium 18s . to 20s; and light from 13s 6d. A good yarding of fait pigs found the demand slacker, and though baconers were down by 5s pef head porkers remained firm. >

Charge of Theft . .. \ In the City Police Court yesterday; Rupert John Ashmore, alias Roland John Roche, appeared before Mr J. K.‘, Bartholomew,, S.M., on a charge of; ■having committed theft by fraudu-; lently omitting to -account for £22 5s received by him at Foxton on behalf of the Municipal and General Workers’ Union. On the application of Detective Sergeant Hall, the accused was remanded until Monday next.

Community Singing There was a large and enthusiastic attendance at the opening of the South Dunedin community singing season at the Mayfair Theatre yesterday. Last year’s leaders, Mr R. McKenzie and Dr Noel North, were welcomed back to the “sing” and the accompanist was Miss Olive West, who was making her last appearance as Miss West, since her wedding took place last night. She will, however, continue to provide the accompaniments at these “ sings.” Miss Olga Paul contributed two vocal solos, accompanying herself on the pianoaccordion, her numbers being “Was It Rain?” and “Some Day My Prince Will Come.” When all the contributions promised have been collected, it is expected that the amount raised by yesterday’s “ sing ” will total approximately £2O, which will be devoted to worthy causes. » Y.M.C.A. Tournament

A team of 24 lads left for Christchurch yesterday by the express _to compete in the annual interassociation tournament between the boys of the Dunedin and Christchurch Y.M.C.A.’s. The tournament caters for all types of snorting and other activities, including Rugby football; basketball, dodgeball, colonette, table tennis, track athletics, steeplechase racing, oratory and debating. The winners will be awarded the Herbert Smith Trust Shield. The members of the local team, which is under the charge of Mr G. R. Pitkethley (boys’ work director), are being billeted by members of the Christchurch Y.M.C.A., and will return to Dunedin next Monday.

Telephone Toll Circuit! “The comprehensive programme of improved and additional toll circuits which has been a feature of telephone administration in the last year or two is being continued wherever it is warranted,” said the Postmastergeneral (Mr F, Jones) in an interview yesterday. Recent improvements of this nature included the provision of two additional toll circuits for operation between Christchurch and Dunedin (increasing the number to five) and the provision of a new direct circuit between Wellington and Dunedin. Two additional circuits had also been provided recently between Christchurch and Timaru, and two between Christchurch and Greymouth, and already they had had a noticeable effect on the disposal of toll traffic. Bridges in South Westland

Two of the contracts for three concrete bridges over the Waitoto, Turnbull and Arawata Rivers in South Westland, between Jackson’s Bay and Okuru, have been let by the Public Works Department. The bridge over the Arawata River will be constructed by the department itself. More than 4000 tons of cement and many tons of reinforcing steel will be shipped to Okuru to be used in the construction of the bridges. When the three bridges are erected the road access from Jackson’s Bay to Okura will be completed. Later, the Haast, one of the most formidable and largest rivers in Westland, will have to be bridged. Pedestrians on Open Roads

The opinion that pedestrians walking along an open roadway should use the right-hand side of the road was offered by two juries—the grand jury, and a common jury—in the Supreme Court In Wanganui on Tuesday. The presiding judge, Mr Justice Ostler, undertook to forward their recommendations to the Transport Department. The question of which side of the road pedestrians should Use arose during consideration of a charge against a motorist of negligent driving, involving the deaths of two people. "There is some difference of opinion as to this matter, and you gentlemen think that the right-hand side is best? ” said his Honor, when he received the recommendation of the grand jury. The foreman said the grand jury felt that it would reduce the risk of accident if pedestrians faced oncoming traffic. During the trial Mr R. J. O’Dea, who appeared for the accused, said that Mr Justice Reed, the presiding judge at the previous sitting of the court in Wanganui, had expressed an opinion that people should walk facing the oncoming traffic. The Crown prosecutor, Mr N. R. Bain, said there was nothing in the law to prevent, persons walking along the left side of the road.

Drinking Driver* Proposed legislation as to the taking of liquor by drivers of motor vehicles was discussed in Wellington by a subcommittee of 11 of the 14 members of the Road Safety Council, The Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson) presided. The resolutions carried, which also dealt with penalties, tests for intoxication, and a number of other matters relating to liquor and driving, are next to be 'submitted to the three members of the council who reside away from Wellington.

The Insulation Theory “We have never said that we could insulate New Zealand from the world’s markets," said the Minister of Health (Mr P. Fraser) during a speech at the opening of the Labour campaign for the Christchurch South byelection 6n Tuesday evening. “What we said we could do, and what we are doing, is to build up a social economy in our own country that will protect the homes of the people from the impact of falls in prices overseas." The Government, said Mr Fraser, believed that as long as there was food, and materials for making clothing, nobody in New Zealand should go in want. The Government said that it would insulate the people from a fall in the world’s markets, and the way it went about it was to raise the standard of living of the people, and that had been don*.

Park as Centennial Memorial The first concerted steps in securing a Centennial memorial for South Canterbury—a native bush reserve at Raincliff, generously given by Major P. H. Johnson—were made by a large and representative gathering in Timaru on Tuesday. A resolution was carried that the meeting-should form itself into an association, to be known as the South Canterbury Pioneer Park Memorial Association, for the purpose of acquiring Major Johnson’s native bush at Raincliff as a united South Canterbury ■ Centennial memorial to mark the first 100 years of the colonisation of New Zealand and as a grateful tribute and memorial to the pioneer men and women. Costly Errors At the annual meeting of the South Canterbury Power Board on Tuesday it was disclosed that more,than £9OO worth of electricity had been delivered to three industrial consumers and that no charge had been made. This, it was explained by the chairman (Mr G. Dash), was due to a mistake in meter readings. The subject was discussed in committee and it was decided that the chairman and Mr S. I. Fitch be appointed a sub-committee to Investigate the whole matter and present a report to the next meeting. The chairman referred to the matter in his annual report, in which he stated that the report of the Finance Committee indicated a profit for the year Of £2022. “That this should have been ipuch larger,” continued Mr Dash, "is shown by a letter from the board’s engineer (Mr G. W. Morrison) dated May 1 last, in which he reveals that through some failure in organisation there has been delivered to three industrial consumers more than £9OO worth of electricity for which no Charge has been made. In the case of one consumer this omission has gone on for three years and the total loss made to date is £866 as shown by the letter from which I quote.” “Colour Bar”

; “ There is a good deal of loose, talk about there being no colour bar in Zealand, but unfortunately there is, although there should not be,” said the Rev. K. J. McFarland, vicar of Stratford, at a meeting of the Taranaki Archdeaconry Board. “The • two peoples buy from the same shops and ; the children go to the same schools, so i why should not members of the two ! races worship in the same churches? ” (At Mr McFarland’s suggestion it was .'decided to'urge,Synod to take whatever steps it could towards advancing jthe time when Maori mission work Would be merged in the ordinary work of the parishes. “In a good many ways there is a colour bar,” said Mr McFarland; , “It seems to rne wrong that after 100 years Of' evangelising there .is still a Maori mission. ■■ We 4re all children of one Father, and purely we should all worship in one t^hurch” •;• '* Soldiers’ Membership j The figures in the membership campaign contest of the Dunedin and (phristchurch Returned Soldiers’ Associations at May 15 were: Christchurch 1283, Dunedin 1118.