LOCAL & GENERAL

Otago Witness, Issue 3084, 23 April 1913, Page 7

LOCAL & GENERAL

A Press Association telegram from Nelson says it appears that men have been discharged from the Glenhope extension of the Murchison railway. Since Christmas 20 men have been employed, and on the 12th these were notified that work would be closed down in a fortnight. They were offered employment at road-making. The complete stoppage of work will cause widespread disappointment. The Hon. H. D. Bell (Acting Minister of Marine) informed a Dominion reporter on the 14th that he had intended to make a statement on the subject of the Amokura inquiry at the time when ho received the report, but had now decided to hold over his statement until the departure of the battleship New Zealand from Wellington, when he would hand it to the press for publication The Minister added that he might say in advance that the charge of cruelty and of undue severity of punishment had been completely disproved. The Railway Department has recognised in tangible manner the services of the Milton Fire Briagdo in preventing the destruction of the station buildings on the occasion of the fire at the Royal Hotel last month. The department has decided to make a grant of £lO towards the brigade’s funds to mark its appreciation of their successful efforts.

According to the last mail from Noumea, a company has been formed for the purpose of exploiting the large forests of valuable timber which exist in the inland parts of the island.

About three miles from Hobart, just beyond the Moonah tram terminus, is what the owner (Dr Benjaficld) claims to bo one of the finest pear orchards in the world (says t'nc Hobart Mercury). Twenty-five years ago Dr Benjaficld purchased a piece of poor sandy land, which proved too poor to grow any ordinary crop. Although he knew nothing of fruit culture, he bought young trees and planted. To-day one sees a magnificent crop of pears on the 2000 pear trees forming the plantation. Good judges estimate that a measured acre could bo picked out which would turn off 1500 bushels of fruit, the quality of which may bo judged by tho fact that pears from this orchard took the silver modal at tho Royal Horticultural Society’s show in London. Dr Bonjaficld asserts that at Govent Garden tho Doyenne du Cornice pears have sold up to a shilling each, or £4 per bushel, and Glou Morceau up to £2 per bushel. Fifty pounds worth of material and labour have been spent in tying up the trees, yet cartloads of branches broken off and lying on the ground testify to the great load they have tried to carry. That trees will respond to genuine manure is hero proved to the hilt, as this crop results from an application of some 2000 tons of slaughter-house manure. “ And it is a crying shame,” says the doctor, " that through the efforts of town faddists it now is reported to be thrown into the Derwent to pollute its waters and shores.” A few years ago this orchard was rotten with black spot and codlin moth. The spot has been quite eradicated with lime and sulphur in winter, and sod.x copper in spring. Moth-infested fruit is now so scarce that it is difficult to find one, which is simply duo to good spraying with English and German arsenates of load. Great preparations are now in hand to put this huge crop in the Moonah cool stores, as last season’s returns from coo! stored fruit in Australian markets proved much more remunerative than similar fruit sent to London and not cool-stored. “I? adequate ideas of this crop and its value,” says the doctor. “ could be circulated in the old world, fruitgrowers and farmers there might be induced to take up this industry, which so many young Tasmanians turn up their noses at.”

Thc Wainui correspondent of tiro Press .states that an export trade in honey is now being developed on Batiks Peninsula. The initial shipment, comprising 12 tons, is going forward this month, and an endeavour is being made to send 10 tons every month. There is a good market for it in the West of England, if regular shipments can be sent, and the price that first-class honey brings at Home is better than can be realised here after paying all expenses. During the last few years, the production of honey has increased by leaps and bounds. The result has been that local markets have been overstocked, and producers have had to look for outside markets. One firm of apiarists this year has produced 10 tons of honey Where formerly the total production, mostly from box hives, did not reach one ton. The Peninsula bee-keepers will not have sufficient to supply the quantity required, so it is probable that flue National Federation of Bec-'kcopers will take the mutter up, as it is in the interests of the industry to send a!! the exports through the one channel. All the honey was gathered from white clover, and fluo quality all that can bo desired. The bees arc in good condition for wintering, and provided enough honey lias boon left, they should come out well in the spring. One thing which is likely to cause trouble is the wav in which foul brood is spreading amongst flue bees in some of the bays.

The Auckland Star stated in a recent editorial that considerably over 20,00X1,M0 acres of goed land were held in large blocks by European owners and still undivided and unimproved. In actual fact (says our Wellington correspondent), there was in the dominion on March 31, 1910, a total area of 19,575,231 acres of freehold land, exclusive of land hold by public bodies. Of this area 13,952,729 acres are held in blocks ranging from 5 to 5000 acres, and only 5,622,552 acre? in larger blocks. In many

cases blocks of from 1000 to 5000 acres are unsuitable for close subdivision owing' to the varying nature'of the country.

In proposing the toast of “ The Army and Navy ” at the smoke social tendered to the Hon. Mr Herries, in Milton last week, Mr W. W. P. Hall took the opportunity of voicing a protest against the published itinerary of the battleship New Zealand, at least as far as Otago is concerned. Unfortunately, it had been so arranged, ho said, that the battleship was to come to the Otago Heads on a Saturday, probably in the afternoon, remain over Sunday, and go away again on the Monday. It might be possible for residents in and near Dunedin to visit her, but ae far as he could see the arrangement practically debarred a very large number of the people farther afield from seeing the battleship. That was a great pity, because from the very inception of the idea they had been told that almost everybody in the country, and especially the children, would have an opportunity of seeing their groat gift to the Empire. He did not know who was responsible for the programme, but could not help expressing the opinion that it was a rather unfortunate one so far as (Hago was concerned. Later in the evening Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P., expressed his entire agreement with those gentlemen who thought the arrangements made were not satisfactory to Otago. He had come across literally hundreds who had expressed their huge disappointment and regret at the fact that the New Zealand was to be in Otago waters for such a very short time, and that 24 hours of that time would be a Sunday. He could assure his hearers that Mr Massey was most anxious to give the people an opportunity to see the vessel, but she was not in his hands. She was the King’s ship, and though- no doubt the Governor listened to any representations that were made, the final word lay with him. Mr Malcolm concluded by saying he was going to do his best to get the itinerary altered, and ho was sure he would have the good offices of Mr Herries in the matter when Mr Herries understood how greatly the Otago people wore pained at the slight, undoubtedly unintentional, that had been put upon them in the curtailment of the battleship’s visit. Cr W. Downie Stewart submitted the annual balance sheets of the municipal trading departments to last week’s meeting of the City Council. The profits for the year, os compared with last year, show an increase of £2270. The net profits total £25,259.

A Daily Times representative waited upon Mr \V. R. Haseldcn on the 16th in regard to the supposed closing of the Warden’s and Magistrate’s Courts at Clyde, and learned from him that, in point of fact, the courts will not bo closed at all, and that there was never any intention to close them. There will be a resident clerk of the Magistrate’s Court, who will probably be the sergeant of police at Clyde. Tho clerk of the Warden’s Court will bo Mr John Reid, who will reside at Cromwell, and visit tho Clyde court as required. The Warden’s Court records will be kept at Clyde for both the Alexandra and Clyde districts, and may be searched there in the same manner as has boon tho custom hitherto.

At a public meeting at Stirling on Monday. 14th inst., a committee was appointed to report on the best means and method of working to secure further safety from floods by raising and strengthening the

• <-,t~etive embankments from Stirling to Kaitangata. In connection with the city abattoirs, there is said to bo some talk of the sheep and cattle dues being increased. At the present time Is 6d is paid per head for cattle, and 3d for sheep, but rumour bas it that the charges are to be made Is 9d and 3zd respectively. The increase does not seem great so stated, but in the aggregate it would amount to a very considerable sum. This the master butchers fully realise, and it is said that any advance on the present rates will be strongly resented. The ma ters have been considering the charges for some time past, and, it is understood, have practically decided to approach the City Council with a view to having them reduced. They consider that, in view of the fact that handsome profits have been made out of the abattoirs for a number of years past, they have a right to expect the City Council to make a reduc-

Several members of the Otago Acclimatisation Society paid a visit on the 15th inst. to Wairongoa. to inspect the area of land and water there so very generously offered by Mr G. Thomson for the use of the society as a park and game reserve, and for the hatching out of trout, etc. The party, which was accompanied hy Mr Thomson, was very much impressed with the suitability of the 30 acres for the special operations of the society, there being beautiful plantations for the deer and game, and an abundance of running water containing good natural fish feed. There is also a house and ponds in the area of land, and natural flats on the bed of the stream on which the fish would bo able to spawn. Mr Thomson is prepared to give a complete tenure of the 30 acres at a peppercorn rental, the society guaranteeing. of course, that it will fully utilise the property as a reserve for deer and

game, and the ponds and stream for the hatching out of fish. Mr Thomson’s handsome offer has now to come formally before the society for its final acceptance. A Frees Association telegram states that in their annual report on primary educa-

tion in Auckland district the school inspectors draw attention to the very serious disadvantages under which many children suffer who live in dairying- districts. It not infrequently happens that such children are obliged to work eo hard, both before and after school, that they are quite unfitted to undertake profitably the work demanded in school, with the result that their physical and intellectual development is grievously retarded. It is to bo regretted that the parents and the community generally do not recognise these facts, and a.ro not more fully alive to their duties and responsibilities. To exact from children labour so continuous that the bloom and vivacity of children lingers but a few short years and leaves behind it prematurely tired little men and women—a sight unpleasant to behold in eo young and promising a country —is, the inspectors contend, an irremediable wrong to the children, and a menace to the welfare of the State. The price of milk in Auckland was raised from 4d to 5d a .quart last week (says our correspondent). The reason given for the rise in price is that the long drought during the summer has made the question of feed a serious one for the dairy farmers in the vicinity of Auckland, and one dairyman estimates that the daily supply of milk is now over 2000 gallons short of the normal. If there is no adequate rainfall within the next few weeks dairymen state that the price will rise even above 5d a quart.

Edgar C. Hazlett, nominated by John Moloney and Henry Harraway, was the only candidate who came forward on the 16th for the sent on the Harbour Board as the representative of the payers of dues on .goods, and he was, therefore, declared duly elected. For the representation of payers of dues on ships three gentlemen wore nominated to fill two positions — namely, George B. Bullock (nominated by F. 0. Bridgeman and G. R. Ritchie), Herbert C. Campbell (James A. Roberts and T. 0. Price), and H. L. Tapley (Peter Lang and Ebonezcr Wood). The election will take place on April 30.

A meeting of the Scott Memorial Committee was held in the Mayor’s room at Port Chalmers, on Tuesday, 15th inst. Mr D. A. Do Mans (Mayor) presided, and there were also present—Messrs Scollay, Powell, Isbister, Platts, Mawson, Mitchell, and Watson. It was suggested that a collection bo made by the school children in aid of the fund, and that an appeal be made through the press. It was decided to forward circulars to all local bodies in Otago giving particulars of the proposed memorial cairn, and inviting subscriptions towards defraying its cost.

Whilst making an exhaustive search on the 16th in the vicinity where the remains of the unknown man were found at Port Chalmers last Saturday, the police found a hat; also a novel, in which' were fragments of a photograph. The fragments were carefully pasted on cardboard, and revealed the features of a rather welldressed elderly man of prepossessing appearance. and Sergeant Dougan is convinced that it is a photograph of the deceased. The mount boro the imprint, “T. If. Head and Co., 263 Fratton road, Portsmouth,” and this may lead to a clue concerning the identity of the man. 9. ho book had been hidden beneath a log, and was in fairly good condition. Close by the police found a black bowler hat, from which the lining had been torn, and the police are of opinion that deceased bad evidently tried to destroy all traces of his identity.

The Mataura Borough Council has approved of the plans prepared by its consulting engineer, Mr B. B. Couston, for the erection of a new bridge over the Waikana Stream, and the reinstatement of road approaches, and tenders are to bo called for the work at once. Ino old bridge was destroyed by the recent flood, and some 3000 cubic yards of road embankment were also carried away. The Paper Mills Company is now at work rebuilding the concrete walls that supported its buildings on the banks of the Waikana, and which were totally destroyed by the flood.

In response to a request from Mr A. S. Malcolm, ALP., the Alinister of Public Works has replied that a departmental engineer will inspect and report upon a proposed embankment to protect the Otanamomo settlement from flood, ami also on the question of erecting a bridge in lieu of the punt on the Alolyneux at the lower end of the settlement.

Twenty thousand persons in England and Wales were without a birthday this year. This estimate was carefully made at the end of February by a census official with the aid of the available census returns. The exact number of people then alive who wore born on February 29 within the last 100 years could not, of course, bo given. Among the famous men born on a leap-year day was Rossini, the composer, who was born on February 29, 1792. Burke’s Peerage provides a modern instance in the case of James Edward, Marquis of Hamilton, son and heir of the present Duke of Abercorn. Ho was born on February 29, 1904, King Edward standing sponsor at his baptism. Already some stamps of the King Edward period have attained a degree of rarity which makes them valuable to collectors. For instance, the 2jd light blue 1902 series, unused, is quoted by a reputable firm of stamp dealers at 3s 6d. The 4d green and purple, unused, fetches 7s 6d, and the lOd stamp commands 4s and up-

wards, according to shades of colour. The 2d green stamp, whose varying shades were the subject of comment in the Daily Mail at the time of its issue, reaches in its several varieties a price of from 2s 6d to 10s. Other British stamps of comparatively recent, date have increased appreciably in value to collectors, including unused specimens of the early penny and halfpenny ones of the jhesent reign. Mr Whitfield King, an Ipswich stamp expert, recently received a set of five stamps, the first ever issued in Tibet, from an agent who had to travel 500 miles to Lhassa to obtain them.

Speaking of the solitary return to his Antarctic base of Dr Mawson, after losing his two comrades, Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr Mortz, Sir Ernest Shackleton is reported by the Daily Mail as saying:—“ A portion of the press in speaking of the Mawson Antarctic Expedition calls it the Mawson Antarctic tragedy. Undoubtedly, the deaths of Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr Hertz are sad, but they were the outcome of accidents which come in the ordinary course in all Polar exploration. Apart from these two accidents the expedition seems to mo to have been a particularly brilliant one. When the story comes to bo written of Mawson’s journey it will, to my mind, be a fascinating one, for I can imagine the lonely struggle ho made, hie two companions dead, moving northwards through blizzard, snow, and fog over crevasses for three weeks, on his lonely way. Knowing Mawson as I do, I am not surprised at his achievement. To a man of loss equable temperament or less determination the result would have been fatal. One of the most striking things in the wireless message received is that Dr Mawson on one of his journeys discovered a new coastline 500 miles south of where the Antarctic coastline is supposed to be. This is one of the greatest discoveries made of recent years. While regretting the death of these two young explorers we feel that their work will not bo lost.”

The Clutha Free Press contains the following paragraph :—A resident of Fiji, formerly of Dunedin, writing from Suva to a Balclutha resident, describes the hurricane which swept the island the Tuesday before Easter. All day on Monday the barometer had been falling steadily, and towards o\oning the inhabitants hurried home to batten up windows and prepare for something untoward. On Tuesday morning a cannon was fired to warn people of the impending danger. It commenced to blow about 9 o’clock on Tuesday morning, and for two hours the residents were in an atmosphere of uncertainty. Roofs of houses were whirling through the air, making the place like the scene of an aeroplane demonstration. Trees were uprooted and verandahs blown down, and one house was found floating in the harbour. The soap works wore levelled and a shed containing a motor car disappeared, leaving the car to the tendei mercies of the cyclone. A launch which was securely anchored broke its moorings and was found in 12ft of water about a mile away. The hurricane, as far as hurricanes in Fiji go, was not a severe one, but the writer has no inclination to again encounter such an experience.

“It is an absurdity to expect a single girl to live up there,” said the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr R. T. feadd) at the Hawke’s Bay Land Board meeting last week (says the Napier Telegraph), when it was proposed to take away an area of 120 acres on the top of Titiokura, Tanpo road, from a young woman for failing to comply with the requirements in taking up her residence there. Mr Lusk appeared for the holder (Miss Alice Bodlcy), and pointed out, that the young girl could not possibly live up there by herself. Her father (Mr Henry Bodlcy) also appeared before the board, and pointed out that his daughter could not reside on tiro top of the mountain, for perhaps six months later her domestic status might be changed. The Commissioner stated that ho thought this was a good argument against allowing young girls to be eligible for sections, when it was impossible for thorn to carry out the residential qualifications. It was decided to leave the matter over for six months.

Private information received ;n Christchurch from London states that it is understood that the new general manager of the New Zealand railways i.s Air Ernest Havillamd Hiley. divisional goods manager on the North-Eastern Railway, Newcastle. He is the son of a clergyman, is 43 yoais of ago, and was educated at Rossall. He has had a wide experience on the Great Northern railway and in his present employment.

A meeting of the Lawro.nce-Roxburgh Railway League was held on Thursday afternoon, Mr A. Moritzson presiding in the absence of Mr A. Bathgate. The question of waiting upon the Mini>lcr of Railways (the Hon. W. H. Kerries) in connection with the question of pushing on the completion of the work in hand on th'.s lino was discussed, and it was deemed that a deputation from the league meet the Minister on April 23, and that M(Ssrs F. G Duncan, W. 11. Young, and 11. Turner be deputed to place the views of the league be fore the Minister. Mr T. K. Hidey, M.P., consented to introduce the deputation. The Dunedin Expansion League wrote stating that at its last meeting the opinion was expressed that before the parliamentary session commences a meeting should bo organised, at which all the Otago members of Parliament—both town: and country—could meet in private conference the representatives of the various local organisations, with the ob-

jgct of furthering the interests of Dimociin and the various parts of Otago. They asked the league to co-operato in this movement by appointing two delegatee to attend the meeting, which would bo held on a date to bo arranged. It was suggested that the middle of May would Pc a suitable time to hold the meeting at the offices of the Expansion League. This request was agreed to, and Messrs Gow »jid Tam Wyn were appointed to represent die league.

At the University Senate meeting on the 17th (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) a now statute, was passed providing for a diploma in public health. It is to bo provided that any person who holds the degree of Bachelor of Science in Vublio Health, or the degree of Bachelor .of Hygiene of a British Chartered University or who holds the diploma of public health of any British Chartered University or of the conjoint Examining Board of the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of London, Edinburgh, or Dublin, may bo •wanted by the Senate a diploma of public health of the University of New Zealand. A Wellington message says that the Sydney Sun's Isjndon correspondent’s statement that Now Zealand intends to build her own navy was referred by a Post representative to the Prime Minister, who declares that nothing of the sort is intended. The statement was evidently written by someone with a fertile imagination. Nothing would bo done until Mr Allen’s report was considered by the Cabinet. Mr Massey, however, believes that some modification of the present arrangement will bo proposed. Sergeant Doucan, of Port Chalmers, is to be complimented on the manner in ■which ho has solved the mystery touching the identity of the body which was found in the bush near the Port Chalmers Cemetery. The only pieces of evidence which the police had to work on were a book — “ War and the Woman,” by Max Pember-ton—-which was found near the body and tli a fragments of a photograph. An examination of the book showed the almost undecipherable stamp mark of a book seller, and, under the microscope, the name of M ssos Grave and Gay, of the Arcade Circulating Library, was made out. Meanwhile the fragments of the photograph had been pasted on a sheet of paper, and an excellent presentment of an elderly, well-dressed man was brought to light. The book was taken to .Mieses Grave and Gay, who looked up their lists, and found that It had been lent to a Mr Robert Cole, who was boarding at the Glasgow Restaurant. The photograph was then shown to the manager at the restaurant, who at once recognised it as that of Ode. The de-

ceased. who was 77 years of age, had worked for Mr Nisbct, painter, of St. Andrew street, whose employment he .eft on the 30th November last without saying where ho was going. Ho went away from the restaurant a few days before Christmas, saying ho would return in a week. A letter addressed to him at the restaurant was opened by the superintendent of police. It was from his sister, who lives at Portsmouth, England, and contained a Christmas card. Commissioner Cullen hold a parade of the Wellington Police Force on the 17th, and invited tiic men to state their grievances. . There were 56 constables and 13 sergeants present, and 10 of them spoke. Nine made suggestions for improved conditions, such as Sunday leave and free uniforms, but only i one made a complaint, and that was to the effect that lie had boon superseded in an application for a position as mounted con- ! stable. Inspector Cullen told the men that they had no better friend than the present Minister. There seems to be very little real d'-satisfaction in Wellington. At the opening of his campaign for a scat on tire City Council on the 17th (says our Wellington correspondent), Mr D. Moriarty (secretary of the New Zealand Furniture I Works Federation), who is standing as an independent, said that ho had been requested by the Labour party to join its ticket, and had declined. It had then offered to knock a man off the ticket and make him one of its 15, but again he declined. This, of course, is a most te- ; markable action, as it means that the ! Labourite “bosses” were prepared to :n----terferc with a ticket elected by the Labour people. I , A Press Association message from Gore states that Mr J. W. Kelly intends to j stand for the mayoralty at the forthcoming i elections. Although ho is quite satisfied with the present administration, it is his intention to give the people of Gore an opportunity of expressing their opinion publicly with regard to the action of the Borough Council in refusing the offers of outside relief for those affected by the flood. Questioned as to the rumour of an attempt to be made to alter the personnel of the council, Mr Kelly did not hesitate ! to say that this was so. Crs E. C. Snntlr, R. L. Christie, and D. M'Dougall also announced their intention to stand in accordance' with statements made by them some time ago. Accordingly there will bo four candidates for the mayoralty. Air C R, Richardson (Chief' Inspector for the Orago Education Board) had his attention directed to a paragraph conj corning the annual report of the I Auckland inspectors, in winch atI tention was drawn to the very j serious disadvantages under which many

children suffer who live in dairying districts there. The report stated that it not infrequently happened that such children wore obliged to work so hard, both before and after school, that they were quite unfitted to undertake profitably the work demanded in school, with the result that their physical and intellectual development was grievously retarded. Mr Richardson made the pleasing statement that the children attending the schools in the Otago district did not now suffer from the disabilities as mentioned by the Auckland inspectors. In fact, the disadvantages complained of were very few and far between, so far as the Otago country districts wore concerned, the evil having been chiefly stamped out by the increased prosperity of the farming community. Mr Richardson stated, however, that the board, through its own truant inspector (Mr Ryan) was keeping a careful eye on the conditions under which boys wore employed on the milk carts which made their rounds of the city in the morning, and as a result those lads were now working under far bettor circumstances than formerly used to prevail.

Strong exception was taken at the meeta iag of the Trades and Labour Council, held on the 17th, to the statement pubj lii-hxd in the as a result of the | increased wages paid to grocers’ assist- ; ants under the now Arbitration Court I award the prices of certain grocers’ lines ’ had had to be advanced, it was contended ! that the statement was not in any way i justified by the facts, the improvement in ' the working conditions and wages of ! grocers’ assistants being so small as not ' to entail increased cost in any of the goods j handled. The council further took cxcepi tion to the assertion frequently made that j various commodities were being increased j in price as a result of the advance >u : wages