LOCAL & GENERAL

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 9

LOCAL & GENERAL

In consequence of the recent floods and representations having been made for the protection of lands, the Prime Minister has agreed to appoint a commission to inquire into ’the best means of protecting lands from floods between Balclutha and the sea and also at Barnego Flat, which is just outside the bounds of the Balclutha borough. Some of the residents of Inchclutha and Otanoraono favour a scheme to put a dredge on the lower reaches of the Molyneux to deepen the river, claiming that the dredging up country has caused a large amount of silt to be deposited in the river bed towards the mouth, and thus retarding the waterway. Captain Hayes, of the American barque Bernicia, now at the wharf, is making bis first visit to New Zealand, though he has had a life-time of sea roving. He has received a very favourable impression of . Dunedin during the last throe weeks, and particularly of its people. To a reporter yesterday he said he wished to express his opinion that those ho had met in Dunedin wore the nicest class of people he had ever come in contact with in his life, “and,” he added, “ I have seen the world.” Dunedin people seem to him like one b:g family. He considers Dunedin a very beautiful place, and says lie docs not think he ever saw a city more up to date in -ts sanitary arrangements. He has also a high opinion of the steamers we have on the coastal service, but all his words were not of sugar and honey. “ You people are veryslow in your business transactions,” lie commented, and instanced the fortune running to waste in the power of the Moiyneux River. The electric light and tram service the captain characterised as not up to date at all, but ho seemed pleased with what he bad seen of the country roads. Captain Hayes was very well acquainted with Maine many years ago, and calls ii “the only State in America to live in.” “How does prohibition work there?” he was asked. “ It works all right,” but the effect of this reassuring reply would be spoilt for some people by the prompt addition, “A man can get as much he wants.” Ho went on to explain that for those who were keen to have liquor there were easily discovered ways and means of procuring it, but for the man who wished to avoid it there was no temptation, and this he considered a very happy state of affairs. Men took home their small change to their children instead of wast-ng it at the street corner in a saloon. There was more work in Maine State than in any other. Captain Hayes finally crowned his eulogy' of his favourite Stare by declaring that Maine is “ more like New Zealand ” There is reason to believe that those who have had to do with Captain u Hayes during his stay here most heartily reciprocate the kindly feelings he has expressed towards the people of Dunedin. Success has attended the mission of the Mayor of Balclutha (Mr D. Stewart) to Wellington to get assistance from the Government in the work of strengthening the protective bank ut Balclutha (writes our correspondent). As a result of a half hour’s interview with the Minister of Public Works he has given the promise of a pound for -pound subsidy up to £2750 for this work. The Balclutha Borough Council will now ask the sanction of the ratepayers to raise a loan of probably about £3OOO to complete the work of heightening and strengthening the bank to make it a sufficient safeguard against all floods :n future. It is opportune to point out that the statement, published in some papers, that the Public Works engineer estimates the cost of the work at £11,517, is erroneous, this exaggerated figure having been arrived at by somebody adding up the cost of two estimates —£5401 and £6116. At the most the cost will hardly reach the latter figure, as there are contingencies allowed for at £250. The flood waters are going away very slowly on Inchclutha, and a good many of the paddocks are still badly covered (states the Glutha Leader). Messrs Pcrinski, John Mosley, Mulrine, and others are very badly affected. A field of what was a fine crop of turnips belonging to Mr Mosley has been ruined, and a disagreeable stench is rising from tho decaying vegetable matter. Most of the sett lei's at tho lower end of the island have suffered severely. Dairy farmers have experienced great hardship, and one settler has moved his herd of cows to Summer-hill, where inis milking them and sending tho product to the factory. The farmers down there havo had a series of very good seasons, but the present takes the “ gilt off tho gingerbread ” very considerably, and prospects for tho winter are not bright. There will be a big shortage of feed, for largeareas of turnips have been quite destroyed. Tho special correspondent of the Dominion telegraphs from Wanganui that if certain negotiations now in progress are Successfully concluded, a.s they probably will be, the Wanganui Museum will shortly bo in the possession of a unique relic of on old Now Zealand war canoe said to be the best model of such n craft existing in the dominion. Accord.ng to tiadition tins , c-ancc was engaged in tho big battio off Knpiti in 1625, when the combined triles tried to capture To Raiiparaha, tho famous fighting chief, who carried fi: a and massacre through the central positions of New Zealand. Then it went back to the Wanganui River, and figured in many forays and fights on that historic stream, including the battle of Moutea. In later years it was put to the prosaic, but more useful, purpose of a trading canoe. For the List two years it, has been laid up, us last owner refusing offers from museums else-

where. The canoe, “which measures 66ft by 6jft, is a fine specimen of Maori “ shipbuilding,” and it has been hewn out of a single tree with stone axes. It bears She scars of many battles, and more than one bullet is still embedded in its sides. The elaborately carved stern post and figurehead wfi’ch it used to boast are gone, but a.s the museum already possesses some specimens of these the restoration of the old canoe will not be a difficult matter. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that the Hospital Board had before it on the 22nd an interesting letter from the bacteriologist on the subject of disinfectants. Dr Pearson said that only one of the fluids submitted was really good; the others wore practically useless as disinfectants. Ho had examined four powders and found them all poor. He promised to submit a detailed report if asked. He further stated that ho uncorked a solution of one powder, and this developed a vigorous growth of bacteria in a few days. At a meeting of the Auckland branch of the Navy League last week a resolution was carried protesting against the creation of a “ baby” New Zealand fleet, which would be useless in time of war. It was assorted that defence of New Zealand could be best accomplished in the North Sea by one powerful Imperial fleet. A resolution was passed protesting against New Zealand joining Australia in the creation of an Australasian fleet, which would, it was stated, practically banish the Imperial Navy f'om the naval station at Auckland. In the opinion of the league, the interests of the Empire required the recognition of the principle of two keels to one in relation to the fleets of the Triple Alliance, and a resolution to this effect was also carried. “ Your advertising office in (Sydney is too lax ill its methods,” said a visitor from New South Wales to a Wellington Post representative yesterday. “ I know New Zealand of old,'and have been coming here for many years, but I am perfectly sure that if 1 had not acted on my own initiative I would never have known anything about the place or its beauties and attractions. Only yesterday I met a fellow-visitor from Sydney who had come over here purely on business. He was amazed, ho said, that the Government of New Zealand had not trumpeted forth all over Australia the delightful nature of the climate, the manifold scenic attractions, and the general charm of the island dominion. He was, he said, going to bring his wife over here as soon as possible, and he thought the New Zealand Government ought to be urged to wake up its advertising office in Sydney and let the people there know what a delightful holiday resort lies only a few days’ steam from their shores.” The visitor expressed the opinion that with an adequate system of advertising four or five thousand tourists would come to New Zealand from Australia every holiday season. There was a time when the Waitaki County Council was in affluent circumstances (says our Oamaru correspondent), but that time has passed, and the position now is one calling for careful examination. At the annual statutory meeting yesterday the chairman (Mr George Livingstone) called attention to the condition of the county finances. He said that the balance to credit was required to carry on until September, when the new rate would begin to conic Ln, but as a matter of fact, he added, the sum would be hardly sufficient to see the council past July. There arc constant demands for better roads, and the chairman said that if ratepayers expected all their wants to be fulfilled, then there must be an increase of rates. The Rev. R. E. Davies has submitted to us a letter which has been received by a citizen of Dunedin from a prominent educationist in Queensland giving his experience of the working of the system of religious teaching in schools in that State. The writer of the letter says he was not enamoured of the New South Wales system, but the more he studied it the more reasonable it seemed, since it safeguarded interests all round. As worked in Queensland, the system had to be considered in two aspects — that of the duties laid on the teachers of the State schools and that of the work done by visiting clergymen. “ We have,” he writes, ” had 12 months’ experience now, and 1 am satislied that the Act is a great success. It is miming as smoothly as if it had been in vogue for 50 years. There has been no friction of any kind, no complaint against teachers, no sectarian bitterness. The people who fought hard against it are' now perfectly silent, and are amazed at the ease with wliieh it works. Vv ith regard to the attitude of the Roman Catholic Church, it is, of course, the 1 same as always; they do not recognise the right of any secular person in education, i think wo give too great a weight to this Church by wondering how they will view any public question. If a measure is right, then let it be enforced. Nobody asks how other churches regard a proposed law: why give undue prominence to this one by asking the question ?” Attracted by a notice that Mr T. IT. Johnston, the minor who was wounded during the Waihi strike, would give an open-air address on the 19ih in Waihi dealing with his committal to the mental hospital, a number of people congregated (states the Auck'and correspondent of the Christchurch Press). Johnston said he was firm in the belief that his was not the first case of a san* person being sent to a mental hospital. He asserted that never before had anyone taken a stand against the police, the Government, and the doctors, against sending B atio people away as he had been sent, the law was too :-jOM on this point. He alleged that he had been made tho scapegoat for other people's sins. He was the

Gist man to sign on the Waihi Gold Mining Company’s hooks on October 2 Later on he met with an accident, in the mine, and had ho not crawled to work their (the Arbitrationists’) battle would have been lost. There were spies in the mine, and he was forewarned that ho would always regret the fact that ho had broken the ico, and that if the Federationists won the day ho would bf fortunate to get out ot the town alive. ‘‘l would like to express my sympathy with the scout movement, for it teaches the boys self-control and disciplines them,” remarked Mr Arthur Myers, M.P., at a gathering of scouts at the Auckland Town Hall last week. “The boys of New Zealand a/id Australia are probably quicker and more self-reliant than the boys of the Old Country, and for this reason it is all the more necessary to teach them self-restraint. These boys now being trained as scouts will in the future form part of the strength cf tl-c Empire. Wc want every young lad to be able to defend his country in the future, and therefore I consider that the boys before mo are doing their duty when they employ their idle moments as they are doing now.” During the evening a letter from Mr Justice Edwards was read, and :n it his Honor expressed his entire sympathy with the movement

Three American ladies, Mesdames Futrelle, Harris, and Thorne, all of whom lost their husbands in the Titanic wreck, were to commemorate the anniversary of the great shipping catastrophe in a novel way. Towards the middle of the month (according to a special message to the Sydney Sun) they were to sail from Boston for England, their departure from the American port being so arranged that they would reach the scene of the disaster on the anniversary of the date on which the Titanic foundered. Then, in the darkness of early morn, they were each to reverently cast a wreath into the sea. It was 12 months on the 15th inst. since the great sea tragedy occurred by which over 1500 lives were lost. The Titanic, while on her maiden voyage, struck an iceberg off the Newfoundland coast at about 10.30 on Sunday night, April 14, and sank a little after 1 o’clock on the morning of the 15th. The .big liner had on board 1308 passengers and a crew of 898, making 2206 persons in all, of whom only 703 were saved —493 passengers and 210 of the crew. W ith the hull and cargo of tho Titanic £2,350,000 of the underwriters’ money went down to tho bottom of the Atlantic. One of the ladies mentioned in tho cable message is the widow of Mr Jaqucs Futrelle, the novelist. There is a probability that an ’increase will be made in file retail price of meat as from May 1, and an extra charge for the delivery of orders. The increase will pro bably range from gd to Id per pound. According to a cable message in the Sy:l ney Sun, a deputation from the British Boys’ Training Corps, which called upon the Prime Minister (Mr Asquith), on Wednesday iast, stated that only 23 per cent, of the boys who left London elementary sc'aools were engaged in the skilled trades, the remainder being in the “ blind alley ” of unskilled occupations.

A cable message in the Sydney Sun elates that the price of the great London daily. The Times, is to be reduced to twopence on May 5. The last reduction was made in 1361. since which year the price of the paper 'iias been threepence. The -Milton branch cf the Fanners’ Union has decided to enter a. team for t',io union’s rifle shooting competition, to be fired next month. At its last meeting the local committee raised its protest against the inconvenience caused by Territorials having to put in additional days at the recent Sutton camp, without extra pay, owing to an insufficient number of parades having been called during the year.

When the members of Mr Frank Wild’s party, on t'ae Mawson Antarctic Expedition, found a landing on Shacklcton Glacier, where the second base was established, they and Captain Davis, of the Aurora, naturally had to work like Trojans to got the stores landed; and when Captain Davis, dragging his weary limbs to well-earned rest at the end of so strenuous a day, wondered how line others wore faring. lie glanced back rhrough his telescope, expecting to find that they also wore overcome by the doeiro for sleep. What was his amazement to discover that t'iioy wore actually playing a game of Rugby football on the glacier. Professor David told his story last week with obvious enjoyment at tho fare-well to Mr Wild at the Royal Society's rooms. “Yes, w played football while wo were there,’’ Mr Wild agreed; “ but vve did not try it or hockey very often, because of tho violence of the wind. The 'nail used to get down over t'iie glacier on to t'iie floe ice down below; and,’’ ho added, naively, “it was a long way down there to go and fetch it.’’ The Mataura Borough Council lias accepted the tender of Messrs Scddon and Rothwell, cf Cavorsham, for tho erection of a bridge over the Waikana Creek for a lump sum of £624 19s 6d. Three other tenders were received for tho work

According to one; of tho lonic’s immigrants who arrived in Auckland on Monday, 21st inst., newcomers to Now Zealand from t'ne big English cities find that eye-trouble is one of the greatest drawbacks with which they have to contend with. This particular immigrant, an ox-employee of a bootmamvfacturing firm in Bristol, told a New Zealand Herald representative that friends of his in New Zealand, who Lad oorno out five years before him, had written to him stating that before they Bad been in the Not tli Island three months they found that the whole family bad had to seek the aid of various typos of spectacles. “I have heard of other cases,” said tho bootmaker, ‘‘l suppose it is your bright blue sky, and the contrast it makes to working- in dark

factories in dull cities. But I think that if our eyes suffer through too much sunlight, we would sooner have the sunlight than perfect eyes.”

Soma interesting points were made in the evidence given before the Forestry Commission by Dr Makgill regarding the suitability of tree-planting as work for convalescent consumptives. Dr Makgill said, a Press Association message states, that in 1908 a trial of the system was made eight miles from Rotorua, a camp of 14 men carrying on the work with reasonable success. Tree-planting was work suitable for consumptives, but the trial was given up in time (1910) as the walk to and from tile plantation became rather long for semiinvalids. Dr Makgill continued that it would bo quite possible to establish a camp of 60 men in the Taupo district to undertake such work. It was very difficult to get the consumptive in the sanatorium to work, but it was in many cases hotter for the patient’s treatment that ho should be persuaded to work from the first. Dr Makgill said that on any of the light pumice lands there was an opportunity of starting tree planting. The districts themselves required it, and the conditions suited the patients.

On the 21st (says the Lyttelton Times) Mr E. Gallichan, hon. secreatry of the New Zealand Poultry Championship Association, addressed a meeting of fanciers, in which he dealt with the aims and objects of the association. The meeting was hold under the auspices. of the Christchurch Poultry Club, in its rooms, Cashel street, and the president. Mr G. Jeffreys, occupied the chair, a fair number of members being present. Speaking of championships, Mr Gallichan said that his association intended New Zealand championships to be competed for in Christchurch and Wellington, and provincial championships in Otago and Southland, Canterbury, West Coast, Wellington, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, and Auckland. The association bad in view the fixing of show dates in order that shows would not clash, and ’ the registration of judges and pedigrees of fowls. On the motion of Mr A. Smith, seconded by Mr Jeffreys, Mr Gallichan was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address.

According to the,Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney Sun, the Victorian police state that extraordinary tactics are being used by gome city shops to sell their wares. A detective 'has been detailed to make inquiries, and prosecutions are expected The method is for these people to employ touts to stand outside their doors and dragoon innocent-looking passers-by to “come inside.” Inexperienced youngsters who have just started their city life are usually the victims chosen. The tout says he has something interesting to show them, and once inside the youths are measured for suits of clothes before they know where they arc. Then a deposit is demanded, and threats are used that the police will be sent for if the deposits arc not paid. The deposits are usually 3s or ss. Detectiveinspector O’Donnell says that complaints of those practices arc made to the police nearly every day, but the police have no power 10 catch the offenders. They are in the same position as conductors of mock auctions. He says:. “Wo know they are committing an offence, but we cannot got evidence. The victim has usually been bluffed and bullied in the shop until ho cannot tell a consistent story. Some of these shark tailor shops are said to practise several methods of getting money out of their victims. A pretence is made of ringing up the police if the youngster does not pay the deposit. The enforced purchaser receives a slop-made article when ho comes for his suit, and violent measures are taken if the victim proves stubborn. The touts do not hesitate to throw thorn out in the street.”