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Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 11

In tho course of a reply to a deputation on the 22nd (says our Wellington correspondent), the Minister of Public Works (tho Hon. W. Fraser) stated that he was appo’nting an inspecting engineer for the North Island and South Island respectively. Their duties would bo to go round the country and superintend the expenditure of Government grants. There had been a good many complaints in regard to the expenditure of Government money, and tho inspectors would report to him, and he would then be in a much bettor position to ascertain whether tho money was being properly expended.

The Board of Agriculture will probably bo constituted before this spring (says cur Wellington correspondent). It is to consist, said Mr Massey, on tho 22nd, of 12 members, four of whom shall be nominated by the Department of Agriculture and eight elected by tho different societies throughout tho dom.nion. Tho board will bo a purely advisory one, and no salaries will attach to tho positions.

His Honor Mr Justice Williams, on Thursday, granted probate in the estates of Martha Bishop, Marion Wither, Margaret Forbes, William Guildford Harland, and Lennox M'Beath. Letters of administration were granted in re John Mciklejohn, Frederick William Plow, and Job Mellon In connection with a petition for directions, etc., in re Charles Kearns, an order was made in terms of prayer; notice's as suggested. A ballot taken by the Dunedin Waterside Workers' Union on Thursday on the question as to whether they should or should not join the United Federation of Labour resulted in 93 votes being recorded in favour of joining and 90 against. It is stated, however, that more than one-third -of the members of the union failed to record their votes. The President of the union (Mr J. Farrell), when seen by a Daily Times reporter on Friday, stated that there was a probability of another ballot being taken on the question at an early date, its a great many members of the union were not satisfied with the result of Thursday’s ballot, as it did not accurately indicate the feelings of the members on this matter. “ Wo are entirely opposed to strikes,” said Mr Farrell, “as they never do any good to those most concerned.”

Tho settlers in the districts directly interested in tho construction of the BnlcluthaTuapeka Mouth railway, fearing, from a passage in the Budget —“ That it is the intention of tho Government to permit private enterprise to undertake tho construe, tion of branch railway lines, as it is impossible for the dominion to borrow in any one year a sum sufficient for all these branch lines,” —that there would ho no allocation made this year for the construction of the proposed line, met in full force at Greenfield last Wednesday. Mr P. MTncrncy presided. • A motion was unanimously carried, on the motion of Mr J. E. Keenan, seconded by Mr J. A. llayman—- ‘‘ That this meeting, representing tho interests of Clutha Valley, resents tho possibility of no allocation for the construe tion of tho railway being made this year, and earnestly urges the Government to place a substantial sum on tho Estimates with which to commence the work.” All the speakers' testified to the fact that tho lion. J. Allen had stated that this lino had been authorised on its merits, and the Government intended to construct any lines authorised by it, and they all agreed that it was one which merited construction, and, on account of tho rich country it would tap, this lino would pay interest right from the start. The question of sending a deputation to Wellington was also discussed, but tho meeting agreed that the two members for the districts concerned —Messrs Allen and Malcolm—were earnest in a wish

to sec the work commenced, and that they would do what they could. Consequently, it was considered that it would suit the purpose just as well if copies of the above resolution were sent to the abovenamed members, and also to the Hon, W. Fraser.

Public works surveyors are still engaged on the proposed route of the BalcluthaTuapeka Mouth railway, and they have now made a final survey from Balclutha to Bcgg’s, which is half the distance and passes the most difficult land to be encountered on the route.

The smoking of a cigarette on the Balclutha Railway Station recently cost a working man ss. He was seen smoking on the platform by the stationmaster, and when w-arned to " put the cigarette out ’’ did not do so. Consequently ho appeared before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., at Balclutlia, on the 20th inst., and, pleading “Guilty,” was fined 5s without costa. A Territorial named James Leask, of Owaka, was fined 20s (with 7s costs) for failing to attend at Sutton camp. Eight Romahapa boys, whose ages ran from 9 to 13, pleaded “Guilty” before the Juvenile Court to a charge of damaging telegraph insulators by throwing stones at them, 52 insulators having been damaged. They were admonished and discharged, and the head of each of the six families implicated was ordered to pay -£1 towards the damage done, as well as Is 6d costs.

Mr J. O. White, of Crawford street, has recently turned out for Messrs Hugh Craig and Co., Ltd., the .body of a very handsome motor vehicle, which is to bo run in tho royal mail and passenger service between Cromwell and Pembroke. The chassis was imported to the order of Messrs Craig and Co., by Messrs Grapes and Riley, of Wellington. This latest addition to tho motor vehicles of Otago presented a very handsome appearance as it loft Mr White’s promises on Friday afternoon, and its advent should bo gratifying to the residents of the distant part of Central Otago where it is to run.

There was a fine display of bunting at Waikouaiti on Thursday, flags being flown on the Council Chambers, Public Hall, prominent business promises, and across the main road, in celebration of tho successful floating of the waterworks loan, which has been .accomplished through the agency of Mr Harman Reeves, of Dunedin. During the day, tho Mayor (Mr G. J. L. Kerr) received many congratulations, as it is recognised that it is mainly through his unceasing energy that tho money has been secured for the loan. It is the intention of the Borough Council to push the work ahead with all speed, so that the proposed water supply will bo available before the New Year if possible. Tho Bishop of Waiapu returned from Wellington on tho 22nd inst. (says a Napier Press Association telegram). Ho received a great many messages from all parts of the diocese urging him to remain in his present charge, but he will not decide what answer he will make to the Auckland Synod with regard to his election to tho position of Bishop of Auckland for a few days.

An observant correspondent, who is evidently interested in natural history, writes to us from Mosgiol to say that he noticed that, whereas the note of the chaffinch is usually hoard in the last week of July or the first week in August, it was the 12th of August this year before these birds began to sing. He adds that, just before the recent heavy rain the mako-mako were piping their lament, as they generally do before a storm; and that some of the thrushes have the first notes of the shining cuckoo, which may be looked for in about a month. Dr Marcel Natier, at a recent mooting of the Paris Medical Society, gave a lecture in which ho stated that ho had found a euro for lazy l>oys. Ho moans schoolboys, of course, who, when play is more alluring, have an incorrigible aversion from study. Ho says that when a boy is an inveterate idler and a dunce, declared so by his masters, ho ought to bo subjected to a thorough medical examination. The doctor ought to find a physical cause for the mental lethargy. This consists of an insufficient respiration or breathing, a pathological disorder to which the doctor should attend, also an incomplete development of tho thorax, troubles in the circulation of the blood, a general anaemic condition, sluggishness in expelling used-up cerebral matter, and gradual intoxication and exhaustion of tho grey matter of the brain. Dr Natier has found these symptoms presented in boys of nine who had not yet learned their alphabet. Tho boys were generally declared lazy, but what they wanted was not the rod, hut medical treatment. In such cases ho prescribed a momentary suspension of study’ or attendance at school and a course of gymnastic exercise in the open air. All tho symptoms of tho sluggish or lazy boy soon disappeared, and during the subsequent five or six years many of them got to tho head of their classes and took first prizes. Tho transformation was marvellous. It is not generally known that the G'/d----ago and Widows’ Pension Department i* prepared to make a search to establish the a<ro of applicants who cannot prod tee documentary evidence of ago. In many cases tho particulars as to tho church of baptism and so on are sent Home to the High Commissioner’s office, and a search in the proper quarters frequently results satisfactorily. Overshadowed by the great International Exposition to bo held in San Francisco in 1915 to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, practically nothing has been heard in those parts of a smaller but, nevertheless, important Exhibition to be opened in Santi-

ago, California, at the same time. Tha latter undertaking, it was explained by Ml Ulysses Grant, jun., a visitor from Santiago, to a Wellington Post reporter, was to bo opened on Ist January of 1915. The large sum of seven million dollars was to bo expended on it, and many of the building* would be permanent ones. Tho site of th< Fair was a largo park of 1400 acres right in tho heart of the city, the population of which had in a couple of decades grown from 17,000 to 90,000. Tho Exhibition would bo of an ethnological nature, and it waa hoped to have there representatives of every people in the world.

Reno s divorce mills, which for year* under Nevadan law have ground out decrees in great abundance and with unfailing regularity, must soon slow down... Them is a new law, to become operative on December 21, bringing Nevada in most essentials into line with the other States a* regards divorce, and thereafter the familiar "Song, “I’m on my way to Reno,” will be less popular. While Reno’s chief industry is threatened, the end ia not yet, writes the New York correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. People who seek « release from matrimony under tho new Nevadan law must live within the State at least 12 months, and the “ bogus domicile." hitherto common, will not be acceptable to Nevadan jurists. By “ bogus domicile ” ia meant tho practice of a fashionable lady arriving at Reno one day with a servant and heaps of baggage, remaining a week or two, enjoying society amongst the divorce colony, and then suddenly migrating with tho object of not returning for another six months, when tho ease is down for hearing. Henceforth, to secure a Reno decree one must actually live within the State for a year. It was still possible, however, to take advantage of tho old law as late aa June 30, and this accounted for the great rush to Reno in tho hist week of June. Aspirants to matrimonial freedom at Reno wore more numerous then than at any previous period of Reno’s chequered history. During tho entire month of June, and especially the last week, tho throng of newcomers in Reno experienced great difficulty in securing apartments, as all tho hotels and boarding-houses wero crowded. To celebrate tho passing of the old regime, tho divorce colony held high jinks at tho City Hall, terminating with a grand ball, at which tho Tango, Turkey Trot, and other terpsichoroan eccentricities wero danced.

Our Wellington correspondent informs ua that the Minister for Tourist and Health Resorts has received official notification to the effect that the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary has commanded that threo chamois (one buck and two does) be ca[>tured in Austria at tho beginning of the coming winter for presentation to tho New Zealand Government in order to strengthen tho herd already in the Southern Alps, near Mount Cook.

A mooting convened by Mr J. F, M. Fraser, Iv.C., at the request of tho Tnapeka Horticultural Society was held on Friday afternoon for the purpose of considering tlio offer of Messrs Simpson and Hart to pay tho railway faros of all orphanage children, to Lawrence, and the offer of tho Horticultural Society to entertain them there on Daffodil Day, October 9. The meeting was attended by the matron of tho Industrial School, the matron of St. Mary’s Orphanage, Father Coffey, Mr Axohon, Mr Moritzeon (Expansion League), and Mr J. Ritchie. Apologies, with promises of co-operation, were received from Mr Cohen, Mr Fenwick, ami Inspector Richardson. On th« motion of Father Coffey, seconded by Mr Axolsen, the offers were gratefully accepted on behalf of tho orphanages. Mr Frase. reported that tho proprietor of Brown’l Tea Rooms had generously offered to eupplj two bxms per child. Tho offer was accepted with thanks, and Mr Moritzson was requested to obtain aerated waters, biscuits, and sweets from any large-hearted citizen* who were inclined to assist in making tho holiday a pleasant one. It is anticipated that about 300 children will take advantage of tho trip, and it was decided to keep tho children in separate divisions under tho control of their respective teachers.

In the course of his address to tho Magistrate’s Court at Wyndham on the 9th, Mr W. A. Stout, counsel for one of the defendants, referred to the “ extraordinary amount of liquor” that was being consigned daily from license to no-licenso areas. It was remarkable, ho said, tho number of beer kegs and whisky jars to be seen sometimes on the stations in no-liconso districts along the main and branch lines, a fact which was well borne out by tho revenue returns. Regarding drinking in hotels in no-lieenso areas ho said that it was a common practice for customers to carry their own Uaska and buy soda water and borrow glasses from the hotelkeepers, and drink on the premises. “ Surely,” he said on another occasion, addressing the police, “ you have seen in Invercargill dozens going into tho hotels and temperance shops particularly, where they get glasses with which to consume their liquor, and perhaps get soda water with it.” Mr Stout thought Invercargill had gained notoriety in this respect.

According to our Wanganui correspondent surveyors are busy on a block of land consisting of 2500 acres, situated near Onopubi, on the banks of tbe Rangitikei River, and as soon as the survey is completed tha land will bo divided amongst the member* of tho tribe according to the subdivision arranged by the recent sitting of the Land Court at Wanganui. Each Native is entitled to 30 acres in his own right, and for every deceased brother, sister, or parent, a grant of* an extra 30 acres will be made. The fortunate legatee will, therefore, soon bo in possession of clear titles to the Land.