PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 3

PASSING NOTES.

(From Daily Times.)-

Although the outstanding events of the ■week are the meeting of the Board of Trade and the absence of local complaints of profiteering, -we should not allow these to cast an eclipse over the gatherings of such "bodies as the Medical Association and the Society of Civil Engineers, or over the approaching band contest. These als& have their importance. As _ regards the conclave of doctors, not having a ticket of invitation I am left to my own imagination and the press reports. Closed doors bring this penalty. The man in the street —that well-known crony of the worthy president—can only hope that the proceedings were, conducted with the dignity and decorum for which students and scholars of medicine have always been noted. There was a time, in my callow days, when I desired to 'be a doctor. 'Twas after reading accounts of meetings of "The Faculty" in the days-- of the good Queen Anne. Imagine a gloomy amphitheatre lighted by a single stainedglass window. Imagine a hundred doctors in violet cassocks and ermine-trimmed robes of scarlet silk. The president surrounded Dy his mace-bearers extols in Ciceronian Latin the glories of the profession. Not even the Roman Senate—says a Avriter — resembled more closely an assembly of kings. Professional dignity was essential; professional skill a happy accident. A professor of medicine, on hi 3 appointment, took'an oath to preserve the noble traditions of ?the profession at their highest level: I swear and pronounce faithfully to teaoh in a long gown, with' wide sleeves, with a doctoral cap on my head, and with a knot of scarlet ribbon on my shoulder. The report of a continental meeting of this time tells of a discussion on the circulation of the blood —an English fad. Harvey's discovery was unanimously voted out as absurd. "If*the blood circulates, it :"s useless to bleed, for the loss sustained by an organ will be immediately repaired. Hence bleeding is useless, which is absurd. Therefore the blood does not circulate." Whether the present meeting rose to heights such as these I cannot tell, being, as I said before, excluded. It is said, however,—-and there. is no evidence to the contrary—that discussion waxed fierce over certain new; discoveries, and, alas, shat

national prejudice played an unseemly part. Dr M'Tulloch read a paper on "TheEffect of Bagpipes on the Tape-worm." He reported a case he had met with m the course of his practice. A child .was afflicted with a malignant tape-worm. Remembering how in Scotland the swirl of the pipes would often bring all the inhabitants of a village to their doors, the 'doctor introduced a piper into the sickroom. In less than five minutes the tapeworm was seen to emerge from the child's mouth, and to wag its head backwards and forwards keeping time with the pipes. To seize it, to draw it out in spite of its protests, 1 was. an easy matter. A lively debate ensued. Dr A. aroused some feeling by asserting that, according to his experience, a tape-worm would not come outat the sound of the pipes, but would be more likely to crouch away in terror, and become more malignant. Dr B. declared that Dr M'Tulloch's discovery was by no means a new one,. for it had long been a well-established fact that, after half an hour's playing of the bagpipes in a room, the walls and floor would be strewn with white pine borers all -as dead as door handles. Dr C. stated that Dr M'Tulloch's method of cure was attended with grave risk, for it would endanger the lives of both child and tape-worm. Eventually it was decided to put the master to the test at the approaching band Contest. With the price of suits rising to thirteen guineas, fourteen guineas, and a prospect of twenty guineas before the year is out, the only course for the public is the standard! suit. What is a standard suit? A Home paper defines it thus: ' The. public will be able to order standard suits from retail bespoke tailors and to have them speoially made up to their own measurement. The material will be a strong worsted serge, either black or blue. The cost will be £4 12s 6d for an ordinary lounge or jacket

suit. The colours—the only available colours—are to be sober black and blue. These are the true colours to serve as a national mourning for the good old-days that are gone. It is democracy running amok, the mass persecuting the individual. Originality and individuality will vanish. No longer will the apparel proclaim the man. We shall all be like a row' of tins in a shop window. But this drab era of monotony .began years ago. It was ushered in by the passing of the Reform Bill about the middle* of the nineteenth century. Before that time a man's dress indicated his rank and way of life. Peers wore swords, full or bag wigs, silk and velvet clothes of many beautiful colours, among which dove and mulberry were the favourites. The merchant wore snuff-brown. The professions^ —doctors, lawyers, parsons —wore solomn black, with bushy white wigs. The hair was worn long, pomatumed, and powdered, till*" Pitt's war tax on hair powder killed the fashion. Beau Brummel owed his ascendancy to his taste in dress and his impudence.' "What do you thin* of my noo coat?" the Duke of Bedford as*sed him one day. "Mv dear fellow," replied the Beau, "do you call that thing a coatf In Thackeray's time, when a duke came to town he covered the North road with his liveries and his carriages. Now he sneaks away from the railway station in a taxi, wearing a lounge suit, a soft hat, and smoking a "fag"—like an auctioneer's clerk. Carlyle bids us regard a bishop as resembling a forked radish. In the days to come a bishop will dress in a standard suit, and will be indistinguishable from his chauffeur or his gardener.

It is a sad world thai underrates the importance of dress. All these changes aforesaid are contrary to nature. Throughout the animal creation the male is usually more highly decorated than the female. He has to be. The male pheasant is a gorgous fellow beside his mate. Why in man alone is the tendency in the opposite direction? It is surely a sign of the voluntary inferiority of women that they tolerate the insolent, cocksure, take-me-or-leave-me way in which men dress. iThe

standard suit in men will be a constant insult to women. Few things are more important in men than dress, and only the sloven and the prig underrate this importance. As Chesterfield said to his son, it is very foolish for a man not to be as well dressed as he can. " I would sooner have a young fellow too much than too little dressed. The excess in that direction will wear off with a little age and reflection. But if a man be negligent at twenty, he will be a sloven at forty, and at fifty he will stink." Pope said:

A saint in crape is twice a saint in lawn. Democracy in its present mood is destroying our eye for. colour. Far ahead there stretches a gloomy and dreary perspective of standard clothes, standard houses with standard fixings, standard .gardens with standard flowers, and the end of it all will be standard people, doing standard things, and thinking nothing but standard thoughts.

Dear "Civis," —Being one of the unfortunates afflicted with the name of "Frances," T, with others of my suffering sisters, have often wondered why people _ insist on spelling the name "Francis," and classing us among the male sex. Do you think it is a faint recollection of St. Francis of Assisi that lingers in the public mind? I felt very cheered when I first noticed the enclosed cutting, and decided that at last the newspaper fraternity had learnt the feminine spelling. As I read down, however, I decided that- something was still wrong. What is it?

Puzzled. The enclosed cutting runs as follows:—■ Mr Nevill-Smith's many friends in Timaru will be delighted to hear that Miss Frances Hamerton, who sang so delightfully at his concert here in December last, has been awarded the Christchurch Male Voies Scholarship for singing. ... (

Is it that Miss Frances Hamerton's voice is male, and the rest the other? I sympathise with my correspondent's puzzledom. There is no doubt, from the nature of things, that "Frances" is feminine in its connotation. Its very sound and form is feminine. An old writer of the fourteenth century has the following, which I have modernised: Scarcely is a child fully born But it begins to growl and cry;

And by that cry one may know

Whether it be man or woman

If it be a man- it crieth, "A, A," Which is the first letter of our father Adam, If it be a woman it crieth, " E, E," Which is the first letter of our mother Eve, Who began our death.

With this light upon the subject, we may proceed. " Frances" must be the name of a woman, if Eve's name was Eve. " Francis" contains the favourite masculine vowel and pronoun " I," and must therefore mean a man. There is no getting away from it.

Dear "Civis." —There has been great discord in our house this week when a learned friend from the far north argued with me that it is not good English to use the word "preventative" instead of "preventive." I wonder if you could spare a little space in your muchappreciated column, and give me your version of the matter.

A good text whereon to preach a sermon on the decay of Latin teaching in the schools. The word is "preventive." For "preventative" there is no warrant, though it is mentioned shame-facedly in a few dictionaries. Substantives and adjectives of this type are formed from Latin supines. In this case the supine is "praeventum" from "praevenire." This brings up the question of "reflection" or _ "reflexion," "connexion" or "connection. ' The etymologically correct spelling in each case is with "x," the supines being "flexum" and " nexum." " Reflection,' however, seems to have established itself firmly. " Connexion" is still preferable to "connection," though ■ both are used. Another error in spelling which is growing increasingly common is "morale" instead of "moral" to denote the spirit, courage, vigour of an army. The French word for this is "moral." "Morale" in French means morals or morality. As the word is a transcription from the French, the addition of an "e" to "moral" is inexplicable. The London Times never spells it otherwise than "moral."

Dear "Civis," —One good story recalls another, and your Notes of this week brought the following to mind: —Last week an old lady from the "land o' cakes'" passed over a five-pound note to a shopkeeper. Included in the change returned to her was -a sovereign. "No," she said, "I'll no' tak' that. They tell me they're only worth 15s now." The second story is of an Edinburgh man who was showing an American friend over his native town. But the American found nothing so good as "what they had in little old Noo York." So.'Sandy, exasperated, took him down to see the Forth Bridge. "Hello! What's this contraption?" "A dinna ken," said Sandy j It wasna here yesterday." Other correspondence this week held over. OXVIS,

An Extraordinary Gazette (says a Wellington Association telegram) proclaims January 10 of this year s& the date of the termination of the. war with Germany, and directs that for the xtrarposes of all Apia passed since August 4, 1914, and referring to the termination of the war, it shall be deemed to have ended on the elate named.

A Wellington Press Association telegram states that the minutes of the Coal Conference .were confirmed by the delegates on the 23rd ult. Copies of the draft) agreement have been despatched to the various unions, and all answers are expected to be in the hands' of the secretary of the Miners' Federation in about eight or nine days.

As the result of good rains and favourable weather the Nelson district is enjoying one of the best seasons ever known (states' a .Nelson Press Association telegram).

Professor J. MacMillan Brown has donated £IOOO to the Canterbury College uoard of Governors fjor the eistablishment of a bursary or bursaries In connection -with the Women Students' Hostel.- The giffc (says a Christchurch Association telegram) i is donated by Professor Brown as a memorial i to his late wife, and will be known as the Helen -MacMillan Brown bursaries.

The urgent need of a good town hall is often felt and often remarked upon. Especially has this been so in recent times, ' such as on the occasion of the peace oele'-. - brations, the visit of Viscount Jellicoe, and' the coming of the State Orchestra. The visit of the Prince of Wales once more focusses public attention on the remark* able fact that a city. of nearly 70,000 : h« habitants has no town hall, and the question of building one suitable for the city's re- , quirements, is likely to Be brought forcibly before, the council once more. It is suggested that the Prince's visit would afford a splendid opportunity for. the laying cf the foundation stone, and that something should be done without any further delay. Speaking at the Lower Hutfc last Week, on the occasion of the presentation of a testimonial to Mr E. P. Rishworth, the Reform candidate for the Hutt. seat at tha general election, Mr Massey "made some reference to electoral systems. . People, b.B said, are apt to forget that what was called' the "first past the post" system had been in operation practically since .the foundation of the country, with the exception of tha short period in which the second, balloi was * used. New Zealand's system ' wa* that which was used in Britain, where attempts to devise a better one had been tried without success. ■* The "first past the post" system, had been the one under which Mr Seddon had secured his majorities. Anyhow, the " first past the post" was better than the " last past the post"—(laughter)—and he would remind people that the .Labour Partv in Australia ascribed its defeat to the preferential system, the one which " our friends over here " were asking the Government to adopt. In his opinion there was no system invented where there were more opportunities of wire-pulling and intrigue than in the preferential voting system.

Sir Joseph Ward was met by the Mayor of Winton on arrival on the 24-th and by the local band, and given a. warm welcome. In the coursa of his reply (says a Winton Press Association message) "he stated that he and Lady Ward would be leaving for Australia shortly for a few months, oh an invitation received two days after the election. . At a banquet given in honour of Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Ward there wer« 500. present, and . many others were unable to gain admission. Lady Ward received a presentation of a handsome fur rug. The proceedings were most enthusiastic, and no opposition met Sir Joseph's remarks. Many apologies from leading Liberals were, received, all strongly laudatory of Sir Joseph Ward's services. The address read by hirf traversed his work in connection with hf constituency, the country, and the Era pire.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphy that a proposal to start a new evening newspaper in Auckland has taken shape* A number of well-known business men arC interested in the venture, and a site ha/ already been procured. It is stated thd_ the new journal will have Prohibition leanings, but that it will be nonparty. The sight of two motor cars filled with. Chinese women and«children, all dressed in what appeared to be the latest - fashions from title Orient, created no little interest 6< the Auckland waterfront - on a, recent af ter< noon. The occupants of the cars had jus! landed from the Maheno, and were being con* veyed by their friends ashore to the office of the Collector of Customs, where they" were to undergo the education test. Clostf behind the two cars walked eight Chinamen, in pairs, also bound for the collector's office. Altogether 15 Chinese men, six women, and several children landed. Nine Indians were also in the group. Some of the Chinese had previously resided in New Zealand, having just returned from a visit to their native land. Although the Mahenq usually brings about Axis number of

Asiatics —the number is limited by the regulation that only one Asiatic may be imported to every 300 gross tons of the .vessel—it is unusual for so many women to be included in the party.

At a large and representative meeting of the Dunediu section of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Officers' Association, held last week, the following resolution was unanimously carried: " That this meeting of IXmedin officers, while duly appreciative of jjast efforts to improve the status of the service, are yet quite dissatisfied with the scale of salaries. It considers that the maximum salary compatible with the skilled nature of the work of officers of. the seventh class and the exalted cost of living should be increased to £325 per annum. It further consider® that the means to afford thk relief k> officers should be obtained from an all round increase in rates —which at present Are absurdly low. It is also of opinion that in order to allay the present, discontent

the salaries in all branches should be raised in proportion." The public health returns for the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board district for the week ended Monday are as follow : Scarlet . fever: Three patients admitted, one- discharged, 13 remaining. Diphtheria: Two admitted, one discharged, eight remaining. Influenza : Twenty-three admitted, 36 discharged, 29 remaining. Pneumonic influenza: Five admitted, three discharged, one death, 13 remaining, six of whom are convalescent. A Wellington Press Association telegram states that in accordance with an arrangement with the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, the Defence Department has decided to establish a special committee to deal with cases of anomaly and hardship regarding the payment of war gratuities. The committee will consist of Colonel J- J. Esson, Assistant Secretary and Accountant to the Treasury, Colonel J. Hutchen, Officer in Charge of

War Expenses, and - a representative to be appointed by the Returned Soldiers' Association. All claims for consideration and decision will be submitted to the committee through the Returned Soldiers' Association, which will decide whether the cases merit presentation. An Auckland Press Association message reports that the late Mr James Young has bequeathed £11,252 to the borough of Mount Eden, for use in the borough, of which he -was a well-known resident. A sum of £3OOO is available for Immediate

The chairman and clerk of the Taieri County Council paid a visit to Middlemarch on the 21st for the purpose of inquiring into matters concerning the sanitation of the township. At a householders- meeting held in the evening (our correspondent reports) the County Chairman said he understod that there was some dissatisfaction at a sanitary service having been instituted and at the rate charged for- the service for the service of the contractor. After explaining that the Health Department insisted on the system, the Chairman invited a fre© discussion of the whole matter. A review and explanation by the clerk of the financial position of the contract helped to clear the air of misconception, and finally it was decided to give some assistance to the contractor, who had become dissatisfied with the conditions and had threatened to throw up the work. A small committee of the residents was set up to give oversight to matters affecting the contract.

At the annual meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of New Zealand on the 24-th (says a Wellington Press Association message) it was unanimously decided in view of the ever increasing cost of news print and the cost generally of production that a uniform rate of 2d per copy shoiild be charged for all daily newspapers. The new price will come into force early next month, as soon as newspapers can make the necessary arrangements. A committee was set up to make exhaustive inquiries into the possibility of making news print in the dominion. Mr P. Selig was reelected chairman of the association.

Mr J. W. Collins, secretary of the Board of Trade, which has just been sitting in Christ-church, has "been informed (says the Lyttelton Times) that 2000 pairs of standardised boots have been placed on the market in Wellington. They are boys', youths', and men's boots, made under a license issued by the board .in October last to Messrs C. J. Ward and Co., a Wellington firm. The prices range from 29s to 33s for men's boots and up to 18s 6d for youths' boots. The quality is guaranteed by the board. The leather was manufactured air the Woolston Tanneries.

The Middlenrarch- Tennis Club held a ball on Friday, 20th tilt. Though the prospect of a tennis ball was entered upon with some trepidation, it proved to be a distinct success. About 50 couples occupied the floor, and enjoyed a most pleasant evening. The hall had been tastefully decorated for the occasion by Mrs W. Thomson and helpers. Good music was provided by Messrs Leamoth Thompson, Miss Rona Thompson, and Mr J. Grant. Mr Greaney acted as M.C.. A dainty supper was provided by the ladies. Much of the success of the gathering was due to the labours of the energetic secretary of the club, Miss Vera Burgess. During an interval, the president of the club, Mr T. W. Wise, in a short speech, outlined the steps taken to reform the club at the beginning of the season, and said that a distinct success had followed the decision to resurrect the club. The finances are in a very satisfactory state as a result of good membership, and the proceeds from the ball. At the meeting of the Standing Committee of the- Harbour Board, held on Monday, 23rd ult., a letter was received from Messrs Chambers and Son, stating that as- prices had advanced their tender for installing a boiler in the tug Dunedin had increased by £359, which now brought their -tender up to £7802. The committee will recommend the board to approve of the increase.

Curious rumours as to tho inner significance of the design on the back of the new Bank of New Zealand pound notes were referred to by Sir Joseph Ward in his speech at Winton last night. If anyone would look at a Bank' of New Zealand one pound note, he said, they would find in the centre what appeared to be a coat of arms. These notes had been shown in various constituencies to electors and this emblem was declared to be one of his nefarious concessions to the influence of Rome. The coat of arms was said to be that of the Pope, who was alleged to havo stipulated with him that this was to re-

main on them until £2,000,000 which he had got from the Pope when the Government came to the rescue of the Bank of New Zealand had been repaid. First, he was never consulted about the design on these or any other notes of the bank. Second, .the Government did not lend the Bank of New Zealand £2,000,000', or any other sum. The Government guaranteed the bank a loan of £2,000,000. It was floated on the London market in the ordinary way. by the bank itself. And, third, the' " Coat of Arms" was a copy of the seal on the Treaty of Waitangi. Yet this concoction was not only widely circulated, but was deliberately used in order to gain votes. Results of the University examinations, held in November last, are not likely to be known hero this year until somewhat later than usual. A cablegram received by the Registrar of the University states that the meeting of the examiners in London, which was to be held on February 28, has now been postponed until March 6. In con--sequence, it is not expected that the cabled results will. be available here before March 10.

" It was widely circulated by innuendo all over the country," said Sir Joseph Ward at Winton last week, "that I had benefited during the war through my business by profiteering. It -was' absolutely untrue and was not possible, for the simple reason that we did not deal in any article for local salej and were not in a position- to profiteer. Our business for export was in the products of the country, all of which were commandeered by the Imperial Government, and left no chance of profiteering. Not a single, client left us on the grounds of excessive charging. The profits of my business were not greater in any war year than the average over the pre-war five years."

Comparatively speaking, New Zealand lias but a nodding acquaintance with that type of gentleman who neither toils nor spins, but relies upon his deftness of fingers to profit by the earnings of others. Of late, however, there has been an undue 'number of cases of pocket-picking in Wellington (says the Post). The pick-pocket is a difficult man to catch, and more difficult to convict, for unless he is caught redhanded he will probably get away scot-free. But once caught, the pick-pocket is a marked man, disliked most cordially by detectives and police. A few days ago a detective recognised in an immaculately, almost beautifully, clad young man residing at one of the principal hotels in the city an Australian with' a well-estab-lished record as a piok-pocket. This young man had no desire for an interview;* but the detectives had, and during its course gstve him the alternative of taking his departure for Sydney forthwith or of being haled before the court. He chose the sea trip without a moment's hesitation, and left by the Manuka, being farewelled, and closely watched lest he should alter his mind, by representatives of the detective force.

The Home authorities advise that good progress is being made with the Nauru transaction (reports our Wellington correspondent). The Prime Minister says that advice that the matter has been definitely settled may be looked for shortly. At a -meeting of Christchurch citizens on the 20th (says an Association message) it "was decided that the City Council be asked to obtain the necessary power to raise a sum of not more than £25,000 by a special rate on the capital value of the city in order to erect a war memorial.

A sub-committee from the Otago Harbour Board visited Port Chalmers on the 25th to inspect a site at Boiler Point, which the Deep Sea Fresh Fish Company has offered to lease for the purpose of erecting freezing works, for the storage of fish, and auxiliary works, for oil extraction and manure manufacture. It is understood that the company is' prepared to expend £SO(XJ on the works and plant. A large w r ooden building, used as a boarding-house, was destroyed by fire at Pvomahapa on the night of the 24th. The nouse was the property of Mrs Hay, of Hilly Park, and contained about 10 rooms. It was unoccupied at the time, the last tenant having left in December. The place was let to a man named • William Walker, as from February 9, but "the new tenant had not entered into possession. He arrived with his furniture at Eomahapa on Wednesday, when he found that the place \v&s totally destroyed. About 10 o'cloes on Tuesday night a daughter of Mr Judge, a railway employee,, smelt something burning, and her father gave a look around •but could not discover any fire. About half an hour afterwards he again looked out, and the building was then almost

totally burned, it being' dry and not a new structure. It was insured for £250, but was "valued at over £SOO. The origin oi the fire is a mystery, as no person had been seen about the place for several weeks. The long, dry spell which has prevailed in the Alexandra district for the last three months came to an end on the 25th (says our Alexandra correspondent). Rain started at 3 in the morning, and continued steadily, doing an immense amount of good. There were signs of it ending off later in the day. Our Cromwell correspondent telegraphed that a cold storm broke over Otago Central on Tuesday night, with a fair rainfall throughout the district. After a few hours the storm eased, but the weatbejL.. continued showery and unsettled.

The conference of delegates to the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association resumed its deliberations on the 25th ult. After the morning, sitting 1 there wa-s a luncheon reunion in the Provincial Hotel of the medical men who served overseas during the war. It is expected to make this luncheon an annual, affair. The Karitane Hospital was visited in the afternoon, .and the delegates were" also the guests of Dr and Mrs Lindo Ferguson at a garden party. In the evening, when the conference resumed, the discussion on the question of national medical service was continued, and the matter of contract practising also came up for review. Dr Frengley ■ (Deputy Health Cmcer.) and Dr Wylie (Inspector of Hospitals), accompanied by Messrs W. E. S. Knight and A. F. Quelch (of the Otago Hospital Board), Dr Falconer (medical superintendent), and Mr J. Jacobs (secretary), visited Milton, Balclutha, and Owaka.on the 24th to inquire into the institutional needs of the southern portion of the board's district. They met and discussed the situation with representatives of the various local bodies, and Dr Frcngley will report to the In-spector-general, and later to the board, on the whole matter. The party also inspected the Kaitangata Cottage Hospital. The coal mining industry is booming in. Kaitangata district at present (says the Bruce Herald), therie being now fewer than 11 pits at work, employing about 420 persons, not including a largo number engaged in carting from the" various smaller pits.' The supplying of these people means that another large number of persons are kept busy. There is a briskness about the district that is very welcome, A Press Association telegram from Invercargill states that Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., gave a reserved decision on the 25 th in a case in which a cycle agent was charged with carrying on business as a secondhand dealer without being licensed to do so. His Worship held that transactions in secondhand machines were of common occurrence in the cycle trade, and they brought the dealer within the statute. It made no difference that, dealing in secondhand machines was only occasional and incidental to the defendant's real business. A conviction was entered without a penalty.

An Ashburton angler, reporting on the scarcity of fish in the upper reaches of the Ashburton River, states that it has become a practice for a motor car load of poachers to go out' on Sundays -and secure trout by the aid of net, spear, and even dynamite, the- soene of their operations usually being in -the south branch about five or six miles above the bridge. These poachers net only spoil other people's sport, but destroy far mora fish than they actually take, and then openly boast about the trout they secure.

While passing through the Wyndham Public Gardens on his way home one night last week Mr Harold Sim, a returned soldier, was brutally assaulted by two men. Without any warning Mr Sim was "rushed" by the assailants, one of whom struck him.on the jaw, deeply cutting his under lip. ' The other man, who attacked from the -opposite side, inflicted a hit behind the ear. Both of .the men then made off. Mr Sim, who Was dazed by the suddenness of ; the attack, and thus had no chance of protecting himself, is at a loss to account for the assault (says the Herald), as no attempt at robbery was made. He considers it likely that it was a case ot mistaken identity. So severe was the blow on the lip that several stitches were necessary.

With reference to instructions by Defence Headquarters advising the sale ■ oil M.L.E. rifles, part worn, to bona fide members of rifle clubs at £1 each, it is notified for general information that S.M.L.E. rifles, part worn, may now be- purchased by bona fide members of rifle clubs for £2 10s each. The above quoted prices are for delivery from Ordnance stores at Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin. -In all other cases, charges for packing and forwarding will be added." It is suggested that the most suitable way for obtaining rifles would be for president* of rifle clubs to ascertain the requirements of members for orders to be forwarded in bulk, when delivery can be made through the group officer. . -_

It will be remembered ■ that at the recent sittings of the Supreme Court in Dunedin Frederick David Jones, charged with forgery, theft from the person, and theft, said that he was not the person whose name ap-_ peared on the records as having committed an offence at Wanganui. He was in the Australian Army at that time. His Honor, Sir Robert Stout, after examining the Police Gazette, said that the description there of the man who committed the offence at Wanganui seemed to agree with the prisoner. (To prisoner): "I am going to gives, you reformative detention, and if it turns' out you t .are telling a lie you will get' no relief from the Prison Board. I ask you. once and for all, are you the Jones who was sentenced at Wanganui?" Prisoner: No, sir. His Honor: The police will "take a note of that. His finger-prints can be; sent on to Wellington. Prisoner was then sentenced to four years' reformative detention on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent —four years in all. His Honor warned prisoner that if he came before the court again he. would be declared, m

habitual criminal. "That is the position, and if you have told me a lie about the previous conviction it will be the worse for you in the end." His Honor added that the sentence would cancel the probation license. The sequel has now to be recorded. The finger-prints of Jones were_ sent to Wellington, and the local detective _ office has just received word that they are identical with the finger-prints of the man who committed the offence at Wanganui. At the Otago Land Board sitting on Wednesday 68 applications from soldiers for advances to purchase rural and town properties were considered. Seven applications were declined, a . few were held' over for further information, and the remainder were recommended to be granted.

At Thursday morning's session of the Medical Association. Conference, Drs Archer, Hoiking, Frengley, Bernstein, and W. Marsib&\l Nvex© ■tia© ox*. ibe subject oi ■pulmonary tuberculosis in- soldiers and civilians. Dr Wilkins then read a paper on preventable diseases in childhood, which was followed by Dr Elizabeth Gtunn's lecture on the open-air treatment of invalid children. In the" afternoon the delegates were the guest s of Dr and Mrs Burnett, when a large party motored to Ev&nsd&le. The evening session was occupied by an illustrated lecture from Dr Truby King on "The Feeding of Mother and Child."

The following applications for assistance were dealt with at last week's meeting of the Otago District Repatriation Board: Business loans: Eighteen applications, representing £3396, were received; eight, totalling ' £1696, "were approved; five, amounting to £420, were withdrawn; three, representing £6BO, were held over; and two, amounting to £6OO, were declined. Furniture loans: Twelve applications, amounting to £575, were received; nine, representing £425, wero approved; one, for £SO, was held over; and two, totalling £IOO, were declined. Two apprentices applied to have their wages made up to £3, and the applications were approved. Three soldiers unable to follow their pre-war occupations were; placed in new trades and their wages subsidised. Thirteen applications for technical and university training were received. Eleven were approved, one waa held over, and one wag referred to the Auckland Repatriation Board. Is there profiteering in Dunedin ? A .householder says there is. and in support of his statement 'last week showed us a knife which used to cost 9d, for which he had to pay 3s 6d. "I complained to the shopkeeper that the price was excessive," ho said, "andi was told that it was part of some new goods, for which post-war prices had to be paid On reaching home, however, I examined the knife closely, and found an old mark, partly rubbed off, but not obliterated, showing that it had been marked at Is 9d, so that it was not part of new goods, but of old stock—just doubled in price, though bought at old rates." The knife was shown to a Times reporter, and the mark Is 9d, with the shop's private cypher v above it, was plainly discernible, though an effort had been made to wash it off. The same householder informed us that a perambulator which he assisted to niake, and which was built for £5 some months ago, is now on sale at one of our leading business places, marked £l7 10s.

"The belief in fairies," said Professor Maointyre in the course of a leoture on Highland folklore last week, "we relegate to the nursery, and before long ; by the aid of elaborate educational systems and the jnad :rush to put old heads on young shoulders, fairy tale books will be banished from our nurseries as improper literature. I pity the poor child of the next generation, and I am glad that I was reared 'in an atmosphere of the primitive love of Nature rather than in the stifling atmosphere of a picture show."

At the meeting of the Taieri County Council on.. Friday, when the sanitary inspector's report was under discussion, the shortage of water in the Silverstream was mentioned, and it was pointed out that a slaughter-house, a piggery, a milk condensing factory, the woollen mills, and other premises drained into the stream where it formed the boundary between Mosgiel Boroiigh and Taieri County. When the stream contained a fair amount of water, the foreign matter drained in was quickly Carried away but at a time like the prolent, when there was practically no water there, the offal and drainage caused a menace to health. It was also mentioned that the action of the Dunedin City Council ia pumping further up the stream was making itself felt by depriving farmers of the water for stock. The Mosgiel Borough

Council had got over the difficulty of a shortage of supply by securing Leishman's Creek, which has now been turned into their present pipe line. Although the general opinion of councillors appeared to be that some steps should be taken in the matter, nothing was decided on, and the report was simply received. Although- the council did not move in the matter (writes our correspondent), in the interests of an assured water supply for stock, and to scour out the foreign matter drained into the bed of the stream, it is to be hoped that whatever body is the controlling authority, some action will be taken by it. The annual conference of the Methodist Church of New Zealand opened in Auckland on the 26th. A Press Association telegram states that the Rev. E. Drake, of Wellington, the new president, referred to the unrest throughout the world. Many remedies were being tried, and he suggested that Christianity might also be given a trial. Mr E. H. Penny, of Blenheim, was appointed vice-president for 1920, and the Rev. A. Ashcroft, of Palmerston North, secretary. The Rev. W. Grigg, of Christchurch, was elected president for 1921, and the Rev. A. Ashcroft secretary for 1921. A total interrupation of communication on the lines of the Pacific Cable Board ocourred on Thursday evening shortly before midnight. According to an Auckland Pres 3 Association' message the accident is located between "Norfolk Island and Suva towards the land end at Suva. A cable steamer has been sent out, and it is thought that communication may be again resumed by Wednesday. The business sittings of the conference of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association were concluded on Friday. In the morning Dr A. W. Izard led a debate on the subject of "War Pensions, ' after which the delegates adjourned to the Hospital for a clinical demonstration, chiefly dealing with war work, the most interest-, ing features of which were demonstrations by Lieutenant-colonel Pickerill and Major White, and an exhibition of the use of anaesthetic appliances by Captain Marshall. The annual meeting was held in the afternoon, as reported elsewhere, and then the rest of the day was devoted to social entertainment, the-delegates being the guests of Mr and Mrs P. R. .Sargood at their residence. At night the ladies were entertained by the Otago Women's Club, while the doctors attended the annual dinner r.t the Fernhill Club.

At the meeting of the Harbour Board last week, the chairman (Mr Tapley), in referring to the fact that the board had had to replace a number of life buoys on the wharves on the eastern channel, said that the buoys previously placed there had been stolen. He thought it was despicable thing that these buoys—placed on the wharves in the interests of public safety—should have been thus stolen. He hoped that such thefts would cease, and that the residents on the Peninsula would use every endeavour to see that the new buoys were not removed/

The delegates to the Engineers' Conference, -which was conoluded on Thursday evening, were motored to the Waipori Falls power station and dam on Friday. They were shown over the works by the engineer, Mr Edgar, and by Cr Shaddock, and subsequently entertained at lunch. They returned to Dunedin at 6 p.m. greatly impressed by what they had seen. The Arbitration Court will open its next sittings here on Friday, March 5, under the presidency of Mr Justice Stringer, with Messrs W. Scott and J. A. M'Cullough. -The court will be asked to deal with fully 60 applications for amendments to awards, and to hear seven disputes and eight compensation oases. Most of the applications are for the Id per hour bonus recently granted by the court, and are merely formal. It is likely that the sittings of the court will last fully a week. A lengthy report from the Committee c.n State Medical Service was. presented to the annual meeting of the British Medical Association on Friday afternoon, and the carefully considered suggestions in it were very sympathetically and favourably received and, eventually adopted. It was decided that the report should bo in the first instance communicated direct to the Minister of Public Health, who would use his own discretion as to making it public. The report deals chiefly with the supply of medical practitioners for the backblooks, the provision of medical relief to those unable to pay, and with the control of hospitals. The . idea of the report is to assist the Minister in his attempt to relieve the

existing needs, and the association has reason to anticipate that this object will be attained. The proposals brought forward contain nothing of a drastic nature. Dr Giesen was re-eleoted president of the council, Dr H. E. Gdbb3 was re-elected secretary, and Dr J.- S. Elliott was reelected editor of the New Zealand Medical Journal. A committee of the Dunedin Manufacturers' Association on Friday afternoon met Miss Girdler, who, along with Miss Watkin, was sent out by the Imperial Government to the dominion to inquire into prospects for young women in England desirous of entering the different industries -in this country. Mr A. E. Usherwood formally introduced Miss Girdler to those present. She explained that the young women whom the Imperial Government desired to assist were,those who volunteered" for service in connection with the army, and who Yva& \vaA &v© •jea.vs' spec\a\ to&Vsmvg iox tSaeivt work. Many of these, having heard of the excellent opportunities for women in New Zealand, and whose ambition it was to enter the different trades where women were employed here l wanted to come out, but the object of her mission was to see whether these women could be advantageously absorbed. One thing she made perfectly clear was that none of these would be sent out unless they were assured of being able to earn a living wage immediately upon their arrival. The point raised was that after these women had had six months' experience they would become selfsupporting, and the problem was to get them properly cared for pending the expiration of that period. Miss Girdler also mentioned the matter of establishing hostels in the different centres, to which these women could go when they landed, and thus have a home. She desired it to be understood that these hostels should in no wise to be regarded as philanthropic institutions, but should be places in which these women could live at about £1 per week. The Manufacturers' Association is to take this matter inp, as the question of labour in local industries at .present is a serious matter.

A romantic sea-faririg career was nipped in the bud on Thursday afternoon, when a boy, eight years of age, was brought before the Juvenile Court on a charge of not being under proper control. The lad, it was stated by the police, had come to Dunedin from Gore, and had been discovered aboard a vessel which was about to sail for foreign parts. He was put ashore by the captain, and in future will have to content himself with dreamvoyages at the Weraroa Training Farm. A large whale was stranded on the beach at Kaka Point on Thursday morning, and was secured by Mr John Rakiraki, who is taking the necessary steps to try out the carcase. Naturally the whole popiilation of the popular seaside village visited the. scene during Thursday, as also did a number from surround ing districts. A conference regarding wages was held at Blenheim on .Friday. between tailors and their male employees (says an Association telegram). . Application was made .by the workers for a 25 per cent, increase owing to the advanced coat of living. The masters recognised the demand as justifiable and granted it, suggesting at the same time that the continual process of putting up manufacturing and retail prices i 3 not the true solution of the problem. The solution was not in the direction of shorter hours and increased payment, but rather of a return on the part of the consuming public to more simple tastes and Jess expensive habits, as well as increased production on the part of workers generally. A 25 per cent, increase in the prices of ladies' costumes was considered by the masters, and several suggested the possibility of having to discontinue taking orders for ladies' costumes.

Mr W. D. Lysnar, M.P., has sent us a copy of a letter written by him to the Minister in charge of* the Department of Imperial Government Supplies, in which, ps a woolgrower who is deliberately withholding his wool, he takes strong exception to a statement made by the Minister in a circular letter that wool that is held back will not be free from the Government requisition after June 30, that such wool cannot be exported, and that the sale of :t otherwise than to the Government will be on offence. Mr Lysnar states that, so far as his legal advisers and he himself read the law, he is committing no offence, and he challenges the Government to issue a warrant to seize his wool. He is taking this course advisedly and deliberately aa a mark of protest in consequence of the war now being over and of the Government and the

Imperial authorities allowing the original contract to be broken, the law as it stands to be disregarded, and the patriotism of the New Zealand producer used to enable manufacturers to make unreasonable profits. Mr M. Stevenson, in appearing before the Taieri County Council on Friday, drew at : tention to the need of uniformity in the matter of holidays among all those connected with carting and contracting. He mentioned the case of a recent holiday where the carters were privileged to observe the day, but the surfacemen were not. Accordingly his men were obliged to work to keep the county surfacemen going, and therefore received additional pay for working on a holiday. Mr Stevenson said he thought the time was ripe when the employers of this class of labour should meet together and discuss the matter of holidays. There should be one set number of holidays for everybody. The extra wage paid to the carters on these ftays was one ol the la-ctacs v/hich had compelled him to ask the council for an increase in the amount paid for teams.

At a sitting of the Warden's Court on Friday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, Yvarclen, an application by Mr Harman Heeves for a gold dealer's license was received. The Warden said h e •would recommend to the Minister that the application be' granted. For the four past weeks the quantity of Teviot fruit railed from Beaumont amounted, to no less than 915 tons. There was a decided falling off in this traffio during the past week, the first crops of peaches and apricots being now over. Each season seems to see improved methods of handling an ever-increasing output.