Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 3

Our Wellington correspondent wires that the Prime Minister states that there will bo ' a very satisfactory increase in the area of ■ wheat to be sown during the coming season. In view of the fact that in the Southland • district the epidemic of varioloid, varicella—modified smallpox—shows a tendency to increase,- the Health Department is now urging the advisability of a general vaccination. In the Otago rlistrict the outbreak" appears to be about stationary, and in the Vincent and Oamaru districts no fresh cases have been reported. People can bs vaccinated by the Public Health vaccinators free of charge, or can, of course, if they prefer it, be vaccinated by their own medical advisers.

The funeral of the late Staff Sergeanfc-major Catto took place on the 24th ult. The body was borne to its last resting place on a gun carriage. Sergeant-majors Pryde, Mead, M'lntyre, and Rudd acted as pallbearers, and the firing party was composed of 10 sergeants-major, under Lieutenant Healy (who represented the Defence Department). The "Last Post" was sounded at the . gi-avesido by Bugler Napier. ' The. funeral service was conducted by the Rev. G. 11. Jupp. Deceased's military service totalled over 30 years. He joined the Durham Light Infantry in 1883, and served with the South African Light Horse in the Boer War, gaining the Queen's Medal with six clasps, and the King's Medal with two. clasps. Ho afterwards was gazetted captain in the Cape Peninsula Guards. On coming to New Zealand he joined the Nov? Zealand Permanent Staff, and in the early period of the war acted as camp sergeant' major and instructor of officers and n.c.o.'a at Trentham Camp. He was best known among the early reinforcements and the First Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. Ho J 3 survived by two daughters and two sons. Both sons served in the Great War.

A daring robbery was committed at Mr W. Wright's residence at Surrey street, South Dunedin, on Friday, 21st ult. Mr Wright, who had been suffering from an attack of influenza, did not go to his butcher's shop on Friday night, and went to bed early. On getting up next morning he" found his trousers lying in the passage, and that £8 and his shop keys had been taken from the pockets. Investigation showed that an entrance to the house had been made through the bathroom window, and later in the day the keys were found in an adjoining section. Tiie High Commissioner, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, has sent to Mr A. Leek, of Port Chalmers, „a copy of a circular giving a resume of the terms and conditions of the contracts with the Imperial Government for the purchase of New Zealand meat, woo], cheese, butter, and scheelite. This circular includes a table which shows the number of insulated steamers allocated to the New Zealand trade during the past four years to have teen 78 in 1916, 62 in 1917, 49 in 1918, and 74- in 1919.

The Mayor (Dr Thacker) states that he has instructed his solicitor to ask the Sun newspaper to apologise for an article published on Saturday evening in connection with the children's ball and to pay £SOO to tho War Memorial Fund (says the Lyttelton Times). In defaidt of this Dr Thacker says he will sue for £SOOO damages for alleged libel.

"MrMassey stated on the 25th (says a Wellington Press Association telegram) that ho had been assured that thei-e would bo no difficulty with the Australian Government about getting delivery of all the wheat New Zealand had purchased there. His information was that there was not a great deal of the wheat left in Australia, and that it would all be shipped to this country before the expiry of the period within which the New Zealand Government was under contract to take delivery of it. A sitting of the Assessment Court was held at Waikouaiti on the 25th, before Mr J. It. Barthlomew, S.M., who had associated with h'im as assessors Mr John Maxwell (Waikouaiti) and Mr John Wilson (Shag Valley). Mr E. A. Atkinson represented the Valuation Department. F. and B. Collins appealed against the valuation of part of Mount Royal estate— 2000 acres—valued by the department at £12,250. Appellants wished the amount reduced to £8447. P. M. Collins, who also owned part of the Mount Royal estate—3lso acres—appealed against the Government valuation of £18,720.

He asked for a reduction to £12,712. C. P. Overton, Palmerston. district, appealed against the valuation of an education endowment leasehold of 81 acres, the Government valuation of which was £540. He asked for a reduction to ' £255. Thomas Omand. North Harbour and Blueskin district, appealed against a valuation, of £1215 with respect to 83 acres. The Goverament valuation was sustained in each instance. There were 14 other cases in which objections were lodged, but, there being no appearance of tho appellants, the cases were struck out. Over 1000 -Auckland women have now pledged themselves to follow the lead given iat a recent meeting of women (telegraphs our correspondent) when a number of those present signed an undertaking not to purchase certain articles of clothing above a stated price. " There has been a great deal of comment that the prices have been fixed &oo high," remarked a well-known leader

I in women's civic circles yesterday, " but 1 what we wanted was to get wealthy women to set an example. - We maintain that if the top prices come down; other prices will follow, for no woman, however fond of ch-ess, is quite foolish enough not to know something of relative values when it comes to the matter of buying." The retail price of potatoes here is at present approximately from £l7 to £2O per ton, and yet we are told that in the South Island growers cannot get more than about £3 10a a ton (states can- Wellington correspondent). There are said to be splendid crops in the south this year, and the only reason why wo do not get cheaper potatoes here seems to bo that growers are holding off on the chance of getting big prices in the Australian market. At present there seems, however, to be little chance of this as there is an embargo on our potatoes on account of disease. The Australian Government does not seem dis-

posed to lift this embargo. Possibly it is not thinking so much of the risk of disease as of protecting its own growers, and under the circumstances it is likely that. South Island growers will be left with large stocks on hand. It is particularly unfortunate that there is this glut in the south, as last year so many returned soldiers went in for potato growing, and the price of" £3 10s : is not a profitable one. A Wellington Press Association telegram states that supplies,, of memorial plaques, which the War Office are distributing to the next-of-kin of those who fell in the war, are now being received by Base Records. The plaques axe made of copper five inches in diameter and circular in shape. They are simple yet artistic in design, each plaque bearing the words, "Hi Died for Freedom and Honour." On the front there is a representation of Britannia holding aloft a laurel wreath, and in the foreground is a British lion. The regimental number and the name of the doceased will be engraved on each plaque. It- is anticipated that the work of issuing the British war medal to those who served in the war will be commenced within the next three months (says a Wellington Press Association telegram), and that the Allied Victory Medal will be available for distribution by the end of the year. Approximately 100,000 New Zeaianders are eligible for both these medals, but the task of engraving and issuing them will involve an immense amount of administrative work, for the personal file of each name has to be scrutinised carefully by Base Records in order that the necessary data may be obtained. No decision has yet been arrived at in connection with the clasps, but it is understood that there are to be seven clasps for the western front and three clasps for the other theatres of war. Inquiries with regard" to the price of, butchers' meat show that there is little likelihood of any immediate drop in prices locally, as has occurred in the north. It is stated that even at the present market values there is not a great margin over business expenses.' The freezing buyer's are again operating, and the bad /season lies ahead. Butchers state that good sheep are costing from 42s to 525, and beef is quoted at from 52s 6d per 1001 b. Average retail prices for mutton , in the shops are as follow: —Forequarters, s^d; chops, 7cl, Bd. and 9d; legs, B£cl. The average beef prices arc: —Stewing steak, 7d; buttock steak, 8d; rump steak, lid; sirloin roast, 9£d; ribs, 8d and B£d; boiling beef, b! 2 d. The question of speculating or trafficking in Grown leaseholds was the subject of a general discussion at the meeting of the Otago Band Board last week. It appears that a number of instances have occurred in which persons who have acquired a 'Grown lease by transfer have shown a desire to dispose of their holdings within a very short time, and at a greatly increased price. During the discussion one member of the board suggested that a "black list" of speculators should be compiled, and that this list should be circulated among all land boards throughout the dominion, so as to prevent a trafficker whose operations have been stopped in one district _ from seeking a - new outlet for his objectionable activities. Although no formal resolution was adopted, the board decided to keep the matter prominently before it so. as to do all in its power to eliminate the practice. The trustees of the Dunedin Savings Bank have raised the rate of interest to 4.|- per cent. ■ Previously the ban].; was paying 4i per cent. The'bank has just experienced a very good year, and trie trustees have taken the view that depositors should reap some of the benefit. % An Auckland Press Association telegram says that the annua! conference of the Provincial Farmers' Union resolved to urge the Government to insist on a free market for New Zealand butter. The desirability of establishing a working agreement' between the Farmers' Union and an industrial _ union was emphasised by several speakers. It was decided that a committee of three members of the union be appointed to inquire into the aims and aspirations of industrial unions with a view to bringing about an agreement between the 'producers from the land and tho industrial producers. The following telegram has been sent by Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P., to the Prime Minister (says a Christchurch Press Association telegram): —"A Christchurch merchant showed me to-day an invoice of a parcel of English goods landed on April 26, price £3l 7s. The Customs Department has charged duty on the present-day value, £4l ■ 7s. Tho merchant asks what possible justification has the Government in charging duty on present-day value £lO more than ho paid—while ho is prohibited from putting his profit on the present-day value, if it is profiteering to charge on present-day value, is not the Government adding to

the cost of living and profiteering when it is charging- duty on a value the producer does not receive, and the merchant does not pay, and the Government, although charging duty on it refuses to recognise? If the profit on the present-day value is wrong, how can the duty on the presentday value be right?" It is understood that the Government has granted a compassionate allowance of £9OO to Mr W. H. Tilbury, who suffered serious injuries, and whose \ wife was killed, in a railway crossing (accident at Mosgiel in January last. Curious tricks were played by the marb'es at the -ballot which took place on Thursday afternoon for a number of sections which were opened for by discharged soldiers. In one instance it was discovered after the draw had been made that there had been one marble too many in the box, and the scrutineers requested a fresh ballot. By some strange chance, however, the result was exactly- the same as in the first instance. In another case an applicant drew second place no fewer than seven times before ho finally obtained a "walkover" for one of the sections for which he had applied. . The following applications for assistance were dealt with at last week's meeting of the Otago District Repatriation Board: — Furniture loans: Sixteen applications were received, of which 12 were approved, three held over, and one declined. One apprentice applied to have his wages made up to £3, which was approved. Five soldiers unable to foDow their pre-war occupation were placed in new trades and their wages subsidised. Ten applications for assistance in university and technical training were • received and approved. The Board of Trade has telegraphed as follows to the Local Prices' Investigation Tribunal (says a Christchurch Press Association telegram:—"Please inform both sections of milkmen that the board considers Is 3d a reasonable wholesale price, and 2sa reasonable retail price. This fixes the price of milk retail at 6d per quart, which milkmen have been charging for some time past." The varipus articles which were provided for the use of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales during his stay in Dunedin were put under the auctioneer's hammer at Messrs Park, Reynolds's room on Thursday afternoon, and the bidding was very brisk amongst the large number who attended ; the sale. In all, some 30 lots were offered f" by Mr Geerin, the auctioneer, and the prices paid by people bent on obtaining. a souvenir of the Prince's visit were in some instances in excess of the value of the articles. Some of the prices obtained were: A pair of double blankets £3 10s, a MarceUa quilt £4-. three pairs of double sheets £2 10s each, two pairs of poplin curtains £3 10s each, two pairs of sateen curtains £5 each, others £4 10s, £3 17s 6d, £4, amd £3 15s and £3 each, quilt £l2 ss, lace curtains £1 17s 6d, £1 2s 6d, and £1 7s, do-üble kapok mattress £4 15s, Kidderminster carpet £lO 10s, Axminster carpet £33, easy chairs (two at £lO 10s and two at £10)'. sofa rug x £5. A Press Association telegram from Invercargill states that a further case of varioloid varicella (mild smallpox) was reported there on the 27th. A return which was laid on the table at the meeting of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board last week .showed that the admissions to the Dunedin Hospital during April had numbered 205 a-nd the discharges 296. At the end of the month there were 266 patients remaining in the institution. At the request of the Otago A. and .P. Society, the Citizens' Housing Committee, Carnival Week, has taken in hand the mattor of securing- accommodation for visitors to the city during tho week for the Winter Show. General Birdwood got in one novel touch that is memorable in his address to the cadets at the Duntroon Military College (states the Sydney Telegraph): "There is a greater thing than getting on in this world. Let everybody remember that when there is a ohanco to help a lame dog over the stile-. There are many ways" of doing that. If you see a fellow down on his luck, don't pass him by and leave him. It does make such a lot of difference, thus making life a little happier for others. One of the greatest public schools of England, Winchester, has tho motto, 'Manners makytli man,' one of the finest mottoes a school could have. Manners in that sense does . not mean servile politeness, but chivalry to women, helpfulness, walking straight to your front, and generally doing what you can to make life happy for everybody. Whenever you pass one of my A.I.F. comrades, greet him just to show that we all do belong to that great comradeship we formed during the war."

Our Wellington correspondent wires that hotel thefts are prevalent throughout New Zealand at the present time. The wife of a member of Parliament, recently a bride, had most of her wardrobe, including an expensive ball dress, stolen from, a Christchurch hotel during the Prince's visit, and had her suitcase stolen from'a Wellington hotel. It contained clothing- of several pounds' in value. On Wednesday afternoon a wellknown Wellington lady, staying in the Hotel Cecil, on going to her room at 5 in tho afternoon found two men there engaged in packing up her wardrobe in two suitcases. She very pluckily gave the alarm, and held the door, but the men burst the door open and made off. One of them, iftwever, was captured.

Owing to the difficulty of obtaining the services on the honorary staff of the Christohurch Hospital of ophthalmic and aural surgeons (states our correspondent), the Hospital Board has been urged to make representations in Great Britain, with a view to inducing an ophthalmic and an aural surgeon to come to Christchurch and set up in practice, and as an inducement it is suggested by the Hospital Committee that the board should guarantee that the earnings of these gentlemen in the first year or two of practice shall not be less than £IOOO. For some time inquiries have bccn_ conducted through the High Commissioner, and it appears certain that suitable medical men are available if an assurance can be given that a satisfactory livelihood can be obtained in Christchurch. One of the most curious wills ever admitted to probate in England was left by Mr Alfred Henry Frend (otherwise known as Henry Shrapnel), of Richmond road, Twickenham. He directed his trustees never to employ a solicitor or tho Public Trustee, and added: "Beyond taxation, none of my property shall ever go to the British State, whose oppression, intensified by officials, falls so terribly heavy on my class as to be slowly exterminating." After the death of his sisters, his trustees were to assist persons of insufficient means "to contest and embarrass any unlawful exactions and doubtful claims by the British Inland Revenue." If steps were taken to set aside his will, and the trustees could not remove the trust, funds to another country: "All the funds are to be -put into a sinkable box and taken to sea and sunk in mid-Atlantic, the captain of the ship to certify that such has been done, and .to receive therefor a vfee of three ■guineas." The gross value of the estate was £lOl9. The entries received for the competitions to be held under the auspices of -the Otago Centre of the* Piping and Dancing Association of New Zealand, which will take place in Dunedin during Show Week, total 815. This number is understood to be a 'world's record, the best known .previous total being COO, which was received by the Oowall Society, in 'Scotland, some years ago. The Ministers and ex-Ministers of the Crown and their wives were entertained at dinner by their Excellencies the Gov-ernor-General and Lady Liverpool on Friday evening. During the recent coal shortage (states our Wellington correspondent) the Railway. Department has supplied local bodies and private firms with no less than 27,780 tons of coal. The West Coast output has not yet reached normal quantities, and the WelUngton shortage is accentuated owing to the fact that recently the West Coast harbours have been closed on several days. Mr H. Holland, M.P., has forwarded to the Hon. E. P. Lee, Minister of Justice (states a Westport Press Association telegram), a petition signed by 11 jurymen asking for the release of Alios Parkinson. The jurors were those who were at the trial of the accused, and on that occasion brought in a strong recommendation for mercy. ■ When discussing the. proposed memorial to fallen soldiers at the Taieri County Council on Friday> a suggestion' was made which should find favour: "That any memorial should be in the route of general traffic, where it could be readily seen," and it was -suggested that a very fitting memorial would be an arch over a prominent bridge on or near the .plain. Mr John Edie, M.P., waited on the Taierf County Council on Friday prior to his departure., for Wellington to ascertain the needs of the council, as portion of thenterritory was included in his electorate. The chairman welcomed Mr Edie, and solicited his aid in any way that would tend to the advancement of county matters. Ho particularly desired opposition to Harbour Board rating on the country districts and increases in hospital and charitable aid levies. In connection with the latter it was considered that this should be paid out of the consolidated revenue of the dominion. At present only ratepayers contributed, but under the. proposed scheme all and' sundry would contribute. The meed for some improvement in the method of paying for the upkeep of roads, especiallyin connection with motor traffic, was discussed, and Mr Eiic suggested that resolutions on these matters be passed, stating the council's views, 'and forwarded to the County Councils' Conference. Mr . Edie said lie favoured abolishing Government grants altogether, and increasing the subside. He assured the council of hie. best attention to -any .matters brought before him.

Our London correspondent, writing on April 15. sa y ;S young ball, Marham Primus, which was purchased last June,-on behalf of Mr M. H. Straehan, of Gisborrua, for £350, is still in England, shipment having been impossible in the meantime owing to the continued outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. At the time of the purchase, the bull was only 10 months old, and in the meantime he has remained with Messrs T. Brown and Son, the well-known breeders, of Marham Hall, Norfolk,, at the expense, of course, of his New Zealand owner. During the past months Marham Primus has developed and improved very much, as evidenced by the fact that in December last an oft'ar of 500

guineas was received for him. But of oouirse he remains the property of Mr Strachan. The demand for Red Polls in Now Zealand, Australia, and the Argentine grow 3 apace. The King, who has a very fine herd of the broad at Sandringham, has parted with a smart young bull, Royal Victor, under 18 months old, for shipment to South America, which country seeks Red Poll sires. Purchases for Australia include Hatton Gerald, the exceedingly well grown young bull which was first at the Society's Ipswich show in October. As a result of. the recent advance in wages to grocers' assistants, combined with the extra labour involved in weighing up. the small parcels which are now issued, and also the heavy advance in the cost of paper bags, as well as an advance in freight rates, the grocers of the city and suburbs state that they are reluctantly compelled to advance the price of sugar by the small sum of id per lb Our London correspondent mentions that an original souvenir of the war has been designed in the form of a bronze model of the Cenotaph in Whitehall. The model is 7£in high, including a wooden stand made from the actual wood of the original cenotaph.. The model, including the stand, can be bought for six guineas, and the proceeds are to be devoted to Sit. Aftar-Care Fund for Blinded Soldiers and Sailors. The office of the organising secretary is at 306 Regent street.

The generous action of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company in purchasing a igports ground for its employees at a cost of over £IOOO -was warmly commended by Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P., spealdng as a representative of Labour at a social gathering in Wanganui. Mr Veitch said he felt convinced that the company was really trying to develop good feeling with its* staff. He contended that the thing required in New Zealand to-day above' all else was a better understanding between employers and employees. Until employers placed the position of their men on a sound and satisfactory footing, there could be no confidence between Capital and Labour. Proceeding, the speaker declared that the action of the company in purchasing a cricket ground for its employees was going to do good and promote an excellent feeling amongst the men. "I am afraid," cortinued Mr Veitch, "that we do not attach sufficient importance to the social side of life. We want to get together more, and I believe it is. a really wise action on behalf of the company to spend this considerable sum of money in the manner it proposes doing. ThJ3 aotion -will be highly appreciated by all sports. The sporting- spirit does more good than all the howling- in the world."

The Country Development Committee of the Otago Expansion League at its meeting on Thursday evening conferred with Mr W. Quin (of Tapanui) on the proposal to convert the Blue Mountains into a State forest. The proposal has been carefully considered, and some exports declare that it is almost immediately practicable and will go far to help towards a solution of the anticipated timber shortage of the future. The Country Development Committee has decided to recommend the executive of the league to take up the question and agitate for its adoption by tho Government. The Inhabitants of the Tapanui district are reported to be ready to do all in their power to further the idea.

In referring to the stocking of the Tomahawk Lagoon with fish, the report of the Otago Acclimatisation Society states that 120 of various sizes up to 51b have been put there from the Water of Leith. In addition 1725 two-jear-olds have been liberated there. This lagoon being very susceptible to climatic conditions, it is difficult for fish to maintain a good average standard. Tho Water of Leith is very well stocked with small fish, but there still remains much ground for complaint about the quantity of rubbish dumped into the stream by residents along its banks. Tho Manchester Unity Oddfellows of the Otago district have reason to be proud of the attitude taken up by th.eir members during the war, for it is recorded that 1148 of the brethren enrolled for duty and 183 of these paid the supremo sacrifice.

A Now Zealander, who arrived by the lonio this week (says the Auckland Star), was one of the guests of honour at a bullfight in a town in Portugal quite lately. He says that in all his travels he never saw such a combination of cleverness and oruelty as was enacted in tho arena that day. The superb courage of the men and the oruiel torture of the animals surpassed

anything he had ever seen. After the bull-baiting had finished, the party were asked to take part in a military tournament that required the most skilful horsemanship, feats of daring being performed that are unknown in other countries because they are unnecessary to make a cavalryman. The colonial speaks with not a little pride that he was the only one of the visitors who did not come to grief before the events were finished, although he had to confess that his heart was in his mouth several times. The Portuguese are the most expert horsemen he has ever seen; they glory in taking the most foolhardy risks. The man who takes risks that are almost uncanny and comes off successfully is looked upon as a national hero, and is acolaimed everywhere.

The annual report of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, in making mention of the 2> rac tice of poaching, says that it is most regrettable that this class of offence against the law. is still rife in many parts of the district. The use o c explosives in rivers is responsible for serious damage, destroying as it does all life in places where it is used. Frequent appeals have been made by the society to all true sportsmen to combine and stamp it out, and suggests to anglers generally the urgent necessity of forming anti-poaching clubs throughout the district, making it a sine qua non to employ cohesive action to bring perpetrators before the court.

The domestic sugar ration in Britain was raised on March 22 from 6oz to Boz a week. At the same time, the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply has found it necessary, owing to the gradual- exhaustion of supplies purchased before the rise in the world'price of sugar which took place last December, to advance the approved retail price of granulated sugar to lOd per lb, and of cube, loaf, castor, and icing sugar to_ 10£d. Sugar for domestic jammaking is an expensive luxury. The supplies to bo issued • for this purpose will cost 114 s per cwt. wholesale, less a discount of li per cent., and is Is 2d per lb retail. Preserving suga r was sold last year at the same price as the ration sugar. This year the cost to the housekeeper is doubled, and the price will be seven times that prevailing before the war. Jam will be dear, whether bought from the grocer or made at home. Referring to the appointment of Mr T. A. Hunter as Chief Dental Officer, the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times says: "Ten or 12 assistants are to be appointed in a few days, so that the department can immediately undertake dental operative work among- the children. The intention is to. employ five dentists at the chief centres and five travelling among country schools. Sufficient motor ambulances were purchased in England for use as travelling dental surgeries, and it is intended by the Minister of Education, who has taken keen interest in evolving the details of this progressive scheme that a dentist upon examining the teeth of children in remote schools will remain at that place until the most serious defects are remedied. A large quantity, of dental equipment and material left over from the Expeditionary Force dental scheme has been taken over by the Education Department, thus enabling the scheme to make an economical start."