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Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 3

The Prime Minister stated on the 21st (states a Wellington Press Association telegram) that, as a result of his visit to the Buller Gorge coalfield, he is convinced that the Westport-Inangahua railway lino should be completed, thus giving aocess to the coal mine. The line would actually touch some of the seams of coal which waa of unusually good quality. The estimated quantity was about 70,000,000 tons. A Wellington Press Association telegram states that James Patterson was tried on a charge of bookmaking on the 21st. After four hours’ retirement the jury announced its inability to agree upon a verdict. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout): Are you agreed that you cannot agree? The Foreman: Wes, your Honor. His Honor: I am very sorry for the sake of the jury system that this has happened. However, that is not my duty. A new trial was ordered for Friday. An Auckland Press Association messago reports that in the case of Florence Gertrude Leafberg, a widow, claiming £SOO compensation for the death of her husband, John Leafberg, master of the scow Kahu, the question was one of owners’ liability under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Mr. Justice Frazer said the deceased was substantially employed to do certain manual labour in addition to the duties of master mariner, which brought him within the definition of “worker.” Judgment was given for the full claim. A Nelson telegram states that the steamers Kowhai and Flora have been engaged in transferring the blast furnace plant an 4 machinery for the Onakaka Iron and Steel Company. It is estimated that iron will be manufactured within six months. The Clutha Free Press understands that the property known as Begg’s Station, Pukepito, belonging to the estates of the late Mr John Begg and the late Mr Adam Begg, has been acquired by the Government for the purpose of closer settlement by exservice men. The property has an area ot about 3000 acres, and is generally considered to be very suitable for cutting up into farms of 300 acres or thereabouts. A remarkable cure was effected by the Great M'Ewen at the Municipal Theatre last week (says tho Southland Times). He received a call irom Mrs W. Sangster,' East Invercargill, who appealed to him for help, as she had been unable to walk for eight years, the last four years of which she spent in a wheeled chair. Mr M’Ewen treated her, and after a considerable time had the patient walking. Gradually increasing in confidence, Mrs Sangster walked further, and instead of using her invalid chair to leave the theatre she did so on her own feet. She afterwards walked home without any difficulty. A “calculating boy,” a resident of Hokitika, is attracting attention on the West Coast by his marvellous feats of mental arithmetic. He is about 23 years of age. He takes a delight in working out sums given him by other residents and by visitors. His ability and quickness were tested by members of the party of politicians and of the Canterbury, Progress League who

i trere in Hokitika on Thursday (says the Jpyttelton Times). He was asked to multiply ■ gum of five figures by another pom of figures. He repeated the figures poce, turned them over in his mind far a few seconds, and gave the answer, Which was proved by pen and pencil to he correct. A visitor told him the date fen which the visitor was married —it was a (airly long time ago —and he immediately Mated the day of the week. He has a remarkable memory for the dates of public •rents. He was asked when Mr Massey became Prime Minister. He gave a date, Which it was found was not the date on

which he was sworn in, but the date on which the want-of-confidence motion he moved was carried. The slight mistake was on account of the calculator mistaking the meaning of the question. On the 22nd ult. the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Health and Education), accompanied by Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., and Mr R. M'Callum (member for Wairau), paid a visit of inspection to the Karitane-Harrie Hospital at Anderson’s Bay. The Minister, who was met by the president (Mrs J. A. Johnstone) and the members of the executive, closely inspected the recently-erected buildings as well as the premises which have

been in occupation for some time. Mr Parr expressed himself as deeply interested in the work of the society on behalf of very young children, and said he had noted with special satisfaction the Amy Carr cottage for mothers and the new school for mothercraft. He had also been very much struck with the general appointments of the hospital as well as its surroundings and excellent vegetable garden. Various matters affecting the advancement of the society's work were discussed with Mr Parr, who promised to do all that lay in his power for the extension and development of its aims and objects. He expressed pleasure at what had already been done with Government money in the extension of the work at the institute, and said he would give his immediate attention to seeing that all that had been promised by Mr Massey as Minister of Finance would be carried into effect. A plea that the racecourse regulations governing attendance at race meetings unfairly discriminate between the unjust rich and the unjust poor was raised in the Police Court at Auckland last Wednesday morning by counsel, appearing for a labourer, who was charged that on January 29, “ being a person excluded by the regulation,” he trespassed on the Takapuna racecourse when races were in progress (says the Star). “ The law favours the rich,” declared counsel. This man goes to the gate and he sees there other people who should be excluded by the same law that excludes him, consequently he is tempted to go in. The racing clubs frame these regulations themselves, and they limit the prohibition to persons convicted under the Crimes Act. Other persons with the respectability of money, but with convictions against them under other statutes than the Crimes Act are welcomed in. The income tax juggler, the fraudulent bankrupt, and the profiteer, who have been fined £IOO or £2OO for their misdea.meanours can go to the races, while a poor man fined 40s for a trivial assault is barred. The regulations show discrimination and partiality against the poor man in favour of the rich.” In convicting the accused, the magistrate said he had no option but to administer the law. “ Gentlemen, all the schemes which promise high wages without relation to production are illusory—are mere will of the wisps,” remarked Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., in his presidential address to the Welfare League Conference. “It does not matter,” he added, “ whether the system is capitalistic, or Bolshevistic, or whether the industries are nationalised—there ie a constant relationship between wages, or standard of living, and production. You crannot for any lengthened period and under normal conditions, under any system, have high wages or a high standard of comfort unless it is reflected in the increased production of the country.’’ The postal authorities advise that the mails which left Wellington on December JO. per s.s. Surrey, arrived in London on February 21 Importers of bulbs, whether in a commercial or private way, should advise their shippers that the regulations requiring each consignment of bulbs to be covered by a freedom of disease certificate —temporarily relaxed during the war period owing to the disorganisation of the mails —will be strictly enforced in respect to all consignments entering New Zealand from June 30 next. In order to avoid later difficulties in this direction importers are further advised to enclose in each order a certificate form, copies of which may be had on application to the Director, Horticulture Division, Department of Agriculture, Wellington, or Mr C. E. Dyke, Fruit Inspector, Dunedin. A Press Association message from Auckland states that in the Supreme Court David Guest, a farmer, was awarded £542 damages against Hugh Currie for injuries a'ld loss sustained by defendant’ motor car last March. The machine dashed into a seat at the waterfront occupied by plaintiff and his wife. The officers of the Grand Lodge of the Masonic Order were on their annual goldfields tour last week. Among them are Mr T. Ross, the Grand Master, and Mr A. Fieldwick, Provincial Grand Master. They visited in rotation lodges at Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Becks, and Naseby. We are officially informed that the cabled results of the degree examinations in arts and science of the University of New Zealand will not reach Wellington till March 15 at the earliest. People in Otago are probably not fully aware what a wonderful asset the province has in the Rev. Dr Cameron, Chancellor of the Otago University. It falls to the lot of the reverend gentleman to approach tile Government, in season and out of season, to obtain monetary grants for the Medical School and for other branches of the University activities. His efforts are crowned with success where other applicants with less pertinacity and courteousness would fail. The Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Education) has a wholehearted admiration for Dr Cameron’s persovevence. He considers, however, that his usefulness is to some extent restricted in New Zealand. Air Parr holds that Dr Cameron should be invested by 7 the British Government with the onerous task of securing the war indemnity from Germany. He is sure he would be successful The serious shortage of apprentices in the building and allied trades was discussed by the Architects’ Conference (says a Press Association telegram from Napier). Mr J'. Greig (Hawke’s Bay) moved, and W. W. Page (Wellington) seconded, that the council of the institute confer with the Builders’ Federation and other interested bodies on, the apprentices’ question with a view to concerted action. Taking the case of Napier, Mr Greig quoted figures to show that apprentices had decreased since 1914 from 10 to nil in the carpentering trade, two to one in the painting, and 14 to nil in the plumbing trade. At the Civil Engineers’ Conference on the 23rd, Mr W. R. Davidson (Dunedin) read a paper on the duplication and re-construc-tion of the Dunedin-Mosgiel railway work, which he described on account of the variety and extent of the engineering problems involved as probably the most interesting of all duplication works on New Zealand rail-

ways (wires our Christchurch correspondent). Extremely wet and heavy ground was met with at one point, where 50 feet of tunnel was constructed at a cost of £2IOO. At another point the floor of the tunnel rose 10 inches, and it was necessary to build 72 feet of concrete invert two feet thick. The construction of one tunnel involved the excavation of about 62,500 cubic yards of

[ rock, and the placing of 2,500,000 bricks j and 5700 cubic yards of concrete in exeavat- , ing for the Chain Hill tunnel. Barge ' quantities of moa bones were found. The j workers liked their job so much that “they almost cried” when they were taken off it, ! even temporarily. It was related by Mr Davidson that «We never had the slightest labour trouble when building the Chain

Hill tuiiuels.” He said: “We had competitions between gangs at both ends, and when for any reason it was necessary to take them off the job they almost cried, and all that for 11s per day. Our foreman certainly had the happy knack of keeping the men in good spirits.’’ Large numbers of wills were prepared by the Public Trustee during the war for soldiers about to leave on active service and many hundreds of these are still deposited at the Public Trust Office (says a Press Association wire from Wellington). These wills are, and will continue for all time, to be operative, provided that the soldier has not married subsequently to the date of the execution of the will, or has not made a later will, revoking the one held by the Public Trustee. It has been brought under the notice of the Public Trustee that many returned soldiers are under the impression that their wills were cancelled on the termination of the war. The following facts, therefore, are published for general information: —(1) That the wills made bv soldiers prior to going on active service and deposited with the Public Trustee will remain valid for all time, unless the soldier makes a subsequent will revoking the existing will, or marries; (2) that the termination of the war did not render the wills so made inoperative; (3) that soldiers who made such wills prior to going on active service should at once communicate with the Public Trustee if they wish to revoke or alter existing wills; and any such returned soldiers who have married subsequently to the date of any such will should immediately notify the Public Trustee of the fact While the first express for the north was waiting at Palmerston on Thursday morning the mixed slow- train from Oamaru took the wrong points and crashed into the engine of a waiting goods train. The moving engine got all the worst of it, and the cowcatcher was bent backward right under the front wheels. The trucks immediately behind the tender —a sheep truck and an L wagon containing barrels —were thrown completely off the line and folded up parallel with each other at right angles to the lina The sheep truck was splintered to matchwood, but the few sheep on the lower floor were got out unharmed. No one was hurt, and neither of the engines appeared to be really crippled. The rear of the slow train from Oamaru, which caused the accident, fouled the main line, and there was a delay of fully 20 minutes before the way w'as clear for the express to resume Its journey. The cargoes of Welsh coal which the Government has purchased for the railways will be spread over a year (wires our Wellington correspondent). The deal hits been arranged so the Government has nothing to do with the finding of the ships to carry the coal. There is, however, such a plethora of tonnage in England that there will be no difficulty in finding the necessary steamers. The difficulty will be for such steamers to find back loading, especially as they are not likely to have insulated holds. It has been said that Lord Kitchener had an instinctive fear of the sea, which was to become his tomb many years after his brothers urged him into the surf on the Irish coast. At any rate, most people cart give instances where the shadow of the future has been felt, clouding the present with a vague feeling of impending misfortune. Such an instance was mentioned in the Coroner’s Court on the 24th, during an inquiry into a fatal motor accident, by Mr A. S. Adams, who said that the deceased had always had a special fear of motor cars, and carried an identification ticket in his pocket, having a presentiment that he would be run over in that way. It is gratifying to be able to record (writes cur London correspondent) that, as o result of New Zealand’s particpation in the Albert Hall Fair, organised for the benefit of Dr Barnardo’s Homos, a cheque for £I4OO has been handed over, with the promise of more to follow. Some of the dominion’s gifts are still at the High Commissioner’s office. Lady Allen received various money donations, which, of course, have been included in the cheque sent in to the Council of the Homes. At last week's meeting of the Otago District Repatriation Board the following applications for assistance were dealt with: — Business loans: One application was approved. Furniture loans: Twenty-nine applications were received, of which 23 were approved, two were held over, three were withdrawn at applicants’ own request, and one was declined. Tools of trade : One application was approved. Subsidised workers: Three applications for subsidy while learning new trades, eight applica- i tions for payment of withheld subsidy and : granting of subsidy for further year’s train- ! ing, and three applications for payment of ‘ withheld subsidy or, completion of training ! were approved. One application for sub sidy whilst learning a new trade was held over. Technical and University training: j Seven applications were received, of which three were approved, three were held over, i and one was declined. The Agricultural Department has shown ! keen interest in the boys’ agricultural competition, conducted teach year by the Otago Expansion League, and Government sanction has been obtained for a liberal grant to the league of half the amount expended on the competition to March, 1920. In future the department will sub- i sidise the league’s expense in this regard on a £1 for £1 basis, up to £2OO a year, inclusive of subsidy. Ono of the most remarkable developments of motor ambulance transport (writes our London correspondent; is an X-ray service, whereby anyone within 50 miles of London may bo X-rayed without the necessity of going to the special room in a hospital. Galled into existence in 1914 by Sir J. Cantlie, the College of Ambulance in Queen Anne street now possesses a vehicle of this type, so that for the first time in any country the X-ray can go to the patient instead of the patient going to the X-ray. The wagon stands outside the patient’house, the X-ray apparatus is carried in, and a table (or lead) is taken from the conveyance into the house to the

' apparatus by which the “screening” is performed. Though the cost of running out the motor with five people and taking the photograph will be about £SO, there will be no charge to the poor. Incidentally, it may be added that Sir James Cantlie has interested himself in an apparatus which was invented some months ago by Mr Thompson, an Edinburgh working man,- It was intended to enable armless soldiers to eat and drink and write, and even perform their ablutions, without assistance. Quite recently Sir James had his attention called to the sad case of a lad who lost lx>th arms in a factory accident. By medical and nursing devotion this unfortunate youth has not only recovered, but he has been taught to use Mr Thompson’s artificial arms apparatus. The secretary of the Otago Expansion League (Mr W. B. Steel) has just added to his immigration file an inquiry from Grimsby (England) as to the possibility of openings in the timber trade around Dunedin. The inquirer saw the league’s advertisement in the last Christmas Annual published by the Otago Witness, anti his letter to Mr Steel is the result. He is a wood-working machinist by trade, but professes himself not afraid of work, no matter what it is. A recent arrival in Dunedin was a young ,’ady from Scotland, who also was attracted here through the league’s activitiA-u and for whom employment was readily found in a comfortable home. Our Wellington correspondent wires that the proportion of representatives fixed for the South Otago Hospital Board is as follows: —Bruce County, 3; Milton Borough, 1; Kaitangata Borough, 1; Clutha County, 4; Balclutha Borough, 1. An Invercargill Press Association telegram states that a petition for the reprieve of Reginald Matthews, the Timaru murderer, who is a native of Invercargill, is being circulated by the local branch of the W.C.T.U. It is based on the conditions of his early home life, and hereditary taints, as revealed at the trial. The Mayor (Mr J. Stead) has been advised by the Minister of Justice that Cabinet will consider the petition before dealing with the sentence. A Press Association teleg-ram from Christchurch states that at the conference of the Society of Civil Engineers it was decided that the next conference be held in Wellington. Mr F. W r . M'Lean was elected president. Members visit the Otira tunnel to-day and Lake Coleridge to-morrow. At a large meeting held in Victoria square on Friday (says a Press Association message from Christchurch) the following motion was .carried: —“That this meeting of Christchurch citizens urges the Government not to carry out the death sentence passed on Reginald Matthews unless a medical reexamination proves beyond all dispute lie was sane when he committed the act for which he has been sentenced. A large number, held up their hands in favour, and the chairman announced that, as he had seen only about a dozen hands held up against it, he would declare the motion carried. A P’ess Association message from Auckland states that the Yorkshire Insurance Company has purchased for £23,000 the corner property with a frontage of 45ft sin to Shortland, street and 105 ft to O’Connell street, formerly the site of Brown and Campbell's of"ces. At the meeting of the Taieri County Council on Friday, when a letter was before that body from the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board regarding a cottage hospital for Middlemarch, the levy by the board on the Taieri County was discussed. The information was tendered that the levy next year would be an increase on that of last year—heavy as that had been. This was an outcome of the separation of Clutha and Bruce from the rating area. The council discussed the matter in committee, and, in resuming in open council decided to instruct their representative on the board (Mr A. F .Quelch) to vote against any attempt to increase the levy, and to, a,s far as possible, endeavour to obtain a reduction for 1921 in comparison with that of 1920. Councillors were unanimous in the opinion that the upkeep of the hospitals should be a charge on the Consolidated Fund. At a sitting of the Warden’s Court on Friday morning, the warden (Mr J. R. Bartholomew) dealt with an application from Harman Reeves for a gold dealer’s license. All the requirements of the Mining Act and Regulations having been complied with, the warden intimated that he wou'd recommend the application to the Minister of Mines for favourable consideration. A Press Association cablegram from Sydney states that the Sydney Profiteering Prevention Court has reduced the wholesale price of butter to 214 s 8d per cwt, and retail to 2s 2d per lb. It has also reduced the cash price of bread to for a 21b loaf. The Waikouaiti County Council has taken ) a step forward in the solution of the problem presented by the Main North road by passing a resolution, proposed by Or Laley, declaring the road to be a scheduled road as from April 1. The effect of this will be that the expense of maintaining the road will be borne by the whole county, each riding paying in proportion to the amount of its valuation. Hitherto the burden has fallen on the North-East Valley Riding, which happens to be tho poorest riding in the county. Cr Overton advocated the use of modern road-making machinery, and suggested that the council should inform the Otago -Motor Club of its intentions in that respect, and ask what assistance tho club would be prepared to give. A motion embodying his suggestion was carried. Hospital affairs were the subject of much discussion at the Waikouaiti County Council’s meeting on Friday. An account from the Otago Hospital Board for the balance of the levy drew from Cr Laley criticism of the board, chiefly on account of its unfortunate deals. As instances, he quoted the case of the Wakari property, for which, according to the valuators, the board had paid £3OOO more than it vsas worth. The

original Pleasant Valley property, for which the board paid £I4OO, Cr Laley said had been in the market for years at £BOO, and then, he had been told, it cost £14,000 to provide for 30 patients. He did not know what the board had spent there since, but now they were saying it was not a suitable place—a thing which anyone with half-an-eye knew. Cr Laley asked why the board should have bought out the Rock and Pillar private institution,' and said he had been told by some patients of tins standing about which was enough to give anyone consumption who did not already have it. Later, when the council was considering a letter from the District Health Officer regarding the request from Palmerston for a cottage hospital, with a maternity ward attached, Cr Laley issued a warning not to follow the example of Port Chalmers, where there was a single ward, with three beds, so that if there was a male patient in, no female could be admitted. The chairman (Cr M’Gill) stated that he himself had motored a female patient to the hospital at Dunedin, and had. to take her straight home again, as she was refused admission. Cr Overton mentioned several cases of hardship, instancing one in which a woman had been confined in a guard’s van on the way to the hospital, and another in which an accident occurred during the motor ride to Dunedin, the patient (a man) dying soon after his admission. Particulars of these and other cases wifi be sent to the health officer. At a poll of the ratepayers of the Borough of Balclutha, held on Wednesday, it was decided by 76 votes to 63 that a loan of £ISOO be raised for the purpose of constructing public baths in the town. At the meeting of the Borough Council in the evening the Mayor (Mr H. S-imson) thanked all who had assisted to carry the-proposal, and expressed the hope that the fees would pay for the interest and leave a little over for upkeep. A meeting of the Bible in State Schools League Executive was held at Wellington on Thursday, Bishop Julius presiding. Representatives of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Lutheran Churches and of the Salvation Army were present. Ihe Rev. W. Mood agreed to fill the position of temporary acting secretary. The following resolution was passed :—"That the executive of the Bible in State Schools League having received petitions from Wellington ministers, the Southland Presbytery, and members of executive, requesting it to declare the present position of the league and its future policy, submits minute of its meeting, together with a financial statement, and agrees to refer tlm question of the future policy of the league for the consideration of the representatives of the Anglican. Presbyterian, Methodist, and Lutheran Churches and the Salvation Army associated in the league.” At last week’s meeting of the Western Taieri Drainage Board, ihe clerk reported that the Taieri River Improvement Act, 1920, provides for the dissolution of the board and the abolition of the drainage district; and for the constitution of the Taieri River Trust, which would have control of a larger district and which would carry out river protective works. The Act was to come into operation on the date fixed for the election of members of the River Trust. The election has now been fixed by the Government to take place on Tuesday next, March 1. This would therefore be the final meeting, and the board would cease to exist at midnight on the 28th inst. It was resolved that the workmen continue in employment until the River Trust deals with the question. The minutes of this, tho final meeting, were then read and confirmed. While the typing of the minutes was being completed the chairman took the opportunity of thanking members of the board for the assistance they had given him in carrying out his duties as chairman. lie thanked the engineer (Mr B. B. Couston, C.E.) for the manner in which he had carried out his duties, also the foreman of works (Mr W. Munro). He referred particularly to the invaluable services of the clerk to the board, and moved that a motion be recorded in the minutes expressing the board’s appreciation of Mr M’Lean’s services to the district. All the members present, endorsed the chairman’s remarks. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business of the. Western Taieri Land Drainage Board. Captain Fowier, of the New Zealand Aero Tiar.sport Company’s De Havilaucl; took the i chairman (Mr Galbraith) and the secretary (Mr Bardsley) of the Harbo-ur Board', accompanied by a- lady, for a flight over the Upper and Lower ITarb-our on Friday afternoon to enable them to make an examination of ‘.ho harbour generally. There was a fairly strong breeze, but Captain IT wler handled his machine skilfully. He left for Timaru immediately after the flight