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Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 35

The Collector of Customs (Mr 11. R. Spence) stales with reference to the prohibition of the export of potatoes imposed by Order-in-Oouncil of November 24, 1919, that the Minister has now decided to grant general permission for the export of potatoes. Until further notice neither application nor permit for the export of potatoes will be required. Captain Fowler, of the New Zealand Aero Transport Company, Timaru, on Saturday piloted, an Avro machine from Invercargill, carrying as a passenger Mr Colin Macdonald, of that town. He landed on the foreshore at about 1.45 p.m. to'replenish his petrol tank. Captain Buckley arrived about the same time from Timaru, bringing Mr and Mrs M‘Queen, of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, who are spending a holiday in New Zealand. The trip from Timaru took lhr lOmin. At 4.50 both machines left for Timaru. It is noteworthy that both machines on Saturday landed whilst the wind velocity on the foreshore was over 50 miles per hour, this fully demonstrating the thorough control an expert pilot has over a modern machine. The wholesale prices for stone fruit are very low. The shortage of sugar, following on the trouble on the waterfront, has practically put a stop to jam making, and factories have had to send their consignments of fruit to the wholesale marts for immediate sale. A visit to the fruit marts proves not onlv interesting, but educational. It enables one to form a clear estimate of the profit desired by the retailer, as a small sum in arithmetic will enable on 6 to work out the margin between the wholesale prices paid and the retail prices asked for. Any member of the public is entitled to visit the marts and hid for fruit. The retail prices of meat will be reduced ir Auckland from to-day (says a Press Association wire). The reductions vary from r j to 2d per lb, and are based on the average values for fat stock at last week's sale*. | An Auckland Press Association message ' states that in sentencing several men to re- | formative treatment for extensive frauds by cashing valueless cheques, Mr Justice Stringer said: “ 1 am certainly not going to take any steps to protect people who display such criminal carelessness.”

The Waikouaiti Early Settlers’ Association has decided to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of the settlement of Waikouaiti by holding a picnic on the Domain grounds on the 16th inst. Complete arrangements have been made for tho comfort and entertainment of visitors. During the afternoon a series of competitions, under the auspices of the Pipers and Dancers’ Association of New Zealand, should provide a welcome addition to the programme. A concert and dance will be held in the evening in the Public Hall. The late Gunner Leslie Edward Fullerton, a returned soldier, was buried at Port Chalmers on Saturday afternoon. It was a military funeral, the gun carriage, firing party, and bugler being supplied by Dunedin Headquarters. Tire Rev. J. M. Simpson officiated at the graveside- The local branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association paraded for the funeral, which was also attended by officers and members of the Loyal Prince of WLa’es Lodge (M-U.1.0.0.F.) and the Old Identities’ Association. An arrangement has been entered into between the New Zealand Shipping Company, the Shaw, Savill, and Albion, and the Commonwealth and Dominion Lines for the despatch of steamers from London at threeweekly intervals for North Island and South Island ports alternately. This arrangement was commenced with the Mahana, which left London on February 11 with general freight for Auckland and Wellington. The first steamer of the C. and D. Line to load under the new arrangement was the Port Pirie. This vessel left London on March 1 for New Zealand direct, her discharging ports being Auckland, Wellington, and New Plymouth. The New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer Woodarra will follow the Port Firie, and is listed to leave the Home port on March 23 for Lyttelton, Dunedin, and Bluff. The next C. and D. steamer will be the Port Napier, which is listed to leave London about April 15 for Lyttelton and Dunedin. The closeness of the finishes of the test races for the 14-footer Bailing boats has made the task of the Selection Committee an extremely difficult one. The original instructions were that points for first only were to count, and on that basis Heather and Yolmai came out even. This would mean that these boats would have to sail off for the honour of representing Otago in the match against Auckland, and the delay caused thereby threatened to put the selected boat at a serious disadvantage. In the circumstances Mr C. W. Sundstrum, the owner of Valmai, generously pointed out that on a general average of points 1 eather was ahead of Valmai, and notified tlx committee that he would withdraw his boat in favour of Heather. Mr Sundstrum’s action is deeply appreciated by local yachtsmen, as it allows the Management Committee to nominate Heather at once and proceed with the necessary arrangements for the match. A Christchurch Press Association telegram states that in view of several recent prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act for having sold under-weight bread, and in view of the statement attributed to the Prime Minister that 66 loaves (41b) can be baked from a sack of flour; in view, further, of the approaching fixation of the price of bread, the bakers of Christchurch have had exhaustive tests made by two chemists of repute. The objects of the tests were: (1) To ascertain the number of 41b loaves obtainable from a sack of flour under regular baking conditions; (2) to determine the weights of loaves made, and to note variations in weight between loaves of different shapes. A summary of the test is as under: —252 loaves were produced from 3.95 sacks of flour, equal to 63.8 loaves per sack, all the loaves being made from the same weight of dough. After 12 hours the average loaf would be underweight. Actually 30 per cent, were under weight. Loaves of certain shapes were full weight, and others of other shapes were under weight. As to barracoota and barracouta tin loaves, it is not possible to bake 63.8 loaves of these shapes from a sack of flour, the possible number being only 62.6. At the meeting of the Balc-lutlia District High School Committee last week reference was made to the excellent position taken by the pupils of the school at the competitive examinations held, in N ovember and December last. In the junior national scholarship examinations there were 10 candidates, and Margaret Firby, Dorothy Parker, Dorothy Lattimer, and Donald Mackenzie obtained scholarships, and five' other- passed, obtaining junior free places. Margaret Kirby was top of the candidates in the South Island, and fifth equal in the dominion out of 213 successful candidates. In the senior national scholarship examinations there were six candidates, and Alma Mitchell obtained a scholarship and four others passed, obtaining senior free places. In the public service entrance examination 15 candidates passed. 1 ive of these passed with credit, as follows: —lan Malcolm and William Frederick Hames, 29th equal on the dominion list and second in Otago; Edie G. Taylor, 48th; George Ernest Bichan, 68th; and George Nelson Gallagher, 85th. In the matriculation examination 11 candidates sat, and 10 passed the examination and one obtained a partial pass. One candidate passed the full “D ” examination, and one candidate obtained a partial pass. The bank robbery at Murchison calls to mind a similar attempt to rob tho Bank of New South Wales at Foildiug about 25 years ago (says tho Manawatu Daily Times}. A junior, who was generally regarded as a gentle and simple-mi- ded youth, was met on his return to the sleeping quarters at the bank by a stalwart Bill Sikes, armed with a sandbag and a rope with which to subdue and bind bis prospective victim. To his surprise, quick as a flash, the bank revolver was touching his ear, and he was marched through tho dark street to tho police station, where, under orders, he very reluctantly knocked for admission and submitted to official arrest. He received a sentence of threo years’ hard labour. The plucky junior was duly promoted, and became the hero of the tennis courts for having captured a desperate ruffian at tho point of an empty pistol 1

John Joseph Patrick Leonard, on old-age pensioner of 65 years, collapsed suddenly while attending service in St. Joseph’s Cathedral o-n Sunday forenoon and died immediately. Deceased was a widower, and lived by himself in a cottage in Carroll street. He was an out-patient of the Dunedin Hospital, where he was treated for disease of the heart. An inquest will not be necessary, as a medical certificate has been given. Quinnat salmon are now running freely at the mouth of the R-angitat-a River, and anglers are having great sport (says an exchange). About 20 anglers were out on Wednesday night, and each rod was kept busy in hooking, playing, and landing salmon up to 201 b in weight, each fish bemg in race condition. Mr J. Pollock, who last week landed two beauties, caught during Wednesday night four green-eyed, green-backed salmon, weighing respectively 141 b, 17.0, 19ib, and 211 b. Salmon in this river are now well established without the shadow of a doubt, and anglers can be sure of good sport for the remainder of the season. A considerable number of sea trout are also being landed. The Commonwealth Government Gazette contains the balance sheet of the State Hotel at Port Darwin, which shows the takings for the year at £110.930, stock in hand £15,G00, purchases £82,000, salaries £14,800, repairs £llOO, and fuel £I2OO. There was an actual net loss for tho year of £l3l. The actual amount received for liquor sales was £83,832, there being less than 300 population within 100 miles of the State Hotel. This works out over £27 per head per annum, which, it is believed, is easily a world’s record.