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Otago Witness, Issue 3499, 5 April 1921, Page 3

Our Middlemarch correspondent states that a car owned by Mr J. AitchCson, of Hampden, and driven by his son, having as passengers three others, went through the rads of the Cottesbrook bridge, near Middlemarch, on March 28, and fell 18ft into the stream. Tire occupants had a wonderful escape, only receiving bruises and suffering from shock. The car is still in the river. The Rcslyn Young Men’s Bible Class won the ohampionship sports banner at the Young Men’s Easter Camp at Purau, near Lyttelton. This banner was previously held by an Auckland class. Another move made by the investigating body is to require boot repairers in Auckland to furnish within seven days a statement setting out the amount and quality of leather necessary for the repair of men’s, women’s, and children’s boots and shoes, and also tire cost of labour, material, and other charges, together with the price the customer pays for the repairs. At the Coach Motor Vehicle Employers’ Conference, the following motion was carried unanimously (says a Christchurch Press Association telegram):—“That tha secretary write to the Garage Proprietors' Association stating that this conference considers the statement made to the Tariff Commission with reference to duties on motor bodies were made without due consideration of the position in its present stage of development, and that the convention has appointed a commissioner to discuss the position with your executive in the hope of presenting a united front.” Officers were elected as follows: —President, Mr B. H. Taylor (Wellington); vice-president—North Island, Mr D. Wallace (Te Aroha); South Island, Mr J. A. Nisbet (Invercargill); auditor, Mr R. A. Fuller (Palmerston North); secretary, Mr E. C. Ilarvie (Palmerston North). At the Presbyterian Young Men’s Bible Class Conference, which is sitting at Purau, Lyttelton Harbour, it was decided that the next Easter Camp be held at Wanganui (says a Christchurch Press Association wire). It was decided to recommend to district committees that wherever possible leadership of training classes be conducted this winter, such courses to be preferably inter-deno-minational. Mr G. Manson (Dunedin) was elected president for the next two years. The union executive will be located in Dunedin. The uncertainties and humours —sometimes rather grim humours—of deer-stalking where amateurs are concerned were illustrated a story told to a New Zealand Times representative last week by Mr C. I. Dasant (secretary to the Wellington Acclimatisation Society). “ Often,” ‘remarked Mr Dasent, " they shoot what they think is a 20-pointer stag, and find that it is only a six-pointer. That is to say, tha horns have only six points, instead of 20. And it is not often deer you shoot. In the Hawke’s Bay district some time ago a party of sportsmen rose early to find their camp and the surrounding hills shrouded in mist. They set out on a stalking expedition, and almost at once walked into what they took to be a stag with a specially fine spread of horns. They fired a volley and it fell, struggling vigorously—so vigorously that they dare not approach it for some time lest it should get up and rush them. Eventually, however, the struggles ceased, and the stalkers then found, much to their chagrin, that they had shot their pack horse, the saddle on which, with two long arms standing out on either 6ide of the animal’s head, had in the mist made it look like a deer. They kept the story as dark as they could; but not so the liveryman from whom they had hired the horse. He was very angry, and made them pay some £l6 for the animal, and it was a very long time before they hoard the last of the exploit.” A Palmerston North message states that thieves entered, two Palmerston North hotels yesterday morning, and visiting bowlers were robbed of £2OO. A Nelson message states that a startling experience occurred at Tapawera during the dog trials. A flash of lightning appeared as if striking several motor cars, the fire playing along the ground. Arthur Kerr was stunned; Edward Kerr and several others received slight shocks, Arthur Kerr later recovered.

Amendments gazetted to the regulations governing teachers’ salaries include the following:—Staffing of public schools, the following is substituted for sub clause (i) of clause 48: “ The position of first female assistant in every mixed school of Grade IVa or a higher grade should be that of infant mistress ” ; grading of public schools, clause 21, is amended by adding the following proviso: “Provided that a school should not be raised to a higher grade if the board is satisfied that the increased average attendance qualifying the school for a higher grade is not lihe'y to be permanent.” Mr D. W. M. Burn occupied the platform <of the Theosophical Society on Sunday, taking as his subject “As certain of pour evn poets have said.” The speaker, referring to the Easter festival, said that the meaning of the Resurrection was that God and man are one, and that we are God’s

’ offspring. The poets (who were the seers of humanity) all through the ages had voiced this message. In reading the poets one had to endeavour to catch the deeper meanings behind the words. One of the greatest of modern poets was Swinburne, who had written a wonderful poem, ‘ Ilertha.'’ He counselled all his hearers to read it if they had not already done so. In this poem was told in beautiful language ; the truth that there was nothing outside God, and all thought was a revelation of ' the Divine mind. Man was inherently ! divine, and must call up from slumber his i innate divinity. It was fear that prevented us from realising this to the full, and it ! was only by the conquest of fear that, man grew to the knowledge of his unity with the Divine. ! The sales of surplus stores conducted by the Defence Department recently resulted in a very profitable return to the depart-

ment. Certain special lines were offered for public sale in each of the four centres of the dominion, and the remainder for sale, part to defence employees only and part to the genera] public. The sales recorded from the commencement of operations in December, 1920, to February 28 last, are as under: —Auckland, £25,995 2s 4d; Wellington, £24,805 Is sd; Christchurch, £20,237 17s 7d; Dunedin, £13,196 15s 9d ; Trentham, £B9B Os lid. Total, £85,130 18s. An Auckland Press Association telegram states that Auckland’s loan of £500,000, floated in London, is for electricity extensions. Tenders were called, returnable in London, and the city engineer (Mr Wyllie) recommended for acceptance the tenders (being all British) which were lowest in each group. The sum involved for material is £285,000, f.0.b., London. The balance of the £500,000 will be spent in Auckland under a scheme of extensions now to be commenced. The city station will be increased by 3000 horse-power, and the tramway power-houses will be used as a standby plant. A Christchurch Press Association telegram states that at a civic reception to representatives attending the conference of the New Zealand Federation of Master Painters, Decorators, and Signwriters’ Associations, the Mayor (Dr H. T. J. Thacker, M.P.) said he was sure many diseases were spread by old wallpapers, which should be removed before new papers were placed on walls. He hoped that the decisions of the conference would be submitted to the heads of the different Government departments in order that any suggestions with regard to reconstruction might be carried out. Mr Lee, president of the federation, said h e hoped that the Mayor would help the federation in having regulations passed to provide for sanitary interiors. A Christchurch Press Association message states that the following motions were carried at the Painters and Decorators’ Conference: —“That the Architects’ Institute be approached with a view to securing separate painting tenders and payments, association members to have preference, and no tenders to be received from other than recognised painting firms.” “That various substitutes be analysed to see if they are injurious.” “That the matter of the training of apprentices be left to the district associations to take action.” Ten firemen employed on board the Federal Line steamer Suffolk, which left Wellington on December 10, and which is now lying in the Victoria Docks, were charged this week (says our London correspondent, writing on February 10), with being concerned in stealing and receiving 52 quart bottles of cider, 96 pint bottles of cider, seven bottles of lemonade, two bottles of tonic water, 701 b of sugar, 31b of tea, 37 tins of fruit, and 90 tins of milk. Lord Erleigh, who prosecuted, said that when the vessel was one day out from Wellington the second steward found that the padlock of the storeroom had been broken and the place entered. A search of the firemen’s quarters resulted in the discovery of a large number of empty bottles and quantities of sugar, tinned fruit, and milk. Later, the prisoners signed a statement admitting that they had taken the stores. The men were each fined £5. The condition of the copper market in the United States may be gathered from the fact that the stock in hand is estimated at 600 million pounds. There is a proposal to place 400 million pounds of this under the control of the Copper Export Association, which will issue debentures with the metal as collateral for some 40 million dollars as on a basis of 10 cents per lb. The idea is to enable the stocks to be carried until the demand strengthens, or curtail of production causes the market to advance. While Mr H. D. Skinner, the assistant curator of Otago Museum, was stationed at Southampton, with the Expeditionary Forces (writes our London correspondent), he gave some assistance in cataloguing a part of the ethnographical section of the Rose Hill collection at Tudor House Museum. This collection, which belongs to Lord Nortbesk, is made up of an archaeological section comprising specimens from many parts of Europe, and a valuable ethnographical section of Pacific Island specimens, Maori curios being strongly represented. Owing to representations made by Mr Skinner, the authorities of Otago University have made overtures through the High Commissioner-to obtain this collection for the Otago Museum, and Sir James Allen has been discussing the matter with Lord Northesk. Captain T. E. Donne and Mr W. IT. Montgomery will make an inspection of the collection, after which Sir James hopes that lie will be able to come to some arrangement with the owner, who is desirous of meeting him as generously as possible. The arrival of the Canadian Importer at Auckland on Tuesday inaugurates the Canadian Government Mercantile Marine’s new monthly service between Eastern Canada and Australasia (states a Press Assocation message). Four steamers will be employed, leaving Montreal in the summer anti St. John or Halifax in the winter. Auckland and Sydney, alternately, will be the first ports of call. Dr Meredith Young, the Medical Officer of the County Palatine of Chester, lias made a statement that, according to the statistics of that district, there has been a distinct, increase during the last 20 years in the number of patients who have died from cancer (says the Nursing Mirror). In 1900 the mortality was .70 per 1000 population ; in 1919 it was 1.24. The Medical Officer of Health points out that there has been also an increase in the Scottish capital. In 1898 it was .88, in 1919 1.27. There is at present no possibility of proving whether this increase is real or only the result, of more careful diagnosis and more accurate compilation of figures. It may -also bo due to the fact that owing to better food and better conditions generally more people live to a “cancerous” age. There is evidently an endless amount of work still for the Cancer Research Society to do, apart from their constant endeavour to discover a remedy for the disease itself.

Mr Justice Sim has granted probate in the estates of the following deceased per sons: —Jessie Bates, Blair Fullarton, John Green, Elizabeth Tanner, William Gold smith, Naomi Warren, Julia Ryan, Robert Leishman, James Robertson Munro, Joan White, Leslie Edward F ullerton, Peter Bell, Robert Reid Rendall, Alexander Lindsay, Francis Frank Thorn. Letters of administration have been granted in the estates of John Caskie. Mary Anne Josephine Crawford, Mary Evans, James Christie, and Alfred Roger Ward (on usual terms as to security). In the divorce matter between Frances Clunes and Charles Kenington Clunes, an order was made as prayed for, giving- directions for service of citation by advertisement. Our London correspondent, writing on February 10, sends an extract from the Glasgow Evening Citizen, in which a correspondent makes a stinging attack on the Food Ministry relative to New Zealand butter. The extract runs : “It is one of the worst features of State monopolies and trading that the methods of the official arc so damaging to our trade relations abroad. The legacy to be left to the British merchant when Government control goes is one of ill-will in practically every market in which officialdom has had a finger. New accounts now confirm what I have heard in the trade —viz., that Now Zealand butter producers are already placing their output in the United States, not necessarily because it, means more money, but. because of the freedom —the absence of crabbing restrictions and of bureaucratic interference in that, country. The producer naturally wants to sell in the readiest market. Time is money. Delays mean so much added to the expenses of selling the article. In the case of New Zealand, the Food Ministry has blundered badly. Having contracted for almost the entire New Zealand output until control is removed from imported butter in this country, the Food Controller

.-.w—-«pgaa» now refuses to say definitely when this is to lake place. First, he gave the magie date ‘March 31.’ Then, when pressed, he postponed this ‘provisionally’ to ‘May or June.’ This only angered the colonial producer, and now he is not only taking his present surplus to U.S.A. —where they seem quite able to import butter without the help and expense of Government officials—but ho is also arranging to place the reI mainder there as soon as his contracts with the Food Ministry come to an end. Thus is another important channel of trade within the Empire being lost to us by the methods of Government officials.” A circular to hand by mail states that stocks of cotton are increasing in the United States. Exports from August, 1, 1920, to February. 1921. showed a decrease in export of almost one million bales. a ho Racing C ona mission, appointed to report upon the question of the number-and allocations of totalisator permits will resume its sittings in Auckland on Monday. April 4. The commission already has taken considerable evidence in various portions of j the dominion. The itinerary for the rej mainder of the commission’s tour will be I determined when the Commission reI assembles. | As regards the Japanese in the Pacific, ; Dr J. M. Steward (Bishop of Melanesia), wha has just arrived in Auckland stated ! (saj s cur correspondent) that to the best ; of his knowledge they were now in sole control of the Caroline and Marshall groups They were taking the matter very seriously. The natives were encouraged, if not compelled, to learn the Japanese * language, and he believed to largely adopt the Japanese dress and to a certain extent the Japanese mode of life. There was no doubt that Japan meant to maintain her ! hold on these islands. He was strongly ; convinced that the future of the Paoifto lay with the British race, and especially with Australia and New Zealand.

Of the milk samples taken for analysis under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act in New Zealand during 1919-20 only 6.2 per cent, did not comply with the law, whereas in England the proportion was II.L The New Zeal and figures are a decrease on those of the previous year—7 per cent. In butter the results of analysis in New Zealand were particularly satisfactory, as they - should be in a country where so much is produced and the price is so. high. The New Zealand Journal of Health and Hospitals, which gives information on these attempts to keep our food supply pure, states that during 1920 the percentage of bread samples not complying with the lawful weight was higher than in the previous year by 6.3, and the prosecutions recommended was l.'T per cent, as against 0.7 in 1919. ' When flying becomes as common as travelling by motor or any other transport the future historian will note with interest a supplement to the last Gazette, in which appears for the first time the regulations under the Aviation Act which was passed in 1918. These regulations are very complete, and cover the most minute details, even down to the demand that an applicant for a pilot’s certificate must be able to breathe through both nostrils. No aircraft is allowed to fly within the limits of the dominion or its territorial waters unless it be registered and- personnel licensed. No “stunting” is permitted over towns or closely-populated districts, no machine is to fly so low as to be dangerous to public safety, or to drop things overside. Aircraft must be • registered and bear marks as ordered by the Air Board, and aerodromes must be licensed. The medical requirements in an application for a pilot’s certificate are most exact, with provision for frequent re-examination, and the regulations concerning aircraft used to carry passengers are naturally very strict. ' So far as can be ascertained at the present time there does not appear to be any great likelihood of a contest for the city mayoralty at the forthcoming municipal election. A 3 regards the seats on the council, the majority, but not all, of the present councillors are offering themselves for re-election. Mr W. B. M’Ewan and his staff have just taken stock in the Public Library, and find 14 volumes missing for the year. Two of these bear the significant titles of “Bookkeeping Simplified” and “Studies and Questions in Bookkeeping.” The lending library has lost nine, two have disappeared from the reference library, two from the juvenile department, and one from the M‘Nab library. Four volumes previously reported missing have been recovered. A sum of £53 7s 2d has been received in fines for breaches of the regulations' during the year. The losses during the 12 years the library has been open are 222 volumes, and the frequent changes of residence in the city have added to the difficulties of tracing the books. In a report on the subject Mr M‘Ewan says: “There must be a fair proportion of these volumes on the shelves of private citizens. On might suggest a conscience w r eek, when lost, stolen, or strayed books could be returned to the department.” It is not generally known that the regulations respecting the restrictions of the rents of dwelling-houses apply also in all respects to shops occupied by discharged soldiers. A case was recently brought under the notice of the district secretary of the Returned Soldiers’ Association in which the rent of a shop let to a discharged soldier was raised very substantially, and this is the ruling he received from the Labour Department in Dunedin upon making inquiries there. The successful repatriation of T.B. soldiers is one of the Government’s biggest problems so far as our returned soldiers are concerned. The Otago District Committee of the R.S.A. was recently informed that out of 200 T.B. men discharged from the Cashmere Hills--Sanatorium, only three had so far been settled on the land, although the majority of .them desired to take up land. The Returned Soldiers Association is interesting itself in the problem, and the District Committee is making inquiries from a number of the large fruitgrowers in Central Otago as to whether they would be prepared to teach fruitgrowing to some of these men. Fruit-growing is regarded as one of the most suitable occupations for them, and the climate of Central Otago is held to be about the most favourable in the dominion. In response to a question by Cr Shacklock last night, Cr Douglas (chairman of the Tramways Committee) stated that the Maryhill tramline would in all probability be open and ready for running in about a fortnight's time. A Christchurch telegram reports that, at a meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, a resolution was carried requesting the Government to remove all restrictions on the purchase and shipment of New Zealand meat, and that free and open competition be allowed and encouraged within the dominion. It was also resolved that a levy 7 of 5s per 1000 sheep be charged to sheepowners throughout the dominion to assist in the payment of the salary of a producers’ representative in England. An Auckland Press Association telegram states that, according to a statement by the police in the court, drunkenness during the holidays was abnormal, liquor being procured from sly grog-sellers. Charges were laid against five men. Joseph Alexander Winters was lined £SO and Andrew Johansen £3O for selling liquor in the Btreet on Good Friday. Norman Alexander Nicholson was fined £3O for a similar effence on the wharf. The following are the vital statistics for the past month, those for the corresponding month of last year being supplied in parentheses :—Births, 134 (155) ; marriages, 95 <101); deaths, 75 (94). For the first quarter •f this year, as compared with the corre •ponding quarter of last year, the figures •re as follow: —Births, 378 (420); marriages, t 23 (234); deaths, 200 (235).

Several enterprising Wanganui farmers have at last completed arrangements for the transport Home of about 7000 bales of wool on a sailing vessel, the Yercingetorix, having been chartered for the occasion (wires our Wanganui eorrespoiident). The freight i« lower than that charged by steam lines, and altogether a saving of 9s Id is effected on every 4001 b bale of wool shipped. Furthermore, there will be a saving of storage, as the shipment will be four months on the water as compared with five or six weeks by steamer. The Customs Tariff Revision Committee continued its sittings in Dunedin on Thursday morning, when further evidence was heard from a number of manufacturers, traders, etc. It is expected that the representations of between 30 and 40 firms will be heard here before the commission proceeds to Invercargill in about a fortnight’s time. Apart from the taking of evidence the commission also devotes a good deal of time to a personal inspection of as many factories as possible, so that the members may acquaint themselves with the conditions prevailing in the various industries. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that Harold Rushworth, a retail dairyman, was recently fined £2O for selling adulterated milk. He then proceeded against James 'Leonard Parish, a wholesale dairyman, from whom he bought the milk, to recover the amount of the fine and' costs, and £2O damages. Mr S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., reserved his decision. At the Producers’ Conference in Wellington (states a Press Association telegram) it was resolved that in view of the fact that the country is being subjected to great loss by work on the waterfront being frequently interrupted by trivial disputes, and as no other solution seems possible, the Government be urged to repeal the legislation giving preference to unionists. What is there in the Australian air (asks a writer in a London journal) that develops the genius for cartooning? Phil Mayborn. in England; “Hop ” —born in America, where he fought in the Civil War, and used to boast that he was the only man who escaped a colonelcy; and David Low —born ir. New Zealand —have all done brilliant Work there, while Norman Lindsay and Will Dyson are two of many of the nativeborn whose fame has gone abroad. In England at this moment, I believe that all those who know his work—not on’y Australians and New Zealanders keen to exalt a fellow-countryman—would admit that there is not another cartoonist to equal Low. Perhaps because he is a New Zealander by birth, his humour and his satire are not so cruel as those of most Australian humorists, but his genius for ridicule is enormous, and he has wonderful capacity for summing up a situation in half a dozen lines with his pencil and three words from his pen. Low must be worth a mint of money to the Star, and I hope that it duly appreciates the fact. Reference to the interpretation of the Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Act, 1908, was made in a decision given by Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland. The case was- a judgment summons, in which Mr Waddington appeared for the creditor and Mr Singer for the debtor. The magistrate stated that under section 7 (c) of the Act, the court could make an order for imprisonment in default of payment if it was satisfied that the debtor had sufficient means and ability to pay the amount since the time of the judgment. This had been interpreted in some quarters to mean that the debtor must possess actual money to pay the amount before the clause could operate. Section 8, said the magistrate, provided that no order was to be made if the debtor proved that, after providing for the reasonable maintenance of himself and family, he had not, since the date of the judgment, sufficient money to pay the debt. This put the onus of convincing the court on the debtor. The debtor in the present case had failed to provide this proof, and the magistrate was satisfied he had the means to pay greater obligations than were provided in the judgment. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £3O, and costs, the magistrate adding that, considering the evidence submitted, he could not withhold the order for imprisonment in default of payment. The alternative would be 21 days. A leading poultry auctioneer of Auckland, commenting on supplies and prices ruling for poultry, stated that this was an exceptional year, and that he cannot remember poultry coming forward in such numbers.' 1 Birds of all descriptions, he said, were in heavy supply, -with low rates ruling. In fact, the market had been glutted, and values this week were almost 50 per cent, lower than they had been for some time. He attributed the low prices to the shortage of feed. The majority of the birds sent forward werej in poor condition, and in the moult. A marriage ceremony was to have been conducted at the Congregational Church, Manly, Queensland, on Saturday week, but it came to a sensational ending about half way through the service, when the bride, Eleanor Bagslag, collapsed at the altar, and was removed to her home, where she died an hour or two later. The bridegroom was George Crawford. Many friends of the parties were present when the bride collapsed. It was thought that she was only in a fainting fit, but, as deceased rapidly grew worse, she was removed to her home. Medical aid was quickly obtained, but the bride passed away despite every attention. She was well known in Manly, and was universally popular. A contributor to the Manawatu Standard writes: —“It is Interesting to note that good farms in Aberdeenshire are selling at from £l4 to £l6 10s per acre, a brother of mine having bought at the latter price from the Marquis of Aberdeen. These farms will carry to each 100 acres 30 head of cattle (fat bullocks, two and a-half to three years) and 50 sheep, the former selling- at from £36 to £55 per head and the latter £4 15s to £6 5s per head. Pigs realise £lO each, and barley and oats, planted on 23 acres, command good prices. How does this com pare with land in New Zealand at £IOO to £l5O per acre?”