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Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 3

A letter was read before tho council of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce last week from the Westport Business Association asking tho chamber to assist the association in securing the restoration of tho old weekly service between Dunedin and Westport. Tlie council decided to write to the Union Steam Ship Company asking what it proposed to do in the matter. The president (Mr T. Somerville) remarked that they all recognised the growing difficulty of getting transport facilities for Dunedin. The question of transport was the most important thing before Dunedin to-day. Another member remarked that they would require to go to Lord Inchcape. “Their interest in New Zealand is fast disappearing,” ho said. “They are even changing the port of registry of the vessels.” The increased size of the steamers and the regular importation of hard coal into Canterbury ports wero said to have been partly responsible for til® discontinuance of the old service. Some idea of the terrible housing conditions in Wellington were conveyed by Mr T. P. Mills at the Presbyterian Orphanage meeting on Thursday night. A woman, who had come to him to admit, her five children to the orphanage, had done so because slia and her husband and the five children were living in two rooms of a four-roomed house. In the other two rooms was a man, his wife, and his child, and they had a ledger. This case was byno means exceptional. “The indiscriminate granting of probation is simply a method of manufacturing thieies,” remarked his Honor Sir John Balmont! at the Supreme Court at Wellington on Friday afternoon while sentencing to terms of imprisonment two young men who had pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement. “I am not going to take the responsibility of admitting you to probation. Young men in positions of trust must act in a trustworthy manner, they must keep their hands off other people’s money, or they must be taught a lesson.” To be invited to partake of a threepenny beer as a reward for his honeslv in returning a wallet containing £SOO, a steamer ticket, and a number of other valuable papers was the experience of a Ponsonby resident the other day (says tlie Auckland Btar). The owner of tlie valuable packet had evidently paid a visit to Point Erin Park, for it was there on a seat that tlie find was made. After perusing the contents the suburban man became acquainted with the owner’s name, and immediately set out, at inconvenience and expense to himself, to locato the intending passenger, his desire being to relieve the owner's worry and place him in Ibo position of making tho trip. He made many calls, and ultimately located tlie man in a local hotel, ami handed the package over. The owner was profuse in his thanks, and expressed, his gratitude ia th« manner stated above.

A general opinion is held by those interested in mining (says tho Mataura Eusign) that the Gore district ha? a vast tiol<l of undeveloped metal and ether natural resources. Gold and coal have been found and developed in payable quantities and ir is also held that iron ore is traceable in the Croydon and Waikaia districts; but, so fai, beyond scratching on the surface and an examination of outcrops, nothing of importance has been done. Deep level dredging has also been generally suspended, but one or two dredges are still employed at this work. That there are other metals to be found in the district is an undoubted fact. Traces of quicksilver in the Grcenvaio district have been followed up of late, and Messrs Tei ry Bros., and Graham have sunk a shaft 30ft deep in order to trace the ore. These gentlemen are quite satisfied with 'lie work so far, and samples t 1 have been analysed show 10 per cent, of quicks.her. The metal in the shaft now shows a widening tendency, and the seam is i ,ch larger than was the case lief ore the present, lr.vel was reached. Members of the party are driving a crosscut, and they hope to tap the main lode of the metal. It is intended at an early date to make provision for a smelting plant on the site of the mine, and further developments of an interesting Eature may bo looked for. “A distinctive feature of coal mining on the West C oast just now is the starting of many co operative companies, which are do ing remarkably well (states the Minister of Mines, the Hon. G. J. Anderson). Coal is being put on I lie market in considerable quantities in Reef ton. This is a good

j household coal, which does not cake, and j I have no do'ubt that when certain diffiJ culties have been removed it, will command | a ready sale. It should inept household req: ireneuits in the cities if it can be placed upon the market in the same way that it is being sold in Reefton. I was not favourably impressed with die housing conditions at Burnett s Face and Denniston generally. I Jhe conditions at, Millerton and Stockton ! are very much better, and the Westportj Stockton Company deserves great credit for i the homes that it has erected on its property for the use of the miners.” A leading farmer of Eltharn, in the course of conversation tile other day, said that he. was fnmly o; tho opinion that within the next two years there would he a tremendous shortage of steers in Taranaki. At present thousands if bull calves were being destroyed, also a barge percentage of heifer calves. Cmifi present circumstances it did not pay to rear them, and the inevitable shortage must result. In the Hot tse of Commons (writes our London correspondent), Mr L. S. Amery explained to any inquiring Ai.l*. that in view of temporary difficulties connected with rhipping -ml tho changed Housing and industrial conditions iri New Zealand, (be High Comniitmione" had taken c.eps to ensure that only such ex-Bervice men as had a definite gu mult ■' of employment and | housing accommodation on trrlval in *he dominion would at present lie allowed to I proceed. Action had been taken to make i known to ink riding settlors the exact state I of alfaiis in New Zealand.

The General Council of Education has recommended that a District High School should be established at. Owaka, provided that, except in so far as tho salary of the secondary teacher is concerned, no additional expense is involved. The recommendation will c-ome before the Minister of Education for his approval. News conies by the Tofua that the Veronica arrived at Niue Island on May II (says a Press Association wire from Auckland). It was expected that the two natives arrested in connection with the murder of a native policeman would be hanged. Apparently tho Veronica arrived the day after the Tutanekai left. An eight-roomed house, with furniture and effects, of the total value of £I2OO, was destroyed by fire at Ravensbourno at about 1.30 a.m. on the 20th inst. The dwelling was occupied by Mr William F. Dunne, his wife, and seven children, and was owned by Mrs Dunne. The cocupants were awakened by the smell of smoke, and there being no water available, the house was soon gutted. One little boy had to be got out through a window. -All that was saved was a piano and some small articles. The house was insured in the United Office for £6OO, and the furniture in the Commercial 'Office for £375. The fire is supposed to have been due to a faulty fireplace or chimney. At the Lawrence Magistrate's Court on the 21st. before Messrs D. MTntosh and B. Winn, J.P.’e, a young man named Frederick Edward Clarke was charged with the theft of two £2O note?, and a gold watch chain, value £7, from an old man named Michael O’Donnell at Tuapeka Flat on the 15th inst. Evidence was given by John Bryant, bootmaker, and Lewis Jacobs, storekeeper, of Lawrence, that on the day of the theft accused had cashed a £2O note with them and pm chased boots and cigarettes from them. Detective Palmer stated that he arrested the o.ocused at Dunedin on the 17th inst., when the stolen chain was found in his possession. The accused then had only £1 17s in his possession. Since his arrest accused had made a signed statement admitting the offence. The accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to Dunedin Supreme Court for sentence. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that charges of fortune-telling, contrary to tho provision i of section 224 of the Justices of the Peace Art-, were preferred against Sarah Taylor Coventry, Catherine Stanton, and Harriet Coupland, before Mr S. E. M’Carthy, S.M. With regard to the two first-named defendants it was contended that they were members of the Spiritualistic Church, and looked upon foretelling the future as part of their religion. Decision was reserved. The findings of the Rivers Commission in regard to the flooding of tho Wa-i----mukoriri River show that the margin of safety is insufficient for the protection of Christchurch (wires our "Wellington correspondent). It is estimated that tho works for the present effectir. control of the river will cost £124-,000. Special legislation, with a large rating area, and a special Board of Control, are recommended. A.n era of failing prices is being experienced in San Francisco, says Mr P. J. Griffin, who returned to Wellington on Wednesday last. Hats were reduced from ten to six dollars during his visit, and all drapery lines were marked at figures that would tempt a New Zealand housewife. Eggs were Is 3d a dozen, and beef was much cheaper than in Wellington. Five cents (3d) was (he universal tram fare, and one could ride from one extremity of the city to another for that fare. It was calculated by a shrewd traveller that the maximum amount of travelling one could do,on Frisco street- cars ran to a continuous journey of four hours ! Unskilled workers received £1 a day, and motormen and tram conductors £1 10s a day. The ferry fare, across the harbour to Oaklands, seven miles distant, was lGd, but the trip included a train journey on the other side of another ten miles. Taxi fares were also very reasonable, and one could get a dinner of eight- courses for a dollar. A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that a fatal accident occurred at the Kauri Timber Company's mill in the city on the 22nd, Robt. Walker, a sawyer by occupation, being crushed between two logs, and sustaining internal injuries. He died in the hospital. Deceased was about 40 years of age. At a meeting of the executive of the (Jiago Expansion League last week is was arranged that a large and representative deputation from various societies and bodies in the city should wait on the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Acting Minister of Railways) when he is in Dunedin io press for the straightening and duplication of tho Main North Line. The prosecution of this muchneodecl and long-delayed work would absorb a. fair amount of unskilled labour and so assist in the relief of unemployment, and its completion would enable ether important works to be put in hand, such as the Leith canal and the provision of a railway siding on the Victoria wharf to make for quicker despatch of cargo. At the meeting of the Otago Education Board on Thursday morning the chairman (air J- Wallace) said he thought the board should extend its congratulations to those schools which had been successful at the recent A. and P. and horticultural shows. The Benhar and Green Island Schools deserved a great deal of praise for the very fine work which they were doing and for the admirable displays which they had made. There was a great, deal of healthy rivalrv between these two schools on account of the fact, that Mr J. M. Miller, of Green Island, had formerly been instrumental in starting Benhar on its successful career. Several of 'the other schools had also been very successful at the horticultural shows. It w s decided by the board to send letetrs of congratulation to the headmasters and committees of the various i schools concerned. N > Sv >• than 50 applications have been received ~y the Hospital Board for the posLion of bookkeeper (male) ut a salary of £2OB per annum.

At the meeting- of the Education Board on the 22nd inst. • the Hon D. T. Fleming reported briefly regarding the meeting of the Council of Education. lie dealt principally with a motion moved by him that Education Boards, when appointing pupil teachers and probationers, should give preference to candidates who had received their education at the State schools of the dominion. The motion, he said, had been discussed at some length, and was enlarged in scope, the form in which it was finally dealt with being that it be a re commendation to the Education Department to take action to ensure that all p'upils entering the teaching profession were loyal. In that form, Mr Fleming said, the motion appealed to every member of the council; at any rate, it, was passed unanimously. A kindred motion to it was one with reference to the regulation recently adopted requiring all the State schools (o salute the national flag and sing the National Anthem once every week, the council deciding to recommend that all registered schools in the dominion be required to carry out the practice. The feeling generally was that some steps should be taken to see that the foundations of the education system remained sound and remained loyal to the Empire. Mr Fleming, speaking of ihe work of the Education Council generally, pointed out that it had done good work in the. past, carrying weight with the department. The motion for the establishment of a District High School at Owaka had been carried on the condition that, there should bo no additional expense in the meantime. At the annual meeting of the English Electric Company (writes our London cor respondent on May 2) Sir C. Ellis (chairman) mentioned that its contract with the New Zealand Government for the electrification of Arthur’s Bass section of the Midland railway was proceeding satisfactorily. Relative to the labour position, the chairman said the company’s own workmen had settled down and were working hard and well. None the less, the wages rates it British eugi :*ering, and even more in the industries supplying materials, were leading to the loss of riany important contracts in world competition. If they were to extend or fully regain pre-war business, considerable reductions would be necessary in the price of those materials, and, therefore, in the cost of the whole range of processes through which they were built up from the basic materials of eoa! and iron. Ho had no doubt they would be able to meet the

crisis if both employers and workers could be assured that ihe necessary sacrifices were distributed as fairly and equitably as is humanly possible. The revival of trade would come sootier or later, and the electrical industry had an assured future be cause it was bound up in those improvements and economies in productive organisation which they all regarded as a necessary element in the future prosperity of the world. A Wellington Press Association message states that amended regulations gazetted under the Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act provide that tho annual fee for a license to keep a private magazine for the storage of explosives is as follows: —Up to 300 pounds Capacity, ss; between 300 and 2000 t omul-’ capacity, i 1; between 2000 and 10,000 pounds’ capacity, £2 2s: 10.000 pounds to 20,000 pounds’ capacity, £5- over 20,000 pounds’ capacity. £lO. An unexpected termination was brought to a honeymoon trip on Sunday 13th inst., j.ear Feiidmg. Mr and Mrs R. J). M’Cully, of Dunedin, warn motoring through to Woffington from New Plymouth, where they had spent their honeymoon, when the steering gear of their ear suddenly gave way. The car, which had just crossed the Aorangi bridge, plunged into a wire fence, breaking several stout wires and two posts, anil rolled twice over down a steep bank. Both occupants were pinned underreath. When rescued, it. was found that Mrs M’Cully was uninjured, while Air M’Cully had sustained si vend injuries, including a fracture of the right leg below the knee. He is now making very satisfactory progress. The tremendous development of the dairy industry during a period of 34 years was referred to at the National Dairy Association meeting by Mr J. G. Harkness, the icfiring secretary (wires our Palmerston N null correspondent). In 1897, he said, the total export of butter from the dominion was worth £63.406. and cheese £31.604 —a total of £145,000. This year, however, the value of produce was: Butter £6,104.000. and cheese £6.514,000 a total of £12.7-00.000. He believed that this season’s figures would show a return of £15.000.000, and one of the great features of tho industry was the large amount that had been distributed throughout the dominion in monthly cheques to suppliers. Great and all as the meat and wool trades are, they do not give back the steady return month by month aa does the dairy industry.