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Otago Witness, Issue 3514, 19 July 1921, Page 3

Feminine interest in drapery bargains was at fever heat in Wellington on Wednesday morning, when fully 2030 women assembled at a warehouse, attracted by an announcement that “£IOO,OOO worth of general drapery” would be sold in quantities to suit purchasers “at 33i to 50 per cent, below wholesale warehouse prices.” The opportunity of buying retail in a wholesale warehouse was too great to bo resisted, and women packed round the doors long before they were opened. They also lined up on the opposite pavement. When the doors opened there was a fierce and frenzied “scrum.” Tn three minutes the warehouse was considered to be full enough, and the doors were closed upon the clamorous crowd in the street. Police assisted in keeping order outside. The opening of a warehouse for all and sundry to buy was an innovation, and this accounted for tho inclusion in the spectators of many interested representatives of both tho wholesale and retail sections of the trade. Several grocery firms announce that they have decided to sell factory butter at 2s Id per lb. Where first grade butter is concerned, this means a drop of 2d or 3d per lb (wires cur Christchurch correspondent). At a recent meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board a letter was received from tho Chief Postmaster as follows: —“In connection with the mail service between Bluff and Half Moon Bay I have been instructed to inform you that after the end of this year it is not proposed to pay a subsidy for the steamer service. When, however, tenders for the performance of mail services from January 1 next are being called for shortly alternative tenders will be invited for a service between Bluff and Half Moon Bay twice weekly and weekly, no type of vessel being specified.” When the board first entered into the contract the subsidy.-was £250, which was, after some years had elapsed, increased to £3OO, and during the present year the amount was £350 at the request of the board, which had to incur additional expenditure owing to Ihe introduction of new regulations. On the motion of the chairman (Mr A. Bain) the letter was referred to the Standing Pomnjittee, a copy to be sent to the Southland League. It is understood the department has in view the employment of one of tho smaller vessels trading with the

In connection with the celebration of the anniversary of the Trinity Methodist Church on the 10th inst, the Revs. Tulloch Yuillo and M. A. Rugby Pratt exchanged pulpits. This exchange between the Trinity and Knox Church ministers recalls the fact that when Trinity Church was opened for public worship 51 years ago a similar exchange was made between the pastors of these churches, the Rev. A. It. Jfitchett and the late Rev. Dr D. M. Stuart. Mr R. Conn, of Dunedin, paid 14 visit to the Southern Alps not very long ago. Mr Conn is intimately connected with acclimatisation matters, and was naturally alert, to prospects of sport, with both rod and gun, in tho districts he visited. In trave.Using to Lake Tekajio he extended his tour to Tasman River, which he describes as teeming with quinnat salmon. 'l llO fish were not only numerous, hut some of them were of enormous size ; one that had been taken out of the water being < -tiiimted to weigh well o\er 3011>. The curl' us part of it is that the Waitaki, which comes from Lake I’ukaki, into which the Tasman empties (once famous for quinnat salmon) has not contained very many quinnat recently. It is only through t.he medium of the Waitaki River that salmon from the ocean could reach t.he Tasman River, and in order to do so they must have travelled miles upon miles of water. A.i explanation of their presence in such numbers in tho Tasman is that they may have gone up there for spawning purposes, hut it tvaa somewhat early in the season for them to have been there with that purpose,

when Mr Conn made his visit. In the course of a conversation Mr Conn also mentioned that Lake Alexandria was very full of Rainbow trout in fine condition. The Fraser River in that locality contained an enormous number of Rainbow. The Tasman is about 12 miles from Tekapo, where there is a well-equipped accommodation house, a journey to Tekapo from Dunedin having to be made by train and motor service. Mr Henry Droit has recently given to St. Peter's Anglican Church, Takapuna, a fine two-manual organ, and musicians who have heard the instrument speak enthusiastically of its beautiful tone. A transept was built to receive the organ, and this is described in the local press as a particularly fine piece of work. The transept, and organ wore dedicated by the Bishop of Auckland (Dr Averill) recently, when a large congregation was present. It is worthy of note that this is the fourth organ Mr Brett has given to the people of Auckland, the others being the splendid instrument given some years since to the city for use in the Town Hall, and the remaining two to the Choral Society (of which Mr Brett was for many years one of tho leading spirits) and to the Institute for the Blind. Duff M'Kay, roaster of the Auckland City Council’s steam trawler, was fined £lO for trawling in a prohibited area (says a Press Association telegram from Auckland). Mr J. W. Poyntori, S.M., recommended that the vessel he released to the owners on payment of £SO.

John Douglag Robertson, charged with having sold a pamphlet on Russia which encouraged violence, was fined £5 by Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., who said that although the print encouraged violence it would not cause revolution here (says an Auckland Pres 3 Association telegram). However, such must be avoided as much as possible by preventing the distribution of mental poison of that sort. Leave to appeal was granted. r l he Post Office Savings Bank now balances for the year at the end of March instead of December. On December 31 last interest was made up for 12 months, and on March 31 a further three months’ interest was computed. This is now ready for marking in the pass-books. Interest is paid at the rate of 4 per cent, up to £SOO. and at 31 per cent, from £SOO to £SOOO, and is given on every complete £1 for each month. To obtain a month’s interest this mu-t not be drawn till the first of the next month. Deposits made on the first of the month are counted for that month. Our Christchurch correspondent wires that Mr Jack Flaherty, a young attendant at the Jubilee Memorial Home at Woolston, wen a £SOOO prize in Tatter-sail's sweep. It is announced that a further sum from the Imperial War Canteen Fund is to be distributed amongst, the several dominions in proportion to the number of their men serving during the war (says the Christchurch Press). The additional dividend now announced will amount in the case of this dom inion to sometning in the neighbourhood of £30,000, thus bringing the total fund up to some £IIO,OOO. “It does not pay to have a watch repaired,” said Mr S. E. Wright, advocate for the employers, in the Arbitration Court at Auckland last week, when opposing an application by the Watchmakers’ Employees’ Union for the abolition of piecework. He stated that watch repairers in Auckland did not work on wages, but on contract, and their prices had become so exorbitant that it was more economical to buy a new watch than to have one repaired. Watch, repairers were making anything up to £lO a week, and an award for them would mean a loss.

Twenty-one identification discs, recovered from Gallipoli Peninsula, have been received by the War Graves Department of the Internal Affairs Department. Three were found on “Baby 700,” seven on “The Nee,” four on “Chunuk Bair,” and seven on “Hill 60.” In some of the cases which are represented by the discs the soldiers were reported “Killed in action: by Court of Inquiry,” and the discovery of the identification will set at rest any doubt that may have existed. The discs from “Hill 60” were recovered during the operations of concentrating the bodies interred there in a central cemetery. The discs will be forwarded to the next-of-kin of the deceased.

An Invercargill Press Association message says that two prisoners named Walter Gilligan and Frederick Robinson, who escaped from a gang working near the Borstal Institute a week a.go, and have since eluded recapture, were arrested at Centre Bush on the 12th. During their period of liberty the men are alleged to have committed a number of robberies in several townships.

The girl who was arrested at Mosgiel on the 11th was charged before Mr A. M. Motley, K.M., in the Juvenile Court on Tuesday afternoon with committing arson by wilfully setting fire to the Mosgiel District High School, was remanded till July 20, on the application of Chief Detective Bishop, to enable the police to make further inquiries. The accused is 13 years of age.

One important phase of the soldiers’ work which Lids- fair to keep the Oitago Land Board busy for some years is the assistance rendered to farmer soldiers in the way of advances for the purchase of stock and implements, improvement of the land and erection of homes; in fact, the Department is carrying on a business on the lines of the large stock companies of the dominion. No curtailment has been made in advances of this nature. The popular notion that when the Depart mem has assisted a soldier in the purchase of a farm and the stocking of it it is thereafter relieved of any further work in connection with the soldier is, of course, erroneous. Most of the soldier settlers are engaged in dealing, and as all their transactions pass through tiro hands of the Department, it will be readily understood that the volume of work is stupendous. Tho Commissioner of Crown Lands for Otago (Mr .Sadd) and the other members of the Land Board have shown that they havo the welfare of the soldier settlers thoroughly at heart, and are in every way prepared to assist them, while the various members of the staff of the Local Lands Office, from Mr Archibald (chief clerk) downwards, are always most courteous and obliging, though at times some of the soldiers might feel that there is a good deal of “system,” leading to what they regard as unnecessary delay. The ordinary office procedure must be recognised and adhered to, otherwise chaos would result, with no benefit to anyone later on. The Government, it may bo added, is prepared to go a very long way in the matter of helping the soldier on the land, and the Minister (the Hon. D. 11. Guthrie) stated when in Dunedin that some of the soldiers who had approached him had been surprised at (he liberal treatment he gave them to understand the Government was prepared to offer. A Pi ess Association telegram stales that the Christchurch Presbytery last week passed the following resolution: —“This Presbytery affirms its loyalty to the ideals embodied in the League of Nations, and recommends to all congregations within ils bounds the formation of Leagues of Nations Unions, consisting of those who pledge themselves to support the ideal cf the League of Nations, and to work for the formation of a publio opinion favourable to international peace, and appoints a committee to bring the matter before congregations.”

Two million acres of Great Britain are, in course of time, to be planted with trees and converted into fo>-v:. A pegin.ung as been made, and at Butley, in Suffolk, 2500 acres of barren land, bought a year or two ago by the F ores try Commissioners, ere now being planted. A thousand acres have already been covered, and very soon there will be two million seedling conifers planted on this site. The aim of the Forestry Commission is eventually to convert 2,000,000 acres into forest. Britain was, in olden times, famous for its forests. As the country grew civilised after the Roman invasion, many of the forests were being cut down; but with the advent of the Saxons, who were a. race of hunters, and the Normans, who also loved the chase, not only was the destruction of the forests and woods prohibited, but new forests were planted. A total of 7100 opossums were taken in tho short season during which killing was allowed this year in the Wellington district (wires our Wellington correspondent). The best season for the fur is when tho females have the young in their pouches, so their destruction involves also the killing of the young opossums. It, is feared that under these circumstances they will coon be exterminated. It is therefore suggested that the district be ches.sboavded, and that killing be limited to certain areas only, in rotation. “I think flogging would do me a world of good, as it would l>e a painful reminder of what I’ve done,” said Albert Neill (15 years), who pleaded guilty before Judge Dethridgo at the Melbourne General Sessions last week, to three charges of larceny as a bailee, and two of stealing. Neill said he did not think that the time he had already spent in Melbourne gaol had done him any good. “I have learnt from expert burglars going through how to break a lock, and the proper tools to use,” he said. “Other men going- through have told their

experiences. I would ask your Honor to order me a flogging, which would reduce my sentence. If I were detained in gaol, I think it would tend to make me more of a criminal but if I knew that every time I came back I would get a flogging, it would perhaps deter me from further offences.” His Honor, in remanding the prisoner for sentence, said he would consider the matter. The natural instinct which causes boys to throw stones was responsible for the appearance of a lad 13 years of age in the Juvenile Court, Dunedin, on tho loth before Air A. M. Mowlem, 13. M, The facts of tho case, as outlined by Sub inspector Murray, showed that on two successive mornings the boy had thrown stones at the 6.20 a.m. train from Dunedin to Mosgiel, and on each occasion he had broken a carriage window, the glass in one case cutting a man’s face, but not injuring him severely. The stones were thrown from a high bank near the Caversham Railway Station. On the third morning Constable Sehruffer secreted himself in this locality, and when the lad then in court came along he challenged him with being the author of the damage, the boy at once admitting bis guilt. The boy’s father said it was the first time he had had any trouble of this kind with his son, who was an honest, wellbehaved lad. Mr Fountain, the juvenile probation officer, said the family was a large one, and all the children were doing well. The father had already fulfilled his parental duty by administering a sound thrashing. The magistrate, after impressing upon the lad tho serious and thoughtless nature of his offence, discharged him and ordered the father to pay 25s to make good the damage. The Cathedral Committee (Wellington) has approved the establishment of a million half-crown fund in connection with the great National Memorial Military Chapel for Wellington.

A suit under the amended Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act was heard before Mr Justice Herdman on Wednesday (says a P-ess Association wire from Christchurch). The petitioner was Arthur Reginald Sutor Holloway, and the respondent Florence Ettie Holloway. Ihe petitioner was a clergyman of the Anglican Church, but at present an instructor of agriculture under the Education Board. The parties were separated seven years ago, the petit’oner allowing the wife’s application for separation and maintenance to go by default, as ho was a curate at Nelson at tbo time and wished to avoid a scandal. The allegations of crue’ty made against him by his wife were false, and he told her lawyers so at the time. His Honor commented that the magistrate must have had some grounds for granting the order, and reserved his decision. The advisability of racing clubs acting in concert in an effort to put an end to the abuse of the issue of complimentary tickets of admission to racecourses was discussed at Tuesday night’s meeting of country racing clubs (says the Dominion). It was stated that the number of ‘ dead heads” patronising meetings had grown to such dimensions as to become a serious drain on the resources of the clubs. Instances were cited where the finances of clubs that had cut down their complimentary tickets to a bare minimum. had improved all-round, both the gate receipts and the totalisator investments showing big increases. The conference passed a motion placing on record its opinion that complimentary tickets should he issued only to office-bearers, owners, and trainers. The outline of a “ movie ” comedy was (telegraphs (he Greymouth correspondent, of the Christchurch Press) contained n an incident which occurred at Totara Flat, when two swaggers paid a visit to a farmhouse, and regaled themselves with whisky, wine, and a fair-sized fruit cake, and numerous small cakes, which the farm mistress had baked that afternoon. The hungry swaggers called at the farm when those connected with it were at Ahaura. Forcing an entrance, the swaggers set to work to appease their hunger Apparently sitting on a lavishly upholstered chesterfield, they held a frying pan over the dining-room fire, and fried eggs. The chesterfield was drawn up in front of the fire. The tramps wore not discriminating in the matter of diet. W'th their eggs they had whisky and wine, fruit cake, tea cakes, and bread and butter. They paid particular attention to the whisky. When the “ inner man” was satisfied, the tramxs prepared to dfccamp. Anticipating lean days, they took from one bedroom a pillow-cover and filled it w’tli eatables. They looked oc T er some jewellery, but d d not take any. A few shillings were, however, pocketed. At this stage they were evidently disturbed and fled from the house. The farmer, on returning. saw the two negotiating the. fence, but, being of a kindly deposition, decided not to tike any action. Somewhere in the office of the Commissioner of Taxes there is a table of income taxation, which might be useful to a Government which wished to be really thorough in taxing income. It works out in such a way that with an income of £25.000 a taxpayer is assessed at 22s fid in the £. It should be explained that this tab'e was not prepared for use by the Government.— except as a shocking example. The Oommiss’oner (Mr D G. Clark) told the circumstances recently (says the Evening Post). When it was desired that there should be a graduation scheme which would not stop at £6400. new tables were prepared. For some time the tax advanced at the rate of 1-lCOth of a penny for each £ ; then the rate of advance wa-s slackened to l-2Ooth: There was considerable criticism in Parliament of this break. To enable Mr Massey to give an effective answer, the commissioner prepared a table of graduation at l-50th of a penny. The result wou'd be that the m m unfortunate enough to receive £25.000 a year would give the first genuine illustration of the illusion of riches. He would have to pay the Government over £28,000. In reply to a deputation at Balclutha yesterday, the Hon. W. Noswortiiy (Minister of Agriculture), stated that the present is not an opportune time to discuss any suggestion in regard to a State Farm in the south for breeding stock. lie promised to arrange for a number of bulls to be set aside for the South Island, but refused to agree that they should be sent forward to auction, they would be delivered in Wellington at a certain pi ice, and the purchasers would have to accept ail further responsibility. The Minister paid a tribute to the southern breeders, who had always, he said, been far ahead of their brethren in the north. The following applications for assistance weie dealt with at last week’s meeting of the i nago District Kopuuiatiun Bouid. D .si. ness Loans: Bix applications were received, oi winch three were approved ; one was iio.il over; one was referred to the Lands Department; and one was declined. Furniture (Loans: Twenty-six applications were received, of which 16 were approved; nine were declined; and one was withdrawn at applicants own request Two applications from apprentices for continuation of training were received, one of which was approved and the oilier one was held over. Subsidised Workers: Payment of withheld subsidy was approved in six cases, and further training was approved in three oases. Educational Assistance: Two applications were received and both approved. Training on Moa Seed Farm was approved in two cases. It is understood that several big blocks of land in the Ixurioi district, on the North Island Main Ir uik line, are to be placed on the market in the near future. One of 40,000 acres is largely composed of firstclass land, on which there are big crops of flax growing At present this area is held on lease, but, if the advances now being made to the Government to have the block subdivided are successful, a large number of very good holdings will be available for settlement. Another block near Waioru, of 80,000 acres, is also to be cut up into goodsizori farms. Both are suitable for returned soldiers and others with a little capital who desire to go on the land.