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Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 3

The Board of Agriculture has informed Mr Hugh Mitchell, secretary of the Otago branch of the banners* T nion, that regulations are already in force that will prevent any tick-info ted cattle being shipped from the Xort.n to the South Island. The department is satisfied that the inspection of cattle now being made before any leave tne North Island is quire sufficient to prevent the spread of the tick into the South le’and. _ A well-known sheep-farmer informs era that it will he absolutely useless to seek funds for unemployment relief in the countiy oist: lets so long as a large body of workers continue to ho ordered by their leaders to refuse work estimated by the Arbitration Court to amount to an average wage of £5 16s 6d per week, and to hold' up a great and aheudy distressed industry for mere money than that. The wage accorded by the court to 'he .Shearers’' Union is itself far more than the industry 1 can afford, but the farmers intend to loyally provide it if they can. The shearers’ are ordered to demand still more, and to stop the industry til! they get it—notwithstanding * bat skilled shearers can easily make £2 per working day even at. the award rate. This manifestation by Labour leaders of reckless ill-will and greed, as the farmers at kn-t regard it, will, in’ our informant’s opinion, cause any demand in the rural district for unemployment relief to be regarded with actual derision. Tt will merely be providing strike funds to kill the farmers’ own businesses, and encourage those who are seizing the moment of the farmers' hardest st niggle to hurl threats of ruin at their heads. As the result of an effort to raise a, further £2CO, which, with the £BSO already raised, would complete the erection of the local fallen soldiers’ memorial, a bazaar, with sports, was held in Alexandra on Friday and Saturday, 23rd and 24th, and iesuited in the sum aimed at being doubled, £4OO being realised from all sources (wires our Alexandra correspondent). The base of the memorial is already erected, and now awaits the arrival of the marble column and sculptured Anzac. When completed the memorial will be a striking and worthy tribute to the memory of the" local fallen soldiers. The district traffic manager, New Zealand Bail ways, Invercargill, has informed the Minister for the district, Mr J. Horn, that it is not proposed to run week-end excursions to Queenstown next summer while the existing conditions prevail (write* our Queenstown correspondent). The general manager says that “ the loss of revenue from the ordinary passengers and the increased expenditure is not compensated for in the large reductions in the fares.” « The summer week-end excursions were always well patronised before the war, and there is every probability of their being largely availed of if run next tourist season. Queenstown people do not intend to let the matter rest, and it la hoped to enlist the good offices of the Dunedin Expansion League in furthering the request.

A Press Associate ram from the Thames says that a meeting of gold producers derided i > petition Parliament for compensation for los- on gold sales during the war. It was slat, d that gold had to be s..',j to the lam,- In Mew Zealand »1 £4 per mm. ■ ut , f whieh Is 6d war tax and threepence p,-r ounee insurance was paid dins _ Id wa- late- sold in London up to £,o 5= and the nr ent price "a £1 15s. , In moving the adoption of the executive’s j repent to tie- genet;:! ii- et it;.- of merabeis { of the 11... hi, 11.-turn - <1 Hold ’ Asso-ia-tio'l l:e-r ••••k. lit- < eon • /.Vie !;. I*. Jones) said that the club was only just paying its way at the present time The Id hard loom was doing fairly well, but the canteen was not b;ing used much as it ought to be. The committee had the idea of extending

the club’s activities, and with this end in view was making more iuter-eiub arrangements. lie thought members should speak more about: the club; it was an institution of which they ought to bo thoroughly proud, and only the other day a visitor who had seen he clubs in other centres stated emphatically that the Dunedin Club v.as easily the best. A member rose and suggested that tin committee might oonj -tiler the granting of tickets to tie- wives, 1 mol her.-, and si-in., of n • dues to make j use of the canteen hi * lie afternoon, and la moved a recornmendai ion in that direction. The motion was opposed on the g round that it was not desirable that, womenfolk should have (he use of tile premises unattended. as that would destroy the principle of too men's club, but on being put to the meeting the motion was carried

A well-attended meeting was held in the Kttrick School on the 24th ult. to consider he file I 'light menace. Crs Bennetts and U’Donald were present by invitation, and txplained matters in connection with leeiaring hawthorn a noxious weed. It vas pointed out that hawthorn was the nain factor in the breeding and spread of his dreaded disease. All those present vho have hawthorn on their properties veto willing and eager to remove these ledges. It was pointed out that if the ledges were removed it would give a good ivc-milo zone. The action of the Tuariekit Council in turning down Cr Bennetts’ notion declaring hawthorn a noxious weed vas very severely criticised, and the folowing resolution was c-anied unanimously : That this meeting of orchardists regrets the action of the Tuapeka Count. Council in rejecting Or Bennetts’ motion declaring hawthorn a noxious weed. The meeting is in a position to judge the very serious nature of this dreaded disease (fire blight), and desires to use every means to try and keep it out of our district. It, trusts that j when the matter is again before the council it will be more favourably dealt with. If the fire blight gets a hold in the district if means ruination to the residents. The meeting would point out that it does not wish to inflict any hardship on anyone in dealing with the pest. All the members wish to do is to protect themselves. The meeting would point out that in a'l the orchard districts hawthorn is being declared a noxious weed.” The Dominion Executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association passed the following resolution (states a Wellington Press Association telegram) : —“ That wo adopt the red poppy as the memorial flower in memory of the fallen of the Allies, and that a sub-committee be' authorised to work out details and choose a suitable day.” The suggestion was brought forward by Colonel Moiratt, who is visiting New Zealand on behalf of the French Committee which was responsible for adopting the poppy of the Flanders fields as the French emblem. It was also adopted by the returned soldiers in England, the United States, and Canada as their national emblem. Replicas of the flowers are coming to New Zealand, and probably they will b 9 worn on Armistice or Anznc Day. Surprise at the price of land in Southland was expressed (wires our own correspondent) by Captain F. Colbeck, vice-presi-dent of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, in the course of an interview with a Southland Times reporter. Captain Colbeck belongs to Morrinsville, where, he says, land that brings from £3O to £4O hero would fetch from £BO to £IOO in his district. At least, that is his impression after a brief visit to Southland. In addition, he pointed out that contrary to the opinion that seemed prevalent in the south, it was as necessary to grow winter feed in the Waikato as elsewhere. Captain Colbeck was also greatly impressed by Southland’s good roads and railway facilities. “If 1 were a younger man I should be inclined to buy land down here,” he concluded. “ At present it must be clearly proved to the Pensions Board that the disabled soldier cannot properly support his wife before a pension is granted to the wife of a disabled soldier,” states a report of the Nov/ Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. ” Hero is a specific case. A soldier, who was a farmer before the war, was wounded in the leg, and had to have it amputated. Ho is at present receiving a permanent pension of £6 18s 8d a month, but is unable to resume his pre-war occupation. During the last six months he earned about £ll. - and, in order to live, his wife applied for a pension, claiming that her husband's pension, plus his earnings, were insufficient to keep them. After I consideration of the ease, the Pensions Board declined to grant her a pension, ; because the members considered that the | soldier was potentially capable of supporti ing his wife.” [ Samoa will shortly have its own national | postage stamps. A very tasteful design i lor the new stamps has been made in Lon- ! dor, to the order of the New Zealand Govj eminent. The slump depicts a .Samoan | l'ale (or wharo as we would call it in New Zealand) with two coroanut palms in the background and a representation of the j British Royal Standard in the foreground ! of the Pale. The new issue of stamps, each j denomination of which will have its parj ticular colour, will probably be in circulaI lation towards the end of the present year. The partiality of judges for light senI tenees on criminals continues, to cause ! surprise (writes the Sydney correspondent j of the Melbourne Argus). A young man of I the North Coast was inclined to a “flash” i kind of life, and imitated the screen cow- | boy. Presumably, he had some difference j with un acquaintance. He went to the other's residence carrying a gun. W hen ! lie came away the other man was dead. A jury still that it was manslaughter, j though appearances wore not that way. ! J! c justice Ferguson seemed not to fully | agree, but after some remarks sentenced ! the man to two years’ imprisonment. lr S ordinary circumstances he will be out it j about 18 months. if he has the special 1 luck that seems to be enjoyed by some Ihe inav be out much earlier. It wouli seem that human life is but lightly valued New South Wales may come to lie- ra i guided as one of the safest places for t ; “gun man.” When the late Mr John Craig wadrowned at Mussel Beach in 1918, the era ployces of the Marlborough Timber Com jru'iv approached the directors with tin suggestion that the name of the sett lemon should In' changed from Mussel Beach b Port Craig, as a permanent memento o i ;l ie manager, and since then the mil lii-iti 'i have been known as l’ot Craig. At ill Magistral Court. Laurence die hill, Donald M'M.illan, license ~f tlf Rim's Jim lion llolel, was fined £ for failing to notify the Clerk of the Court Bahlutha, of i' ? consignment of a case o liquor ordered from and sent by dofendan : into the no-licenso district of Chitlin o I July 29 last.

Another obsolete British war vessel F to be broken up. and it has a quaint history attached to it (writes the South African correspondent of the Christchurch Press). The old torpedo boat 0-29, built in 1886, came out to South Africa _ during the Boer war, but had no real active ser vice till the great war 12 years later. The German steamer Ilamm was on the Cape coast when England declared war in August 1914. The 0-29 was in Simon’s Bay will a sister torpedo boat of the same age aru size. An enterprising officer got togethei a few man and a number of boys, dress ■ them in uniforms, armed them with ok rifles, and put out to intercept: the Hamm The skipper of the merchantman was ealbu upon to surrender, and seeing in front o him a- demonstration of apparently snmi force, he promptly did so, So the s -■ war service of 0-29 had it- humor, us a well as its useful side. The Belgian Government (-ays a Welling i ton Press Association telegram) has askei J the New Zealand Government to convey t the Associated Pre-s of New Zealand ai ! invitation to appoint a delegate to attorn a conference to be hold at Brussels o October 9, 1921. in order to promote th creation of tt new International Union of th World’s Press. In a coveting letter, th Belgian Consul says that apparently th only hope for nomination of a New Zealan delegate will be to appoint by cablegram representative in two,don. The Governor-General. Lord Jellicoo spoke in happy mood while opening ill annual art exhibition of the New Zealan Academy of Fine Arts at Wellington o I Friday evening. “I am told.’ he sail "and I believe it to be true, that thus i the best exhibition of pictures ever show in New Zealand. What, Auckland, Chris i church, and Dunedin might have to sa upon the point 1 do not know, but whe

I am told so in Wel ing to n by W eilingtonians. 1 have to believe it. (Laughter.) Bo 1 start off by saying that it is the best exhibition of pictures ever held in New Zealand..—(Laughter.) I have not had the opportunity of seeing the shows in other centres, so 1 agree with you entirely. 1 dipped into the Encyclopaedia Britannic a to-day to see whether I could find anything' about art that would help me tonight. All I could find was the definition of an artist: ‘One who took more pleasure than other people in things he himself is producing.’—(Laughter.) It is nice to know that an artist derives so much pleasure from his own work. I don’t think members of Parliament- derive so much pleasure from their work, as there are lots of people to tell them that they arc iiut pleased.- (Laughter.) But artists were not 'so much criticised as politicians. Artist* , must lie happy penph- to derive so much ! pleasure from their work, and they hate the additional gratification of giving others I great pleasure. As the Encyclopaedia Britanmea helped me no further, 1 have very great pleasure in declaring the exhibition open.”—(Applause.) Goliath, the huge bullock which was im--1 ported from New Zealand, and which has attracted so much interest in the agricultural world, is to bo exhibited in a marquee at the Royal Show (says the Mi 1I. iwi ne Argus). At the Byduey Royal Showover 60,000 people paid to see this immense beast-, whieli boast of the £< llowing gigantio proportions: Heigh:, 19 hands; gilt a, 14 feet; width across back, 4ft; weight, 37001 b. Goliath and another huge bullock, Samson, are to be taken on a tour through South Africa, America, and finally through | England, where Goliath is to be handed j over to the Imperial Government for exhij bit ion purposes at the London Zoological ' Gardens.

At Rangiora. on the 27th Robert. Hanna, charged with having caused the death of Robert Binnie through negligent driving of a horso and gig and thereby committing manslaughter, was (says a Christchurch Press Association message) committed for trial, bail being allowed. It is apparently not too well known that it is a serious offence for anyone to cut or destroy timber growing upon a scenic reserve, and a oaso heard before Mr Lovvey, S.M., at Lawrence on the 26th, should act as a warning to settlers in the vicinity of these reserves. In February last, W. Spillane, a Tuapeka West farmer, required some fencing material and sent his man to the Blackelfcugh to obtain it. The incident came under the cognisance of the Lands Department, which entered a claim against Spiliane for £6 for wilfully cutting timber on the Blackcleugh scenic reserve, Mr Moore (instructed by Mr F. B. Adams, Crown Prosecutor, Dunedin) stated when the case was called that it had been arranged between the parties that judgment should be enteied for £2, the department merely wishing the present case to act as a warning. In future cases, however, no such concession would to granted. Mr F. O. Bridgeman, acting Consular Agent for France, is advised that the French war-sloop Aldelran is to arrive at Dunedin on or about the 16th p-rox. from Akaroa. At a meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association last, week, Mr R. P. Jones drew attention to a statement made by Miss llendeison at the conference of the W.C.T.U. that 16,000 men had returned to New Zealand from active service infected with venereal disease. Mr Jones said he had been in charge of Quarantine Island for a year or two, and the highest number they had had there was 110. For several months it was down to 30. Going by New Zealand’s experience he felt that Miss Henderson’s statement must be tremendously exaggerated, unless, she was counting every man who had reported to a doctor at any time. The chairman (Mr J. M‘Crae) said lie had information which rather bore out the appalling state of affairs, but he would not like to give it in open meeting. It was decided to write to the dominion executive asking that body to ascertain the true facts of the position. The Marlborough Timber Company built a school at Port Craig in 1919 to accommodate 30 children, and it opened with a membership of seven (says the Southland News). In order to ensure a first grade teacher being appointed, the company subsidised the salary for a higher grade school. At tile present time there uie 30 pupils, whilst seven more children are not provided for, and it is essential that a new school should be built. The Education Department j as, in reply to the company's request fer a new school, proposed that the latter should build it and the department pay rent for it. After the company’s- very generous effort to look after the employees’ children, the directors feel that the department’s attitude is not a fair one, as education in New Zealand is a national matter, and the Government should provide school accommodation. A sportsman writing to the Otago Acclimatisation Society from Galloway on the 12th in~t. gives hie experience of the destructiveness of hawks. He states that in iiis opinion the destruction of hawks will mean a big increase in the game in liis locality, as he has frequently seen hawks taking wild ducks’ eggs and ducklings up to the time the ducklings are a fortnight old, when they are sullicienfiy grown to quickly take cover on approaching danger. Ho mentions that this month lie has lost two grown Indian Runner duoke through hawks, us well as a large number of duck and goose eggs. If a duck or a goose leaves its nest to search for food the hawks, which are numerous, swoop down upon the nest, and eat some of the eggs, and usually hang about until the ikst is emptied. He cannot explain how the hawks manage to break the shell of the goose egg, but they do so. He has noticed broken egg shells on the ground away from tne nest, and suggests that the hawk files up with the egg and drops it. It then conies down and takes its repast. Last year, he says, a Paradise duck had a clutch ot 10 young ducks in a jjoiiu at the roadside, with shelter along tne edge of the pond. A pair of hawks were always hovering about the pond, and every day the clutch suffered a diminution, until at the end of a week a friend informed him that the parent had not one duckling left. She was standing on the edge of the pond minus her family. Early this month (says a Wellington Press Association telegram) notification was made by the Board of Trade that limited quantities of fowl wheat would bo allowed, to be imported into the dominion, provided that certain conditions were conformed to. ’lne board has considered the applications received, and has granted to most of the leading firms in the dominion permits to import limited quantities. Thu board has now decided that no more permits will bo recommended for the present. The heir to the dukedom of Portland is working in an estate agent’s London office, learning the methods of estate management. “Now that my elder soil has left the army, he has got his nose to t.ho grindstone,” said the Duke of Portland to his tenants at Welbeck Abbey, when explaining the absence of the Marquis of 'Litchfield from the celebrations of the coming-of-age of his brother—Lord Francis Cavendish-Bentinck. Marquis of Litchfield, is 28. lie married in 1915 the Hon. Ivy Gordon-Lennox, niece of the Duke of Richmond and Gordon. lie served 12 years in the Royal Horso Guards. At last week’s meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board a Jet for was received from Dr Blackmoro, calling attention to the foot that immigrants are arriving from London suffering from tuberculosis (says a Press Association telegram from Christchurch). The secretary reported that a complaint had been forwarded to the De-

partment of Health calling attention to the apparent laxity at either the port of embarkation or on arrival in New Zealand. Mrg Herbert said something should be done to cope with this menace. People with T.B. were coming to New Zealand because they believed the climate hero was good for the treatment of the disease. It was decided that a deputation should discuss the matter with the Minister of Public Health. The secretary said that a letter from the Under-Secretary of Immigration stated that in only one of the cases complained of had the person come to New Zealand as an assisted immigrant. This person (a woman) had been in possession of a medical certificate issued in London, saying that her health was satisfactory. More inquiries would be made on the subject. At the rheeting of the City Council last week, Cr Wilson, chairman of the Water Committee, reported that, knowing the Railway Department had a great store of 40ib rails on hand, the committee had approached the Government for the loan or sale of some of these, but had been refused on the ground that they could not be made available owing to the necessity of reserving the stocks in hand for railway extension work. It seemed extraordinary that such a refusal should come from the Government at a time when local bodies were being pressed to absorb all the labour possible. The Railway Department had no occasion for file rails at present. Our Wellington correspondent wires that Mr J. Edie, M.P. (Bruce) last week asked the Minister of Public Works what was the position in regard to the survey of the railway routes to Tuapeka Mouth. He asked especially regarding the trial route from near Lovells Flat up Stoney Creek. - The Hon. ,1. G. Coates, in reply, referred to the railway from Stirling and Lovells Flat, and said that the plans would soon bo ready for the department, which would f-hoose the best route. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that ah last week's meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. Mrs Herbert moved that the board urges the Government to make provision for sanatorium treatment for undesirable consumptives. the term undesirable meaning- persons of ill-repute, drunkards, etc., who have no regard for their own health, and are a menace to the community. Mrs Herbert related a number of cases of consumptives who would not stay in a sanatorium, but lived in their own homes under insanitary condition? without proper health precautions, and in such a fashion as to make themselves a danger to the community. The prevalence of such cases, she declared, could be demonstrated beyond any possible uoubt. There was cnlv one remedy: to provide a home where consumptives who would not live in a proper way could be detained. Dr Fenwick seconded the motion. nil's Herbert, he said, had not spoiien any too strongly. Compulsion was necessary to deal with such cases. She had mentioned that what the community needed was a “lock hospital” for consumptives of this class. It was useless to talk about individual liberty while such people were allowed to go about- infecting others. Such a. measure bore directly on the welfare of the coining generations. The motion was carried u nanimously. In reply to a question in the House, put by Air T. E. Seddon. the (Minister of Ala'rine (the lion. D. H. Guthrie) said it was decided Inst year to discontinue calling at the. West Coast bays as the Hineiuoa’s time was fully occupied in departmental work (wires our Wellington correspondent). There was a local vessel, subsidised by the Lands Department, to call at all the places «s far south as Jackson’s Bay. In the circumstances it was considered that this vessel should have the work, especially as the running expenses of the Liinemoa and the cost of delays at ihe various bays greatly exceeded the freight earned. The owner of the local vessel also protested against, the Government competing with him in the trade. As far as Okuru was concerned, this place has not for many years been a port of call for the liinemoa, except in one or two special circumstances, and it was not considered advisable that the Government should incur the considerable expense of providing that a Government vessel should call there. A resident of Hyde narrowly missed the destruction of his motor car last week (writes our Middlemarch correspondent). On a journey to Middlemarch, the driver and a friend became aware cf a smell of burning, and looking back discovered the Hood to bo in a blaze. Before it was extinguished the hood was useless and the spare wheel was destroyed by the flames which came dangerously near to the petrol tank. Earlier in the day the car had stood near the Ilyde railway station, and it is surmised that a spark from the engine had alighted on the hood and smouldered till the motion of the car later fanned it into flame. Neither of the occupants of the car had been smoking. In the House of Representatives on the 29th Dr Thacker (Christchurch) referred to the statement made in the speech of the Acting-Minister of Finance that the Hon. •J. G. Coates had been one of the most ruthless in regard to retrenchment in the Postal Department (wires our Wellington correspondent). Dr Thacker said one instance of his action had come under his (T.)r Thacker’s notice) of one of the girlsm the Christchurch Post Office, who was away on sick leave, and received notice on September 22 that her services were dispensed with, and that, she was to be paid up to the 15th of the month—a week before she got the notice He asked if it was a fair deal to givo a girl on sick leave such a notice. It was not, he said, fair that the very lowest girl in the department should he treated in such a manner. The Hon. Mr Coates said he would be glad if Dr Thacker would put his question on the Order Paper.— Dr Thacker: No, I won’t do that; i'll givo you this letter.—Mr Coates: I would prefer that the lion, member place his question on the Order Paper. Dr Thacker said ho would hand the letter to the Minister. —Mr Coates: All right, either way.

Our .Wellington correspondent wires that 17 dental employees who have practical experience in dentistry for from five to about 20 years have petitioned Parliament praying for legislation of such a nature as will enable any person with experience in practical dentistry, extending over a prescribed period, to qualify for registration after submitting to a proper test by examination or otherwise. Passengers in one of the carriages of the slow train from here to oama.ru on Monday, 26th ult., had a lucky escape from injury or death that they are not likely to forget. Two youths were handling a rifle on the carriage platform, when it suddenly went off, and the bullet traversed the length of the carriage, fortunately without striking anyone. Such incidents—more may yet be heard of this one —serve to make abundantly evident the need for a piece of legislation as the Arms Act. On Tuesday, 27th ult., Mr Hamil, South Island miners’ delegate, addressed a meeting of miners at Kaitangata and placed the owners’ terms of negotiations, which the new Federation Executive lias provisionally agreed to, before the men. The terms are that local agreements on a basis of throe districts—viz., South Island, West Coast, and North Island, be entered into with the federation representatives present at the round table, matters not agreed upon thereafter to be placed before the Conciliation Commissioner, and, failing a decision by him, to be further referred tp the Arbitration Court. It is understood that the terms have been agreed to by the Shag Point, Green Island, Taratu, and Kaitangata men. Mr J. A. McCullough was renominated for election to the Arbitration Court by the Kaitangata miners. The South Island miners have now accepted the principle of arbitration, thus reversing previous recent decisions. * A Wellington Press Association telegram says that a northern paper publishes alleged details of a settlement of the coal mines dispute, but officials of the Employers’ Federation state it is premature, that no settlement is yet arrived at, and that publication is likely to prejudice the chances of reaching a settlement. They have nothing to publish. The new generating turbine in the borough electrical power house, trebling the capacity of the plant, was formally taken over by the corporation from the contractors, the National Electric Company, on Thursday, when an appropriate ceremony was held (says a Press Association telegram from Invercargill). The Mayor (Air J. Lillierap) said the growth of the electrical department- had been remarkable. Starting in 1913 with a plant generating 112,000 units, the revenue being £-990, the outputlast financial year was 1,771,000 units, and the revenue £19,882. The new turbine cost £2-3,000, and would enable the plant to meet the borough’s requirements for some time. When started the machine took the whole load, including the tramways.