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Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 3

With a view to convincing the public that there are still large quantities of gold in the bed of the Kawarau, the promoters of the big scheme now being undertaken to dam the source of the river have secured a quantity of nuggets and wash recently found, which has been placed in a prominent Princes street shop window. Otic jar contains 41oz of gold, valued at £164, which was secured from the river-bed in a fortnight, by a prospector using a knife and a dish when the river was low last winter. The specimens of wash show a great deal of gold embedded in the rock. Another sample, weighing lOdwt, was secured in two hours. f Ranger Duncan reported to the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society last week that the Canadian geese had bred fairly weU again this year. One day he had counted 82 on the lake just above (lie Dingle Flat, Hawea. Approximately 50 of these were this season’s young ones. Rang’er Duncan stated that the number in this locality must now be getting near the 2CO mark. He did not think that another two years of protection would he oufi'of the way. ilie geese are at present protected, and the chairman (Mr G. W. MTntosh) said he thought the suggestion that the geese should be protected for another two years was in the right direction. A Wanganui Press Association telegram states that the Bakers’ Conference elected Mr 11. H. S. White (Dunedin) president. The next meeting is to be held in Christchurch. An invitation has been forwarded to the Commonwealth master bakers ro hold their 1924 conference in New Zealand. The delegates discussed bakehouse regulations, with Dr Makgill, representing the Health Department, with a view to framing the best regulations for the advancement of the trade, ensuring the best possible products reaching the public. During the conference many interesting papers were read on matters of importance to the trade. “For a number of years past,” said Cr Wilson at the meeting of the City Council on the 21st ult, “I have seen most of tho municipal works in progress, but I have never seen anything being carried out in such a business-like way as that which we saw at Waipori yesterday. I would like to compliment the chairman (Cr Shacklock) on the way in which the work is being done.” These remarks were endorsed by the Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas). Cr Shacklock, in acknowledging the compliment, paid a tribute to the skill of the assistant engineer (Mr Corrington), who, he said, was almost continuously on the ground.

A letter lias been received by the High Schools' Board of Governors from the Education Department announcing a new departure in connection with free places at the high schools. The letter stated that under the former regulations the holder ot a proficiency certificate could not be admitted to a free place in a high school unless he was under 15 years of age on the first December jireceding his admission to the school. Under the regulations as amended any pupil who has obtained a certificate of proficiency, but by reason of age is not equipped for a free place, may, within six months after obtaining such certificate, be admitted to a free place if he has been recommended therefor by a senior inspector of schools and takes a course of instruction that meets with the approval of the Director of Education. It is also provided that if any pilpil is in attendance at a secondary school or a district high school at the date of the coming into force of this regulation and has been debarred from holding a free place solely by reason of age he may. on receipt of a favourable report from the principal, be admitted hv the director to a junior free place during the year 1923. The London branch of the Australian Natives’ Association (says our London correspondent) has invited Australians and New Zealanders, even though not nativeborn, to join, and since this move was made there has been great accession to the membership. Many Australian natives considered that the restriction which debarred any but themselves from joining an association intended to bring Australians into closer touch and to promote Australian interests in this country, was a mistake, and they are showing much greater readiness to join the branch now that it has established itself upon a wider basis. With a much larger community upon which to draw for support, there seems every prospect that the branch will in the future better the excellent work that it has done in the past and become an organisation of increasing importance. A Wellington Press Association message states that Adolphus Lodge (20 years of age), who was at a picnic at Day’s Bay with the Education Department staff, dived off the wharf, and, striking the bottom, injured his spine. His condition is serious. Sir John Findlay, K.C., and Mr S. Solomon, K.C., will appear for Mr E. P. Leo in the Oamani election petition, which j will' como before the Chief Justice (Sir yJKebert Stout) and Mr Justice Adams.

This -week (says our London correspondent writing on December 16) the staff of the Bank of New Zealand for tbe first time held a, dinner for no other purpose than to promote good fellowship amongst themselves and their wives, families, and friends. It was held at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet street, and just short of 100 people were present. Mr Robert Mill, manager of the London branfci., was in the chair. No speeches were made, and no distinguished guests had to be toasted. After a very pleasant dinner, musical items were contributed by members of tbe staff and their friends, and everyone was pleased with the social event, - which will probably become an annual fixture. In an address at the opening of a Roman Catholic school on Sunday (states our Auckland correspondent) Bishop, Liston again dwelt on the question of Catholics and education, lie said that only last week two Catholic boys won senior national scholarships, and a third won a junior national scholarship. The boys who won senior national scholarships were placed second and third, so evidently the Catholic schools were well able to hold their own with others. The boys were entitled to free education and a money grant, but here was the point: They were Catholic boys, and naturally their parents would like them to continue their education in Catholic schools, but the State said, “No. They must.go to other schools.” “I trust that some day a man with a big heart and a fair vision, a man of the soil, born in New Zealand, will arise and sweep away this injustice,” said the bishop. “Our parents are paying education taxes, and have a right to say how the money shall be applied. For the sake of New Zealand justice should be done to us, and Christianity put into the schools of the country.” At Christchurch on Thursday John Henry Mathieson, a fireman, aged 21 years, was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment for striking a free worker at Lyttelton on January 27. He pleaded guilty. The police said the men were working on the Wahine. Mathieson came aboard drunk and struck complainant on the back of the head and kicked him as he lay unconscious. In the melee Mathieson was roughly handled. The magistrate (Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M.) said the “free men” had as much right to work as the unionists, and had served the employers and the community at a time when their service was needed.

It was decided at the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society on the 29th ult. to further consider the question of having the old regulation reintroduced under which skin brokers should be licensed to- sell opossum skins by auction. The president (Mr G. W. MTntosh) said that by some means or other the regulation had been cancelled, and the position now was that any agent had the right to sell skins. This meant that their rangers had a difficulty in obtaining details of the actual skins taken and where they had been obtained. Dunedin was really the centre of the skin market in the dominion, both opossum and rabbit. Recently some 14,000 opossum skins had been sold in Dunedin. Moreover, he had been informed by an American buyer that the condition of the Otago skins was better than those of any other part of the dominion. They should also endeavour to get the Southland Society to have its open season at the same time as it was held in Otago. Mr MTntosh said that a conference would shortly take place with the Dunedin skin brokers and member's of the society, when an attempt would be made to have the previous regulation reintroduced. Some interesting details of the work on Orongoi'ongo Tunnel were given members of the French Mission on Saturday by Mr Robert Semple when they visited the work. He said the men were working three shifts a day of eight hours each, six days a week, each shift consisting of five men. They had already pierced some 3300 feet from the Wellington end of the tunnel and 1250 feet from the Orongorongo end; and, if everything went well, they should complete the tunnel by Christmas time, or, at latest, by Easier, 1924. They were working on a 49-foot “face”—7ft in height by 7ft wide; and he pointed out that they were laying the big water-main as they went along, utilisirig it in the meantime as a ventilating shaft for the tunnel. The tunnel was 800 feet above sea-level, so that they would be able to pipe the water direct without any pumping to the highest reservoirs in the city area. The hill towered at- the' highest point 1800 feet above the tunnel. A month or two ago they had pierced 280 feet of hard rock in the month, thus beating the New Zealand and Australian records by some 34 feet; and the tunnel also had a very fortunate record as regards accidents. So far the only accident had been one in which a man had lost the top joint of one finger; whereas at the Mangahao Tunnel, through very similar country, eight men had been killed in about the same period, one blinded, and two seriously injured—the last two since Christmas. The cable reports of the new treatment of diabetes discovered in Toronto have brought to light the fact that the preparation is already in use at Adelaide University (writes our Sydney correspondent). Professor Brailsford Robertson, of Adelaide University, has been for some time past conducting experiments with the preparation, which has been extracted at the university laboratories from the pancreas of animals. A cable message was sent to Professor MT.eod, of Toronto, who is probably the world’s leading authority on diabetes, seeking permission to make the preparation here. He replied giving details of the method under the guarantee that it would not be used commercially. The specific was originally discovered by Dr Branting in Professor M'Leod’s laboratory. It is not proposed to make the preparation on a- large scale here, but merely sufficient to continue the experiments until a supply becomes available through the commonwealth serum laboratories. The principal librarian of the Public Libraries of New South Wales (Mr W. H. Ifould) will shortly leave for France for the special purpose of examining French documents relating to the earliest periods of Australian history (writes our Sydney correspondent). Although there is no definite historical -evidence to substantiate it, there is an old suspicion that the Government of Napoleon had in view the formation of a colony in Australia. Professor Scott, of Melbourne, has asserted that the infant settlement on the shores of Port Jackson was not entirely free from danger during the Napoleonic wars, and he added that the great French leader was supplied with precise information as to how an attack upon Sydney could be made, with excellent prospects of success. It is related that when the French colony Mauritius was languishing' for lack of supplies in 1810, Napoleon specifically directed the Governorgeneral of the colony to take Port Jackson (Sydney), “where considerable resource*, will be found.” At that time, however, Mauritius was closely blockaded by a British squadron, and the Governor-general could not hold his own, much less send an expedition to capture Port Jackson. Uter visiting France, Mr Ifould will go to London, where he will inspect the. original journal written by Captain Cook during his first voyage, which is to be sold by auction in March. There is a strong feeling that no effort should h" spared to secure this immensely interesting journal for Australia. It is claimed that by coordinate effort between the State, the Commonwealth, and the rich citizens, it would be easily possible for it to be brought to the country. A new theatrical enterprise, the Hugh J. Ward Proprietary, Ltd., has recently been registered in Melbourne with a capital of £500,000. The governing directors are Sir Benjamin Fuller, Mr Hugh J. Ward, and Mr John Fuller, jim. All the productions to be presented by the new company will be brought to New Zealand in their entirety and on exactly the same scale as staged in Australia. An extensive building programme for New Zealand is projected. It is rumoured (says a, Wellington Press Association message) that oversea meat interests are contemplating the purchase of freezing works in the dominion. On being approached on this question, the chairman of the New Zealand Meat- Producers’ Board (Mr David Jones) stated that the board had had this matter under consideration for some time. It had decided to do everything in its power to discountenance any such purchase or erection of works in tiro dominion.

The “tall” stories told in London over 20 years ago by Louis de Rougemont about his having ridden turtles in the waters -of Northern Australia have received unexpected support from a minister who has spent many years in the north (writes our Sydney correspondent). The Rev. F. W. Siade, administrator of the diocese of Carpentaria, who is now in Sydney on holiday, apparently is not disposed to discredit all that de Rougemont said. Mr Slade says that he has seen natives racing turtles He adds: “Dugotig fishing is most exciting, and requires high skill. A native stands on the jibboom of his boat, balanced on his feet, and wielding a long, heavy spear, with a harpoon. A second man dives, ever and grabs the rope as it is paying out. The dugong swims away under water, pulling the native with him. When the dugong comes up to breathe, the native comes up too, and shortens the rope until he can get a loop around the creature’s tail. With its tail held out of the water the dugong drowns itself. The turtle is hunted by diving overboard on its back. Like the dugong it immediately dives, anck the native has to hold on till it comes up again to breathe. When the turtle reaches the surface, other natives are ready with a rope to haul it on board. Yes, I have seen the natives riding turtles on shore for play, but when hunting' the turtle ashore they have to overturn it or they lose it,” A meeting of racing cyclists, cycle manufacturers, athletes, and the general public was held on the Ist, Mr W, 11. Matthews occupying the chair. There were 13 present. The chairman said that the conveners of the meeting were desirous of forming an athletic and cycling club, and on his motion a . club was formed to be called the Dunedin Athletic and Cycling Club. Mr Matthews said that it was proposed to apply for affiliation with (he New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union. It was decided to call a further meeting for the purpose of electing office-bearers. » . -M. .. .MBs, - •• L*-.-

Melbourne police are feeling some concern at the unrestricted sale of methylated spirits to persons, of the vagrant type who drink large quantities of the spirit in preference to ordinary liquor. The police say that methylated spirit drinking has assumed alarming proportions in the slum areas of the city in the last few months, and that a large proportion of the habitual drunkards who are locked up are victims of the depraved habit, On a night last week (writes our Sydney correspondent on January 24) three plain-clothes constables saw a group of five men and women sitting in the gardens at Victoria Parade. East Melbourne, drinking from a billy-can, which was handed round. On investigation, the constables found that “a party” was in progress, and that those present were drinking methylated spirits, which had been mixed with water from a tap close by. The men were in a dazed condition, and the women appeared to be stupid with cheap liquor. Constables on duty in the city watch-house say that it is not an uncommon occurrence for bottles of methylated spirits to ee found in possession of persons locked up for drunkenness. The victims are found by the police stretched out in the parks and gardens about the city in a comatose condition, and are often thought 1o be dead. The explanation of the growing prevalency of the evil offered by the police is that methylated spirits is much cheaper than liquor. Once the taste for methylated spirits is acquired, the degenerate can find satisfaction in nothing else. In response to a number of requests, Cr Tapley lias definitely decided to offer himself as a candidate for the mayoralty of Dunedin. There was an excess of births and deaths and a falling off in marriages in Dunedin for January as compared \tith the figures for January of last year. The figures (thos9 for last year being given in parentheses) were:—Births, 155 (142); deaths, 8o (60); marriages, 41 (58).

Our Roxburgh correspondent writes that 47 tons of fruit were railed from Beaumont on the 27th, making a total of 461 tons for the week. At 0.25 on Wednesday morning a sharp earthquake was felt throughout the Auckland district (says a Press Association message). The first shake awakened sleepers and rattled windows, and was followed by a series of slight tremors. So far no damage is reported. The recent stormy weather has had considerable effect on the orchards of the Auckland district, and many of the crops that were ripening have been substantially reduced (wires our Auckland correspondent). Excessive rain has also induced brown rot in nectarines, and this fruit is now coming on to the market freely. A resident of Stewart Island states that very fine weather has been experienced on the island this season. In fact, it is the best summer for several years past. Visitors have enjoyed the settled weather and sunshine. Evidently they have told their friends about it, for the number of visitors has been larger than usual, “and still they come.’’ A Wellington Press Association message states that the following Otago candidates passed in Geology at the University examination for B.A. and B.Sc. :—C. E. Evans, A. V. Fleet, H. E. Fyfe, T. C. Hewitt, J. M'Cluggage, F. Sanderson, E. Service, S. W. Strong. The following passed in Botany:—Elsie Sooon, Margaret R. Turnbull, Enid White. The rainfall registered at Oturehua for the month of January was 5.14 inches (writes our correspondent). Rain fell on 21 days. This is the wettest month recorded here with the exception of January, 1919, when there were 14 wet days and 8.36 inches of rain. Reduced postal and telegraph charges, and a new scale of toll fees for the use of telephones, came into operation on Thursday. The main features of the new rates, as far as the general public is concerned, are the reduction of ordinary letter postage from 2d to newspapers from Id to jd, and in telegrams from Is to 9d for 12 words. A Press Association wire from Auckland says a charge of counterfeiting a rubber stamp authorised by law to be used in the Money Order and Pest Office Savings Bankat Newton was preferred against two young men (brothers) at the City Police Court yesterday. They pleaded not guilty. The case arose out of statements recently made by a young married woman, who pleaded guilty to a number of charges in connection with the illegal withdrawals of moneys belonging to her husband from the Post Office Savings Bank. To accomplish this she had rubber stamps made by defendants. Counsel urged that the purchase was made by the woman in the ordinary way of business. He referred to the good characters and reputation of the defendants, who were only 14 and 16 respectively, when the alleged offence occurred. Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., said he was satisfied that no judge or jury would convict. Apparently the defendants acted in good faith. The information would be dismissed, and the names of the defendants suppressed. A conference of representatives of the Church of England, Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Roman Catholic churches, held recently in Melbourne, aims at greater tolerance among the younger members of the various churches (writes our Sydney correspondent). They decided that a more tolerant spirit would be fostered by bringing the young people together on the field of sport, and as a result of the conference it was unanimously decided to form an organisation, to be oalled the “Associated Churches’ Tennis Council.’’ The douneil will arrange and manage an annual competition of inter-church tennis matches for a shield, which has been offered, to be- presented to the champion team winning the final match, to be held on an appropriate date—when sectarian bitterness is at its height—the 17th of March. Referring to the matter in a letter i-o the delegates’ meeting, Archbishop Lees expressed himself very much in favour of the movement. It was claiihed at the conference that as the Davis Cup had served as an instrument of good will promoting amity among nations, s'o would the Church Cup promote a better understanding among the members of the churches and tend to do away with the narrow bigotry that made for sectarian intolerance and its attendant danger to national development.