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Otago Witness, Issue 3611, 29 May 1923, Page 40

At the Magistrate’s Court, Waikcuaiti, on Wednesday, the following persons were convicted and fined for failing to clear noxious weeds on their property:—Patriok Toomey (Waikouaiti), £l and costs; Archibald W. Douglas (Waikouaiti), £l, and costs. Inspector Ingram (Palmerston) appeared on behalf of the department. A Press Association message from Hokitika says:—A whirlwind passed over portion of the town on Friday morning. Some damage was done to the racecourse buildings, the whole roofing of the totalisator house being lifted in the air and smashed to pieces. Other damage was done. A Christchurch Press Association message stales that Kaikoura will be cut off byroad from Christchurch for at least three weeks, and meanwhile coastal vessels are uanble to work Kaikoura owing to heavy seas. A Wellington Press Association message says : —The Society for the Protection of Women and Children publishes a lengthy statement with reference to the statement made by the Bishop of Auckland, in which women are urged to continue to agitate for the raising of the ago of consent. The statement says the society has steadily endeavoured for over 20 years to induce Parliament to raise the age to 18. The society appeals to older members of the dominion, especially the members of Parliament of both Houses, to agree to the request. Regarding the diminishing birthrate, which the society regards as a most regrettable fact in the life of the dominion, an appeal is made to the men of the country to join with the society in insisting upon the institution of a large and adequate housing scheme so that children may be brought up in decency, cleanliness, and health. The statement concludes: The society is greatly in sympathy with the efforts of the congress to establish a better state of morals throughout Christendom, and is of opinion that if a combined force of both men and women were formed—as women hold so few positions of power or importance in the dominion —that more might be accomplished. They therefore would welcome an appeal to those who do hold high and responsible positions for reforms which have been worked for by women for so many years without success. Our Wellington correspondent wires that W anganui’s reputation for the growing of high-grade stock hag been further emphasised by the exportation this week of six Friesian cows. These have been sent to South Australia by Mr John Donald, of Westmere, and a Hereford bull calf has been consigned to South Australia by Mr G. F Moore, of Kai Iwi. The Mercantile Gazette gives particulars of the rates of interest paid by borrowers for loans of comparatively small amounts. Farmers are paying from 5 per cent, (to his Majesty the King) to 8 per cent, as a general rule ; but there are cases of as high as TO per cent., and even 15 per cent, to a farmers’ co-operative association. A settler is paying 9 per cent, on live stock and chattels. Billiard saloon keepers and taxi proprietors appear to pay round about 10 per cent, for their accommodation, but private owners 7 per cent, to 8 per cent, secured on their cars. A woodworker is paying per cent., secured on machinery, for a loan of under £SO. For loans made on the security of household furniture and utensils and musical instruments, the rate appears to be from 7g per cent, to 8 per cent The weather inland continues to be quite unseasonable (reports our Cromwell correspondent). So far there has been very little frost, but considerable rainfall, particularly during last week. A heavy fall set in late on Thursday evening, and has continued fairly steady, with no signs at present of clearing, and the conditions are cold and unsettled. The Taieri County Council decided on Friday to erect a temporary footbridge over the gap at Bush’s Creek, Brighton. This was one of the gaps caused by the flood, and it has been necessary for passengers to alight from conveyances on one side, cross the gap, and join other conveyances on the other side. The repairing of the gap will be costly, so the council has decided to erect only a temporary footbridge meantime. This will at least make crossing much easier. After a week’s fine weather in South Otago heavy north-east rain commenced again on Friday.

Speaking at the (Jlutha Valley Show, Mr J. Edie, M.P., who officially opened the exhibition, said that he considered the quality equal to anything seen in the Dunedin W inter Show. He had a great interest in the Ciutha Valley district, and referred to his surveying there in 1874, when the district was practically covered with manuka. He said a wonderful change had been effected by the cutting up of the big estates, and it was an object lesson as to what could be done. It was better for the country as a whole, and he ventured to say that the present holdings would in time be still further broken up, and the production increased. He considered the countryequal to anything in New Zealand. Referring to the railway up the liver he said that Mr Massey' had promised to visit the district in February last, but February was past, and no visit, and they would not be Incely to have that visit. However, they should keep the railway in view, and strive for its construction. As for motor traffic he did not think the motor lorry was in it with a railway, as if the county had to keep up the roads in the way a railway had to be kept up they would not last a month.

The memorial erected by the Roxeurgn district to commemorate those who served in the Great War was publicly unveueu on last Ihursday afternoon in the presence of a large attendance of the public. A procession consisting of members of the Returned Soldiers’ Association and school children, headed by the band, marched to the site of t-Tie monument, which is erected on a commanding point in the Recreation Reserve overlooking the town. Here a large crowd had already assembled. The Mayor (Mr J. L. Rooney), in a few introductory remarks, opened the proceedings, and called upon the Rev. Mr Walker, who conducted the religious part of the ceremony, to engage in prayer. Appropriate speeches were made by Mr James Horn, M.P., the Rev. Mr Fordyce, the Rev. Mr Walker, and Mr John Bennetts, the unveiling being performed by Mr R. M. Smith, who lost two sons at the front. Led by the band, two hymns were sung by those assembled, the proceedings terminating with the National Anthem. A large number of floral emblems were subsequently placed around the h-ase of the monument. The memorial is in the form of an obelisk in granite, surmounted on a concrete base of three steps, the whole being enclosed in a plain pipe railing w:th concrete pillars. The work was carried out by Thomson and Co., of Dunedin. Twelve bankruptcies were notified in the latest issue of the New Zealand Gazette. Of these, 10 (involving 11 persons) were in the North Island. At the broadcasting station of the British Electric Lighting and Engineering Company on Sunday Mr F. ,T. O’Neill experimented with a Sunday programme. A fire occurred in the Victoria Theatre, Devonport, (Auckland), on Friday night, when rubbish in the store room under tiie operating-box became ignited (says a Press Association wire from Auckland). The theatre filled with smoke, and the audience became alarmed; but the manager reassured them, and the orchestra continued playing. Considerable damage was done in the store room, although the brigade'easilyextinguished the flames. While some residents of St. Kilda were strolling along the Ocean Beach on Sunday aftornoon their attention was attracted by what looked like a log. One of their number ventured into the water and discovered the object to be a fine specimen of a frostfish, which, on being hauled ashore was estimated to have measured Bft long and to have weighed close on 1001 b. A number of spectators were attracted, and the fish was soon cut up and carried away. One of the fortunate finders afterwards expressed the opinion that the fish made prime eating. The centenary of the first marriage solemnised in New Zealand will fall on June 25 (wires our Auckland correspondent). The wedding took place in the mission house at Mata Hui, tire present site of the Marsden Cross in the Bay of Islands on June 23, 1823. 'Hie parties were Mr Philip Tapsell, first mate of the ship Asp, and a Maori woman of high birth named Maria Ringa, sometimes spelt and pronounced Dinga. The ceremony was performed according to the Church of England form by the Rev. Thomas Kendall. Shortly after their marriage Mr and Mrs Tapsell left the Bay of Islands, and removed to the Bay of Plenty. A number of their descendants are now residing there. Mrs Tapsell was a sister of the chief Waikato, who visited England in company with Hongi and Mr Kendall. It has hitherto been supposed that the first baptism of a native took place on September 14, 1825, when an old Maori named Christian Rangi, was received into the Church in the presence of Archdeacon Henry Williams and the Rev. Richard Davis. However, according to the marriage record of Mr and Mrs Tapsell, the latter was baptised by Mr Kendall. It, is stated that the baptismal certificate still exists. The contention that the veterans of the Soilth African War are entitled to the same privileges as are made available under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act to those who took part in the recent war was submitted to the Prime Minister by a deputation from the South African War Veterans’ Association (wires our Auckland correspondent). Mr Massey said he had hoped to be able to do something for these men, but there seemed to be no end to the calls arising out of the recent, war. He could not ask Parliament to alter the law to bring them under the Act just yet, but he thought that if practical men applied for Crown sections up for selection the necessary arrangements could be made to meet them. The first application under section 2 of “The Arbitration Amendment Act, 1922,” will shortly be heard in Wellington, the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners having cited over 20CO employers in a demand for a dominion award for i~ period of two years.

For a considerable time New Zealand orchardists have been seeking a more satisfactory method of storing apples for export, as the present system on board steamers docs not guarantee that the consignments reach London in first-class con dition owing to the fact, that air docs not circulate right round each case of fruit. Mr F. Barton, of Port (. halmers, has invented a method of storing apples which has been very favourably commented upon by a number of Otago orchardists and some of the local shipping companies. The new method consists of attaching wooden studs (3in by lin on the ton side and on one end of every case of apples, which permits of a free circulation of air right round each case. In the system in use at present the cases are placed in tiers of four, and on every fourth tier is placed a runner, which means a considerable loss of space over the the whole ship, as compared with Mr Barton’s scheme, which requires no dunnage at all. A considerable advantage of the new system is the fact that when the cases are fitted with the studs they can be run straight from die ruck into the vessel's holds without any waste of time 0 r labour. Also, each case gets tbe same amount of air. Air Barton intends exhibiting his system at the Winter Show, when orchardists will have an opportunity of examining the new scheme for themselves.

“I have lived over two years in New Zealand, but instead of being now famil.ar with your railway system, I become each day more and more bewildered,” remarked an Australian who has made his home in Auckland (states the Star). “Yesterday, for instance, I took a return ticket from Greenlane to Papatoetce. The first-class fare was 3s 2d for a journey of six miles each way. On my expressing astonishment at this exorbitant charge, I was informed that it was cheaper to travel from Auckland to Papatcetoe, though t-he distance was so much greater—about 11 miles instead of six. I verified this statement at the central station, when I was informed that the first-class return fare to Papatoetoe w&o 2s Bd, or 6d less than from Greenlane, while the second-class fare was Is 9d, or 7d less than from Greenlane. Now, on this basis of computation, I should be able to go from Auckland to i m ini'ton for about a shilling, and to Taumarunui for nothing—and they would pay me to travel on thentrains to Wellington. 1 wonder would they? I was told by the railway people that their funny fare system was designed to encourage people to live in the country But my opinion is that they will not encourage anyone to live at Papatoetoe, even if they give free fares, so long as it takes their snail-trains over three-quarters of an hour to cover the short distance of 11 miles. Papatoetoe is a lovely place, and would be a populous and charming suburb, with reasonable communication, but time is distance ; and 45 minutes and more to cover 11 miles is too much distance. Any boy on a bike would beat it.” “I do not think unemployment will be as severe as it was last winter.- said the lion. G. J. Anderson, and in any case I consider it is the dutv of the public and local bodies to do their part toward relieving it. It is their duty to help in the matter as well as it is the duty of the Government (says a Press Association message from Wellington). Mr Anderson who is Minister of Labour, says that, taking the country as a whole, unemployment is not worse than that unusually experienced at this time of the year, ami he quoted the official figures. On May 21, 1921, there were 1134 on the books of the department. On May 20, 1922, the number was 1557. On May 19 of this year it was 767. In Auckland on the 19th of bliis month the number was 242, Wellington 212, Christchurch 125, Dunedin 18. The figures at other important towns ranged from 41 at Invercargill to 2 at Masterton. Every endeavour will be made all over the country to place people on public works or in private employ. If any private employer can assist in tbe matter the Alinister hoped he will do so. I have made arrangements with all post offices to take the names of workers needing employment and people needing workers. .The post offices will endeavour to put applicants in touch with the people they want to see. The most difficult people to place are those who are not fit for heavy work. If members of the general public can absorb any of them on light work they will be doing sometilling that will be of real assistance. “Fines are of no use, but in this case I cannot impose imprisonment.” said Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., in dealing with Frederick Howard, who appeared on a charge of publicly exhibiting a double chart on two races at Takapuna (says a Press Association message from Auckland). The police stater! that accused, a waterside worker, had been remanded for sentence, pending Supreme Court proceedings. Accused was acquitted in that court on a charge of bookmaking. Accused was fined £2O, the maximum penalty. A barman named Frank Kelly was fined £l9 on eaoh of two charges of having made bets at totalisator odds in an hotel bar. The defence was that accused accepted money on behalf of a bookmaker, and was not himself following that occupation. Commenting on the fact that it was possible to make bets in an open bar, Mr Poynton said this virtually constitutes a common gaming house. He found accused guilty of betting and agreeing to pay totalisatoi odds