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Otago Witness, Issue 3673, 5 August 1924, Page 44

The erection of buildings in connection with the Waipiata. Sanatorium is now nearing completion, and it is evident that the contractor (Mr W. M'Lellan, of Dunedin) is going to have the whole of idle buildings ready for occupation at an early date. The present building programme consists of the erection of (1) female dormitory of 20 beds; (2) central kitchen, diet pavilion, and patients’ dining rooms; (3) laundry; (4) nurses’ home; and (5) medical superintendent’s residence. These buildings are built with concrete foundations and brick walls, roofed with slate, and situated as they are on the high plateau overlooking the Maniototo Plain, they present a very fine outlook for the patients and staff. The representatives of the eight South Island Hospital Boards that have combined for the erection of this much-needed joint institution, paid a visit of inspection on Wednesday last, and, under 'die guidance of Mr E. li. Wii son (architect) and Mr M'Lellan (builder) they were very much impressed with the substantial, well-finished nature of the whole work. The nurses’ home, patients’ pavilion, kitchen block, and laundry will be completed in a few weeks’ time, and the medical superintendent’s residence some time later. The medical superintendent (Dr Kidd), with the assistance of the staff and male patients, has planted a large number of shelter trees, and, with the favourable season experienced, they seem to be all doing well, and in a few years will make a very fine shelter belt, improving greatly the appearance of the grounds. At present the committee is using the old wooden shelters that were erected by DrByres when he conducted the place as a private sanatorium. All the available beds at present are occupied, and the majority of patients seem to be making very good progress. The mental hospital at Hokitika, which was strongly condemned by Archbishop Julius, after he visited it a few years ago, has since had much money spent on it, and the Archbishop recently found that it had been transformed from an institution hardly fit for cattle into a well-built, wellequipped place. The beautiful buildings added to it give ample scope for classification of patients and for other improvements. The old gaol, which is used as part of the mental hospital, and which has almost indescribably gloomy associations, will be removed soon, and the cold and forbidding stockade that surrounds the gaol will be destroyed.

I lie Otago Harbour Board has appointed the chairman (Mr D. Larnach) and Messrs Loudon, Moller, and Cable to represent it at- the meeting of the Harbour Boards’ Association, which will take place in Wellington on August 14. The whole question of the constitution of the Harbour Board will come up for consideration. The Otago Board is opposed to representatives ; being appointed by small groups, and holds that all members of the board should be ] elected by popular vote. His Honor Mr Justice S'rin, sitting in chambers in Wellington, has granted probate in the following deceased estates : Margaret Braun (Dunedin), William Toogood (Kaikorai), Lena Harris (South Dunedin), Jan© Bowler (Roslyn), Mary ltob’o (Dunedin), Margaret Landle Tompkins (Dunedin). Letters of administration were granted in connection with the following deceased estates: —Mary Agnes Drvsdale cst. Kiida) and James Symon (Dunedin). Dredge 222 and the Vulcan dredge, after a thorough overhaul, started work again on Thursday in first-class condition. Dredge 222 has started in the channel by Ravensbcurne, and the Vulcan began again pumping sand into Logan Park. Although the park may appear to some to be very close to the proper level, yet it is estimated that it will take till Christmas time to complete the necessary filling in. No doubt the Harbour Board will then take steps to reclaim the part round about Pelichet Bay, and if it is not- brought r>p to the final level it will at least be no longer an eyesore to the large number of people that will visit Logan Park during the currency of the Exhibition. It is to be hoped that the board, profiting by previous mistakes, will on this occasion see through to a finish the work it takes in hand. What is probably a record for a long life j spent- in Auckland has been ended by the death, at the advanced age of 86, of Mrs Mary Cooke, who died on Thursday at. hex - residence, Ponsonby (states our Auckland correspondent). Mrs Cooke has spent about 84 years in Auckland. She was the younger daughter of the late Mr Benjamin • Dittos, and was born at Durham in 1838, and, with her parents, arrived at Auckland iu 1840 in the sailing ship James. Her brother, the late Rev. W. Gittos, was for over 50 years a missionary in the Kaipara district, and was well known in the. Maori mission field. Mrs G. W. Mail- was her sister. At the time the family arrived at Auckland the only habitation of any description was a raupo store depot on the beach, situated on the site of present Short land Street Post Office, the rest of the district being covered by dense titri j bush. Upon arrival the family went to I the Flokianga Mission Station, but returned j to Auckland shortly afterwards. There j they made their permanent home, and since j then Mrs Cooke practically spent her life l in Auckland. Under the existing law it has been difficult in the past to say where a "joy ride” ended and where larceny began (remarks our Sydney correspondent), and whether, if a car were taken away and abandoned at the end of a convivial outing, the plea could be successfully raised that there was no intention of stealing the car. Much to the satisfaction of motoi-ists, however, Judge Edwards, at the Sydney Quarter Sessions, has definitely settled the question by sentencing a man to 18 months’ Imprisonment for the offence. The joy ride in this instance, according to the Crown, had a somewhat tragic sequel. Not only was the car damaged, in overturning, but several of the passengers were injured, one so severely that she was in hospital for several months. This sentence ought to help to put down a practice that has become something of a nightmare to motorists, especially those with valuable cars. To miss their cars suddenly, later >.o find them lying somewftere smashed up, and then to witness the joy-riders escaping conviction, owing to the failure to prove intent to steal, has made them wonder whether the law is not something of an ass. A very old landmark in the shape of ! the oldest, house in High street, No. 187, j which is situated opposite the end of Clark street, was sold by auction fe-*- removal i on Friday by Messrs Park, Reynolds (Ltd.). | The house was eventually knocked down to Mr J. P. Hoare for £77. Another Sydney girl, Miss Ethel Osborn, is to be launched upon the world of song, under the win* of Dame Nellie Melba, who thinks that she has the foundations for a. brilliant operatic career. The diva has given £IOO in the hope that others will follow her lead and provide the money, about £ISOO, necessary for the launching of the young singer under suitable conditions. Dame Melba has also arranged for Miss Osborn to be present at all the remaining performances during the opera season, and to receive special coaching from Signor Schiavoni, one of me conductors of the company. To hear Melba, by the way, in “La Boheme,” for instance (says our Sydney correspondent), is to be convinced that she still lias to pass many milestones before she slips away into obscurity. Her voice to-day still has all the sweetness of a bell, all the purity of the notes of the thrush. Even on the fifth production of “La Boheme,” the crowd content to stand at the back of the dress circle was as great as those seated. Melba was unquestionably the draw. The local office of the Labour Department reported on Wednesday that a further batch of 55 men were being sent to Tnrras, 50 of whom would leave for the works on Thursday, and the remainder next. week. Since the department received instructions from the Public Works Department to send men, it has found employment for S2, 80 of whom have been placed at Tarras and 12 at Chatto Creek. There are still a number seeking work, but as no more men can be taken on at Tarras or Chatto Creek they are still on the waiting list. The secretary of the Otago Labour Council (Mr I/. I'. Evans) stated that he had applied for 20 labourers to work on the Exhibition grounds. Apart from this, the position as far as he was concerned was much the same.

Has the horse had its day ? The question was raised the other evening at the Mount Eden Borough Council meeting (says the New Zealand Herald), when Mr G. L. Taylor expressed the view that the time was coming when horses would be quite off the roads, and therefore the council would be wrong to worry about horses. Tne matter came before the council by way of a suggestion from the Auckland and Suburban General Carriers’ Association that local bodies, when planning’ new roads, should endeavour to find a method of affording a footing for horses. Air Taylor said lie did not think the council should alter its plans in any way. The tendency now was to consider motor vehicles only. Horses were quite a nuisance on the road. That view did not pass entirely without challenge, for Mr Newcomb said that the carriers using horses should have equal consideration with the motor carriers. It was agreed to consider the matter when the roads were completed. T n the strange anatomical make-up of Sydney Dcolev, a packer, of Bankstown, in the Sydney metropolitan area, the heart is on the light side. In fact, as in the case of a New Zealand boy (says our Syd ney correspondent), whose story was related recently, there is said to be a general transposition anatomically. When the world was convulsed by the war. the heart of Sydney Doo'ey proved not only to be on the right side, but in the right place. He enlisted. One doctor said it looked as though he had two hearts. Anyway, he was passed for service, but on another examination he was passed out as medically unfit, and was put on home service. He is now something of a curiosity alike for doctors and students. Dooley says that his health has always been good; that he has done all kinds of manual work, and that he always has a splendid appetite, and eats like a horse. So it looks as though one can pass comfortably through the world whether his heart is on the left side or the right. Ten years ago yesterday Britain entered the greatest war in the history of mankind by ranging herself on the side of France and Belgium against Germany. For more than four years a great part of the world was convulsed by the ensuing conflict, and it cannot be said yet to have recovered from the tremendous upheaval to which it was subjected. The case in which the Crown is claiming £SOO each from Distributors (Ltd.) and a number of fioiinniiling firms and companies is attracting considerable attention. The case is set down for hearing at the sittings of the Supreme Court which open in Dunedin to-day. It is likely to occupy five, or six days, and will not be taken until Mr Justice Sim’s return from the Invercargill sittings of the Supreme Court. The date tentatively fixed is September 10. One of the strongest bars ever engaged in Dunedin will be employed, and will include Messrs S. Solomon, K.C., C. P. Skerrett, K.C. (Wellington), and AI. Myers, K.C. (Wellington) for the defendants, and Air F. B. Adams (Crown Prosecutor) for the Crown. In addition there will be a small army of junior co.unsel. The question of the establishment of a dental school in Auckland was discussed by the Auckland Hospital Board at its last meeting (says the New Zealand Herald). The chairman. Mr W. Wallace, said the University College Council hacl approached the beard on the matter, and the board gave its co-operation. A committee had been appointed by the Minister of Health to take evidence on dental education in the dominion. There was, however, no intention of taking evidence in Auckland until pressure was brought to bear by the University College Council and the board. The committee’s report was written before the Auckland evidence was taken, and subsequently had to be rewritten. That report had been rejected by the Afinister. They should protest against the Minister's action. Auckland was net going to beg; it was going to demand. The members of the committee were alarmed at the lack of clinical material for dental Students in Dunedin, but admitted the surplus in Auckland. The hoard now had two lady dentists on the hospital staff. If there were facilities for ,dental training in Auckland 20 students would come forward each year. The hospital had started with one dental chair; there were now seven, and it could do with 10. He moved that a most emphatic protest be made against the attitude of the Aiinister in connection with dental education in Auckland. Mr M. J. Covle seconded the motion, which was carried. On the motion of Air J. Rowe it was agreed that the University College Council be communicated with, so that further joint action could be taken for calling a public meeting to discuss the matter. Professor Adams (says a cablegram from Sydney), who met with a mishap a few days ago, will resume his lectures today. The Lyttelton Times states that Professor Adams has been selected to give the first Wilding lecture in Christchurch. A sum of £IOO was given by Mrs F. Wilding to Canterbury College to endow a lectureship in memory of her children, Mr Anthony Wilding and Miss Gladys Wilding. The conditions are that the lectures should be given biennially, and should be on some important topic relating to women in education or society, or to the physical aspects of education and social life. The New Zealand Education Department has arranged with Professor Adams, who is about to visit New Zealand, to give two lectures on education in each centre. One of his Christchurch lectures will be the first lecture under Mrs Wilding's endowment. He is expected in Christchurch about August 20 and later to come to Dunedin. Professor Adams has held the chair of education at the University of London since 1902. He has been lecturer on education at Glasgow University, president of the Educational Institute of Scotland, and principal of the London Day Training College.