Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 3

The last sheet of the order paper had been turned over, and the 10 worthy burgesses who guide the destinies of the Borough of Devonport settled back contentedly in their chairs (says the Auckland Star). Pipes were lit, and a crossfire of good-natured chaff began to cross the table. The Mayor (Mr T. Lamont), who had only just returned from Dunedin, was humorously asked if he had profited by his experiences amongst the “canny chiels” of the New Zealand Edinburgh and in reply his Worship brought the house down with an account of an incident that befell him on the steamer trip across Cook Strait. “It was a beautiful night,” said Mr Lamont. •and I stayed late on deck. Finally, when I got down to my cabin, I was confronted by a shrewd-looking old fellow in his shirttail, who gruffly inquired my business. On being told that. I was going to sleep in the top bunk, ho replied with an unmistakeable burr that ‘he thocht he was going to hae it to himself.’ Suddenly, ho looked at me suspiciously and asked: “Are ye frae Auckland?” and I said I was. ‘Wee! I’m frae Dunedin,* he observed with emphasis. and he reached over to where his trousers wore hanging and pulled out his wallet, which he promptly placed under hi- pillow, with the remark: ‘And that’ll be a’rielit there, wbatsomever.’ ”

At the last meeting of the Aechmatisa tion Society there was much discussion whother tar would mix with water It will bo recalled that a short time ago a large number of fish were found poisoned in the Leith. On investigating tho matter the society discovered that the poison had entered the stream from a storm water channel, and on analysis of the water in tho vicinity sliowod the presence of a common disinfectant. On attempting to account for this large amount of disinfectant it was discovered that a tar container used by the City Corporation had been set on fire and a ’argo quantity had boiled over, finding its way into the drain. A heavy fall of rain had washed tho tar into tho Leith, and the supposition now i 9 that tho solution of the tar in the waters of the Leith caused the poisoning.

“Since I have assumed the office of Minister of Health I have been impressed more and more as the result of my visits to hospitals and sanitoria with tl value of what the doctors describe as ‘preventive medicine.’ That term embraces education in health, for knowledge is a big safeguard, but my department realises that it? work does not finish with education in health. In establishing dental clinics it realises what a potent factor are bad teeth in predisposing a child to disease.” This is what the Hon. J. A. Young told a deputation representing a groim of schools in tho northern portion of Christchurch, which asked for the establishment of a dental clinic at the Papanui School The Minister was sympathetic, but he was unable to make a definite promise, for he stated ho was handicapped by the limited number of dental nurses uncfer his control.

A function, which if not important to those attending, should at least be so to the principal participant when ho is o!d enough to appreciate the event, took place > at the Batchelor Home, Forth street, last week. The chairman of the Otago Hospital Board (Mr W. E. S. Knight), Mrs MacDonald, and Mr Keisenberg (secretary of the Hospital Boards Association of New Zealand), Mrs Keisenberg, and the secretary, attended the hospital, and, in the presence of the matron and staff, presented a cup to Master James Simpson, who was born on February 15, and was the 3000th birth in the institution.

On Sunday week last at the Palmerston Presbyterian Church a memorial window to the memory of the late James Arkle was unveiled by Mrs William C. Arkle. The window, which is of Gothic design, was made at Fraser’s Art Glass Works, Dunedin, and is a beautiful piece of work and a great ornament to the church. The Rev. R. A. Chisholm dedicated the window, and, on behalf of the congregation, thanked the family of the late James Arkle for their generous gift.

“Few farmers have any idea of the value of their own labour,” said Mr R. G. Ridling, agricultural instructor, when speaking on production costs at a meeting of the committee of the Taranaki A. and P. Society. When questioned regarding the amount they had allowed for their own labour, Mr Ridling said, many farmers admitted that they had allowed nothing and inquired how much the. should allow. In Mr Ridling’s opinion, a farmer was really worth the wages paid to the manager of a big business in town. “It is regretted that no satisfactory reply is yet forthcoming in response to the request that prison pay in the case of wife-deserters should commence from the date of sentence,” states the annual report of the Hospital Boards Association. “At present, under regulations governing the crediting of wages to prisoners, ere is not power to allot any money during the first three months o i the term imposed. Wife-deseition as a cause of distress necessitating outdoor relief is of growing importance, and the. st urged by the association means a good deal to the boards. The question of prison pay was stated recently to be still under consideration, and it is hoped that further representations of the executive will be successful.”

Standing dejectedly in the dock of the Magistrate’s Court in Wellington the other afternoon (says the Evening Post), Mon Youei Fat, a youthful-locking Chinaman, required the services of an interpreter before he was able to understand that he was being charged with stowing-away on tho R.M.S. Tahiti at Papeete. Then he nodded hi? head to signify his guilt. “Ask him why he wanted to come to New Zealand,” said Mr E. Page, S.M. Fat burst into a flood of voluble Chinese when the question, was put to him. “He say he want to go back to China,” remarked the interpreter at length “Me think he wrong in the brain.—(Laughter.) lie t,xy he no money, no parents. Perhaps we raise money to send him hack to China.” “You mean you will raise a subscription to help him?” asked tho Magistrate. “Yes,” was the reply. “Well, see what you ean do. Wo will hold him in custody until the Tahiti sails,” said liis Worship, “and if the money has not been raised he will have to go back to Papeete ” “All right,” assented the interpreter cheerfully. “Good-bye.”— (Laughter.)

Our Wellington correspondent reports that it is expected that Mr M. J. Mack, gonoral secretary of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, will retire on superannuation towards the o ’ of this yoar. The Finance Act passed last session contained a clause enabling the general secretary oi the A.S.R.S. to take advantage of the superannuation provisions of the Railways Act. Certain conditions are laid down under which the superannuation is payable, but tho Order-in-Counci! governing the grant is subject to revocation if tho A S.R.S. cease work on strike, or if tho general secrotary shall bo guilty of misconduct which, if ho had been n member of the deportment, would, in tho opinion of tho Minister of Railways, have justified his dismissal from tho service.

A striking illustration of the value of scientific research in its relation to industry was given by Sir Frank Heath at the reception tendered him by the Exhibition directors. He said that in Perth. Western Australia—a State with a population of some 300,000 poople, only 100,000 of whom were working—a man had kept a small confectionery business. He was a patrot. and when the war had started he had decided to give over hi? place for the manufacture of munitions. He had gone to one of the universities had had asked for the assistance of a scientist. Th« university gave him the best man it had. \fter the war the confectioner had asked the scientist if he thought he could do anything to keep him in the manufacture of chocolates and sweets. The scientist said he would try, and not long after lie came to the confectioner and said, '‘Why do yon import flavourings and essences?” The confectioner replied, ' c Woll, you see what you can do yourself.” "fhe scientist began to make those flavourings and essences, and with considerable success, and he. was led t.o the study of the essential oils of flowers. He had succeeded in isolating the scent of an Australian flowor and of fixing it, and to-day that essence was going into the markets of tho world at £6 per 911 nee. Not content with that tho scientist looked around, and focussed his attention on the roots and stump? of sandal wood, and from them he had manufactured sandalwood oil, which was so much hotter than mysol oil that it had actually driven mysol from the market. And they should remember that mysol appeared in tho British Pharmaecepia n? the standard oil.

At the Supreme Court on Wednesday his Honor Mr Justice Sim, sitting in Banco, granted decrees absolute in connection with the following divorce cruses in which decrees nisi had previously been granted —James H. Mitchell .'Mr A. C. Hanlon) v. Jane M‘K. Mitchell fMr A. G. Neill): Thomas A. Milner fMr Hanlon) v. Elizabeth Milner; Violot Arbor Barclay fMr J. B. Callan) v. Robert Lyons Barclay (Mr Hanlon). An exhibit which will he the subject of much conjecture by visitors to H.M.A.S. Sydney during tho vessel’s sfay in Dunedin is a crumpled piece of cabin arrnehair mounted on on oaken shield on the aftor deck. It was explained that tiie buckled .stool plate bad been taken from the lieutenant’s cabin after the battle off the Cocos Islands when a projectile fired from the Emden perforated the.cabin wall in which It had boon held without exploding.

A remarkable instance ot the manner in which wireless is bringing widely separated countries into communication is afforded by an incident which occurred on Wednesday evening last at the residence of Mr E. A. Shrimpton, the retiring chief telegraph engineer, at Rongotai terrace (reports the Wellington Evening Tost). Mr Shrimpton picked up message from an army wireless officer on duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.A., who intimated that he wished to get into touch with Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and the Philippines, particularly the Philippines. Mr Shrimpton immediately replied, and was heard just as clearly at the other end a. he heard from Kansas. The wireless officer sent a message, that lie “did not think New Zealand got out so far,” whereupon Mr Shrimpton surprised him with the information that he linked up by wireless with European countries nearly every night. Tho Kansas operator then explained that he particularly desired to get into communication with the U.S.A. army wireless section in the Philippines, which so far had not answered him. Mr Shrimpton promised to see what he could do. He got into touch with the Philippines almost immediately, told them to listen for \Vl]C.(Fort Leavenworth), and a few minutes later heard them talking together. The communications were conducted om a wave-length of 35.5 metres. His Honor Mr Justice Sim. sitting in Chambers on Tuesday, granted probate in connection with the following deceased estates Richard Hall, Anderson’s Bay (Mr W. L. Moore); Eleanor Agnes Wontner. Dunedin (Mr W. L. Moore); Isabella Agnes Smith, Dunedin /Mr A. C. Stephens); and John Arthur, Dunedin (Mr F. B. Adams). Our Cromwell correspondent reports that the work of reticulating the town for eloctric power is well advanced, and in about a month’s* time Cromwell should be linked up.

Two defendants were convicted in the Magistrate’s Court at Milton last week on charges of failing to destroy rabbits on their property. W. J. Wards, of Glenore, was fined £3 and costs (59), and Mrs A. Stainger, of Woihola, wo« fined £5, and costs (£1 la). Mr H. A. Johnston appeared for the Department of Agrioulture. Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M. upied tho bench. The postal authorities advise that New Zealand mails which were despatched from Auckland by the R.M.S. Niagara on January 19 for tho United Kingdom, via Vancouver, arrived in liOnckm on Fobruary 20.

At the last meeting of the Dunedin City Council By-law No. 18 was amended in tho direction of deleting section 20 and inserting in lieu thoreof the following“ln every carriage the owner thereof shall cause to be fixed in a conspicuous position to the approval of the inspector a card printed in legible characters setting out any table of fares, both by time and distouce, that ha? been duly prescribed in terms of this by-law for the particular class ot carriage to which the license of the same refers, together with a statement showing the number of passengers such carriage is licensed to carry.” Several minor alterations were also made in other sections of this by-law. the mover being Cr Sincock.

Sir Frank Heath stated at the reception given to him by the directors of the Exhibition that but for Faraday, who had discovered the essential principles of dynamos and motors, the electrical industry could never have come into existence When Faraday had shown his discovery to an English statesman of the time he had asked.

What is the use of that?” and the great scientist had replied, “Sir, what is the use of a baby ? Some day you will bo able to tax it.’’—(Laughter.) Well, the Minister could tax the electrical industry to-day, but it had taken 80 years before the work done in the laboratory found .n; practical ex tension, because there was no systematic attempt # to use the work of the scientist, and to study how hi.? results could be adapted to the needs of humanity. Sir Frank went on to relate how closely the Germans followed the work of their scientists and how quickly they made use of it. On Tuesday morning a demonstration was 'live,l at Hillside v\ orkshope of the capabilities of a paint-spraying machine by the representative of an American firm which manufactures these article?. The apparatus is very simple, compact, and portable and consists of a 10-gallon container fitted with an air-tight lid, three tubes, three pressure gauges, an air filter, and ar adjustable delivery nozzle. Filtered, purified air at a pressure ot 101 b to the square inch is applied to the paint in the container, and the paint is driven along a tube to the delivery nozzle, where it i? atomized by purified air at a pressure of 601 b. It is claimed that this machine will do as much painting a.s six good journeymen, and certainly the quality of the work is excellent..

Tho war honours won by ships in his Majesty’s fleet arc emblazoned under the scroll, “Fear God and Honour the King,” and H.M.A.S. Sydney’s victory over the German raider Emden is perpetuated by the significant words “S.M.B. Emden” on the after deck The words “S.M.S.” will give visitors to the warship many guesses before, they strike the correct meaning. Even the officer* of the ship have no authentic asked on Wednesday, “What do the words asked yesterday. “What do the words ‘S.M.S.’ stand for?” Commander Norris replied that they probably meant “Supreme Majesty’s Ship.” Beer is not primarily brewed to ’■'e thrown away, and when Ronald Kelly, barman at the Shamrock Hotel, tossed the dregs of a glass of beer out of an upstairs window, he little thought that the matter would have a sequel (reports the Wellington Evening Post) Unfortunately for Kelly, die beer splashed the dress of a woman who was on the pavement below, and on Friday last at the Magistrate’s Court Kelly was charged with, that, he “did throw certain matter, to wit, a glass of beer on Molesworth street.” The Magistrate (Mr E. Page) same to the conclusion that the barman’? act did not come within the section, and, at any rate, he did not consider it a case in which a penalty should be imposed. If the woman’s dress had been damaged, then she had a civil claim. Hi? Worship dismissed the information.

The Cook Islands Department has decided to place tho Hinemoa unreservedly at tho disposal of the Norfolk Island tourist trade for at least a season, and arrangements have been made to convert a large portion of the ship into comfortable cabins and lounges, besides providing th: travelling public with an excellent opportunity of visiting Norfolk Island (reports our Auckland correspondent). Tho new itinerary of the Hinemoa i.« expected to prove of considerable benefit to the islanders themselves in enabling them to ship a fair cargo of island produce to New Zealand on each return voyage to Auckland. For a long time Norfolk Island has been faced with the problem of marketing her produce. Australia, ~Th ioh is responsible for the administration of the island, makes little call on the local planters, and th'' steamshin service between Sydney and the island is inadequate for trade requirements. “Tt is to New Zealand.” remarked an official, “that the Norfolk Islanders look for their salvation, and it was with the object of finding a steady market for their produce in the Dominion that they built the schooner Resolution, which arrived at Auckland on her maiden voyage on February 11.

Reference to his father’s faith in the future of the Waikato district was made by the Governor-General at the reception in his honour a Hamilton on Tuesday last (repoi*ts our Auckland correspondent). His Excellency said that 52 year 3 aero his father passed through Hamilton, which was then in its infancy. For many years afterwards his father -'oke in glowing ten of the future of the Waikato, and nothing would shake hi? belief in its ultimate prosperity. Ho acquired n large block of land, which he held for many years, and he pi ’ all his money into the venture, hut finally he was

compelled (.» part with it. iusfc before the tide turned and prosperity began. It may bo interesting to many residents of the Donfrinion, especially the younger generation, to know that Otago Harbour was known os Port Daniel in the early days of tho province. When tho very early settlers came to this country Lyttelton was known as Port Cooper, and Wellington as Port Nicholson.

The will of the late Mr R. M. M‘Kinnon, of Invercargill, provides for a yearly prize of £SO for an essay written in New Zealand on an agricultural subject, and also for assistance for agricultural societies in Southland.

The officer in charge of the local Department of Labour, who is also district registrar of apprentices, informs us that employers are taking very small advantage of the offices of the department when re quiring apprentices. There is a consider able number of boys on the department’s books who are anxious to learn trades, and there is a possibility of many of them drifting into “blind alley” employment unless positions are forthcoming in the trade? they desire Employers able and willing to take apprentices are earnestly requested to apply to the department’s office and make their requirements known.