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Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 52

Any person who rashly contracted to pay a penny for every unit in excess of three millions in the attendance at the Exhibition would have been mulcted in the sum of £835 Bs. The air was thick last week with rumours that a bet had been made under which one of the bettors backed on this basis, his belief that the attendance would not reach three millions, but it is now stated definitely that no such wager was actually entered into. A deputation from the Wes x Harbour Borough Council waited on the Prime Minister on Saturday to bring under his notice matters connected with the Main road from Dunedin to Port Chalmers. The road, said Mr H. E. Moller (Mayor f West Harbour), was seven miles in length, and the heavy end of the burden fc its upkeep fell on the West Harbour Borough Council —Mr W. Connor ( own clerk) said that a tally had been kept, and it was found that 219 motor vehicles per day passed through the borough. Mr Moller, continuing, said that previously there had been an annual gTafit of £3OO from tb Government for the upkeep of the road, but this had been stopped of recent years. tie urged that the Prime Minister should appoint an office to apportion the cost of the upkeep of/ this road. Another matter which the deputation wished to bring under the notice of the Prime Minister was the necessity «.f a railway siding at Maia. The deputation would be satisfied if four trains—two in the morning and two in the evening—stopped at the siding. These requests were supported by the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr H. L. Tapiey, M.P.) and Mr Fraser, a member of the West Harbour Borough Council. Mr Coates, in reply, said he would look into the question of the main road on his leturn to Wellington. Regarding the stopping place at Maia he said the staff officerr now had greater power than thev hitherto had. and Mr Kent, the divisional superintendent for the South Island, in consultation with the local officers had power to deal with such matters. He would discuss the matter with Mr Kent. “Travelling on the New Zealand railways is like having a day in the country,” said Bishop West-Watson upon his return to Christchurch from Dunedin. He stated to the Lyttelton Times that his and Mrs West-Watson’s delight at New Zealand conditions was increased by this their first fairly lengthy travel in this country. They were very much impressed with the harbour and scenery of Dunedin, which they thought was like Scotland. The Exhibition to which the demands of the inter-djnomina tion conference of Dominion churches had permitted only short visits, was described as wonderful and well arranged. The hospitality and kindness of the people of Dunedin were also remarked upon by the Bishop. Dunedin’s large and commodious railway station has been the admiration of many visitors from an architectural point of view. It had a somewhat different attraction for excursionists on Saturday night, however, many of whom had a long time to wait after the Exhibition had tired them out and before their respective trains were timed to depart. Staircases and other coigns of vantage in the capacious vestibule were early Secured by tired mothers, with even more tired children, and, in not a few cases by equally weary men. The position was made worse by reason of the fact that so many trains were required that all could not be pulled into the station at the same time. Thus many tired passengers had to settle down for a rest in any spot available. Seats and luggage trolleys on the platform were all occupied by people either sitting or reclining, and the duties of officials were made more difficult, since it was necessary to dodge and step over feet and luggage in all parts of the building. These things considered, it is a tribute to the work of the department that all the trains were dospatehed up to time and without undue inconvenience to travellers. Childhood’s penchnnt for collecting catalogues is scarcely governed by any principles of what is suitable or otherwise. A Daily Times reporter was talking with an attendant at tho Department of Agriculture’s stall at the Exhibition when a little tot of three summers reached up a grimy hand and took two bulletins. Curiosity prompted the reporter te seo what the little girl had taken away. His surprise can be imagined when he looked at the piles and found that one paper dealt with “diseases common in owes,” t’ *» other was a “Guide to the Mycological Exhibit.’* . .