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Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 3

The rumour regarding fne intention to convert the Milton and bwaka Hospitals into maternity homes, and the suggestion that accident and other case.*- should be dealt with at the Baljlutha base hospital, have Jed to strong protests against such a step being forwarded to the South Otago Hospital Board by the Milton Borough Council and the Bruce County Council. It is claimed that the proposed alteration would not only prove a breach of fai b with Ihe community, but would be a retrograde step and one opposed to the best interests of the ratepayers and those treatment. An immaculately-dressed young man boarded the Rattray street cable tram recently, and began to talk in affected tones to one of the passengers. He had come from Sydney, ho said, but had found Dunedin's loading hotels not “classy” enough (of him. One felt these things, ne averred, after coi ing from a large *ity to “a little place like this. ’ He had neei told to go to a boardinghouse in Ilaikorai. The visitor’s feelings when he found that he had been the victim of a practical joke c~n better be left to the imagination.

the annual meeing of householders at Cavershain last week, the following resolution was carried unanimously:—“Thac this meeting of householders protests against the regulations which allow of a teacher who loses a position at u school through failing attendances being appointed to the fir t vacancy which occurs at a similar salary to that which he received at this last school.” It was resolved that a copy of this resolution should be forwarded to the Education Department, the Otago Education Board* the School Committees’ Association * and the Teachers’ Institute. A very old landmark on the road from i “Hilkprings” Station to Roxburgh, in the ' shape of Dumbarton Rock, which prac- \ finally overhung the road at a bend betweSn , the rock and the river bank was demolished yesterday at noon in order to make way for the railway which is being constructed between Miller's Flat and Commissioner’s Flat. The Public Works Department had for some days past been preparing for u “shot” for the purpose of demolishing the rock, and yesterday some 1751 b of gelignite were exploded. The explosion was successful, and a very large portion of the debris was overturned into the river. One result is that the road is completely blocked to Bound for Whangarei. via East Coast ports, the launch Rakanui left Dunedin shortly after 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The Rakanui arrived here on April 17 from Whangarei by way of the Great Barrier Lsland. Tauranga, Gisborne, Wellington. Lyttelton and Akaroa. Durfng her stay at Dunedin tho crew of seven were shown every courtesy by hundreds of citizens* and the party carry with them happy recollections of their visit. wheeled traffic, and it will be some days before it will be cleared, a 3 the debris must amount to some hundreds of tons cf stone. A large number of people from the surrounding districts assembled at various vantage points to view the explosion. Reference to the high cost of living and '• 1 expense to parents in connection with the purchase of school books was made aj tho meeting of householders of tho "North-East Valley School last week. Several speakers stressed the advisability oT standardising all school bopka., snd the" following resolution was- Tlnammously carried: “That this meeting of householders, in view of tho present agitation to suppo* 1 New Zealand industries, urges the Government to support local industry by : having all F'-hool books printed in New Zealand instead of authorising the use of imported r&adere and school books.” At the householders’ meeting at Forbury School a similar motion was carried. The sense of humour is often lost on ■ the average church gathering, but the Rev. i G. A. Craike certainly scored one the other evening at the Baptist Tabernacle (says the ■ Auckland Star). He was discussing the question of fences from the moral point of ", view, and, the children, asked what fences were for. “To keep the cows in.” remarked one bright scholar; “to keep tho rabbits out.” replied a litt4e girl. Proceeding, the reverend gentleman said that in this fenced paddock a bull, representing the evil one. was having heated argu-• ment with a lamb, and by way of settlement* suggested he would toss her for it. The lamb was not so inclined, and meekly replied. “No, I never gambol.” Racegoers will probably appreciate the joke, for when the bulls are about one may well pity tho poor lambs. While giving evidence at the inquest concerning the death of William Reed, who was killed at Upper Junction on March 26 as a result of a motor lorry getting out of control and running over a bank* Mr do Beer, a motor engineer, was asked how far a Dennis motor lorry, weighing -hree tone and carrying seven passengers, would travel on a level road before it vas brought to a stop if its speed had been 17 miles an hour. The reply was that it would travel about 25 yards. The Coroner (Mr J R. Bartholomew, S.M.) expressed surprise at this statement, and said that if it were truo the public had no conception as to the menace involved by such traffic. If it took 25 yards for a driver of a lorry to pull up he would be able to do practically nothing to avoid an accident if u sudden emergency arose. At a later stage* when discussing the question of calling additional evidence. Mi Bartholomew said it was extremely desirable that tests should be made to ascertain definitely how far a lorry would travel before it could be stopped. If Mr de Beer’s statement were correct it indicated the necessity fur drostio legislation restricting the speed of such vehicles. It is reported that Dr Moody has sold his launch, Queen of Ber-.ty, to Mr Russoll, of Invercargill, who intends to use the boat for pleasure purposes at Invercargill and Stewart Island. The Queen of Beauty was brought to Dunedin from Nelson by Dr Moody towards the end of last year, and she has been n almost constant use ever since. Bhe is a fine sea boat, and is the largest pleasui* launch on the Otago Harbour. The Queen ok Beauty’s most notable achievement Was her oruise to the West Coast Sounds tor ward* the end ol last year.

Surprise was expressed at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Aoclimatisatioi _ Society when a letter wias received from the Wellington Zoological Society asking for two live pigeons. Assuming that it was native pigeons that were required and not the fantail or tumbler variety, one of the members said that there was a much better prospect of getting the birds close to Wellington. Another member mentioned the general scarcity of the native pigeon, and said that it was n matter of common knowledge that on one ocaeciow the Maoris gave a feast in honour of Viscount Jollicoe at Tokaanu when 1700 of the birds were cooked. An Auokland Frees Association telegram reports that Bobby Leach, the man who went, over the Niagara Falls in a barrel, died yesterday. A month or two ago he slipped on an orange peel in the street, breaking his leg, which subsequently had to be amputated. 'Die upsetting of a kerosene lamp resulted in the destruction of a four-roomed dwelling m AunderUnd at root, Clyde, oocupiod by Mrs Williams, on Tuesday night Nothing was saved from the burning house, tts furniture and piano were insured for £IOO in the New Zealand Company's office, wood work by the fire brigade .prevented Vie fire spreading to the neighbouring 4o«>m%

There aro no fewer than eight duplications of surnames in the House of Representatives as at present constituted. There are two Dioksons, two Hollands, two Hamiltons. two Joneses, two Lees, two Masons and two Rollestons. The names and constituencies of these members ar :—J. S. Dickson (Parnell). J. M‘C. Dickson (Chalmers), H. E. Holland (Buller), H. Holland (Christchurch North), A. Hamilton (Awarua), J. R. Hamilton (Wallaco), W. Jones (Whangarei). D. Jones (Ellesmere), J. A. Lee (Auckland East), E. P. Lee (Oamaru), J. Mason (Napier), 11. G. R. Mason (Eden), J. C. Rolleston (Waitomo). F. J. Rolleston Timaru). The Hon. F. J. Rolleston (Minister of Defence) and Mr J. C. Rolleston are brothers, and so are Messrs A. and J. R. Hamilton. In no previous Parliament have there been so many duplications. In connection with the decision of the Government to send an officer of the Department of External Affairs to confer with a sub-oommitteo of the Dominion Missionary Conference, the following resolu tion was unanimously passed by the conference on Thursday afternoon: "Thatthe conference expresses its appreciation of the New Zealand Government’s manifestation of interest in the work of the conference, and especially of its sending un officer of the Department of External Affairs to act in an advisory capacity.”

Dr John R. Mott holds strongly the view that New Zealand has a large place to fill in the life of the world. Speaking at the Dominion Missionary Conference which opened here on Tuesday morning, he said it was an inspiration to meet such a representative company of what he called the • larger New Zealand. As a world traveller he had been able to see something of the larger New Zealand at tho New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition, and he would remind them that it was far larger then many people seemed to realise. It reached out not only among the islands of these Southern °eas, but had penetrated the most ancient continent, and was carrying its influence both directly and indirectly in other parts to the ends of the world. It was an inspiration, he said, to have the real honour of intimate collaboration with the men who would furnish the leadership and with the women who would furnish an ever-increasing leadership that would make New Zealand an inspiring and* transforming power in this wonderful movement in the life of the world A resolve for Anzac Day, suggested as suitable for the young New Zealander, has been received by the principal of the Wellington GirlV College from the donor of a picture, “The Landing of the Anzacs,’ - to the college. It was read by Miss M*Lean at the college devotional service on Friday last, and is as follows“ Because brave New Zealanders have suffered and died for my freedom and safety, and because I feel grateful to them and to those who are still sacrificing and suffering so that 1 shall live in peace and comfort, I will do my best to show my gratitude by trying every day to be honest, kind, fair-minded, helpful, clean, and hardworking both at school and at home. I will learn because I want to grow up into a good citizen, wise enough to obey the laws >f God and of my country, and to help to remove ignorance which is the cause of suffering. I want to be fit to take the gift of freedom and ‘carry on’ in place of onr honoured dead, so that they who found their country worth dying for shall not have died in vain.” A little-known industry in the Auckland province is the destruction of hawks, in connection with which the Auckland Acclimatisation Society offers a reward of 6d per pair of feet sayfc the New Zealand Herald). During the past four weeks the socety has £27 10s for hawks’ feet, this representing the destruction of 1104 of those predatory birds. 1 further £SOO has been set aside for the purpose, as it is realised that this particular work is of more importance than the liberation of pheasants. At a meeting of the council of the society the other evening one member said that on a recent occasion he had seen a hawk hovering over a lagoon, and repeatedly sweeping down at a flock of wild duck. General Sir George Richardson, Adminis trator of Samoa, has from time to, time emphasised that a vital part of New Zealand’s Samoan policy t 9 the welfare of the natives. In an address to the Legislative Council of the Mandated Territory, he stated the position as follows:—“The basis of public health expenditure in Western Samoa is interesting, not only cn account of its fiscal character, the incidence of the levies, etc., but also because public health is the key to New Zealand’s policy in Samoa, and it is obvious that wherever native populations are under Mandate, the eyes &! the League of Nations—that is, of the international wedd—will be on the care and success with which the Mandatory Gov-» eminent protects the health of ifs naiivs charges. The health of the natives is our first consideration,” says the Administrator. “The expenditure for the medical service in Western Samoa has averaged 15s per head during the last three years. Practically the whole of thie expenditure is paid from funds given gratuitously J? the New Zealand Government, and by the arrnial medioal levy contributed by the natives of £1 per taxpayer. Prevalence of whooping cough and other disorders among young children in and about Dunedin has brought about a temporary closing of the kindergarten schools. Sitting in Chambers in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Mr Justice Sim granted probate in connection with the following deceased estates: —Arthur Wilson, Alexandra (Mr W. A. Bodkin); Elizabeth Donnelly, Lauder (Mr Bodkin); Ellen Clements, Popotunoa (Mr J. T. Walter) ; John Paskill, Milton (Mr Rutherford); Mary Dawson, Oamaru (Mr W. G. Grave); Archibald Frew, Oamaru (Mr A. G. Creagh); Mary Georgina Low Rutherford, Dunedin (Mr A. A. Finch); Robert Somerville, Mosgiel (Mu W. G. Hav' Alexander Mackie, Dunedin (Mr E. J. Smith); Margaret Hartley, Dunedin (Mr C. J. Payne); Ada Mary Adams, Dunedin (Mr John Wilkinson) ; Anne Frances Mitchell, Ravensbourne (Mr hn Wilkinson); Jane Dunlop, (Dunedin (Mr 11. Webb); Johanna Paul, Dunedin (Mr H. Webb). Letters of administration wore also granted in connection with the following estates:—Mary Collins Kean. Clinton (Mr J. Sim); Julia Ann Barbara Hill, Dunedin (Mr E. J. Smith); Margaret Tompkins, Dunedin (Mr F S. Brent); and Jane Burcham Tompkins. Dunedin (Mr F. S. Brent). A brief comment is made in Weddel’s Review of the Meat Trade of 1925, on New Zealand’s policy of business in meat. “One of the Wellington freezing companies (says the report) having experienced a period of unsatisfactory trading, negotiated the sale of the works to an English company; but the New Zealand Government, on the advice of t’ ’ New Zeolai d Meat Producers’ Board, refused to allow the license to be transferred. It is difficult to understand the reasoning behind the policy of the New Zealand Government in regard to the meat trade. In the first place, they put the control of shipping in the hands of a Producers Board, an act wh* . automatically and permanently kiHcd 11 competition for that freight, as obviously no ship owner would invest in steamers where the cargo was subject to political considerations; and now they refuse to consent to the sale of one of the freeling works to a large English company which has the means of distributihg the meat in this country to advantage.* l

Several cases under the Rabbit Nuisance Act, which had previously been adjourned to allow the defendants to do the required work were dealt with at the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston on last, and the following fines were inflicted, with costs in each case* —Mrs Mary E. Parkhill (Dunback) £2; William Isbister (Dunback), £2; M * Agnes Brunton (Glenpark), £2; Angus Ross (Waianakarua), £3. Albert Thomas (o r Dunback) was also before the court for failing to destroy rabbits. This case was adjourned to ghe defendant an opportunity to do therequired work. For exposing liceinfected sheep for sale, John L. M‘Cabe and George P. Philip (of were each fined £l, and costs. A good Exhibition story is going the rounds. A few weeks ago a well-known professional man and an equally prominent business man not unconnected with the management of the Exhibition were discussing the question of whether the 3,000,000 mark would be reached. Of course, the Exhibition man was in duty bound to be optimistio as to the future attendance, and expressed his firm conviction that the coveted goal would be exceeded. The pessimist ridiculed this, and to show his wa it of faith he said to his friend that he would give him a penny for every person entering the gates in excess of 3,000,000. provided ho received a penny for everyone under this number 1 “Law” on this deal is being badly beaten Every thousand over 3,000,000 means £4 3s 4d, and our readere can work out for themselves the amount to be paid over up to date and at the close of the gates on Saturday evening. It will indeed be a substantial sum that the optimist has to collect. V

At the closing meeting of the conference in Knox Church on Thursday Dr Mott referred to the never to-bc-forgotten days of fellowship they had just had. “They had been thought provoking days,” he said. “One has had many a train of thought started which one would wish to follow through. They have been vision forming days, and purpose forming days. Am I using too strong a word by faith when 1 say they have been creative days? This is always the case when the living Christ—not a static Christ, not a dead Christ^—breaks out in the midst of a corporate fellowship. We have gazed with a steady eye not only upon our failings within the confines of this Dominion, and in those interesting and desperately needy groups of islands about us and at the greatest continent unconquered by Christ our Lord We have looked as disciples of Christ at some of the sternest and most pressing of the problems that have settled down upon the mind and will of Christendom. Wo have had passed before us the requirements of the present situation in men and in women and their supreme qualifications. We have considered as we passed along the need of larger material resources.” They came that evening, he said, to remind themselves of something incomparably more important, and tfiat was how they might augment their spiritual resources. At the Te Awamutu Police Court Henry Griffon, a traveller for a machinery firm, was fined £SO or three months’ imprisonment for being intoxicated while in charge of a motor car. The charge was tho sequel to a collision on the Kihi Kihi road.