NORTH OTAGO

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 28

NORTH OTAGO

NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT. . SBRIOUS ACCIDENT. An accident occurred in Oamaru on June 26, when a car driven by Mr Anderaon, of Oamaru, accompanied by Eis wife and child, and Mr Bottle and lour children, crashed into the rear of a baker’s cart owned by Mr M'Pberson and driven by a Mr Chittock. It is reported that the car was proceeding dovn Holmes Hill towards the town. Another car was approaching up hill. Mr Anderson dimmed his headlights, but the driver of the on-’ coming car failed to dim his, which were very glaring. Before Mr Anderson knew where he was he crashed into the rear of the cart, turning it completely over. A lad named Amies who was on the cart, received injuries which necessitated his immodiate removal to hospital. It is understood he is suffering from concussion, besides various bruises and cuts. The driver was unhurt. The occupants of the car escaped injury, but the car was badly damaged. DRAY "SMASHED. Considerable commotion was c aused in Thames street on June 28, when a dray driven by Mr W. D. Isbister, of Ardgowan, was rather badly smas.'.ed while proceeding along Thames street in the vicinity of Weir street. The shaft broke, and the horse slewed the dray into a nearby tree. Mr Isbister was thrown from the dray, and received facial injuries which were attended to by a nearby chemist. The horse was not hurt. OBITUARY. Another old identity of North Otago Mrs Charlotte Stock, passed away on Saturday at the age of 72 years. With her. parents she arrived at Dunedin in 1858 in the ship Nourmahal. The family were employed on the Teschemaker Estate at Kauroo Hill, which took four days to reach. The deceased was a daughter of the late Mr Robert Amies, *vho was one of the pioneers of North Otago, and underwent all the vicissitudes of early settlement. The husband of the deceased (Mr Henry Stock) also arrived here in the very early days, and after his marriage was engaged in farming at Incholme. The late Mrs Stock, who, in her younger days, was a noted horsewoman, is survived by her husband, two sons, and a daughter. FLOURMILL SITUATION. In reference to the flourmill situatioi Oamaru millers state that the position here is approximately the same as in Dunedim One itiill in this district is reported to have already ceased operations and others are working short time, while none of them has supplies of wheat which will carry it through for more than a few months. “The fact is,” said one miller, “that there has not been sufficient wheat grown to keep the mills going. Last year the Government imported wheat, and this enabled the mills to carry on. This year, when a shortage became apparent, a suggestion was made to the Government that the North Island mills be supplied with imported wheat. This suggestion the Government refused to entertain, for what reason T do not know. Had it been given effect to there would have been sufficient wheat in the South Island to keep the local mills fairly well employed. As matters now stand the southern mills will be compelled to import Australian flour to fill their orders.” A well-known North Otago farmer presented another side of the story He said: “It looks as though the millers were trying to stampede farmers into selling at schedule prices. I know for a fact that considerable quantities of wheat are still held by the growers and merchants. One of the former declined 6s 6d per bushel for his wheat early in the season. Last week he was offered 7s per bushel net at the mill, and he sold. The Minister of Agriculture stated in the House on Wednesday that it was estimated that 1,000,000 bushels were still in the hands of the growers. It may be true that some of this wheat is held by merchants, or speculators, who bought early in the season at higher prices than were offered by the millers. If the millers prefer to close their mills rather than buy the remnant of the wheat, they will strengthen the labour demand for State flourmills. There is, however, another side to the story that must not be lost sight of. The greater proportion of the growers have been satisfied with, orhave accepted, the prices offered by the millers. Why should the few remaining secure an advantage over their neighbours? Why should speculators be given the profits that rightly belong to the millers or the growers? These are questions I leave others to answer.” INSURANCE RATES. Some time ago the Oamaru Borough Council at the instance of the Mayor made representations to the underwriters on tha 4 subject of the insurance premiums on the higher levels, which had been raised notwithstanding that the council was expending a large sum of money in improving the water service. The Mayor has now been advised that the old rates are to be reverted to as from July 1. V PERSONAL. Mr T. M‘Tigue, goods foreman at the* Oamaru railway station, has been promoted to the rank of coaching foreman at Dunedin. He will be succeeded by Mr S. C. Twose, of Dunedin. WHEAT PROSPECTS. Tho prospects for the coming season so far as wheat growers are concerned are much brighter than they were at this time last year. A well-known farmer, dismissing the position, said: “The farmer has practica’ly no option but to grow wheat. The outlook for wool and mutton is by no means encouraging, and sheep are in any case practically unproourable. Whatever the farmer does he has to take a risk. If he grows wheat or oats he may have to do to at a loss. If he turns to sheep his position is equally insecure. For my part I intend sticking to wheat, and there are many others in the district like me.” ALLEGED SLY GROG-SELLING. In the Magistrate's Court at Oamaru on Wednesday, before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.. Margaret Andrews was charged that she did .keep liquor for sale within the no-license

district of Oamaru. A second charge was preferred against her of selling liquor. Senior Sergeant Shanahan prosecuted, and Mr Grater appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Senior Sergeant Shanahan stated that as a result of statements made by a young man who had been arrested for drunkenness, a search was made of the defendant’s house, and several bottles of whisky were found there. Edgar John Jamieson, a photographer’s employee aged 17 years, deposed that on Sunday, June 13, ho was out at an evening. He did not wish to state whose house he visited. He went to another house for tea, and left this house with the object of getting some whisky. He went to Mrs Andrews’ house, and said he wanted a couple of bottles of whisky. Mrs Andrews asked him to come in. He went into a sittingroom. Mrs Andrews > went into another room and got the whisky. Witness paid her £2. He knew what the price was without asking, as he had been there before. Ho usually got a couple of bottles of whisky. He and his “cobbers” consumed it. He was quite sure that he procured whisky from Mrs Andrews. He paid for it with one large note and one small one. Cross-examined by Mr Grater, witness stated that he went to visit a friend in the country in the afternoon. *xe afterwards went to another friend’s house for tea. He had two drinks of whisky at the latter house The defence was a complete denial of the story of the lad Jamieson. Margaret Andrews, on oath, deposed that on the Sunday evening in question she and her husband went to church. There was nobody about the house during the evening. She went to bdd about 10 o’clock. She did not see the lad Jamieson, and did not know him. Cross-examined by Senior Sergeant Shanahan, defendant denied having sold whisky, though she admitted having done so during her lifetime. On the Sunday referred to she had only one bottle of whisky in the house. She admitted having two pound notes in her possession when the police visited her. She had received these from her husband in the previous month. Richard Andrews, husband of the defendant, stated that he was a labourer, 80 years of age, and was in receipt of the old age pension. On the Sunday mentioned In the information he was about the house all day. He did not go out anywhere. He was a little hard of hearing. He did not see or hear any person come to the house that evening. Cross-examined, witness stated that he believed he went to church in the evening. He frequently went to church. He heard nobody about the house. His Worship said the evidence for the prosecution was extremely short. After reviewing the evidence, his Worship said the chief witness for the prosecution was merely a boy. He seemed to treat his drinking habit with bravado. Instead of drinking whisky he should have been drinking milk. At the same time, his Worship considered that the story of the lad was true, and that he had purchased the whisky. It was a terrible thing that a boy like this should have been given whisky. Senior Sergeant Shanahan: The boy was arrested for drunkenness, and spent the night in the cells. His Worship said he must convict the accused. It was hard to know what to do with her. She had previously been convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. She had also been lined a dozen times. In answer to a question, counsel for the accused said his client was 73 years of age. He suggested that she be allowed to go to her friends in Palmerston North. His Worship said the accused had previously been ordered to come up for sentence If called upon. She would be sentenced to one month’s hard labour on the previous charge. On the present charge she would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence at any time during the next two years, a condition being made that did not return to oamaru. The second charge of selling liquor was withdrawn by the police. Walter Halkett, of Weston, was charged with being found on the premises of Mrs Andrews when the premises were being searched. The Defendaht stated that he went to the house of Mrs Andrews to sell potatoes. He had previously been there on occasions for a similar purpose. He was surprised when the police called, and did not think it necessary to tell them the object of his visit to the house. His Worship said there was an element of doubt in the case, and he would give the defendant the benefit of the doubt. The case would be dismissed. George F. King, for whom Mr Grater appeared, was charged with a similar offence. The defence In this case was that the defendant went round to the house of Mrs Andrews for the purpose of digging her garden. When he arrived the police were jthere. Mr Grater stated that the clause in the Act under which the information was laid made it an offence for a pet son to be found .on the premises when the police entered for r the purpose of executing a warrant for the seizure of liquor. In the present case the defendant had arrived some time after the police had been in the house. Ills Worship said he would require some evidence that the accused was on the premises for the purpose of procuring liquor. This evidence was not forthcoming. The story about digging the garden might sound Improbable, but it was an explanation. The case would be dismissed. FATAL ACCIDENT. A fatal accident occurred in the neighbourhood of the Waihao bridge lost week. A man named Michael Kessund, aged 74, who had made it a practice of signalling passing cars with a stick when he desired a lift, went on to the road on Saturday to aignal a car driven by Mr P. Ryan, and was knocked down. He was attended by Dr Wylie, and removed to the hospital, bnt he succumbed to his on June 26 to signal a car driven by Mr injuries on the 28th. At the inquest the coroner returned a verdict of death from shock, caused by a fraoture of the baae of the skull, no blame being attachable to anyone. VITAL STATISTICS. For the first time for a considerable period the death* recorded in Oamaru during a month have exceeded the births in number. The statistics for the month of June are as followsßirths 12, marriages 8, deaths 1& The birth rate is the lowest recorded for some time.

SUNSHINE. Oamaru had a fair share of sunshine during the month of June. Dr Liddell, the official recorder, reports that of a possible 255 hours, there were. 155 hours, or 60 per cent., of bright’sunshine. This is a record for the middle of winter that would be hard to beat in any part of the Dominion. THE RAINFALL. The rainfall registered by Mr William Forrester, of Oamaru, for the month of June was 126 points. Rain fell on nine days, the highest registration being 42 points on the 30th. In June of last year the registration was 152 points. For the first six months of this year the registration has been 14.30 inches, against 8.70 inches fo* the first half of last year. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. For some time past, the Board of Governorts of the Waitaki High School, through its chairman (Mr E. P. Lee, M.P.), has been worrying the Education Department for additional accommodation to relieve the congestion caused by the establishment of the Junior High School. The department has now approved of a grant for additions in two of the classrooms and a laboratory. The work will probably be put in hand at an early date. TROUT POACHING. It is suspected that trout poaching is still common in the Oamaru district. A few days ago a female trout weighing about 101 b was found floating in a pool in the Kakanui River. An examination of the fish revealed unmistakable evidence of its having been shot. CUSTOMS RETURNS. The Customs returns for the port of Oamaru for the month of June were as follow:—Customs revenue, f 527 4s 8d; meat company, £159 2s 2d; marine revenu. £lB4 2s lid; total, £BSO 9s 9d. The figures for the June quarter were as follow, those of the same quarter last year being given in parentheses:—Customs revenue, £2lßl 9s 3d (£1586 2s); meat company, £274 0s 4d (£355 13s Id); marine revenue, £334 16d 8d (£B7 19s lOd); total, £2790 16s 3d (£1979 14s lid). ELECTRIC POWER STATION. For some time past it has been recognised that it will be necessary for the Public Works Department, in linking up the Coleridge and Waipori systems, to nave a mid-way auxiliary station. In some quarters it has been suggested that Lake Tekapo would be a suitable place (or this station. The department, however, is not going to be influenced by popular clamour. Its officers have been exploring various sources of energy, including the upper reaches of the Waitaki JRiver. The latter's situation would appear to offer distinct advantages over Lake Tekapo. At the same time, the matter is entirely one for experts of the department to decide. A suggestion has been made locally that the Chamber of Commerce should make representations to the Government in favour of the Waitaki River project. Citizens possessing a national rather than a parochial outlook take a different view.. They state that if parish and political influences are used, weight of “pull” will be in favour of Lake Tekapo. It is better, they say, to allow the Minister of Public Works to frame his policy upon the report of his responsible officials, rather. than upon the resolutions of public bodies composed of laymen. GOLF LINKS. At a meeting of the Oamaru Golf Club on Thursday evening Captain Conway, of Wellington, reported upon his inspection of the present links and other available sites. He stated that the only circumstances that would justify the retention of the present links would be the inability to procure other suitable ones within a reasonable distance of the town. He had inspected a number of properties, and had come to the conclusion that an area on the Kakanui road would be the best from the point of view of accessibility and topography. On this area it would be possible to construct links which would compare favourably with anything in the Dominion. All that was required was care in the lay-out of the grounds. He suggested that the plans of the links and club house, when drawn up, be submitted to the New Zealand Golf Council for approval, and that once the design* had been approved; the work be pushed on as expeditiously as possible. A hearty -vote of thanks was accorded Captain Conway, on the motion of Mr G. L. Cuthbertson, who stated that he was satisfied that the new links would be superior to the old ones. HEAVY-WEIGHT OATS. A remarkable crop of Garton oats has been secured by Mr J. Burrell, of Totara. These yielded 501 b to the Imperial bushel after being wind-dreased. The average weight of this class of oat is from 411 b to 431 b per bushel. It will thus be seen that the crop is remarkably heavy. A BROKEN WEEK. The past week has been broken in North Otago, so far as the weather is concerned,, and farming operations have been interrupted. The sowing of. winter wheat is still in, progress, and merchants report that supplies of seed wheat are still going out. The area to be sown In oats will probably not be as large as last year. Potatoes are now all dug, and the root crops are being used for fattening store sheep. There is not much doing in the dairy business, though the indications are for the season opening earlier than last year. Ploughing is still in progress in some parts of the district. THE POULTRY SHOW. The entries received for the forty-second annual show of the Oamaru Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Society are much larger than those received in recent years. Utility poultry are strongly represented, there being approximately 100 entries in this class. No fewer than 200 entries of fancy , poultry have been received. The largest increase is in pigeons, for which several championships are offered. Bantams are also above the average in numbers. The total entries will exceed 650. COURT BUSINESS. The business transacted in the Magistrate’s Court at Oamaru for the June quarter was as fololws, the figures of the previous quarter being given in paren-

theses:—Sittings before magistrate, civil it (9), criminal 11 (9); before civil J.P.’a, civil 0 (1), criminal 11 (11); civil cases tried by magistrate 7 (3); amount sued for, £1507 (£1969); applications in court or chambers, 5 (40); plaints entered 115 (103); distress warrants issued 3 (0); judgment summonses 18 (7); criminal cases against males 101 (84), against females (3). The total fees received were £251 0s (£163 3s Gd). SMALL-BIRD PEST. Few people know how much the Waitaki County Council has done in recent years to cope with the small bird pest. An inquiry revealed the fact that in a period of four years the expenditure on poisoned wheat and the purchase of eggs has been as follows: —1923, £407; 1924, £491; 1925, £389; 1926, £249;—total, £1446. The actual amount expended in the purchase of eggs over the period of four years was £9lB. As the payments represented £1 for every 1000 eggs, it will be seen that no fewer than 918,000 eggs have been paid for since 1923. Unfortunately, the adjoining counties do not regard the pest in the same light as the Waitaki County. Last year the Mackenzie County spent only £55, and the Waimate County £BO in the destruction of birds. It is felt that the Waitaki ratepayers are having an undue share of the burden of their neighbours. RUGBY~FOOTBALL. The following are Saturday's results:— SENIOR. Malieno 9, Athletic 8. Old Boys 17, Excelsior 10. JUNIOR. School 38, Athletic C. Excelsior 18, Old Boys nil. Maheno won by default from School B. THIRD GRADE. Old Boys 17, Excelsior 3. THEFT FROM HOTEL. Joseph Henderson pleaded guilty in the Police Court at Oamaru on Saturday to the theft of articles of wearing apparel, etc., to the value of £3 11s 3d, the property of Florence Campbell, a waitress at the Glenavy Hotel. Senior Sergeant Shanahan stated that accused, who came from Australia about three months ago, went to the room of the waitress after he had had a few drinks and took the articles mentioned. The accused admitted having served three months’ imprisonment in Sydney last year for theft. The Magistrate fined accused £3 and ordered him to pay £2 for the articles which had been damaged. MARKETING OF WHEAT. In reference to the deputation of wheatgrowers that waited upon a Christchurch paper last week, Mr J. G. A. Ruddenklau, of Oamaru, states that it was by sheer accident that he formed one of the party. He was speaking for himself alone in fhe matter, and not for any organisation. • The formation of a marketing association by the wheatgrowers has been in contemplation in Canterbury for some time past. The proposal has been discussed on various occasions by the North Otago executive of the Farmers’ Union, but it has met vith very little support. It is recojpised by wheatgrowers that some organised bodv is required to negotiate with the millers, but the difficulty in the way is that many of the growers are tied to he millers and mercantile houses by financial obligations. One leading farmer of this district stated that the only solution of the problem so far as the wheatgrowers were concerned was the pooling of the whole of their resources and the establishment of an agricultural bank. This would enable the wheatgrowers to deal directly with the millers, and, if the necessity should arise, to establish their own floqrmills. The principle that is applied to co-operative dairying should be applied to wheat growing. RACECOURSE TRUSTEES. Mr William Gardiner received telegraphic advice from the Minister of Lands on Saturday that the new racecourse trustees would be gazetted as soon as certain formalities had been complied with.. It is expected that the Gazette notice will appear this week. The trustees will then proceed with the negotiations with the Jockey Club and the Trotting Club for the erection of a grand stand and the effecting of other improvements to the racecourse. The Jockey Club and Trotting Club have each agreed to provide £4OOO for this purpose. INFLUENZA PREVALENT. A number of the residents of Oamaru have recently been prostrated with influenza. Although the disease is not of the pneumonic type, it has left its victims in a very weak condition. The shief sufferers are adults.