Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 3

"I could sell the farms if they were avail, able, for there are plenty of buyers about,” said a South Taranaki estate agent recently. He said that a pecularity of the disposal of dairy farms this winter was that in all but one case handled by his firm they were cash sales, the exception being a big transaction, in which, however, a large cash deposit was made. A good 200-acre farm in one of the beet districts was sold for £45 per acre cash, and in another case he had a cash offer of £4B per acre for a 300-acre place, but the owner would not sell at less than £SO per acre. Neighbouring farmers in many cases were buyers when the price was right.

Evidence of the desire of dairymen supplying milk to Auckland to improve the standard methods in handling milk is afforded by the request made to Dr J. T, Hughes (medical officer of health), that he should design a model milkean (reports our Auckland correspondent). This Dr Hughes has done. The special features of the model can which has been made to his specifications are that it is seamless and that there are no corners in which bacteria may find a breeding place. The latter feature has been achieved merely by rounding off the inside after the pattern of a cup. There may be seen blooming profusely at Mr H. V. Fulton’s property at Outram at present a scarlet rhododendron. It is now a very old bush, and must be nearly 20ft high. It has been its invariable habit to come into bloom before the end of June, but until this year the frost has cut it down, and the blooms have never developed. The mildness of the season doubtless accounts for the profusion of bloom this year. The plant was brought from the East over 40 years ago. “During the past season stone fruit brought Letter prices, though the crops were not so prolific as previously,’’ said the manager of a firm which deals extensively in fruit to a reporter last week. The apple season had yielded exceptionally heavy crops, but the quality was not as good a 3 usual in many instances, and local market prices were ratker low. The extraordinary yield had necessitated the exportation of much larger quantities, but unfortunately advice from the early sales was disappointing. This state of affairs wa3 principally attributable to the arrival of the apples during the strike. Fie financial return to orchardists would be about equal to that of former seasons. “Cox’s Orange and Delicious have been the most popular varieties,” he concluded, ‘but the latter have not been up to their usual standard.”

A resident of St. Kilda, whilst walking along the Sandhills lately, struck his toe against an object half buried in the sand. On investigation it proved to h a cashbox containg r nqmber of cheques payable to the order of Dreavers (Ltd.). The box. which it is considered is a part of the contents of a safe which was stolen from the firm’s premises ?ome time ago, was taken to the South Dunedin Police Station, where it was handed over the sergeant in charge. Mr F. Waite. M.P. for i, recently represented to the Government that the Kaitangata mines were not working full time, and suggested that Kaitangata coal might be used for railway purposes. lie has row received the following reply from the Minister of Railways:—“l have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 21 in reference to the unemployment at Kaitangata owing to the coal mines workins? half-time. Your suggestion that the Railway Department might utilise the Kaitangata coal, and thereby improve the working of the mine shall be inquired into at once, and I will see whether arrangements as desired can be made.—Yoirs faithfully, J. G. Coates, Minister of Railways.” In view of the present coal crisi* in the Homeland, it is interesting to know that the new coal storage scheme now in course of construction at Bluff (Durban) will put the coaling capacity at the Durban docks in a position to meet all demands for many years to come (reports our South African correspondent when writing on May 3). The storage is designed to hold 60,000 tons. of coal, in addition to the existing bins, which hold 10,000 tons. A monster overhead gantry is also being installed to deal with the coal. Of a total length of 177 ft, it will be able to pile the coal to a height of 25ft, and shift it at the rate of 300 tons an hour.

A resident of Port Chalmers states thaS dogs are suffering from an unusual ailment in that locality. Distemper is ore valent just now, and it is followed by a frothing at the mouth, which a “vet” has declared to be pneumonia. In the case of several dogs which died lately the frothing at the mouth was at first thought to be due to poisoning. Ihe Government has received through the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs cabled advice of an invitation extended by the president of the Philadelphia Exhibition to the Imperial and Dominion Governments to send a naval vessel or vessels on a visit to the exhibition, which started on May 31, and would last unljl December 15 (says the Evening Post). July 3 and 4 were suggested as likely dates for the visit, but it was made clear that the visit would be welcomed at any time. The conmunication from the Secretary of State indicated that one of his Majesty’s ships on the North American station would probably visit Philadelphia during the exhibition, but no date had yet been fixed. The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) has forwarded ;i reply pointing out that the sending of a ship from the New Zea-. land division cf the Royal Navv would neceAitate journeying approximr tely 16,000 miles there and back, with a consequent cost of fuel, Panama dues, etc. The invitation was appreciated, and regret was expressed that it could not De accepted.

In 1856, the year of the institution of the Otago education scheme there were Ere schools in Otago with aeren teachers employed, and an average attendance of 236. Last year, according to 'he Otago 1 Education Board's annual report there were 253 schools, employing 774 teachers. The average attendance was 19,904 pupils out of a roll of 21,335. In 1924 the number of schools was greater than in 1925, there being 262 schools and 837 teachers. At present there are 52 boys to every 40 girls in the schools. Of the 774 teachers employed, 270 are males and ' 604 females. The appeal of Buffalo Bill has caught Juvenile Port Chalmers—the me’ species at least. Youthful Wild West desperadoes an to be seen in large numbers, the acquisition of old service rifles from the eohool forming tbs finishing touch t# the equipment . For the modest turn of it a boy may purchase one of these treasures. As the barrels have been well plugged the risk of Port Chalmers becoming the beadquarters of youthful assassins is small.

Anglers would have gazed with undisguised envy on Wednesday had they been present at the banks of the Leith where men were engaged on _the work of “stripping" trout for the purpose of supplying the hatchories. The size of some of the fish was remarkable, and what was more remarkable was the consistency with which the large beauties came up. It is certain that anglers in the Leith have experienced very little of the sport that would attend the landing of such fish. A Mangamutu dairy farmer sought possession of a tenement from a married sawmill hand, alleging that the plaoo had got into bad disrepair, and the tenant was unsatisfactory. The magistrate, in consideration of the defendant having a family of seven children, said he would need very strong evidenoe before he would put then out on the street Be would adjourn the ease for a month, tad meantime defendant would be expected to put tome energy into the search for another tenement.

Speaking in the debate on the Address-fn-Reply in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Mr F. Waite (member for Clutha) appealed to the Government to use Kaitangata coal on the New Zealand railways. and expressed the view that the protective tariff on imported timber should be revised and increased. Adequate naval and military contributions to the defence of the Empire were strongly urged by Mr Waite, who compared the New Zealand naval grant with that of the United Kingdom and of the eister dominions. He preferred to call dairy control “cooperative marketing,’* and said a group problem had to be tackled by group action, and the set of agents who had been deriving an easy ‘rake-off” thiough the dairy produce should be eliminated. The.annual report of the Otago Education Board states that of 2212 pupils in Standard VI in 1925, 1870, or 845 per cent, gained proficiency certificates and 181, or 8.1 per cent, gained competency certificates. In private registered schools the percentages were 744 and 13 respectively. The following is a return of business done in the Magistrate’s Court at Dunedin for the quarter ended June 30, the figures for the corresponding quarter of last year being given in parentheses Number of sittings presided over by a stipendiary magistrate—civil 24 (23), criminal 72 (69); number of civil cases tried 31 (27); total amount sued for £17,901 15s lOd (£10,823 2s 2d); number of applications heard in court or chambers 82 (141); number of plaints entered 1060 (900); number of distress warrants issued 81 (60); number of Judgment summonses issued 170 (132); number of warrants of committal issued 10 (6); number of writs of arrest iseued ’ (0); number of criminal cases.—against males 736 (476), against females 14 (36); civil fees paid in stamps £9Bl 15s 6d (£779 12s); criminal fees paid in stamps £4Ol Is (£6l Is); fines paid in stamps £llO 9s (£l9O 8s 6d);—total, £1493 5s 6d (£1036 Oe 6d); licensing fees paid in stamps £75 (£414). With regard to pensions 109 (66), the number of new claims granted totalled 109 (66), 14 (17) were refused. and 64 (37) are pending. An individual who is evidently suffering from a peculiar brain kink carried off what he or she thought to be a practical joke on Tuesday. A lady called at this office on Wednesday, and stated that during her temporary absence at Port Chalmers on Tuesday afternoon some person communicated by telephone with a certain shop in George street, and stated that the proprietor’s wife had suddenly been taken ill and had been removed to hospital. The lady referred to was the one who was visiting Port Chalmers. The unexpected news naturally caueed the lady’* family much alarm. A doctor was immediately communicated with, but could throw no light on the matter, while an appeal to the hospital authorities met with ' similar reply. The hospital attendants J;hen instituted exhaustive inquiries, but without result. Not until' some hours had elapsed were doubts finally removed by the arrival of the lady at her home, safe and sound. She was naturally astounded when informed of the nature of the message received over the telephone, and when relating the incident said it was “a contemptible trick played on a peaceful citizen by a brainless lunatic.” The City Council .found no difficulty in deciding to accept with gratitude the gift of a grand concert piano for the new Town Hall, which was offered by Messrs Charles Begg and Co. \ similar offer from the Bristol Piano Company, made recently was also accepted. As there will be two halls in the building, the large hall and the concert chamber, it will be possible to equip each' with a suitable instrument. New Zealand evidently has a staunch advocate in an Englishman, Mr B. S. Massey, of Hull, who, on his return froma trip through the Dominion, has written praising the conditions and progress of the country (says our Auckland correspondent) Mr Massey visited New Zealand iri 1904 with a British Rugby team under the captaincy of the late C. Bedell-Siev-wright, and returned on a holiday visit last December. He was struck by the progress made throughout the country, and says the advancement of it during the past 21 years has been truly remarkable. He sums up his impressions of the Dominion in the following words: “We shall always cherish memories of your wonderful hospitality, the many mignificent public gardens and recreation grounds, and the flowers, flowers everywhere.” The agitation for the purpose of having Lincoln College selected as the chief seat of agricultural education in the Dominion is being continued in Canterbury, among the latest efforts being the issue of a circular by the Canterbury Progress League (says the Christchurch correspondent of the Auckland Star). The circulasays that Hie principal factors which should determine the site of the proposed agricultural college are * (1) Suitability and helpfulness of environment for the best teaching and research; (2) comparative expenditure involved; (3) Dominion accessibility as regards environment, dose proximity and accessibility to variety of soils and different types of farming, also to educational and other institutions and to manufactories capable of being utilised for instruction or demonstration. After this somewhat involved statement of requirements. the tirouar goes on to contend that Marton and all other districts possess few or none of them and that the only place where everything is just as it should be for the purpose is Lincoln College. At the same 'time, tbo Progress, League is evidently mindful of this disappointment which the north must fed if Lincoln be selected, for the circular recommends that the Victoria and Auckland University Colleges be ellowed to establish “research stations,<* and also a “dairying institute somewhere in the North Wands”

His Honor Mr Justice Sim held a sitting in banco in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. In the divorce case of Margaret White (petitioner) v. John James White (respondent), Mr C. J. L. White applied ior a decree nisi to be made absolute. Mr E. J. Anderson, for respondent, raised no objection, and an order was made accordingly. In the case of Maud Goodenough Bruce (petitioner) v. Roy Thomas Bruce (respondent) Mr J. S. Sinclair asked that the decree nisi should be made absolute. His Honor granted the application. The request of Mr B. S. Irwin, an application to have Leslie Oswald Hesselgrave, carpenter, of Oamaru, adjudicated a bankrupt, was withdrawn, counsel stating that the debt of the petitioning creditor had been satisfied. “During the year’s work in round figures,” states the Railway Board in the current issue of the Railways Magazine, “there has been an increase of 1.500,000 in passenger journeys and of 3,000 tons in goods. With an increase of 1,250,000 train miles there has been a decrease of 4£d in the net operating earnings per train mile. After paying inter*-; riiarges of £1,900,000, there is a net surplus of £21,000 as against a net deficit of £87,000 'last year. While subsidies on account of branch lines and isolated sections amount to £359,000, renewal provisions (in excess of expenditure) havo been made to the extent of £317,000. Prospects for the coming year are, however, not so bright. Beeideo effort to obtain more business there is neec for the practise pi eoonemy in «nall things at well aa in great. Here every member me/ help.”

Although the arrangements md the organisation have been made very quietly, completed details have been made to house no less than 100 patients if needs be if the influenza epidemic, which the people have been warned about, should reach Auckland (says the Star). It has been thought wis© not to score people, but there has been and still is a danger of it assuming serious dimensions. The Health Department has warned every town and city to be ready, and the reply from Auckland has been that the Hospital Board is ready to meet any emergency which may occur. A very great deal depends on the weather and the precautions people take with regard to what may only appear at first to be a severe cold. Judging bv the amount of coughing and sneezing which goes on in a lajge number of places where people congregate, there is not the least doubt that a number of people go out who should be nursing their colds under far more favourable conditions. Not only are they doing themselves harm, but they are spreading infection everywhere. At a meeting of the Wanganui Licensing Committee last week Senior Sergeant Lopdell asked for an expression of opinion regarding bookmakers operating on hotel premises. The committee replied that if licensees knew that bookmakers were using their premises for the purpose of betting and connived at the practice the committee would view this as an improper procedure. At the last meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce the following resolution was affirmed“ That the chamber issue a warning against the growing practice of purchasing articles of luxury on tbs hire purchase system.”