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Otago Witness, Issue 3823, 21 June 1927, Page 3

One of the 14 New Zealand Crosses awarded has been handed over to the New Plymouth Museum by Captain F. J. Mace (of Oakura), who won this decoration for bravery in the Taranaki wars more than half a century ago. The cross, which has been placed in the old colonists’ room at the museum, is Maltese in shape and made of silver. Surmounting it is a gold crown, upon each arm a gold star, and in the centre gold laurel wreaths encircling the words “New Zealand.” Inscribed on the other side is “Captain Francis Joseph Mace, Taranaki Militia.” The ribbon is crimson in colour, similar to that of' the Victoria Cross. Lieutenant-colonel Carey, C. 8.. Deputy Adjutant-general, in an account of the earlier Maori wars, published in London in 1865, refers to the fine performances put up by the company in which Captain Mace served, and to Captain Mace himself as “an excellent rider and the pluckiest fellow I ever met.” Some time ago it was decided to fence the Purakauiti School glebe, which adjoins a State forest area. To this end the Otago Education Board wrote to the State Forests Department requesting that it pay half cost of the fence in accordance with the terms of the Fencing Act. x Advice has now been received by the board that State forests are not subject- to the provisions of the Act, and the Scliool Committee and the Education Board will, therefore, have to bear the full cost of the fence.

The total number of births registered in May for the urban areas (states a Wellington _ message) amounted to 1074, as — against 1022 in April—an increase' of 52. Deaths in May numbered 533 an / increase of 69 as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths male? contributed 284 and females 249. Fortynine of the deaths were of children under five years of age, being 9.19 per cent, of the whole number. Forty of these were under one' year of age. The subject of libraries for school teachers was discussed briefly at the monthly meet- 1 ing of the Otago Education Board on Thursday. The chairman (Mr J. Wallace) reported on the department’s scheme for such libraries, and said that after going into the matter he thought the board should grant £25 for this purpose, as, in his opinion, it would be money '"ell spent. The Government would probably subsidise the amount. Mr Wallace went on to say that it would be as well, at first, to make the grant for one year only; it could then be seen whether the teachers took full advantage of the 'library or not. If they did, the grant could be made yearly. Mr Wallace’s suggestion was agreed to.

On the information of the Inspector of Stock at Ranfurly the following settlers were convicted by Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., at Naseby, on the 13th inst., fo r exposing lice-infested sheep for sale at the Waipiata stock sale yards:—Richard Nicholas Snow, Beaumont Station, Miller’s Flat, fined £3; Edward Strode, Kyeburn, fined 15s; Garibaldi Rotting, Naseby, fined 15s ; Michael Graham, Waipiata, fined 10s; in each case with costs.

That wall plans of school grounds, on which projected improvements could be indicated, and on which, as each section was completed, the fact could be appropriately recorded, be prepared and supplied to the schools concerned, was a suggestion submitted by Mr E. S. Green (agricultural instructor to the Otago Education Board) at the board’s meeting on Thursday. Mr Green pointed out that such a record should prove in reducing to a minimum the possibility of breaks in the continuity of effort in improving school grounds, which might attend changes in the personnel of teaching staffs and committees. The board was unanimous in the opinion that the idea was a good one, and, on the motion of the Hon. D. T. Fleming, seconded by Mr J. Mitchell, it was agreed to adopt the proposal and to thank Mr Green for his suggestion.

Public men throughout New Zealand are taking considerable interest in the proposed voting system, invented by Mr W. Da!l, of York place, for the purpose of eliminating informal voting. Mr Dall has communicated with many of them, and in th© replies he has received there are no unfavourable comments. “Your suggestion isjj very _ interesting,” wrote the Hon. WDownie Stewart, “and I atn sending it on to the Hon. Minister in charge of the Electoral Department.” Among the many other publio men who have communicated with Mr Dall, expressing particular interest, are the Hon. D. Buddo and Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P. Mr Dall is hopeful that a thorough investigation of the possibilities of his device will be made. He claims that the use of gummed seals on the voting paper will do away with the use of pencils and entirely prevent informal voting.

A notice published in the Gazette last week acknowledges the receipt by the Land and Income Tax Department of £5O conscience money.

“We want to'be given the right to know why the grading list was departed from.” stated Mr H. A. Parkinson, secretary of> the New Zealand Educational Institute, when speaking at a meeting of the Wellington School Committees’ Association. Mr Parkinson said the institute intended to approach Parliament to endeavour to obtain the right of appeal regarding the appointment of teachers when the grading list was departed from. Sometimes the Education Boards had reason to depart from the grading system, but the teacher concerned had no right of appeal. There might be good reasons for departing from the list. All the institute wanted was the right to ask the reason. The grading system, he could honestly say, was quite the best system in the world; at all events,in the British Empire; he would go further and say in the English-speaking world. It gave the school the best teacher available, and assured the teacher of due promotion for efficiency.

The price-fixing of oranges exported to New Zealand has been definitely abandoned by the natives of the Cook Islands. This is evidenced (reports our special correspondent in Auckland) by the announcement that the steamer Waipahi left Rarotonga on Tuesday with a full cargo of 17,000 cases of oranges for Auckland. As a result there should be an appreciable drop in th© retail price of oranges next week. During the remainder of this month and throughout July sweet oranges of good qpality will bo available at normal jaricoß,

In perhaps a fortnight’s time it will be possible for visitors to St. Clair to walk from tho esplanade through St. Kilda and to Lawyers’ Head on a newly-constructed pathway through the sandhills. Employees of the Ocean Beach Domain Board are at present continuing the present pathway, besides carrying out the fencing and planting programme for the winter. Within the last 14 days the board has engaged four extra men from the ranks of the unemployed, and it is hoped that sufficient work yvill be found for them to keep them going throughout the winter.

At its meeting on Wednesday the Otago Education Board expressed its approval of the new and popular suggestion to bring the Homeland into touch with the dominions by a series of properly-controlled letters from school children. The Director ©f Education advised the receipt of a letter from the Director of Education, Leicester, England, asking for the co-operation of tho authorities in bringing their children into personal touch with their “cousins” in the Empire. He proposed to achieve this by the interchange of letters written during school hours by children over nine years of age. In each school the best letters—©ne from a girl and one from a boy—in each 100 children would be despatched overseas with the writers’ photographs and letters received in return would be bound and circulated from school to school.

At a meeting of the Clutha High School Board of Governors on Tuesday night, a letter was read from Mr J. R. Marks, district engineer, Public Works Department, in connection with the improvement of the grounds of tho school, for which the Education Department some time ago voted a sum of £350. Mr Marks enclosed plans and estimates for the board’s consideration, and, after some discussion,-it was decided to accept the plan for a new entrance toad, asphalting around buildings, and three lawn tennis courts (one double and one single), at an estimated cost of £3lB. It was further decided not to proceed with the sports and football ground (estimated cost £400) in the meantime. A lot of levelling would bo required to form the latter, and besides the area was not considered quite large enough for a football ground. The improvements decided upon will be carried out by the Public Works Department. ,

There were some interesting sidelights vpon Native history during a sitting of tho Native Land Court at Te Kuiti in connection with a claim by Natives for a share of the Kaipiha Block, near Pirongia, much of which is at present leased to (Europeans. One old Native who gave evidence in the case recalled an incident about cattle grazing on the block. The stock disappeared, and the Native owner, on searching the surrounding country, found them rounded up in a stockyard. Most of the hefty members of a neighbouring tribe sat on the top rail of the fence, and defied the owner to remove the cattle. Being a man of resource, he wm®ched the tail down, and the tribesmtfia fall in a heap. "What did they do?” was a question asked at this point of the narrative. "They were very upset,” naively answered jthe witness.

An innovation which is assured of appreciation and support by the travelling public are the refreshment cartons which are on sale, at the principal railway refreshment rooms thioughout New Zealand. Each carton, which is sold for a nominal sum. contains two sandwiches, two pieces of cake, a shortbread biscuit, and an apple—what might be described, in fact, as a wellbalanced diet—and are prepared for the convenience of those who prefer to have their refreshments on the train instead of at the station buffet. Each separate article in the package is wrapped in tissue paper and the whole effect is pleasing and appetising. The contents are made up fresh every day. This idea should be welcomed by those of a nervous temperament, who are sometimes afraid that the train will leave whilst they are taking refreshment, as well as by those who, though they know they are not pressed for time, dislike the inevitable bustle usually associated with the railway refreshment counters. If the experiment proves a success it is likely that the carton system will be extended in the direction of providing a wider choice for those desirous of obtaining refreshments in this way. It is understood (reports our Balclutha correspondent) that an Invercargill firm is about 'to inaugurate "chain” stores, to be conducted on the “cash and carry” principle, in Balclutha and Milton, and possibly other Otago towns. After four years’ work as Canadian Commissioner in New Zealand, Mr C. M. Croft will leave on a visit to Canada soon, with, in his own words, "the pleasantest memories of this Dominion.” New Zealand, he said yesterday, is regarded in the Canadian service as one of the best overseas . posts. He promises that what he says in Canada about New Zealand will be very flattering to New Zealanders. He finds the peoples of the two dominions very close to each other, not only in respect to trade affairs,' but also in their Imperialistic spirit and their public aspirations, and he believes that they will become even closer friends as time goes on, Tho unusual sight of a coffin being borne through the main street of the city at lunch hour, followed by some 200 mourners on’foot, was seen on Thursday (states our special correspondent in Wellington;. Crowds quickly gathered, but curiosity soon gave way to smiles and laughter when the following inscription was read upon the bier: "In loving memory of the Capping Day procession, which passed away quietly last week.”

When the question of erecting four additional class rooms for the infant department of the Caversham School came before the Otago Education Board at its meeting on Wednesday morning, comment was made on the waste of money caused by inadequate provision when the school was built. It was announced that the department authorised the board to call for tenders for the work. "It is very satisfactory to receive this advice,” said the chairman, Mr J. Wallace, "but at the same time it is a wicked waste of money. These classrooms should have been built when the school was erected last year. Hundreds of pounds have been absolutely wasted.” Mr J. Smith observed that the same thing had happened at St. Clair,

It is gratifying to learn that Mr D. E. Theomin’s generosity towards the Dun odin Art Gallery in the past is to be crowned by a gift of exceptional importance. Mr R. Neilson, secretary of the /Xrt Gallery Society, has just had word from tho firm of Raoul Bigazzi, Florence, to tho effect that it has received instructions from Mr Theomin “to execute for your gallery a Carrara marble original-size-copy of ‘The Wrestlers.’ ” At the elate of writing, April 30, the firm expected to have the work finished in about 16 weeks. It is mentioned that the statuary will weigh between 24001 b and 26001 b, and that a very strong basement in black wood will be needed to support it. This basement will be sft in length, 3ft 4in in width, and 3fit 3in in height. “The Wrestlers,” which is of Greek origin, is famous as one of the five groups of statuary to be seen in the celebrated Tribuna, a splendid apartment of tho Uffizi Gallery at Florence.

Some idea of the literary taste of the average secondary school girl may be gathered from a letter from the lady principal of the Girls’ High School, which was read at the meeting of the High Schools’ Board of Governors on Wednesday. The writer stated that the most popular authors among the juniors using the school library were Angela Brazel and Edith 'The seniors showed a preference for the works of Rafael Sabatini and William J. Locke, and in the reference library the- books in greatest demand were those in the "English and history sections. Since the opening of the new hospital at Balclutha, the administrative offices oi the South Otago Hospital Board have been housed tn* that building, and those with business to transact with the hospital authorities have, in the past, complained bitterly of the long and weary tramp from Balclutha to the top of the hill, where the hospital is situated. The news, therefore, that this tiring and inconvenient journey will soon be a thing of the past should be welcome. At Tuesday’s meeting of tho South Otago Board, Mr T. D. Pearson moved: "That the administrative offices of the board be removed into Balclutha.” Mr Pearson said that offices situated in a central part of Balclutha would be more convenient to the people of South Ot.ago generally, and suitable rooms could be secured in the town at a merely nominal rent. Further, he was certain that the rooms at the hospital now occupied by the administrative staff could .be used a good deal more advantageously than they were at present. Mr J. Christie seconded the motion, but pointed out that if the proposed change were made, there should be some responsible person left at the hospital for the purpose of interviewing visitors, and taking particulars of intending patients. This, as far as he could see, was the only difficulty. Mr W. S. Thomson said he had every sympathy with the proposal, but he -would like to hear the opinion of the medical superintendent (Dr A. C. B. Biggs) regarding it. Dr Biggs said the need for room was very urgent, and the chief difficulty at present was that when patients came to tho hospital for X-ray or massage treatment there was no place for them to dress in. The two rooms at .present occupied by the matron and himself would be eminently suitable for this purpose. He thought it might be advisable for the matron and himself to have space allotted to them in the secretary’s room. Personally, he was strongly in favour of the change. Mr F. W. Fenton agreed with Mr Pearson’s motion. By releasing the rooms mentioned by Dr Biggs, he said, they would at least have the beginning of an outpatients’ department. In his opinion the scheme should be put into operation right away. Mr H. M. Driver expressed the opinion that the proposed shift would be a move in the right direction. They could, at anyrate, give it a trial. The motion was carried, and it was decided that the Works Committee make the necessary arrangements for securing suitable rooms. In conversation witn our representative, the engineer-manager of the Otago Electric Power Board (Mr J. C. Collins) stated that large power consumers throughout the district seemed to be fully alive to the benefits accruing from electric power, and consequently the demand for various industrial enterprises was encouraging. At the same time he stressed the anxiety that rs being caused to the board by an apparent lack of interest shown by the average ratepayer in its activities. A pamphlet would shortly be issued to consumers as a warning and as an appeal, that rmless the revenue of last year, which was in the vicinity of £13,200, is not this year exceeded by 60 per cent, the board would be

reluctantly compelled to strike a rate over thq district under its jurisdiction. He suggested that a remedy lay in the hands of the consumers themselves. “Is it not better,” • he asked, "to use more power and. get a return for your money than to pay a rate and get nothing for it?” Captain David M'Ghie, R.E., for years a prisoner ef war in Turkish Asia Minor, has a profound respect for the spook phases of spiritualism. He has seen (says the Wellington Evening Post) the spooks unlock doors and loosen prison bars. Among his British fellow-prisoners were several officers skilled in fake spookism, and they so worked on the credulity of the Turkish guards that, on pretence of locating treasure in the ruined residences of murdered Armenians, these psychic experts were escorted to the places they named, and were given considerable liberty. Their magic powers' were made by them a lever to obtain greater freedom for their fellowcaptives as well as for themselves, and the prisoners soon were allowed plenty of picnics,- on the plea of “no picnics, no buried " treasure” I The charm worked, even to the jyoint of facilitating escape. Two of the psychic captives became so filled with zeal that they were sent out of Turkey certified as insane. Their brains recovered beyond the three mile limit—or whatever is the wartime equivalent. of such I ■ . ’ . - , ' A number of immigrants by the Remuera, from England, reached Dunedin by the expres from the north on Tuesday, and were met bn the railway station by Church of England immigration officers.

An interesting find has been made by Superintendent Ching, of the Wanganui Gaol, in connection with the old Rutland Stockade (states our correspondent). Recently some leg chains and bolts were found in a loft, and the superintendent has now found an old iron bedstead weighing 1301 b and very solidly constructed. The bedstead, together with the other relics of a bygone age, will be deposited in the museum, which is now being built. The cruelty of the Turk is largely an, attribute of his mentality and culture, according to the story told by Captain D. M'Ghie, R.E., who was a prisoner in Turkey from April, .1915, till the Armistice (says the Wellington Evening Post). The patriarchal conditions of ancient Asia Minor, and the clan or tribal- structure of primative racial organisation, seem to lurk behind the following incident: When the Turks were listing the prisoners, and asked the-captain his name, his reply was, “David M'Ghie.” But that did not suit them at all. They asked his father’s name, and were told, “Thomas Scott M'Ghie.” So they wrote down, "David, son of Thomas Scott.” For "M'Ghie” they had no time whatever. “M'Ghie,” they concluded, was simply a. clan nanje. That, continued the captain, would be their own view of it, as studied from the angle of their own Turkish nomenclature. They live in big families. The common label they regard as in no sense an identification. An area of two acres adjoining the public school ground at Alexandra is likely to be acquired by the Otago Education Board under the Public Works Act, the land being required for school purposes.

The Otago Education Board has appointed the undermentioned gentlemen to act as commissioners in districts where the householders failed to elect a committee at the second meeting called for that purpose:— East Taieri, Messrs A. Miller and E. Pillowe; Karitane, Messrs J. Heath and W. Bauchop; Lower Harbour, Messrs H. Omand and J. Powell; Maerewhenua, Messrs D. L. Weir and T. Howland; Moa Flat, Messrs C. Mann and T. Stark; Nevis, Messrs M. B. Kasielke and — Dickey; Otiake, Messrs J. H. Jefferis and W. Gard, jun.; Pukepito, Messrs A. Rush and J. White; Pukema, Messrs J. Ramsay and H. Wilson; Tarara Messrs R. W. Holmes and M. Miller; Tapui, Messrs A. Henderson, A. Clyde, and G. Cant; Upper Junction, Messrs J. Buttar and W. Robertson. It has been decided that the University Capping Carnival will be held on July 13, 14, 15, and 16, and the graduation ceremony will be held on July 14. A question as to the advisability of discontinuing the annual inter-college debate as a public function is to be discussed by the authorities, following the recent disturbance in Auckland, but it is felt by the majority in Dunedin that a debate in camera, would be quite unsuitable, and to some degree absurd. At the annual meeting of the Manawarft group of the New Zealand Co-operative erd-testing Association, Mr Hume, general manager, said Manawaru had established a record of which they might well be proud, the figures constituting a world’s record, for butter-fat production. It has been decided to celebrate the event on June 20 by holding a banquet, at which it is expected. there will be a large number of visitors, including the Hon. 0. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture,