Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 3

With the object of combating the steel blue saw fiv, or horntail borer, formidable insects of the genus Rhyssa are being imported by the Department of Agriculture from England (says a Press Association from England. Should success be met in inducing the insect to breed, the name Sirex may become a memory in this country. The London Bureau of Entomology is undertaking the collection and shipment of the Rhyssa. While the gardener at Moutoa Gardens was removing some weeds from a lawn on Thursday (says our Wanganui correspondent) he came upon something solid which he took to be stones near the surface, so he decided to remove them. Procuring a spade he was surprised to find a neat concrete block about a foot square with a square brass plate inserted, and in this was a small hole in which lead had been placed. He then discovered that a strip oi concrete led from this base under the turf on the lawn, and tracing this for a distance of a chain he came to another square block with two metal hooks. Mr E. Alarchant (surveyor) was then sent for, and he recognised an old measuring base for checking what was known as “ Gunter ” chains. These were used in the days before steel tape chains were invented —a great many years ago. The “ Gunter ” chains had some small links at one end so that these could be easily removed to give the chain the correct measurement. The chains were hooked on to the metal clips in the concrete block and the lead, hole in the plate in the other block gave the exact length of a chain.

The Canterbury Timber Alerchants’ Association has advanced the price of most classes of timber by 2s to 4s 6d per 100 ft. This increase affects timber delivered in the yard or within a two-mile radius of the Central Post Office. On the other hand, a reduction has taken place from Is 6d to 8s per 100 ft for special truck orders of which the purchaser takes delivery at a railway station.

A letter from the Director of Education received by the secretary of the Plunket Society on Thursday stated that a subsidy of £ for £ had been approved on the sum of £3OOO raised by the society for the establishment of the Lady King Scholarship.

Statistics gazetted on Thursday show that the total births registered for the urban areas in July numbered 1022, compared with 943 in June, an increase of 79. The deaths in July were 639, an increase of 96 as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths, males contributed 339 and females 300. Eighty-two of the deaths were of children under five years of age, these being 12.83 per cent, of the whole number. Sixty-seven of these were under one year of age. The property known as “ The Camp ” and also as Larnach’s Castle, consisting of about 35 acres, was offered for sale by tho Public Works Department at the Land Board rooms on Thursday afternoon. The reserve was £2912 10s. Although there was a fair attendance, no bid was made, and the property was passed in. Larnach’s Castle was the historic residence of tho ■late Air W. J. Al. Larnach. It is a massive structure, built of stone, and surrounded by plantations and bush on tho Otago Peninsula. Some years ago tho property was acquired by the Government as an institution for mental patients, but it has not been used for that purpose for some years, and has been occupied only by a caretaker. Mr J. H. Wilkinson, speaking at tlia meeting of the Otago Education Board on Thursday, made reference to the Technical College Conference held in Wellington about a fortnight ago. Referring to°tho Council of Education, Air Wilkinson said that correspondence was received stating that there should be more representation on the council, and during the discussion that followed one was surprised to find how dissatisfied was the opinion that existed concerning the value of the Council of Education. One member of the council had disagreed with another member and had said that he was doubtful whether tho council was fulfilling any useful purpose whatever. A motion had been agreed to that Technical Colleges should have moro 1 epresentation on the Council of Education than at present.

1 hat the future of Fiji is not seriously menaced by a clash of racial interests ia the belief of the Rev. A. W. Al’Alillan after spending three years among the Indians in the Crown Colony. He recognises (says the Auckland Star) that there are difficulties in the way of preserving complete harmony such as traditional selfsatisfaction on the part of the Britishers and tho ancient caste spirit of the sensitive Hindus. “ 'lhe Hindu,” he says, “is resentful of discourtesy, and is jealously studious of matters of precedent. Also to be considered is the defence of the rights of the good-natured, laughing Fijian, who has begun to talk openly of “ Fiji for tho Fijians. ’ There are widely-differing religions, varying stages of civilisations, high, and low standards of morality and styles of living, and the self-congratulation that is usually found among the ‘ new rich ' in any race.’’ There are, however, many virtues to extol, and Mr APMillan firmly believes in the ultimate cultivation of right attitudes between the various racial groups. When 11.M.5. Dunedin was returning to New Zealand after her refit in England two members of the ship’s company were left behind at Panama. On Thursday morning (telegraphs our special correspondent) the men, both of whom are firemen, arrived by the Dutch steamer Walchcren, which had passed through Panama Canal on her way from Alontreal.

After their efforts had been twice checked by the police the two boys who recently broke into several business premises in. the city were detained in the Probation Home at Anderson's Bay until they could be brought before the Child Welfare Court. On Wednesday night, however, they escaped in their night attire, and early on Thursday evening they were found in. George street, and taken to a house in St. Andrew street until the police arrived to take care of them. They were scantilyclad in some ill-fitting garments which they had found at the quarry at Anderson’s Bay.

At Auckland on Wednesday a fine of £8 was imposed on a former Auckland solicitor, James Lockwood Brady, on a charge of .stealing four books from the Public Library. The Magistrate dismissed a charge o£ vagrancy, while the police withdrew j charges of stealing an overcoat and a portmanteau with its contents.

Mr J. G. Coates (Minister of Railways) advises that it has been decided to grant tickets at holiday excursion fares to scholars or students who are in regular daily attendance at universities, colleges, technical colleges, and State or private schools, during the recognised school vacations.

The ratepayers of Auckland rejected a proposal to borrow £500,000 for extending the city tramways system from the various suburban termini and to Point Chevalier, and also for the purchase of 50 tramcars. The poll was a heavy one, the controversy regarding bus and tram transport having •been waged fiercely, and many lively meetings of ratepayers having resulted. The proposal was defeated by 4267 votes to 3443. The decision (says our special correspondent) may be regarded as a protest by citizens against the City. Council attempting to take over all metropolitan transport with little likelihood of profitable results in the near future.

A Wgnganui resident walked home from an auction sale the other, .day., with a painting by a New Zealand artist tucked under her arm. It had cost her ■> few shillings. After it had been cleaned the picture was recognised as an original of extreme rareness. Subsequently the purchaser was offered the sum of £4OO for the picture by a collector. The woman has decided to retain the painting until its full value cap -be appraised. No doubt it would command a larger figure in England.

A man in Auckland purchased a dress suit for £24, but becoming temporarily embarrassed, he pawned it for £8 (says the Star). Things again looked up, and he went to redeem the suit, but was informed that as the time had expired it had- been sold as an unredeemed pledge. “ Uncle”, ” however, was sympathetic, and sent him to a tailor, who, he said, would give him a slap-up new suit cheaply. The customer went, and got a suit, for which he paid .15 guineas. It fitted him like a glove. It was, in fact, his own suit. The linings had been expertly removed and linings of another shade put in. Being assured of this, he thinks, on the whole, the suit has not been cheap, and that there are tricks -in at hast two trades. ”

All licenses promised for alluvial gold raffles have now been issued, and for the future licenses will be confined to paintings drawings, sculpture, or other work” of art, or literature. This information >s contained in the Internal Affairs Department’s annual report, which states that the balance sheets of later gold raffles indicated a very different position from that pertaining to earlier ones. In cases where a profit was shown, the amount was small in comparison with the gross takings, and in several instances a substantial loss resulted.

Arising out of recent prosecutions of sportsmen for shooting game from a power boat, the regulation that “ no person shall use a power boat or launch for the purpose oFTaking or killing native or imported game ” received very severe criticism from delegates at the meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society at Huntly. Finally, a special committee was set up to frame a regulation deemed reasonable and report to the society.

The development of radio throughout the Dominion has resulted in homer pigeons being, injured, in the course of their flights, by wireless aerials on the tops of houses and other buildings. So prevalent is this danger to the pigeons that the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty ro Animals is taking steps to attempt to find a remedy. It was recently suggested that the threading of corks at intervals on all aerial wires would make them visible to the birds. This plan is endorsed by the Dunedin Homing Pigeon Club,' members of which report that several valuable racing pigeons have been cut about by collision with the wires. It was decided at Tuesday’s meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to write to the P. and T. Department advocating the compulsory threading of corks on- aerials.

At last week’s meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council Ur E. Longworth mentioned that he had heard there was a possibility of Mr T. K. Sidey’s Daylight Saving Bill being turned down during the present session of Parliament. This, he thought, would be a great pity, as, in his opinion, Mr Sidey’s Bill would be of great benefit to the community generally, and he therefore would' move—“ That a telegram be sent to the Prime Minister, asking that no obstacle be placed in the way of the passage of the Daylight Saving Bill.” Cr J. D. M'Curdy opposed Cr Longworth’s suggestion. The Bill, be said, might be suitable for those engaged in sport, but he could not see how it was going to benefit the farmers. They already had to get up at 2 and 3 o’clock in the morning, and as far as they were concerned, there was too much daylight. Cr G. Stratton seconded the motion. Daylight saving, he said, was in force in England, and had proved successful, and there was no reason why it should not be so here. Cr M‘Curdy’s objection met with the hearty support of Cr T. D. Roy. “This movement,” ho said, “might be all right for the men in the towns, but I am thinking of the men on the land. It would be of little use to them.” The Mayor (Mr R. W. Hall) said the matter had been threshed out fairly thoroughly on previous occasions, and he had come to the conclusion

that it was a question of interest against interest. There was no doubt that daylight saving would benefit the townsfolk, but there appeared to be some doubt as to its efficacy in the country districts. Personally, he held an open mind on the matter, but he could see that, if the movement militated in any way against the prosperity of the farming community, it could not altogether be classed as a blessing. Cr Longworth said he was convinced that if daylight saving were once tried, the people would wonder how they had ever done without it. Tire present opposition towards it was merely born of prejudice. “Cr Roy should remember,” added Cr Longworth, “ that farmers are not what they were in past yeas. We are now living in the days of pasteurised milk and motor cars.” CT Longworth’s motion was then put to the meeting and was carried, Crs M’Curdy and Roy being the only dissentients.

The question whether New Zealand is likely to play a part in providing a mooring tower for airships to be used in the Imperial air route is as yet undecided. It is considered in aviation circles that, if the Dominion enters the scheme, Auckland will be the site selected as the most convenient. With the object of advising the Government in the matter, three experts will arrive in Auckland on August 38, and they will, in the course of their investigations, visit various parts of the Dominion.

Under the will of Mr Joseph Greaves, of Christchurch, retired schoolmaster, who died recently, and of whose will tho Public Trustee is the executor and trustee, the following charitable bequests (reports our special correspondent) are made:—To the Salvation Army in New Zealand the sun; of £350; to St. Saviour’s Orphanage, Christchurch, the sum of £350; to St. George’s Hospital, Christchurch, the sum of £250; to the building fund of St. Mary’s Church, Mcrivale, the sum of £lOO.

The opossum season in the North Canterbury Acclimatisation District closed on Tuesday. It is estimated (says the Press) that when all skins have been stamped, a total of close upon 5000 will have been taken. This is a much larger number than that taken last season, and is due to the fact that this season the new regulation was enforced by which all skins must be stamped by tho stamping officer in the district. As trappers are allowed one month after the close of the season in which to get the skins taken by them stamped, it is not possible yet to state definitely the number of skins taken during the past season.

An interesting case arising out of an incident in 1829, when a tribe of Maoris in Taranaki were driven from their homes by the fierce Waikatos, has just been concluded in the Native Land Court at Wanganui (says the Chronicle). The parties concerned in the case were descendants vf the Ngatimutunga, who were driven from their lands in Taranaki in 1828, some settling at Waikanae and others going to the Chatham Islands. In 1868, when trouble arose with tho Natives in Taranaki, Sir George Grey made a promise to representatives of the Ngatimutunga, whom he met in Wellington, that their ancestral claims to lands in Taranaki would be safeguarded if they would remain at : Waikanae and not return to Taranaki, as this latter course would embarrass the Government. After the Maori wars Compensation Courts were set up and 3000 acres in Taranaki were set aside for the purposes of the tribe, who were defined as Ngatimutunga absentees. Years went by and the members of the tribe failed to bring any claims forward, the lands being eventually sold by the -Government. • But in 1906, a Mr Fraser, who was going through old papers, cariief across the promise which had been made by Sir George Grey, and a commission was set up to inquire into the matter. The .commission submitted its report 'n favour of the members of the tribe, but the claimants lost interest in the matter and nothing came of the recommendations of the commission. The Native Land Court revived the claim in 1920 and reported in favour of the claimants, legislation being enacted in connection with the matter. Two parties, one represented -by Heni te Rau (Mrs J. Brown), and the other by Jlariata Hopere, brought their claims before the Native Land Court at Wanganui on April 11; 1927, and the court decided ill' favour of 19 people, six being members of Hariata Hopere’s party and the balance being on the -.list submitted by Heni te Rau. Last week Heni te Rau appealed: against the inclusion of the six persons connected with Hariata Hopcre, but the 1 appeal was -dismissed., As the land Jias, been sold the Government has yet to ,idecide : whether jt will compensate the claimants-i in money or in land elsewhere. • . • ■'