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Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 48

It was originally intended to have the professors of economics at each of the four university colleges as delegates to the national industrial conference, but Professor B. E Murphy (professor of economics at Victoria College) has intimated that owing to pressure of ’ work he will be unable to sit at' the conference (reports our special correspondent in Wellington) No successor has yet been appointed. The action of the New ’ Zealand Pubhetty Department in describing New Zealand as “The Paradise of the Pacific” has caused heartburnings in Honolulu, where prior claim for- the name is made (says the Auckland Star). On behalf of the Dominion it might be claimed that it has a plethora of paradises. It is known as an anglers’ paradise, workers’ paradise, and the farmers’ paradise, there is a Paradise at the head of Lake Wakatipu, and a district called Paradise in North Auckland, probably a Paradiso' alley or two, likewise a Paradise duck. On that evidence New Zealand’s claim to be called “The Paradise of the Pacific” appears to be well founded/

“ 1 think the time is opportune to make public the cost of the Dowling street ramp. There has been a great deal of wild talk about it,” said Cr Mitchell at the meeting of the City Council last week. The Mayor remarked that a report had already been made. “ Well, I have not seen it,” Cr Mitchel] replied. The cost of the ramp, he said, was £3823 3s 6d. Cr Wilson (chairman of the Works Committee) explained that no estimate had been made for the work. It had been expected that it would cost £3OOO, but as the work had progressed, additions had been made. Ardgour claims to be one of the driest districts in Now Zealand. Last year the rainfall was' Ilin, the lightest experienced for 35 years. The Prime Minister (Mr J. G. Coates), speaking to the settlers of the district on Wednesday, said that, notwithstanding the light rainfall, he was very pleased with the appearance of the country. It was showing an improvem'ent •every year, and there could be no doubt the settlers were working. The local Tourist Bureau reports that Milford and Doubtful Sounds experienced a record season this year.

At last week’s meeting of the Otago Swimming Centre, the President (Mr J. L. M'Tndoe) expressed pleasure at the Olympic Council’s choice of Miss K. Miller as a member of the team to represent New Zealand at the forthcoming Olympic Games. The question of funds, said Mr M‘lndoe, was an all-important one, and although it was a swimmer who was being sent from Otago, he hoped that the adherents of sister sports would realise that this was the first time the province had been represented at an Olympiad, and assist in every way possible. “We have been asked to set up a Royal Commission to inquire into irrigation matters in Central Otago,” said the Prime Minister (Mr J. G. Coates) on Wednesday. “My idea is that it is unnecessary, and I am against it. I do not know why it was asked for.”

South Africa has an athlete to neat R. A. Rose. That is the opinion held by sportsmen in South Africa and expressed in a letter received by the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at its last meeting from Mr Ira G. Emery, the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association's representative in South Africa. Mr Emery, referring to the Olympic Games, said that he was pleased to see that the New Zealand and South African teams would be accommodated at Lloyd’s Hotel together with the British team. “We shall send a fairly large team and it will be good,” continued the letter. “We are rich in talent, and think we have a man to beat Mr Rose over the distance events. Wo are still hoping that the New Zealanders and Australians will pay us a visit either on the forward or return trip to the Games and compete at either Durban or Capetown. Our team leaves by the Windsor Castle on May 25 and returns early in August. ... I do trust you will do something in the way of having your team compete against us on your return home.” At present it is necessary for those justices of the peace who wish to sit on the Bench to go to the clerk of the court and hand -in their names. An objection to this practice was raised by Mr M. Marks at a meeting of the Justices’ Association in Wellington last week (says the Evening Post). He held that it was the duty of the association to draw up a rota of those justices who were prepared to sit on the Bench. He for one would not like to ask the clerk to give him a turn on the Bench,_. Other members endorsed Mr Marks’s opinion, and the chairman of the association (Mr F G. Cray) also agreed, giving an assurance that the executive would go into the matter of drawing up a rota

Dr James E. Russell, dean emeritus of the Teachers’ College of Columbia University, New York, who is visiting the Dominion under commission by the Carnegie Foundation in O’rder to inquire into the education system of New Zealand arrived in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon, and was met at the station by Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P. (Chancellor of Otago University) and several members of the University Council and Professorial Board. In the evening Dr Russell met a large gathering, representative of the University, at the home of Mr T. K. Sidey, where he delivered a short address outlining the objects of his visit. Dr Russell will spend some days in Dunedin, and during that time he will be engaged meeting the representatives of educational interests in this city. There was a sensational interruption of proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court in Hamilton last Thursday afternoon during the hearing of a grave charge of assault on a girl 14 years of age, preferred against James Corrin, aged 32 (says the Auckland Star). While the girl was giving evidence the girl’s step-mother suddenly rushed forward in a frenzy, and attacked the prisoner, scratching his face and at the same time screaming maledictions, and threatening to murder him. The shock of attack carried Corrin off his feet, and he fell to the ground, while the woman made wild attempts to again vent her vengeance on him. He managed temporarily out of her reach behind the magisterial chair. The woman, who was by this time quite beyond control, again seized upon Corrin, whom she proceeded to hammer with her fists, the prisoner in vain trying to ward off her blows. The magistrate, who was by this time in the storm centre, was forced to beat a retreat, and it was not until the aid of two sturdy constables had been invoked and the woman dragged from the room that a more peaceful atmosphere was restored. It finally took the combined efforts of three sturdy constables to get the woman, who was of very powerful build, under control. During the scramble the clerk of the court, who was taking the depositions, was knocked off his seat, while the prisoner escaped, but was eventually located down a passage.

At the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (reports a message from Timaru) a farmer was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment for being found drunk in charge of a car. He had run into a bridge and had been found in a drunken condition and fast asleep. In addition to imprisonment, the defendant’s present license was cancelled and he was prohibited from getting another for two years.

A- 14-storey building is to be erected at the corner of Margaret and George streets in- Sydney by the Commercial Bank ol Australia, Ltd. The bank’s architect has called for tenders for the erection of the big new structure.

The misconception prevalent in New Zealand that art was a luxury, remarked Mr W. Moore, the Sydney art critic, in the course of a recent address in Christchurch, arose from the fact that most of the good pictures were confined to public galleries. But art should be recognised as a part of the community and should permeate everywhere. As an instance of a work of art in Christchurch, the lecturer mentioned the Bridge of Remembrance. There were other examples to be found in the beautiful little tea houses on the Cashmere Hills. “But art is not confined to painting and sculpture,” he said. “ The woman who arranges and decorates her home and the man who lays out his garden are artists, while posters and newspaper advertisements also give a chance for something artistic to be accomplished. But art is not confined to people whose interests are non-commerced. Art has owed, and owes, much to the help of business men.” Mr Moore ’ instanced the Felton bequest in Australia, worth now about £27,000 a year. Art should play a greater part in the life of the community than at present.

The constitution of the New Zealand Labour Party lays down strict rules as to the eligibility of candidates seeking parliamentary honours, including “ That all candidates must have been financial members of the party for at least two years prior to nomination.” The Napier branch considers this too drastic, and at the annual conference next month an endeavour will be made to amend it to one year. Another provision is a declaration: “That I am not a member of any political party other than the New Zealand Labour Party.” The Auckland Representation Committee will seek to amend this to: “ That I am not a member of any political party other than one having a similar objective to the New Zealand Labour Party.” A remit from Wellington North relating to the land policy, states that the most effective way of bringing to a successful issue the objective of the land policy of the party is by imposing a steeply graded tax on unimproved value of land, and by proportionate relief in Customs duties on the necessaries of life. The Dunedin women’s branch wants all unions to establish a youths’ section, selfgoverning, to deal with their own problems, and appoint a special officer to look after youth education, including all manner of sports. Palmerston North and Auckland are both moving in the direction of having the conference only in general election years, Auckland providing a furthed proviso “ That not less than three years shall have elapsed.” At present there is a conference every year. A Timaru remit is: “ That a committee be appointed to submit proposals to conference defining the party’s attitude to protective tariffs ”

New Zealand ex-service men have been invited to take part in an Empire pilgrimage to the battlefields of France and Flanders, organised by the British Empire Service League. It is proposed to muster FOOO British ex-soldiers in London during July next, representing the many units of the forces which served during 1914-18, to journey through the battlefields, terminating with a march through the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association has been requested to endeavour to send a minimum of 100 men. The association is not in a position to spend' money on sending men, and the New Zealand delegation, therefore, will have to be composed of those who are fortunate enough to be able to pay their own fares. It has been suggested that the delegation should travel to England via Canada, and in that event the Australian partv would nrobably travel with the New Zealanders. The Canadian Legion is prepared to welcamp and arrange entertainment, for the men, who, of course, would benefit by a red ri ion in charges It was originally intended that the pilgrimage should be led by the late Earl Haig. At least one member of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ 'Association will make, the trip.

In the course of inquiries into the efficacy of the various methods of slaughtering animals, a special committee which reported to the last meeting of the committee of the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Wellington was informed that numbers of pigs received into the city, which had been killed and dressed on farms, showed evidence that the killing had not been done as expeditiously or as humanely as desired, and that through ignorance needless nain had been inflicted. “We.are of opinion.” the committee reported, “that the society should make every effort to correct this. Your president has accented an -offer to write a short article which it is hoped to have distributed amongst farmers so that the methods used may be brought up to date-'and suffering ipinimised.” The committee said that it had paid a visit to the bacon factory of Messrs J C. Hutton and Co.. New Zealand, Ltd., and saw the process from the live pigs in the yard to the finished bacon. The members were particularly impressed with the expedition and efficiency with which the pigs were handled and killed, and with the general cleanliness of the works.

The Wellington Fire Board received a letter from the Dunedin Fire Board asking support for an appeal to the Government for a refund of the tax imposed on petrol used in fire brigade operations, and also for the exemption from the annual payment of license and other motor vehicle fees. No action was taken, the board holding that the whole purpose of the Act was to equalise road taxation. A reunion of Strathallan passengers and descendants will be held in the Pioneer Hall on March 22 to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of their arrival in Otago on January 8, 1858. As all the passengers have passed the allotted span, it will be very much of a farewell, being the last reunion of passengers. For that reason all will be most heartily welcome. _ The Christchurch City Council has carried a resolution on the motion of Cr J, W. Roberts That the Reserves Committee arrange for the removal of the guns from the city reserves.” The motion was carried by 10 votes to six, the Mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer) voting with the minority against the Labour majority. The guns are all trophies of the Great War and are situated mostly in Victoria square in the centre of the city. Mr Justice Sim has granted probate in the estates of the following persons: — James Washer, of Dunedin (Mr J. N. Thompson); Andrew Simpson, of Port Chahners (Mr Harold Ennor); Alexander Brown Armour, of Dunedin (Mr C. J. Payne); Janet Hewson, of Lawrence (Mr C. L. Calvert); Robert Goudic, of Port Chalmers (Mr W. L. Moore); George Alexander Hitchcock, of Pleasant Valley (Mr Longuet); Colin M‘Donald, of Invercargill' (Mr Macalister); John Stirling, ol Bluff (Mr Macalister); Peter Millane, of Knapdale (Mr Popplewell); Alexander Brydie, of Clark’s Flat (Mr R. C. Moore); George Walter Book, of Evan’s Flat (Mr R. C. Moore); Stephen Alphonsus Spain, of Earnsclettgh (Mr Bodkin); Jessie Barbara Helen Dods, of Morningtou (Mr J. B. Nichol); John- Barnes, of Dunedin (Mr Walker); Robert Witton Glendinning, of Dunedin (Mr Smith); Ruth Smith, of Awarua (Mr A. Macalister), and Christina Wilson, of Awarua Plains (Mr Eric Russell).

A novel defence was brought forward at the City Police Court last week by a defendant who was charged with having procured liquor during the currency of a prohibition order. Prior to the hearing of this charge, he pleaded guilty to committing a nuisance in a public place, and the fact that he had shown the .arresting constable a prohibition order as proof of his name and address, caused him to be charged with a breach of the order, as he idmitted he was drunk when he committed the offence. To this charge he pleaded not guilty, and, rather astonished, the Magistrate (Mr 11. W. Bundle) asked why. “ Well, your Worship,” explained the defendant naively, “ I only took the order out that afternoon, and I was drunk at the time.” As to his reason for this act, he was vague, but the explanation sufficed, and the information was dismissed.