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Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 51

A report submitted by the city engineer containing proposals for the construction of additional hut accommodation for men at the Mahinerangi Dam and for the construction of a mess bouse, has been aproved by the Electric Power and Lighting Committee of the City Council. The proposals provide for the provision of four double bunk huts arranged in a block witli a central chimney, and a row of four such blocks connected end to end will be required. In connection with th e mess house tor the men, it is proposed that the men snould themselves run tbe mess house, the council providing the building with necessary accommodation, including electrical apparatus for cooking and cooking utensils, ihe council will not be responsible for the detailed arrangements for running the mess, the understanding being that the men them’ selves wifi require to form a committee under the chairmanship of a resident engineer and vice chairmanship of tbe fore man, and in accordance with rules to be suimitted to the committee for approval. The question whether the catering should be done by a contractor or otherwise will be left to the committee to decide.

At 10.58 on Saturday morning fire broke out at the Enterprise Petro] Service Station at the corner of Bridgman and King Edward streets. The outbreak, which was caused through one of the pumps overflowing. dicl Slight damage to the station, and two pumps were badly damaged. The station is owned by Mr J. To<l<l. A toy mic- JT-rold S’xw. aged about 16 years, who was in charge of the station, received severe burns on his left arm He was taken to (he Hospital for treatment.

Some time on Saturday night the drapery stores of Messrs Kilroy and Sutherland, 1 rinces street, were broken into, and a quantity of men’s wear to the value of about £l5O was stolen Tbe thieves effected an entrance through a window at the rear of the premises, and. not content with making a careful selection of the very best the shop had to offer in the way of the * latest fancies for men, they also took six suit cases, in which, presumably, they removed their loot.

At a largely attended combined meeting of the Southland Provincial Executive and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union on Saturday strong opposition to further application of the principles of daylight saving was expressed, and the following resolution was carried (reports a Press Association telegram):—“This meeting of ihe Farmers’ Union considers that the Summer Time Act a s passed at the last session of Parliament and given a fair trial for the summer of 1927 28, is detrimental to the prosperity of the country, and asks that it be not again placed on tho Statute Book.”

In terms of instructions from the City Council the Finance Committee has considered the effect of the recent award of the Arbitration Court increasing the wages of general labourers. Dealing with the general account only, the position is that the increase will call for a further provision of from £4500 to and there is no source from which that sum can be obtained except by an increase in the general rate of Id. The council is, however, already committed to an increase of Id in the general rate to meet the £5OOO exp nded on unemployment relief last year. The committee is of tbe opinion that theie can be no justification for increasing the rate beyond the Id, to which tbe "council is committed, and that the only alternative is to adjust the finances on the basis of employing a reduced number of bands. The committee accordingly recommends that that course be that the departmental officers be instructed accordingly. Th’e committee is further of opinion that the time has arrived for giving effect to the suggestion which has many times been made, that corporation works be done by contract, and recommends that instructions be issued to the departments that tenders are to be invited for all works which can possibly be contracted for. With feelings of sorrow, the Auckland water supply was discussed at a meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association the other evening (says the Auckland Star), and it was stated that a lot of trouble bad been caused to radiators of motor cars. Motorists said that various solvents had been used without success, and that the only real solution was to buy a new radiator at a cost of £25 or put in a set of new tubes. The general opinion was that the real trouble was the chemical action of the on the copper tubesT

In comparison with the other centres, Dunedin has so far been fortunate in regard to infantile paralysis, as is indicated by the fact that not a single case of the malady has been notified to the health authorities for the past three months.

A report dealing with the annual conference of delegates from the various libraries throughout the Dominion, held in Christ church last month, will bo presented to the City Council at its meeting to-morrow evening. It is proposed that the conference should be held every two years, the next meeting to be held in Auckland during the Easter of 1930. In the intervening years it is - proposed that regional conferences, ■which will be held at the main centres and be attended by delegates from the libraries of the surrounding country dis tricts, should be held with the idea of extending the benefits of up to date librarj administration to the country institutions

Mr Joseph Cross was the only candidate nominated to fill the extraordinary vacancy in the Portobello Riding of the Peninsula County Council caused by the resignation of Mr:W. J. Lewis. The returning officer (Mr W. Fleming) has, therefore, declared Mr. Cross elected.

Big game fish off Cape Brett seem nlpp tiful, as the following catches made on Tuesday last indicates:—Messrs Nevi] Cook (Russell), swordfish, 3301 b (this is the heaviest swordfish caught this sei • W S. Lambe (Sydney), swordfish, 2571 b; J. A M’Dougall (Wairarapa), swordfish, 2861 b; J Kershaw (Wairarapa), swordfish, 2501 b; E. P. Ussher (Wairarapa), swordfish, 2701 b; W, A. Irons (Wairarapa), mako, 1331 b, H. Llanfear (Blenheim), second day out, •wordfish, 2541 b; C. Coryton (England), hammerhead shark, 2701 b; C. Alma Baker (Malay States), swordfish, 2681 b; W; Mason Bayly (Russell), black marlin, 3201 b.

About 300 shopkeepers made applications to Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court in Auckland yesterday morning for exemption from the closing hours fixed by the various awards. The applications were made under the provisions of the new Shops and Offices Act. After discussion between the magistrate and counsel it was decided to adjourn all the applications until next Friday, when legal argument will be heard as to the interpretation of the Act. The applications will all . be determined according to the interpretation.

During the hearing of a guardianship case in the Supreme Court in Christchurch on Friday counsel said the mother of the boy wished him to have the benefit of an expenusive education in England. Mr Justice Adams; “Why stress education at Harrow as a determining factor in the boy’s education? I have a very high appreciation of the universities and other educational institutions in the Old Country, but I am not prepared to depreciate unduly the educational opportunities given here.”

Questioned as to the possibility of an expedition leaving Australia for the Antarctic, Sir Douglas Mawson stated to our representative on Friday evening that Australia- was ‘ again.'' interested in such a project. _ Unfortunately financial difficulties stood in the way, but he had hopes that, within the next few years, a party of scientists from the' Commonwealth would leave for the South Polar regions.

A Dunedin citizen considers that official dom is sometimes carried to excess, and he sets out to prove his assertion, with considerable success. The Dunedin citizen, who is well known in shipping business, states that the Wellington Harbour Board had an account for 4s 8d against some of the effects of a man who had passed through that port on his way to Dunedin, but by some mistake or other, on the part, presumably, of an officer of the board, this amount was not collected. In due course the account found its way into the hands of the police, and an officer paid two visits to the Dunedin citizen’s office in connection with the amount, when it was noticeable that the documents in connection with 'he large sum had passed through a number of hands, as was proved by the signatures appended to these documents. The owner of the goods was at last discovered in Dun edin, and he at once announced his willing ness to pay the amount due. It was, indeed, the first time he 'had been asked for the 4s Bd. The Dunedin citizen considers that the Justice Department should debit the Wellington Harbour Board with one guinea, for services rendered, and that the board would even then be getting off very lightly. That the wool season has been prosperous for Wanganui (says our special correspondent, writing at the week-end), is demonstrated by the returns of the wool sales. There does not seem to be any doubt that Monday’s offering of 3750 bales will all be disposed of, making approximately 56,000 bales for the season. Averaging this out -at £24 per bale, though so far it works out slightly higher, the return to growers is, in round figures, £1,344,000. This is considerably in excess of last season when 53,000 bales were sold approximately.' for £1,007.060. It will be noted that though the aggregate value was lower last season the offerings were greater. This is accounted for by the fact that last season there was a good carryover, while. this season it was practically all this season’s clip that was disposed of there being nothing held over. As regards values the average last season was just a shade over £l7 per bale, while this year about £24 has been returned to the grower. With over £1,250,000 going into the pocketof the wool growers and many thousands to the dairymen, the primary producers of the district have experienced a very profitable season. In up-river districts the farmers have enjoyed one of the best seasons for many years. Mr Goodfellow, director of the Radio Broadcasting Company, on his return from the south, referring to criticism of the management, said the impression had been created that the company had “ money to burn.” That was not true. The income in the past year was under £40,000 for the maintenance and operation of the four stations, and several months’ expenditure had considerably exceeded the revenue Copyright alone cost thousands of pounds yearly. He denied that there was undue control of the Auck land station by head office. Interference from head office merely implied that the work was not satisfactorily performed at the station.

A set of the new silver coinage which has recently been minted has arrived in Dunedin and is now on view in the window of Mr T. P. Williamson, Princes street. The set includes a crown, a halfcrown, a florin, a shilling, a sixpenny piece and a threepenny piece, and in design all the pieces show a distinct departure from the coinage now in use. All six coins show on the obverse side the King s head facing to the left, and whilst the reverse side of each coin shows the denomination in plain letters, the design on this side of each coin varies. The crown has a crown in the centre, surrounded by a wreath of shamrock with three roses and three thistles, and the half-crown has a shield with a double G. under a crown on each side. The florin has four shields with sceptres and crowns, and on the shilling appears a crowned lion surmounting a crown. The design on the sixpence is somewhat more ornate, and shows a ring of six crowns with oakleaves, and that on the threepenny piece is substantially the same, with the exception that three acorns only are shown. The new coins were designed by Mr G. K. Gray, who was also responsible for the “Canberra ” florin and the new South African coinage. There were prophets who forecasted for New Zealand a wet and unseasonable summer, something like the last one experienced in England, owing to the prevalence of sunspot activity. They could not have been wider of the mark in their prognostications. Therefore, just because at the present time there are no fewer than six groups of spots visible on the sun’s surface, there is not likely to be a rush Two of these groups were favourably Two of these groups will be favourably placed for observation during the weekend one ’ passing the central meridian early this week and the other having just entered the visible surface of the disc. Only in appearance do these spots travel across the surface of the sun; in reality they are stationary disturbances, the rotation of the sun on its own axis, completed once in about' every 26 days, giving the appearance of motion. It is reasonable to suggest the possibility of an auroral display when sunspots are both numerous and active.

At a meeting of the Otago Master Grocers’ Executive it was decided to hold the Anniversary Day holiday on the proper date, Friday, March 23, and the late shopping night next week will therefore be on Thursday.

At. the opening of the Rugby football season at Samoa -the Administrator said that as soon as the steamer Maui P.omaro was running between Samoa and New Zealand there would be a chance of sending a team of footballers to play a series of matches in the Dominion. The suggestion has. been warmly welcomed in Samoa, where it is considered that, a tour of New Zea land would, do much to raise the standard of the game in the islands,

Reference to proposals for broadcasting church services was made at the Auckland Presbytery meeting on Tuesday by the Rev. W. D. Morison Sutherland, who reported on behalf of a sub-committee set up to deal with the matter. He said the committee had not been able to meet, but ho had personally interviewed the Post-master-general and Mr A. R. Harris in Christchurch, and the Auckland manager of broadcasting. He proposed to have a meeting of his committee, with representatives of the other churches of Auckland, and to form a deputation to wait on the broadcasting manager. After that he would be able to report definitely to the next meeting of the Presbyery. He did not think it wise to say more at the present time, but there were possibilities, and he thought they would say so a month hence. A member of the Presbytery objected that the Auckland manager had no powers at all, but Mr Sutherland said that as a matter of courtesy it was desired to approach Mr Harris through the Auckland manager. The report was adopted.

Petty thieving and trespassing have been worrying the caretaker of the Art Gallery at Logan Park. Some time ago it was arranged that this official should keep an eye on the cricket field and flower beds that have been formed under the directon of the City Council Reserves Committee, and on several occasions his vigil has been rewarded by the appearance, after sundown. of marauders. Recently he captured two women who were helping themselves to flowers, and at intervals he has found it necessary to warn young men who seem to regard the carefully-tended cricket ground as a legitimate place for casual practice on Sunday mornings. The authorities intend to adopt strong measures to prevent such intrusions, as considerable damage has already been done by the people concerned. A case of interest to farmers and stock firms was heard in the Pahiatua Magis trate’s Court when several stock agents were charged with drafting sheep on Sun day at the sale yards. One defendant explained that the drafting could not have been done on the morning of the sale. The same course had been adopted in previous years on the occasion of fairs. It was necessary to have the ewo fair on a Monday to avoid clashing with the regular sales in neighbouring towns. The Magistrate, Mr J. L. Stout, said a town that really relied on the farming community should not object to a certain amount of drafting on a Sunday when tho work was a necessity It was an annual occurrence, and there was a very large number of sheep to handle. The Magistrate agreed to take the case on its merits. He said that tho work quite possibly could not have bean clone in time on the Monday morning, and he dismissed all the charges. The treasurer of the Anglican Diocesan Missionary Committee (the Rev. C. H. Statham) has received from an anonymous donor the sum of £lOO towards the cost of the installation of “ wireless ’’ in the Melanesian mission schooner Southern Cross Two further donations of a similar amount would defray the entire cost of tho installation.

An ardent dog fancier wrote to the Bir kenhead Borough Council with reference to dog registration fees, asking if consideration was given to dog breeders of Pekingese and Pomeranians, of which there may be 20 at one place. This aspect, he said, seemed to have been overlooked. The council decided (reports the Auckland Star) to intimate that no concession -was allowed to breeders of those pet dogs.

During his stay in the United States about 12 months ago, Sir Douglas Mawson met Commander Byrd, who was then formulating plans for an expedition to the Antarctic regions, and he was impressed by the careful and comprehensive preparations which were being made. In the course of conversation -with our representative last week. Sir Douglas said that if anyone could fly to the South Pole, Commander Byrd was the man to do it. He had mads aerial navigation a life study, and was undoubtedly a thorough master of his subject. Already a great deal of enthusiasm over the flight had been roused in America, and, as money was not lacking, there was no fear that the expedition would not be equipped with everything which would make for the utmost efficiency. The actual flight to the Polo, Sir Douglas considered, did not present any special difficulties, but it had to be remembered that flying to the South Pole was an entirely different matter to a trip by aeroplane or airship to the North Pole. In the latter case the aviators had to fly over the frozen sea at a normal elevation, whereas, between the Ross Sea and the South Pole, the great Antarctic plateau, 10,5COft in height, intervened, which meant that any aeroplane making the flight would have to travel at an elevation of at least 11,000 ft. To attain this height, the question of weight would have to be considered carefully, and it was probable that, the expedition would establish a base at the foot of the plateau near what Captain Amundsen called the Devil’s Glacier, and thus be able to send the machines away with a minimum of weight. Mr A. E. Ansell, president of the South Island Motor Union, has despatched a letter in the following terms to the Prime MinisterAs you have given your assurance that the allocation of the petrol tax between the two islands will approximately conform with the number of vehicles in each island, may I ask if you are prepared to state definitely that during the coming session you will arrange for the necessary legislation giving effect to this assurance. I make this request in view of the fact that a meeting of South Island motorists will" be held in Christchurch on March 30, and the question is to bo discussed. I will be glad if you will favour me with a reply some days before that date. The announcement that you had agreed to the allocation has caused very favourable comment in Qtago.”

A few mornings ago a man called at a private residence in Wellington East, asking for work, and he informed the woman of the house that he was a British V.C. with a wife and family, and was desperately in need of He showed her certain papers and said that he was an accountant, but was prepared to do anything in the way of work, and refused money. As the tale was unfolded the sympathies of the woman were aroused, and she offered him 12s if ho would do a day’s work at a certain charitable institution, and also asked him to call upon u man interested in works of charity in connection with a religious body. With tears in his eyes he at length accepted the money and promised to turn up and do his bit ” at the institution mentioned. However, he neither showed up at tho institution mentioned, nor did he visit the man referred to. A peculiar thing was that he seemed to want to push his way into the house on one pretext or another, and that, combined with the fact that the man failed to materialise the following day, has led the woman to believe that the stranger’s intentions might have been other than honest. This belief was strengthened when jt was recalled that on hearing the voice of a man upstairs he showed no further desire to enter the place, but accepted the proffered money and went away.

Following the recent purchase of a new three-storey building in O'Connell street, Auckland, the branch of the National Insurance Company in that city has sold its old two-storied premises in Queen street adjoining the Stock Exchange for £23,000. Ihe identity of the purchaser has not been disclosed, but the immediate demolition of the old building is not contemplated. The frontage to Queen street is 21ft, so that price was equivalent to £1095 a foot. The depth of the section is 85ft.

Following on the recent statements which have appeared concerning allegations of preference given to North Island tourist resorts an Invercargill resident informed a Southland Times reported that he had had two cases brought before his notice when on a visit to Mount Cook a short time ago. Ihe first case concerned a tourist who told him definitely that sho had been advised in a northern office not to go to the South Island, but to visit Rotorua, the Waitomo Caves and the Wanganui district only. Later, friends had told her something of what was to be seen in the south, and she bad consequently gone to the Hermitage. She was particularly glad that she had as she found that in the South Island there was real scenery. She had decided to go on to Stewart Island about which she had heard nothing from, the tourist officials. On another occasion the informant met an Australian who said ho was going to Rotorua and Waitomo. Asked if he was not going further south he said no. He had been told that he would be better for him to catch the boat at Wellington. He was asked to state who told him that; but he replied: “ Oh, I might be getting someone into trouble if I do that.”

The Wellington Citizens’ War Memorial Committee of Experts which was set up to report upon three sites—one at either end of Kent and Cambridge terraces, and a third near the gates of the parliamentary grounds—has (reports our special correspondent) now presented its report, which recommends the Basin Reserve site, with the parliamentary grounds as a second choice.

The Prime Minister (Mr J. G. Coates) confirmed the report that Mr F. J. Jones will retire from the chairmanship of the Railway Board at the end of the month owing to ill-health. He had not received or consi'’or.d a request said to have been made by Mr Mouat to be released from office. Dr J. E. Russell, dean emeritus of Teachers’ College, Columbia University, New York, visited the Otago University, the Museum, the Dental School and the Medical School on Tuesday, and in the afternoon he held a conference with secondary school teachers. In the evening he gave a lecture in the Allen Hall on “ Education in a Democracy." Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., presided. The lecturer sketcher the rigid school life of a boy in Germany before the war, followed by the free and easy career of university life, and compared this system of teaching with that of the United States, where there was absolute freedom under local institutions. In America to-day serious thought was being given by educators with a view to shaping the school system in such a way that it would teach the masses to follow capable leaders. They wanted a system that would develop leaders and at the same time educate the masses to appreciate their leader. He hoped that English-speaking people would become better acquainted with each other as time went by. so that each could give something to the other. He was carrying back to America a number of ideas he had seen in New Zealand that might with advantage be incorporated in American systems. At the close of the lecture, Dr Russell was on tho motion of Professor Benson, accorded a warm vote of thanks. A . resolution in favour of retaining the daylight saving measure upon the Statute Book was passed at the annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailers (reports our special correspondent in Auckland). Although some opposition was raised by small owners on the grounds of interference with Friday evening trade, the larger houses generally favoured the measure. A copy of the resolution is to be sent to Mr T. K. Sidey.

The Works Committee of the City Council has instructed tho city engineer to record for consideration with the allocations tho question of the construction of portion of Sturdee street- on the harbour reclaimed land between Halsey street and Wickliffe street at an estimated cost of £3OOO. A note by the committee states that this work can only be provided for in the new loan schedule which ig now being prepared.