The Otago Witness

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 3

The Otago Witness

(The Otago Witness is registered at the General Post Office, London, as transmissible through the post in the United Kingdom at the newspaper rate of postage.)’

No. 3911— Estab. 1851.

DUNEDIN, N.Z.: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1929.

[PRICE NINEPENCE.

Monday week was the ninety-first birthday of Sergeant-major Edwin Bezar, of 19 Rintoul street, Wellington, one of the last two survivors in New Zealand of the famous 57th Regiment (West Middlesex), which took a prominent part in the Maori War campaign in the Taranaki province in the early ’sixties. His one-year-older “ diehard ” regimental comrade, Mr Michael Gill, is (says the Evening Post) at present an inmate of Park Island Home, in Napier’. Sergeant-major Bezar was present at Trentham when the King’s Prize was competed for. Seventy-three years ago Sergeant-major Bezar’s marksmanship at the peace celebrations upon Crimean War territory won for him the coveted first prize—a full hundredweight of plug tobacco, wlffch, as a result of his generosity in sharing it with his “ diehard” comrades, was reciprocated by their arranging with the pay-sergeant, at their expense, to add a bottle of ale to his daily ration as long as the contest held out; and 80 prolonged an event it proved that it and the regiment’s order to proceed to Malta almost coincided. It was from the father of the late Colonel Collins, then qaurtermaster of the “ diehards,” that Sergeant-major Bezar received the commander of the Crimean Forces’ unique rifle shooting prize. In company with the Taita Maori War veteran, Mr Reuben King, a centenarian next August, Serquartermaster of the “ diehards,” that geant-major Bezar was snapshotten at Trentham, and their photographs appear in this issue. Sixty-eight year ago Ser-geant-major Bezar’s old regiment, just newly arrived at Auckland from India, was marched seven rough miles to Onehunga, and there embarked on H.M.S. Niger, disembarking at Waitara next day to fight in the Taranaki campaign. The most serious breakdown in the history of the Southland Electric Power Board occurred shortly before 8 o’clock on Wednesday night, when the light and power services were out of commiseion till 9.30. The tramcars in Invercargill were at a standstill during that period. The theatres were plunged into darkness until the stand-by plants were brought into operation, and at the telegraph office candles were hurriedly brought into use. There was a serious delay at the office of the Southland Times, where the linotype machines were idle for nearly two hours and a-half. Other businesses relying solely on electric power Were affected probably to a lesser extent.

The' collapse of a defendant caused a sensation in the New Plymouth Police Court on Wednesday morning. Kenneth Charles Melton had bean charged* with theft -a-l 1

inaking an explanation with a view to having some oi uie c . drawn. . when Melton collapsed. An hour later the court was informed that ie was still unconscious.

A statement that all arrears of applications for loans from the State Advances Department would be overtaken in two months was made by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr P. A. de la Perrelle) in his speech at the official opening of the Franklin Show on 16th inst. The Minister added that when this was done the department could deal with the flow’ of hew applications. The Government’s land policy was also touched on by the Minister. He said it was not proposed to take 6ver large areas in the remoter districts and subdivide them into smaller holdings, but to provide small areas, say, 50 acres or so, near centres of population and financially assist men to take up these farms and work them. It was felt that fetich a policy would attract people from towns and give them homes and work in rural districts. It was also felt that the time was past for the provision of relief works as a means of coping with unemployment, said the Minister. Money fehould be spent only on essential works, and energies should be devoted to settling people on holdings on which they could become established and thus find contentinent in a permanent occupation.

The advertising of American motor cars assembled in the Dominion as “ produced in New Zealand ” was criticised at the meeting of the North Island Motor Union in Auckland recently. Attention was. drawn to the practice by the Taranaki Automobile Association in a letter, which stated that the description tended to create the impression that British goodn were offered. It was decided to refer the matter to the Department of Induntries and Commerce.

The announcement of Mr Charles Barwell’s project to cross Cook Strait in a collapsible canvas canoe brought to light the fact that about 40 years ago a Maori boy of 14 years of age crossed the strait in a native canoe, landing at Makara, to see his father, who was lying ill, the journey occupying three days and two nights. Mr G. S. Hill, president of the Royal Life-saving Society, a resident of Oriental Bay, Wellington, recently told a Dominion reporter that he remembered the strait being crossed in a Rob Roy canoe by the Rev. Otho Fitzgerald, curate of the Avonside Church, Christchurch, some years ago, prior to Mr Fitzgerald being ordained, but on the matter being mentioned to Sz,pH matter being mentioned to him the reverend gentleman stated. that he had never made such a crossing. However, his two brothers, Mr William Fitzgerald, who was a Wellington lawyer, and at one time" captain of the Star Boating Club, Wellington, and Mr Gerald Fitzgerald, a civil engineer, now retired from the Government service, had crossed Cook Strait each in a Rob Roy canoe about 35 years ago. The Rev. Mr Fitzgerald did not remember a great deal of the incident, as he was very young at the time. He himself had crossed the bar at Wanganui and gone some distance out to sea in a 12-foot Rob Roy canoe in his younger days, and returned without mishap. From the Palmerston North and the Hawera A. and P. Societies, the local commercial branch of the Railways Department has received invitations for a party of North Otago, Otago, and Southland farmers to visit the winter shows in the respective towns. To meet the wishes of the societies, and providing sufficient inducement offers, the Railways Department proposes to run a farmers’ train under similar conditions to those which proved so successful last year, and with this end in view the commercial agent (Mr C. Barnes) already has tentative arrangements in hand.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington says that arrangements have been made for Miss Lily Coppiestone to make an attempt to swim across Wellington Harbour on March 31. A search of the Auckland city by-laws has revealed no suitable method of controlling the noise emanating from the business premises of gramophone and radio dealers (says the New Zealand Herald), so the City Council has decided to enact a new by-law. “ The difficulty is to frame a by-law which will prevent this particular form of annoyance without interfering unduly with the legitimate use of their premises by shop owners,” said the city solicitor, Mr J. Stanton, in presenting the following draft:—“ No person shall in any premises adjoining or near any street, footpath, or public, place, by playing any gramophone or musical instrument, or operating any wireless or other device, cause a nuisance or annoyance to persons in or on such street, footpath, or public place.” The draft was approved. A report issued jointly by the Departments of Agriculture and Scientific and Industrial Research contains much information as to the experiments which lava been carried out in respect to the use of artificial manures. " A stage is just being reached,” says the report, “ when definite recommendations, resulting from data collected from experiments, can be made to farmers. Wheat, potatoes, and turnips are annual crops about the manuring of which definite information is at hand, and although future work may cause some modifications of the present recommendations it is certain that no further withholding of a definite statement is justified. Recommendations on the manuring of grass land other than those involving purely phosphates should be made with extreme reserve. Much work on the use

of nitrogen and potash is required before definite conclusions can be arrived at. The system of co-operative experiments in which the actual problem is investigated on the land to which it is intended to apply the results has proved itself to be of great value both from the point of view of investigation and demonstration. The officers carrying out the field trials are kept extremely busy, and the demand for their services is often greater than theit ability to comply with such demands. A system of recording and reporting on •di experiments has been inaugurated and is proving extremely valuable in enabling field superintendents to be kept fully informed of the progress of experiment®.**

Among the souvenirs brought back from the Antarctic by the Eleanor Boling was a gallon champagne bottle which introduced a. sparkle to the Christmas festivities of Commander Byrd and bis fellows on the Ice Barrier. The master of the vessel (Captain G. L. Brown) had been commissioned by Commander Byrd to deliver the bottle, which was liberally autographed, to Mr A. A. Paape, of the Grand Hotel, to whom the expedition owed much for its Christmas cheer

His Honor Mr Justice MacGregor has granted probate in the following estates: James Anderson (Mr C. J. Payne); Daniel Alexander Gillies (Mr F. B. Adams); Thomas Balfour Ferguson, Ravensbourne (Mr E. A. Duncan); John Cuttie (Mr John Wilkinson), Mrs Mary Ann Cumming (Mr J. T. Walter) ; Herbert Thomas Morgan, Ophir (Mr T. E. Sunderland). Letters of administration have been granted as follow: —Thomas Shannon, Oamaru (Mr H. J. S. Grater); William James Corkran (Mr J. MacGregor). In reply to a communication from Mr A. E. Ansell, M.P., asking that steps be taken to provide accommodation for married men employed at Seacliff Mental Hospital, the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) has forwarded a communication stating that further inquiry had been made into the matter, and it was understood that the question had recently been the subject of discussion between the Public Service Commissioner, the Directorgeneral of Mental Hospitals, and the secretary of the Public Service Association. It was also understood that representations were likely .to be made in the direction of remedying matters. The Prime Minister further stated that he had every sympathy with the- views expressed in the letter.

Some interesting comment on the effect of fixing minimum wages in industrial awards was made by Mr Justice Frazer in the Arbitration Court in Wellington during the hearing of a claim respecting the painters and decorators’ award, when it was alleged that less than the award rate had been paid. “ All over the country men are getting more than the award rate,” said his Honor. “ That is why the award rate is as low as it is. The court knows it is bound to fix a minimum rate, and it fixes a rate which will allow the employers to pay more than the minimum wage,. giving encouragement to employees. It is of no use trying to encourage a man if he is not going to be paid for it; The court wishes to get the idea into the men’s heads that if they do their work well, are industrious, and study their employers’ interests as well as their own, the award rate is such as will allow more than the minimum to be paid.. It is desirable when a case like this crops up to make the position perfectly clear.” The Otago Harbour Board’s deputation to the Minister of Marine (Mr J. G. Cobbe) and the Under-secretary of the Marine Department (Mr G. C. Godfrey) is likely to end in the carrying out of the coastal survey from Moeraki to Cape Saunders. The deputation made its request at Auckland during the conference of the Harbour Boards’ Association, and the proposal was explained in a light which favourably impressed the Minister. The Harbour Board will supply the tug and crew, and the experts will be provided by the Government. The survey is regarded as urgent in view of the fact that the board is reinstating the Mole at the Heads at a cost of £lOO,OOO, and the drift of the sand has never been determined. After a similar request had been refused by the last Government on account of the cost involved, the board enlisted the help of local and public bodies throughout Otago in having the importance of the work impressed upon the authorities.

At a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Otautau last week Thomas B. Scott, who was charged with presenting a loaded firearm at the ranger and also with having in his possession an unregistered firearm, was convicted and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment on the first charge, and was convicted and discharged on the second.

The Works Committee of the Otago University Council reported to the meeting of the council on Tuesday that, in conjunction with the Logan Park Committee, it had considered tenders for the erection of a grand stand and that the following tenders had been received:—Love Construction Co., £6209 10s; G. Lawrence and Sons, £6294; Ross, King, and Mullenger, £6699; Williams and Wiles, £6759; Mr H. Naylor, £6861; Mr R. Mitchell, £7026; William M'Lellan, Ltd., £7328; G. Simpson and Co., £7430; Walter Ellis and Co., £7433; Loan and Watson, £7500;' Mr George Clark, £7588 7s 6d; Ellis and" Glue, £7684; Mr W. Wallace, £7715; Mr O. Campbell, £8174. As the lowest tender was considerably in excess of the amount available it had been resolved to refer the plans back to the architect and the representatives of the Students’ Association to consider cutting down the plans l and report to the Logan Park Committee; | if the Logan Park Committee resolved to call for tenders again, then the five lowest tenderers to be asked to submit prices. The Minister in Charge of the Board of Trade (Mr J. G. Cobbe) will.be able to commence his investigations of the cash order system about the first week in March (says the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times). He intends to have associated with him Mr J. W. Collins, secretary of the Board of Trade and the chief accountant of the board as expert advisers. Some evidence has already been offered to the Minister, who, before opening the inquiry, will advertise an invitation to submit evidence for his information*

Captain Brisson, sailing master of the pleasure yacht Wanderlust, on which Mr and Mrs Harvey Vissell, of La Crescenta, California, arrived at Gisborne recently, is a Frenchman much interested in Polynesian research. For about 18 years (says the Gisborne Times) Captain Brisson has sailed the South Seas, and was for several years in the service of the French Government as captain of the Mouette (in English “ the Seagull ”). This vessel was used to maintain communication between the French island possessions in the South Pacific, and carried the Governor and Ministers on their official visits of inspection to the various islands. Captain Brisson is an enthusiastic student of Polynesian language as well as history, and speaks most of the dialects. He is collector for the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, and director of the museum in Tahiti. Trophies and relics of historic value are collected, and drawings made by the captain are sent to the museum. He is also a collector of songs of different island races, and though many lyrics have been lost in their passage down the ages, he is not discouraged, but picks up a little here and a little there, pieces them together, and tries them out on old chiefs for lelp and correction. The same system of procedure obtains in regard to the language of the races where words have been lost or fallen into disuse.

The need of a “ learn to swim ” campaign in Otago, on similar lines to that started in one or two of the northern towns, was amply demonstrated at the meeting of the High Schools Board of Governors last week when the following report was submittted by the rector of the Boys’ High School:—“It is customary for us to classify the new boys entering the school each year for the purpose of forming our swimming classes, every boy who cannot swim being compelled to attend unless exempt for health reasons. I append for the board’s information the report made to me by Mr Northey this year, which may be of interest as showing the amount of work that has to be done in our swimming classes: ‘A total number of 223 boys answered the roll for the swimming inquiries. Of that number 49 could swim a distance of over 200 yards, and were classed as good swimmers, and 75 were marked as poor swimmers, being unable to swim 200 yards. Fifteen of this number could only do the crawl stroke, while five could only swim five yards. Ninety-eight boys could not swim at all. Eight boys from other secondary schools could all swim. They are ineluded in the above number.* *

Measures for a reduction of unemployment among teachers were discussed by the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute at its last two meetings. At present 201 young teachers are unemployed, the number being made up of 157 women and 44 men. The serious nature of the position was fully realised by members of the branch, and various reasons for the unemployment were advanced, and remedies were suggested. Recommendations were put forward which will be forwarded to the Central Executive of the institute. The matter is also to be brought under the notice of members of Parliament.

Regarding the MelbourneJßluff service the secretary (Mr H. P. West) stated at a meeting of the executive oi a meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce last night that a questionnaire had been sent to the principal firms in the south, and 42 replies had come to hand, showing the estimate of the annual tonnage for such a service to be approximately 40,000. With a regular service between Australia and the South Island it was confidently anticipated that business would increase. Evidence showed that business in Otago was being lost owing to the want of a better shipping service. Trade with the East was extending, and firms had actually made sales of North Island tallow and pelts for Australia and the East, which sales would have been made in Dunedin bid a better shipping service been available from the South "Island. The same applied to hemp. Certain merchant buyers in Sydney and Melbourne had assured a Dunedin firm that they did not ask South Island shippers to quote because of the erratic service. Information received was also to the effect that one overseas firm had definitely decided to establish manufacturing in New Zealand to cater for a large Eastern business which it was at present doing. The firm stated that the most suitable raw material for its purpose was produced in" Otago and Southland, and that - the ideal situation for the factory would be in Dunedin. Because of the poor shipping service between Dunedin and Australia, the firm was seriously thinking of establishing itself in Wellington. The approximate value of the cargo from the factory when established would be £150,000 per annum.

A motor cyclist was fined £4 10s in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for riding along the Hutt road at 65 miles - per hour. He had a girl on the pillion seat. The patrol constable had to do 74 miics per hour to catch him.