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Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 55

Mr S. T. Williamson, of the Williamson Shipping Line, Hongkong, is at piesent visiting Wellington. He has bought the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Kamo, and the A.U.S.N. Company’s Tay, which are being taken from Sydney by Chinese crews. Mr Williamson says that all Eastern commodities are down in price. Rubber, copra,- and silk have all depreciated, and with the exchange on silver having depreciated from 6s in 1920 to le 4d to-day, trade is difficult, but he hopes that things will improve before long. A further conference between representatives of the Otago Harbour Board and the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce was held on Friday. Messrs A. C. Cameron (president), A. H. Allen, J. B. Waters, E. A. Rosevear, and T. C. Ross attended on behalf of the chamber, and the board was represented by the chairman (Captain Coll. McDonald), and Messrs J. M‘C. Dickson, H. E. Moller, and J. Loudon. Several matters affecting harbour control, including railway connection with the Victoria wharf, were discussed, and the conference was adjourned so that further information could be obtained. A work of importance to residents in the Lauder district was authorised recently, when the Minister of Public Works (Mr W. B. Taverner) approved of a grant to enable the district engineer of the department at Dunedin to carry out an investigation into the possibilities of storing water in Thomson’s Creek for the purpose of irrigating lands lying dong the right-hand bank of the Manuherikia River. As far as is known at present, the proposed works will take the form of a rock-filled dam of large dimensions well back in the mountains, from which the water will be run down the natural channel of the stream to where is emerges from the foothills. There it will be picked up by water races and distributed over the lands which the scheme is designed to benefit. The funds at present authorised are for the surveys in connection with both the races and the dam and access to the latter, which will be a difficult matter owing to its location in mountainous country. The week-end witnessed a fairly general change-over from winter to summer sports. The weather was favourable. Several city and suburban lawn tennis clubs held very successful opening days, and most courts were well filled all the afternoon. The first bowl rolled gently down towards the kitty on many bowling greens, and there was little difficulty in securing rinks on any green. Most greenkeepers have been anxiously waiting warm sunshine to put the finishing touches on the sward, w’hich in many cases is exhibiting signs of a backward spring, although most of the cricket clubs have not yet opened their season officially the dull thud of wood striking leather -was heard on a number of practice wickets. The nets at Logan Park attracted large numbers, and there were also good attendances on club grounds. The Otago Rowing Club opened the season for oarsmen in the presence of a large gathering of followers of „ the sport, and many yachtsmen took the opportunity of trying out their craft. The essentially summer pastime of surf-bathing also had its devotees over the week-end, particularly on Sunday, when the bright sunshine tempted some large parties out into the breakers at both St. Kilda and St. Clair.