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Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 3

A coupon system for decentralising the distribution of food relief has been introduced by the Minister of Labour and Industry (Mr Farrar) in the county of Cumberland in New South Wales. ' The coupons are being issued to the unemployed, and they will be able to obtain bread, meat and groceries from the sub urban shopkeepers with whom they deal while in work. It has been arranged that bread, over the counter or delivered, will be charged for at 31d per loaf, and meat will be supplied at wholesale prices, plus a small percentage for overhead charges. The coupons are being cashed fortnightly by the Government, which, by the new scheme, is able to dispense with various relief depots. The Minister says the grocers have agreed to make a big reduction on ordinary prices. These will be a standard and will be regulated from week to week, according to wholesale fluctuations.

Mr H. D. Skinner gave an interesting address before members of the Otago Educational Institute on Friday evening on the subject of “ The Coming of the Maori.” Mr J. C. Smith occupied the chair. Mr Skinner stated in the course of his address, that the last wave of Maoris reached New Zealand in the year 1350, or a little earlier, and the problem to be solved was whether they came from Polynesia or not It was argued by the older generation that the people found in. New Zealand were not Polynesians, and it was generally held that they were negroid and came presumably from Melanesia. He combated that view strongly, and gave grounds for believing that the first inhabitants of New Zealand were of •Tahitian origin, and that those who came in 1350 had the same culture as the Tahitians. The address was illustrated' by means of a number of lantern slides, and comparisons drawn from the appearance of the inhabitants of different countries, and the cultured designs peculiar to them, the lantern being operated by Mr W. Simpson. At the conclusion of the address a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Skinner and Mr Simpson. The Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) has received the following telegram from the Minister of Public Works (Mr W. B. Taverner): —“I have to advise that I have to-day approved of a commencement being made with the construction of a road through the Taieri Gorge from Taieri Mouth to Titri, for the purpose of relieving unemployment. This work will provide work for at least 50 men, and a commencement will be made by my department at the earliest possible date.”

Diplomatic relations between Greet Britain and America in the ninteenth century formed the subject of an interesting lecture delivered by Dr J. R. Elder (professor of history at the University of Otago) at the weekly luncheon of the University Club. The lecturer begin with the futile and indeterminate peace of 1814 which marked the close of hostilities between the two nations, and went on to describe the problems and difficulties that faced administrators and diplomats in the two countries for the remainder of the century. He showed how nearly Canada was abandoned by a pacifist political group to tile United States, and then took his hearers through the network of complications, claims, and counter-claims which characterised the dispute between Canada and America over the dividing line between the two countries, detailing the events which led up to the building of fresh-water navies on the Great Lakes and the ultimate disarmament agreement which probablysaved the two nations from once more flying at one another’s throats. Particularly interesting was the story Dr Eldertold of the long squabble that ensued over the question of the ownership of the State of Oregon and the Pacific seaboard. He spoke of John Quincey Adams, Ambassador to the Court of St. James, who proved such a tower of strength to the United States in these difficult times, and of Castlereagh ind Lord Aberdeen, both of whom did c-uch to save their country from a renewal of the war which closed early in the century. Dr Mullan moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, which was carried by acclamation.

Generai; orders for the reorganisation of the New Zealand military forces at the dictates of financial stringency have been issued by Major-general R. Young. As a temporary measure the territorial force will be reduced to a cadre basis, and the training of senior cadets will be confined to the secondaryschools. The official order contains an appeal for the whole-hearted support of officers and N.C.O. ranks in maintaining the spirit of the past. The present divisional organisation will remain, and the aim is to retain the means of providing a highly trained cadre of regular soldiers for mobilisation, peace training, and administrative requirements. The system will provide for the training of 600 officers and 2000 warrant officers and N.C.O.’s of the territorial force, while 300 officers and 16,000 secondary' school cadets will also be on the training list.

According to a return laid before the House of Representatives on Tuesday at the request of Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Ricarton), the following were the aggregate amounts assessed and collected by the Government for duties on the estates of deceased persons for 1927, 1928, and 1929: —£1,908,082. £1.897,426, £1,681,046.

New Zealanders have always fondly imagined that the kiwi was exclusively their own, but perhaps they are wrong, for the person who makes the crossword puzzles for a large daily newspaper in London, gravely asks for a “ Polish bird,” and the solution is kiwi. Londoners, it is to be feared, would derive little assistance from books on the bird life of Poland.

Some words of discouragement to New Zealanders who propose to go Home to England to join the British Air Force were voiced by the Minister of Defence (Mr J. G. C’oobe) in the House of Representatives when replying to a question by Mr W. Downie Stewart. Mr Stewart said he had had a letter from a woman in England who stated that she had come across a large number of boys who had arrived with limited means to join the Air Force, and had become stranded. She had the impression that they had been sent Home either under the authority or with the approval or consent of the New Zealand Government or the Defence Department. Mr Cobbe said that the young men must have gone on their own account. The Defence Department had issued a warning pointing out that young men from New Zealand were unlikely to obtain employment in the English Air Force, and that if anyone went he would do so at his own risk.

The distinction of being the first woman to fly to Mount Cook and over its summit was achieved on Thursday afternoon by Dr Violette Bergere, a visitor from New York, with Flight-lieutenant Buckley piloting one of the Government aeroplanes at the Wigram aerodrome. Dr Bergere made the trip with Mr M. W. S. Czerniewski, a Polish journalist. Glorious weather was experienced. The aeroplane went over the Tasman Glacier, Mount Tasman, and Mount Cook, and then circled round twice so that the mountain was seen front every angle at a height of 16,000 feet.

Three of the new and improved type of first-class railway carriages which have been built at Addington Workshops for the Christchurch-Invercargill section were attached to the through express from Christchurch on Tuesday. Embodying all the latest improvements for the comfort of travellers, the cars are practically identical with those operating on the Auckland-Rotorua line, and in addition to their handsome exterior appearance, they are noteworthy for the rich comfort which is the feature of the interior furnishings. The coaches have accommodation for 24 passengers in single and double chair seats, and at the end of each car is a compartment to seat six for parties desiring privacy on the journey. A cheerful note is struck by the upholstery of the seats, which is carried out in figured tapestry, each chair having its own linen head-rest, which can be changed for each passenger. Large rimless windows from which all trace of rattle has been entirely eliminated, admit an abundance of light, and sliding ventilators along the top ensure perfect and draughtless ventilation in the event of rough weather. A plentiful supply of hot and cold water is provided in each lavator?’, and passengers wishing to pass from one portion of the train to the other will welcome the introduction of the enclosed concertina gangways between the coaches. The springing is of the most up-to-date type, and it is claimed by the Railways Department that the new coaches, which are the first of 20 (seven first and 13 second-class) of a similar type to be brought into operation on the Christ-church-Invercargill run, are equal in riding comfort and interior fitting to those on any 3ft 6in gauge in the world.

The reclamation of the Southern Endowment is a subject which has figured prominently in the discussions of the Otago Harbour Board, and the negotiations between that body and the Dunedin Drainage Board regarding the drainage of the area have been of a protracted nature. It is likely, however, that they will be considerably advanced in the near future. The total area of the endowment is in the vicinity of 180 acres, and the reclamation of a section of 20 acres has already been commenced. The work is suspended in the meantime owing to a breakdown in the suction dredge, and the Otakou in the meantime is carrying spoil from the Harbour outside the Heads. It has been stated that the drainage of the whole area wil’ cost not less than £lOO,OOO. The opinion is expressed, however, that the Harbour Board will be amply repaid for its expenditure, for it has no other area in which to deposit spoil, and the carrying of the materials outside the Heads is very costly. It was stated not long ago to be involving the board in an expenditure of up to £lOOO a month.

A meeting of old identities who arrived in Dunedin in the ship Auckland, and their descendants was held in the Early Settlers’ Hall last week for the purpose of finalising arrangements in connection with proposed jubilee celebrations with which it is intended to commemorate the arrival of the vessel 50 years ago. The dates of the festivities have been fixed for November 15, 16, and 17. A full discussion of a tentative programme resulted in the establishment of several committees to make the necessary arrangements.

A young Austrian gumdigger, - Spiro Tolijancich, picked up recent! y a piece of ambergris weighing 321 b, eight miles north* of Bayly’s camp on the west coast beach near Dargaville. The ambergris was almost lost later in the day. The finder placed it in dry sand and left for Bayly’s camp to procure a sack in which to carry it. On his return the piece was missing, and the finder had to swim into the second line of breakers to recover it. The value is estimated to be £BOO or thereabouts.

On behalf of the Railways Committee, Mr J. T. Hogan, chairman, reported in the House of Representatives that the committee recommended the Government to consider the petition of G. R. Young and 16 others of Wilden subdivision, Moa Flat, Otago. The petitioners prayed that provision for the transport of goods and stock on the Heriot-Edievale railway should be continued, or, in the alternative, that they should be granted relief on the form of a revaluation of their holdings and a reduction in rent.

The extraordinary action of an Auckland woman who had made a will within an hour or two of being certified by doctors as a mental case, was nullified by Mr Justice Reed in the Supreme Court (says a Press Association telegram). In her will the woman made all her property, amounting to about £2OO, over to the Presbyterian Church, excluding her daughter from benefit, and two days later she was committed to the Auckland Mental Hospital. She had been in the institution just over a year with the exception of a short time while she was out on license. When she died in June of this year application to have the will declared invalid was brought by her* daughter, and was not opposed by the authorities of the Presbyterian Church. His Honor granted the application.

When the Government this year added to the burden of taxation carried by banks throughout New Zealand, the banks decided in order to meet part of the levy to increase the . charge for keeping accounts from 10s per annum to £l. This extra charge came into force on Wednesday, and at the expiry of six months customers will be required to pay 10s instead of the customary ss. It is interesting to note that as a consequence of the new charge a fair number of the smaller private customers of the banks have closed their accounts. Business accounts, however, are not affected.

“ What is the position if a house is damaged by an aeroplane? ” asked a member at the annual meeting of the Wellington Aero Club.. The president (Mr T. C. A. Hislop) said the proprietor of the house would have an action for damages. He added that up to the present it had not been possible for aero clubs to be covered by the insurance companies for such a risk, or to be covered in respect to the passengers they carried. Another member said he understood that householders could be covered against damage, to their dwellings by aeroplanes. Mr Hislop:’ You want me to say that they should insure themselves against aeroplanes? The member: “It might be handy for them to know.”

The Minister of Education (Mr H. Atmore) has issued instructions for plans to be prepared for a new post-primary school, to be erected on the site in Macandrew road, South Dunedin. The proposed new school will be constructed of wood and will contain the following accommodation:—Eight to 10 class rooms, chemistry laboratory and store room, general elementary science room and demonstration room, cookery room, pantry and larder, dressmaking room, art room, typing room, woodwork room and store, metalwork forge and store, principal’s poom and teachers’ common room, library, small room for caretaker, cloakroom and out-office accommodation.

“ Most of the board of censors in New Zealand are women. That is astonishing to me in view of some of the films that are let through,” remarked Mr T. Jordan, when a remit from the Carterton District Committee of the Wairarapa Progress League -was under discussion at a meeting of the General Committee of the league at Masterton last week The remit urged that educational films for children be allowed into the Dominion duty free. The organising secretary, Mr J. N. M'Lean, read a letter received recently from the 'Minister of Education (Mr H. Atmore) with regard to American talking films. “ I have given earnest attention to the introduction* 1 of means to prevent the exhibition of undesirable films and posters, and to secure a larger proportion of British films,” wrote Mr Atmore. “ There is no doubt that the idioms used by the less educated Americans as well as the peculiar, and to the British ears objectionable American intonation, affect the speech of New Zealand children. In the schools of the Dominion teachers are patiently trying to improve the speech of their pupils, training them to enunciate clearly and to use the pure and correct speech of an educated Englishman. It is unfortunate that their work should be made more difficult than it naturally is by the presentation in the picture theatre of speech that breaks many of the rules which they are trying to impress. It must be admitted, however, that the film producers are trying to do something to train their actors and actresses in the use of English as opposed to American speech, and that in some of the more recent films a great improvement is noticeable.”

Palmerston North is preparing a fitting celebration for the important' occasion of its rise to city status, and from Wednesday, November 19, to Saturday, November 22, the city wil] be en fete. Processions, fireworks, sports, children's festivities, band contests,' and old identities’ re-unions will be prominent in the programme, under the experienced guidance of Mr John Hopkins. Added to all these aids to merrymaking there will be a New Zealand Manufactures Week, similar to those recently held in Wellington, Napier, and Invercargill. Strong committees of prominent business men have been formed and it is anticipated that the week should be a memorable one.

The United States postal authorities disclaim liability for registered packets that are lost after their arrival in the United States and before their delivery to the person to whom they are addressed. This fact was revealed at the last meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, when the question was raised by a letter from a member of that body. The secretary, Dr E. P. Neale, said he had approached the Chief Postmaster at Auckland, and was told that the facts were as stated. He had asked the postmaster if he could not retaliate by disclaiming liability for any registered packages from the United States, and he w r as told that no such packages were ever lost.

In the report of the address by the orchard instructor (Mr Lloyd Williams) to the annual meeting of the Co-operative Fruitgrowers of Otago, Ltd., at Alexandra, through a misunderstanding it w-as stated that his investigations with regard to the carriage of fruit from Central Otago to Christchurch were in respect of apples, whereas in reality the experiments were made with cases of apricots. It was further stated that Mr Williams could not recommend the continuance of the practice of railing fruit to Christchurch, but the report omitted to state that Mr Williams referred principally to the continuance of the investigations in their present form, which consisted of accompanying truckloads of fruit during the journey and taking temperatures en route, and which he considered should be discontinued until further research in the orchards was carried out with regard to the pre-cooling of fruit and the best system of packing. An extraordinary incident occurred in an Opotiki resident’s home recently. Some articles of clothing were placed inside a window on a wide ledge to be dried in the sun. Another member of the household saw the articles and placed them in a large silver rose bowl. When one of the inmates returned to the room some time later a smell of burning was noticed, and it was found that the sun, striking the inside of the bowl, had used the latter as a burning glass and set fire to the articles. A little while longer and the house would have been in flames, as the curtains were brushing against the side of the bowl.

In over 200 State schools in Vicctoria efforts are being made to inculcate the importance of forestry as a national asset. Many of these schools have either acquired by their own efforts or have been given a' small area of land, which they convert into a jniniature State forest. As an example of what is being done the Colac School has purchased 13 acres of land for a < forestry plantation, and has already planted out five acres.

Gorse is giving a certain amount of trouble on some Hawke’s Bay farming lands, being a growth that spreads exceptionally rapidly once it obtains a hold (states the Napier Telegraph). It is, therefore, of interest to hear that recently at Massey Agricultural College, sodium chlorate was used on strong growing gorse about four feet high, and in consequence of the success achieved the Department of Agriculture decided to undertake a demonstration on a suitable block in the Manawatu district, and this was recentlj’ carried out. The sodium chlorate solution was used in percentages of 10, eight, and five respectively to determine the varying results. The result of this experiment will be interesting. ' Under the supervision of Mr H. L. Paterson a large amount of work has been carried out on the Otago Aero-Club’s new aerodrome at the Taieri, and the surface which has been thoroughly levelled is now in excellent condition. The conversion of the concrete outbuildings into hangars is almost completed, and the contractors should shortly be handing over the building, which is of sufficient size to provide accommodation for five planes of the type to be used by the club. About 30 budding pilots attended a meeting called by the club to make preliminary arrangements for the commencement of courses •'of instruction in flying. The president (Mr H. E. Barrowclough) explained that the club would have to give preference in instruction to those members who were able to assure the club of their ability to pay their fees, as it was undesirable that the lessons should be spread over a long period, and it was therefore necessary to insist that no instruction should be given unless the flying fees were guaranteed. Each member in turn notified the club officials present whether he was in a position to make immediate payment of his flying fees and when would be the most suitable time for him to take his lessons, and as a result of the evening’s inquiry no fewer than 14 intending pupils indicated their desire and ability to commence lessons immediately.

In connection with a cable recently published to the effect that 900 men will be thrown idle by reason of the fact that Lysaght’s Newcastle works have closed down, it is desired to make it clear that the firm mentioned is’ in no way connected with Messrs Lysaght Bros, and Co., Ltd., whose netting works are at Chiswick on the Parramatta.

Of the 7585 persons convicted in the New Zealand police courts during the year 1929, the recently-issued justice statistics show that 4367, or 58 per cent., were New Zealand-born, included in the number being 422 Maoris. The majority of the New Zealanders were in trouble for offences against good order, the number of charges under that heading being 2937; while other offences were:—Against property, 997; other'offences, 256; against the person, 177. The women of New Zealand are much more law-abiding than the men. During 1929, of the 46,309 summary convictions in police courts, only 2570, or 5.55 , per cent., were of females. The women’s offences were:—Drunkenness, 416; theft, 262; fraud and false pretences, 60; wilful damage, 25; common assault, 25. Of the 6564 persons convicted of drunkenness, 3286 were New Zealanders, 1104 were born in England and Wales, 601 in Scotland, 649 in Ireland, 285 in Australia, 157 in various European countries, and 250 were Maoris. Among the minor figures were _B3 American-born, 18 Asiatics, and 14 Africans. British Pacific Islands, with eight, supplied the smallest quota. *■ Summer time will come into force at 2 a.m. on Sunday next, .when the clocks will need to be advanced half an hour Standard time will be reverted to on the third Sunday in March; at 2 a.m.

Predictions that no Transport Bill would be introduced this session were given official endorsement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, when the Minister of Transport (Mr W. B. Taverner) was replying to an urgent question. Mr W. E. Barnard (Labour member for Napier) had asked whether the (government intended to proceed this year with a Bill to coordinate the road and rail services and thus prevent the heavy losses now being experienced. “It is not the intention of the Government to introduce a Transport Bill this session,” replied Mr Taverner. Seven heifers were struck by lightning and killed, a brick chimney demolished, and several trees also struck in the Aka Aka district during Tuesday’s storm. The establishment of a Chinese vegeable market in Auckland is under way. The Chinese promoter of the company, which is to be formed, has" already acquired by tender from the Auckland Harbour Board, for a lease of 50 years, two sections opposite the Auckland city markets. The registration of the company is expected to take place very shortly, when it is understood the erection of the market will be commenced. A Chinese market was begun in Wellington some years ago, but later went out of business. It is estimated that about half of the produce sold through the Auckland city markets is grown by Chinese.