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Southland Times, Issue 16692, 22 March 1911, Page 5

Chatting with a Southland Times reporter last evening with regard to the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the date on which Southland was separated from Otago, His Worship the , Mayor said that whatever might be done to commemorate the event there was no doubt in his mind that the correct date was Ist April. The clause in the Proclamation providing that it should take effect from Ist April definitely fixed the date at which Southland became a separate province, and that was undoubtedly the day to be marked. The dale of the Proclamation was not the important date. Mr Ott had in his hand a telegram from the Hon. D. Bucldo intimating that the necessary steps for the amalgamation of Lindisfarne had been taken, and that notice would be Gazetted this week, to take effect from Ist April next. “That.” said Mr Ott. “is analogous to the Proclamation constituting Southland a separate Province. The important date to Lindisfarne and Invercargill is not the date of the Gazetted notjee, but the date at which amalgamation takes effect —Ist April. Similarly with the establishment of the Province.” Mr Ott further said that he had considered the matter of commemorating the anniversary, and, having regard to the short period during which Southland was a separate province and the circumstances surrounding its reunion with Otago, he was not prepared to suggest to the Council any celebration on a large scale; nor as April 1 was a Saturday would he consider himself justified in asking business people to close their places of business and observe a holiday. If Southland had lived on as a separate Province and had attained the fiftieth year of its independence the position would have been different. In the circumstances he thought that the business people might fittingly mark the day (Ist April) by flying bunting, but personally he did not favour a public ceremony of any kind. Possibly the'matter would be mentioned In the Council, and if any action were taken it would certainly be fixed for the actual date Of the anniversary, Saturday, Ist April.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. A. Ott) received the following telegram yesterday from the Minister of Internal Affairs: “Order-in-Council annexing Lindisfarne to Borough of Invercargill ■will be made to-morrow and Gazetted this week, taking effect rrom Ist April.— D. Buddo.”

Among the many remarkable predictions made by Mr T. A. Edison is that the time is near at hand when cloth, button, thread, tissue-paper and pasteboard will be fed into one end of a machine, and suits of clothing, packed in boxes, will come out of the other.

A meeting of the Auckland Shipmasters Association has endorsed the action of the Merchants’ Shipping Guild in approaching the Minister of Marine in the matter of the reinstatement of Capt. Atwood, master of the Elingamite.

Following up his inspection on Monday of the Otatara reclamation works, Mr James Dunlop (one of the Scottish' Agricultural now touring New Zealand), yesterday visited the paddocks on the Bay Road, reclaimed some years ago by Mr R. Cleave. Mr Dunlop was accompanied by the Mayor. (Mr W. A. Ott). and by Mr J. Crosby fitanith. The visitor was considerably Impressed at the successful outcome of Mr Cleave’s efforts, and had every confidence that the Otatara scheme would be the means of bringing into cultivation a considerable area of land of rich agricultural quality. Before leaving Bluff on Monday next for Melbourne Mr Dunlop is to be the guest for a few days of Mr W. A. Rodger at Birchwood.

A Pres’s Association message from Masterton states that at a meeting held in the Town Hall on Sunday a resolution was carried by acclamation: —“That this vast assemblage of Masterton citizens declare no-license to be a magnificent success, and in the best and highest interests of the community.” The previous night Mr Bedford, who spoke in the no-license interest had a hostile reception, as reported yesterday. Timaru Hospital Board, asya a telegram, yesterday adopted a recommendation from Waimate Committee that legislation should be sought for to prevent accident patients from making compromises with accident insurance companies without the consent of the Hospital Board to which they were indebted for treatment.

At the Dunedin Police Court yesterday, Colin David McLean was charged with a series of thefts from a retail drapery shop; John Belford was charged with receiving silks stolen from other firms. Both men were remanded. Other arrests are expected. It was stated that the police had seized a miscellaneous collection of soft goods, boots, slices, Doulton ware, and other articles sufficient to fill five large boxes. A later telegram states that further inquiries by the police in connection with the alleged theft of goods from various firms in the city have resulted in the arrest of two women. Frances Elizabeth Beatrice Bell is charged that between January Ist and February 2Sth, she did receive certain goods of the total value of about £2O. knowing the same to have been dishonestly obtained. Frances Elizabetli Bell, mother of the other woman, is charged ttiat between the years 190S and 1910, at Dunedin, she did steal Douiton ware and glassware valued at £SO, the property of the Dunedin Importing Company. These charges are the sequel to charges against .McLean and Belford.

It is interesting to record the splendid performance of a 7-9 h.p. Swift'motor car. which was driven by Mr J. Vickery, of Invercargill, and wiio was a.unnpanied by Mr J. S. Fleming, of Springfield. Titiroa. They left Invercargill for Orepuki, via Oiaut.au. Merrivale. and Clifden. crossing the suspension and pontoon bridges and passing through Tuatapere. On the return journey the car negotiated the sandhills near Orepuki splendidly, and at places, where the roadline fences leading off the beach were completely buried in sand —crossing and recrossing over the posts, the sand in some places being tift. deep. This, we understand, is the first motor car to succeed in getting through the sand, although not the first to attempt it, and taking into consideration the weight of Mr Fleming, who is about eighteen stone, Mr Vickery is to be congratulated on the performance of his u*jje car*

The English and foreign mails which left Invercargill on Thursday, 9th February, arrived in London on the night of seventeenth instant, three days’ late.

It is understood (says the “Picton Press”) that Picton's new wharf is now to be 616 feet in length, and that it will be placed in a position a chain or two closer to the town than was previously Intended. An additional 00ft. of sea front Is at the present time being reclaimed with huge masses of rock, the depth of water necessitating a very solid foundation. The “Few Zealand Times” reports that a company has been working for many months on a scheelite reef in Marlborough. Several tons have been extracted, and through a leading financial Arm in Wellington, two tons were dispatched to Sydney, the price realised being £95 per ton. The Marlborough Company has discovered that its claim (100 acres) has excellent schoelitcbearing properties, though it was gold the company set out to find, and all its energies are now centred on the production 'of tiiis little-known but highlyvalued ore.

Some idea of the extent and effect of the bush fire that occurred on Bluff hill last week may bo gauged from the fact that for three days and three nights neither Mr or Mrs Burridge wore able to got a wink of sleep as they had to keep a constant vigil and extinguish minor outbreaks near the signal station property. Up till Saturday, said Mr Burridge, when lie was speaking to one of our reporters, "it was utterly impossible to gauge the area burnt as the rising smoko precluded an estimate being formed of the amount of bush destroyed.”—Bluff Press.

Messrs E. L. Macassey and Co. (Dunedin), report having sold, on behalf of Mr J. A. Green, all his interest in the lease of the Supreme Court Hotel, Queenstown, together with all furniture, stock, and effects, as a going concern, to Mr J. L. Crowe, of Lochlel. Southland. Mr Crowe takes possession this week.

In connection with the revival meeting, now being carried on by Dr Henry and Hr Farquhar there must necessarily be considerable expense, ■At the meeting last night the .secretary (.Mr Morgan) read the following statement: —“The Finance Committee have considered the needs of the mission and have advised that in order to pay all the expenses and assist the missioners in their general evangelistic work it is necessary to find fully £9O to £IOO before the mission closes. This great work of carrying the gospel message cannot be maintained without the loyal sympathy and financial support of Christian people. The envelopes that have been distributed afford every interested and sympathetic person an opportunity to contribute, and the Finance Committee hopes that all will give as liberally as possible and so recognise their financial responsibility to close the mission without liability to anyone.”

Yesterday a Dunedin Star reporter was shown some Oamaru potatoes fairly riddled by the grub that is now ravaging the North Otago district. Those potatoes came in a five-truck consignment by rail to Dunedin, and are now lying at one of the railway sheds. They were originally packed to be shipped in centals .to Rio de Janeiro, but were condemned as unfit for shipment, and ultimately found their way to Dunedin. The grub Is a very active customer, white, with a black head. Specimens, with the cocoons, have been captured and forwarded to Mr T. W. Kirk. Meanwhile, adds the Star, they are no doubt breeding by millions in the sacks at Dunedin, and as the plague is widespread in the Oamaru country it will be a mercy if it does not find its way all over the Dominion, and secure a lodgment in places where it has hitherto been a stranger. The situation calls for active steps on the part of the Agricultural Department, for the whole potato crop is in peril. A deputation of about fifty settlers met -the Hon. McKenzie at Tolaga Bay on Monday night, and urged the requirements of the district. In regard to land for settlement, the Minister said that a great demand existed throughout the country. The difficulty was that where tile Government signified its intention -of Acquiring land compulsorily owners raised the price to such an ..extent that the Government could not let it to settlers at a reasonable -rental. The Government had to pay through the nose for every acre thus acquired. Ho advised them to take advantage of the Land Settlement Finance Act. The Government was taking estates wherever it could find them at a reasonable price. Mr Mac Donald, M.P., referring to the Land Settlement Finance Act, said that no measure which had ever been put on the Statute Book gave the man of small means a better chance to get on the land.

A Timaru telegram states that at the Hospital Board yesterday highly caustic comment was made as to the manner in which the Board was being treated by the Inspector-General over the regulations for a consumption sanatorium for South Canterbury and Ashburton. The two boards, under provision of the statute expressly provided, entered Into an agreement to establish and maintain a sanatorium near Fairlie, and Dr 'Valiritlne approved. Regulations were drawn up, but gazetting was delayed by the Department. A new Act was passed and the Department says that tlie boards must proceed de novo. The Board yesterday decided it would not do so; but that, if necessary, subject to the approval of Ashburton, it would apply to the Supreme Court for a mandamus directing that the regulations be gazetted. A second subject for similar comment is the Inspector-General’s conditional approval of plans submitted for a new old people's homo.

Those in the dairy export trade have been expecting a rise in the price of cheese, for which commodity the Home market was rather dull In February. The rise has come about, Mr J. R. Scott, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association, being advised by cable that the market had shown a further advance, both white and coloured cheese being quoted at 60s. The prices at the end of February were: WjMte, 575; coloured, 595. The comparative values of white and coloured cheese at Home apparently depend on the supply of each as It only takes a few crates either way to influence the market. One of the Association’s agents in Condon ventured the opinion in January that the near future would see the turn of the scales, and white cheese would come up to ns good as if not slightly better than coloured. The same gentleman wrepte: “One thing we are delighted to be able to report is that the general run of New Zealand cheese is pleasing, and buyers all over the country are getting more and more In favour of them. We think the time is not far distant when New Zealand cheese will have a mirth higher degree of popularity than any Canadian.” The quantity of cheese shipped from New Zealand to the end of February was S per cent. less than for the corresponding period of last season, and owing to the dry weather It is likely to show a further shortage at the end of the season.

The litigation in camera at ‘Wellington, before the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), which is exercising public speculation not only in AVellington, but throughout the Dominion, owing to the apparently extraordinary attitude adopted by the Chief Justice towards the newspapers was the occasion of a visit by a pressman on Monday morning to lU,r J. it. Reed (president of the Auckland haw Society) for an opinion of the position. "It is certainly a most unusual tiling." commented Mr Reed, “but there may lie special circumstances in connection with the case that warrant the course adopted. The Chief Justice Is a man wiio is not likely to do anything inconsistent with the rules of British justice. I have never known of a case before where, miles.-! there were reasons of public policy or in the interests of public morals, the court lias been closed, and even In those cases reporters have not been excluded from being present, but have simply been ordered not to publish a report or to exercise a discretion in doing so, but It is quite futile to give any expression of opinion in ttic present, case without knowing something of the circumstances. Personally T have not the slightest doubt that the Chief Justice lias very excellent reasons for bolding the case in camera, and that lie would not allow private considerations to weigh with him-in a matter of that sort. J should imagine that in all probability the question will be raised in the House and a Select Committee lie appointed to go into the matter, and I have no hesilalion in expressing the opinion that the report of such a Select Committee would show that the Chief Justice was absolutely .instilled in the course he has adopted.*'

With the continued absence of rain the position of the Wellington water supply becomes more serious each day. The available supply in the different reservoirs now stands at 4,000,000 gallons, and the inflow shows no change. The Siiverstream supply is causing particular anxiety, and the Silver-stream reservoir is now as low as it is wise to allow it to be. It is quite possible that still further restrictions will have to be placed on consumers in the area served by the Siiverstream reservoir should the sources of the supply not be materially augmented within the next few days.

In a remarkable paper communicated to the Koval Society Hir George Darwin, Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge, examines the records of tides obtained by Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition, compares them with - those obtained by Captain Scott in 1909, and arrives at the conclusion that they suggest the existence of a deep bay, stretching across, and almost cutting in two, the great Antarctic continent. “It is all highly speculative,’’ said Sir George Darwin, referring to this theory of a great Antarctic bay, “but such a body of. water as I have imagined alone seems'to explain certain remarkable oscillations noticeable in the- tidal observations of Scott and Shackleton. I have judged Us depth to be from 100 to 150 fathoms and its length from 24 deg. to 30 deg. of latitude ’ (some 2000 miles).”

When four young students - appeared before Mr Justice Cooper at the Supremo Court in Auckland on Thursday for admission as practitioners to the legal profession, the Judge took the opportunity to refer to the manner in which the traditions of what he described as tiie highest profession in the world had been sustained by lawyers practising in Mow Zealand. He said that ho welcomed the new aspirants for honours in the legal world, and hoped they would not bo responsible for anything that would tend to lower the reputation of practitioners. The traditions of the English bar for the last 800 years had been the very highest, and those traditions had been excellently maintained by the members of the New Zealand bar. His Honour sounded a note of warning, however, remarking that with the increasing competition there would be temptations to depart from the strictest adherence to the rules of the profession.

Referring to newspapers in the North Island of New Zealand (he had not seen any of the southern papers), Dr. F. W. AVard. editor of the “Sydney Daily Telegraph,” in speaking to a “New Zealand Herald” reporter, prior to his departure for Sydney on Wednesday last, said that the New Zealand press, as represented by Auckland and Wellington, and allowing for difference in news material available, was quite as good as the metropolitan press of Australia. It was certainly surprisingly good for cities of their size. Comment was admirably written, and was dignified and good in its literary form, and the news clean and vigorously and graphically presented. The writing, taking it as a whole, was excellent, and there was a very high intellectual average. "The community,” Dr. Ward continued, “has reason to, be proud of and grateful to their leading newspapers for the high standard of journalism set. This was one of the things ttiat made one feel confident as to the future of this country.”

If you paid, three times the *price elsewhere It Is safe to say that you could not get a more attractively finished garment than the new shipment of costumes now showing in Price and Bulleid’s beautifully appointed Showrooms. They are delightful Tweed mixture and Plain Cloths in the very latest cut. Short Coats, Long Coats, Norfolks and Panel Backs at 355, 39s Gd, 425, 455. Ladies’ and Maids’ Winter Paletots just unpacked this week. Newest styles and colourings, heavy and plain cloths at 15s 9d, 21s, 22s Gd, 25s Gd, 29s 6d, Jus. This Is the finest possible collection of winter coats to be mot with in the New Zealand market. Another purchase worthy of note is a line of Moreen Underskirts in every conceivable shade. Heavy firm cloth at 2s HVfcd, worth three times the money. These will be sent postage free while they last, and money refunded if not approved of. Price and Bulleid’s Winter Show surpasses ail others of its kind, and is well worth a special visit to-day.

A lot of people are afraid to buy a Motor Car, for the simple reason they are afraid of the upkeep being too great. It is the cheap, shoddy Car that a person should be afra'.l of, not the upkeep. A De / Dion, Napier, or Clement Bayard will run for years and cost practically nothing, excepting tyres and fuel. The tyro question is not a serious one if you purchase the 1911 Clement Bayard 11/1 C horse-power model, or the 8-horso-power Do Dion, either of these Cars properly driven will not cost more than a penny per mile lor tyres. You can contract with Thomas Stone for one, two or three years for the upkeep of your Car, everything but petrol; so you can soon find out whai is to be the cost of your Car’s upkeep. What is more, by purchasing your Car from me you can save 25 per cent on the purchase. If I sell you a Car for £2OO, which ether firms ask you £4OO for, it shows clearly that my prices are right. Come and see if I can do it.— STONE’S MOTOR MART. Kelvin street. JUVEKXI.r CYCI.ES. Much attention is now being devoted to the development, both physically and mentally of children. The matter is undoubtedly a vital one and cannot be overlooked by parents to whom their child’s welfare is of supreme importance. No better means of developing the lungs and limbs of children of either sex can be obtained than the cycle. We have several samples of Juvenile Cycles which have been specially built with a view to comfort and safety. Except for size they are just, the same as ordß nary cycles, and are fitted with freewheel and two brakes, upturned handlebars, pump, tool bag, and tools, mudguards, plated rims, high-grade English tyres, etc. The finish is black, beautifully enamelled,, and lined In two colours, while the bright parts are heavily plated on copper. As the machines are special samples, we are offering them at a special price, namely £5 10s; easy terms can be arranged. -WIDSON, FRASER and CO.. Dee stre .

SYNOPSIS NEW ADVERTISEMENTS,

On Page 1— Lost—A cheque. Covered van for sale. Dost—A gold medal hat pin. Wanted—Boy for warehouse. A.M.P, Society want an agent. Dost—Throe single pound notes. McDonald & Meek’s new property list. Wanted—Elderly man for sweeping out. Territorial marching songs at Lillicrap & McNaughton’s. On Page 3. Price and Eulleid for latest fashions. On Page 3. Scoullar and Chisholm’s opening announcement. On Page 4. For important Information about juvenile cycles. Plunket Hood go-carts, Sturgis folding carriages—See Wilson, Fraser's advt. On Page 0— Fuller's Pictures to-night. Dr. Henry’s Mission to-day. Skating at Garrison Hall to-night. Meeting of Babourers’ Union to-mor-row. Meeting of Slarr-Bowkett Society on 2Sth inst. Katherine Grey Company in Theatre on Friday. List of warehouses closing to-morrow. C. D. Cuthberlson inserts removal notice. F. Tubb inserts apology to Mr Aicken. X.Z. Railways—Special train to Bluff on Saturday night. Otautait Athletic Sports to-day. On Page B. J. Holloway sells sections on 25th inst. A. O. Poinlon's clearing sale at Bong Bush on 291h Inst. —N.M. and A, Co. Clearing sale of Mr A. F. Blatch’s stock, etc., at Clifdon on 31st inst— K.Z. Boan and M.A. Co. Win. Todd & Co. —Furniture sale at l’ p.in. to-morrow. Invercargill Stock Agents ■ — Dipton Stock Sale on 29th inst. Wm. Todd & Co. soil Mrs Mclntyre’s furniture at Bluff on 2Stli inst. Dalgely & Co. sell Mrs Sainsbury’s stock, etc., at Menzies Ferry on 12lh April. Special entry of bullocks at V.'aliacctown sale on Tuesday—N.M. & A. Co. Notice re water race through Five Rivers' properties to be sold by Dalgely and Co.