TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 18634, 3 September 1919, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

A story, specially apt at the present moment, comes out of Pekin. It tells of “two aged nobles of Korea” who joined in petitioning the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Cabinet for Korean independence. “Old and shameless we are,” runs the petition, “for when our country was annexed we accepted the rank of nobility, held office, and lived in disgrace, till seeing our innocent people in the fire we can endure the sight no longer. So we, too, in the privacy of our rooms, have shouted ‘ man sei ’ for independence, just like the others.” The two old nobles, Viscount Kim Yoon Sik, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Viscount Yi Yonk-chik, former Minister of Education, had in fact received their titles from the Japanese Emperor; they had accepted the annexation; and they had come to ifie time when they could accept it no longer. “A government succeeds,” they said, “only when it makes the people happy. It is row ten years since Korea was annexed to Japan, and although some profit has come to the people by the clearing away of abuses, they have not been made happy. To-day, when the call for independence is given in the streets, 10,000 voices respond. In a few days the whole nation vibrates to its echo, and even the women and children vie with one another to join in the shout.” And toward the end of their joint petition, “We, behind closed doors, offer our poor counsel to the State. If you accede, countless numbers of people will be made happy, but if you refuse we alone will suffer. We are old and offer ourselves a sacrifice for our people.” Whatever happens, Korea should have a page in her history for the two petitioners .

Students of architecture in France in years to come will find a type of buildings among the houses there which will be quite different from the romantic-looking, but not altogether comfortable to live in houses of the before-the-war period. Those interested in the rebuilding of the devastated regions say that the new style is to be neither French nor American—even though America is to figure to quite largely in the rebuilding of the country—but is to be typical of the new France. Various American necessities, such as bath tubs, for example, formerly considered rather as luxuries, plumbing systems and other household conveniences are to be installed. Also former farm buildings are to be improved upon, and proper provision made for farm animals, which were formerly, in many cases, as much at home inside the house as elsewhere. But these modern dwellings are to be French homes, there is to be no attempt made by helpers from other nations to- take away their individuality, but rather to help to express in the modern architecture the feelings of that new France which has emerged from, the struggle for a better world to live in.

The auctioneers announce an alteration in the date of Mr Charles Henderson’s dealing sale, which will now take place on Friday, September 26.

At the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday Charles Lawrence was fined £3O, each on two charges of betting on hotel premises and £5 for publishing betting cards.—Press Association.

At the Wellington Magistrate’s Court, Edward Gregory Barrett was sentenced to 3 years’ reformative detention for disobeying the conditions imposed when the accused was convicted in March for the theft of his employer’s money. Mr Frazer, S.M., said that he could not allow probation to be played with. —Press Association.

A number of cases of breaking and entering warehouses and other business places have been reported recently to the police in Wellington, who have arrested seven boys between nine and fifteen years and have laid eighteen charges against them. The sums alleged to have been stolen by the boys amount to about £4O, but the damage done on the premises entered is considerable Press Association.

It has been decided that in future a free return railway pass may, at the discretion of the O.C. Hospital concerned, be granted to in-patients after having been under treatment for one month, and thereafter one free railway pass every three months. In the event of any such patients being medically unfit to travel, a free railway pass may be issued, as above, to permit of the next-of-kin visiting them in hospital.

Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce dinner in Christchurch (says the Press), Mr J. J. Dougall prophesied that when the people of New Zealand realised the magnitude of the work Sir James Allen had done, they would erect memorials to him. Like every other man he might have been at fault upon occasions, but he had never faltered throughout the war, and we knew now that he was right and acted rightly. (Applause.)

The Te Awamutu Power Board Committee, when seeking provision for a loan for reticulation, was advised that existing legislation does not allow loans by the State Advances Office for electric installations as these are not included in the schedule of Public Works for State loans. In view of the widespread movement for electric development the Board decided to make urgent representations to the Government for the necessary legislative amendment.— Press Association.

Last week (says the Press) the Canterbury Land Board received an application from a returned soldier, who had secured a town property some time ago under the Advances to Soldiers Act, to be allowed to transfer the property to another returned soldier. The transfer price was, however, considerably higher than what the soldier had obtained the property for by means of the Government advance, and as the Board considered one soldier should not profit at the expense of another, it refused to approve the transfer. The property, of course, could, if the holder desired, be surrendered at the figure paid by him for it.

“Wairakei is the coming pleasure resort., and Rotorua will have to look to its laurels,” said a traveller to a Waikato Times representative in Rotorua recently. It is understood that the company which has purchased the whole estate will spend £IOO,OOO in forming tennis courts, croquet lawns, bowling greens, golf courses, etc., etc. Work has already commenced, and building is going apace. It is said of Wairakei that it has all the sights and wonders to be seen at Rotorua within a small radius, and no long and tiresome trips have to be taken. The syndicate is said to consist of wellknown Auckland business men, with plenty of money behind them.

About four o’clock yesterday morning the Fire Brigade was called out to extinguish an outbreak in a hen-house in Liddel street. The most serious loss occasioned by the fire, which was quickly put out, was that of a few fowls that were roasted in the blaze.

The Otago Hydro-Electric Power Committee has received a very gratifying response to the request for financial assistance towards the cost of preliminary work. There have been very few instances in which a local or other public body has refused to assist a scheme designed for the good of the whole province. The executive has been pushing on with the matter, and its conclusions will be submitted to a full meeting of the committee in the near future.

A lad of seventeen, Keith Hiskens, who set out on a fishing expedition from Cheltenham, Auckland, on Monday morning, was reported to be missing that evening. Yesterday morning the police procured launches and made a search with the result that they found the missing lad safe and sound on Brown’s Island. Young Hiskens had been caught in an open boat in unfavourable weather and had put in to Brown’s Island for shelter rather than risk the run back to Devouport.—Press Association.

Despite the inclement weather there was a large attendance in the Y.M.C.A. rooms last evening to discuss ways and means of financially assisting the Bth Regimental Band. The Mayor (Mr John Stead) occupied the chair, ‘and outlined the business for the evening. He said that he believed that whatever the meeting decided upon would be taken up enthusiastically by the public. It was decided to hold a carnival in the King’s Hall from October 22 to 25 (both days inclusive), and strong committees were appointed (with power to add to their number) to carry out details connected therewith.

At the Napier Supreme Court, after a hearing of the case in camera since last Thursday, the jury last night returned a verdict of £IOOO damages against J. ,J. Faulkner, co-respondent in the divorce action F. A. Price v. E. V. Price, and found that the respondent and co-respondent had committee! adultery. The jury also found that the petitioner had committed adultery with some woman unknown. Mr A. Gray, K.C., appeared for the petitioner and Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., for the respondent. Mr Gray formally applied for- a decree nisi. The question of costs will be decided later. — Press Association.

A most interesting as well as pathetic souvenir of the war has just been received by Mr and Mrs A. Davidsbn, Waikaia, reports the Ensign. Their eldest son, Private J. H. Davidson, left with the Fifth Reinfocements (after having been previously with the Samoan Expedition), and fought on Gallipoli. He kept a diary from when he left New Zealand right up to the day before he was killed. Written on the first page of it were tße words: —“If I get killed in action would some kind person please send this diary to Miss Nellie Davidson, Waikaia, New Zealand.” The late Private Davidson was reported missing, and it is presumed that the Turks found the body and buried him, for now, four years later, the Turkish War Office has forwarded the diary to the relatives in accordance with the dead soldier’s wishes.

On Monday, on leaving the theatre after the public reception in Christchurch, Lord Jellicoe submitted with the best grace imaginable to be bailed up by a young lady who wanted to photograph him, and completed her happiness by shaking hands with her. That was enough for the crowd, which promptly broke the wire and surged round the admiral’s car in a massed effort to shake hands with him. He had. a busy few minutes, singling out for quick hand grasps returned soldiers and the mothers of soldiers. To some of the spectators this seemed the most striking episode of the day’s proceedings, and the cheers that followed Lord Jellicoe when at last he drove away to keep his next appointment, came even more from the hearts of the crowd than did those that had greeted his arrival.

The price paid by the Government to the Waihi Gold Mining Company for the Horahora hydro-electric works, situated on the Waikato river, a few miles above Cambridge, is £212,500. The works were erected by the Waihi Company a few years ago, the total sum expended on them, according to the company’s last published statement, being about £200,000. The present plant is capable of developing about 9000 horsepower. Two more units, it is estimated, would give an additional 3000 horse-power, thus making a total of 12,000 horse-power. The Waihi Company’s maximum demand is about 4000 horse-power, thus leaving a balance of some 8000 horse-power, which will be available for distribution throughout the Waikato and adjacent districts and as far as Auckland.

There were one or two errors in the report of Dr Wilkins’ lecture yesterday that may have mystified readers with some technical knowledge. In speaking of the process of tooth decay Dr Wilkins referred to the lactic acid formed by fermentation, not to .“nitric” acid. In regard to the effect of different foods on the teeth the doctor mentioned that he found some very good sets of teeth among the Lome Farm children attending Makarewa school. Our report credited these children to the Waihopai school. Then in regard to babies the old dry bread he recommended at the age of nine months was what is known as oven-brown, not overbrown. The report also gives a wrong impression of Dr Wilkins’ opinion of oatmeal. Speaking of goitre he recommended a reversion to more natural foods than those now in use, and spoke of oatmeal as one of the foods that did not cause the glands to swell as was the case when the thyroid gland found difficulty in coping with its work.

In these days of social turmoil, how vaguely people grope about to find causes of the unrest, says the Wyndham Herald. In default of any other heads to knock, it is always safe to inveigh against capital. The very term “capital” is the bete noire of many earnest people. “Let us do away with it they say.” When a farmer from this district was in Dunedin lately, he met a man who had been employed in scheelite mining in Wakatipu. He was having a right royal holiday in the Scotch city. In the course of conversation he railed against capitalists and all their tribe, ascribing to them the evil fortunes of the workers generally and his own in particular .In the course of further conversation this puppet of wretched capitalism told our informant that his wages had not exceeded £6O per month. The feelings of the latter were too great for words.— Yet another instance: A resident of this town came into conversation the other day with an old miner, who in his palmy days won the black substance from the Kaitangata mine. He contrasted the favourable positions of miners of to-day with their forebears. He said that at the rates of pay prevailing to-day, he could himself earn £2 10s per day of seven hours.

During the last few weeks many people have been surprised to see a few sovereigns and half-sovereigns in circulation (says the Adelaide Advertiser). No one has been able to explain where the gold coins came from, and it is certain that if they get into the hands of any banking officials they will not be permitted tp go out again. Every gold coin that is paid into a bank is impounded, and only on special occasions will the institution pay in gold. Even then the sum must be small. When asked last week if he could suggest where the gold at present occasionally handled in business came from, a leading Australian banking official replied: ”1 would not like to say definitely that such is the case, but I have good reason for believing that the sovereigns and half-sovereigns have been put into circulation by German settlers who changed notes and other coins and paper for gold at the outbreak of war, and have been hoarding it. It was known pretty well in banking circles nearly five years ago that gold was going out freely in certain places, and I suppose now that peace has been signed and there is no longer need for keeping it lying idle, the holders are paying out occasionally l in gold. In certain German localities there has been much more silver in circulation during the last few weeks than there has been for a long time.”

A project is on foot to establish a canning factory in Middlemarch ‘(says ■ the O.D. Times). Mr W. Thomson has the formation of a company in hand, and a meeting of those interested will be held shortly to arrange details in connection with the scheme. It is proposed to can rabbits during the winter season and mutton during the “off” or autumn season. It is estimated that at least 250,000 rabbits will be available from the Strath-Taieri alone. The promoter has matters so far in hand as to be practically assured of the formation of a company by local capital.

England is to have a memorial of a modern invasion which will be recalled with pleasure, though it is in similar form to another memorial which, according to tradition, perpetuates an invasion not so friendly. Writing to Sir James Allen after visiting the New Zealand hospitals in England, General Godley says:—“ You will be interested to know that at Sling Camp, before leaving, they are cutting out a large white kiwi on a prominent slope just above the camp, which will leave for all time a permanent record, like the white horse of these parts, in chalk, of the New Zealand occupation.” The white horse on the Berkshire hills is of great antiquity, and is supposed to commemorate a victory by King Alfred over the Danes; but there are indications that it dates back to an earlier period even before the Roman invasion.

Unexpected complications in regard to the carrying out of the War Regulations governing the rights of landlords and tenants have cropped up in Wellington and other centres from time to time, but so far there has been no case quite so peculiar as one reported in the New Zealand Herald recently. When a claim for possession of premises was called at the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court the other day, Mr Swarbrick, for the plaintiff, said he would have to accept a nonsuit, for since taking proceedings he had learned that the defendant was a soldier within the meaning of the War Re-‘ gulations, and, therefore, could not be turned out of the house. It seemed rather peculiar, however, that the plaintiff, who was a returned soldier, found, on his return from active service, that he could not obtain possession of his house because it was occupied by a man who was in camp when the armistice was signed. Mr Smith, for the defendant, said that he was quite willing to give up the house when he could get another. The case was struck out.

A document of unique interest and historical value has been acquired by the library of Canterbury College from the ■representatives of the Maude Family, of Christchurch. It was written in or about 1461, and is a' genealogical tree of the British kings, with their pedigree from Noah downwards. It ends with Edward IV," and was written in the interests of the Yorkist cause. It has been in the possession of the same family since it was first made. In the margins an abstract of history is given at great length, and this narrative, which is largely legendary, runs to more than 8000 words. It is written in monkish Latin, with much use of abbreviations, in a beautiful hand on thin parchment. The whole roll is 18ft long and about 13in wide, and it is profusely and brilliantly ornamented with colours, which are as bright and fresh now as when they were first laid on. A complete edition, or handbook, of the roll has been' prepared by members of the staff of the Canterbury College, and will be published shortly. The edition will give a complete transcription of the Latin text, an English translation, an introductory explanation with the history of the Maude family and its probable connections with the roll, and notes. The manuscript will be exhibited in the library at Canterbury College as soon as the printing is completed, with the handbook, so that it can be seen and readily understood by all.

To-morrow (Thursday), September 4, at 2 p.m., the magnificent collection of oil and water colour paintings now on exhibition at the Exchange Mart will be sold by public auction without reserve by Messrs McKay Bros. This collection comprises some magnificent examples of artistic brush work. Special Note: The pictures will be On exhibition until noon on Thursday, after which they will be taken down and sold separately. Catalogues on application.— (Advt.)

Keep the brush going and the hair agrowing. “A perfect line of long flexible whalebone hair brushes are now on special offer at HYNDMAN’S, Dee street. These vigorous brushes are noted for promoting the health of the hair. Price, 6/6 each. Hyndman’s —famous for value. —(Advt.)

Cotton Dress Fabrics at real bargain prices that excel anything shown for years past.. Piles of Zephyrs and Ginghams in Stripes, Checks, and Plain; guaranteed fast colours and free from dressing, an ideal material for Summer Dresses, Blouses and Children’s wear; value for 2/6, all on Sale at 1/6. 20 pieces Gaberdines in all the new colourings, 40 inches wide, value for 4/6, your choice 1/11. 300 pieces Voiles, Organdis, Muslins, Piques, Poplins, etc., etc. in ail the newest designs, all on Sale at these bargain prices 9d, 1/-, 1/6, 1/11, 2/6, 2/11, 3/6 to 5/6. A good selection of plain and floral Casement Cloths, 30 to 46 inches wide, for supreme values see these, 9d, 1/6, 1/11, 2/6, 2/11 to 4/6. If you cannot visit our stores, mail your order today, or send for patterns. See windows and Dress Department at H. & J. SMITH, Ltd., Progressive Stores, Tay street. Phone# in all departments. —(Advt.) Potatoes. —Grand line prime Oamaru Potatoes to hand. ' In quantities to suit purchasers; excellent quality; at BAXTER’S Grocery, Dec street. —(Advt.)

THOMSON & BEATTIE, Ltd., are now showing newest Ready-to-wears in soft Tagel, striped effect, smart band and bow finish; prices 26/6 to 30/-. Smart ready-to-wears in Tagel, Liserie and Pedal straws, newest shades and shapes, finished bands to tone; prices 21/6 to 37/6. The newest in Panamas, medium and large shapes, trimmed with the new adjustable puggaree. Prices —17/6 to 32/6.—(Advt.) Ladies, do not wear out your beautiful summer clothes on the old-fashioned washboard. Let “NO RUBBING” Laundry Help and the pure “GOLDEN RULE” Soap do the work. Invercargill grocers.—(Advt.) Two leading lines: Men’s . - jaen’i Shirts. Big assortment at UNDRi-i. b, opp. Post Office.—(Advt.) RAILWAY TRAVELLING.

Closed up carriages and vitiated airmaka the system susceptible to disease microbea which are rapidly dispelled by cleansing and healing "Fuenzol." —(Advt.)

Masters, Ltd., were the originators of the 10 per cent, discount to returned soldiers. Other storekeepers have copied us and wa now go one better. We now invite all discharged soldiers and tnose waiting discharge to have ihtir military hats reblocked, free or all cost, oy tbe only hatter in Southland. \vc still give a 10 per cent, reduction to all returned soldiers. —MASTERS, tiU., Dee street. — (Advt.) Ladies are cordially invited to the grand show of lovely Spring Millinery at the ECONOMIC, Ladies’ Outfitters, CO Dee street. —(Advt.) Use "NAZOL” and you won’t keep a baa cold or sore throat above a day or two. Acts hie a charm. Gel a bottle TO-DAY.—(Advt.)