TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 19069, 2 March 1921, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

In the United States the railway companies are sparing no efforts to secure rolling stock to meet the demand for transportation. In 1920 the railways there spent £70,000,000 on new equipment, the largest item being £27,000,000 in the purchase of 45,000 new freight cars and £13,500,000 in the purchase of 15,000 refrigerator cars. When the last mail left America an endeavour was being made to finance the purchase of an additional 60,000 freight cars. In addition to these expenses 1500 new locomotives are about to be purchased at a cost of £21,000,000 and contracts have been let for 1200 passenger carriages at a of £8,000,000. The provision of more trucks in this country is receiving the attention of’ the railway department, but it is doubtful if the government’s programme will provide enough rolling-stock for the dominion’s requirements.

The sub-committee under the Profiteering Acts by the Standing Committee on Trusts in Britain has issued an interim report on glass bottles and jars and scientific glassware. The committee states that having regard to the profits that have been made in recent years, the prices of bottles are unduly high, and that, in view of the greatly reduced cost of production likely to be brought about by the extended use of the “Owens” automatic machine, very substantial reduction in prices ought to be enjoyed by buyers in the near future. In this connection the great influence which the cost of glass containers has on the price of many foods, beverages, and medicines should not be overlooked. With the aid of the “Owens” machine, an American invention, bottles could be produced almost without human aid. There were also British machines of lhe semi-automatic type, the cost of manufacture being reduced by from 20 to 38 per cent

The Invercargill wool sale has been postponed until Friday, March 11, subject to the shipping trouble being over.

Captain Ellis, Director of Forestry for New Zealand, who has been on a brief visit to Southland, will leave for the north today.

“Mokoreta is one of the best opossum districts in New* Zealand. One farmer assured me he could do better catching opossums than working his farm,” said Constable Jones in evidence during a case at Wyndham on Monday.

Considerable activity is taking place at the Electric Power Board’s depot at the Bluff consequent upon the removal of the hardwood poles for distribution along the transmission line routes. It is understood that the first line to be erected will be between Invercargill and Winton.

A particularly mean theft has been perpetrated on the Riverton bowling green during the month (says the Western Star), when two padlocks have been removed from the gate, also the keys. The danger of the gate being left open and straying cattle getting on the green is such as to make members uneasy.

The tenders for the hydraulic electric machinery for the Southland electric power scheme which closed on February 22 have come to hand from England, America, Australia and New Zealand. Accompanying the tenders is a mass of details, drawings and catalogues, and it will probably be from a fortnight to a month before the actual results and final figures of the tenders are known.

The following advices with regard to the state of the various fishing rivers throughout Southland were received at the Tourist Office yesterday:—Riverton, weather fine, river normal; Tuatapere, river low and clear, weather dull; Wyndham, weather overcast and calm, river in good order; Dipton, weather cloudy and calm, river very low and clear; Otautau, and Waiau rivers low and clear, weather cairn, overcast.

A meeting of patriotic workers and women interested in the Soldiers’ Memorial, is convened by Mrs J. A. Hanan for to-morrow evening in the Council Chambers, to make arrangements for a campaign to raise funds. It is hoped that there will be a large attendance, and that this last effort of the women of Invercargill will be as successful as those carried out by them while hostilities were in progress.

The Christchurch correspondent of the Southland Times telegraphs that last night Sergeant Tonkinson, prior to his departure for Invercargill, was fare-welled by the members of the Christchurch police force. Sergeant O’Grady, on behalf of the force, presented their departing comrade with a suit case, and he said that all of Sergeant Tonkinson’s friends hoped the gift would some day hold a superintendent's uniform. Several others spoke of the popularity of their departing friend.

Something in the nature of a gala day will eventuate at the South School this afternoon, when a flower show and many other attractions will be held, the Mayor opening the function at 2 p.m. The object is to improve the school surroundings. A jumble stall, tea rooms, and other attractive items will be provided, .while the senior pupils will give a display at 2.45. The pupils arc showing great interest in thenflower show, and big entries should be forthcoming.

For the fifth occasion only, at least for the past twenty years, a local sittings of the Supreme Court was begun yesterday with a clean sheet before it so far as criminal business was concerned. Evidently those who attended the Court in the morning expected to witness the unusual ceremony of the presentation to the Judge of a pair of white gloves in recognition of the clean criminal sheet, but this did not take place.

At a recent meeting of the Southland Soldiers’ Memorial Committee it was decided to invite suggestions with regard to the most suitable form and site for the memorial. These suggestions were to be forwarded to the Southland League not- later than noon yesterday, but on calling at the offices of the League at that hour a Southland Times reporter was surprised to find that not a single suggestion had been received. While some may interpret this as showing a lack of interest on the part of the people, others closely connected with the proposal regard it as a sign that the people are waiting for a lead in the matter.

During the sitting of the Assessment Court in Dunedin on Monday Mr Jonathan Rhodes stated in evidence that be considered that there had been an easing in property values during the past six months. Later in the day the judge of the Court (Mr H. Y. Widdowson, SAI.) asked Mr Duncan, city valuer, if he agreed with this opinion. Mr Duncan admitted that there were not so many sales as previously, but that the prices being obtained were very high. To demonstrate the trend of the house market, Mr Dnucan said that one house had come under their notice which had changed bands four times during the past nine weeks at the following figures—£3so, £450, £550 and £750.

An amusing repatriation problem was cited by Mr E. F. Andrews at the luncheon tendered to the members of the Auckland District Repatriation Board last week. He said a man with a long list of convictions for breaking and entering had appealed to him for assistance from the Patriotic Association, and had said that if he could not obtain money immediately he would have to return to his profession of house-break-ing. Amid laughter Mr Andrews told how he pointed out that the Repatriation Board was there to help him make a new start, but, if requested so to do, it would be bound to furnish him with a set of first-class tools for his old trade. “Whether or no his request came before the board I cannot say,” concluded the speaker.

An instance of the help rendered by the land boards to returned soldiers wishing to acquire land was related by Mr R. P. Greville, Commissioner of Crown Lancte for North Auckland, at the luncheon given to members of the District Repatriation Board last week. Mr Greville said that a young man was extremely anxious to acquire land at Birkenhead for fruit farming. Although he had no knowledge of the work he would not be deterred from his project, and the speaker, who suspected he was unsuitable, found reasoning unavailable. So he made arrangements for the applicant to spend a few days on a fruit farpi at Henderson and promised to favourably consider the application if at the end of a week the applicant still desired to acquire a farm. “In four days,” concluded Mr Grenville, “he came to me and said, ‘No fruit farming for me, thank you.’ ” This young man was now happily settled in a trade.

There wae a good attendance of team captains and interested workers at the first general meeting held in connection with the Y.W.C.A. campaign on Monday night. Among others present were—Mesdames Coates, Burwell, McArthur, MacGregor, Alderson, Noble Smith. Mii-ses Jamieson, Stenhcuse and Boyd, and Messrs A. Wallace, C. McDonald, S. August and C. Cowan. Miss I'loiepce Birch and Miss Williams explained the plan for the organisation. The objects of the campaign are: To complete the purchase of the hostel, part of which has to be paid off this year; to make such renovations to the hostel as are needed to enable the work to be carried on effectively; to provide accommodation in the central club roems for emergency boarders who are desirous of catching early trains, and to extend the general work among the girls of the town and country. The club rooms in Esk street offer hospitality and friendship to girls and also provide supplementary education through classes, clubs and meetings. The hostel is filling a real need in the town During the past twelve months 245 girls have been accommodated, 40 of these being in permanent residence and 205 • transient geests.

A Press Association message from Wellington states that Lisle Douglas Marshall, formerly a member of the police force, was charged with the theft of 22/6, the property of the Mount Cook Police Social Club. The man admitted taking the money and was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment.

An Australian mail arrived in Wellington on Sunday evening by the Marama from Sydney. The local portion should be delivered in the city and suburbs this morning. The Manuka’s Australian mail from Sydney should also be delivered this morning.

A bottle which, the enclosed message showed, was dropped into the sea, 12 miles north of Otago Heads, by Mr W. Pile, of Karitane, on January 30 last, was picked up on the beach about a mile north of the mouth of the Shag River on Sunday last (says the Otago Daily Times.) It is assumed that the bottle was one of those dropped ino the sea with the object of ascertaining the set of the currents along the coast.

Writing to the Prime Minister from Honolulu on January 25, Mr A. Moritzson, manager of the Import and Export Department of the Pan-Pacific Traders, Ltd., repeats his contention that, under the new Pacific mail contract between the Government and the Union Steam Ship Company, it should be imperative that Auckland should be the final port, so as to allow all manning of the steamers to be under New Zealand articles. The Oceanic S.S. Company runs under American articles with the result that its steamers were not affected by the strike in Australia, and they brought freight and passengers along from Australia. “ We had some of our orders for New Zealand produce cancelled,” Mr Moritzson writes, “as the buyers here could not wait, and those that are waiting still are very much put about. I believe the great objection of the shipping company is on account of transhipping at Auckland of mail, cargo and passengers for Australia Well, the Australian passengers would not be worse off than the New Zeaaland passengers or cargo intended for pointe in New Zealand south of Auckland. I would ask you, do you think that under these faulty conditions New Zealand can hold her own?”

Would the members of the W.C.T.U. and others that have Petitions re Reginald Matthews kindly return immediately to the Property & Finance Office, Tay street. Mbs2

Ladies—Don’t miss the opportunity of saving money on your wearing apparel— Coats, Costumes, Blouses, Millinery and Underwear at lowest possible prices for cash at THE “ECONOMIC,” Ladies’ Outfitters, 60 Dee street. —(Advt.)

Clothing Oddments to be cleared this week at THOMSON & BEATTIE’S Oddment Sale include eight All-wool Tweed Sac Suits, sizes 4 and 5, at 65/- and 75/- Suit; 4 dozen Men’s All Pure Fur Felt Hats to clear at 15/6 and 18/6 each; 2 dozen Men’s Tweed Caps to clear at 2/6 and 3/6; 30 Men’s Sports Coats to clear at 57/6; 50 Men’s Sports Suits to clear at 95/- and 105/-; 30 Men’s Odd Tweed Vests, size 4 only, to clear at 8/6 and 9/6 each; 40 pair Men’s Working Trousers, size 4 only, to clear at 13/6 and 15/-. —(Advt.)

“Henderson” Hats for ladies figure prominently in tire first Autumn Display at MESSRS PRICE & BULLEHYS, Ltd. The selection is an excellent one, and contains all the most fashionable colours and shapes in this popular Hat. Tlie “Henderson” Hat is noted for its serviceable qualities, and gives the greatest satisfaction to the wearer, liie prices are most reasonable.—(Advt.)

SEE Genuine SALE BARGAIN LIST—UNDRILL’S Advt., Page 4—Men’s and Boys’ Clothing, Hats, Suit Cases, etc,— (Advt.)

“Oh! What lovely Teapots, and how cheap,” is the exclamation of the ladies when they see the great display of choice Teapots at BAXTER'S. Teapots of all sizes, some plain, others handsome. Teapots for morning, afternoon, and evening tea; large and small—at BAXTER’S.—(Advt)

MASTERS, LTD., were me originators of the 10 per cent, discount to returned soldiers. Other storekeepers have copied us, and we now go one better. We now invite all discharged soldiers and those writing discharge to have their military hats reblocked, free of all cost, by the only hatter in Southland. We still give a 10 per cent reduction to all returned soldiers.— MASTERS, Ltd., Dee street. —(Advt.) Dainty Hose Furnishings. It is pleasing to advise that we are now holding a beautiful and well-assorted stock. See Big Display in Manchester Department—2oo pairs of High-grade Lace Curtains, 3yds long, latest designs, usual prices 15/6, 25/-, 29/6, now all at half price—7/6, 12/6, 15/6; 25 pieces Bordered Casement Cloth, 28 and 36in wide, usual prices 2/3, 2/6, cut prices 1/6, 1/11; 12 pieces Casement, 54in wide, in plain and borders, cream and ecru, usual price 6/6, cut price 4/6; plain Madras, 54m wide, very smart, 3/11, 4/11; neat floral Madras, 54in wide, .5/6 yard; 10 pieces unfadeable floral Madras, 54in wide, usual price 9/6, cut price 6/11; 50 pieces smart Curtain Net, 44in wide, value for 2/6, cut price 1/11; Cross Curtain Net from 2/(?, 2/11, in Madras 3/11 yard. See our big display of Cretonnes, all much reduced in price, usual prices 1/11, 2/11, 3/11, 5/11, cut price 1/6, 1/11, 2/6, 4/11. Inspection invited. Special displays of new Autumn and Winter Goods in all Departments at H. & J. SMITH, Ltd., Progressive Drapers, Tay street, Invercargill, and Main street, Gore. (Advt)

“Trifles often change us.”—Thomas Bracken. A cheerful disposition is sometimes changed into a peevish one by a cough or cold. Chest and bronchial troubles often follow. All are quickly relieved by Baxter’s Lung Preserver. "Baxter’s” offers the surest and shortest way to regain health and protection from further illness. Thousands gratefully testify to its exceptional merits. Insist on Baxter’s Lung Preserver. Get a big 2/6 bottle of this sterling tonic and remedy to-day. All chemists, and stores. — (Advt.)

“Pyrex”—for gifts, especially wedding gifts. Pyrex gifts carry an air of distinction and do credit to both giver and receiver. Pyrex is guaranteed not to break with oven heat, never wears out, and will be cherished for years. Pyrex can be bought in single pieces or in sets, costing from 8/6 to £4 10/-, and the packing insures easy handling. Hyndman's, Dee street, sellers.

Some housewives prefer darning hubby’s socks instead of playing the violin while “RO RUBBING” Laundry Help does the weekly washing. R. Sloan, Agent for “No Rubbing.”—(Advt.) CRICKET AND TENNIS.

A good grip is ensured by using Q-tol. Makes skin supple and joints flexible, and is a safeguard against bruises and abrasions. 4oz bottle, 2/-. — (Advt.) .