TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 19257, 22 June 1921, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Lecturing before the Melbourne section of the Junior Institution of Engineers, Admiral Sir William Clarkson emphasised the importance of oil fuel for naval purposes, and deplored the lack of local sources of supply. He gave reasons, however, for believing that a thorough exploration might prove successful, and in fact fairly copious supplies of ■ natural gas have been struck in several parts of Australia. So far only four holes have been put down in search of oil. Of these, that at Robe attained a depth of 4504 ft, but no payable supply w£u> found. Sir William, however, expressed the opinion that it would be advantageous to sink a second borehole between this and the coast, but the promoters selected a site at Tantamoola, where clayey shale was reached at a depth of 1165 ft. Here an accident occurred, the string of tools was lost, and the hole has not been cleared. A third borehole was sunk at Kingston by different undertakers. Here a depth of 1160 ft was attained, but the work was then suspended and has not yet been resumed though it is surmised that oil in quantity was struck. The fourth bore, at Blackford, has been carried to a depth of 1360 ft, where hard shale was reached, 'but work was then abandoned. Natural gas in fair quantities was met with in the case of the three boreholes first mentioned, and sand containing oil was also found. Further explorations may prove more successful and Sir William considers that the occurrence at different parts of the coast of asphaltum and a waxy substance resembling paraffin wax, justifies the hope that “gushers” may yet be tapped on the Australian Continent.

The lack of facilities in France for bathing has been occupying the attention of M. Hugue le Roux, Senator for the Seine et Oise. He does not approve of the English “tub,” being, seemingly, convinced that no English person ever takes anything but an ice-cold bath, which is why we are the people “most afflicted with catarrh and other pulmonary and nasal infirmities”; but, according to him, the trouble in France lies with the plumber. “The American plumber is an . extraordinary virtuoso, compared with whom ours are but poor types,” says he, and he asks how often the Paris bath with its gas-heater works, and how long it takes to fill it with water that has “reached a temperature that will allow one to plunge into it without fear of catching bronchitis?” If one complains, the plumber says that it is because there is no pressure of gas, and the gasman replies that it is because “your apparatus is no good.” In the United States, on the other hand, hot water is always ready, and the only real remedy that the senator can suggest “would be to marry a French cook to an American plumber. Thus we should get in a-quarter of a century a generation of men who would make the fortune of French hotels.” 1

According to a recent issue of the Army and Navy Register, published in Washington, approximately 119,000 enlisted men are now in the United States Navy, including a large number of recruits under instruction at training stations and at the trade schools. Recruiting has been resumed on a limited scale- and in specified ratings, with a quota of 500 a week. No discharges prior to expiration of enlistment are now being granted, except for cause or for humanitarian reasons, barring, of course, the necessary yielding to political pressure, which, by the way, promises to be materially curtailed under the Denby administration. The practice which grew up in the last regime peremptorily ordering the discharge of men at the instance of politicians, after the bureau officials had for good and sufficient reasons refused their importunities, is in a fair way of being discontinued. Meanwhile, however, the chief of naval operations is still put to the necessity of ordering ships of various types out of commission in order to obtain sufficient men to man the ships of military character which must be kept in commission, and to put in commission the new vessels as they are comfiletedj

Seventy-five bags of English, American, and Australian mail arrived by the express last night.

An important meeting of the Southland Electric Power Board will be held on Monday next. .

The newly-formed branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Mataura has now a membership of 35.

A large number of woolbuyers and farmers arrived in Invercargill by the late express last evening in preparation for the wool sale on Thursday.

The South Australian Government has definitely decided that there be no compulsory wheat pool for next crops, says an Adelaide Press Association telegram.

Sixty-two competitive designs have been received from Australia and New Zealand for Dunedin’s war memorial (says the Star). The assessor is Mr E. R. Wilson, of Invercargill. The first- prize is £2OO and the second £5O.

The report of the Kauri Gum Commission has been received by the Minister of Lands, the Hon D. H. Guthrie, but it will not be published until it has been considered by the Cabinet, says a Wellington Press Association telegram.

On inquiry at the Hospital at a late hour last night it was ascertained that Ah Chu, the Chinaman, who was recently admitted to the 'Hospital after having been assaulted and robbed, was progressing satisfactorily.

A Palmerston North Press Association telegram states that the Manawatu A. and P. Association’s nineteenth National Dairy Show opened yesterday in showery weather. There was a large and comprehensive display. The entries total 3007, against 2942 last year.

At the weekly meeting of the W.E.A. Literature Class (Miss King’s), Mr R. Thorrv touring manager for Mr Allen Wilkie gave a bright and informative address of fifteen minutes chiefly covering his connection with the W.E.A. movement in Victoria and Tasmania.

A chimney in the Middle School caughf; yesterday, afternoon, necessitating the services of the Fire Brigade being requisitioned. The alarm sounded at about 4.30 p.m., and within a few minutes the brigade had extinguished the fire and returned to the station.

News hy the Tofua states that the Veronica arrived at Niue Island on May 14, says an Auckland Press Association telegram. It was expected that the two natives arrested in connection with the murder of a native policeman would be hanged. Apparently the Veronica arrived the day after the Tutanekai left.

In order that the younger generation may enjoy the delights of the wonderful works of Shakespeare, England’s immortal dramatist, Mr Allan Wilkie, whose Shakespearean’ Company is now appearing at Dunedin, is making special arrangements for the attendance of school children in each city where a season is being played. In Christchurch, during the first season of the New Zealand tour, nearly 5.000 girls and boys availed themselves of the student concessions which Mr Wilkie offered.

Sad misfortune befell Mr Tnomas Jackson, a 70-year-old Kaikoura resident, recently. While rising from the breakfast table on Tuesday, he slipped and fell to the floor, breaking a thigh. On the Thursday, while he lay in the Kaikoura Hospital, his wife was found unconscious on the floor of the house. She also was removed tn the hospital, and died there a few hours later. The old couple had lived in Kaikoura for over 40 years.

A Christchurch Press Association telegram states that charges of fortune telling contrary to the urovisions of Section 224 of the Justices of the Peace Act were preferred against Sarah Taylor Coventry, Catherine Stanton, and Harriet Coupland, before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M. In regard to the two first named defendants it was con tended that they were members of the Spiritualistic Chilrch and looked upon foretelling the future as part of their religion. Decision was reserved.

June 2 was a red-letter day in the history of the Salvation Army, on the occasion of the Queen opening a nurses’ home in north-east London in connection with the Salvationist Mothers’ Hospital. Mrs Bramwell Booth voiced the satisfaction of the Army proceedings, over which the Marquis of Lincolnshire presided. Many prominent persons were present, and also hundreds of delegates from the Dominion* and elsewhere attending the Internationa Social Conference.

In pointing'out at a conference in Wellington regarding the city’s milk supplies, that the farmer had his labour troubles, Mr F. J. Ryder (Otaki) said the sharemilkers—four men and a boy—on his property last year drew between £1,200 and £1,500 as their share of the milk cheques. This year, however, they had rejected the proposition, as not offering sufficient inducement to stay on. They were not required to milk by hand, but used machines, which he himself had installed. Another farmer present said that in the Kairanga district one family milking on shares drew £1,500 for the year, and then refused to renew the contrac on the same basis.

Surprise at the abled .tatemer k* concerning criticism by ;rd Bryce of the Parliament of New Zealand, in which members of the House were somewhat belittled, was expressed by Sir Frederick Lang (Speaker of the House of Representatives) at a farmers’ union dinner. He said that he was satisfied that the New Zealand Parliament compared very favourably with Parliaments in any other country. During his twenty-seven years’ experience of the Dominion Parliament he had never known anything approaching an uproar or disturbance in the House. He denied the allegation that members were too representative, and eulogised them for the manner in which they carried out their •esponfi’Hhti*

An Auckland Press Association telegram states that in a mesage to a meeting of delegates from the Dominion Council of :he Boy Scouts, Lord Jellicoe said: “I regret very much that I am not able to attend the meeting. I hope those present may be informed of my deep interest in the movement and of my confidence that it is one of the utmost importance to the future of the Dominion and the Empire, in that its object is to inculcate into the minds of the young people in whose hands Jic our future destinies those principles of real citizenship, comradeship, duty, honour, and integrity which will fit them to carry, on and lead them to peace, happiness, and prosperity.”

When touring New Zealand a little more than two years ago, General Pau sent a message to Mrs Moeller, of Napier, asking that she meet him at Palmerston North when he was passing through, so that he might thank her on behalf of the French Government for the work she had done for the women and children of Rheims during the war. Mrs Moeller had sent repeated shipments of clothing and contributions of money which she had collected for the people of Rheims. When personally thanking Mrs Moeller, the fact was elicited that Mrs Moeller’s grand-uncle (the brother of her grandfather) was Marechai Jourdain, one of the most distinguished soldiers fh French history. In February last, Mrs Moeller received an intimation that the French Government had conferred upon her the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Francaise, and the diploma and insignia of this decoration will shortly come to hand. By the last mail also, she received from General Pau a letter, in which he says he has much pleasure in forwarding her two engravings of her granduncle. Mrs Moeller has since received from Madame Krug, to whom the goods and money were sent for distribution, an acknowledgment of a further £5O, which was forwarded in December, and which doubled in currency by reason of the difference in oafp.h ano i P l

Claims for the Australian baby bonus of £5 during the period of 11 months ended May 31 \umbered 125,788, exceeding all previous records. At this rate the claim for the whole year to June 30 will total 136,270, as against 111,972 for the previous twelve months. These figures show that, with very few exceptions, the bonus is now paid for all children bom in the Commonwealth, says the Sydney Daily Telegraph. And during the present year to do this will involve a charge upon the revenue of over £660,000, a great part of which went into the pockets of people better off than the average taxpayer who had to provide.

The license for a place of amusement in Karangahapa Road, was last week cancelled by the Auckland, City Council. The matter had been under consideration for some time, and a deputation had been received by the Works Committee from business people in the locality. This deputation presented a petition asking for the cancellation of the license. The committee reported that in addition it had obtained a report from the chief detective. This expressed the opinion that the place named was doing a deal of harm to the young attending there by developing the gambling spirit in them, and encouraging them to keep late hours. Both factors must inevitably interfere, he considered, with the good government of the home. The committee, therefore, recommended the cancellation of the license, and its recommendation wae adopted.

New Zealand spends very many thousands of pounds every year on wooden handips for picks, axes, rakes, chisels, and other tools, says the Dominion. Hickory and other strong, sipringy woods are used for the manufacture of these handles, w’hich come largely from the United States and Canada. The Dominion could save most of the money if use were made of the birch, or more properly beech, forest of Southland. The birch timber, w’hich has been wasted almost entirely in the past, is eminently suitable for the manufacture of tool handles and other similar purposes, and there seems to be no reason why a new industry should not be based on the great birch forests that still exist in the south. Specimens of the wood have been tested by the Forestry Department with satisfactory results, and lately the Department of Industries and Commerce has been interesting itself in the matter.

A recent visitor from the Old Country who a takes good deal of interest in zoology, visited Wellington Municipal Zoo, and was rather surprised to see how well the pair of herons thrived, and mentioned the difficulty that had been experienced in keeping herons alive in the' London Zoo (says the Dominion). In the course of a chat he mentioned that the food given to them included dried flies which were imported from Mexico and the Argentine. Mr J. Langridge, Wellington curator, suggested that the provision of live insect food might be a factor, and recounted that in the Wellington Zoo be was accustomed to hang a piece of meat of fish to one of the bushes in the enclosure, but out of sight of the public. That attracted the flies, and the herons were able to get a nice meal of fresh food whenever they felt hungry. There are tricks in every trade—even that of the zoo curator.

Price-cutting Campaign in all Departments. See specials for Wednesday.—H. <t J. SMITH, LTD.—(Advt.)

Sugar down in price. Everybody will be glad to learn that sugar is at last down in price. From to-day the price is reduced to 6d per lb at BAXTER’S. As usual all Groceries of best quality at lowest rates for ready money at BAXTER’S, Dee street. — (Advt.)

Flannels are a necessity during the winter in Southland and a full range can be inspected at THOMSON & BEATTIE’S. For Children’s Dresses and Costumes the better qualities are recommended, such as Navy from 3/3 to 6/11 yard and dark grey 5/11 to 6/3. Other makes and qualities—White Doctor 3/6 to 6/11; Pink Doctor, 3/9 to 5/6; Dobb’s White, 5/6 to 6/9; Shetland, 2/9 to 3/9; Orkney, 2/6 to 5/11; Natural, 3/3 to 5/9; Scarlet, 3/6 to 5/11; Heavy Shetland Plaiding, 5/3, and the famous Cream Stella Flannel for children’s wear at 7/11 yard.— (Advt.) Is there a “scallywag” in your home? If it’s worth while to have your young people happy and contented by their own fireside —to fill the winter evenings with good, clean fun and enjoyment—there should be. “Scallywag” has established itself as a leader in indoor games, and no home should be without a set. Hyndman’s, Dee street, supply a first-class outfit complete for instant use at 17/6. Railed anywhere for 1 1/- extra. The reason why some smokers are maktheir own cigarettes from Red Jacket Tobacco are—they’re cheaper and far superior. OPOSSUMS. On Sale (for immediate delivery)—American Toothless Jump Traps (as mentioned in Government Regulations), 42/- (fortytwo shillings) a dozen on rail Dunedin. Cash with order. Obtainable only from J. K. MOONEY & CO., Box 54, Dunedin.— (Advt.) Big Millinery Revel at THE “ECONOMIC,” Ladies’ Outfitters. Hundreds of beautiful Hats being sold at a fraction of the original cost. Hurry Mong!— kAdvt.) “Let wise -ounsels prevail/—Steppes. It always nays to listen to sound advice on health matters, especially now, when winter colds are so prevalent. Baxter’s Lung Preserver has been curing coughs and colds for over fifty-five years. It possesses unrivalled tonic properties; helps pmu to feel well and keep well always. 1 “Baxter’s” gets to the root of stubborn colds and hacking coughs, giving gratifying relief. Get this rich, red w’arming specific in your home at once—now! Large 2s 6d bottles obtainable from all grocers and chemists. —Advt. 4

Quality in tobacco is essential to the enjoyment of a smoke. You have it if you use Red Jacket Cigarette Tobacco.

Price-cutting Extraordinary—The Ladies’ Showroom at the Progressive Stores is one of the best stocked Showrooms to be seen. This implies that the stocks are varied in design, dependable materials and make, but what will surprise you most is the low prices to-day—many lines reduced by half. These will help you to decide—so Smart Tweed and Covert Coats in the latest shapes and styles, sale prices' 39/6 to 135/-; 150 Costumes, smart cut, sale price 105/-; Jersey Coats and Jumpers in all the newest shades, sale prices 19/6 to 69/6. A smart range of Ladies’ Dress Skirts in smart tweeds, sale prices 16/6 to 75/-; 50 White Silk Blouses and Jumpers, sale price 13/6. Morning Blouses, sale prices from 3/6 to 10/6.. Ladies’ Print Aprons, sale prices 3/11 to 9/11. 100 Smart Winter Blouses, sale price 7/11. All alterations free of charge. Your inspection will be appreciated at the Progressive Stores. H. & J. SMITH, LTD., Invercargill and Gore.— (Advt.) INFLUENZA PRECAUTIONS.

An absolute safeguard against influenza is to keep the nasal and throat passages irrigated and disinfected twice daily by gargling and sniffing up “FLUENZOL.” 1/6 and 2/6.—(Advt.)

Quality English Hats at Big Reductions. —UNDRILL’S, The Hatters, Deo street, opposite Post Office.— (Advt.)

Cheerio! Boys. “Cold pudding settles one’s love,” but never mind we still have Red Jacket Cigarette Tobacco. MASTERS, LTD., were the originators oi 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 alO per cent, reduction to all returned soldiers.— MASTERS, Ltd.. Dee street.—(Advt. 1