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Southland Times, Issue 19291, 9 July 1924, Page 4

Following is the Government Meteorologist’s weather forecast, telegraphe dfrom Wellington last night: Present indications are for variable winds, south-easterly to north-easterly prevailing. The weather will be cool and fair generally, but at times misty and foggy in parts. The barometer show's little movement at present. During the month of June four cows and three horses were impounded by the Town Ranger. The outputs from the Municipal Power House for the weeks ending June 21 and 28 last were 104,860 and 102,370 units respectively. Victoria Lake, in Hagley Park, Christchurch, was almost frozen over yesterday, states a Press Association telegram. The cold was very severe throughout Canterbury. “The unsettled weather experienced during the past fortnight has somewhat retarded digging and planting operations in the reserves,” said the Head Gardener (Mr W. Smith) in his report to the Town Council at last night’s meeting. During June five cases of scarlet fever were reported in the Southland Health District, three cases of diptheria and tuberculosis, two cases of pneumonia, and one each of enteric fever and hydatids, a total of 15 notifications. Two deaths were caused by tuberculosis, and one by scarlet fever. It is expected that the first complete unit in connection with the generating plant at Monowai will arrive at the headworks within the next two or three days, while the second complete unit will arrive a few days later. The.erection of the generating plant will be proceeded with almost immediately. At a meeting of the Drummond Ploughing Match Committee, eulogistic reference was made to the generosity of donors of special prizes, which had been a feature of last Wednesday’s match. A resolution expressing the thanks of the Committee to all donors of special prizes was carried unanimously. A Press Association telegram states that the bankruptcies filed at Christchurch for the six months ended June 30, 1924, totalled 30, as against 22 over the corresponding period of last year. In May, 1923, there were four, and the number for that month this year was nine. March this year showed an increase of three over that month of last year. A strange freak, a rabbit, with two tusks, was shot at Awarua Plains the other day. These tusks were over an inch long, and curved from the lower jaw to above the nostrils, thus making the picking up of food extremely difficult. Though handicapped in this way the little animal was in fair condition, showing that it had been able to accommodate itself to circumstances.

Touching on the question of a Municipal Electrical Trading Department during a discussion at the Bluff Borough Council last night, Councillor Hinchey said that he was in a position to know that in many instances private competition was beating the public body. In his opinion, he did not think a public body could compete with private firms. Half the human race—the female halfwill be interested in this: —Mrs Sebastiana Marroquin, of San Francisco, aged 44, has just given birth to her twenty-fourth child. Like Napoleon’s mother, also an Italian, she married at fourteen. There is wonderful power in the Italian race, as great to-day as it was 3000 years ago. Caruso was his mother’s nineteenth child. The tender of the Mansford and Mills Construction Company, of Wellington and Auckland, at £183,654, has been accepted for the War Memorial Museum, says an Auckland Press Association message. Work will be commenced immediately, the contract time being three years. It has been definitely decided that the base of the building will be in Coromandel granite, and the superstructure in Hawkesbury sandstone. The New Zealand Romney Marsh Breeders’ Association are exporting several rams to the Argentine, for exhibition at the International Show at Palermo (Buenos Ayres) early in September. Amongst the num' er is a ram hogget selected by the Association’s inspector from the flock of Messrs Joseph Mosley and Sons, “Rivers lea,” dydevale, Otago, which is bred from the most fashionable Romney blood in the Dominion, the leading sire of which holds Jbe South. Island Cbamokuushfo for 1923,

The Town Council, at its meeting last evening, decided to send a congratulatory message to Wanganui on receiving its status as a city. The trophy recently won by the Southland Boys’ High School team in connection with the Weekly Press shooting competition, is now on view in Mr J. M. Rein’s, Dee street. The Oamaru Bureau of the Department of Labour reports that an unusual number of swaggers are calling in search of work. Most f-- them come from the south, some from as far as Invercargill. They are of a better type than in previous years. Not one lately has been an immigrant, all being Colonials. Some interesting fossils, embedded in lignite, have been discovered by a resident of Auckland. They are the nuts of an extinct palm, which grew in New Zealand in Tertiary days. The North Otago Times says that fossil nuts of the same or an allied species, were found near Oamaru some years ago, and were sent to th« Canterbury Museum. There is a credit balance of £566 in connection with the Naval Squadron entertainment fund in Christchurch. Donation* from private people, grants from local bodies, and receipts from the trotting meeting and from various entertainments total £1698, and the expenditure £1132. It in proposed to reverse the balance for future Royal and naval visits. "Cream which has been contaminated by the heat of the sun is worse than the filthiest cowshed in the country,” declared Mr P. J. Small at the Dairy Fanners’ Union Conference at Palmerston, when advocating the voluntary system of cream grading to be adopted throughout the Dominion. “And the same with butter, which, if left in the sun for a few moments, is quite uneatable.” The returns of bankruptcy business in the Otago district, which includes North Otago and Southland, for the three months ended June 30, are as follow, the figures giver in parentheses being those of the corre spending quarter of last year:—Dunedin office 17 (9), Oamaru and Invercargill 18 (19); leaving on hand, Dunedin office 26 (23), Oamaru and Invercargill, 15 (9). The number of fresh bankruptcies during the quarter were:—Dunedin office 3 (5), Oamaru and Invercargill 10 (8). The total number of bankruptcies in the hands of the Official Aisignee on June 30 at Dunedin were, therefore, 29 (28), and in the hands of the Deputy Official Assignees at Oamaru and Invercargill were 25 (17). The total amount of assets realised was, at Dunedin, £246 (£709) ; at Oamaru and Invercargill, £BB7 (£1828) ; paid in dividends, including preferential claims, Dunedin, £1074 (£1233) ; Oamaru and Invercargill, £2567 (£1011). The number of bankruptcies at the end of the preceding quarter in Dunedin were 43 (32), and at Oamaru and Invercargill 33 (28). Of the eighty-eight notifications of infectious disease cases received at the Dunedin office of the Health Department dur ing the month of June, no fewer than forty-four related to diptheria. The Otago district supplied forty of these cases, Southland three, and Wallace one. Considered by themselves, these figures have a disquieting appearance, says the Dunedin Star. But they are not so serious as they look. It is consolatory to know, on the authority of Dr M’Kibbin, to whom a question on the subject was put, that the outbreak this year had been quite mild in character. The official statement bears that out, for no death from diptheria is reported during June. The medical officer of health further states that, while the numerical return is heavy for June, it is now rapidly declining. Very few cases were reported during the first week of the present month, and to all appearances the visitation is petering out. From its first attacks in the late autumn, Dr M’Kibbin has said that diptheria was to be expected in the late autumn and winter months, and that its oncoming need not cause alarm, and his foretelling is amply justified so far. A petrol driven locomotive, -which, it » believed, will be a distinct advantage for use on bush tramways etc., for haulage purposes, was recently given an exhaustive trial at Messrs Traill Bros.’ mill at Fortification. The original suggestion was conceived by Mr Frank Traill, the welLknown sawmiller, who submitted it to Messrs A. and T. Burt, with the result that the idea was elaborated and improved upon to such an extent that the engine, during the course of the trial, successfully carried out all that was expected of it, at one stage negotiating a grade of 1 in 7 with a 64 foot log, some six tons in weight. Any type of internal combustion engine may be utlised for the purpose, and fitted, as it is, with eight wheels, all of which are driven by means of a series of Hyatt roller bearings and a revolving connecting rod, it is claimed that ample power can be secured for much heavier loads, if desired. The designers also maintain that other advantages are to be secured by the use of their patent, particularly in the matter of maintenance expenses, as compared with horse drawn traction. They are taking steps to bring their engine under the notice of the Railway authorities, being of opinion that the locomotive can" be used for haulage purposes on the branch lines to act as feeders to the main routes. A public meeting of women willing to assist in the canvassing work for the Radium Appeal Fund will be held in the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Rooms on Thursday next.—(Advt.J. Stocktaking Bargains for Men and Boy. at Thomson and Beattie s Stocktaking clearance. Men’s Tweed Overcoats at 55/-, 65/- to 69/6. Men’s Raincoats at 39/6 and 49/6. Men's Band Shirts, in neat stripes, at 7/6. Boys’ Shirts, with Collars, at 5/6. Boys’ White band Shirts at. 2/11. Boys’ Rain Coats at 22/6. Boys’ Sports’ Suito at 35/-. —(Advt.). No taxation. —Don’t be taxed for other people’s bad debts for booking, derieal expenses, for ledgers, etc., but buy your groceries from Baxters where you get the most value for your money.—(advt.). We are now displaying several trays of useful goods in our windows. If you require scissors of any description we have them by the best makers at reduced prices. Fruit Knives, Pocket Knives, Jam Spoons, Butter Knives, Cake Forks and a large assortment of other goods are also displayed. You choice from the 3/6, 4/- or 4/6 trays and you are assured of a bargain. T. M. Rankin, Jeweller, Tay street—(Advt.).