TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21219, 21 October 1930, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

The process of'the absorption of Canadian enterprises by great organizations is still going on, and the latest development is an announcement by the President of the City Dairy Company of Toronto of an offer from the Borden Milk Company of New Y'ork for the whole of its stock (says the Ottawa correspondent of The Economist.)The City Dairy Company is a very prosperous institution which controls the greater part of the dairy business of Toronto, and its transfer to American control occasions considerable dismay. The terms of the Borden Company’s offer will be submitted to the shareholders at a special meeting at an early date, and the probability is that they will be accepted. The Borden Company already controls many large dairy distributing businesses throughout Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Quebec, and, in addition, has a number of milk-manufacturing plants in Canada. Apart from the sentimental dislike to American control of such an important company, Canadian .Stock Exchanges and the financial community generally are viewing with concern the tendency of Canadian companies to become subsidiaries of great American organizations, for the inevitable outcome of such transactions is that the shares of the Canadian company sold to American interests are taken off the Canadian exchanges, and, even if the shares of the new parent company may be listed on the Canadian exchanges, the real market remains in New York City. The accumulative effect of these mergers has been to lessen the importance of the Canadian exchanges, which finds its reflection in a lessened volume of business done by brokers; there is also a reduction of the scope for lending activities by the banks, which are thus encouraged to make more use of the call loan market for the employment of surplus funds, and a larger percentage of Canadian investors are left to look outside the dominion for profitable investments.

Criticism *of the present legal safeguards against the dilution of milk with water was expressed by Dr. J. F. Tocher, of Aberdeen, in a paper read at the British Association meeting, his contention being that present methods of analysis could not positively determine the proportion of added water in adulterated milk. Under the British regulations, it was presumed that the seller had watered the milk if a sample contained less than 3 per cent, butter-fat, or 8.5 per cent solids-not-fat. It was, however, now

an established fact that up to 14 per cent, of all genuine samples fell below 3 per cent, in 'butter fat and from 22 to 30 per cent, of ail genuine samples fell below 8.5 per cent, in solids-not-fat. Dr. Tocher said the problem was not analytical, .but mathematical in character. He found the proportions of the various constituents of milk to be quite different for low values of total solids, when compared with, the proportions of those constituents for high values of total solids in genuine milk. lor low values of total solids, milk sugar c ° n " tributed largely to any increase, while, for high values, casein contributed more than any other constituent. The first stage _ in the process was to obtain an c< l u ® t *° n which would determine with high probability the fact of watering, while the second stage was the development of a function, based on the actual variation of the constituents, the values of which would indicate the various degrees of watering. I nfortunately the second stage was a long one, involving more than 18 months calculations to find the values of, 15 constants which would have to be used by analysts when they desired to calculate the P® rcen ; tage of watering. Preliminary tests showed that the criterion was likely, to be ot a practical character, giving values reasonably near the actual amount of watering in known mixtures of milk and water.

The Dominion Meteorologist last evening issued the following forecast: Still another rather intense depression of the westerly type has been crossing the Dominion today. An anti-cyclone extends over the northern Tasman Sea. Winds between north-westerly and south-west moderate to strong generally and reaching gale force at times in Cook and Foveaux Straits. Seas rather rough on the West Coast and south of Castlepoint, elsewhere moderate. Moderate to strong west to south-west winds and rather rough seas in the eastern Tasman Sea. Weather changeable and squally with showers in most districts and heavy (alls on parts 'of the West Coast. Some had in eastern and southern portions of the South Island.

A series of five radio talks on dental hygiene will be given from Station 2YA Wellington bv officers of the Division of Dental Hygiene. The talks will be given from 7.40 p.m. to 7.55 p.m. on alternate Thursdays. .

The Dunedin hospital authorities report that satisfactory-progress is being made by Maureen Joan Hall, the child who was admitted on Thursday night with severe head injuries as the result of being struck with a bottle. She is still, however, on the dangerously ill list, states a Press Association telegram.

A meeting of farmers interested in the Southland Power Board’s affairs was held in the Otahuti Hall on Saturday. Mr George Macdonald was in the chair. After a general discussion Mr C. Donald proposed and Mr Saunders seconded the following motion which was carried by 21 votes to 7: “That the Minister of Public Works be advised that no loan be raised by the board without the consent of the ratepayers.”

The fact that the string attached to his kite was dry and not wet, probably saved the life of a boy at Greymouth during last week-end (states the Star). His kite had become entangled with an electric power line, of 11,000 volts, and he was tugging at the string in an endeavour to free the kite. Had the string been wet it would have acted as a conductor, and the boy would have been electrocuted.

“A motor-car fire usually starts somewhere near the extinguisher, and those who want to use’it generally burn their hands getting to it,” said Mr T. M. Charters, at the recent meeting of the Christchurch Fire Board, when a suggestion was made that the board should provide motorists with extinguishers for use in case of fire. It was said that an extinguisher would cost £3, and the motorist might not know how to use it when he had it.

“Canada has lost her identiy to some degree,” said Mr R. J. Hobbs, the manager of the New Zealand Empire Games team, when speaking at the annual reunion of the Cathedral Grammar School Old Boys and Choir Association last week. “Canada is too close to the United States and has adopted a great- many of the American customs. We noticed very little difference in the speech of the peoples of the two countries.”

A resident of St. Mary’s Road, Ponsonby, was given warning of the big fire in Melford street, Auckland, last week, in rather curious fashion. Awakened shortly before 1 a.m. by a loud crash of iron in the neighbouring street, he saw through the window of his room a flock of pigeons, wheeling upwards from their night shelter, startled, no doubt, by _ the flames. The white plumage of the birds was tinted a rosy red in the reflection from the fire, and warning of the outbreak was thus given to the resident,. who hurried to the nearest fire alarm and summoned the brigade.

Systematic poisoning and the operations of an army of trappers have decimated the rabbits in the South Island. In very few places now are they a real menace to landholders. The experience of one runholder, Mr E. P. H. Burbury, owner of Glen Wye Station, is sufficient to indicate how the pest may be effectively checked by energetic action (says the Christchurch Press). Four years ago the winter contribution of Glen Wye to the rabbit skin markets was no fewer than 75,009. This year only one trapper has been working on the station, and -his total tally has been fewer than 5000.

Two debtors, Chinese, both bearing the name of Hop Wing, were proceeded against in the Magistrate’s Court at last week. They are partners in a shop and garden, and when one is in charge of the shop the other works in the garden, and vice versa. The sergeant of police mentioned in Court that the only information he could get when serving the summons was, “All de same, Hop Wing.” The Magistrate suggested that one should be called Chip Chop, and inquired how the sergeant knew one from the other, to which the officer replied that one was the bigger man, but the smaller one had the most liabilities.

In the Maintenance Court yesterday, before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.j the maintenance officer proceeded against James Callaghan, of Washdyke, for disobedience of a maintenance order. The arrears amounted to £4 10/8 due up to September 23, 1930. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for one month, the warrant, to be discharged on payment of all arrears to date. Christopher George Hooker, of Invercargill, for arrears amounting to £36 due up to July 10, 1930, was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for six months. Cecil Charles Quested, of Ohai, for' arrears amounting to £4B, due- up to September 17, 1930, was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for six months, the warrant to be suspended provided that 30/- off the current maintenance and 10/- a week off the arrears be paid, the first payment to be forthwith. Herbert David Yeatman, of Christchurch, for arrears amounting to £lO and due up to October 6, 1930, was convicted and sentenced.to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour, the warrant to be discharged on the payment of all arrears to date.

In the City Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr E. C. Lcvvey, S.M., a first offender for drunkenness was convicted and fined 10/-, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment.

Advice received by the Hon. A. J. Murdoch, Minister of Mines, indicates that oil prospects in Taranaki are very favourable. The Minister stated in the House that the boring companies were now coming within reach of oil, and in one case it was believed the prospects were excellent.

A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of William Henry McKinley, of Invercargill, carpenter, which was to have been held yesterday. afternoon, "was adjourned sine die by the Official Assignee, Mr H. Morgan, advice having been received’ that, owing to a motor accident sustained last Saturday, bankrupt would be unable to . attend for examination.

On Saturday afternoon the members of the Gore and Mataura branches of the Farmers' Union paid a visit of inspection to Mr J. Speden’s garden in Main street; Gore. Although the unseasonable weather experienced this spring has been far from favourable for early blooms, Mr Spcden has been successful in obtaining an excellent display of rhododendrons, narcissi, celmesia and other early flowering plants, the visitors spending a pleasant and profitable afternoon. Mrs ,J. Stewart, on behalf of the Gore branch, expressed appreciation of Mr Speden’s generous invitation. Mrs D. Udy, on' behalf of the Mat aura branch, ‘also thanked Mr Speden.

‘,T don’t like your uniform, you had better get a better one that can be seen at night. If you stopped me in that uniform at night, I would get out of your way. I would think that you might be going to rob me.” These were 'the remarks addressed to the traffic inspector of the Riccarton Borough Council by Mr D. Jackson, Justice of the . Peace, in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court last week when he and Mr J. Voss, Justice of the Peace, dismissed a charge of failing to stop when called upon by a traffic inspector, states the Press. The motorist pleaded that he had seen a pedes-, trian standing in the road, but had not recognized him. as a traffic inspector.

The most unpopular dog in Christchurch was a big animal that appeared at the Christ’s College sports. ,It created consternation among the officials by pacing the leader in a quarter-mile race and almost upsetting him, the while it barked excitedly. It was caught and locked in the baths, but it made light of a high brick wall, jumping over and again pursuing the runners. It was then shut up in a classroom, but again escaped and almost ruined a distance race. At last it took the hint from the spectators’ shouting and retired abashed, tail between its legs, to the outskirts of the crowd. In the past the official list included a highly efficient clerk of the course, says the Christchurch Times, but that office has been abandoned., RETURNING NORTH. Wednesday morning will be the final opportunity for those interested in to-day’s fashions to inspect the D.I.C. Salon in Nicol’s Building, where Mrs Potter and assistants are about to make preparations to return to Dunedin.—Advt,

For better value in corsets, coreelettes, brassier and suspender belts, try Miss Noble, The Baby Shop, Dee street.—Advt.

“Every year it is getting a firmer grip of the New Zealand Market, DEWAR'S WHISKY.”—Advt.

Ladies’ Woven Cotton Bloomers, with silk stripe, all light colours, 1/11; Cotton Fuji Bloomers,- all colours, 2/6 at Wicks' Hose and Vest Shop, Dee street.

Said Dennus to Bridget one fine summer day Turning over and snuggling up in the hay “Where are you going for Xmas my dear” Said Bridget “to Hitchons I hear.”—Advt.

Published October 20: Auckland Weekly (the premier annual) ; Brett’s; Christchurch Star; Dairy Exporter (includes many tried recipes); Free Lance; N.Z. Illustrated; N.Z. Traveller; Otago Witness (an excellent number). 2/- each, 2/04 posted. N.Z. BOOK DEPOT LTD., Newsagents, Esk street, Invercargill.—Advt.

ENERGEN FOODS for "Sufferers from DIABETES, INDIGESTION AND OBESITY are highly recommended by the medical profession. These foods have the “starch” content reduced and the protein or nourishing element increased. Complete selection of Breads, Biscuits and Cereals obtainable at STEWART’S PHARMACY, Dee street. —Advt.

Where shall we go in the car this- summer? Whatever you decide the new N.Z. Motorist’s Road Guide will show you the way. The latest edition is fuller'and more complete than ever. Plan out your tours. Keep to the route planned and find out your position in relation to other places of interest. This and much more can be done by using the maps and route diagrams in the eleventh edition of this popular Motorist’s Road Guide 3/6 at Hyndman’s, Dee street, Booksellers.—-Advt.

Old hands consider “the Exhibition” whitebait net to be the best mesh and shape obtainaole for local fishing conditions. Remember this when you are replacing you old net. Thomson and Beattie’s price for 90in net is 1/10 and 2/9 per yard and 3/11 per yard for extra heavy quality suitable for “set nets.”—Advt.

Many years of practical experience in every department of the trade from the buying of the raw skins to the making up into the finished article, this is the expert knowledge which is at the disposal of any lady in Southland who is contemplating buying a fur coat or fox choker or any article of fur whatever. Here is also the largest stocks of the finest quality fur goods the world’s ‘markets have to offer for your inspection at prices that are lower than ever in the history of the fur trade. The Mutual Fur Co., Manufacturing Fur riers, Tay Street. —Advt.

Giving sight to the blind is a remarkable achievement —beyond the limits of my skill. BUT—I can save you from going blind. By scientific equipment, modern methods and long experience I can quickly and surely detect eye and sight troubles, then prescribe and make glasses that will bring relief and add to your appearance. If your sight is becoming defective don’t go a day longer without seeing me. Good health and enjoyment of living are often dependent upon good eyesight. Geo. H. Brown offers you the efficient personal attention of a qualified optician who is aided by the latest 'scientific equipment and methods for sight-testing. Visit me at once for a sightexamination. Geo. H. Brown, qualified and registered optician, Brown’s Pharmacy, 125 Dee street. (Advt.)