TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21271, 18 December 1930, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Mr Winston Churchill seems to have fully deserved the snub administered by Mr Ramsay MacDonald in speaking of the former’s outburst on Indian affairs (says the Dominion). Although the "diehards” might have approved Mr Churchill’s uncompromising proposals for the repression of the Ghandists, even they could hardly approve of his reference to a possible armed ascendancy of the Hindus enforced by “a white army of janissaries.” The mention of janissaries is particularly unfortunate. It is an ugly term that may easily be fastened upon by the Indian Congress extremists to describe the British troops in India. To talk also of a Hindu ascendancy at a time when delegates representing Hindus and Moslems are seeking in London to reach some agreement whereby their interests may be reconciled appears to be irresponsible folly. It is all the worse, coming as it does from the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the last British Government. The Indian situation is difficult enough without being complicated by gratuitous embarrassments from Mr Churchill.

“Whether any demand will be made for compensation for these brutal outrages remains to be seen,” the London correspondent of the Birmingham Post wrote in reference to the murder in China of two women missionaries. "Such action is contrary to the custom of the Church Missionary Society, and, indeed, of missionary societies in general. When Mr Stewart and his family and other missionaries were murdered in 1895, not very far from the scene of the latest crime, the Church Missionary Society refused to sanction any demand such as the British Government might have been willing to tender. Instead, the committee of the society reaffirmed its unfaltering belief that no disaster, however great, should be allowed to interfere with the prosecution of that purpose for which the society exists, the evangelization of the world, which, in its divine origin, is without conditions. There was a great meeting in Exeter Hall, and its note was that the tragedy should evoke not pleas for vengeance or material reparation, but prayers for the country where the murders had occurred.” The Morning Post also stated that Governments and missionary societies are agreed that “to yield to blackmail, while it might save the lives of individuals, would put every missionary, and indeed every foreign resident isolated in China, in the same peril. As money is the object, the payment would invite further outrages of the same sort, and very nation or missionary society would have to continue to pay as long as one foreign subject remained unprotected.”

Last evening the Government Meteorologist issued the following forecast: Intense depression still centred near the Chatham Islands but a slight anti-cyclone is now advancing on to southern New Zealand. A rather intense cyclone is centred off the eastern entrance to Bass Strait. Winds moderate to strong but decreasing southerly winds. Seas rough north of Westport and Akaroa but moderating gradually elsewhere and moderate in the Tasman Sea. Moderate to fresh southerly winds, later tending northerly, in the eastern Tasman Sea. Moderate seas. Weather mainly fair to fine in the western districts. Elsewhere changeable with scattered showers but improving rapidly. Cold to-night with some inland frosts, but becoming milder to-morrow.

The weekly feature “The Screen and its Stars” will appear to-morrow.

A Press Association message states that advice has been received of the death of Mr W. S. Ferguson, Trade and Produce officer on the High Commissioner’s staff in London. The deceased recently underwent an operation for appendicitis and complications ensued, as the result of which he died.

A curious phenomenon was observed from Blenheim at 11.15 the other morning, the sun appearing in the centre of two completely circular rainbows. One appeared to be very little larger than the diameter of the sun (says the Express), while the other occupied about a third of the sky. The phenomenon persisted for about a quarter of an hour, when the two circles gradually faded out.

A Press Association message states that Donald George, a young nan, who arrived at Te Aroha yesterday in quest of work, was sentenced, at the Police Court to-day, to a month’s imprisonment with hard labour on a charge of threatening behaviour and intent to assault. George, after getting a note from the Mayor entitling him to free lodgings, arrived at a boardinghouse in a drunken condition and threatened to slash with a razor blade the police or anyone interfering with him.

Saturday was the 28Sth anniversary of the discovery of New Zealand by Europeans. It was on December 13, 1642, that Abel Tasman, the Dutch navigator, first sighted its western shores. He had left Batavia on August 14 with two small ships, and on November" 24 sighted Tasmania. Seven days after be had resumed his journey eastward, at about noon on December 13, he saw “a large high-lying land” to the south-east. “This was probably,” writes Shrimpton, “a 50-mile stretch of the high land of Westland, from the latitude of Hokitika southwards.” After Tasman sailed away from the Three Kings nearly 127 years elapsed before New Zealand was again seen by European eyes.

A girl named Isobel Gardiner had a narrow escape from serious injury about 7.30 last evening. She was cycling with two companions southwards along Kelvin street opposite Thompson’s fish shop, when a lorry approaching in the opposite direction swerved towards the centre of the street to avoid a stationary car. The three girls were cycling abreast of each other, Miss Gardiner being on the outside, and the change of direction of the lorry brought it very close to her. She apparently became slightly flurried and this, coupled with the vehicle’s swerve, caused a collision. The lorry struck the front wheel of the cycle, and Miss Gardiner was thrown to the ground. Fortunately for her she fell away from the lorry, otherwise it would have passed over her. She escaped with nothing more than shock, but the cycle was badly smashed.

There is no sign o£ a decrease in the unemployment at present existing in the rural districts of Hawkes Bay (states a writer in the Telegraph). Everywhere one goes one sees numbers of swaggers, and instead of decreasing the numbers of these vagrants seem to be increasing. Farmers state that they simply cannot afford to go in for works of improvement that are not vitally necessary this year, "New Zealandcis have arrived at the peculiar stage when everybody wants everybody eke to go on the land,” said Mr C. McAdam, speaking on the question of farmers and tariffs at a meeting at Auckland the other evening. There were, however, many practical difficulties. One of these was the increased cost of commodities through protective tariffs, so that the farmer got less value in imported British goods for the produce he exported. A four-pounder quinnat ealmon, 231 inches long, was caught in Lake Ranieri, Westland, recently by Mr N. B. McCallum, of Greymouth. These quinnat are landlocked, and the only place on the West Coast where they are available is Lake Ranieri. That mentioned was a beautiful silvery fish, and the flesh was very red, of the true salmon tjqie, while the taste was not at all "muddy,” as is sometimes the case with fish caught from lakes.

An American visitor to New Zealand who called at the Government Tourist Bureau, yesterday, was inquiring as to the means of getting to Paradise, in the Southern Lakes district, says the Christchurch Times. “It isn’t that I’m really anxious to see the place,” he explained, “but I’ve been to a place called Hell in Norway, and another called Purgatory in Alaska, so I thought that it would be .rather nice to see Paradise, then I’ll have done the round trip—which is more than most earthly or even heavenly dwellers can boast.”

“We have now reached the limit to which deforestation can safely be permitted,” stated Mr R. D. Campbell, conservator of State forests, in delivering an interesting paper .on the subject of afforestation at a Hamilton Rotary Club luncheon. “Only land that would give undoubted settlement results should be excluded from State forests, and to counteract such exclusions unsuitable ■ settlement lands should be set aside as State forests,” he added. “We are probably all agreed that greater production is necessary to bring back prosperity to the Dominion, but after many years’ study of the position and with an intimate knowledge of the unoccupied Crown lands and State forests I am convinced that the remedy lies, not in the further opening up of unsuitable land, but in closer utilization of land already alienated, much of which is only producing a small percentage of what it is capable of.”

Old coins are always interesting, but there are few in Invercargill that can compare in that respect, to one in the possession of Mr A. Turner, a returned soldier who resides in the city. This coin is a very old, and probably valuable, Roman coin and it has a very interesting story attached to it. It was discovered by Mr Turner when he was with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt in what.is know there as the Dead City. The Dead City is, or rather was, a part of Cairo where a plague wiped out all the inhabitants. Mr Turner also discovered a number of strange beads there and a second coin of much more modern minting, but so badly oxidized that it would be practically impossible to identify it. The Roman coin is in an excellent state of preservation and the lettering on it is fairly distinct. It is made of bronze and is very roughly minted. One side has the letters “ccvbldiocletyrno appoave” and the head of a Roman emperor stamped on it, and the other is decorated with a warrior and the letters, “Roman ceuiopopv.”

The damage that might be expected to result from the ravages of silver blight in Canterbury , orchards, unless immediate steps were taken to check it, was commented on by the Government orchard instructor, Mr B. G. Goodwin, at a recent meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association. He said he was sure that silver blight was on the increase in Canterbury, and unless they took measures to combat it there would be no stone fruit left in the province in a few years. Mr R. G. Hatton, during his inspection last week, had pointed out that they had been able to get the blight well under control in England by cutting out the infected wood and painting the cut. It was important that both operations should be thoroughly done. Mr Hatton had also said that in England they had saved 90 per cent, of the infected plum trees by this means. At this period of the year, said Mr Goodwin, when the blight showed silver on the leaves, it was not so dangerous, because this was not the period of infection.

See Railway advertisement this issue re train arrangements, Christmas holidays.— Advt.

Invercargill’s popular seaside resort, Oreti Sands, has been opened for selectiou. The roads which have been constructed through the township are the beginning of what must rapidly grow into an important seaside township. The wonderful natural advantages will assure the success of the City Council’s venture. The sections are all approximately a quarter of an acre and are all conveniently placed. The sale of leases of the sections will take olace in the Town Hall, Tay street, Invercargill on Saturday next, 20th inst., at 4 p.m. Particulars maybe obtained from the Town Clerk or the Auctioneers, the Southland Farmers’ Co-op. Assoication (Ltd.). Buy a section. —Advt.

Will Christinas buyers please note that a new supply is now here of “Hammermill” gift stationery (the large box with the latest style paper and envelopes) 2/11 box. Also “Initial” stationery 2/- box. Parents will be pleased to know that the new toy aeroplane "Amy, Queen of the Air” (8/6) —somewhat overdue, is now at Hyndman’s, Dee street, and orders can be filled at once. (Shop is open until 6 p.m.) —Advt. A BROWNIE is the simplest camera in the world to get good pictures with. Large selection at lowest prices. BROWN, The Chemist. GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist, 125 Dee street. —Advt. CHRISTMAS SNTP! Dubarry Bath Salts only 1/6 and 2/6 in bottles, tubes or cakes. Bath salts make ideal Christmas gilts. In addition to Dubarry we have a fine selection of Yardley, lloubigant, Atkinson, Bourjois etc. all at greatly reduced prices. You can save money here. STEWART'S PHARMACY, Corner Dee and Don streets. (Advt!) Some thing useful and lasting given at Christmas time is always appreciated. Thomson and' Beattie Ltd. offer Chenille bordered guest towels in pretty shades of Blue, Helio and Gold in a handy size 15 x 22 at 1/6 each. Manchester Section.—Advt. BROWN’S PHARMACY makes all prints on VELOX because VELOX gives the best prints from your films. GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist, 125 Dee street.—Advt. Some lasting gifts for men and women: Scheaffer Metal Pencils, nickel 7/6 to 10/6; and gold plated at 25/-; in beautiful jade green 30/-; Lifetime Pens 50/- and 57/6; Waterman Fountain Pens 25/-, and with mounted barrel and gold band 37/6. N.Z. Book Depot, Ltd., Esk street, for the write gift.—Advt. “As false and fickle as ’tis fair.” —Heber. Winter is certainly now past, but the weather is ever a fickle jade, changing with startling suddenness. You will find that coughs and colds are still prevalent and that the soothing and relieving properties of that fine old specific, Baxter’s Lung Preserver. are still iu great demand. "Baxter’s” also acts as a wonderful tonic. Now obtainable at all chemists and stores with a new screw cap which preserves the contents. The large family size bottle at 4/6 is the most economical. Smaller sizes 2/6 and 1/6.—Advt,

A Press Association message from Dunedin states that, in reply to a deputation regarding the new Post Office, the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. W. B. Taverner) said that tenders for the building would be advertised next month.

A Christchurch Press Association message states that the tender of J. W. Beanland and Sons for the erection of a Nurses’ Home iu Riccarton Avenue, adjacent to the Christchurch Hospital, was accepted by the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday. The amount is over £50,000. Nine other tenders were received.

Southerly gales and stormy weather generally in Cook Strait have held up shipping during the past few days. Advice was received yesterday that, the ferry experienced a very rough passage the previous evening and missed connecting with yesterday’s south express. As a consequence North Island mails will not reach the south until to-day.

A meeting of business people and other local clients of the Bank of New Zealand at Bluff has been convened by his Worship the Mayor of Bluff (Dr. J. Torrance) to discuss the proposed closing of that branch. It is felt that the absence of a branch would be a serious handicap to Bluff and the position will be fully discussed so that the local view can be placed before the proper authorities. The meeting will take place at seven o’clock this evening in the Bluff Council Chambers.

That the cultivation of manners was somewhat neglected in New Zealand was an opinion expressed by Mr G. T. Weston, a member of the Christ’s College Board of Governors, at a recent prize-giving ceremony. Mr Weston said that boys of Dunelm School were noted for their good behaviour. New Zealanders, as a rule, were rough and ready, and rather despised any polish. In the Army they hated it. Polish was a very necessary thing. The speaker did not want a boy to be all veneer, but wished the polish to be a reflection of character. Boys and adults should behave with consideration to other people. As it. was, New Zealanders were a little offhand. Americans had been described as “good fellows who said what they thought,” but what they thought was often uncomfortable io thos'e about them. On going through England one would note that manners were better cultivated than in New Zealand or Australia. SERVICE SHOE STORE, TAY STREET. Christmas Week Special Bargains. This week assigned stock bought at 9/5 in the £. Sandals and Sand Shoes for the Children. Tennis, Croquet and Bowling Shoes for all sports enthusiasts, all at Sale Prices during Christmas Week. HolidayShoes, latest up to the minute styles. See our Pink Ticket prices. Look for the Blue and Silver Sign.—SERVICE SHOE STORE, next Single Profit Store, Tay Street.—Advt. Gifts for the tiny tots. Dainty silk frocks, fugi rompers, silk knitted coat and hat sets, crepe-de-chene shoes etc., at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee street. —Advt. "Consumers of Dewar’s Whisky are never disappointed with the quality.”—Advt. Handkerchiefs. See our selection first; our low prices are the talk of the city. Special window displays at Wicks’ Hose aud Vest Shop, Dec street. —Advt. Now, now, what is the matter, Said Mr pig one day, I am too thin for Hitchon’s ham, They like pigs fat they say.—Advt. CAMERAS. Finest selection of models from best makers. See our stock at BROWN, The Chemist. Best value iu cameras ever offered. GEO H. BROWN, Chemist, 125 Dee street. —Advt. Christmas Gifts.—See our splendid selection of Christmas Novelties, Unique Hand Bags, Kayser and Mercury Hosiery, Gloves, Toiletries, Handkerchiefs, Brass Ware etc. Shop for Christmas at Chas. Lewis, Grand Corner. —Advt. Hosiery is a very acceptable Christmas gift which is always appreciated more especially if they are of good quality and appearance. This is the strong point in favour of Dorothy White guaranteed hose. They are the finest hosiery made in N.Z. and are made especially for us, and, having decided to give up our hosiery department all these quality goods are to be sold below cost. Dorothy White were 5/11, now 3/11 and 2/11. Only at the Mutual Fur Co., Tay street. —Advt. CAMERAS from 7/6 to £3O at BROWN’S, The Chemist. Finest range ever shown in Southland. GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist, 125 Dee street.—Advt.