TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21650, 11 March 1932, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

“Emphatically we need not deplore the abandonment of the gold standard,” said Sir Henry Strakosch, member of the Financial Council of the League of Nations, addressing the financial currency group of the House of Commons. “On the contrary,” he said, “there is every reason for satisfaction for the future. The objective should be stability of the prices of commodities. If the sterling level of wholesale prices returns to those ruling in 1928 most of Britain’s debtors would be restored to solvency. Britain should aim at that. It would involve injecting into the monetary system additional purchasing power by currency and credit expansion till wholesale prices were restored. Britain should declare this its monetary policy, meantime forgetting gold altogether.” Sir Henry proposes as essential safeguards:— (1) Reparation war debts settlement; (2) international trade must be the basis on which foreign debts can be paid by the export of goods, unhampered by increased tariffs; (3) there must be an assurance that the rule of the gold standard game will be observed, gold being allowed freedom of movement; (4) agreement must be reached regarding the exercise of economy in the use of gold for monetary purposes.

Nothing is more conspicuous to-day, writes the medical correspondent of The Times, than the complete failure of medical science to cope with influenza or even to scratch the surface of the problem presented by it. The disease is unprcventible and incurable, and it is doubtful if any drug known to anybody really exerts any beneficial effect, though hundreds of drugs have been recommended and are believed in. It would be grossly unfair, however, to blame the medical profession in this matter. The doctors have done their best with limited means, and can scarcely do more until the public comes to their rescue with financial help on a great scale. For the influenza problem is part of the much larger problems of epidemiology, of infective agents, of nutrition, and of immunity. Men are at work on all these problems, but it is safe to say' that almost every worker is crippled for want of funds, for want of support, and for want of hope. The prospects in the higher branches of medical science are pitifully poor —they are not such prospects as would tempt the average office boy possessed of the average ambition to make a place for himself. Here is a great opportunity for men who may be able to make benefactions. By helping the workers in the fields of medical science, a man will be doing such a service to his fellows as he can scarcely hope to do in any other w;ay.

The Dominion Meleorologist last night issued the following information: The cyclone has now proved east of Chdhani Island and the weather is controllei by an anti-cyclone centred over southern New Zealand. A fresh depression is centred near Tasmania. Moderate to strong stulherly winds decreasing and later backiig to east and north. Seas in New Zetland waters still considerable swell on the east coast north of Kaikoura. Elsawhere snnoth to moderate. In the eastern Tasman Sea freshening east to north winds. Seas smooth to moderate but increasing. Wetlher mainly fair to fine and cool. Still Sime showers however between Castlepoint and East Cape, but improving.

At its meeting yesterday the Southhnd Hospital Board decided in connection vith the maintenance charges for hospital inpatients that from April 1 the prehit system of charging for maintenance jlus operation and X-ray charges be anienled to a flat rate of 9/- a day for medial and 11/- a day (with a minimum cha’ge of £1 l/~) for surgical cases; children under 15 years, 5/-.

On Sunday afternoon the public will lave an opportunity of seeing a splendid quckstep exhibition when the winners of the New Zealand championship, the St. I'ilda Band, will, in conjunction with the beal Civic Band, give a concert and display at the Showgrounds. It is interesting to tote that this championship was held by an Invercargill band (the Hibernian) for tiree years in succession, 1921-22-23. Given a fine day, a big crowd should witness the pageant.

Judgment by default in favour of he plaintiffs was given by Messrs R. J. Cunming and G. Tapper, Justices of the Peace, in the following undefended civil cases n the Magistrate’s Court yesterday: Join Hart v. Robert McLellan for 15/6 aid costs £1 5/6; Herbert, Haynes and Cfi, Ltd., v. A. B. King for £5 4/- and coss £1 10/6; H. and J. Smith, Ltd. v. W. I. Scobie for £1 10/6 and costs £1 5/6; Join William Tressler v. separate estate -i Martha J. Thornley for £7 17/6 and ccsis £1 10/6; Booth, Macdonald and Co., ltd. v. J. Gallagher for £4 17/6 and costs 1«~; Southland Motor Association v. Neil IcAllister for £6 5/h and, costa £1 13/6, ' .

The rainfall at Arrowtown for the month of February, as recorded by Miss Hamilton, is as follows: Rainfall for the month, 134 points; days on which rain fell, 11; maximum fall, 25 points on the 19th. The rainfall for February last year was 314 points for 11 days.

The second annual Stud Ram and Ewe Fair to be held at Gore will take place on Saturday, commencing at ncron. _ Very satisfactory entries have been received, these including 61 stud Romney rams, 18 stud Southdown rams and 85 stud Southdown ewes.

As a consequence of a substantial reduction to be made by the Government in expenditure on* public works, the services of 12 temporary officers of the Public Works Department have been dispensed with, says a Dunedin Press Association message.

Last evening Mr William Mallis, of the South Sea Evangelical Mission, continued his series of expositions. The , passage under consideration was St. Johns Gospel, chapter 111., 8. The speaker laid emphasis upon the dynamic of the New Birth and said: “The wind is an illustration of the Holy Spirit and His work.” Further, the wind suggested unfettered freedom, .liberation of imprisoned gifts, liberation of imprisoned fragrance, cleansing of individual lives, and finally, the clarifying of spiritual vision for personal evangelism. Pastor and Mrs Mallis deliver farewell messages tomorrow at 3 p.m. and 7.45 p.m.

One reason why New Zealand had only a small trade connection with China was because little active interest had been taken in the subject, stated Mr J. E. Strachan in the course of an address to the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association on Saturday evening. People in New Zealand thought that the Chinese were too poor to worry over,* he said, but with a population of 400,009,000, it was reasonable to believe that about 1,000,900 people were well-to- do. Shanghai, a city of 3,000,000 inhabitants traded with 189,000,000 people who lived close to the Yangtse river. Great Britain and Australia all had trade representatives there, but as far as he could ascertain, there was no representative of New Zealand. Mr Strachan said that the Dominion should, have some energetic young business men in the East to study trade problems.

Whether a dog had been hanged by the neck or suspended by the head and tad between two trees was a point concerning which witnesses disagreed in a case heard at the Kaikohe Magistrate’s Court last week. Simon Clarke had been sentenced to a month’s imprisonment for the unusual offence of “hanging’' a dog, but his application for a rehearing was granted, and when the case was thrashed out again last week Clarke was committed for trial. Ofi Clarke’s conviction last December, his counsel pointed out that he had been charged with “hanging a dog,” not “cruelty to a dog,” and argued that hanging a dog was not necessarily an offence under the Crimes Act. Had he known that Clarke would have been sentenced to imprisonment he would have taken steps to produce an eye-witness, Mr Radcliffe, to show that the dog’s death had been quick and instantaneous.

The following is the list of donations received for the month of February at the Southland Hospital: Red Cross Society, fruit; St. John’s Giri Guides, flowers; St. Andrew's Sunday School, flowers; Mesdames Lindsay (Wallacetown), flowers; Johnson, magazines; Gibson (Athol), flowers; Greenway (Winton), magazines; Hide, papers and weeklies; Hudson (Woodend), magazines; W. R. Mayhew, magazines; Munro, flowers; Messrs A. Wachner, flowers; Lennie, flowers; R. Dunlop, magazines; Misses Sawers, books; N. Christie (Mataura Island), flowers; McNeil, magazines; Washer, magazines; Masters Jack Thompson, flowers; W. Mayhew, comic books, papers; “A Friend,” flowers; “A Friend,” magazines; “A Friend,” Free Lances;’“A Friend,” Otago Witness. The Matron at Lome acknowledges the following donations: Mrs Thompson, Waikiwi, flowers; Mrs Somerville, Mabel Bush, fruit and flowers; Mrs Lindsay, Wallacct own, flowers; Mr Hodgkinson, Invercargill, papers.

George Walker, the professional wrestler, one afternoon last week became eligible for one of the most select clubs in existence —the Hole-in-one Club, which was promoted in America a couple of years ago and already has something like 900 accepted members of assorted nationalities. Playing over the North Shore (Auckland) links with Messrs H. Preston and N. Bell, the latter the club’s professional, he holed out the eighteenth, a distance of 96yds, with a mashie shot from the tee. Walker made acquaintance with golf before coming to New Zealand, and has always been keen. North Shore Club is one of the most recent in New Zealand, but it already has a tradition or twrf. One of these is supplied by Walker’s admiration for the next chap’s game. Watching one of the Club’s regulars, of unusually frail physique, get the whole of his nine stone nothing into a drive that sent the ball a couple of hundred yards down the fairway, Walker could not contain his admiration. '‘Gee, I wish I had your strength,” exclaimed the wrestling champion, who has a reputation as one of the strongest men in the sport of wrestling. The big discount sale of boots and shoes begins at the CITY BOOT PALACE today.—Advt. Girls and Boys are looking for Easter Eggs, Chicks, Egg Cups, etc. See them at Ayson’s two shops, Dee street. —Advt. Berlei Famous Corselettes—We stock these at Money Saving Prices. Come along to Wicks’ Hose and Vest Shop, Dee Street. —Advt. Big purchase of Quality Shirts (manufacturers samples). Worth 8/6 and 9/6. Now selling for 5/5. Collars to match 6d. Carter’s Clothing Store. —Advt. Children’s felt hats from 4/6 to 9/11. Navy college felts, small and large shape 9/6 and 10/9 at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee street.—Advt. For real hard wear combined with a very smart appearance there are no better values to be had in Fur Coats than Russian Pony and Musquash, these two are referred to as the backbone of the fur trade, and rightly so because any lady buying either of these coats or a good quality skin is assured of years of real satisfaction, and that well dressed feeling, we have a big range of super quality coats in Pony and Musquash at prices that defy competition. —The Mutual Fur Coy., Tay Street.--Advt. Already the fashion displays at Thomson and Beattie are the ‘‘talk of the City”— see the “Green and Black” creations, also the Coats, Frocks and Accessories in “Wine” and “Brown.” Don’t let T. and B’s fashion Exposition slip by without paying at least one visit to the Greater Exhibition. —Advt. Baby wants medicine occasionally, and he should always have the best. You want him to get well quickly when he is ill or out of sorts. Do not give him cheap medicines from cut-rate stores or grocers, which are inferior in quality and made cheap to sell for profit. Always give baby the best medicines procurable. Buy with confidence from GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist —Milk of Magnesia, Glycerine, Castor Oil, Boracic Acid, and those things necessary for baby’s health. All medicines guaranteed full strength according to the British Pharmacopoeia, and guaranteed pure. The best medicines are only sold by your family chemist. Make GEO. H. BROWN your Chemist, and know the medicines you are using are of the highest quality. GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist-Optician, 125 Dee street, Telephone 328. Use your telephone. We deliver to any part of Invercargill free of charge.-—Advt\

At 6.55 o’clock last night, the City Fire Brigade was summoned to suppress an outbreak of fire in McDonald and Thomson's tailoring rooms in Holloway’s Buildings, Esk street, caused through the electric iron being left switched on. Only very slight damage was occasioned to the contents, which were insured for £lOO in the New Zealand Office. The shipment of Japanese oranges, which arrived at Auckland by the Melbourne Maru last Friday, was boycotted by Chinese fruiterers at the Auckland city markets on Saturday morning. When the fruit was offered the Chinese, who had gathered round the buying benches, withdrew and left the competition to the Europeans. A previous shipment of Japanese oranges by the Brisbane Maru was also boycotted by the Chinese both in Auckland and in Wellington. It is stated that the boycott is being extended to all imports from Japan. The spirit of independence is still alive. A former Otago runholder, after years of unsuccessful gold-seeking in the fur north of Australia, found it necessary to accept the "dole.” His persistence in seeking work was rewarded, and out of the not over-princely wage of a far-back stockman the old man, well over /0 years old, saved the amount he had received as a dole. Not until he had made the long, hot trip to the nearest post office and paid back his advance to the State did the old man feel that self-respect was his again, and the taint of pauperism removed. A continued falling tendency in the retail prices of the principal food groups is shown in the Government’s Monthly Abstract of Statistics. With a base average of 1000, calculated on prices ruling during 1926-30, a decrease of eight pointe occurred in January, compared with the previous month, and 83, points, or 9 per cent., compared with prices ruling a year previously. Each of the three sub-groups, groceries, dairy products and meat, shared in the slight downward movement. The groceries index has fallen by nine points, the dairy products by five points and the meat index by seven points since December. Be sure and visit the CITY BOOT PALACE to-day and share in the bargains at their big discount sale.—Advt. It will pay you to shop now at the N.Z. BOOK DEPOT’S LIQUIDATION SALE. Such reductions as these are unprecedented: World’s Classics, usually 2/6, for ’ fid; Bibles, 20 per cent discount; The Pursuit of the Houseboat (Bang’s well-known humorous book), usually 4/-, for 2/6; Latest Popular 2/6 Reprint Novels for 1/9, 3 for 5/-; Ivanhoe (beautiful presentation edition), 10/-, for 7/6; Pip and Squeak Annual, 8/-, for 6/-; Famous Paintings (a handsome volume), 26/6, for 20/-. Address: Esk Street, Phone 327. See our 1/-, one price window. —Advt. AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS. For Best Results, let STEWART’S PHARMACY Do Your DEVELOPING AND PRINTING. —Advt. ONE FOR A KISS, TWO FOR A WISH, THREE FOR A—. Yes three for a good dose of “Baxter's.” Coming events cast their shadows before them. Sneezes are nature’s warning that a cold is coming. But don’t wait for the third sneeze. Get busy with "Baxter’s.” Neglected colds are the cause of many serious chest troubles. Guard your own and your family’s health by keeping a bottle of "Baxter’s” handy for everyone. 1/6., 2/6. and 4/6. at all chemists and stores. The larger sizes are more economical—Advt,