TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 25305, 7 June 1935, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

British Farmers’ “Rights.” In defence of the costly beet sugar subsidy in Britain The Times recently pleaded that other branches of fanning were protected, and “the British farmer has as good a right to supply a part of the British market as of any other market.” The Manchester Guardian joined issue by asking:—“But why stop at sugar beet? If the farmer has a ‘right’ (at the taxpayers’ expense) to supply a'part ‘of any other market’ there is no lack of scope. One market was indicated by a rather ancient gentleman called Adam Smith 160 years ago: ‘By means of glasses, hotbeds and hotwalls, very good grapes can be raised in Scotland, and very good wine, too, can be made of them at about 30 times the expense for which at least equally good can be brought from foreign countries. Would it be a reasonable law to prohibit the importation of all foreign wines merely to encourage the making of claret and burgundy in Scotland?’ And are there not ‘other markets’ in bananas, oranges, lemons, figs, almonds and the rest which, with some pains, might be secured for British labour at the expense of the overflowing Treasury and the bloated consumer? The world is all before the happy farmer where to choose.”

Madhouse of Europe. “I feel I am living in a madhouse,” said Mr Stanley Baldwin, in speaking to the National Council of Evangelical Free Churches of his experiences in international politics. Mr Baldwin pictured what a satirist of the twentyfirst century might write about this age. He might write that a war had left the Constitutions of Great Powers damaged and convalescence was protracted and chequered. There were frequent setbacks, fever set in, temperatures .rose above the normal sometimes to dangerous heights, and there were sometimes anxious moments when it looked as though the whole trouble would break out and infect all the victims with the virulence of the plague of 1914. Drugs and plasters were administered at Paris and Locarno. The patients were still alive, but none could be said to be enjoying normal and robust health. Each had rebelled against the treatment recommended by the practitioners of Versailles. No one was willing to the major operation of disarmament. Some, said the cure for arnjaments was to have more. Others contended that the whole disease was a figment of the imagination and would be cured if it was ignored. One remedy had been proved to be worse than the disease. It spread like wildfire—economic nationalism. Some

even tried a drastic medicine called dictatorship, and to walk through Europe was like walking through the wards of a mental hospital. '

The New Zealand Soldier. The highest praise for the New Zealand Division in France is given by Dr. Hugh Wansey Bayly, M.C., who served in the Royal Navy and in France and Flanders throughout the Great War, in his recently-published memoirs, “Triple Challenge.” He ranks the excellence of the Dominion’s soldiers with the famous Guards Division. Dr. Bayly writes graphically of the Second Battle of Bapaume, fought late in August, 1918, in which the New Zealand Division played the principal and victorious role. He says: “The night was cold and I did not sleep very well, and not long before dawn strolled up to the plateau to see if anything was happening. All was quiet, no shooting, no shelling, and lines of lank, hard, loose-limbed, goodfeatured men were moving silently and noiselessly in the direction of Grevillers. I asked one his regiment and he replied, ‘New Zealanders.’ They gave one the impression as they glided by in the twilight of the dawn that they would be extremely efficient fighters and very unpleasant opponents.” September came, and this was Dr. Bayly’s opinion of the New Zealand soldiers:— “During my very short acquaintance with the New Zealand Division I developed a very high admiration and respect for these exceptionally efficient troops, whose initiative was very highly developed. The men were well educated, pleasant mannered, and of refined conversation, able to dis Cuss almost any subject that arose. If you ignored rank, as I always did in offduty times, and chatted on equal man-to-man terms, all was well. The contrast, with the iron discipline of the Guards was very striking, and each, was equally good in fighting. I am sure that the Guards’ Division would never want anything better than that the New Zealand Division should be on its flank, and vice versa. Both had achieved a supreme excellence and by entirely different methods. I have never been able to decide in my own mind which is the more important, initiative or discipline, but I think it depends on the material on which you have to build.”

Last evening the Dominion Meteorologist issued the following information: An intense cyclonic depression is now centred over Hawkes Bay, while an anti-cyclone is located over the western Tasman Sea. Forecast: Southeasterly to southerly winds, moderate to strong generally, and of gale force at many places north of Farewell Spit and Kaikoura. Seas in New Zealand waters rough to high north of Farewell Spit and Banks Peninsula; elsewhere rather rough to rough. Eastern Tasman Sea: Southerly winds, strong in the northern portion, with rough seas, and moderate in the southern portion, with moderate seas. Weather still unsettled, dull and misty, with rain in most districts but improving on the west coast of. the South Island; stormy conditions, with heavy rain, likely' between the Cook Strait area and East Cape, with considerable flooding. Temperatures cold.

At the Police Court a Chinese, Lee Lum, for being found in possession of opium, was fined £3O, states a Timaru Press Association message.

The Commissioner of Police proposes a slight change in the police uniform by the reintroduction of patch pockets on the tunic, states a Christchurch Press Association message.

In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday Messrs A. W. Jones and J. D. Campbell, Justices of the Peace, entered judgment by default in favour of the plaintiffs in the following undefended civil cases: R. G. Speirs, Limited, v. R. Senior for £5 5/6 and costs £1 10/6; Tappers, Limited, v. R. B. Shaw Waikawa) for £7 2/1 and costs £1 12/6.

Prior to the monthly sitting of the Winton Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning the new Magistrate, Mr W. H. Freeman, met several local and town Justices of the Peace, who extended to him a hearty welcome to the Winton district. The Mayor of Winton, Mr Thomas Walker, and Mr and Mrs J. P. McWilliam, all three being Justices of the Peace, were among the number who met Mr Freeman.—Winton correspondent.

Interesting criticism of' the present education system in New Zealand was provided in addresses given by Messrs ’G. F. Griffiths, president of the New Zealand Educational Institute, and L. R. Lewis, president of the Southland branch, at Gore on Wednesday evening. The Mayor, Mr A. T. Newman, presided. Mr Griffiths dealt with the reason the Educational institute had issued the pamphlet “Order out of Chaos,” emphasizing that it was the system that was being attacked and not the present Parliament, Minister or Director. Mr Lewis referred in his remarks to staffing, grading of teachers, salaries, and the transfers of teacher's. Mr Joseph Hunter moved a vote of thanks to the speakers, which was carried with acclamation.

“There is too much theorizing about possibilities of expanding New Zealand’s export trade, and not enough practical action,” said Mr G. Lawn, lecturer in economics at Canterbury College, remarking on the present tendency to look to the East to absorb a part of the Dominion’s primary produce. “We must think in terms not only of Japan, but of China, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines,” he said. “We know that there are a great many people there, and that it is possibe to promote trade by an active sales policy rather than by talking and writing about it. Merely sending someone to investigate and report or to arrange trial shipments is not sufficient. Every business man knows that there has first to be quiet and careful exploration of the market, and after that everything depends on efficient organization and salesmanship. There has been too much a tendency to have > spasmodic reports made which are feebly followed up.”

Platinum deposits, with the presence of a few small rubies, are being investigated by Mr R. W. Davies, of New Plymouth, in the hinterland of Awakino. The deposits are in a sedimentary wash in limestone formation, which was once sea bed. Mr Davies states that he hopes to establish the presence of a chain of metal deposits across that part of the country. The discovery is not a new one, Mr Davies having found the deposits 20 years ago. He sent samples to the Government analyst, and they were identified as genuine platinum. The presence of tiny rubies is paid to be indicative of the great age of the deposits. In the past few days, Mr Davies states, he has secured 10 specks of precious metal to the shovelful. When the original discovery was made, Mr Davies, who is a diviner, traced deposits of mineral from the sea coast far into the country. He has bored in various places and found traces of metal

\ Pupils of the Southland Tecnnical College celebrated the King s Jubilee at a matinee performance at the Majestic Theatre yesterday. Six hundred and sixty marched to the theatre.

Referring to the bequest of £60,000 made by Miss M. T. Horton for the building of an Anglican cathedral at Parnell, the Church Gazette recalls the words of Mr William Swainson, New Zealand’s first Attorney-General, who wrote: “At some remote period in the far-distant future, when the projected cathedral shall have become a venerable pile, it will be a matter of no little interest to the then ministers to read how, in the dark and early ages of New Zealand, A.D. 1843, its founder, the first bishop, returning from a walking visitation of more than 1000 miles, attended by his faithful companion (Roto Waitoa, the first Maori clergyman) of a then, it may be, extinct race, his shoes worn out and tied to his instep by a leaf of native flax, travel worn but not weary, once more found himself on this favourite spot, arrested for a moment by the noble prospect presented to his bodily eye, and cheered by the prophetic vision of a long line of successors, bishops of New Zealand, traversing the same spot, better clad and less ragged than himself. Such a scene, illustrative of the hour and the man, in the hands of a true artist, would afford a fitting subject for a painting to adorn the walls of the future chapter house of the cathedral.”

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Ladies’ cashmere hose in the latest shades from 2/11 to 4/6. Silk and wool hose 3/3 to 4/6 at MISS NOBLE'S, The Baby Shop, Dee Street.—Advt.

Newest Suits and Overcoats at big reductions at Carter's Rebuilding Sale. All makes of Blankets at Bargain prices. Stock has to go to make room for builders. (Advt.)

Chiffon Finished Worrel Dyed fast pile Velveteen, 36 inches wide is selling at Thomson & Beattie for 5/11 Yard. This is the usual 7/6 quality and the colour range is as follows: Nigger, Malacca, Burgundy, Vintage, Cruise Blue, Cornflower, Empire, Evening Blue, Clear Pink, Flag Red, Dusty Green, Coral and Ivory. Send for samples if you cannot call.—Advt,

Madame Weigel’s June Journal.—The June number of Madame Weigel’s Journal of Fashion has arrived at Hyndman’s Ltd., Dee Street. The price is 4d if called for, or 5/- will ensure it being posted to you regularly for 12 months, or for six months, 2/6. With the June number there is a free pattern of a Lady’s Blouse. The contents of the Journal are most interesting, including articles on Cutting Age in Half; Rashions and Novelties; New Jabots: Recipes; Winter Sweaters; Stripped Jacket in Knitting, etc.; Knitted Breechette Suit; and Stories. Become a constant subscriber. Weigel’s Catalogue of Patterns for June Id, posted 2d. Winter Reading.—Hyndman’s Ltd, Dee Street, offer District Libraries large stocks of popular fiction, cloth bound at 1/9, 2/6, 2/9, 4/- and 7/-; and nonfiction series at 2/9, 3/-, 5/-, etc. Fiction comprises, detective and mystery stories, appreciated by all who value the mental exercise and refreshment of clever deduction and of plot unravelling; Western stories carrying the tang of the out-of-doors and the lure of the cattle country; romances, historical and modern, written around the oldest plot in the world, “once upon a time there was a man and he loved a woman.” Fill your library shelves and attract and keep your subscribers. Hyndman’s Ltd. stocks are first-class. —Advt.

Fur collars for winter coats in all the latest styles are now showing in our windows at prices that will suit your purse, in all shades of Northern American opossum (not southern) that will give you every satisfaction. The wearing quality of northern opossum is outstanding and our prices for these goods are the lowest in the trade. The Mutual Fur Co., Tay street. —Advt.

For WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY. Make sure of GOOD NEGATIVES by using only the better fiIms—SELOCHROME, VERICHROME- OR ISOCHROME—then «make sure of GOOD PICTURES by leaving your films at STEWART’S PHARMACY for DEVELOPING and PRINTING.—Advt.

Reading and travelling, the fumes and germ-laden atmosphere of townlife, the cinema, the constant irritation of tobacco smoke—all these take a heavy toll of your eyes. Is it any wonder that they often feel dull, hot and heavy, that they get inflamed, and water easily, that eye headaches .are so frequent. You can relieve these troubles with OPTRINE. This safe and gentle tonic lotion cleanses the eyes of all impurities, soothes away soreness and irritation, and keeps your eyes clear, alert and vigorously healthy. 3/- per bottle, GEO. H. BROWN, Dispensing Chemist, 125 Dee Street. —Advt.

REWARD FOR PROMPT ACTION.

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