LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 81, 30 December 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice that the mails which left Wellington on November 8 to connect at Auckland with the 6.5. Waitemata for San Francisco, and mails whicli left Wellington on November 18, per R.M.S. Tofua, via San Francisco, arrived in London on Tuesday.

Tho Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. J. Audorson) has received from tlio Chinese Consul (Mr, Lin Shih Yuan) an urgent appeal for funds to combat the effects of the terrible famine'now raging in several provinces of China. The Minister states that any moneys forwarded to tho Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs will be dispatched to tho British Legation at Peking and devoted to re'lief work. The Chinese Consul is advised that some 20,000,000 people are in dire distress and that a very large sum of money will 1m required before much .rood can be done. Appeals for assistance are being made to all the Allied nations, and the Consul believes that New- Zealand will maintain its reputation for generosity.

Thanks to the flue weather the tramWiiy revenue .was considerably augmented as a result of heavy traffic duving tho Christmas period. Oil/Christmas Eve the cash takings were .E1220-a record. Sunday was also a record for a Sunday, as the cash receipts -on that day totalled JC632. The takings on Boxing Day were .£'9so.

Mr. P. Hally, of the Board of Trade, who has been instructed to endeavour to adjust the differences between the Ohutu timber workers (butter and cheese orato makers) and their left for the north yesterdny. The mill has been idle for soine time, but Mr. llally anticipates that work will be resumed in the.- New Tear.

The sequel to a, piece of rough play that .took place in a well-known puncdin institution a few days Ago is likely to be heard in the City Police Court next month when the proceedings will no doubt be watched with considerable interest (states the "Otago 'rimes"). It appears that a group of young men one evening conceived the idea that one of their number, who is not usually taken very seriously, should, have "the order of the bath" conferred upon him. They accordingly seized him and dragged him to the bathroom, removed his clothing, and put him under. The joke was entirely on one side until tl\o other morning half a dozen young men who had been associated with the daring exploit were surprised to receive bluo notices from the polico informing them of the time and place at which they would appear before a Magistrate to answer a charge of assault.' Further laughter on tho subject lias been suspended until it is seen which party will be awarded the right to laugh last.

A new timber company has been forced in the Tnranaki district. A mill has been erected 17 miles from Awalcino township, capable of an output of 5000 feet of timber daily.. There, is estimated to bo 20 years' supply of limu, white pine, and tawa.

Tho announcement that the Renown, which returned to Portsmouth in October, at the conclusion of the Prince of. Wales's tour, is not to he recommissioned for the present, suggests, says the "Naval and Military Record," that she is to undergo a refit on the same line? as tho Repulse. This work is essential if she is to rank as equal to her sislp,r ship in fighting vnlue. Tho cost of vearniouring her and otherwise improving her powers of offeree and defence will undoubtedly bo heavy, but it would he false economy to recommission this ship in her present condition. Sincc (ho exigencies of national finance permit lis. to keep only n small part of the Navy in full commission, it is more than ever desirable to restrict the active fleet to ships that aro thoroughly efficient and battle-worthy. Any money that may be spent on improving tho Renown will therefore' be a good investment, ng this ship is one of our fastest battle-eruisers. Very favourable impressions of New Zealand and its attractions as a field for ■ immigration have been formed by Mr. T. L. Macl.ean, of the Isle, of Skye and London, who is about t<j conclude a visit to Dominion, extending nearly 18 months (stales an exchange). Sir. MacT.ean, whose itinerary has extended from Auckland to Stewart Island,, speaks enthusiastically of tho apparent possibilities of the'country,'both as a field for immigration and (is a resort for the tourist and holiday-seeker from the Old World. One of the objects of Mr. Ma.c Lean's visit is to make inquiries on behalf of parents who nre contemplating the bringing of boys and girls to New Zealand. He states that his report 111 this connection will be a most satisfactory one. - Of the attractions of both islands, cspeially the wonders of the thermal regions and the beauties of the Southern Aire and Cold Lakes regions, Mr. MaeLean speaks with the greatest admiration. , .

Thero is money in the wine industry in Australia, according to tlio 'evirteneo given 'by Mr. 11. K •LafTer, viticultural expert to Ponfpld's Wines, Limited, before a Select Parliamentary Committee in Sydney. Witness said that an acre of vines in full bearing produced two tons of grapes a year, and these yielded 300 gallons of wine, worth from 4s. to ss. per gallon. The gross Toturn from the grapes, therefore, would be from ,£ISOO to .£2250. The working expenses, ho reckoned, would be about JHiOO, leaving at least .£I2OO as a, net return. Tho capital cost of such a vineyard, in going order, would he ,£SOOO, and allowing 10 per cent, for interest, taxes, etc., tho profit to the owner would be .£"00 on the lower scale and .£ll3O on the higlier scale. The witness contended that cu tain portions of Australia had proved to bo so well adapted to vinegrowins tl.tit' no other form of production equalled it in. return per acre. One man could easily .manage several acres; 10 acres would yiel da handsome return. The average quality of Australian wine was very high, the demand from abroad exceeded llie supply, and the future of Hie industry was very bright. Various pests which formerly threatened to wipe out tho Australian vineyards had been successI fully orercoin*.

An experienced farmer assured' a "Manawatu Times" representative recently that owing to tho persistent recurrence of idle small daisy, buttercups, and dandelions in tho pastures, the local farmers who have ploughaMe land which may become liable to these poets, should sow a mixture of Italian ryo, cowgrass, eto., as a temporary pasture, and replough every four years, taking a crop of rape or turnips before sowing. This plan had nearly doubled the enrrying capacity of his land.

The Auckland "S'.tar" has the following:—Captain J. Macfarlane, of' Dovonport, who brought the first Union Company's steamer to New Zealand, many ] years ago, and who later was harbour- j master at Port Chalmers, has left on a visit to ChrisJchurch and Dunedin. The veteran master mariner, who, has now passed his ninetieth year, says that all liis contemporaries of the early days liavo passed away, yet he had a desire to visit the scene of his former labour, where many happy, strenuous days w®rc t spent. In his day Captain. Macfarlane was the champion bowler of Otago, and he recalls with a good deal of zest the names ol many former pioneers/ in the south who \vve.re, as he puts it, hard to beat im the j woll-atiiended greens of a few decades , ORO.

A very high standard in collegiate lit'Orature is reached in this year's "Blue and AYliito" (the animal publication of St. Patrick's College, Wellington), which has recently been issued. . Compiled by the boys oi' t'he collcge, tho publication, which contains IGO pages, is undoubtedly a remarkable record of the crowded doings of a school year. No phase ot school life has been negltcted, and a feature of the magazine is the fine arrangement of tho articles, and the excellent quality, in a lWerary sense, df tlie contributions. Many excellent photographs adorn the pages of ''Blue and While," and among the many attractions in the shape of original articles and sketches are works by the llev, B. J. Clondringer, S.M., Bushman, and Clairvuux. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington (Dr. Francis Redwood.. S.M.), in a letter exhorts the boys of the I school to cany on the traditions of past generations, and maintain lovaljfy to the annals of "St. Pat.'s." The magazine, without a doubt, chronicles action and movement in the college, change fpr present and past. N

We realise that the \rineniji has, even now, restricted-use for juvenile education in this country,'but in England .such developments are, and, we fear, _ will always be, very slow (says "The Hospital"). On tho other band, in America, vhe extraordinary vivfdness with which almost every known explanation of Natui'e's . laws can be brought home \to either the youthful or tho adult mind is utilised to the full.' While wo aro still debating upon I'liis educational "problem" wo have absolutely at hand proved experience in a method m use for years past, in the Stages. -There even the churches use this mechanical adjunct to their tional efforts, and we 6ee it estimated that in a very .few years sor> 8 per cent, of their churches will have « kinema in regular use.

If prohibition is to be enforced rigiuly it will be necessaiy for tho United States Government to destroy 50,000,(ICO gallons of whisky now in the Govern, ment warehouses (says an exchange). Tho Prohibition believes that an fltibmjit will be mado at the next session of Congress to nurchaso and destroy the entire stock of whisky in the country. Under permits issued by the Prohibition Commissioner, whisky may be moved from one warehouse to anothor, but almost invariably" when this is done trucks are held'up by highwaymen, and. there is a desperato battle between them and the armed guards of tho Prohibition Commissioner's force. ' Tho officials also find ii/ impossible to prevent forging and the misuse of permits for the purchase of bonded liquor. The only way strictly to enforce Hie prohibition law, the officials believe, is to destroy the contraband trade by stinking at its source. At tho lowest estimate the whisky now in storage is worth .£1 a gallon, and the distillers would gladly sell what tiiej own at. that price, but as its cost to manufacture was much less, tho "drys" will not consent to the distillers profiting eo greatly through prohibition. If the distillers would sell at a, few shillings a gallon Congress might bo induced to sanction the purchase, but it will hesitate some tiino before taking some .£'10,000,000 or .£50,000,000 out ot the Treasury to enrich tho distillers.

An arrest was made under dramatic circumstances in New York recently of a man alleged lo have been connected with the robber\\of a large quantity of jewellery from the summer homo of Sign.or Caruso, the tenor, three months ago, while tho singer was 111 Cuba. Two women known to tho New York police ns the Poillon sisters, whose "escapades have frequently made .them the subject cf newspaper notoriety, aro responsible for this latest development in the robbery, which caused consternation in the fashionable colony of Hampstend,' Long Island. A few days ago they visited the offices of tho company with which Signor Caniso had had his wife's jewels insured, unci said they believed they were in communication with a man concerned in the robbery who had offered to sell them "a quantity of Caruso's gems." The police were notified and dictographs Ismail machine? easily ooncealed and containing an extremely sensitive microphone or telephone transmitter] were installed in the women's flat, olio behind a tapestry and the other under a bed, with wires lending to the roof, whero detectives and shorthand writers hid. The man, who gnvo his n.ime ns Harry C. Toback, called at the hour he had fixed. According to tho police who listened ho offered to sell to th.i sisters .£9OOO worth of Caruso's diamonds for .£OOOO. 'He is said to have suggested that the amount bo paid in cash at nn hotel in Baltimore, where the stones were hidden, lho women tentatively assented, and made plans to accompany lnm back to .Baltimore, but as The man left tho flat he vas nwt at the door by a detective and arrested. He denied any connection with the jewel theft, although ho admitted the. trend flf tho conversation which, he said, was a ruse to get the two women to Baltimore, whero lie hoped to sell them an exclusive, *ablo eoa • H Poillon sisters, Kathcrine and Glial lotto, who have previously been conspicuous fib volunteer and amateur detectives, will 'hare tlio reward of JKOOO ottered bj Si-nor Caruso if the arrest results in the recovery of the stolen ]C\vels.

To 'iiso the words of its editor, .The Breeze," a publication issued by several Muritai residents who <«k b le in literature and the more or les, fino arts" is a. "casual publication. ine keynote of tin little book, to further quote tho editor, is "Iho of and Art-Art tlmt wins the head.,, but, bus to sriiul "t uncongenial drudgery in ortier to got a, crust." Tho book is tho result of tho efforts of writers, some amateur and some professional, and the same names appeal' on dtvors verse ana articles. It is well printed, and as a local production it is good. Some lino reproductions of Rembrandt s ® tcl ™= s T "Tho Nativity 1 " and the Mendicant Musicians"—containod m an article l)j James M'Donald, are a feature of tho issue.

"I am J2 years of age," said a woman charged with being an incorrigible rogue, at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court, '■'and for the last ten years I have spent' every Christmas in gaol! My mother used to say tlwt, although all thq rest of the family used to gather together for Christmas, I was never there!" Nor was she thero this Christinas, as a sentence of twelve months' imprisonment was passed on hor,

Before Messrs. 11. W. Short and J. Kerr, J.IVs, at a sitting of the Potoue Court yesterday morning, a man named William Mahoney was convicted itiul lined in default soven (toys' imprisonment for insobriety and disorderly bcIwvrlonr.

In the course of a letiler published in the annual issuo of the school magazine of St. Patrick's College (Wellington), Archbishop Redwood, referring to his record to his recent visit to Rome, states: —"I had a 'private audience of half an hour's duration with His Holiness the Pope, in which, among other subjects, I told him of the great success of St. Patrick's College, and of the other Catholic schools, primary and scuoudary, in tho archdiocese, Wi which'account he evidenced great satisfaction aud pleasure."

A l, tabloid epitome of tho development of domesticity was given by .Mr. Symonds, the North London Magistrate. A man and his wife appeared on cross complaints of assault. "Mun started as the stronger human," remarked Mr. ■Symonds. "He was cruel to the weaker sex, but the woman overcame him by charm, by guile, by kindness, by minisi' l.'ing to his wants, and by cooking little delicacies for him. ihe very fact that this wife comes to me and says, 'My husband knocks ino about,' means that as a womaifshe has failed. Go . way, bo kind to him, aud seo if you can n.aks | it up." ' \

A call was made on the rescue service of the New Brighton Surf Club on Christmas Day (says tho Christchurch

"Sim"). Aftyr Iji'inj? handcuffed and manacled, Ml'. L. Levantc, who is appearing in a Christchurch;theatre this wo;k, jumped from the pier into tho sea. lie successfully freed himself, but was unable to get ashore against t'he current. The tide was high at th-j time, and the strong nor'-wester was driving tile sea beneath the pier. Levatito was dressed in an ordinary bathing suit. His hands were, then handcuffed behind his back, and a cliain leading ffom the handcuffs was bolted around hi« neck. Levante'sMegs were secured by leg-irons. Standing erect, he jumped into the sea from a height of about 30 feet; but lie juiimjd on the northern instead of tlie soutiiern side of the pier, with t'he result that lie was swept in against the piles. The handcuffs and irons were'examined by a, committee and passed as socuro before the man jumped. He was underneath for about 30 seconds, and then reappeared, quite free. Ho lied the manacles to a rope, so that they might be pulled ashore, and then commenced to swim for the beach. But the buffeting against the piles had so exhausted him that, although he was a powerful swimmer, he could not resist the swiftly-running undertow. Fortunately, members of tho Surf Club were close by, and several went in to the swimmer's aid, and brought liim ashore. He had numerous cuts oil the arms and legs, but was otherwise little the worse for his experience.

With tho rush*of the fruit preserving and jam manufacturing season at hand there lias been considerable anxiety in Nelson as t<j supplies of sugar. Tho member for the district (Mr. H. Atinore) wrote "to flip Minister of Industries and Commerce on the subject, and' has received . a> reply, m which the Minister states that arrangements are being made to increaso supplies for the jam season. Owing to strikes and shipping troubles tho supplies up to the end of November were some sixty tons short in Nelson, but tho steamer Kanna recently took a shipment which placed the quantities in excess of tho same period of last year. Instructions had been given tho Board of Trade to endeavour to place additional supplies of sugar into fruit-grow-ing districts for -the next two months. Java sugar could be bought at £12 a ton f.o.b. Sydney, and it was probable at this figure considerable business could be. done.

"That the association call the .'attention of the Department to tho great inequalities in. grading of secondary school teachers and technical school teachers and request that the grading of technical school teachers bo raised •throughout in order to bring them moro on a level with, secondary school,, teachers with equivalent qualifications," was the text of a remit -adopted by the Technical School Teachers'_ Conference yesterday. In with this resolution, figures were produced by delegates to prove that in- the higher grades of salaries technical school teachers suffered badly by comparison with secondary schools. It was felt that this position should not be allowed to continue, and the delegates looked forward with confidence to a revision of the grading of technical school teachers which would dispel from • their minds their, present strong conviction that they had not been treated so fairly as the secondary school teachers. More- than one delegate argued that if discrimination was to be made it should be in favour of technical school teachers in view of the arduous nature of the evening class work they were called upon to perform. It was resolved that the incoming executive be instructed to draw up n statement of facts and figures showing the inequalities in salaries allotted to secondary school teachers and technical school teachers, and to point out discrepancies in the recently published grading list.

Tho "Giornalo! d'ltalia" gives, from Tempio (Sardinia), details of a reconciliation yf ■ eight families after a vendetta which lasted 65 years and involved 75 cases of murder and injury to property and cattle. At. tho ceremony of reconciliation more than 200 men belonging to the families concerned took part, and, stood in front of tho church in wliiqh the Bishop officiated 1 . 4'liey look an oath of reconciliation. Afterwards tho Te Deum was sung by all thoso who liad assembled in the church.

The following remit was adopted yesterday by the conference of the New Zealand Technical School Teachers' Association"That tho Prime Minister bo requested to arrange that duo recognition of the work done ih technical schools be made by Government. Departments in tho way of giving preference to students from technical schools entering thoso branches 'of the Public Service, where technical training is an asset and that industrial associations throughout the Dominion be asked to support the objects of this resolution-./' Delegates stated that it was only in recent years that 1 he industrial leaders of the country had come to recognise the vital importance of technical training to tho country, and they felt that it was the- duty of all educationists to foster tho growth of technical schools throughout the country because it was to these institutions the Dominion must look for the future citizens who would' maintain and' advance tho agricultural, commercial, and itidits- ! trial interests of the country.