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Evening Star, Issue 19783, 6 February 1928, Page 6

The underground stream of water that the late Mr Alex. Thomson found and tapped, between Crawford and Bond streets, is still yielding the same quantity from its 4in bore, uninfluenced by any drought or the interception and diversion of lesser springs. Although the building trade in Dunedin is as a whole brisk, several stonemasons are out of work, filling in their time on odd jobs until there is a demand for their services in their own line.

Mr W. Fargan Smith (doputy-Pre-mier of Queensland) and his party, consisting of his wife and two sons and Mr Hope, his secretary, wore yesterday taken for a drive round Dunedin by the mayor and mayoress, accompanied by Mr T. K. Sulcy and his wife, Cr Hayward (as representing the Civic Committee), Mr and Mrs W. Taylor, and they afterwards had tea at Mr Sidey’s residence. To-day the visitors were shown round the offices of the Agricultural Department, and to-morrow they are to be the guests of the City Corporation in a trip to Waipori. As the visit is purely a holiday, no official functions are being arranged by our mayor (Mr AV. B. Taverner). The fruit train this morning curried fifty-seven tons from this district (wires our Clyde correspondent). There was a good refreshening shower on Saturday evening, but not sufficient to do any good to the pastoral country. Long before the days of egg flips and Annette Kellerraan cups successful attempts were made to swim Cook Strait, said Mr David J. Reardon, the wellknown Wanganui authority on Native affairs, this morning in referring to the unsuccessful attempt made on Saturday to accomplish this feat. It was an established fact that tho present Natives at Tainui Pa (Otnki) were descended from a Native woman who accomplished tho greatest swimming feat in New Zealand’s history. With a baby on her back tied with flax strips, sho set out from Durvillo Island, landing in an exhausted state with her child on Kapiti Island. After resting for a day and a night she swam the intervening seven miles to tho main land. Mr Reardon said there was also on record the case of a slave who leaped overboard from a canoe near Barrett’s Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbor, and who finally got ashore at Blind Bay, in the South Island. It is known that in this instance the swimmer rested on a floating tree, which ho met by chance in the middle of Cook Strait. —Auckland correspondent.

Fire on tlio top lloor of the Mining Chambers, Queen street, Auckland, near midnight on Sunday, caused hundreds of pounds of damage by water to Hugh Wright’s, Limited, drapery stock on the ground floor. Although part of the roof collapsed above the Belmont Tea Booms on the third story, and the floor was well alight when the brigade arrived, a notable save was made. Extensive damage was done to offices on the second floor by smoke, and water also poured into other premises on the ground floor, occupied hy Airs Anscnnc, florist, and Jamieson’s tobacconist shop.—Press Association, Dunedin folk wore asking one another yesterday whether it was the hottest clay of the season. The sunshine was fierce, and oven in the shade the sultriness was intense, much as one feels it on the Canterbury Plains when a summer nor’-wester is devouring the pastures. This is an uncommon experience with the wind from the northeast, as it was yesterday. All guesses as to the temperature are, however, set aside hy the official record at the Opoho observatory, where the thermometer registered 79 as the maximum in the shade, and 56 as the minimum, a mean of close on 67. In the sunshine the reading went to 139. Actually, therefore, the day was not the hottest of the season. We have had it up to 82 in the shade and 145 in the sun. Towards sundown yesterday the breeze grew light, and was succeeded by a gentle air from the west, which brought a tiny sprinkle of rain during the night. A Hamilton Association message states that the train from Auckland, due at Frankton at 6.40 to-day, arrived at 9.45 a.in. owing to a. truck loaded with benzine jumping the rails at Whangamarino. The notification by the City Corporation that the use of hoses in gardens, for the cleaning of motor ears, and all such purposes is now forbidden has taken some of our citizens unawares, and several have been caught thus wasting the water. It is not yet decided whether penalties will bo asked for in the court. Probably some who are on the list of detections had not seen the advertised prohibition. From The City Fire Brigade received a call at 9.50 on Saturday evening to J. Pawley and Co.’s and the Empire Carrying Company’s premises on the reclaimed ground near the cement works. A shed, which was uninsured, was destroyed and a fence slightly damaged. The shed contained harness valued at about £lO, but nothing else of much value. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. A call was received at 11.34 a.m. yesterday to the corner of Melbourne street and Anderson’s Bay road, but this proved to be a malicious 'false alarm. The brigade turned out shortly after 7 o’clock this morning in response to a call from the corner of Glen road and the Main South road, but again the call emanated from some person or persons exercising a remarkable sense of humor. The folly of such hooliganism will be forcibly brought home to the offenders if they are apprehended. ' The postal authorities advise that the Ulimaroa, which left Sydney for Wellington at noon on February 3, carries seventy-four bags and forty hampers of mail for Dunedin. This batch, which is due on February §, includes fortjythrea b^Jxpjn

now, however, there is no excuse. It is punishable to use a hose unless a special supply is arranged for with tho corporation authorities.

Advice received at Invercargill states that the Ross Sea whalers secured 14,000 barrels of oil before passing the ice barrier. The ice was negotiated much earlier this season, and whales were so numerous that the Sir James Glark Ross is expected to return earlier than scheduled. Phenomenally fine summer weather is being experienced in the' Antarctic.—lnvercargill Association message. A large and_ enthusiastic crowd greeted the St. Kilda Band at its Sunday evening performance. The playing of the band was of a high order. The marimbaphone and piano accordeon duets were very popular items and the soloists had to respond to encores. The band will give a promenade concert in the Gardens on Wednesday evening. The St. Clair Improvement Association informs ns that tho proposals before the General Committee of the City Council for alterations at the StClair Baths should provide accommodation for between seventy-five and 100 women and girls, whereas all that is available for female bathers at present is sixteen dressing boxes. The Kaikorai Band concluded its Sunday concerts at St. Clair beach last night, when a largo attendance listened to the band play some of its choice pieces. The programme had to bo cut short owing to the failure of the light, the concluding item, Handel’s ‘ Largo,’ being played in semi-darkness. The playing was of a high standard, and the various numbers met with approval by tho listeners. Next Sunday the band will play in the Gardens, afternoon and night. Aerated water manufacturers of Dunedin state that, though the output of their goods was high during the past month, it did not constitute a record. It would have clone so if the hot weather had come in the Christmas and New Year holidays. A _ new line in soft drinks that the public have taken to is a pure juice beverage without essence or coloring. The death of Mr J. Biggins caused the Dunedin Jbckey Club an hour or two’s anxiety as to the handicapping for the second day of tho Cup Meeting this week, but in answer to a telegram Mr H. Pearce (handicapper for the Southland, Wyndham, and Riverton Clubs) came to the rescue, and agreed to be present on tho first day and make the handicaps for the second clay’s racing. Mr L. G. Hill, secretary of the club, is doing well in the private hospital, but will not be able to attend the races this week.

The postal authorities advise that mails which left Wellington on January 3 via San Francisco, arrived at London on February 3. The bright sunshine and heat of Saturday and Sunday attracted large crowds to the Ocean Beach both days, and hundreds disported themcslves in tho surf. The St. Clair baths also received liberal patronage. Again the lack of dressing accommodation was very marked. All roads Jed to St. Clair yesterday, and from an early hour the rush commenced, extra buses being required in the morning to bring people from town, while in tho afternoon the ordinary tram service ha dto be supplemented to cope with the heavy traffic. Jt is estimated that about 10,000 people visited the beach yesterday, many considering that it constituted a record attendance. Bight till darkness fell there were many about the beach, and it was with reluctance that they turned homewards from the pleasant cool atmosphere. Both on Saturday and Sunday the St. Clair Club held life-saving practice, this being watched with great interest by the crowd. An attraction yesterday was the career of a canoe in the surf, in which it was skilfully handled by a number of local bathers. The Railway Department was informed to-day that warning hells have been tampered with at several suburban crossings, so as to stop them from sounding, thus making crossings very dangerous for motorists.—Christchurch Press Association telegram. William Madison Alt, aged forty, pleaded guilty in the Police Court to obtaining £1,565 by false pretences from the New Zealand Guarantee Corporation of Wellington in motor lorry dealings, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Alt was extradited from .Honolulu.—Auckland Press Association telegram. An outbreak of fire in a macrocarpa hedge in Somerville street, Anderson’s Bay, was responsible for the City Fire Brigade turning out at 12.45 this afternoon. The blaze was extinguished without difficulty. No damage was done to property.

For spectacles that soothe the eyes consult W. V. Stunner, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., 2 Octagon. Our business .s exclusively optical.— [Advt.]

Port Chalmers.—l. Watson’s summer clearing sale general drapery, furnishings, clothing, bools, and shoes now proceeding.— [Advt.]

Parents, remember Newbold’s. New and second-hand books for public. Technical, Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools, and ’Varsity. Unbeatable value in all school requisites, stationery, schoolbags, and wondrous cheap attache cases. Ton per cent, discount boys’ brief bags. Money-savers’ shop, 275 George street, Dunedin.—[’Advt, ]