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Evening Star, Issue 20048, 13 December 1928, Page 6

The establishment in Australia and Now Zealand of chemical factories, particularly for the supply of fertilisers, was recently mentioned by the Right Hon. Sir Alfred Mond, who presided oyer the first general meeting of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., held in England. The chairman stated that a largo business was being done in the company’s various commodities in the Antipodes, and great developments were foreseen there in the not far distant future. It was probable that in duo course the installation of factories would bo proceeded with. These, it was hoped, would not only bo profitable to the shareholders, hut would also give impetus to the primary industries of Australia and New Zealand by providing the best fertilisers that science could produce. Several swimming enthusiasts who enjoy a Sunday morning dip in the Municipal Baths havo been complaining that the present hours (8.30 a.m. till 10) suit neither themselves nor those in charge • of the commissariat department at... home. The position seems to be that the majority of people who frequent the baths are healthy folk who do not like the idea of letting a hearty breakfast go a-begging. They are not in favour of having their morning meal before going for a Mvim; nor are they addicted to alO a.m.-11 a.rn, breakfast. Besides which, there are wives, mothers, and sisters who quickly eliminate from the minds of swimmers any idea that a breakfast as late as tin's will bo provided. The suggestions put forward are that if it is not thought possible to open tbe baths on Sundays from say 7.30 a.m. tijl 9 they should at least bo available from 8 till 0.30, Interviewed by a ‘ Star ’ man this morning, the baths custodian (Mr Mathieson) stated that ho had received no complaints directly from the swimmers, and as far as could be judged, the present hours suited everybody. Even as it Was, people came expecting to swim jtfst as the baths were closing at 10. Moreover, if an alteration were desired the matter would have to go before the City Council.

At its meeting on Monday last, the Grand Council of the Protestant A%ianco Friendly Society passed, the following resolution:— ! ‘ The ■ Grand Council desires Jo ’offer its homage to \jur beloved Sovereign King George V. and prays earnestly that God may long preserve him in health to reign over his loyal and devoted people.” The resolution has been forwarded to His Excellency the Governor-General. The step immediately ahead in the providing of Dunedin with a new Post Office is to construct the foundations on the Princes-Bond streets site. That is an entirely separate job. Tenders for excavating and removing the soil close .to-moviow.

Over a thousand loads of clay from tho old Post Office site, purchased from the Public Works Department at Is a cubic yard, are to bo used iji the completion of raising the southern ond of the Oval, The turf will bo raised and thp clay placed .underneath, as has already boon done at portion of the southern end.

The postal authorities adviso that nine bags of mails by tho Ruapehu from London will roach Dunedin tomorrow evening. Eighty-five parcel receptacles by tho sam6 vessel will come 4( to hand on Friday.

At last night’s meeting of tho City Council the deputy-mayor (Cr J. S. Douglas) said that an invitation had been received from the St. Clair Surfing Club for councillors to attend the Club’s official opening ceremony on Saturday. Ho said lie had accepted the invitation on behalf of the council, lind asked councillors to bo present if they possibly could. At tho conclusion of the meeting of the City Council last night—tho last meeting this year—-tho deputy-mayor (Cr J. S. Douglas), on behalf of the mayor (Hon. W. B. Taverner), extended seasonable greetings to. councillors, the members of tho inside and outside staffs, and the Press. The first meeting of the council in 1929 will be hold on Wednesday, January 23. The value and necessity of policemen having a thorough knowledge of life saving resuscitation was stressed by tho president (Mr H. H. Henderson) at last night’s meeting of the Otago Head Centre of the Royal Life Saving Society, and after some discussion it was decided to make inquiry , as ,to whether this subject was included' in the course of instruction policemen received while in training. ,

The editor of the Auckland ‘ Star ’ has informed Mr S. B. Mavdonald (president of the Otago Expansion League) that ho referred to the South only as “comparatively .stagnant’’; .that is, that tiio North is developing the faster, and ho adds that his journal fully appreciates the solid virtues of Otago. But the president is not satisfied, and has telegraphed:—“Thanks for your wire. Still strongly object to the word stagnant, which is quite incorrect. Otago is solidly progressive. Am glad to know that the dominion should think nationally. Otago always lias. Your comments certainly are a bad advertisement for the whole dominion.’’ Fruitgrowers in Canterbury are lamenting the continued rainfall, which they say will not only spoil tiro cherry crop, but will also, if it lasts •much longer, affect the stone fruit, strawberries, and raspberries. “ Heavy rain at this time of the year is bad for any fruit,” said one grower. “The main crop of cherries is just ripening, and the rain will already have done its damage, swelling and splitting the fruit. Raspberries and strawberries will feel its effect, and stone fruit, particularly peaches and apricots, is very susceptible to brown rot at this time of the year.”—Christchurch correspondent.

Consequent on his appointment as a member of the Cabinet, the mayor tJBon. W. B. Taverner) will require to reside in Wellington, and there is some conjecture as to what attitude he. will adopt in regard to the mayoral office. When the mayor is absent from the city the deputy-mayor undertakes his duties, but the position is considerably different when the mayor is away for several months, ns will apply in the, case of Mr Taverner, whose term as mayor does not expire till March. If the mayor chooses to josign now, it is competent for the council to elect one of its number as mayor, the choice not necessarily being restricted to the de-puty-mayor. Further, within a period of twelve months before the statutory time of election, tho council does not need to fill the place of the councillor who might ho appointed mayor. An alternative for Mi Taverner is to ask for leave of absence for tho remainder of his term, the deputy-mayor then acting as mayor till the elections. Mir Taverner has so far not given any indication of what ho intends to dp,.bid, as he will probably bo in Dunedin during the week-end, ho may thou indicate his' course of action. There was a thrill this morning on the Main South road. ' Mf David Marshall, builder, who this year opened business at Milton, was driving into town with his son Thomas, and when near Henley their car caught fire from some unknown cause. Tho call was’ imperative. They stood not upon the coder of their going, but jumped at once, and in ten minutes, tbo car and its contents were in ashes, there being no chance to save the gear that it was carrying.

The tola! pay-out on the first Auckland wool sale (November 26 and 27) was £495,876 for' 21,991 bales sold (22,267 wore offered). The average per bale was £22 Us, and the average per lb 15.64d.—Press Association. Tho postal authorities advise that the r.m.s. Makura, from San Francisco, has 156 bags of mail and eighty-three parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The letters and papers should reach hero on Tuesday afternoon, and the parcels the following day. Tho Ruapehu, which arrives at Port Chalmers to-night, has on board 120 Chinchilla and Angora rabbits that were ordered from London by 11. S. Black, Limited. Mr Black, sen., went up to, Wellington to receive these rabbits and accompany them down the coast. This is said to bo the largest single shipment of these rabbits ever brought to New Zealand on one order. To each of the 120 a full pedigree is supplied. Any person interested may see these interesting creatures at Black’s Stafford street store to-morrow. Those that are unsold are thereafter to bo taken to specially-prepared quarters at Wakari. The Chinchilla is valued for its pelt, tile Angora for its wool. The importation is, of course for breeding purposes, and in thar connection it may be added that there is no idea of crossing with the ra)ibit we now know as a native. They are to be insulated. Some remarkable modifications have occurred amongst rabbits that have been pi oven ted from cross-breeding, as, for instance, the dwrrf rabbits of Port Santo, one of the Madoiras, which are supposed to be th? descendants of a simde litter left there in the fifteenth oenWv. It is °n record that our New Zealand rabbits trace back to seven that were turned out near Invercargill about 1960. '

A biddable pm pose, beyond move eye gratification, ptompted the display of hydrangeas by I lie corporation .cservus department at the Dunedin Horticultural Society’s show yesterday. Mr Tannock wishes to _ encourage the growing of these beautiful ffowers. He says, and the statement is herewith passed on for general information, that hydrangea culture is easy for amateur gardeners, Those attractive plants that lie staged at this show were grown within one year from cuttings set out in tlie spring of 1927. They were rooted in a little bottom heat and developed under cool conditions, no special humouring being necessary. A succession of highly decorative plants, not toog big, but most, flonferous, can be obtained by that method. After having voted as an_ absentee at one booth on election day, Alfred Grisedale wont to JCelburn, and recorded an ordinary vote at the booth there. When seen by the police, his excuse was that' he was advised by friends that ho must voto_ at Kelburn, and he acted under a misunderstandin". He had not voted in New Ze;w land before. To the magistrate, the returning officer said ho had no reason to doubt accused’s explanation. Accused was committed for sentence on bail.— Wellington Association message.

An Association telegram from Auckland states that Edward John Samuel, a middle-aged commission agent, was charged on eighteen counts with obtaining credit by fraud. The amount involved exceeds S2*BSB« :

No business was done at tho Police Court this morning. The Americans certainly are nothing if not thorough, Hero is a paragraph which, relative to the departure from Now York of tho Byrd Antarctic expedition, appeared in tho ‘Scientific American,’ for November: “ lu assembling tho supplies for the • sick-hoy ’ of the mother ship and the drug store of tho camp at tjio Bay of Whales, many factors were taken into consideration, and not the least of these was the possibility of running into natives in isolated villages who might bo ill and direly in need of medical attention, From beginning to end tho expedition lias boon planned on humanitarian linos.” At Auckland, Mr Justice Frazer, in his reserved judgment to-day, ordered that a writ of mandamus be issued compelling tho Takapuna Borough Council to consider and approve a gilbdivisional plan respecting property contiguous to Lake Funuke, and owned by I). C, Mowbray,—Press Association. Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs : Tho Board of Health has decided that a letter bo sent to _ the New Zealand branch of the British Mjedical Association asking tho association to use its influence with practising members of tho profession to ensure that doctors would carry out their duties under tho law more strictly in regard to venereal diseases. Dr Watt submitted a report on such diseases, and stated that the present legal machinery, although imperfect, has proved of definite value. It was decided that suitable extracts from his report bo published in the newspapers in. order to educate the public.

Touring parties require field glasses. The Octagon optician, Mr W. V. Stunner, invites inspection of tho “Little Gem,” £4 10s; worth £l2 10s.—[Advt.l Gifts in profusion await your inspection at Williamsons, the jewellers (next The Bristol Co.); vainer always fair.—[Advt.]