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Evening Star, Issue 22453, 25 September 1936, Page 8

Within another fortnight three vessels will have docked at Port Chalmers for overhaul. Th§ Gale, which entered dock on Tuesday, came out yesterday afternoon, and. after the compasses have been adjusted, will come up to Dunedin to load out. The Narbada is expected to enter the dry dock on Tuesday, while the Karetu is also scheduled to undergo overhaul at Port Chalmers in the near future.

“ We should endeavour to obtain, all the products we can from our coal,” said Mr F. W. J. Belton in an address on modern uses of coal to the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers’ last evening. Coal, with its vitally important products, including benzol, a valuable fuel for motor and aeroplane engines, constituted the Dominion’s one indigenous moans of defence. Benzol to the extent of 1,000,000 gallons a year could be recovered from coal in New Zealand, but so far no Government had had the sense to encourage such activity. This was one of the cases in which progress —as a matter of high policy—had to go ahead of purely economic considerations.

Local doctors were most non-com-mittal, and were reluctant to express an opinion when they were asked this morning whether they could make any statement in regard to the claim that four West End doctors had found a means of curing sciatica and its associate diseases. It was pointed out that in Dunedin doctors had been trying injections for sciatic nerves for some time with varying results, but as they did not know the nature of the treatment reported from London they could not offer any opinion as to its merits. Even the medical journals had not enlightened them on the subject, so that some of the doctors were inclined to be sceptical regarding the value of the treatment. Public bequests under the will of the late Mr H. K. Wilkinson benefit the Y.W.C.A. as well as the Y.M.C.A., and to the same degree. As it is likely that special illuminations will be required in the streets and on the municipal buildings on the occasion of His Majesty the King's coronation in May, 1937 (reports the E.P. a‘nd L. Committee of the City Council), the city electrical engineer has been authorised to purchase 4,000 lamps, at an estimated cost of £250. The city engineer’s report on the progress of works in connection with the Deep Creek water supply scheme during the past two weeks shows that during the period 951 ft of trenching, 1,265 feet of pipe-laying, and 1,094 ft of backfilling were completed. At the Ross Creek Reservoir 12in and 14in mains have been diverted, and the existing system of valves is being- removed in order to erect the control shed.

The Finance Committee of the City Council reports that the statements of the city sinking fund for the year ended March 31 last, as furnished by the Sinking Fund Commissioners, show that the increment for the past year was 4.51 per cent., of which 4 per cent, was allocated to the sinking fund on each loan and the balance of £2,523 added to the reserve fund. The total funds at balancing date amounted to £514,380 17s 4d. Reporting to the Otago Harbour Board last night, the Standing Committee stated it considered that in view of the 40-hour week it would bo to the advantage of the workers and the trading public generally if the present Friday pay day were altered to Thursday, and recommended accordingly. The alteration is to take effect as from next month. Steps are to be taken by the Otago Harbour Board to prosecute offenders for cycling on the wharves. The decision was reached last night on the recommendation of the Standing Committee, which had considered a report by the harbour master. Riding on the wharves is an offence under the board’s by-laws. The tramway manager’s statement of the traffic receipts for the last fortnightly period shows an increase in the revenue for the period, as compared with the corresponding two weeks of the previous year, of £553. During the period of 24 weeks from April 1 to September 12 the revenue shows an increase over the same period of last year of £4,072, or 5.67 per cent. A large proportion of the increase is due to the abnormal traffic in connection with football matches. During the past two Saturdays the late Saturday night trams and buses carried 1,157 passengers, the revenue amounting to £l6 6s sd. The revenue and expenditure statement for the 22 weeks ending on August 19 discloses a net profit of £3,506, which is £625 in excess of the surplus for the same period of last year. Delightful spring weather prevailed for the St. Hilda Methodist Church spring fair, which concluded last evening at the Sunday school hall, High street. Business was brisk in the afternoon, and some of the stalls had sold out before evening, when there was a short, but delightful, programme of vocal items. The contributing artists were Mrs B. Ledgerwood, Miss Vera Smyth, Messrs M. Gibb and Rex Maslin, and the Rev. T. S'kuse. The accompanists were Miss A. Kirk, Miss N. Tuck, and Mr C. Harmer. Games were greatly enjoyed by the young people, and after the dismantling of the stalls supper was served in the Bible class room. The success of the function was excellent, resulting in satisfactory proceeds. Authority has been given by the Works Committee of the City Council for surface sealing with light tar the carriageway of Bradshaw street. The estimated cost of the work is £45.

The services of the City Fire Brigade were required to extinguish a hedge fire at the corner of Warrender and Queen streets at 6.34 last evening. No damage was caused. The Electric Power and Lighting Committee of the City Council reports that an objection which was previously lodged against an application to the mining registrar for a prospecting license on the City Council’s land on the Waipori watershed has been withdrawn, subject to the condition that the applicants are to carry on their operations by the gravel pump sluicing method, and that other conditions to amply safeguard the council’s interests shall be satisfactorily arranged between the applicants and the council. If the matter should be finalised it has also been agreed to allow the applicants the use of three heads of clean water from Pioneer Creek for their operations. “I have just learned to-day that 25,000 new motor cars were put on the road in New Zealand during the last 12 months,” said the chairman (Mr W. R. Carey) at the annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union in Christchurch last night. The whole of this number did not. of course, represent additional, cars, but it was sufficiently impressive, added Mr Carey. It indicated that the Dominion was now overtaking at full capacity what had happened during the slump period. He was hopeful that when the drivers of the modern cars knew how to handle them properly, and the Hon. R. Semple’s “ safety first ” campaign was well under way, the association’s ratio of loss would be reduced.

An unusual number of large overseas vessels will berth at Dunedin to-day and to-morrow. The tanker John Knudsen (9,071 tons) entered port yesterday ; the Canadian Challenger (5,439 tons) and the Narbada (8,988 tons) berthed this morning; while other vessels at present here arc the Karetu (3.210 tons). Gale (C 22 tons), and Holmglon (432 tons). The Ashburton (5,047 tons) was expected this afternoon, and the Tamaroa (12,854 tons) is due in the morning. The total tonnage for the two days amounts to 45,663.