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Evening Star, Issue 23685, 19 September 1940, Page 8

In welcoming the Minister of Education (Hon. H. G. R. Mason) to Dunedin at the Opening of the Macandrew Intermediate School last night, the mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) said that it was rare for Ministers to spend any lengtfl of time here. They usually arrived late one day and departed early the next. Mr Mason, however, who was on his first visit to Dunedin, was making quite an extended stay. He arrived at 4 o’clock that afternoon, and did not intend to leave until noon the following day. Mr Mason, in reply, stated than in his former capacity as Minister of Justice, he had been mainly concerned with courts and prisons, which kept him in the north. “ Dunedin,” he said, “ seems to be well set up for courthouses, ami there does not seem to be any particular need for a prison; consequently my presence didn’t appear to be required here.”

The demand for fat cattle at the Burnside! market yesterday throughout was keen, and values for prime heavy cattle were on a par with last market, while medium and light cattle were 15s a head dearer. Cows and heifers showed an appreciation of 15s to 20s a. head. Extra prime heavy bullocks mode to £2O 2s 6d, prime heavy £2l 2s 6d to £23 2s 6d, medium £ls 17s 6d to £l9 7s 6d, light from £l2 2s 6d; extra prime cows and heifers to £l9 12s 6d, prime £l3 17s 6d to £l6 2s 6d, medium £lO 12s 6d to £l2 7s Gel, and light from £7 17s 6cl. Prices generally for fat sheep were firmer by 2s to 3s a head. Competition over the final race was not so keen. Hoggets met a keen sale. Extra prime heavy wethers made to 535, prime 44s to 4Ss, medium 36s to 40s, light from 30s; extra prime heavy ewes to 47s 3d, prime heavy 37s (id to 425, medium 33s to 3Gs, and light down to 2Gs 9d. Ngauruhoo was active last week, according to an Aucklander who returned at the week-end from a visit to tho Chateau, lie said signs of an eruption had been noticed by several people who visited the mountain on Friday morning. A smoke cloud which was hanging over the crater late on Thursday night was still visible, although considerably smaller, on tho following morning. When ho and some companions made a climb from tho Chateau side they noticed the snow was blackened with dust particles and tho air was laden with dust. On the northwest side there was very little snow, but there were distinct traces of black mud and tho ground was steaming in this locality. The party proceeded to the ridge between the two craters, and found clouds of steam being ejected at intervals of about 20 minutes.

Caught red-handed with a big armful of flowers as he stepped over the low front fence of a home in Vauxhallroad, Devonport, Auckland, a sneak thief on Sunday had the surprise of his life. The man who found him in the act was the owner, who was returning about 10.30. It was bright moonlight, and the presence of two women holding handles of flowers near the front gate indicated that something unusual-was afoot. As the owner approached, the women began to move away, and the thief, who had apparently been warned by them, was trying to make his escape. Challenged, he surrendered his collection of flowers and then made a dash, running “all out” past _ his women companions and out of sight around the nearest corner. The owner was completely taken by surprise at the man’s panic. On examining his garden the next morning he found that a large bed of narcissi and froesias had been raided, but the garden was not damaged. As sequel to a van colliding with a telegraph pole, badly damaging the van and breaking 25 telegraph wires, the driver. John Alexander (41). an engineer, pleaded guilty in the Auckland Police Court to intoxication while in charge of a vehicle. He was sentenced to seven clays with hard labour, and his license cancelled for 12 months. —Press Association. A malicious false a I arm at 6.20 this morning called the Citv Fire Brigade to the corner of Brockvillc road and the Kaikorai Valley road. There was a chimney fire yesterday in Oxford street, which was attended by the brigade at 4.16 p.m. Another chimney fire in Castle street was attended at 12.26 p.m. to-day. The only case before Mr J. I!. Bartholomew. S.M.. in the Police Court this morning was that in which William Alfred Cyril Rose, a statutory first offender, was charged with drunkenness, He pleaded guilty and was fined 10s. in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. Import difficulties and much higher landed costs have severely restricted the use of Japanese oak which formerly was extensively used in the production of furniture in Auckland (says the 1 Herald ’). Since the war tlu price of Japanese oak has doubled. Rimu has largely taken the place of oak and. with artistic staining, has gained new distinction. The trend of design Is toward simplicity, possibly due partly to rising costs. The furniture trade is described as exceptionally busy, the usual falling off in the winter months not having been noticed this year.