AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1932, Page 6

AUCKLAND NOTES

(From our own Correspondent). The two small vesels which left here some time ago on somewhat adventur-', ous voyages have so far come through: all right.’ The launch Beth reached Sydney after a passage of twenty-six | days, encountering bad weather, and haying, a rather exciting experience. There was a little anxjety about the yacht Heartsease as she had not been reported for some weeks after i leaving. It appears however, she made, the trip to Tonga in 22, days, being he'd back by head winds, and from Tonga t,o" Suva, she made the passage in four days. She is prabably now on tl,ie long stretch from Suva to Brisbane, the final objective being England. The terrible period of depression through which we are passing Ims caused disaster to overtake many old established and erstwhile flourishing businesses. As over a hundred business have ceased to function during the past year, naturally littljp notice is taken except by tbpse interested. But when a firm like Macky Logan, ope of the coniigercial and industrial 1 andm arku as it were, of Auckland in fact of New Zealand —lias to go into foluntary liquidation it is a sad commentary on the present deplorable tiyi.es, .and people are beginning to ask what is going to happen next. To-day slackness .of trade and idleness of shipping are given by Mr G. Nicol, as the, reason for the closing of his s.bjp .yard—a business formed by his father, the late Mr Henry Nicol, 90 years ago —there fore probably one of the oldest industries in New Zealand. Ihe records of the old yard are most interesting. The largest vessel built, many years ago, was the Ship Republic, of 1400 tons. The barques Emprega, Alcestis, Neptune, Woosong and Vision were also launched from the yard, besides a fleet of schooners, cutters,' scows, yachts, and steamers. Gradually, the industry lias died out—a matter of sincere and sentimental regret to those who remember the days when New Zealand built its own ships, and the engines to put in them, also later on when steamers gradually displaced the “wind jammers.” ** * *

The Dallimore controversy is still wngeing cures of those born blind (m one eye) and those suffering from tuberculosis, goitre and pneumonia, as alleged. The meetings are still crowded, and the same phenomena of people falling on the stage in an apparent trance is being witnessed. A Dr. D. Mackenzie is now holding meetings to cope with the overflow from Mr Dallimore’s mission, . and. is producing similar’ phenomena. As against this a Mr Melvin is holding also largely attended meetings'at which he contests some of the claims made by Mr Dallimore and maintains that the effects are produced by hypnotism only. And so .the discussion proceeds and iipparently ‘ without any chance of finality being reached. It would seem to the onlooker, tliyt it should be a simple matter to arrive at the actual truth as to, whether these cures are really genuine or not. But unfortunately Mr Dallimore will not assist in such investigation, and therefore, there ha* been' no definite pronouncement so far from the committee’ set up for that purpose. ** * * The news of the loss of the pew mission vessel, the Southern Cross,, caused considerable consternation amongst the many friends of tile Melanesian Mission. The later news that all officers and crew are safe, and that Captain Stanton is securing a. small ves-sel-to salvage what can he secured from the wreck is somewhat reassuring ; also that the vessel was covered by insurance to the extent of £21,000. But unfortunately a large quantity of furniture, clothing and personal effects or the missioners are almost certain to be lost, and these were not covered by insurance. Also a number of valuable gifts for the church and hospital, “‘tuck boxes” and Christmas presents as generously donated and eageily looked forward to by the missioners and the natives will in all probability now never reach their destination. r Io make matters worse there "was au acute shortage of food at Malaiti, as a plague of rats had destroyed the native food and it is said that some ol the native children were dying ol starvation. Needless, to say, however, the mission authorities immediately cabled Sydney to have stores «ent across. The distribution throughout the inlands will however, he a matter o> difficulty until another vesel or vesse s can be'obtained to replace the lnm little motor vacht which unfortunate y met disaster at the very 'cutset of her career. ** * » When the slaughtermen went out on Strike up here, and outside labour had to be put on, the management of the Westfield Freezing Works introduced a new system, by which skilled labour is largely superseded. Under the ot system individual slaughtermen carried out the complete operations of killing, skinning and dressing, and to become proficient in all these operations would take some months of training. Now by the introduction of machinery, each 'animal passes through the hands’ of about IS men, each performing one operation, ft is sniff the resu t is in every way satisfactory. The men employed are paid 2/6 an houi. o. are given the option of working together •n a gang and sharing the usual slaughtering rates. It appears as though those who threw up their jobs will have little chance of getting them iain.

' It, will have been noticed that sterling is rising again in America. I referred to the sensational fal , and its consequences, /in i»,y last c ei. / more convincing illustration of the cvi K of gambling in exchange could hardly be given than the quotatmns during the past, few weeks M hen Government checked for a tew months this tendency in New Zealand by assisting the hanks to stabilize at ten per cent. it w.as accused of robbm<r t je f run or nnd quite an interesting little political propaganda was worked. )\«} when the restriction was remomd the excluince rate remained practically un- , nged. The only ones who really suffered were the prospective sncdlato s tin, were deprived of the opportunity of making their ‘'mho