Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17689, 29 July 1919, Page 4

The mails which loft New Zealand on June 7 arrived in London on July 18. The southern portion of the Ruapehu's draft was to leave Wellington by the Maori last night, and is expected to reach hero to-morrow evening. There are 12 details threw sisters, and 10 wives for destinations beyond. Dunedin.

The consignment vof local mail matter by the Ruapehu consists of 31 bags from London, three from Glasgow, two from Edinburgh, . and seven from Liverpool. There are also 14 bags of parcels from London. The letter portion of the mail will arrive in Dunodin to-night, and will be delivered on Wednesday morning. The newspaper portion will arrive on Wednesday night for delivery on Thursday morning.

The City Fire Brigade received a call at 7.15_ last night to a chimney fire in a house in Tennyson street. The brigade quickly extinguished the outbreak, no damage being done.

As showing the mildness of the present winter season Mr Clark, of Leith Valley, has forwarded to this office a branch of wattle in full bloom. He says that the first blooms were noticed on July 27 and that the blooming was a fortnight earlier than last year. Quito 50 per cent, of the passengers who arrived in Dunedin by the through trains from the north and south last night were women. Most of them were carrying a large quantity of luggage, indicating probably that thejj had travelled some distance. One of these passengers, when spoken to by a Daily Times reporter, stated that she was on holiday bent, and took the opportunity of setting out on her holiday " beforo things got worse." When asked how she expected to get back when the increased restrictions were in operation she said the department would be compelled to carry her on the return journey seeing that no restrictions were placed on her setting out She stated further that a good many who were her travelling companions were in exactly the same position; they, too, apprehended no difficulty in completing the return journey. Mr Justice Sim will arrive in Dunedin from Wellington to-night, and will preside over a Banco and a Chambers sitting tomorrow. Next Tuesday tho quarterly criminal sittings of the Supreme Court will bo commenced. So far tho following cases have been set down for hearing:—Robert Henry Pobar and May Faithful, theft; Alexander Valentino Walquist and John Joseph M'Luskey,, arson; Charles James •Arnold, theft; Michael Jones, indecent assault; Victor Fanning Fraser Kett, indecent assault; George Ewing Garland, theft from the person. Wifliam Baker and Henry Gordon, on charges of breaking and entering at Oamaru, are awaiting sentence. Mr T. R. Fleming (Chief Inspector of Schools) will deliver a public lecturo tomorrow night, under tho auspices of th"o Empire League, in tho upper Oliver class room, Otago University. Mr Fleming's subject will be "Some Educational Aims: To-day and To-morrow." All thoughtful and earnest men are turning their attention just now to the question of education, realising, as it has never realised before, that if the world is to progress it must be as tho result of a sane, practical, and enlightened educational system. Old methods are yielding place to new, and it rests with the people as a whole to devise the means for putting the current ideas into practical shape. Mr Fleming, who is an acknowledged autltority on matters pertaining to education, will cover ground which is important to every person in the community. More than ordinary interest is being attached to tho proposed reinstatement of Professor von Sodlitz to the chair of modern languages at Victoria College, Wellington, and at the meeting of the Wanganui Borough Council to-night a motion protesting against tho reappointment is to bo made. Professor von Sodlitz is now residing at Wanganui, and the principal of one of the local boarding schools has asked the mover of the proposed motion to consider the following facts: —(1) Professor von Sodlitz is not a German subject, and owns no allegiance to Germtny; (2) he had on no occasion asked to bo allowed to leavo tho dominion in order to fight for Germany; (3) the professor's mother was an Englishwoman, and his -vife is a Now Zealander, two of whose brothers have lost their lives fighting for us; (4) ho was educated at an English preparatory school, at an English public school, and an English university, and he has been a master at an English preparatory school and at a famous Scotch ecbool; (5) he came to New Zealand at the invitation of the Seddon Government to take tho chair of modern languages at Victoria College; (6) ho was assured by tho then High Commissioner that tho position was not subject to political interference and that he could hold it during good conduct; (7) although this assurance was given it has not been kept; (8) that tho professor was examined by the Aliens' Commission and people wbo woto bitterly opposed to him wero most carefully and thoroughly •juestioned, and that the commission found nothing in the evidence to cast a doubt on his loyalty; (9) that on three separate occasions ho volunteered for active servico with our Expeditionary Fowse.

A Press Association telegram from Auckland stataj thiit tho Maluira did not bring any English mail matter t-lils- trip, but she carried a heavy American mail. A few of the soldiors in the Duncdin Hospital paid a visit to their comrades at Karita.no yesterday, and were- entertained by Mr Quill (tho officer in cliargo of the institution). The party was taken out in a motor launch by Mr QuiJl and Mr Johnston, tho latter presenting the guests with a considerable number of crayfish for tho Hospital.

Mention was made at List night's meeting of the Returned Soldiers' Association of the inconvenience occasioned by tho railway restrictions to soldiers who had settled on the land. Tho settlers were unablo to got necessary commodities to their holdings, and unable to get their stock to the markets, with the result that they could not tako advantage of tho high prices ruling. It waa pointed out that while commercial houses were catered for such conveniences were not shared by tho farming community. Soldwrs who wcro trying to make tho most of their sections were handicapped unduly liefore they had become securely established. The utmost pressure .should be brought to bear upon tho department in tho direction of having the service restored to tbs normal. The secretary of the association stated that ho had just received unsatisfactory replies from the Railway Department with regard to the amelioration of present conditions. It was decided that the Government be urged to consider tho practicability of running goods trains on local coal to the backblockß will non-perishablo goods.

A Press Association. messago from Wellintgon states that Mr J. P. Luke, M.P., has received a communication from Mr M'Villy (general manager of railways) stating that tb/3 employees of the Railway Department who were absent from their duties during the influenza epidemic for the purpose of nursing their .own families or others, or acting as voluntary workers, will receive full pay for tho time lost.

Commenting upon tho recent appeal for funds for' a Memorial Club, the chairman of the Returned Soldiers' Association, speaking at last night's meeting of the association, upbraided members upon their lack of activity in their own interests. He stated that if the soldiers expected to attain tho sum aimed at it was incumbent upon them to exert every endeavour towards that end. The work of collecting devolved upon 20 or 30 members. Soldiers were prone to wait upon the public to bo spoon fed, and those by whom they were spoon fed would eoon grow tired of doing what the soldiers should do themselves.

Tho report submitted by the Gas Committco to last night's meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council showed that a catastrophe in the thriving. little town was narrowly averted by the loyalty of one council employee. The report stated: — "The works have been short of one stoker since last Monday week, and therefore a lot of heavy work had to be done to keep the holder floating, which cannot be done with one stoker. He put in 22 hours "Si one day, otherwise the town would have been in darkness during peace celebrations. Ho has also been stoking until another man can be procured." The chief officer of the Westmoreland, in conversation with a Daily Times reporter yesterday, gave some remarkable facts concerning himself and others employed on the vessel. Chief Officer R. M'Nish (who, it. has been reported will be gazetted D.5.0.) and the third and fourth officers (Mr Harris and Mr Goldsmith) have all been prisoners of war in the hands of the Huns, as have two of the crew; while quite a representative number of the latter have been on active service as soldiers or sailors. Mr M'Nish was chief officer of the Otaki, when, at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, 1917, the Otaki first sighted the vessel which afterwards proved to be tho übiqitous Moewe. When the latter vessel was within a .mile of the Otaki she opened fire, and the Otaki's crew were immediately ordered to the boats and her guns manned. Although it was soon obvious that she was outclassed her gunners got in some good shooting. Within a quarter of an hour Captain Smith, in command of the Otaki, reluctantly orders to cease fire to afford tho crew an opportunity to get away on her remaining throe boats; two had already been smashed by gun fire, and a large hole had been torn in her hull on the port side. Unfortunately, after the injured men had been assisted into lifebelts and otherwise cared for, and tho boats had got clear of the einiing ship, it was found that Captain Smith was missing. Mr M'Nish and the carpenter expected him to follow them over the side on the last of three lines which they had attached to the rails for the final eventuality. •He was last seen by Mr M'Nish standing by his line at the rail with Ilia life-saving waistcoat on, •and evidently ready to follow them as they had arranged. The vessel went down shortly afterwards, and after drifting about for three-quarters of an hour Mr M'Nish and the carpenter were picked up by the Moewe. The Moewe then showed that she had been hit by seven shells from the Otaki, and was on fire. It took 36 hours to get the fire under control. _Mr M'Nish refers to the condition while on their way to Kiel as shocking. Although he also was reported "killed" was able, after making a round of six different prison camps in Germany to report himself to his father as ' very much alive' at Karlsruhe, from where he| was released in December of last year.

The organisation of tile South Island Main Trunk Hallway League was advanced at a meeting at which it was reported that a satisfactory working arrangement had been made with tho Marlborough Chamber of Commerce to avoid clashing with the hitter's "Advance Marlborough" campaign. The agreement (says tho Blenheim corns spondent of tho Christchurch Press) provides for the following programme : Urging on the Government the borrowing of £10,000,000 for the completion of the main trunk railways within 10 years, the more important lines to be undertaken with a view to their construction in five yearsadvocating that if tho supply of labour necessary to this objective is found to bo inadequate, it bo supplemented by means of an immigration policy; and aiming at joint action with Canterbury for the simultaneous and early completion of the Otira tunnel and South Island Trunk railway. An executive was set up to formulate the plan of campaign, which -will probably include a large deputation to Wellington at about the time of tho jwsembling of Parliament. Tho feeling locally is that the projects which come under the definition of the more important trunk lines are the Otira tunnel line, tlio connection of Picton and Christchurch, and tho East Coast line in the North Island.

With reference to the completion of tho Oulverden-Waiau railway (says tho Lytir>lton Times) Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P. for Hurunui, recently 6cnt the following telegram to Sir William Fraser, Minister of Public Works:—"When will your department have Waiau railway finished? Tho settlers during war period have been very patient with delay, but they are anxious now for completion." The Minister has replied as follows:—"Ro Waiau railway, tho buildings are all finished, also the line, except tho final ballasting. The difficulty in regard to tho latter is the impossibility of procuring another plato-laying gang, without whoso services more rasn cannot bo employad. The district engineer expects to complete the work with the present gang in November."

The military authorities supply the Christchurch Press with the following: Sorrw time in -1917, Charles Philip Welch, of Kaiapoi, entered an Expeditionary Force reinforcement camp, being pas3?d by the medical officer as fit At that time he complained of intestinal troubles, such as indigestion, but there appeared to bo nothing seriously wrong with him. Ho reported sick in camp on two occasions, but thero was no indication of anything being wrong with him. Ho then departed and fled to tho backblocks, where the trouble he -was suffering from was aggravated. Ho then went to hia homo, whore ho is at present suffering from a very malignant disease and is dangerously ill. His sister made application on his behalf to have his name removed from tho defaulters' list, and the case -was submitted to tho Minister of Defence, who has given instructions as a special act of gracs that Welch's name bo removed from the list. The Minister has done this under tho power conferred upon him by section 10 of tho Military Service Act.

The rationing of butter by tho local dairy factory companies cam© into force hi Invorcargill yesterday (says our correspondent). The manager of one company told a reporter that on July 21 there were oniv 21,609 boxes of butter in sloro in tho dominion. Tlra weekly withdrawals, ho said-averaged from 11,000 to 12.000 boxis. so that there waa only sufiicient in store on that basis to keep the country supplied for a fortnight. Southland has experienced a vary bad season, and the output of tbo witter factories is only about half of that for the previous year, so that tho province is somewhat seriously affected. Although the general rationing has just boon introduced one company has been carrying out the scheme in connection with its customers for over a week. The rationing means the cutting down of tho norma supply to customers.by two-thirds.

Coal Shortage—Train Shortage. Yee and also a shortage of Harley-David=or'i Motor Cycles. Order yours to-day, or you writ bo disappointed again.—Particulars from }\. A Justice and Co., 290 Princes street, Dunedm.—Advt.

Best Coir Matting, 18in, Is lid; 27in Zs lid; 36m, 3s lid yard; 36in, .bordered 4s lid yard.—At Mollisons Sale.—Advt

A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist. Bank of Australasia corner of Bond and Rattrav streets (next Telegraph Office). Teienhone" IcS* " Advt

Never let a day pass without telling one about the wonderful labour-saving and perfect cleansing qualities of "No Laundry Help. Price Is packet—sufficient ior seven weekly family washings.— Youn" and Anderson, Moray place.—Advt. °

Electriclncandescent.Lamps, Drawn Wir* Metallic Filament. Philips Manufacture 16' &>, 3'< d, and 50 candle-power. Prioe *g each Special terms for quantity ordere.l lurnbull and Jones (Ltd.). Electric Eneineers.—Advt .. **

Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, for Cougns and Colds, npver fails.—Advt. Whisky perfection—Watsbn'B No. 10 the favourite of all who know. Order it.—Advt. Eyestrain S-Consult Mr Peter G. Dick! J.8.0.A., F. 1.0. (London), consulting and oculists optician.—Peter Dick, jeweler" etc 4SO iloray place. Dunedin.—Advt '