NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

QUANTS from the Minister of Internal Affairs from the profits available from art unions have again provided the bulk of the funds to carry on the work of the Mayor's Relief organisation. The total amount received from this source is £5057. as compared with £3399 in 1938-39. Other donations have amounted to £BO. The goods supplied by the organisation include coal, men’s and women's boots and shoes, clothing, etc. The coal sold at subsidised prices totalled 18,575 bags and 789 bags were issued to necessitous cases. . City Finances The estimated receipts of the general account of the city of Dunedin for the year 1940-41 is stated in the annual report of the council to be £273,944. The estimated expenditure is set down at the same figure. Dunedin Artists Praised Two Dunedin artists were invited this year to exhibit with the 1940 Group, of Christchurch, representing the modern movement in art in New Zealand. Mr R. N. Field’s work receives its usual tribute, and the critic of the Press especially welcomes the exhibits in pictures and sculpture of Colin McGahon, which are described as perhaps the most striking feature of the exhibition. The selection shews both ability and versatility, it is stated, and his use of colour is characterised as sure, occasionally striking and original New Dwellings One hundred and forty-nine new dwellings exclusive of Government houses, were erected in the city of Dunedin for the year which ended on March 31. Five of these cost over £6OO and up to £700; six, £7OO to £800; 19, £BOO to £900; 19, £9OO to £1000; 98, £IOOO to £2000; one, up to £3OOO, and one over £3OOO.

Prayers at Council Meeting A prayer was offered by Archdeacon A. J. Petrie at the opening of the last meeting of the Akaroa Borough Council. At its previous meeting the council decided that prayers should be offered before the business was begun, and the clergy of the district were asked to compose suitable prayers. Those submitted by Father O’Meeghan and Archdeacon Petrie were considered the most suitable, and as it was Archdeacon Petrie’s last attendance as a councillor, the Mayor (Mr F. R. E. Davis) asked him to offer the prayer which he had written.

Corporation Insurance Fund The insurance funds of the City Corporation advanced during the year by £953 I4s, making a total of £102,201 4s lid as at March 31, 1940. No premiums were paid into the fund so that the increase is the surplus of interest earned over claims and charges paid. Students and Territorial Service A number of students of the University of Otago, including medical and dental students, have as a result of the recent ballot, been called up for territorial training. The degree examination for these students is to take place in November, and if they are unable to sit for this examination they will lose the benefit of their year’s work. Such students are recommended to forward particulars of their cases to the registrar of the University of Otago, so that if good reason is shown an application may be made to the Manpower Committee for their territorial training to be postponed until the degree examinations are completed. Town Hall and Concert Chamber The receipts from the letting of the Town Hall and the Concert Chamber for the year ended March 51 came to £3371 Is 4d (an advance of £62 Is 4d on the previous year) and the expenditure to £2259 17s (a decrease of £247 3s). The surplus for the year was £llll 4s 4d, as compared with £BO2 for 1938-39 and £956 for 1937-38. 1937-38. Permits to Supply Water Such is the all-embracing nature of the Export Prohibition Emergency Regulations, 1939, that it is even necessary to obtain a permit to supply overseas ships with water. The Lyttelton Borough Council was advised of this fact in a letter received from the Collector of Customs at Christchurch (Mr C. O. Eyre), who added that British ships could be supplied with water pending the obtaining of a permit, but in the case of all other overseas ships a permit was first necessary. Water was not exactly an export, but came under the category of ships’ stores, Mr Eyre explained later. The prohibition was a war measure about which he could not say much, apart from pointing out that all ships’ stores were controlled and water was a store.

Signal Hill Memorial According to the annual report of the activities of the City Council for the year the sum of £8250 has been allocated for the completion of the memorial, this amount including the contract let to the Love Construction Company at £5731. At the present time the arrival of a piece of stone from Castle Rock, Edinburgh, is awaited for incorporation in the memorial for suitable direction finders, historical panels, etc.

City Rateable Value The total rateable value of the city of Dunedin is now £1,368,446, which amount is £1204 above the previous peak year of 1931. The non-rateable property in the city amounts to £201,038, and is spread over the various Government departments, and educational, local authority, religious and sports bodies. “ Business as Usual ” “All safe so far. Business as usual,’’ stated a cablegram received by Mr L. J. Chambers, of Auckland, from a London firm to whom he had sent a trade inquiry, adding a message of good wishes and sympathy for the ordeal which Londoners are passing through. Proof that business was as usual was indicated by the fact that the London firm’s reply came three days after the message had been sent. Details of price and stocks available of the commodity inquired about were forwarded. The London firm added appreciation for the good wishes. Advice for Soldiers

A suggestion put forward at the last meeting of the South Canterbury Returned Soldiers’ Association, that small groups of reputable businessmen should be set up in every centre to assist departing soldiers in an advisory capacity in the matter of the disposal of their assets and chattels has been accepted by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. According to a letter read at a meeting of the South Canterbury body, this week, headquarters has approved the suggestion, and is forwarding it to all associations in, the Dominion for consideration, with a view to adoption. Education Problem

“The people of America have a tremendous education problem arising from the mixed nationalities of the children,” said Mr E. Partridge, senior inspector of schools for Southland, in the course of an address at the weekly luncheon of the Invercargill Rotary Club. He said that in some of the schools in the States special classes had to be held to teach the children English. He had been surprised to find a somewhat similar state of affairs in Canada. In one school in Toronto there was only one British-born child in a class of 47. The Strathcona School, Vancouver, had 1400 pupils representing 32 nationalities. There were 600 Japanese, 300 Chinese and 150 Italians. The school council, on which children sat, was a miniature League of Nations, with eight nationalities represented. Farmers and Production

Indemnification against losses caused through over-production of produce grown as a war effort is not favoured by the National Council of Primary Production, according to a letter received by the South Canterbury District Council from the Director of Primary Production (Mr R. B. Tennent). The following remit was sent recently to the National Council from South Canterbury;—“ That this council desires information regarding the attitude of the Government to the growers of any line of primary produce in which there is an over-production and what steps are to be taken to avoid losses to these growers.” The director replied that the council could not support such a remit because of the universal risks arising out of war conditions undertaken by the whole community, of which farmers were only a part. It was felt that secondary industries, no less than farmers, were being asked to take steps which might possibly involve a considerable loss. It was being realised that such risks were incidental to patriotism, and it was regretted that the council was unable to support the remit.

Dispersal of Territorial* ' The Mayor of Auckland (Sir Ernest Davis) on Monday telegraphed to the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) urging that the dispersal orders under which the First Battalion. Auckland Regiment, dispersed to civilian life on Tuesday should be cancelled, and that fresh plans should be made for the utilisation of the services of the battalion for home defence purposes. “ 1 can speak only as a layman, but I feel I would be failing in my duty if I did not indicate to the Government my belief that it would be ill-advised to disperse the unit now that it has been made a compact fighting force, and now that New Zealand’s traditional immunity from attack is no longer remote,” said Sir Ernest. The country had been put to the expense of training the battalion at war establishment, and it seemed illogical that with all ranks at the highest pitch they should now be dispersed. Apart from the difficulties inevitably associated with the return of the men to industry, sight should not be lost of the fact that the First Battalion, as the city's own infantry fortress unit, was Auckland’s first line cf defence against an invader.

The auction sale of mining plant at Fifty-five Gold Mine. Ltd., Tuapeka Mouth, has been postponed to a date to be advertised in the near future.

The annual spring show of the Taieri Horticultural Society will be held on Saturday at Mosgiel. Entries will be accepted on Thursday evening at Britannia Cafe. On Saturday evening a demonstration will be given on “ How to prepare a seed box.” The proceeds will go to the local Red Cross Fund. Coftee for breakfast. Order trom your grocer a tin of “ Bourbon,” the coffee of quality. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by Durie's, Coffee Specialists. 32 Octagon. Dunedin.— Advt.