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Southland Times, Issue 18837, 2 June 1920, Page 4

A meeting of those who arc interested in the revival of the Competitions will be held in Allen’s Hall on Friday next, not on Thursday as previously advertised.

It is freely reported (says the Otaki Mail) that a district resident who recently disposed of a farm, which he had held for only about 18 months, cleared a neat £BOOO by the bargain.

It is reported that several Wellington wholesale firms are now unloading stocks of drap?i*y and hoots tit considerably reduced prices. It is stated that this is in view of the drop in prices in America and Britain.

Sheep lifting is still being bitterly complained of by a number of settlers in the Ekctahuna district (states (he Express). Some of these recently discussed the matter of forming a Vigilance Committee. The losses in some instances have been considerable.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that what is believed to be a record price for any land sold in the city has just been paid by the Union Bank of Australia, namely. £503 a foot. The land has a 45 foot frontage to Lambton Quay, with a depth of about 50 feet.

Coal mining developments (stales the Greymouth Star) are proceeding apace in that district. Applications have lately been lodged for coal areas near th? Wallsend field. The owner of the Dobson field has arranged to develop his field at Stillwater.

Many newspapers and financial men deplore the speculative nature of land purchases now being made (writes a correspondent of the Palmerston North Times.) If it were made clear that the income tax upon all such profits must be paid, the possible payment of 7s 6d in the £ would have an immediate effect.

For some time past very little work has been done by the Wellington Corporation staff, and big works in progress have been stopped altogether. The reason is the shortage of cement, the city riot receiving oven enough for maintenance works. Private contractors also are seriously handicapped by the shortage. The Swift-sure, a new motor launch, arrived at Kaikoura recently from Picton to engage in whaling operations. The launch is constructed on. the “V” bottom principle, and has engines of 45 horse-power, which develop a speed of 18 knots. She is filled with the latest harpoon gun, an apparatus for lifting whales and a searchlight.

Three hundred pounds per head was demanded by a shipping company from (he Queensland Government during the recent shipping strike for the proposed transportation of three lepers from Cairns to Brisbane. The Government accepted the offer, although still considering it too high. It is, however, cheaper than continuing the present arrangements at Cairns.

The shortage of printing paper has now made itself felt in the Government Printing Office, Wellington. The current issue of the Gazette has attached to it a tag stating that owing to the shortage of papex a recent issue of the Gazette, No. 47, giving a list of teachers holding certificates or licenses, and a general grading list of teachers, has been distributed only to those specially concerned.

From a statement by Sir William Herries, Minister of Labour, it appears that nine dwellings have been completed and that 191 are in course of erection. Tenders have been received for 127, and 609 more are in contemplation. Bo far the chief difficulty had not been labour, but materials. With regard to present contracts builders are being assisted with materials, but in future works contractors, it is hoped, will find timbers, etc.

The Postmaster-General has received from the journalists representing the British and Australian Press, who accompanied the Prince of Wales in his tour of the dominion, in a letter acknowledging with gratitude the admirable facilities afforded them by the Department, and the unvarying courtesy and readiness to assist them shown by all its officers with whom they came in contact. The journalists added an expression of their thanks, particularly to the senior telegraph officer, who was detailed to accompany them on their tour, and attend to their telegraph requirements.

A novel plea was made by Mr P. J. Amodco at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court on Saturday in asking the Magistrate, Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., to give another chance to a man who had pleaded guilty to three breaches of a prohibition order. “It was his birthday' yesterday,” said Mr Amodeo, “and he suggests that your Worship might give him another chance as a birthday present.” The Magistrate apparently thought the suggestion an appropriate one for he remarked that there was no reason why accused should not have another chance and ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon.

The jubilee of Invercargill as a corporation will be celebrated next year and the Mayor mentioned the matter at last night’s Town Council meeting, stating that arrangements would have to be put in hand if the celebration was going to be the success it deserved to be. He suggested that a big exhibition of Southland’s produce and manufactures should be held. The month of the celebrations would probably he August as that was the month in which the first municipal elections were held. The present Council would be out of office, but if should have things in readiness to enable the incoming council to carry on without any confusion.

The manufacture of cement in Southland was advocated by Councillor McDonald at hist night’s meeting of the Town Council. He said that they had in Southland all the necessary ingredients for the manufacture of cement and he moved that the Government be urged to investigate the possibilities of manufacturing cement in Southland. They produced good bricks, but bricks alone were useless without mortar. Councillor Lillicrap, in seconding the motion, said that the Government should encourage local industry in every possible way, not only with cement, but with other commodities as well. The motion was carried.

On being asked by a Post reporter at Wellington last week as to what use is likely to be made in future of the military hospitals established throughout the country Brigadier-General McGavin, Director-General of Medical Services, stated that the policy had already been decided upon that as the number of patients in the military hospitals diminished the beds that thus became vacant would be made available to civilian patients sent in under arrangements with the Health Department. At present the Trentham, Rotorua, and Pukeroa hospitals were able to take in a number of civilian patients. The cost of these, of course, would be born by the Health Department.

Lieutenant C. R. Pratt, who left New Zealand with the Main Body, and saw service in Egypt, Palestine, and on Gallipoli, is returning to the dominion. Lieutenant Pratt, after receiving his commission, was transferred to the Royal Air Force and subsequently appointed to the fiosition of instructor, and in that capacity was responsible for the training of a number of New Zealand airmen. Lieutenant Pratt intends bringing several aeroplanes with him for commercial flying (says the Auckland Star) but is at present delayed in Australia, where he is conducting a series of flights. He is interesting himself in the suggested flight from Australia to New Zealand, and if the conditions are suitable will probably attempt to make the passage across the Tasman Sea.

At last night’s meeting of the Town Council the tender of Messrs Fraser and Co. of £lls for tbs erection of a memorial tablet in the Town Hall for the municipal employees who served in the war was accepted.

A Christchurch Press Association telegram states that the polling yesterday for the vacant seat on the City Council resulted as follow: Edgar F. Stead (Citizens’ Association) 745; C. Renn (Labour), 364; R. Hoppy, 83.

A resident of the borough who has been in the habit of helping himself to his neighbours’ wood was on Friday evening seen leaving a backyard with two or three days’ supply. We should advise him to mend his ways, or he will in time be chopping wood for the Government.—Western Star.

A big private sale of fat stock was recently made by Messrs J. G. Ward and Co., Ltd., when they disposed of 60 head of prime bullocks fattened by the Borstal Institute on the State farm to Messrs J. L. Hannon and Co. The price obtained was £25 per head ami the line was one of the best sold in Southland for many years, demonstrating the quality of land that is being reclaimed.

The much discussed Saturday half-holi-day was again before the Town Council at its meeting last night, when the Stratford Borough Council wrote asking for the Council’s support of a proposal lor a universal Saturday half-holiday. Councillor Freddy, the champion of the Saturday half-holiday in Invercargill, moved that the council support the universal Saturday half-holiday, and the motion was carried unanimously.

The meeting of the Repatriation Committee yesterday was attended by Messrs M. Thompson (chairman), C. E. Borne, J. Taylor, R. A. Anderson, J. Alsweiler, A. McKenzie, W. D, Burn, J. S. Baxter and C. S. Longuet. Six applications for furniture loans totalling £425 were granted and two applications for the payment of fees to soldiers desiring to take a correspondence course were also approved. Of four applications for business loans, three for amounts totalling £420 were granted and the other was held over pending further inquiries.

A New Zealand soldier, now' resident in Australia, has written to the Mayor of Christchurch complaining that be is unable to obtain the benefits of the land settlement policy in the absence of a parchment of discharge. He was two years in camp and was discharged for heart strain, caused in dealing with a fire in camp. He received a certificate of leave of absence and was discharged by Gazette notice. The Mayor has handed the matter on to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. G. Coates).

In his report to the Town Council last night, the Borough Inspector, Mr W. Rennie, stated that the sanitaiy arrangements of the city was in good condition, and the city was never more clean than at present. He further stated that 72 notifications of influenza had been received by the health authorities up to May 27, and he recommended that all children under 14 years should be prohibited from attending picture shows and similar entertainments until the influenza outbreak lessened. It was decided to forward a copy of the report to the Health Department.

Law practitioners’ societies in various parts of New Zealand have recently drawn the attention of the Government to the question of pay for Judges and Magistrates (says the Wellington Post). They have urged that if the best men are to be induced to accept these important positions the salary scale, which has not been reviewed for very many years years, must be taken into consideration. At present Judges receive a salary of £IBOO a year, except the Chief Justice, whose salary is £2OOO. Magistrates are paid £7OO a year, with an addition of £IOO for the senior Magistrate in the four chief centres. To alter the scale legislation will be required, and it is probable that some proposals in this direction will be placed before Parliament next session.

The question of the clothing of the boys at the Auckland Grammar School was discussed last week by the Grammar Schools Board. The members agreed that “shorts” were inadequate during the winter time, as the resulting exposure to cold might sow the seeds of rheumatism or other disease. It was decided that the chairman should confer with the headmaster, Mr J. W. Tibbs, on the matter. A member also raised the question of headgear worn during the summer time. He said that the “oyster shell” caps were a menace in that they exposed the nerve centres to risk of meningitis. The chairman, Professor A. P. W. Thomas, suggested the adoption of a slouch hat, similar to that worn by boy scouts. The matter was referred to the chairman and the headmaster to report to the board.

Sketch plans for a new Girls’ College were submitted to the Wellington College Board of Governors last Friday. The new building, which will ultimately provide accommodation for 600 to 650 pupils, is estimated to cost £IOO,OOO. It is to be erected on the Wellington College Reserve close by the Observatory, which is to be moved to another site. The College is to have a handsome two-storey frontage facing down Austin street and commanding a fine view of the harbour. There will also be a very good two-storey elevation looking towards Adelaide road. At first, stated the chairman (Mr W. F. Ward), it was proposed to build sufficient classrooms for 350 girls, the present excess at the Girls’ College being now 200. The plans, which were unanimously approved by the Board, are subject to approval also by' the Education Department.

Touching on the necessity of the recent building restrictions, the Minister of Labour (Sir William Herries), in a statement covering the Government’s housing activities, states “there has not, up to the present, been any great difficulty in obtaining sufficient building trade labour for dwellings in hand, the chief difficulty—as already stated —being the obtaining of materials. It is obvious, however, that if the Department is to proceed with further dwellings ns allocated the difficulty will arise both in obtaining contractors to build the dwellings and also the necessary workmen. A case in point, occurred recently at Fcilding, where a builder was about to commence a picture theatre, whilst at the same time the Department was unable to secure a builder to erect dwellings in that town. In this case, the builder was most anxious to discontinue work on the picture theatre and to erect workers’ dwellings instead. He has since submitted a satisfactory tender to erect dwellings in Feilding and Palmerston North. This emphasises the necessity to provide restrictions on the erection of non-essential buildings such as picture theatres, billiard saloons, racecourse stands, etc. Everything possible is being done to speed up the work at present in hand and to complete arrangements for the erection of additional dwellings.

The influence of psychology upon criminal impulse was touched upon to an interesting degree during the hearing of a case in the Brisbane Supreme Court (says the Sydney Morning Herald). Counsel for the defence set up a plea of insanity and called medical evidence to support the line of reasoning, which based itself chiefly upon the mental after effects of an attack of influenza. Dr Ellcrton, acknowledged to be an Australian authority on diseases of the brain, advanced the view that the accused acted instinctively without being able to control the impulse. He differentiated between iitipulse and voluntary action. He held psychology had a most important bearing on crime, and suggested that many men had been sent to gaol when an asylum for the insane would have been a more logical destination. “Your argument, then,” said his Honour, “is that the world has been sending poor devils to prison all these years when they should have been confined to an asylum.” The reply was, “Many doctors who have made a study of the subject bold opinions to that effect.” In answer to the Crown Prosecutor, Dr Ellerton proffered the suggestion that in cases similar to the one on trial a jury of experts would be desirable.” “No doubt you would take a favourable view of that kind of jury, doctor,” remarked the Crown Prosecutor, “but I rather think the only person who would agree with you is yourself,”

When speaking in the discussion on children’s footwear at last night’s meeting of the Town Council the Mayor said that in conversation with a working man who was purchasing boots, he was informed by the purchaser that he had carefully kept a check of his expenditure, and that for his wife and family victuals alone cost £2 7s 3d per week. The weekly wage earned was £3 ss, and that did not leave the workman a very big balance to buy necessary clothing.

Wellington is still trying to persuade itself it has no slums (says the Auckland Star’s "special”) but Mr Leigh Hunt, who accompanied a photographer, engaged in taking a series of moving pictures, must have knocked the last prop from its selfcomplacency by bis account of what he saw during his tour. “We went into Una street,” he told the Hataitai Electors’ Association. "and there chanced to be two or three children playing about. One was -a little girl carrying a Ijaby. The girl herself had sores all over her face and her eyes were ninning. The baby was an 'absolute bag of bones —starvation was written all over it. Next to the girl was a littlis boy, and he was an idiot. A still smaller child had only a singlet on, and was covered with filth and dirt.” And this is the capital city of the Dominion!

The Levin Chronicle says that the Kuku Maori community has been stirred by the recovery' of two valuable whalebone mefes buried for many years. The paper relates that they were discovered by the aid'of a Native woman, Mrs Takuracgi, wife ol the Hon. Te Hcu Tukino,‘ M.L.C., "who claims to possess powers of divination. This scene was laid off the main Kuku road, and a few hundred yards to the rear of Mr Pink’s residence. Leading a procession of about 120 persons, the chief actor took a course for some distance through the bush and then over some maize cultivations and again entered a bush pathway, which eventually reached a stagnant, weed-covered watercourse. Here she halted and placing a stick in the ground at the water’s edge, declared that the lost meres would be found there. A spade was procured and on digging down to a depth of about 2ft the meres were unearthed. Mr Robert Mansfield, of Manakau, one of the oldest natives of this coast, recounted some particulars concerning the long-lost patua. He stated that the weapons w'ere owned by their ancestors, Koroniria and Paretiwhana, who buried the meres to prevent their being lost, but prior to their deaths did not inform their descendants of the hiding-place. The patus were formerly weapons of war, and, being tapu, were greatly treasured. It was believed that the loss of the patus had acted detrimentally to the well-being of the later generations of the former chieftain owners, hence the desire to recover them and break the evil spell.

Keep baby contented and happy in a “Babinest” swing! These perfect swings are made of strong wicker, padded and lined, and make a “comfy” nest for baby. They are absolutely safe, being suspended by four strong leather straps and fitted with a spring to give an added up and down motion. A wonderful help in “minding” baby. Price, 25/-. Posted everywhere 1/- extra. Hyndman’s, Dee street, Invercargill.

The beautiful showing of Eiderdown Quilts at THOMSON & BEATTIE’S has created a very favourable impression, which is no wonder as there are fully 300 to select from. All sizes from Pram to double-bed sizes. Prices from 6/9 to 13 guineas. Quilts from such famous makers as McClintock’i, Woolvena and Velo form the great majority of the stock. See the window display—(Advt.)

Groceries—more Groceries —and still more Groceries at reduced prices at BAXTER’S, Dee street. — (Advt.)

Winter essentials for ladies and maids. PRICE & BULLEID, Ltd., have just opened a splendid assortment of warm Winter Gloves. Real Scotch Knit in grey and heather mixture; White Ringwood Gloves, all wool; Children’s White, Grey and Heather Wool Gloves in all sizes.—(Advt.)

Space necessarily precludes anything but a hint respecting our stocks, including the latest ideas in Veils and Veilings, Laces, Embroideries, etc. A comprehensive selection of these are on sale in our Fancy Department. Veiling novelties by parcel post in black, white, mole; navy, nigger, amethyst, purple and saxe,. in all the new and smart designs from \/Z, to 3/6 yard. Dainty coloured Netts in sky, pink, lemon and vieux rose, srpiirt for evening wear, all one price, 3/11 ysnd. Cream Nett in plain and spot, 2/9, 3/11, 5/6 yard. Just opened a very special selection of dainty Crochet Buttons and Drops, in cream, white, sky, nigger, vieux rose, jade, and black, from 1/6 to 3/11 dozen. A good selection of Buttons for costumes, coats, dresses, pyjamas, shirts, etc. Also Buttons covered to match any dress or costume by machine on the premises from 1/3 to 2/6 per dozen. Inspection invited at H. & J. SMITH, Ltd., Progressive Stores, Invercargill, and Gore. —{Advt.)

MASTERS, LTD., were the originators ot the 10 per cent, discount to returned sol* diets. Other storekeepers have copied us and we now go one better. We now invite all discharged soldiers and those waiting discharge to have their military hats reblocked, free of all cost, by the only hatter in Southland. We still give a 10 per cent, reduction to all returned soldiers.—* MASTERS. LTD.. Dee street.—(Advt.)

A Special Display of Exclusive Evening Frocks, Silk Dress Skirts and Blouses, now being made at THE “ECONOMIC,” Ladies* Outfitters. Prices exceedingly reasonable. (Advt.)

“Chance will not do the work.” (Scott). —No one can afford to take chances with health. Yet bow many during the Winter when coughs and colds are so dangerous, experiment with preparation after preparation. Take BAXTER'S Lung Preserver immediately and be sure. Mr 'Baxter did all the experimenting 54 years ago and now you can promptly remedy cough, cold, sore throat, chest and bronchial troubles. This sterling specific is quick in its action, permanent in its relief. Get large 2/6 bottle to-day from chemist or store.—(Advt.)

HATS for men, youths, and boys— a fine shewing of all the popular styles and value prices. UNDRILL’S, opp. P.o. (Advt.)

“Something worth talking about!” The marvellous way “NO RUBBING LAUNDRY HELP’ enables the washing to be done without any back-breaking rubbing. Avoid “Just-as-goods.” 1/- packet sufficient for 7or 8 washings.— (Advt.) Ready for instant use, “NAZOL” is ccro protection against coughs and colds. oO doses 1/6.—(Advt.) PROPORTION OF WORKING DAYS. At Glasgow recently an authority stated that the ratio of working days to days in commission for motor lorries was electric Do per cent., petrol 90 per cent., steam 85 per cent. You save money on maintenance alone by using “ORWELL” Electric Lorry. THE NEW ZEALAND EXPRESS CO, Ltd,. Sole Agents. — (Advt.)