TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 18838, 3 June 1920, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

That a modern pottery, according to western industrial ideas, is now in ojxiration in Nagoya means probably the beginning of the end of those busy Japanese communities, the pottery village. The end is far off, and the pottery villages, with their community kilns built on a hillside, one kiln above another, so that the heat of each kiln rises into the one above and prepares it for expeditious firing, will still for a long time continue to bake cups, saucers ami other tableware for the western nation..; but the rising cost of living in Japan will no doubt affect these community industries and lead more and more to the adoption of the factory system. The villager have been of slow growth and in them one finds potters of all kinds, from the man who makes some special article, which may nowadays be as amusing as a “Kewpie” or as useful as a porcelain insulator for a telephone pole, to the manufacturer with a company of subordinate workers and a more miscellaneous output. The war, when It stopped the making of toys for export in Germany, set many of the Japanese pottery villages making pottery toys,, of which the familiar “Kewpie" is perhaps the best known example. A single establishment in Soto is now said to turn out about 1000 kewpies a day and the world’s great miscellaneous supply of dolls is being steadily added to in nearly all the villages. Sometimes the members of one family make the moulds for pottery and another household makes the ware itself; and as the pottery goes out to the ultimate user it takes the name of the district with it, for the pottery of Japan has long been identified with the place where it was made. Satsuma ware, for example, comes from Satsuma; Imari ware from Imari and so on through the list of Japanese wares as they are known in the market place.

In a recent number of Stead’s Review, Mr J. D. Leckie, of Auckland, writes interestingly on the subject of currency deflation. He says that the adoption of an inconvertible paper currency has invariably been followed right through history by an immediate increase in the cost of living. During the Napoleonic wars the British Government authorised the Bank of England to suspend payment of its notes. The result was a great increase in the cost of living and the mutinies at Spithead and the Nore were the result. One of the causes of the French Revolution was the issue of an excess of paper money. It took

Britain twenty years to redeem all the paper money put in circulation in 1797, and the United States was fourteen years in redeeming “green backs” issued during the Civil war. There are three methods of deflating currency—repudiation, which is unthinkable; redemption, which, as has been indicated, is a lengthy process, and thirdly, the method adopted by the Argentine in 1899, the reconversion of paper money to a gold basis at the exchange rate of the day. In the cac-e of Argentina this was 44 cents gold to the paper do.lar. Combating the argument that this is partial repudiation, Mr Lcckie says that this view was not taken in South America by those most affected. The real repudiation has already taken place in the refusal of the banks to pay their own notes in gold. Mr Leckie adds that Brazil adopted the Argentine plan some years ago, and the value of the milreis rose from 6d to 14d with a corresponding decrease in the cost of living.

The Te Aroha Borough Council is nearly on its “uppers” financially. The clerk reported that the overdraft stood at £0999 anil the limit was £7OOO.

According to a review of the British labour situation by the London Economist, the peak of unemployment in England was reached in May, 1919, when the total of idle persons was reported as 1,033,400.

In illustration of the enormous growth of the demand for motor cars, (he San Franaisco Chamber of Commerce announces that the maker of a cheap hut famous type is now turning out 3000 per day, just three times as many as a year ago.

A proposition has been made for a party of Parliamentarians to visit the West Coast before the session opens, in order to gain first-hand knowledge of the mining industry, the conditions of work, the prospects for future development and cognate subjects.

At the Supreme Court at Wanganui on Tuesday (says a Press Association telcgrami Mrs Pearce, wife of Mr G. V. Pearce, formerly member for Patca, sued for divorce from her husband on the ground of misconduct. No evidence was offered on respondent’s behalf, and a decree nisi was granted with costs on the highest scale.

“Zamille,” writing to the Auckland Star, says: “I desire to announce that, spurred by the example of the ladies’ meeting re■luitly 1 have decided in future that I shall not pay more than 14 guineas for a suit of clothes, £2 10s for a hat, £3 for a pair of boots, 9d for a. cup of tea, and a shilling for a packet of cigarettes. The cost of living must be met by self-denial.”

A table in the Journal of Public Health -hows that for th month ended March 31 last 3930 cases of influenza were notified throughout the Dominion, a decrease of 2144 compared with the previous month, hut an increase of 3797 compared with the corresponding month of last year. Notifications since the commencement of the year total 11,010, compared with 11.035 for the corresponding period of the previous year.

In the course of an address recently given by (he Government Meteorologist of New South Wales, he said that a knowledge of ocean swells was important, as. it gave an indication of coming atmospheric disturbances. The commotion of the ocean was transferrer) more quickly than the disturbance itself, which moved at the rate of about 400) or 500 miles a day. Sometimes the ocean swell gave two days’ notice of the approach of a storm.

During the height of the storm on Saturday night, Mr F. Keost, of Lincoln, had a -tartling experience (states the Christchurch Press). After an electrical discharge there was a terrific explosion, which broke all the windows except one on the north-east side of the- house. There was a (rear tree just in front of the one which was left intact, and this must have saved it. On Mr Keast going out to investigate he noticed a strong smell of sulphur, but everything appeared to be as usual.

The naval adviser to the New Zealand Government, in a letter to the Christchurch branch of the Navy League, Hates that, it is proposed to commission the Philomel as a training ship for youths and stokers for the Australian Royal Navy. The probable ages from which selection will be made will be 13 to KG years for seamen and from l(j to IS years for stokers, but no formal details have yet been arranged. However, only sons of residents domiciled in Australia will be allowed to enter the Royal Australian Naval College, but endeavours will be made to arrange that a small number of New Zealanders will be accepted as soon its the New Zealand Government's naval poliey r is finally decided upon.

The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court yesterday were of remarkably brief duration considering the amount of evidence and argument that were expected to i evolve round what have become known as “the petrol ca-sos.” However, when the hour for resumption after the luncheon adjournment hail passed and evidences of something in the nature of a conference Itecame more apparent. the hopes of waiting Jurors and witnesses connected with the case rose higher. Through the aecuscds’ pleading guilty, the case was considerably shortened, although what might have appeared to the Court officials as a little waste of time resulted thereby, for, in the belief that the criminal session would last all day, solicitors were not prepared to begin the civil business. This will be begun to-day. To-morrow (the King’s Birthday! the Court will not sit, but the sittings will probably extend into Friday.

The unloading of the stock for the show, which took place at an early hour on Tuesday morning (sacs the Otago Daily Times) was marked by one untoward incident. In the dark one of the bullocks from the Knapdale Estate, near (.lore, took fright at the cover on another animal and bolted. It was deemed advisable to hold over the search until daylight, and the animal, which was described its perfectly quiet, was then discovered on the reclaimed ground near the cement works. In this connection it may be mentioned that a good deal of dissatisfaction was expressed amongst stock owners over the arrangeineuls which were made by the flailway Department for the unloading of the animals, it being stated that although the cattle were available at 5.30 on the previous evening, they were not delivered until a quarter past 11 on Tuesday morning.

Harrowing stories of their hard struggle against poverty were toid to the New South Wales Minister of Health (Mr 11cGirrt by a deputation of mothers who waited on him in Sydney recently. Dr Arthur, who introduced the deputation, said these women, ‘ who sported no crepe de chine or two-guinea shoes,” had rendered greater service to Australia than any politician or prince, and yet they were condemned to a life of suffering so poignant that it made him “see red” and feel as though he would turn Bolshevik. Then came the women, with their heart-breaking tales. Said one, ‘Tin 29 and I have eight children. My husband earns £d 17/G per week, and I have to go out myself to earn a living. I have only the rags on my back.” Another mother of eight said her children could get no clothes. She had had no clothes for years, and no furniture since she was married, because she tried to buy a house. One woman told the Minister that she had to put her six children into the one bed to keep them warm, because she had so few bed-clothes. Then Mr Davidson, one of 20 members of Parliament present, arose and said: ‘‘This has gone far enough. It. would break a man’s heart. It is time we, as a Labour Government, took direct action. Let us strike a graduated wealth tax, so that we can do something for these unhappy women.” He then left- the room, with tears in his eyes. Mr McGirr said that the deputation, though painful, would do good. They gave the lie direct to those who denied there was any poverty in the city. “We must do something,” he continued, “in the nature of a subsidy to mothers.” The Minister promised to Introduce a Bill to pay so much a week into the Savings Bank for each mother who had more than two children, and whose husband did not earn over £6 a week.

Some 2000 ex-soldiers who recently were allotted farms in British East Africa as a reward for their war services have (a London correspondent writes) had a terrible blow dealt to their prospects by the stabilisation of the rupee at 2s. This means a loss of one-third of their capital on transfer to East Africa and a rise of 50 per cent in costs of production. An association has been formed to protect the interests of present and future producers in East Africa and especially to deal with the pressing question of currency.

The late Hon. R. Rendall Johnston, of Feniton Court, Devonshire (formerly of Wellington, and a member of the Legislative Council), who died last November, left estate valued at £157,842, net personalty being £131,931. The testator gives £IOO a year to his late manager, Charles Evans, £SO to Cecilia Partridge, and, if in his employ at his death, an additional £SO; £IOO to hU gardener, George Rodgers. In 1854 Mr Johnston was captain of the Cambridge cricket eleven, and his son, Major P. R. .Johnston, is the well-known cricketer. The latter served during the war with the 6tfa Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, and in the middle of 1918 he was mentioned for valuable war services.

Ever since the Marist Brothers commenced their activities in New Zealand fifty years ago they have operated as a sub-pro-vince of Sydney, where all their teachers were trained and whence the ranks of the New Zealand b; others were derived. It has now been decided that the Dominion shall be constituted a separate province and the Rev. Brother Basil, who joined the Order in Wellington 41 years ago, has been commissioned to carry out the campaign for the collection of the necessary funds. The proposal is to acquire a site at Inglewood, Taranaki, and erect a building suitable for the training of those candidates from the Dominion who seek to enter the Order. A start with the erection of the buildings will be made at an early date.

The Minister of Defence has received several flattering tributes to the work of New Zealanders in the war in acknowledgment of the Gallipoli volume of the New Zealand war history. Lord Haig, of Bemersyde, states, in an autograph letter; “1 shall value the book very much, and will read it with great interest.” General Sir J. G. Maxwell congratulates the author, and states: “It will be a lasting memorial to your gallant army.” Major-General Sir A. Lynden-Bell, Chief of the General Staff at the War Office, writes; “It is one of my most treasured memories of this war that I have had the groat honour of serving with the New Zealanders during some of the most strenuous parts of the campaign, and I shall never forget the many kindnesses I received from them on every occasion, and the glorious deeds of those splendid fellows, many of whom I am glad to have as friends who have left an indelible mark on the history of the Empire.”

* The statement that at present not one matriculated student in Arts is preparing for the ministry in the report submitted to the Presbyterian General Assembly in Sydney last week, has attracted some attention (says the Sydney Morning Herald), but Dr Harper, principal of St. Andrew’s College, explains that the circumstance is one arising out of the war. Many students who possibly would have prepared for the ministry went (o the front, “and there is no doubt,” he added, “that the war has broken the churchgoing habit in many young men, who had no Sunday or other Church influences during the time they were away. Then the mental and physical strain of those years was terrific, and on that account great numbers of (hose who were in the fighting line are exhausted ; and wc have lost candidates from this cause also.” He added: “We are not in the least downcast about it, for the lost ground will soon be recovered. We intend to organise a systematic effort to obtain students. If we get ten a year, or thirty altogether for the three-years’ terms, our needs will be met.”

An Umbrella is a necessity in Southland, but if you want to make use of it at the proper time you must see the cover, frame and handle is strong enough to meet a Southland blast. THOMSON & BEATTIE, Ltd., can supply you with the right kind. One that will give you satisfaction can be obtained at any price from 7/11 to 32/6. (Advt.)

Reductions—Largo Edmonds 2/6, 2 small Salmon 1/9, 6 tins Milk 5/3, 3 large Blacking 2/6, Cocoanut 1/6, 4 Jellies 1/-, 501b Flour 10/6, 2001bs 37/-, 5 Sand Soap 1/-, Clbs Jam 4/-, lOlbs Honey 10/-, Bag Blue 1/3, 3 Toilet Soap l/4i, 6 B.W. Soap 1/-. The quicker the sale the cheaper the price. Small profits; quick returns; at BAXTER’S. (Advt.)

Blouses of the better kind. There are many Blouses on the market, but none better than our specials, coming straight from the hands of expert designers and skilful workers. They are perfect in every detail. Proof of the value of these Blouses lies in the huge •demand and repeat orders. See special bargain table of Silk Blouses in white and colours, all one price, 22/6. Wincey Blouses in stripes and plain, all going at 14/11. Huge showing in Crepe de Chine Blouses, all colours, 35/- to 79/6; white and coloured Voile Blouses, 7/11 to 19/6. Morning Blouses in prints and flannelette, 5/6 to 10/6. Exceptional offerings in Costumes, Coats, Furs, Jerseys, Corsets and Underwear at H. & J. SMITH, Ltd., The Progressive Stores, where supreme value can be acquired under the easiest and most pleasant conditions, Invercargill, and Gore.— (Advt.)

Keep baby contented and happy in a “Bnbinest” 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.

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.)

MASTERS, LTD., were the originators oi me iii per cent, discount to returned soldiers. Other storekeepers have copied us and we now go one better. We now invite ail discharged soldiers and those waiting discharge to have their military hats renlocked, free of all cost, by the only hatter in Southland. We stiil 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' Outhttera Prices exceedingly reasonable. (Advt.)

“Chance will not do the work.” (Scott • —No one can allord to take chances with health. Yet how 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 aa the experimenting 54 years ago and now you can promptly remedy cough, cold, gore throat, chest and bronchial troubles. Thi* sterling specific is quick in its action, permanent in its relief. Get large 2/6 bottle ic,-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 dene without any back-breaking rubbing. Avoid “Just-as-goods." 1/- packet, sufficient for 7 or 8 washings.—(Advt.)

Ready for instant use, “NAZOL” is ect c protection against coughs and colds. oO doses 1/6.—(Advt.)

Keep the kiddies well. “NAZOL” is sure protection against coughs and colds. Sprinkle baby’s pillow. Older children can take it on sugar. 60 doses 1/6. (Advt.)