Amiable, kindly manager

Mr Henry Robert Law, the only surviving son of the late Mr Henderson Law, a well-known merchant here in the earlier days, died quite unexpectedly yesterday morning while having breakfast. The deceased in his younger days was an official of the Bank of Australasia for a number of years, and rose to the position of teller. He left the bank to engage in sharebroking during the time of the dredging boom. Subsequent to this he became manager of the Royal Insurance Company, a position which he occupied for about 20 years till the time of his death. Mr Law, who was about 53 years of age when he died, was a man of very amiable and kindly disposition, and he made many warm friends. His unexpected death will be very deeply and sincerely regretted by all who knew him intimately. While Mr Law was not a public man in the strict sense of the term, he was nevertheless fairly closely identified with such bodies as the Otago Caledonian Society, the Rotary Club, the Underwriters’ Association, the Milton, Balclutha, and Invercargill Fire Boards and was president of the St Kilda Municipal Band (formerly the Mornington Band).

Putting NZ on the map

Patriotic New Zealanders occasionally are shocked by the ignorance of those with whom they come in contact abroad of the where-about of the best little country in the world. The training of businessmen does not always include geography, but a university should not fall into the crude error revealed in an envelope shown to a member of the Daily Times staff yesterday. 

One of the Otago University staff has been in communication with the University of Geneva, and was pained to receive from that distinguished seat of learning the other day a letter addressed: "University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, USA."

Bacterium closes Port school

The Port Chalmers District High School has been closed for a month. Out of an average attendance of 410 only 200 pupils assembled at the school yesterday morning. A mild form of diphtheria is prevalent, and over 50 pupils last week were found by examination to be "carriers". There are indications of panic, but the opinion has been expressed that if the pupils had been examined several weeks ago the spread of diphtheria might have been arrested.

A level playing field

"When motor traffic is taxed commensurate with the damage it causes to the roads, it will cease to be a serious competitor with the railways," stated Mr D. Rodie (district traffic manager) at a social in Invercargill on Saturday evening. 

The railways, he added, stood for safety, comfort, cleanliness, but no such assurance, especially in regard to safety, could be given on behalf of motor traffic. 

The railway made concessions to school children, and also in connection with the carriage of certain articles, which could not be made by those conveying goods by motor.

Roads to become state highways

The local office of the Public Works Department has supplied details regarding the roads which have been recommended as main highways, and these will be gazetted within the course of a few days. 

The first group contains the Lake County, Vincent County, Maniototo County, Waihemo County and Waikouaiti County. 

The main roads recommended in this group are: Main North road (Dunedin to Shag Point), Palmerston to Queenstown (via Becks, Clyde and Cromwell), Cromwell to Hawea (via Tarras), Dunedin to Port Chalmers. It is probable that all these will be accepted. 

The next group contains the Peninsula County, Taieri County, Bruce County, Tuapeka County and Clutha County, and the roads recommended are: Dunedin to Portobello, Main South road to Invercargill,  Mosgiel to Middlemarch,  Clarksville (Milton) to Roxburgh and Edievale to Rae’s Junction. Of these roads it is probable that the Main Highways Board will not declare the Dunedin to Portobello road.— ODT, 20.5.1924