Father O’Neil was about 58 years of age, and was born near the City of Cork, Ireland. He was ordained there in 1890, and in the same year came out to New Zealand with the late Bishop Moran. For some time he was curate of the Cathedral in Dunedin, later being transferred to South Dunedin, Riverton and Gore. About 30 years ago he was appointed rector at Winton, and has remained there ever since.
Warming apparent in Arctic
Is the North Pole melting away? Are the Arctic regions warming up, with prospect of a great climatic change in that part of the world? Observations to that effect have covered the last five years, during which the warmth has been steadily increasing. In August of last year the Norwegian Department of Commerce sent an expedition to Spitzbergen and Bear Island, the object in view being to survey and chart areas productive of coal and other minerals. The expedition sailed as far north as 81deg in ice-free water. The United States consul at Bergen, Norway, Mr Ifft, also reports the recent extraordinary warmth of the Arctic. He quotes incidentally the statements of Capt Martin Ingebrigsten, a mariner who has sailed those seas for 54 years. The captain says that he first noted an unusual warmth in 1918; and since then temperatures have risen steadily higher. Today the eastern Arctic is "hardly recognisable as the same region of 1868 to 1917." Many of the old landmarks are greatly altered, or no longer exist. Where formerly there were great masses of ice, these have melted away, leaving behind them accumulations of earth and stone such as geologists call "moraines."
You can leave your hat on
A somewhat delicate but important matter of etiquette at funerals was brought before the Dunedin Presbytery yesterday in a letter from Dr T. McKibbin, Medical Officer of Health for Otago. In his letter Dr McKibbin stated that a prominent and learned citizen had recently interviewed him and made a special point of the fact that he was present at a funeral and had to stand for a very long period in very cold weather with his head exposed. This gentleman suggested that during influenza prevalence and cold weather care might be taken to limit this exposure.
The Rev W. Scorgie asked whether it was too long a sermon or hats being off that was complained of. Mr Kilpatrick said that both were to be considered. He did not think it would be any indication of irreverence to ask people to keep their hats on. Members: "It is done."
The mail must get flu
The prevailing epidemic has been severely felt in the Chief Post Office. Yesterday no fewer than 26 members of the staff, including 12 postmen, were off duty. Such a depletion in the staff has made it difficult to carry out the work of the office in an efficient manner, and in some districts it has been found necessary to restrict the delivery of mails to one per day.
Those who are available for duty are doing their best under difficult conditions, and a return to normal conditions will be made as soon as circumstances permit.
— ODT, 4.7.1923 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
