The Napier High School football .team arrived m Ctieborne by the Ara Tuira to-day, and will play tile annual match to-morrow. Lieut. Ernest Richard: Black, (Mr G. ,B-lack, GisborAe) is expected, to arrive m N>ew Zealand shortly with returning ; draft 179; Several other small drafts are returning, but these Contain no names of local men. ... ' 0n» Saturday the Red Cross shop will be m the hands of the Mangapapa, Makauri, Matawhero, Bushmere, and Waerega-a-hika districts. There will be for sale meat, poultry, cakes, butter, eggs, etc., also beautiful flowers, and ladies.' and . children's garments, and there will be & jumble stall. „ At a well -attended meeting last night I m connection with the Gisborne Co-op-erative Building Society No. 4 issue; it was decided to limit the number of shares that can be held by one shareholder to ten. Over 780 shares have been applied for out of a total issue of 1000. It is notified that Captain (temporary major) J. Craig, L.R.C.P., Ire., N. 2. Medical" Corps, ceases to perform duty m N.Z. Expeditionary Force training camps, and relinquishes the appointment as member of a Special District Medical Board, and retains the temporary. rank of major until further notice. Captain J. W. Williams is granted the temporary rank of major until further notice. The Victoria League intend holding a spring flower day on September 7th, the proceeds to be devoted to the Sailors' Hostel and Farms for Tubercular Soldiers' and Sailors' Funds.', r^ontributions of flowers., vegetables, flower seedliiigß or plants, are asked-- for, and may be. left at the shop formerly occupied by Nicholls and Griffiths., Country people are especially invited to contribute. V . In view of the approaching visit of the Auckland 1 men's representative hockey team to this district and also to give the ladies' representative team a. final practice, the following players are chosen to attend at the Childers road reserve on Saturday morning at. 6.15 o'clock : Miller, Pollock, Ingham, Gelhor, McLachlan, Everiss, Kahlenberg, Eton, Jones Armstrong, Sim, Atkinson, Morse and Gracie. The aeroplane "Nottingham," presented to New Zealand by the Nottingham. (England) Chamber of Commerce, to help form the nucleus of an Imperial Air Fleet, is engaged at present fighting on the Western front. The understanding is, that if the 'plane which cost £2100, should be destroyed, it will be replaced at the close of the wax by another machine, which will also bear the name of Nottingham. The presentation, was made on October 27th, 1917, by'the Duke of Portland (president of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce) to Sir James Mills, as representing Sir Thomas Mackenzie (High Commissioner), absent through illness. Over 4O,0t)0 spectators were present at the ceremony. : In the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., judgment was given for plaintiffs m the following undef ended civil actions: — Gertrude Wilbow (Mr. Willock) v. Hiniri Burn, balance of claim, £9 I9g, costs £1 13s» 6d>. Frank Hooper (Mr. Willock) was ordered to pay. Kenneth Samuel Gordon £33 7s 6d f orthVith, m default 32 days' imprisonment. >Chas. Westrupp (Mr. Colemau) /.was ordered to pay A. Zaeliariah (Mi-. Barnard) £16 8s 8d m instalments of £1 per month, m default 13 days' imprisonment. A claim by A. M. Lewis and Son (Mi*. Buroard) against Sonny Ruru for £17 4s 4d was dismissed.- ElrueruTe Kuru was ordered to pay Bennett and Sherratt (Mr. Kane) amount of £10 8s lOd forthwith, m default 11 days' imprisonent. At a meeting of the exeoutive of the Gisborne Holiday -Association last night ,'it was reported that the petition for closing shops at noon on the Thursday half-holiday instead of, 1 p.m. had met with a splendid response, and already over 100 business people had signed the agreement. During v the whole canvass only four objectors >, had*, been encountered. The association was unanimous m "favor of closing .at noon., as stated. It was decided to write to the Mayor, that the association would be pleased to consult with him respecting any special holidays. It was also decided to write to the Racing Clubs to get them, if possible, to' change their days of racing from Thursday and Saturday to Thursday and Friday, as the Saturday fixture greatly interfered with the usual Saturday business.'* It was decided that any special holidays should be widely advertised so as to let the country people have due notice. . • ' Five soldiers returned by tho Arahura this' morning, their, names being, Troopers H. S. Holmes, M. M. Graham, J. Russell, Lance-Corporal S. Smithera and Private J. H. Chambers. All had .been invalided home from 'Egypt. They were met by Miv Sinclair, representing the Citizens', Defence Committee, and taken to their respective places of abode by Mr. It. Caulton. Tpr. Mark McM. Graham, who left New Zealand with tife 13th Reinforcements, has seen service m the Palestine campaign :and m Egypt. He was m the Beersheba engagement. At present he is walking with the aid of crutches. Tpr. Herbert Sydney, Holmes left with the 16th Reinforcements, and saw service 1 m Egypt and was m. fighting round Jerusalem. L. -Cpl Sydney A. Smithers has had a long period of service, having left with the 2nd Reinforcements. He went right through the Gallipoli campaign, and has also seen considerable service m Palestine. The weather conditions last night were such as to cause great doubts regarding the tendering of the Arahura from Na^ pier to-day. This vessel waited at the southern port until after midnight fox the Allen Doone Company, and arrived shortly after 8 o'clock this morning. Th« conditions were unfavorable when she anchored, and heavy squalls from the south prevailed. In addition to the theatrical company there also arrived a . football team from the* Napier High School, and these with other passengers made a considerable complement to be handled inwards. However, the task was successfully accomplished, and the Tuatea returned to the wharf shortly after 9 o'clock. Sho left again at 10.3 C a.m. with the outward passengers for Tokomaru Bay and Auckland. These included the Williamson Company, which concluded their season last night. Th« theatrical gear of the Allen Doone Co. and that outwards of the ' Williamson combination were successfully landed and shipped, . notwithstanding the weather difficulties, and the Arahura sailed' shortly after midday for North. The weather at Tokomaru Bay was considered to be improving, and- it was anticipated that the passengers for that place would bo successfully landed. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., wish to remind diairymen and others of the sale that they are" conducting to-morrow on, account of Mr Wan. Brodvc, at the "Hole-in-thie-Wall," Kaiti. An exceptionally good lot of cows will he offered, and a? Mi* Brodie has been called to the Colors, all /lots offered! will be sold without reserve. ' An interesting quarter-page display arvertisement dealing with tHe question of National _Efficiency will be found on I page 3 of this Sssrue, and' should be carefully oonsideredi by every reader.*

' The ambulance section of thq Nationall Itescrve will meet as •usual to-night 1 at 7.30 o'clock m the Garrison Hall. The .Minister for InterW Affairs states that supplementary totalisator inspectors are to be appointed from the (permanent staff of the Internail Affairs Depai*tment. .' ,' ' At a hide sale at Stratford last we^K calfskins «old at phenomenal prices, best lines" Realising from 16d to 16 5-8 d per lb. Between 650 and 700 were soldi at these prices. Mr. F. J. Nathan, of Talmerston North, who has returned from Aub-, tralia, says that the price of practically everything is controlled evem down to petrol and kerosene tins. One man was heavily fined for merely asking more for petrol tins than the price* fixed. ■;■•.

All interested m the Labor cause arc invited to attend the address .being given by Mr. Just, the organiser for the Education Reform League, to-morrow evening. Education is a. promiltent fea ture m the Labor party's platform, and it is not often the people are privileged to hear such an able exponent.

The severe frost experienced, m. !pan-. edin last Friday night must, be regarded as something of a record (says the OtagdJ; Daily Times). It; is reported that the water., used m connection with. the "lifts" Ikt .ike gas-holder m .thejjbjtd Caversham works froze on- that nigni, a circumstance never previously known. In England, where the frosts- are ssjry much, severe? than m Otago,'i stetßn.pipes are used to prevent the water cushion holding up the "lifts" from freezing, otherwise there fg a risk of one cylinder being Held up by, the> Jro^uj water until such time as the gas is well. Withdrawn, and then finally crashing -down by virtue of its own weight into" the under-cylinder. ! ■■ •' •.'•.-; •■ -'I: . „. ■-..;■ A■ ;' A returned soldier .who. has taken;,up one of the sections ■ m 1/amont's-.Es-tate, near Woodlands, wa»;. agreeably surprised one morning last week to receive a visit from some of his neighboring farmers, says the Southland Times. The visitor* considerately brought their teams with them and instead of talking 'about the weather, crops,., frozen mutton, dairy produce, and other..,topics; so dear and necessairy to a farmer'g cfoiiversatioh, they "-merely said "Good morning," and immediately made preparations for a day's ploughing. Fortunately they were favored with beautiful weather, and consequently made good progress, some fifteen acres being ploughed before they finished. ../*.,.; -Many acts of cruelty have been J|^ jspbrted m the process.of prqeiffing,pit ;: fronr penguins on 'fcheHacctuarje IBlattsf, iwihiob aire under the,: jurisi&ction: of -Tasmania (say* ■ the Adelaide Advertiser). Permits are granted for the slaughter of the young birds for boiling down to procure oil. Many protests have been made against thJawljolesale butchery which has been referred to by .Sir Douglas Mawson, but nothing definite was done until lately. It is asserted upon good -authority that the birds are rounded up li/ke sheep ift hundreds and thousands, and forced t» waddle up an inclined race, at theemi of which is the immense boiling cauldron. The poor birds drop into the boiling water alive, and die m agony. Before issuing further permission to butcher the birds, the Tasmanian Gotr eminent intend, to investigate the matter. Uhey have communicated with Captain S. A. White, the South Australian ornithologist, to jasfb fi^m ,to undertake the task. This will be by no means easy work m these remote and frigid regions. The means of communication are few and dtfficult3 r <and the expedition may take five or six nionilis; For people to talk of a premature peace was the -greatest humbug ever known, said Archdeacon Evans ai » gathering. at New Plymouth.; IfcAwtfuJd mean a victory for Germany/ that slia would retain most of the area she had invaded and would only propare for another greater and morio. terrible war m the future. And the little boy» now going .to sfthool.. wouldr<have iii tWr turn to ehed their blood and 1 sacrifloo their lives; m order to, if possible, rjghfc the cwme which we. had do«p m mating a premature peace. 'It makea me sick; when I,hear people ea^no'we ought to-pray for our enemies. What isitlH* only _ prayer we can offer up; for our enemies? That they may repent of their crimes." The Archdeacon said further that he had the other day; itieard a prominent oliurchman say we ought to think kindly of the rulers and people of Germany, but the only time for tfiafc was when they might begin to think they had done a wrong and were prepared to make reparation. The war could never be ended properly until these people were prepared 'to make reactions. He hoped V see the day irhen the Kaiser and the high,.militant command of Germany would meet We deserts that their horrible list of crimes called' for.* ' •■:••■ Itf:.Sneaking at Wellington the Ber. J. W Burton said: One;,- ofotlw gmt problems of the Padfio.^i'the decreasing population. J[n^%nga^ there was now an increai^aainALiiilijr \%k& almost turned; butT^iu^lJw^u Pacific the decrease eral commissions hadvfe^o^&d anumberr of •j-eauees \ (ihM rhsfsk restelW. Tjiese;:; wer>, of anivini^^^l.Qb^S^r; but tnere^waa rOne,,fevW^uM^m(Stion. idie peoples liatlr-iuil)|edv:' Q^nMmities wore. •; isolated, jinterot,;^^?eiT^e^ see ;tja* " b^^U(^ous-,uiterinj^ujfe^ft very fbeen disTOA^d. m^,the offsprnnc of a union of thetitTo^an and^taJfamWn, or of the Sa^ft^n, and the Fijian, were an improvement on any one type. There were new types m formation. To the north of Fiji%was a little island wtibse people Itad .jbee^visolatediiipr centuries. A Chuiese' vessel Was wreclced there. Jlic survivors intexpaa-ricd with the islanders. A fin© ixew type ys^, produced. It was fbund that to mi? types ■olgfivy different levels, say English'and Jynni, was not good. Good types could be -procured oaUy.-hy.J^aniwW of simdar types. Thus they could poe: the function. of commerce m tdie Pacific. Ijrltiinately there would arise a great Pacific race. It will be well for those who use glasses to aidi their eyesight to take particular caro of tliem, as one of iho effects of the war has been-: to 1, make it extremely difficult to Qbtaiji,' supplies of lenses. An optician informed a Chrisbohuroh Press reporter recently that prior to the outbreak of war clobo upon four-fiftha,-of'. the* optical glass used m making, sbe^Jtacle was made m Germany or Austria. These countriesj m addition to exporting the finished lenses, also shipped large quantities of special glass used for lens grinding. Supplies from Germany and Austria have jieen' cut off, ande efforts made to get lenses from GeneyaJ - SMto zerland, ihave not been very successful. An American firm Avrote recently that there wove so many orders m the hands of suppliers m Geneva that they Kad not forwarded the Christohurch order, knowing that taierowas no. like^ilu^fof it being filled m reasonable lime. During the past two years and a lialf> at least two large factories for grinding lenses have been established m the j United States, and it has been upon j these that New Zealand opticians have depend^,; fo^^Msir ; supplfe".-Betters receav^d. recentty state tlia^ tH6«aupijly of optical ; glass fis yanking tod that labor ia m- suoh % condi^on t%t i New Zealand!' .<jan '^«peob yojy^ey^^Xt any.»mocoj, lena?s, aaLthe t|wp .firms *eferred' to araidmable^'-to obi)© 3 with the requii^emfcnts pL the* United States. E^en ;ut b present, brdinavy simple lenses, wihich were" previoiisly imported iin thousandSj have liad to be hand-grotttid tin New Zealand, and' as ■ there >are o^aly about 10 competent lens grinders m th© Dominion, the outlook, if the war lasts much longer, is far from promising.- i,