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Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 137, 9 June 1917, Page 4

Following is the official weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. this day: "The indications arc for northerly winds, strong to gale, and backing by west to south. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled. Rain probable. Barometer falling, but rising after about J4 hours. Tides high, sea rough."

The old Maori weather rorrcast —that when the flax and toi-toi were unusually luxuriant in bloom in the autumn a heavy winter followed seems to be verified this year (observes the "Oamaru Mail"). Along the Waitaki, and indeed, everywhere, the flax bushes were heavily crowned with flowers, and the height und thickness of the toi-toi plumes were the subject, of general remark.

The action of the Hon. W. Fruser, Minister of Public Work?, in taking possession of portion of the proposed eastern reclamation area was discussed by the Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Tbe area which has been taken comprises about 25 acres, the property of the Harbour Board on the eastern 6ide of the harbour. It was resolved to take no action till the arrival of the Minister in Auckland.

The Wellington correspondent of the "Dunedin Star" telegraphs: The decision of the Minister of Internal Affairs not to grant permits to 6hearere and slaughtermen who are members of the First Division to visit Australia will affect a considerable number of men who have been in the habit of following the seasons backwards and forwards across the Tasman Sea. The Military Service Boards up to the present time have been -granting temporary exemption to bona fide shearers and slaughtermen drawn in the ballots, but many of the First Division men in these industries have enlisted voluntarily, and it appears that the available supply now is below requirements, according to the standards of normal years. Paragraphs that have appeared in Australian newspapers indicate that efforts arc being made in Labour circles there to prevent Australian shearers and slaughtermen coming to New Zealand next season.

It is the intention of the Federal Government to no longer countenance disloyal utterances in Australia, or attempts to hinder recruiting or to stand in the way of increasing production. The Prime Minister stated at a meeting in Castlemnine Town Hall recently that during the election campaign men had distorted the truth. Those men's mouths were now closed, and he wanted to say to them: "Let them keep their mouths shut." "If by any act or word of theirs," Mr. Hughes continued, "anything is done to prevent Australia taking its full part in this war it will be a bad day for them. This Government will not deal with them as they would have dealt with us, because we believe in liberty. But we also believe in democratic government. The people have spoken, and every man and woman in this country i must obey the voice of the people. Australia has said we 6hall prosecute this war to the end. It is necessary for the ■ prosecution of the war that we should increase production in Australia, and if any man gets in the way to prevent ! Australia from increasing production, j let him look to himself, whoever he is. J The people have 6poken, and their will I must be given effect to" (Loud cheers.)

A short account of the Mellish comet (19171, which was recently rediscovered in these skies by Dr. C. M. Hector, of I'etone, after having been seen first by Mellish in Ohio, U.S.A., about a month previously, was given at the t meeting of the Astronomical Sectio of the Wellington Philosophical Sociel\ by the Government Astronomer (Dr. C. E. Adams). An interesting feature was that the comet's orbit was inclined at 3-2deg. to the ecliptic. A plan "was exhibited on which the comet's orbit was plotted in relation to the earth's orbit and the sun. A fine photograph, showing the comet with a long tail, taken by Dr. Adams at the section's observatory, was much admired by the members.

Mr. James Capell, a Paeroa resident, met with an accident while duck shooting on the Awaiti stream through the unexpected discharge of a gun. He was in the act of removing the gun from a boat at the landing place, when the hammer caught on the side of the boat, and the gun went off. Mr. Capell received the whole charge in the right ear. The ear was mutilated, but otherwise he sustained no serious injury.

A bazaar, in aid of the Red Cross fund, will be held in the Girls' Grammar School, Howe Street, on Saturday, June 30. Gifts or donations will be received by Miss Butler, Miss Morrison, or members of the committee.

A lad who had entered a house at Grey Lynn while the occupants were away on holiday came before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Juvenile Court this morning. Although no damage or theft had been committed, the boy exhibited such a stubborn wilfulness about owning up to the prank that he was put on probation for three months.

The opening meeting of the Auckland Institute, to be held in St. Andrew's Hall on Monday evening, promises to be unusually interesting. Professor Grossmann will deliver a lecture entitled "Berlin, Bagdad and tbe Balkans," in which he will describe the original purpose of the Bagdad railway, and the part it has played in Germany's project of a colonial Empire. He will also describe, in detail, Germany's later conception of " Central Europe," extending eastwards, via the Bagdad line, and the risks it involves for Britain and her Empire. The lecturer will also particularise the most effectual means of combating these ideas. The meeting will be open to the general public.

Some time ago the trustees of Wanganui College (says the "Chronicle"') thought that the spare paddocks belonging to the school could be used to advantage by running sheep. The idea was to establish a stud flock of Soiiwhdowns, and to get the senior boys of the school's agricultural department to take charge ol the sheep, and thereby learn something of sheep-breeding. On hearing this, Mr. \V. Howard Booth, of Carterton, set to work, and circularised the Old Boy breeders of the college, with a view to making a present to the school of a number of ewes to start the flock with. The matter was enthusiastically taken up by the Old Boys, and Mr. Booth is at present in Wanganui receiving 20 purebred Southdown ewes (in lamb to purebred rams) from ten different breeders, to be handed over as a gift to the college. The donors arc all Old Boys of the College.

Writing from Sinai, an Australian (W. M. Came) says:—" It is a wonderful place. Here Joseph passed, a captive slave, to the greatness that came to be his. Here came his brethren, wandering tribesmen seeking food in Egypt. Here came Jacob and his people, overlanding their flocks and herds to the land of Goschen, somewhere about the present town of Zagazig, there to multiply and wax rich and great; then to wane into captivity until the exodus took them into Southern Sinai. Here came Mary ami Joseph and the Son of Man. Here came caravans and armies, marauding tribesmen, and nomadic shepherds with their flocks —Arabs. Syrians, Persians, Israelites, Egyptians, Romans —and in more recent times French, Turks, and now ourselves. Ourselves— English. Scottish. Welsh, Australians and New Zealanders, Indians. West Indians, and Egyptians! An Imperial army, stirelv! - '

The " Eltham Argus " states that the new gas-shell which is creating such havoc in the enemy's ranks is the invention of a professor in a well-known English Midland university. A certain gun that is used in the trenches is also the invention of a university professor. It is simplicity itself. At a trial of it an Eltham resident saw it manipulated so quickly that before the first discharged bomb had reached the ground nine others were in pursuit of it. A little girl of ten years of age could manipulate this particular weapon. The first time we used it in action we lost one. and then the Germans had our secret. With the intention of having a good look round the Napier breakwater works on Monday several persons who did not realise the danger made the trip out to the end of the stonework. On attempting to return two men were overtaken by a heavy sea, and disapappcared from the view of those on the wharf. When the waters receded the men were observed hanging on to the railways metals, which undoubtedly saved their lives. Two harbour employees, noting that there was still a party at -the end of the breakwater in danger of being overtaken on their return, put out in a boat and brought them to the wharf.

The demand for land in this district (says the "Stratford Post") is stated by local land agents to be phenomenal, and many sections are finding new owners at enhanced prices. A farm on the Finnerty Road, Ngaere, was sold this week for £60 an acre, a price which is making adjacent landowners rub their hands together in glee. Another agent reports having a mortgage on the Sole road, inasmuch as he has sold more than half of the land on that road during the past four or five weeks. His record of land sales for that period was £30.000. This agent reports that the new settlers on the road are first-class, and give promise of being acquisitions to the district. The old "settlers, it is also pleasing to note, are not leaving the district, most of them having taken up their residence in Stratford.

"There are a number of highly educated people in India who have' great difficulty in understanding the reluctance of other Dominions of the Empire to grant them admittance to their countries." This statement was made to a Wellington "Post" reporter by Sir Henry Richards, Chief Justice of 'the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Sir Henry went on to say that if these people wished to enter the Dominions, not. alone ns labourers, they met with great difficulty. They could not understand why, when they fought side by side with our troops for the Empire, they should not be able to enter the otheT Dominions. They were a very proud race, and they could not understand the distinction made in this case. "The great mistake you people make here," said Sir Henry, "is in thinking of the people of India as millions of coolies. That is entirely wrong."

In view of an understanding that several Auckland firms have decided to make Hamilton a distributing centre for a large area, thereby necessitating extra storage accommodation at that centre for merchandise arriving ex steamer, the Hamilton Borough Council, it is understood, has given the Waikato Shipping Company an assurance that it will assist the river trade. The traffic on the river has increased enormously of late. At Hamilton the other day two steamers had to be requisitioned to assist in towing barges.

"Britain at War" is the title of a lecture to be given by Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., C.M.G., at the' Grafton Library Hall on Tuesday, June 12. The lecture will comprise two parts, the first part being devoted to the personsj impressions of the statesmen and military arrt naval leaders of Great Britain, and the second portion to a visit to the Grand Fleet. The lecture will bo illustrated with lantern slides depicting the men mentioned in the lecture, and also views of the battleships visited.

The lecture to have been delivered by Mr. J. G. Restell, under the auspices of the University Students' Society, has been postponed to a date to be 'advertised later.