LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2500, 29 June 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the s.s Moeraki, due from Sydney to-day, is bringing Australian mails, "and also an English mail via Suez. The Government has completed the purchase of the Gorton, Estato, situated four miles from Cambridge, consistiiis: of 1028 acres. The owner was, Mr. W. F. Sinclair, who is leaving for' England to join the Royal Flying Corps. The Prime Minister stated yesterday, referring to the purchase, that the land was suitable for dairying and mixed farming.

The officers of the Defence Department, were recently requested to furnish a report in regard to the apparent discrepancies in die numbers ot 111011 who had registered for service and who had been rejected as medically unfit in tho various group areas. Tho report 1 which has just readied Mr. Allen states that the standard of the medical examination is the same throughout New Zealand, and the differences in the percentages of those returned as medically unfit is explained by the fact that the forms on which the progress reports were previously supplied did not mako it. clear that the nunibcs of the men rejected were required. As 11 result of this severn! of the returns contained no record of those rejected. The form 011 which ths fptwu »]'« Mipplicd lmii now been amended.

Whether or not the malady has spread from tho Trentham camp cannot be «aid, but there exists at present a mild epidemic cl measles (in a light form) in the City. One alternoon a week is being set apart by the girls belonging to the fourth, fifth, and sixth standards in sonio ol the CJit v Stale schools, on which they "sew i'or the soldiers." It may be that they knit, or darn, or crochet, hut each little maid does her best 1o turn out face cloths, mufflers, and other articles which they hope will lie ol service to tile men —in many eases thri-- fathers, cousins, undo;, or e\en older brothers—who are lighting the good fight in the land of the Turk. Each little girl is pledged to bring a penny a week to provide for' the sundries needed, and very proud art they when they march into school on sewing day with a copper clenched tightly in the palm of the hand. They are conscious that tltey aro doing something for their country, and who will say that it is not a good sentiment to foster? According to the official figures, the value of the imports into New Zealand in January and February aggregated £3,1(19,462, as compared with £4.494,266 for the corresponding months of 1914, showing a shrinkage of £1,384,804, or something over 2u per cer.t.

A rather historic dinn,r was given at Holiopnlis House, (near Cairo) on February 13, when nil those men who served in the First New Zealand Contingent for South Africa, and win were in the Expeditionary Force then in North Africa, held communion. On a souvenir menu received appears the names of tho following:—J. Gethin Hughes, A. F. Bacholor, W. E. Mahood. F. A. Wood, 11. S. Orbell, "Yorkie" Smith, Alex.H, Wilkie, J. H. Whyte, "Tiny" Emer6on, W. Johnston, and J. Aitlcen. Written in a circle are the words: "In tho trenches at Suez, Harrowell and Geo. Mitchell." Since the above dinner was held, Lieut. P. T. Emerson has been killed in action at the Dardanelles. Captain Digley C'ard.ile, also of the First South Africans, is the officer in charge of the Mounted Infantry at the Trentham Camp. The manner in which he is turning out the "horse infantry" with each reinforcements redounds to his credit. In tho course of his speech at the unveiling of the statue of tlie late Right lion. R. J. Seddon, tho Mayor (Mr. J. P. Tmke) remarked that the late Mr. Seddon's ' work not only as a citizen but as a statesman showed that he was a man whose aim was the uplifting of the people, and his legislation was for the purpose of improving humanity and making the world better than he found it. The late Richard John Seddon was honoured throughout the British Em--pire. The Mayor also paid a tribute to Mrs. Seddon, remarking that had it not been for his helpmate tho late Mr. Seddon would never have been able to carry out the great work ho had accomplished.

The annual meeting of the Johnsonville Horticultural Society was held last night, the Rev. S. H. D. Peryman presiding. Tho annual report and bal-ance-sheet, which were adopted, showed that the society was in a very prosperous condition. Tho following officials were elected: —President, Mr. W. Cook; vice-president, Mr. M. F. Bethuno; secretaries, Rev. F. H. Petrie and 0. Cook. Discussion took place as to the advisability of holding this season's show for one day only instead of two, as formerly. Considerable diversity of opinion was shown, and it was deoijed to again discuss the question at a special meeting, notice of which will be advertised. The sum of £4 10s. was collected at His Majesty's Theatre last evening by Mr. Dan Thomas, who sang a patriotic song, with the object of lending a hand to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The subject of giving assistance to refugee immigrants will be discussed by the New Zealand Farmers' Union Conference next month. North Canterbury will move: "That as the dearth of suit : ablo domestics to assist in household duties, more especially in country houses, where it is next to impossible to procure assistance of any kind, is a serious menace to the health and welfare of wives and mothers, and is of sufficient urgency to demand earnest attention and vigorous action 011 the part of the Government, we suggest that ill the evelit of British help being unobtainable.' the Government should make inquiries as to the possibility of .inducing female refugees of suitable age and qualifications to come to New Zealand, and that preference be given to.refugees now resident in England." Southland has the following proposal on the order paper: "That this conference expresses a wish to tho Government to give passage to Belgian refugee women and girls who might come to New Zealand and who aro suitable for domestic service."

One regrettable incident marred the beautiful Queen Coronation ceremony in the Town Hall lass evening. Tho ceremony bad not 'been long in progress wlien of the little girls fell forward on to the stage in a dead faint. Evidently the nervous tension she had undergone during tbe rather long-drawn-out procession, combined With the excitement, had proved too much for her. 'She was carried off the stage, by Professor Cardston, and was soon restored by those who rushed to her assistance. After that incident tiie children were all accommodated with seats. At a well-attended meeting of the Newlands and Paparangi _ Ratepayers' and Householders' Association 011 Saturday night much dissatisfaction was expressed at the alleged lax busiSsps methods of the Makara County Council, and a committee \ms formed to call meetings in Johnsonvi'le, Ohariu, Tawa Flat, and Porirua to get a strong deputation to wait upon the council at its next meeting. In this issue appears an advertisement giving a complete schedule of results of art unions drawn between Juno 15 and June 26 by the Spccial Committee set up by the New Zealand Patriotic Society.

Mr. C. S. (Morn, of Rakaia, writing to tho Ashburton "Guardian," says:— A lad named Harry Bottlo was reported in a cablo message on May 30 as having died of wounds received at tho Dardanellos. He is, as far as I know, the first lad from Rakaia to havo been killed. lam writing this, knowing that the poor chap. had no relatives and very few friends in Now Zealand. He was 20 years of age, born at Tonbridge, Kent, England, and was one of the boys brought out by the Government Immigration Department in the Suffolk in March, 1014, to work on farms in New Zealand. The lad came direct to my employ, and was in every way a most satisfactory nominee of the Dopartment. As soon as war waß declared he bscamo eager to enlist, and eventually left with the Third Reinforcements. His father's address is Folly Hill Cottage. L'ceds, near Maidstone, Kent, England."

Some account of the work in whigli he is now engaged has beon given by Lieu-tenant-Colonel G. Goro Gillon, of Auckland, in a letter to Mr. A. M. Myers, M .P. Advice was recently received that shortly after his arrival 111 London Mr. Gillon had boon appointed LioutenantCfltonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and attached for duty to the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital, Milbank, S.W. Colonel Gillon writes that lie lias charge of tho Queen Alexandra, ward, with supervision of the King Edward ward, and that he is second in command 011 the surgical side, Lieu-ti'iiant-Colonel Pilcher, D.5.0., being in command. There are between thirty and loi'tv R.A..M.C. officers 011 duty at the hospital. Ever since his appointment, Colonel Gillon states, he has been busy operating 011 wounded soldiers sent across from the firing line. His hospital it the headquarters of the R.A.M.C. He concludes his letter by expressins his pleasure at being able to serve Ilia King and country in this .jwuweifi