LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 78, 28 September 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Lists of men returning to New Zealand shortly will appear in The Post on Monday and Tuesday next.

The right wing of the 43rd Reinforcement has cleared another port of call. The officer commanding reports: "The general health of the troops is excellent. There are a few mild cases of influenza."

In last night's Post, Mr. M. J. Beardon replied to Mr. Mack's assertion that the Proportional Representation Society "did not include a single Labour representative." Mr. Reardon stated that he took part in a deputation from the society which waited on the.City Council about four years ago, and he did not know how he came to be there unless he was regarded as a member of the society. At his political meeting last night Mr. Mack said he was sorry that Mr. Reardon had pushed the matter fur-, ther. He would rather not say any more about it, but Mr. Reardon had forced Mm to. The fact was that Mr. Reardon attended the .first meeting of the Proportional Representation Society, failed to pay his subscription of half-a-crown, and that was why the speaker asserted that he was not a member. (Applause and laughter.)

The end of the waT was dimly forecasted in a letter reoeived by the Christchurch Hospital Board on Wednesday from the Inspector-General of Hospitals, stating that.when war ceased a large number of motor ambulances would be available, and it was thought that they might be absorbed to some extent by hospital boards. The board (says the Lyttelton Times) was therefore asked to say how many ambulances it would probably require in the circumstances.

An impudent theft was perpetrated in broad daylight in South Yarra on the 30fch August (reports the Melbourne Argus), when a galvanised iron fence, Consisting of 30 sheets and valued at about £9, was removed and carted away by three men. The fence enclosed an. unoccupied house at. the rear of No. 343, Toorak-road, which was owned by Mr. John J. Young, *of Malvern, and on the date mentioned a gardener employed by the Prahran Council in Rockley Gardens saw three men pulling down the fence. He inquired why they were removing such a substantial fence, and was told.that the intention was to replace the galvanised iron with an ornamental picket fence. It was subsequently found that the galvanised iron had been stolen, and the efforts of the police to trace the thieves or the stolen property have since proved futile.

• A French visitor tells this yarn to the Bulletin:—ln Paris they have given up being surprised at the droll Australian soldier. ■ Whatever he does— well, it is all right. I won't tell .you the name of the restaurant, but it was a very good place. A digger came in—l like that word 'digger"—and he had previously been digging out a few happy corks, maybe. He picked his way among the tables with his eye fixed steadily on a. great bowl containing gold-fish. When ho reached the stand he prepared himself for a wash, and proceeded with his toilet with religous fervour without any protest from the well-groomed waiters or the patrons, who, of couTse, know digger. (Ah! Good word, "digger.") Having finished his ablutions he called, "A towel, garcon, silver plate." (That is how digger says "S'il vous plait.") His request was complied with immediately, and our refreshed friend then sat at the nearest table and ate a firet-rate meal. I left before finding out .what the bath cost digger and' how long it took the attendants to collect the indignant fish from innumerable parts of the room.

Mysterious shortages in the tallies of sheep yarded at the Addington saleyards, according to stock agents, have been occurring during the past year or,two. Such losses (reports the Sun) havejately reached a size when only one explanation would, appear possible. Thus not long ago, 100 sheep were missing, deficits of twenties have been common, and on Wednesday week one'line which was counted in at the yards left 80 short. The matter, needless to -say, is causing general concern, and at Wednesday's sale, Mr.'.Leicester Matson, the well-known stock agent, addressing a section of the attendance from the rails, made a statement of the position. Mr. Matson said that shortages, not in ones or twos, but in truckloads, were occurring, and that from all indications it would look as though it was the work of a well-organised band that must be directly associated with +,he work at the market. So long as it lasted it was the duty of every stockman at the.Addington yards to clear the stigma, that at present was hanging over that centre. In fact, it would be necessary, until the whole matter had been cleared up, to view with suspicion even one another; It was an inexplicable state of affairs, but there was no evading the facts.

A protest was made at this week's meeting of the Gbristchurch Hospital Board in connection with the recent complaint alleging the indecorous conduct of funerals of recipients of charitable aid in Christchurch. The Charitable Aid Committee (says the Star) reported that full consideration had been given to the letter of Mr. H. Jutsum regarding the burial of charitable aid recipients ■whose friends were unable to meet the cost. It had been decided to arrange ■with undertaker to deliver the coffin at the house at a time other than the time of the funeral, and in the same manner as he would deliver it for any other funeral. The committee could not recommend any further alteration in the style of" funeral to be provided out of public, funds. Already it had been agreed to provide a closedl carriage for near relatives if they applied for it. Mr. W. H. Cooper said that he did not usually agree with Mr. H. Jutsum, but the thanks of the board were 'due to him for his action in bringing a•• very objectionable practice to light. No man, woman, or child, simply because of poverty, should be buried in an unceremonious manner. It had come to him as a shock that in the present enlightened age a man should drive up' to the door of the bereaved people, encase the corpse in a box of some sort and drive away immediately to the cemetery. This was a crude style of burial. A few hours' notice -at least should be given before burial. He was glad that some alteration had been madeMrs. Wilson said that she had never known that. funerals were conducted in such a manner, or she would not have been a party to it. Thanks were due to Mr. Jutsum for bringing the matter to light. The report was adopted.

An interesting address descriptive of a trip through the, Panama Canal was delivered by Lieutenant Gillmore,. Army Pay: Department, at a meeting of the Wellington Officers' Institute last night. Colonel G. F. C. Campbell presided. :

Memories of the winter slack (and the dirt) were stirred by an interjection at Mr. Hildreth's meeting last night. When he referred to coal, a person exclaimed in a droll tone: '.'What is coal?" There was much laughter, which seemed to indicate that the bulk of the audience had not forgotten t-hejgdays and nights of dour fuel. "That was -a good joke," the candidate admitted.

The annual exhibition of the New Zealand Ticademy of Fine Arts will be opened by his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G.) at the members' private view on the evening of- Friday, 4th October. Owing to the large number of works of art sent in by New Zealand and Australian artists the whole of the art gallery will be used for the exhibition.

A resident of Disraeli-street, Addington, who has been called up in a ballot, arranged to auction his furniture and other belongings*on Tuesday.' He prepared them on Monday (says a Christchurch paper), -and, as everything was upside-down, did not occupy the house on Monday evening. On Tuesday moming he found that burglars had entered,- had ransacked all the rooms, and had carried off everything that could be lifted. Wheel marks on the grass showed that a vehicle had been used to take the booty away.

Mr. H. J. Otley at a meeting in Christchurch this week said that during the early part of the war he had advised clients to postpone building, but he very greatly regretted it now, for the cost of building materials was still rising, "and immediately after the war there would be no sudden drop, as shipping space would not be available. At present material, was difficult to obtain, but it was wise to go on wffii necessary buildings. If one could wait for five or seven years it might be advisable to do so, but he saw no prospect of reduced prices within that period. As for timber, the West Coast mills could sell every foot they cut at a higher price in Australia than was being paid in Christchurch retail, but they had stood by the local market very loyally.

"The P.P.A. turned me down," said Mr. Hildreth' in answer to a question last night. "This is what they say : 'Mr. Hildruth is nominally a Protestant.' My people, for three generations, have been Wesleyan Methodists." In a ■ comment on the-P.P.A. charge that he had voted against the letting of the Town Hall for a P.P.A. meeting, the candidate remarked that the application came soon after the Rev. Howard Elliott's meeting at Hamilton, where there was "something like a riot." The Town Hall had been newly furnished with redmorocco tip-up chairs. He felt then that if there was a disturbance at all •like the one at Hamilton the municipal furniture would be knocked about, and he had expressed an opinion that he did not think the hall should be let with such a risk. No other councillor had spoken. The question went to the vote immediately afterwards, and the application was declined. .

Seven thousand Australian . soldiers (says the Melbourne Argus) who went, to Egypt in 1914, and have been fighting since, are to be given the opportunity to revisit their homes. About 30,000 men left last year, and it is a matter for pride and gratification that one in every four has had the stamina, the pluck, and the good fortune to survive the experiences of those tragic years. They will be given a hearty welcome on their return. Their visit hero should be' more eloquent than any recruiting speech -ever delivered. To them it will be merely an interval, although joyously welcome, in two periods of. service. No eligible Australian should be able to look at these men without remorse, and even shame. It is not too late for young men to make •up their minds that they will share in some degree the honour which will be accorded to these veterans in later years. Their^ experiences, their adventures, and tlieir services to the Empire will give them a status which will improve as time gees on. The furlough which they are to enjoy will be made possible by employing other troops. It is a pity that Australians are not available to fill permanently the vacant places.

Miss C. '. E. Acheson. reported to last night's meeting of the Wellington Branch of the N.Z.E.I, that.the question of establishing a teachers' hostel had been fully gone. injto by the sub-committea set up, and was considered to be in every way a thoroughly sound investment, and already the answers to circulars sent to women teachers justified the establishment of such, a hostel. It was suggested that members of the Public Service generally should be -admitted to the hostel, but preference would be given to the lower-paid teachers. Inquiries made at other hostels showed that the schemecould not fail to.succeed, for some of tie hostels were booked up to 1920. It was proposed to start with from twenty to forty rooms. The Chairman, Mr. A. M'Kenzie, said that at the present' time /the institute had no power to proceed' further with the scheme. He suggested that the meeting should give the Manage ment Committee power to obtain an option over some suitable building. Mr. A. N. Haslam was of the opinion:that if Civil servants were to be admitted, the backing of the Civil Service should be obtained when the question of , guarantors was being considered. After further discussion, it was decided to receive the report, and .that the Management Committee should go further into the matter.

Despite efforts by the allied manufacturers to produce chemicals and drugs in a quantity which will balance the elimination of Germany from the trade, the abnormal demands which have resulted through the war have led to a continual scarcity of many lines, for ordinary requirements. At present the New Zealand shortage is exceedingly pronounced, wi|h the result that drugs and chemicals which are absolutely necessary in cases are almost unobtainable. Inquiries made by the Christ-church Sun from leading importers tended to show that such an important anaesthetic as chloroform is very scarce. Chloroform is much more commonly used than is generally •' imagined, as it is not only used as an anaesthetic, but enters into' many drag mixtures. In consequence, it ,is imported not in gallons, but in tons. Only small quantities of absorbent cotton wool and lint ai'e now obtainable for surgical requirements, these facts being easily understandable in view of the s rar drain. Strychnine is .very difficult to procure, especially' in the quantities needed for the poisoning of rabbits and birds. Advices received from England state that it is impossible to fulfil orders. Creosote, used for con-. sumptive patients, is amongst the lines difficult to get, as also are many proprietary articles. The export from England of castor oil has been stopped, .and wholesalers' stocks are infinitesimal. It is difficult to get a license to ship soft; soap from Great Britain, as being composed of oils and fats. These are wanted for the making of margarine. As can be expected,' prices have risen in; sympathy with the scarcity.