NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 125, 31 May 1927, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

First of the Winter Slips.

A warning has been given to motorists by the engineer of the Hutt County, Mr, A. H. Benham, to take the road between Paremata. and Pahautanui [with care,, as the recent, heavy rain at the week-end has started several slips. Hallway Service Opportunities. The old idea that the bar between the first and second divisions of the railway service was insuperable is fast disappearing before the new spirit of the service. It is now possible for any member of the second division to qualify for the first division by means of the Bailway Training and Correspondence School, as a letter from a former porter at Waiau, now promoted to the position of clerk at the Christchurch goods department, published in the Bailways Magazine, makes clear: — "I take this opportunity of thanking you very much for introducing me to the Correspondence Courses, both in Christchurch and Wellington. This, I consider, has been responsible for my obtaining sufficient knowledge to qualify for Division 1." Decimating Seer. The numbers of red deer culled from Ist April, 1926, to 31st March, 1927, in the Wellington district were as follows:—Whakatomotomo, 503; Homeburn, 47; Kaiwaka, 40; Tora, 157; Hiwinui, 105; Lagoon Hill, 860; D. L. Jones, Pirinoa, 10; B. E. Wall, 33; White Bock, 210; Mount Adams, 53; J. T. Haycork, Cape Biver, 182; and Whatarangi (no return). Deer destroyed by rangers were:—Haurangi Beserve 115, Tiritea 6, Kautarawa 5, Tokomaru 2, and Shannon 5. Total, 2333. The society provided for landholders upon whose property deer. were in numbers ammunition costing £80 for the pur pose of thinning the herds. One more year of systematic cnlling will clear up the Wairarapa country, but there is more to be done in the heavily-afforest-ed country to the west and north. Their Thoughts of Home. The men who had not returned would not wish them to be solemn that day, said the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, in unveiling a war memorial at Huntly on Friday, but he felt sure they would want them all to carry on the work they had started in an effort to abolish war and make the world safe for peace. In the days of victory the thought of the men at the front was always, "What will those at home say?" In times of trouble the thought was, "Will those, at home understand what we are going through!" These men, citizens in every-day life, had risen to great heights of self-sacrifice, and as a result they had earned gratitudo for raising the whole standard upon which life would be judged in the future.' Tho question whether their sacrifice had not been in vain had been asked frequently since the war. It was comparatively easy to erect memorials of stone, but tho real memorial thoy had 3 to raise was proof that the work of these men would be carried forward. If this proof were established, the sacrifice of .the war would not be useless. Game Shooting. The game shooting season of 1928 was in many respects satisfactory, says the annual report of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society. Duck were plentiful but difficult to take; other game was to be found in most places. Licenses issned constituted a record, viz., 1430—net value £1360 7s. The season of 1927 opened on the 2nd of May, as the statutory day fell on Sunday. The usual posters were distributed throughout the society's district, and, roughly, 650 copies of list of protected birds and an equal number of lists of regulations were issued with licenses until the supply was exhausted. In the Wairarapa the weather was fine and the birds flew high, but otherwise the day was enjoyable. At Oporua some 50 guns took the limit of swan (5) on the opening day. At Tehopai 5 guns got 82 duck (2 days), 4 guns 60, 6 guns 70, 3 guns 60 (limit), and 7 guns 139. In the Levin district 2 guns took 40 duck (limit), 4 guns 57 (Buller Lake). Other bags were 2 guns 25 and 4 guns 72 (first day). On M'Donald's Lagoons 3 guns took 52 duck and 2 guns 30 (first day). In several places— Levin, Bangitikei, Upper Hutt, etc.— pheasants have been taken —best bags 2 brace and many single birds. A number of quail have been taken, some in Hutt Valley. Generally, whilst no record bags were taken in any class o: game, except at Levin, everyone got some, and appear to be satisfied. Military Efficiency. "Gentlemen, being a soldier, I find difficulty in responding to the toast-of the Army,"said Major-General Young, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces, when speaking at the Veterans' Association dinner at Christchurch. But, he said, he had toured the Dominion, "doing camps," and he could say that the Territorials were of a higher standard to-day than at any time since the war. Of course, across the seas there were experiments in ' tanks and submarines, and aeroplanes, and in chemical warfare. "Yet our means here are limited," he said, "and we have got to Btandby."