MONDAY, September 3rd, 1917. WORK FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS.

Grey River Argus, 3 September 1917, Page 2

MONDAY, September 3rd, 1917. WORK FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS.

THERE is -no -greater fallacy than the jiltMi 1-cld hi'somc quarters, by the unthinking, that the disabled soldier should be permitted to spend the rest oi' his days, in .idleness. To think of such a i'l'in is bue of kindness is ' pre- . posterous, and, though wo fully bcliwe in paying pensions sufficient to provide for those injured permanently by war, v?e condemn any belief that the men should hot be taaght trades or arts which ' Tvil' not. only provide them with work but will give them the power of warning or partly earning a livelihood. There will no doubt be some < soldiers sy severely injured that they tvil! up unable to do any work, at least for a long time after they leave- the battle? 'front, and it w^ill be the country 's duty Iq' provide for them without stint, but there will be a great many who can be fitted for some. . vocation. We are pleased to see that, the ; Dominion's High Commissioner, in London is taking oip,; the matter and the visit paid by him and General. 'Richardson to the New Zoalanders at Walton to ascertain their viefws regarding training for future, .vocations 1 is a 'first, step in the right direction. Xone would be better pleased with the visit 'than the men themselves, for it would open up before them a new .life. No manj ■witHi «ny spirit in him, likes to think that jbe is to. spend a long period of his life •without "work." Hemay grumble beeause Of' his occupation or the monotony of^ it,,.but he knows well thut to be idle

would be a far Avorse' condition. The healthy mind demands that the way of activity be provided, and. the great majority of the soldiers who have suffered permanent injury will desire to 1 be given an opportunity of doing something that they can cull their work. ' • Work, ' ' it is said by. Professor iules-Amar, a great French strrgeon who ,is doing splendid service in restoring 'men disabled by the war to civil efficiency, "is the regcilerator and fortifier, of the mind and body. It alone furnishes material sources of profit and those moral resources without which manhood is but a weary burden." The disabled man soon grasps that fact, jand having done so b*contcs imbued with the spirit of self-reliance; He, desires to be given the opportunity of. working for himself and it is the nations duty to provide that opportunity. In the Old World much has already been done in re-educating and re-training disabled soldiers and . sailors for their return to civilian occupations. Yet in' this country very little has been done. Some of the technical schools, it is true, have spoken of opening -their classes for the rtaitring of returned men, but so far there has been no leal policy laid down. The. Minister in charge of the Discharged Soldiers Information Department (.the Hon. A. L. Herdman) stated early this "ussioh that the returned soldiers had not generally taken advantage of the facilities provided for learning agricul tural pursuits, accountancy, and "suitable trades," and for this reason tLc Minister did not feel inclined to support the proposal of special training colleges. We do not believe the fault lies with the men, but with the system. The returned soldier, who has been carried from one side of the world to tbe other and who has had his life occupied with i travel, is probably ap- | proached on .the matter too soon afler his arrival. He is more or less in a state of excitement not only as a .'result 'if his travels but because^of his return to his beloved couniry^-^His friends and relatives are busy 'peeping his mind occupied a.ud he hasvliacl no time to think seriously of the. future. To expect him to make a. decision, in such circumstances, vsecnis to us to be unreasonable. He needs "time, to settle down and to compose- his thoughts^ When he has been back honie for a few months he will bc^flblc to. look forward to the real position with a clear mind and he will probably see the importance . of preparing himself ror his future occupation. The Government will bo acting wrongly if it per: m-its ifs good intentions to die at such an early stage as' this, and- it "will bo the utmost folly if any condition of drift is permitted to creep into what should be made a very -definite policy. The experience of the older lands has shown that great success has attended the efforts of . the authorities, and there is no reason to think that the disabled soldier returning to the Dominion will.s how* a different spirit. A returned man may think that if he becomes efficient for a civil occupation he will lose his pension or have it reduced, which is within the power of the Pensions Board. . The Government should at once remove that power and place New Zealand on the same plane as. the Mother Country, where a jpension once granted cannot be taken away or reduced; A thorough medical examination should be made and once the doctors have given their decision and a pension is fixed there should be no jtower to alter it in the future, irrespective 'of* the soldier's .'progresi either in health or earning capacity. A returned man may at first be .inclined to remain content. >vith -living "on his pension, but before long he is certain to have a desire to \vork and he should have, the opportunity of learning whatever occupation njay suit him.We hope that the Government will spare no effort in provWing nieans for the soldiers' betfermejit, and that the poor results so fair obtained will not be made an excuse for failing to give the returned jne.n> every chance. ; . .- , : •- ■',', ■ ' • :■:; \i^u^

In order ,to assist inxestpa^^H^AVur Loan Messrs M. J. Fdgal^|;,^^ua' Co 's oiffice will remain dpen.' until 9 o'clocK this eveniug.^AilVt. The Kapitea t)redge washed up last ».veek for 25o»s> 11 ".dw'ts ""for 5 tlays work. ; ■'_.-•. Owing .to the raiu on. Saturday, afternoon the two football matches set down for decision at the Victoria Park were poHtponed-v, ... , . .. • The Success dredgo • w-ashed .up on Thursday for a.return-of 2^ ozs, 2 dwi for Wi hours' 1 worji. ■ . : . Picture Mountin^s^at Bargain prices. Fancy Coloured and Plain " Oak 9- and 12 foot length *l* abotit half the usual price. Come . fii •' and' sec them at B. Dixon 's, Tainui Street.^-Advt. •• The spring, tides Tlast ..- evening brought the waters of, the lagoon, up on the roads nearby., Many .people,/willbe pleased --to- hear .of the exceptionally high water, because /it usually •brings an' abundance of whitebait at this time "of. the year. No doubt the wind from • the \ west :yestcrd4y .;"would be a contributing -cause •. of. the 'tide being so high.. <•.-.;•" . •' ;'• *'■ "Printers Pie" for 1017 is. a .mirth provoking volunie, surpassing- all past issues. The . price is 1/0 posted; 1/21, t'rom B*- Dixon, Tainui Street.T- Advt. i A special meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council has been called for to-day at 5 p.m. to consider, proposals in connection -with j Cobden bridge maintenance during constpuetipni. Considerable interest >htis been caused antog ratepayers o^r -the question "of maintaining: the bridge. '. One ratepayer has asked if, to' save ' expense, itmight not be possible to get authority <fr;oui the Railway ■Department to use ut-s. bridge and to close the Cobden Bridge. x whiele the. contractor is jat •work jon it. ' ,; . if. a Btateuient ia'true, and is certified ', tc >' ■': ■'•:■ / '"■...?".' ' : " ''.-"■:■,. To acecptit as pucli is a wieo thing, to i : dO; „; : "- :' _ '■'•;•.•;;■■■•■ .■;". - -. It is futile to argue* and wrangle and :! doubt.-, - ■-. >;>. i: , i :r; : :/ ■*..; .: -. If there J 8 nought to wrangle and ar- •; gue'about. -,-'.. '-.•.-' ; ? =„ • ■ ; tf you suffer from coughs, bronchitis, I; oreold, :" . "". ;~- ... ».• ".: . i " Seek relief at the druggists wherr ■'■ "Wqodses'yis. sold! - ■:.. • /' A glad restoration : to .^health you'll assure, " •,. ' ■.■■ : '"\. tf yon ask for Woods ' Peppermint l C^nre. " \

The Citizens' Band . will hold its usual weekiv learners' dance this evening at the Band Room when the usual instructors will be present. I The of the Wellington Racing Club have decided to' invest £10,000 in the war loan. Lazar Lodge, No 1089, E.C., meets this evening in Masonic Hall, Tainui .Street, at 8 p.m. Visiting brethren receive a cordial welcome. — Advt. The clean-up at the- Worksop Dredge last week resulted in a return of 240z Odwt of gold for 112 hours. At Preston Yards to-day, Messrs Mark Sprot and Co. will sell by pub- ' lie auction 51 prime turnip-fed bullocks and (35 fat b'heep. . The ainfall for the month of August was 6.60 incres. Rain fell on fifteen dnys, and the greatest fall Was on the 12th, when 1.05 incres were recorded. s?.f. Wheelbarrow Day. 1 ' '»wing to thfi inclemency of the weatner on Saturday had to be postponed. The perishable goods were sold at the Helping Hand Shop which did a good business. The" second count » for the Flower Queen took place at noon on Saturday and resxilted as follows : Edna Garth, first, Mattie Carter, second, and Edna Murray, third. The next count takes pk'ce at H p.m. on Wednesday and thefinal count at S p.m. The New Zealand National Committee of the V.M.C.A. yesterday cabled £1000 to Egypt for expenditure in soldiers' comforts, and, £500 to Mesopotamia for a similiar purpose. A young mjiu nmed I. Roche, had. a narrow escape from drowning early on Saturday mbtning in the' Grey River. It appears that he was engaged catching whitebait when he tripped on the ciJskin he was wearing and fell headlong into the river. He was floating face downwards when one of the engine drivers' caught him by the coat and hauled him ashore none the worse for the m|ishap. .-:.v#?§f.va" ' , '- A.new stjbek oii Ladies' Blouses just opened for spring and summer wear. Dainty styles in crepe de chene, tussores, . Jap silk, etc. Prices tuji from 12/0,. 17/0, tg 30/-. .These new Blouses were made especially, to our order. The latest showing of new Blouses is well worth a visit. W. McKay and Son, Leading Drapers, Mawhera Quay. Advt.' "•%••" ! A gqod story is told of a wealthy \yanganui f arnier, a bachelor, who enlisted and went into camp, He had only fceeh in Feathcrston a few days, when One ,6f'his hands also came into camp, and;.4>assing the cook, shop one day he k'd\y- his boss peeling potatoes. Looking somewhat astonished the newcomer ad- ; dessed his .employer thus : "Hello. Harry, how did. you get the job?" i ?'Oh. influence, my boy. influence," re : plied the wealthy recruit. i* Special Values in Fountain Pens! W« are selling reliable 14 carat golc pibbed Fountain Pens at London prices, viz., 3/6, 4/6, .5/6, 6/6, 8/6 and up to 15/- each. Come in and see L . them at B. Dixon 's, Tainui Street.— Advt. ' . ' A little London girl, staying at a , farm, ..heard that rain was greatly ! wanted, says . Mr. Pett Ridge in i Lloyd's. It was mentioned that prayers with this object would be offered on Sunday at the parish church. She . crept up to her room, and, kneeling, : made an appeal in her own language. iv an hour, a storm broke out that niad* the farmyard into "■ a lake, uprooted trees aiid destroyed roofs. ' ' This, ' ' said the child, . gazing on the scene ruefully, "this is wii-t comes of intVrferinj' with ina'tters that one doesn't proper.ly, understand !" ■ '. Spring -is coining, "and every' good housewife is (Bleliing up the happy home.. Naturally many articles »-wiU require to. be replaced by new and up-to-date Curtains^ Curtain-nets,- Curtain Poles, etc. The- ; <inc place in Grey; mouth you are s&tiei to get satisfaction at is C. SinitW^iitdi, the Wholesale Drapers, . Clothio|fe:^Bj>ot Importers and .House jjaiil a iiilvirjtjSfiga ■ txi^M? lurnishings. — Advt. VM'Thi:? war J gjui\b is not the most desirable life, ' ' writes a. Ne\v Plymouth boy from some-w!uero' in France, "but for those who are lucky enough to miss the bits oi" iron that fly about, it is not without its ; attractions. The excitement of it a chap somewhat, and there is always the glorious possibility that it might be over in a year or two. There is no doubt that there is a terrible lot of fight in old Fritz' yet, but the Allies appear to be successfully wearing him, dpwu, and the end, of next year's summer ought to see a great difference. " Fur Necklets and Fur Sets for this cold weather at .Walker's Big Sale. Children's Sots, Muff aiid Sic-hot at, 4/11, 5/11, and 6/i'l. .Ladies Fur Sealette muff and^ necklet at : l?/6.. 15/6, 21/-, . to 80/- per set. : All r,oducr led in price. Walker's Street.— ; A«lyt, . <^ E*or Children's Hacking Cough at night Groat P€ penn int. Owe, ,!/«;. 2/H. , A Wellington gentleman who recently- paid- a visit; to Japan states that war contracts are Creating millionaires in Hunt country just as quickly' as they do in America. Before the war Japan was not a financially strong nation, but now she is to be' reckoned with' as one of the strongest of the great Powers, for apart from naval patrol "and escort work,_.herrpart in the great Avar has been negligible, except as a provider of munitions to Russia, which work has kept every factory going at top speed, and in addition to this the trade of the world has flowed automatically to Japan as the 'nations be ; i same involved in war. The enormous ; (lemntl for metals. has been a bonanza ; : for Japan, r When the visitor in ques- , jiion; was there, he heard that fortunes had been made by shrewd Japanese,; who had combed China for its brass ' " cash ' ', (the coins /with the ■ square holes in the-,-cenr.te),. which lvere i bought at face value and sold iningbt ; form, at a big advance. , w „ ' For Influenza take Wood's Groat.. Pepermint Cure, Never fails.-'' 1/6 8/8

1 The revenue for the port of Grey--1 mouth for the month of August was aa follows : Customs £24H lUs-lUd, beer £1(52 15s 3d. - ;'/■•; Photo Frames to hold threje, foirr,-* and five post, cards, also alLs^ziis of » groups, etc., are to be purchased at J;he lowest prices at B. Dixon, 4'ainrfi Street. — Advt. .: The vital statistics for the month of. August were as follows : Births "0, deaths 15, marriages o. ] ■ .•■ ■ • t Photograph Mounts and Albums, in all sizes from the small pocket Kodak • to 1/1 plater The latest styles and colourings, in either slip-in or paste-oii. The best values are here at B. pixon 'a, ' . '••• : : .- ' ' ! ./■ si '' T Although statements have been '. made to the contrary, it is believed * says an exchange, thaf the Licensing Bill, Avhich is Expected to create one of the most interesting" and lively debates of thg session, will not be brought down at the cud of this month Writes a soldier from France : "I have seen very little as yet, but^just viibugh to make me feel that- IS*e^_ Zealand is about the best place going today, and if- I am lucky enough to got back I think 1 will take a lot' of. shifting. . W. McKay and Son have just landed - . from London a dainty lot of Children's Millinery in silk and muslin effects— • the prices are the lowest, 4/0' up to 17/6. Ladies' Ready-to-wear Hats m the new styles fpr spring, 7/G, y/0", and 12/0. If-/ yaa ' -want, the latest styles call on W. -McKay and Son's) the ' Leading Drajjers, Ma>yhera Quay. — Advt. . - ..' ' Say, bossr can r t we do something with this 1" observed a worker in si . Wellington, tannery when the manager was walking through the works one. day. " Boss " dopted v suggestion made by the worker, ande the firm-is-upw making £20 per \ t month from what was formerly a. waste product. I The worker was presented with' £lo for his suggestion. The Wellington "Post" states that in. connection with the charges against two railway employees of attempting to defraud Henry-- Martindle of £975, there buve been somewhat sensational' developments. It is understood that I certain well known business people in Wellington are -implicated, and. arc b«- --• ing served with summonses charging them with false pretences. No definite' date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the case, which is expected to present sonic unusually interesting fea- , tures. •f r "The Daily Telegraph War Map/ containing detailed maps of every theatre of war. Price 1/9, posted 1/11. > Procurable Yrom B. Dixon, Tainui St. ' — Advt. _An ancient ship's cannon with an interesting history has been presented by Colonel Porter, C.8., to the. Napier I Soldiers' Club. The cannon was re- » covered from the wreck of a-Vhaler i near the East Coast about the year '. 17i»5. In, the j^ear 1527, or thereabouts •one Maori murdered another. The murderer was captured, sentenced to death .and a newly appointed Maori, preacher authorised to decide what form the execution should take.. Crucifixion was decided upoii but when the" man was • , tied to a rude cross a warrior suggested that the cannon above referred to, being a -weapon made, to kill with, should be used. The gun was loaded beach stones being used as bullets, ami , fired from twenty, payees, the result be-- ( ing that the murderer was' blown to atoms. The cannon- was subsequently ■ designated "Te Pu Repu i Bepekatia to Kohuru." the translation of whict it is stated, is '.' .'the cannon, that cruI cified the murderer.';' In 15(55/on the outbreak of war, the late loyal Chief of TCgatiporou,.'. Major' Ropata/ JNT.Z.e.. presented the cannon to Colonel. P.prter. Accompanying tlie cannon are two 041 b shots, which were- iired from H.M.S. Brisk hen: landing troops at Poverty Bay in 18G5. .- : '■ > \t' ■■■ ;•-■ ■■*■.•-••■':■■ Jf enough is as 'good as ,a feast,. J , A y s pale prigs and philosophers say f We ail hopo to g&t that much at leasC And without any rhe'edless delay, '*. ' But whatever Aye get must be good, :. | Of a quality, potent and pure;. More consoling;.tban. wealth, and conducive.tb .health, ; * Like Wood^'' a r »n% P*»pp«»Tniint Oura.