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Mataura Ensign, 25 April 1917, Page 4

Mrs W. F. Massey launched the Union Company’s Armagh, ,states a London cablegram.

A. Munich military commander has issued the following order: ‘ ‘The appearance of many ladies in Garmisch-Par-tenkirchen (a favorite resort in the Bavarian Alps) has-provoked among the population of that place lively indignation and anger. Anger was particularly directed against those ladies, not seldom of ripe age,, who, without sporting reasons, continually show themselves in public in trousers. It happened that ladies in this costume visited church during service. Such behaviour is detestable to the homely, serious feeling of the mountain population. In consequence thereof many disagreeable scenes occurred in the streets. The authorities, clergy and private persons approached the military with a request for the help of the latter, who has authorised the local authority at Garmiseh to proceed energetically, if necessary, with police measures of compulsion against the nuisance.”

A religious objector came before the Second Wellington Military Service Board the other day, in the person of Hugh King, polish mixer, of Berhampore. King, who had been drawn in the ballot, stated that his religious beliefs would not allow him to bear arms. The Scriptures enjoined him to he “mild as a dove,” and he could not disregard that injunction. He refused to be sworn, but consented to make an affirmation. “Do you belong to any religions sect?” asked the chairman of the board (Mr J. W. Boynton). The appellant said that there were no sects in true Christianity. The chairman : Were you baptised in any sect? Appellant: We are all baptised in one Spirit and in one body. The chairman; You know what I mean. Don’t quibble. Were you baptised as a member of a particular sect? Appellant: I was sprinkled. He added, in answer to further questions, that Iris parents had been Presbyterians. The appeal was dismissed.

it is sometimes said that many of the gifts sent to the front never reach there, but the members of the Gore branch of the Otago "and Southland Women’s Patriotic Association have received at various times letters from the boys on active service saying that they have received their parcels. One letter just received by Mrs F. Young, of Canning_ Street, from “Somewhere in France” runs:—“ Thanks very much for Dominion gift parcel containing socks, tin milk, tin lollies and handkerchief, which I received last night. The gifts were very welcome, especially the socks, as it is some work to keep dry this weather, and we all appreciate very much the kindness and thoughtfulness of all you people in New Zealand. Frank " Marshall, Sergeant, Otago Mounted Rifles, Expeditionary Force, trance.” Acknowledgments of parcels forwarded have also been received_ from the following district boys;— Privates Simpson, Gee, Graham and Maslin.

The number of men drawn in the various military ballots to date_ have been as follow; —First ballot. November, 4000; second ballot, December. 3000; third ballot, January, 3600; fourth ballot (double) February, 6867; Fifth ballot, March, 4503; sixth ballot. April, 4812. Tn the six ballots that have already taken p1ace,26,782 member sof the First Division have thus been called up to fill some 8,300 vacancies m the Twenty-third, Twentyfourth, Twenty - fifth, Twenty - sixth. Twenty-seventh", Twenty-eighth, Twen-ty-ninth, and Thirtieth Reinforcements. The First Division, which originally totalled 84,98(5 men, has also been considerably drawn upon by voluntary enlistment. At the conclusion of the fifth ballot on March 7, the total number remaining in the Reserve was 33,419. This number has now been further reduced bv the 4812 men calk’d up in the sixth ballot, and the voluntary enlistmen of the First Division men since March 7. The total number remaining in the First Division is thus below 30,100.

A temarkahle feature of the great British “Victory” war lea?) was the investment of long-cherished 1 hoards ol iirokl. Instances recorded were; Man at Newcastle, £3000; a St. Albans cattle dealer. £600; a Radlett (Herts) woman, £100; a West Ham man, £113; a woman at the Mansion ’House, £93; a woman at a eity post office, £3O. Sums of £IOO. £37 and others fairly large were taken in coin to the- Mansion House. At Emsworth, Hants, gold investments at the post office totalled £IOOO in 10 days in contributions of from £1 to £4OO. At the Bank of England in the last few days numbers of people women—were paving gold over the counter. Many of them brought it in hags tied to their wrists. Every/day offers of money free of interest and of gifts to the nation reached the Treasury and the National War Savings Committee. Sonic of them were very large; others that were sent direct to the Chancellor of the Exchequer included sixpences saved bv children. Several in stamps or postal orders were received. “A mother and daughter” sent £l, and a woman forwarded two £3 notes from Beseomhe, Hants. A Belgian. M. Jacques Hamelecourt. who had to leave Ids native country when the Germans invaded it. took £3ooo.iu notes to the Mansion House. Another interesting subscription was a £3 piece.

The. name of one of the collectors on Blanket Day was given as Miss IMcCuteheon; it should have, been Miss Moll utc boson.

Rev. Rutherford Waddell on Sunday last celebrated the 38 th anniversary of his ministry at St. Andrew’s Church, Dunedin.

The director of the Wangauni observatory declares that the comet now visible to the naked eye is not Wolfe’s comet. The latter is very faint, and not in the same portion of the heavens, although visible with a large telescope at the same hour. Mr Ward adds that credit for the discovery of the strange comet appears to be due to Dr. Hector, of the Halt, who first reported it.

Some pertubation lias been caused to anglers in the Tanpo district by the attitude of the Maoris living in the vicinity of'the Watahauu River, one of the most popular trout streams around the lake. It appears that they declare that the Native Laud Court has affirmed their right to the half-chain strip of laud running along each bank of the river, and tiiat they will not permit,pakehas to fish there any longer.

“Has a returned soldier to attend drill ?” asked A. Withers, a defendant in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington on Friday 7 . He was charged with failing to attend drill, and in the course of his defence he stated that he had seen 240 days’ service in Samoa. The prosecutor said that the defendant was under an obligation to drill all the same. His Worship, My G. L. Roid, S.M., convicted Withers and discharged him.

The Dunedin railway station was practically deserted on Monday morning at 11 o’clock, usually the busiest time of the day (says the ‘Evening Star’.) One would-be passenger (obviously not a reader ot the daily papers) walked up and down the platform tor a while, carrying a hag with the Christchurch label on it. As he went away, after vainly looking for a train, he was possibly wondering whether he had not made a mistake and come on a Sunday morning.

In reply to a question whether he would be in favor of making hospital treatment free, the Mayor of Palmerston North (Mr Nash), who is seeking re-election, said that when the' matter had been brought up at the Hospital Board on a previous occasion he mid supported it, and would do so again. In the Old Country hospitals were free, and the time was coming, in the speaker’s opinion, when hospitals in New Zealand would have to be free also.

The Tapauui correspondent of the ‘Evening Star’ says that that town has solved the difficulty of passenger traffic by running special cars from AVaipahi to carry passengers from Dunedin on arrival of the express at noon. A mail service is being negotiated for; also goods by lorries. Live stock for side on Wednesday was refused, al-j though trucks were ordered on Saturf day, when a special train left with 4® trucks containing freezing stock. Tiip people consider they are entitled to a daily train, as the staff are idle and soft coal is obtainable.

“I believe that nineteen out of every twenty dairy herds could be reduced 20 per cent, without decreasing the output of butter-fat, providing that systematictesting and culling wpre gone in for,” remarked Mr J. Burgess, oi Warea, at the sitting of the Appeal Board in New Plymouth this weeek. Mr Burgess added that there were a lot of poor cows that did not pay for milking, and could easily be dispensed with. As the result of ten years’ testing, Mr Burgess stated that he had increased the yield of his cows by 1001b of butterfat each per annum, u

At the Sixth Congress of Exhibitors of Cinema Films, recently bold at Chicago, it was stated'that at-the present time there are no fewer than 21,000 halls and theatres at .which this class of entertainment is given in tne United States. These .entertainments are attended by no fewer than 25,000,000 persons daily, or say more than one-quarter of tile entire population of the States. They employ upwards of 250,000 operators, whose weekly wages amount to .2,300,00 dollars. The total amount invested in ■ these undertakings was stated to exceed 2,000,000,000 dollars—£4oo,ooo,ooo sterling.

An unusual incident took place recently on the summit if the Rimutaka Range, Wellington, during the march from Featherston Camp by one of the reinforcements to .Wellington. The men were rested on the top of the range, and during an interval Mrs W. J. Napier presented to each man a four-leaf clover in green leather for luck, with a safety pin to attach the same under the lapel of the tunic. After all had been so served the men gave three cheers for Mrs Napier, and the whole force sang the well-known Irish ballad 'The Dear Little Shamrock.’ The effect of many hundreds of vocies singing the well-known song ii\ such weird surroundings was very stirring.

Considerable anxiety prevails on the snow country this year owing to shortage of musterers (says the Oamaru ‘Mail’). The first dustings of snow have fallen on the highest country, and thenwill be experienced the greatest difficulty, owing to the shortage of men, in clearing the dangerous country of sheep before the heavy drifts arrive. The general shortage of men prevents the pressing of all hands into tin’s service, and it is not unlikely'that severe losses face many of the owners of hinterland runs, where it was difficult at any time to secure men who would remain long, enough to learn the conditions (%' work sufficiently to lie useful, and - who now, in view of the demand for labor in more closely-settled districts, will find it extremely hard to secure musterers.

At the women’s meeting at Christchurch to protest agaist the coal strike iVlrs Nuttall, an anti-conscrintionist and proTstrike advocate, said that she was a working woman and, with respect, to the strikers, she alleged that the wives of the, miners were supporting their husbands in the strike “every time”” (applause). Conscription was the ruin of nations; it had been the ruin of Germany. The hoys who went to fight were told that they were going in fight Prussian militarism; hut Prussian militarism had been forced on the Dominion. They had brought up their sons for something nobler than to be brought under Prussian militarism. -Mrs Bean (a daughter of the late Hon. 11. -J. Seddon) : I wonder what the women of Belgium 'brought up their girls tor? (Cries of “Order!”) .Mrs Wood: Only one .speaker at a time. Mrs Nuttall: I will answer t.haL What about the Congo atrocities? Several of those present rose to a point of order.

A recent number of the Penrith ‘Observer,’ Cumberland, England, contains the following: The Bishop of Peterborough, who is over six feet in height, and is broad in proportion, has been telling a good story at a War Doan meeting at Peterborough. His Lordship, alluding to the fact that Mr W. Massey, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, to whom he was rnoviim a ->tc of t.'cuiks, was a. good physical specimen of the British colonist, said it reminded him of an incident which occurred a few weeks ago at the other side of the diocese, where he was attending a reception. The Mayor of the place was in the chair, and in the course of his remarks said: “f don’t know whether this gentleman will make a good Bishop, lint 1 am sure* ho would make a splendid special constable!’ - The audience were immensely tickled at the Bishop’s story, especially alum he went on to say: “T wo’dd venture to say the same of Mr Massey, and 1 uity the erring inidvidual who met him in (he da rk !”

A well-attended meeting of citizens was held on Saturday (says tin ‘Herald’), at which it was decided ti arrange for a subsidy for the carriage of the mails between Edendale ano Wyndham on the days the train duet not run. The matter was placed ii. the hands of the Town Board, and the tender of Mr W. Johnstone lias been accepted for the service by motor-car.

Advice lias been received that Lieutenant A. B. Johnston, of Glen Gordon, Balfour, second son of Mr G. P. Johnston, Gore, and nephew of Rev. J. Johnston, Sheffield, has been awarded the Military Cross for distinguished service at the battle of Macevar on ifecemher 23. During the engagement Lieutenant Johnston,, with only a handful or men, captured a Turkish battery in the face of heavy 7 odds and took a number of prisoners.

At a meeting at Christchurch on Friday night to promote Mr Holland’s candidature for -the Mayoralty, Mr L: M. - Isitt, M .P., was heckled by an anti-conscriptionist. Among other interjections was the following :“A vioce : 1 hoard you say a lew years ago when speaking in the Square, and someone suggested that you were graduating asa ploitician, that when you had lost your character .you would become si politician, Mr Isitt: Well, I have not lost my character.—(Applause.)’ ’

Some week-end travellers from Wyndham got a surprise on Saturday (says the ‘Herald’). They expected to get to Invercargill for the last time on the concessions, and provided themselves with the usual- 3s 9d. Their jaws dropped when they had to pay out 5s Id. One farmer on the, train thought the increased fares would cure people of a bad habit, “Why 7 do we travel?” he asked, answering , the question himself; “Merely a habit. We could easily be doing something better on our farms,”

At tlie statutory meeting of the Bluff Harbor Board yesterday tho secretary reported, that according to the Customs returns the imports of the Southland district'through the'ports of Invercargill " and Bluff totealled £542,273, as against £486,816 Jf or 1915, being an increase of £55,457, or a recovery to some extent to the figures of 1914. A large quantity of goods was railed from Dunedin ,to Invercargilij this costly method being the only one by which the importers could' get delivery.

\ Slaughtermen at freezing works are making remarkably good wages (says the ‘Wyndham Herald’). At Mataura on Saturday we observed the employees waiting for their weekly pay. One satisffied man going away with his earnings exclaimed, “A nice little poesy !” ’‘How muck ?’■’ he was a'sked. The reply came,. “Seven pounds fifteen shillings” (£7 j 15s). Others earned- more than that I we learned. If the work is hard, the pay is good, and there is surely mjt much occasion for men in that employment desiring to strike.

Speaking at a gathering of teachers in Wellington on Friday last (says the ‘Post’), Dr. Ada Paterson- said that in learning music many children were apt to injure themselves physically. When a child spent five hours at school and, say, one'-hour at home lessons, it was too liiudh to expect it to sit down at the piano for two hours. She mentioned one girl who practised for two and ahalf hours a day and had suffered physically in consequence. She, had been, learning music for two years, and had got to tlie stage when she was able to tinkle “The Blttc Bells of Scotland.” In the doctor’s opinion it seemed that the sacrifice of health was too great for such musical. attainment.

As anticipated, the polling at the local elections'to-day is very light and up to the time of our going to press very little interest- was manifested in tlie matter. The holiday atmosphere no doubt contribirtes 1 to the atrophy of electors oil this’ all- events only some' 200' voters exercised their rights up to 2 p.m. It is expected that the result of the Mayoral contest will lie announced by tho returning officer (Mr F, Young) about 7.30 p.m., and that shortly afterwards the figures for the North Ward election will be available. The result of the contest for the seat on the Bluff Harbor Board cannot be declared until the Mataura count is complete, and this result may not be announced for a short time after the North Ward election is made public.

An unusually choice assortment of Flannelettes has just been opened out at Thomson and Beattie’s. These goods are r\ow showing in white and striped effects, and the prices range from to Is fid per yard. No taste need go unsatisfied. Quality considered, .we know the prices to be unassailable. Judgment can be well exercised by ouying now.

Further entries for Waikaka sale

Pictures, Princess Theatre, to-night. Supper and re-union, Town Hall, to-night.

The latest novelty in Infants’ Adjustable Waterproof Bibs—the most perfect bib ever bought. Easy to wash, simply by unbottoning the waterproof part at hack. Now on sale Bd, lOd, It, Is 3d, Is Gd, to 2s Gd. One hundred dozen other Bibs, in silk, towling and muslin, 3d, 4d, sd, Gd, 7d, Bd. 9d, l()d and is to 3s 6d. A large selection of Shawls in all the newest designs at these keen prices—3s lid, 4s 3d, 5s 6d, 6s Gd, 7s lid, 8s 6d, 9s 6d, IBs Gd, 12s Gd, to 32s Gd; Infants’ (downs, in cambric and flannelette, selling at 2s lid, 3s 3d, 3s Gd, 3s 9d, and 4s Gd; Infants’ Petticoats, in cambric, wool and flannelette, at Is Gd, Is 9d 2s, 2s Gd, 3s Gd, to 8s Gd ; Cosy Wool Hoots and Bootees, up-to-date selection, Is .3d, Is (id, Is 9d, to 2s lid; Infants’ Hats and Bonnets, in velvet, iieecv and silk, smart styles, Is (3d, Is yd, Is lid, 2s od, 2s Gd, 3s 3d, to 10s Gd. at H. atifl J. Smith’s (Ltd.), the licading Infants’ Outfitters, Main ow-reet. ’Phone 131.