GENERAL NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1018, 10 November 1917, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The Dannovirko Advocate says that at a. mooting of creditors of Frederick Cassin, land agent, Hastings, a bankrupt, whoso whereabouts arc at present unknown, it was .stated that tie left Hastings for Ti Tree Point on September Ist last, and had not been hoard, of since. It was also stated that Cassia bad been seen in "Wanganui and in Melbourne. It, was decided to take- 1 steps to ascertain ibo whereabouts ol banknipt and to secure his presence at the next meeting of creditors. There is a very keen demand in the .Marshland district for I arm labour, especially in connection with root crops. In. many cases the services of women and children have had to lie utilised for planting and weeding operations where formerly this class of work was done chiefly by Hie young men who have joined the colours. As a matter of fact, states the correspondent ol the Lyttelton Times, is only a mere sprinkling of First Division men in the district, and some of these have to go to camp shortly. Appeals lor extension of time have been numerous, but few have been granted beyond a month or two.

Woodville residents wore somewhat startled about 6.3t) on Thursday evening by a terrific noise us of a collision at The railway station (says the Examiner). This proved id have been,caused by an engine running off the line and crashing through a fence and shed near Mr Wilson’s. It appears that the engine was in the yards ready to take the train to Palmerston, and the driver and firemen were having tea in the refreshment rooms. Something must have blown out for the engine started off backwards at a groat rate. We are told that the signalman, seeing there was no one on board, turned it on to the. block line. On it went until it came, to the end of the line, where it crashed through the buffin' and turned over. Operations were in progress yesterday towards raising Hie. engine to the line again.

The Otago Daily Times says: “When the. public us a whole is required to contribute to the payment of a war bonus to State employees, boldine comfortable positions and drawing; l*/» and PR it week. the arrangement, is one that is’manifestly unfair and improper. For an explanation of this, we dear we must look to the circumstance that the. public service of the Dominion, organised as it is, has become capable ol exerting a powerful political influence. The measure of its influence is revealed in the fact that the members of Parliament submitted docilely to the imposition on the taxpayers of this heavy charge for war bonuses at a time when the Government has itselt proclaimed the need for the exorcise of caution in the expenditure of public funds.”

A man ■who had enlisted lor active service on nine diftereijt occasions, and has been rejected as medically unlit each time, was before the Second Canterbury Military Service Hoard last week. He was Raymond Scott, a tarm manager at Templeton, and he had been medically classified as Cl on his examination under the ballot. He explained that after being rejected so many times he had got married and had taken up the. management of a farm of 130 acres. He was appealing because, lie had been passed only for (T training camp, and it was doubtful whether he would get to the front alter giving up hi.s position and making what provision he could for hi.s wife. “1 think a man who has nine times is entitled to every consideration.” commented the chairman (Mr H. M'. Bishop). The appeal was adjourned sine. die.

Holiday travelling during the coming Christmas and New Year excursions trill !n> more expensive than last year, for the Railway Department will shortly bring in a further advance, of 1U per cent, i’ll fares and freights. The amended charges may be announced in a few days, and they will certainly _ operate before the rush of summer traihe comes in The chief reason for the increase is the additional wages bill tint 1 to repetition of last year’s bonus ol a shilling per day to the stall, with a turther war bonus this year ol Is per day It) married men earning less - than £220 per annum. Widowers with children are also entitled to this extra, bonus. Not only have wages gone up, but coal is dear and extremely scarce. The total increased cost of locomotive coal compared with pre-war prices is £123,000 per annum, but this might be further raised as a result of the serious scarcity of Newcastle* coal, a large Quantity of which is bound to, be imported for use on the New Zealand railways. The average annual importation of this class of coal for. the railways i.s 120,000 tons, and the price this year will be at least £03,000 more than in 191-1.