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Nelson Evening Mail, 14 November 1916, Page 2

A peculiar thing in'regard to the wheat question is the srudden jump in prices," stated Mr J: Talbot at' 1 a'meetV?/i- 0f u he : ? arme^"s '; Union ' at Timaru. VVheat had been in a very uncertain, position all the year. Thev were supP° s | d t? have grown .seven" r million bushels last season, according to the threshing returns (which 'ought to be, but which were hot, correct); and *if they had grown that quantity ''they would have had sufficient. A good many of them had .been' ;pf : £he' opinion 'all along that there were not seven million ( bushels of wheat grown last and iiP°* Y le wheat' was being' unsuccessfully looked for.. It seemed likely thai good prices would 'be'realised. '■-' ■''■■'- The season continues to be an exceptionally, favourable one for the' general body of producers throughout 'MarTbor. ougn (says the Express). The 'whole countryside presents a r splendid appearance, there being a prolific growth itr : all directions, including the- higher lands which usually begin"to. languish at this t: ™ e . of . the: year. E.verywhere • on the' cultivated area magnificent crops premise the heaviest of yields; the generous and continuous' rainfall' has assured the success of the extensive pea crops; the potatoes nave been going into the ground under the best of conditions; and- the luxuriant grow .th of'grass and- lucerne has favoured tl<e owners of sheep and cattle to a rare 'extent.-"Agriculturally, the average yiehl per acre i or ''the district will probably appi-oxim'ate, if: it does not exceed 1 , l .the highest point. yet reached, and a ' record • output" ; in ; th'e dairying industry is conudently anticipated. : . ■ , ,/ : -.-,. ,- . ; "We often come in contact with the famous Scottish regiments' here, and I ! can tell you' candid!" : we are 'always on the best of terms wvtfr'theni," : writes a member of the New'Zealand'Division to a Wellington resident *rom "Spmewhere in France." "Recently we had 1 a lecture by a major out of th<s Gordon Highlanders on the new bayonet fighting, and it was most int~--e'stin£r"_ and educating. In h;s opening remarks "1 e. said l he was exceedingly pleased to have the chance to meet the Anzacs in his capacity'as instructor, though on two previous occasions he had-met some of them in England,' having -played ; against the 'All Blacks.' He we had taught them football, but he was getting-h.s own back by teaching us the bayonet, and. I think he is right."' ' ; -' ' ■"'■'■■ '"■ The Victoria Cross awarded to Lieut. Robinson, who brought down the Zeppelin, is the, first V.iC. given for services in the United Kingdom.- The Victoria Cross is awarded for "soire signal act of valour or devotion to the country" performed "in the presence of the enemy." ' The irig asked the Zeppelin hero a number of questions" as to his feat in the midnight heavens, and possibly His Majesty- got'f'o one. bf T 'fhem the same reply.' as that alleged to h.,\ve been given by" the airman "to a Mrierrd earlier in the week; '"'"What," it was asked him, "were you thinking of while you were up there waiting for the German?" "The only thing I remember when the rruhs'ceased'fire and the' shells stopped bursting below me," he replied, "was thinking- to myself : 'Now'l've'got the —— gentleman!' *' : The' field "at Ouffley "where <the' f L2r burnt 1 itself- out is to be presented to the nation: by its. owner, Mrs Northaw, on "cdfidit'ibn that a i? erected to commemorate Lieutr Robinson's deed. '•'*. i

Except to the very hard-hearted there was something pathetic in proceedings at the 'Wellington Supreme Court yesterday, .says the Post. 'Connected -with the case under trial there. were no fewer than eight prisoners who were serving varied sentences at the Terrace Gaol. *3he was a mere youth, who at Timaru last year received a life sentence for attempted murder.. He has been,in custody a year, but Tiis face still maiutains its youthful freshness, in strange contrast to those .of ;'the more hardened prisoners who appeared as witnesses. Some of the latter had spent many years behind the bars, were apparently resigned to the fact that their terms had yet many years to run. They entered the" Court with the true prison slouching along to the witness-box with bended body aud curved shoulders. lii their eyes there was a vacant stare—a bewildered look as they gazed'at the crowds in the body of the Court. _ They were all dressed in ordinary civilian, clothes, hut. if the cut of. some of the suits was fashionable at the time of their sentence. it, is certainly, extremely unfashionable now. Four of the .prisoner's were dragged into the case—(the Terrace \.<aol mutiny V—as— as unwilling witnesses, umvillinjr in'that they seemed afraid to" sav anything which might earn ph'e.disfavourof. the prison authorities.

The following letter, written iby the assistant matron of .No. 6 General Hospital, France, to Mr J. R. Hill, of New Plvmouih, will give an idea of the care which is bestowed on our wounded men, says the Taranaki Herald :—"I am writing to tell vou that your son is in this hospital, and.that lie is seriously wounded." His condition is causing us anxiety, but I hope by, the time you receive this he will be out of the wood. . Meantime we will do-all we can for him ~ and: he will'be lovingly and skilfullv nursed., and when fit he will go to England." Since the above letter was written . Mr Hill has received a .cablegram from his son to the effect that he had had a leg amputated below the knee, but was. progressing rapily.

The question of whether a police constable has a right to enter business premises and make prolonged . inquiries was involved in a decision, given iii"the Practice Court, Melbourne, last week. . The original" action; came on 'in'the Melbourne Court of Petty Sessions on August .29, when Alfred, Abrahams, of Eli-zabeth-street, Melbourne, was fined. 10s, with" costs,"'for having obstructed, Constable Maokay'in the execution; of his duty. The facts were" that on August 2 the" constable went into Abraham's shoo for the purpose of making inquiries in ' reference to' the sale of a pea-rifle, said . to. have been sold ■ to a youth 18 years of age. Abrahams, it was stated,'came tip a hd ordered the constable to leave the shop', and the latter then went away. Argument bri. ■the case took" -place a few days ago, and Mr' Justice Hood now delivered his" reserved . judgment. 'lt was held> by his Honor that, the" opening" of the shop was an invitation to the public to enter. At the same, time the proprietor had "a right to' order any person off the premises. . In this case"Mackay was told to leave the place. As. a constable he had'no fightf to be there, and was therefore not obstructed in the execution, of bis dutyv "The appeal was allowed, and l the 'conviction in the Court below was set aside.