LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 171, 17 July 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

\. In an advice to the Defence Minister General Richardson, O.C. New Zealand Forces in England, states that t/he 34th Reinforcements are very good in physique and in teaming-. The summary of the work of the New Zealand Division for June, just received from General Richardson by the Minister of Defence, shows that our men had a fairly quiet time during that month. .They remained in the Helbuterne sector -until the 17th "of the mon tii, when they were removed into reserve. The clxange and the good weather, the report states, have been very -enehcial to the troops. The divisional sports and horse show were held, with large attendances -.,.4 Writing to Mr Edwin Arnold, J.P , Mr W. H. Hill, editor of the East Grinstead Observer, Sussex, England, says :-r-"We are rationed* for several essential things now, but there is rto real shortage yet of general commodities. Cheese is unobtainable, and one or two things are difficult to get, but we are very far from starvation staue. We all long for the end of this terrible struggle, but would sooner stiffer 1 far' greater privations than give in."

"About 70 per cent, of the defects detected by the medical inspection of school children receive attention," stated the 'Minister of 'Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan)> He remarked that more inspectors and nurses were wanted but there was an acute shortage of doctors, His Department had ti-ied recently to obtain two additional medical inspectors, but had failed.

Approximately three years ..ago Sergeant George iM'Aheny, of Wanganui, was taken prisoner by the Turks on the GalKpali Peninsula. Some two years ago he made a valient effort to escape, but did not manage to get clear of the Snltan,s dominions. For some time after his dash for freedom he, with other New Zealanders, was more closely watched by the authorities, ana he was transferred to a safer place. This was Adabazar, a locality not fur from Constaiitinonle, and remote enough from the borderlands of the Turkish Empire. Nothing daunted, howevei-, .Sergeant M'Aneny made another attempt to escape" early in the present year, but, according to a postcard' recently received by, his sister (Mrs. Welch, of Wellington), ho was again recaptured. Whether or mot he was wounded in tho struggle for freedom is unknown, but it is significent that the postcard l was written in a hos>prfal. Prior to his second attempt to escape Sergeant M'Aneny was employed, with other English prisoners, on roadmaking on a highway which the Turks had already named the English Road.

McKays' Sale.—Wide Black Ribbons 2d and 3d yard. Sample hand-bags going cneap.* ■ /

NO RUBBING Laundry Help dalights every housewife. 1* 3d packet sufficient "f nip seven weekly family w'ashinga.—-T. P*Uib'

Yesterday, by universal consent; was the coldest day of the winter. There was anofher heavy fall of snow in the country;, four inches toeing recorded _at the Sherry and heavy falls> on Spooner's Eange and along - the line.

There is almost a firewood famine in Nelson, and at the present time the quantity tliat can be procured at one time is a shilling's worth—for kindling purposes; Amongst the causes of "the shortage are the scarcity of laJbour and the continued wet weather, which prevents the getting out of supplies, It will probably be five or six weeks before firewood will again be plentiful in the city;

"We want to remove from New Zealand everything that may. be offensive to" .the French people," eaid tlie ActhiigPrime Minister lit a speeh at the Wellington Town Hall. "In the city of Christchurfch, t understand, there are in a church some German bells made out of metal from artillery taken from the French in the campaign some years ago. Those bells are to he taken down—(applause), amsd -unAees *he French Consul at Auckland suggests t-hat theV go to some other purpose they will be melted down.'* (Applause.)

Commenting on a case at the sitting of the First Military Service Board' at Rangiora, the Chairman (Mr J. S. Evanis. &M.) said it was both a wrong procedure and an unwise one on the part of an appellant to obtain a report on his case from the National Efficiency Committee of Advice before his appeal had been heard. If the members of the committee wfehed to express their opinion oil the merits of am appellant s case, they should appeal- before the board and give evidence. It was for the board to decide whether it was necessary .to have a report from a committee of advice. He trusted that appellants would note this information.

Consideration was given last week bv the executive of the Auckland Farmers' Union to the question of the organising by the Government of men over military age. Mr G. C. M'unro, president' of the Clevedon branch, said he was sure many farmers could be spared if the services of home service, men and men over military age were organised. He knew of a number of men just over military age who had retired, and their services should be utilised to release others for service or increase the production of the farms. Other speakers agreed with the proposal, though some expressed the opinion that the increasing of production wasl probably of. /greater imponta/ice at present than the releasing: of men for military service. It was eventuallydecided to urge the matter upon the Government.

Giving evidence before the First Wellington Military Service Board yesterday Mr G. Millport (Secretary Marine Department) stated that there were at present twelve vacancies in the lighthouse staff. Not only had the Department Ibeen quite unable to fill the vacancies, but theyi had found much difficulty in getting even temporary men to carry on the work.

Stephen Island, the sanctuary which ie 'the special realm of that aristocrat among reptiles, the tuatara, was recently., visited by Dr J. Allan Thomson), Director of the Dominion Museum, says the Dominion. He took with him. a quantity of seeds of trees', mostly pohutukawa, which he planted in suitable places, and he left a quantity of seed to be planted .later by the" lightkeeper on the island'. He took with him also seeds of ngaio and oke alee. He found that the fenced bush 'on the island was full of dense undergrowth,; but there was practically no undergrowth in the unfenced' bush—-a circumstance which he attributed' Ito the fact that cattle "can stray into the un-f fenced bush. He has recommended 1 to . the Minister of Internal Affairs that another area of hush should be fenced.

"This sort of conduct, if allowed to go on| as a general .thing in t-he city, would lead to a ridb every time the police'had occasion to arrest anybody," remarked Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., ait the Wellington Magistrate's "Court, says the Dominion, in a case in which. Johannes Antoneus Wilhelmus Jamsen, was accused of haviing assaulted Constable Robert Anderson in the execution of his duty. It appeared' -that on (Saturday the* constable was arresting a drunken woman, when accused .came along and attacked him. After a severe straggle the constable managed to handcuff Jansen. "The only ih'mg to do with this class of case is to hit it hard when it crops up,'•' said Mr Frazer. who sentenced Jansen to a month's imprisonment with hard labour.

At McKays' Sale: Smart ready-to-wear hats 4s lid and <Ss" 6d ; child's hats 2s 6d; P.D. Corsets 7s 6d.*

Many people have been surprised- by the. ve/y large proportion of men weeded out by the Militaiy Medical Boards as physicallyi unfit for active service. Among tne most surprised is the Minister -of Defence (Sir James Allen), who •remarked to a deputation' the other.day that the largeness of the percentage of rejects (about 60 per cent)' was ed on him every day. "The first thing we must do," /he said "is to improve physical standard of the young. wen."

Special clearance of Ladies' 'Hats at McKays' -Winter Sale; Gaberdine hats 8s 6d>: uirtfimmed felts 2s. 6d; trimmed hats iOs 6d* s

The question as to whether the secretary of the Seamen's Union should, appeal for exemption 1 from military service of seamen and firemen w.ho on several occasions, owing to their misconduct, delayed the departure of vessels, was raised at flhe sitting of the First Wellington Military Service Ek>ard yesterday. Capti?afff~ Walker, militaiy representative, mentioned the matter to the Iboard when the secretary of the union was appealing on behalf of a number of members of the. union. •In_-repi>- .to a question asked by the •Chairman, the union secretary {Mr Tv 7. T Young) said he thought in such a case a warning from the union would b.» sufficient to stop such conduct, and achieve the object desJved.

■diving evidence before the Select Committee appointed t by the Federal ■Senate to enquire into the liquor traffic in its relation to.military efficiency, A. L).] Blythe ,81011.. iadij,'udica!tor oft Jtlie Amelioration Committee of New South Wales, said he estimated that it had and would cost Australia 22! million's on a capital basis lor sending to the front m4ii who for various causes were unsuitable for military servicee, and whd Had tcfcfcbe returned home. That amount included also the providing of peilsidhs; Of the 1 men who had been sent buck am was 73 years of age.

A meeting of highly emphatic suffragettes in London is said- to have been stampeded hy liberating, among them- a cage-full of live mice. Well (remarks The Giith), a live cat is said to have befell almost, as great a bogie to "Bolbs"—Lord Roberts. Yet that great warrior is sui-elyi not to be denied the duality of courage. The "norviness"* caused by cat or mouse is a defect of constitution; courage lies in the character. Max O'Rell declares that women are more courageous than men rfi the dentist's torture chair. At anv rate—"odorous comparisons" apart —thev commonly display high patience, and at times sublime courage, in great emerconcies. Guizot has written much and wisely hereon; and the present war has furnished material galore for a noble epic to the patient bravery and (at times) reckless daring of true womanhood. Think, for instance, of those gallant nurses in the bombed hospitals in Franco! In shell-Jbattered Armentieres, we were witness to the serene and smiling bravery of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Under repeated tornadoes of shells, they clung' *to their home and to their aged and. help* Jess poor, until all civilians were orderel out of the ruined town.

The annual meeting of the School of Music will be held on Tuesday, the 30t'h iust., at 4-30 p.m. Nominations for four Trustees must be sent to the secretary on or before Tuesday, the 23rd inst. -Fuller particulars will be found in our advertisement columns.