The North Otago Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13148, 1 September 1914, Page 4

The North Otago Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

There arc some stirring features in the annual report on the mental hospitals of the Dominion that was presented last week to the House of Representatives. The net increase in the aggregate number of patients during last year (1913) was fifty, the total number on the register at the end of the year, being 11913. The average annual increase* duringll th'c former' five years, was just, a ■ fraction over 134, There were, excluding Natives from the comparison, u'3 fewer patients on the register than might have been anticipated in view of the natural increase in population. The proportion of mental' defectives to the whole population was 3C.19 per ten, thousand, as compared with 37,4 in England and Wales. The admissions in 1913 were 754, of whom (360 were admitted .to a mental hospital for the first time in New Zcalml. Of this number there were twenty immigrants l who became mentally defective within twelve months of landing in the Dominion, Upon the important question'of accommodation the Inspec-tor-General Dr Hay, reported that immediately succeeding the works in progress the Department will enter upon a programme of requirements in advance for eighteen./months. Buildings are in progress; at. each mental hospital, except those at Nelson whore' the existing structures, which arc more or less congested, will require rebuilding,, at, last in part.

When Germany counted on Britain's internal differences as part of the safety of her plan, to violate Belgian territory and-invade France she little knew tlic British' temper, Tho loyalty of that temper was admirably expressed by Mr Balfour iu the House of Commons on July 27, 1911, Ho said: —"If lhore.be :auy ,olisciy-;ors;or critics outside these walls who have counted upon our differences and our absorptiou in-the bitter home disputes of the moment in the hope that they will make easy a

polity which, under oilier circumstances, they thought this country might object to—if there aro auy who suppose that wo are wiped out from the map of Europe because wo have our own differdices at home—it may be worth while saying, for tlje benefit'of those whom.it may concern, that they have utterly mistaken the temper of the British people and the patriotism of the Opposition, whether the. Opposition be drawn from one side of the House or from the 01 her side of the House,''

lii.thc.se days of complicated invention, we do not appreciate the wonders of science—the miracles of concentrated brain power which would have amazed the people of Nelson's time, pass unnoticed before the eyes .of the twentieth century world. .How few of us realise that',-were it not for the splendid cable service \ that •.encircles the globe, we should uot ycfclSvc known that war had' been (lecial-eU in Europe. The cables ami;thelfast mail services have inadc-tire : world 'aijiiiicli smaller place.' The-io'conn*' that-was the despair of Columbus is now crossed in four, days, and its broad .bosom is.dotted all over with the -.world's iiavics. Imagine- the./ Mi-, cultlos. \that; the'.iOycrscas Dominions; wquldj. fjave';. experienced in. obtaining' hews :.of Waterloo, for instance, ".It .would, have 'meant''four .months before the receipt,of any news of : the great victory." Let the news loving public therefore, congratulate themselves on the. simple and;-satisfactory means..-of receiving' iiitcljigence,;provided by our telograpiiie systcih. ;- .'•■'.

I (I , Tin co 11101 c voluntcois—AMon Noith, G. Cooncy and M. MeCaftliy—ldft foi' Duucdin yesterday, "off to {licifioiit," Will the ndveitisois "Youth" ami "Cow" please call at the ollico of {lns papci foi lettcis. lccciveil hoie in answer to thcii advertisements!

The pastoi of the Baptist Chinch in Oaniani, the Itcv, J D. Mill, luw a opli ' oil a call to Maitland (Ntv South Wales) amhMll leave foi his new, sphcic on 01 about Septcmbci 2oth Mi (J, Cowan, of Enhcld, will leave ioi Melbourne on tiic 1 dtti Soptcmbei uhoie he will bo pulge of the Ayislihe cattle at the A'ictoiiaii Agncultuial and Pastoi al Association's gicat show.

Much of the success of Satuiday evening's pioccssion duo to Mi W Coupei (Deputy Suileuntciideut oi the Fue Brigade) lo whoso capable hands iuib onti u&tcd the iripoihint post of marshal,

The secretary of the Oainaru Minis tcrs' Association reports that the Jinancial result of Mr, Dan. Crawford's ini-el ■ ing's in Oainaru was £45 io/S—the latest recorded in New Zealand for a oneday visit by the famous missionary. I'iio' grand, total for New.Zealaud was £IOOO. The in tcr-club debate between Balruddery and Kia Ora. clubs on the subject "That the present trend of industrial unionism is opposed to tho interests of the public," take place at Balruddcry on Wednesday evening. , : ,

Captain-Chaplain Porter lias received from subscribers to the Papakaio library pic sum of U lis 0(1, to be expended in the purchase of literature for lliemcu whon on board ship, and in oilier ways that may bo acceptable to them; • The S.Q.M.S, has received the: followingi'urhcr conribuions:—Totarli Ladies' Guild, "'bells; Mrs LGdcmann,.2 caps; Mrs Eiddes (Dunlrooij), parcel underclothing; Herbert School, '3 caps,. 7 pairs sox, arid 4 liousowivos.'

Tho death occurred at Duncdin on Saturday evening, at the age of B'tycars, of Mr John M'Nairn Mitchell, head of the well-known firm oil Vcrgussou and Mitchell. His surviving family consists of ouc daughter and four sons,

It is estimated that between sixty and seventy senior players in the ranks of the various Wellington football clubs have 'joined the Expeditionary force. All of the Wellington club's first fifteen voulntccrcd, and thirteen were accepted for scrvic', ' '

Two representative hockey matches will take place on the Show Ground on Thursday. The North Otago and Otago ladies' teams will meet, and-this should provide a keen contest, while the local men's team will play the Canterbury representatives who will break their journey here on their way to meet Otago and Southland.

We are indebted to Mr Ivan Patterson for the following:—The rainfall for the fall for August. 1913, was 4,3(j inches Bain fell upon two days, o.22iii on the 12th, ami 0.21 in oiilhe 20th. The rainfall for August, lOl.'l for 4.3(i inches with rain upon eighc days. • Since the Ist June this year only l.u'Gin of rain have fallen, as against' 7.47 in for the same period of last year.

Several senseless anil incorrect; but painful,'rumour!) in eoiinciition with' war events, were Hying about Oamaru yestenlay, Jt is a pity that such cannot be traced to the originators, whom a well-deserved castigation might benefit, and those people who repeat the canards, often with embellishments, would be none the worse for a compulsory visit to a duck-pond. Js it again necessary to remind them that the two papers, t and the telegraph notice board give them all the war news that is available!

Some sixty odd mounted troopers, and 12D remounts, from Aililington passed through Oamaru yesterday afternoon en route to the camp at Taliuna Park. The men, who have been under canvass for between two and three weeks wore looking well and were in great heart, speaking highly of the manner in which things had been managed at the camp which they had just left. ' They are of a good stamp, and appear very anxious to "be off,'' to wherever they may be sent. The Mauawalu district has given handsomely to the war fund, Another instance of the people's generosity was afforded on Saturday, when the Mayor (Mr Nash) presented the infalitry regiments with a set of brass instruments as a gift from the citizens of Palmerslon North, lii doing so ho referred to the fact that when the troops readied England they . would be attached to regiments with bands, and their instruments would then be of no use. The people of Palmcrston did not want the instruments back. The funds accruing from their sale would be devoted to the assistance of the suffering. • ■.

The Wairoa Guardian thus takca its readers' into its confidence:—-"On Monday morning two of our staff left at the call of the Empire, and we were left with the manager' and a young lady \o set up the paper, Mr Christophers, of Dalgcty's (Ltd.), kindly lent us the services of Mr'G. W. Brown,; ah ex-coin-positor, the Kcv. II; E, Kcarli who understands, the art, volunteered very kindly from Frasortowii, and the town constable, .also an ex-'compositor, and one other official assisted in tlrcfoliling, and; thus the paper was fairly up to time,' Tt is not. every paper that .can claim they were so geiierouslyassistcd by tho Church Militant; the Law, and the Police," .. ; , . ' ' '

At llai-y Lauder's oiitei'tniiihieiitoti Saturday last' at Christchurch, a largo silk Union Jack was sold by auction for the benefit of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund. The flag, which Was made and donated by Strange and Co., bore the original autographs of Lord Liverpool, General Goilley,- the Prime. Minister aiid.in'em-. bor'sof the Cabinet,'. Sir .1. G. Ward, Judge ./Deniiislon, Grimes, and Mr J. J. Do'ugnll. Mr Laudcr assisfed.'tlie'aufitioneeivand the flag'finally fell to his-attack 'of.i 1)0. guineas. Christehurch.people are desirous ; of reimrchasin&theHla'g and to present it. to the Canterbury":rc'giment of the Expo'ditionary force, and while Mr Lauder is anxious to;retain it he has offered to sell.'.it for two hundred 'guineas,,- the whole -amount to go- to the Patriotic Fund.■'•,. ,' -.-, , ■''/.'

A Molboiuno cable, locoived Inst night, states that Panam.v'K\liibit>oii aiiangemcilts have been suspended with' a view to the pojsiblc- postpoiii'ii'ent of the Exposition. It is uiulei stood that the wages paid to the wateisidcis in'"Wellington the past week constitute a lecoul. The avoi age wage earned lias bco;i appioximatcly £1 poi man. Auaiigcmcnts aie being made, ,foi the shipment of pioduce to England.' The fhst vessel (says the New Zealand Times), to leave dining Septembci, and othois aie to follow at lcgulai intcivals, As a lcsult of the toichlight pro."'' sion and open air conceit on Saturday night, the vciy oicditable amount of £35 7/- (excluding a few shillings yet to come in), will bo handed to the PatI liotlc Fiiud by the pioinotcrs.

Two boys iiom the local schools, namely Biooker (South) and McMuitnc (Middle), have been sclcitcd to tiavel to Invcicaigill to play foi the Oiago piimaiy schools agaiiut Southland schools toinonow.

Inquuj wus made of the Laboui Depaitinent on J'Yid.i) by a Now Zelaand Tunes lcpicscnlutive rcgaiding applications for woik, which undci the circumstances existing at present it was fully anticipated would be, if an) thing, slightly above uoimal. That uich is nol the ea'-c is pi o\ c<l by the fa,'; thai tho .department has had fonci applications toi employment (lining tho past iionUi than has been the caso m any s'nilai ponod dining the past fnc jcais Mcntiou ol the name of Rear Admiial Bcatty, who commanded tho Fust Battle Ciiihei Sqiuidion in the Hcligoaii' l laid, makes it ocitam Unit the foui ships Lion (Ihigship), Cjuccu Maiv, ruiiccss Royal, and New Zealand, look part in the hud. The Unco first mentioned mount 1.j.0 inch guns, and ha\c a speed of 28J knot'-, wlnlo the New Zealand caines eight 1-inch guns, and lm an speed of about J'7 knots. Jt vk all be it aoiiicc ot gieat pleasure to New Zoa landers that "our ship," commanded b) Captain Jlalscy, and with, several Now Zcalandors 711 board, participated in the enterprise.

There was a large attendance at Tattcrsall's auction room on Saturday, when Mrs Frances' property in Thames Street was offered for sale by Mr Walter Sunipter,/Iho first lot offered was Section 1, Block 8, at the corner of Thaiuci and Ribblc Streets. Trading started,at £IOOO, and after spirited, bidding the lot was passed at £I7OO. Lot 2, Section .?, was r four-roomed cottage, ami it was passed at £505. Section il reached £320; Section 4, with house, £500; and Section 8, with stohc shop and dwelling, £575.

A reminder is made of Messrs Similiters sale at Kakanui to-morrow on account of Mr W. Raync. v ■ ' A meeting of the Enfield Patriotic Committee was held last Saturday evening. It-was found that by the sale of a pig and the district canvas the amount obtained would be about £75. A first instalment of £GS was voted to be sent on to the Central Committee. Of this £5 is for New Zealand distress and £5 for th'e Homeland distress. In addition to the above'it' has been foun'llHtha't thd (listriofc.'hns already; contributed through other chauuclssomowhcre in the region of £2OO. There are'still various gifts of produce to send on—about a truck load, which may yet be increased. Mr W. Forrester is the Eniicld representative oh the Central Committee.

At a meeting of the executive of the local branch of the National Reserve; nehl on Friday evening;, it was decided ,to call a parade early next week. Over one hundred and fifty men have enrolled, but this is not nearly Oamaru's quota. Every able-bodied man who is not otherwise engaged in defence matters should be a member. The movement,is booming in Dmiedin, where over two thousand men are drilling, and in other centres, Mr W. 0. Grave was added to the executive. Men can still enrol at the shops and dikes mentioned in the advertisement, viz: with- Messrs Piper and Forrester, Tyne Street, and Messrs Milligan and Hodman, Thames Street.' The first case in the Wellington Courts affected by the .moratorium recently established in New 'Zealand by the Government was heard before Mr W, G. Riddcll, B.M-, in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington, on Thursday. John Batcmau llars]iJrt : and: ; .Gharles James Stanton llar'cblcicsucd Robert Barnett for £271 UsGd,being the amoimtof principal and interest due on a mortgage of EL'UO. Mr P. W. Jackson, who appeared ('or the defendant, said that under section U of the Mortgages Extension Act

of J9M, which came into force on 14th August last, a mortgagee caunot, so long as a state of war exists in' New Zealand, ■jail up or demand payment of the principal amount, or part thereof, without leave of the Supremo Court. Interest could be demanded, but the Court had power to say in what manner it should be paid—immediately or by-instalments, flic.. Magistrate intimated that he would reserve his decision on the point raised.