AMERICA DAY.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13860, 21 April 1917, Page 4

AMERICA DAY.

Considerable surprise and not a little disappointment was expressed yesterday that no official notice w,as taken of the fact that the entry of America into the war on the side of the Allies was being signalised.throughout the United Kingdom and Australia by the flying of the national flags of England and America, on allpublie buildings. Presumably the Act-ing-Prime Minister's absence from Wellington was responsible for the omission of a direct request from the Government to the; people of this Dominion to identify themselves with what was undoubtedly intended to be a nation-wide' celebration of the great Republic's Vindication of the cause of the Entente Powers, by the determination to range herself side by side with those natipna/ln the fight for righteous liberty and "the salvation of. democracy. The fact that Parliament was not in session, and that therefoi'Lthere could be no formal resolution by the Legislature of New "Zcaland.-congratulating America on her momentous decision can hardly be advanced as a sufficient reason for not falling into line with the 'expressed intention of the, Home authorities. Doubtless the Government 'have sent the Dominion's'congratulations'W, Washington, arid it would have been particularly-fitting for

the pepple.'of this Dominion to. have beeii given a lead-lay the Governmeiit.to -join )vjth-tlie Home ' Liandin celebrating tlm auspicious event. The Australian Government addressed a request to the people of the Commonwealth to display the American flag yesterday, and a similar request should without doubt have been .made to New Zcalandors. Whilst regretting that the authorities- apparently lacked the- faculty of imagination, and missed ■' the psychological moment for. joining in the general national rejoicing, we are glad' to note that locally the occasion was not allowed to pass unnoticed,. or to be postponed pending official intimation. A number of the business- houses hoisted' their flags, and from one business house in the main street the Stars and Stripes waved, proudly throughout the day-over the heads of passers-by. The display made by the Harbour Board was ,a particularly attractive one, the three masts being very gaily decorated,. The occasion was honoured in. Christclmrch by a display of flags.and bunting. The announcement made in our columns this morning, by the Government through the Minister of Internal Affairs, that America Day will be observed officially throughout New Zealand to-day will be. welcomed, if, it is a little belated, and we have' no doubt that our townspeople, who marked the occasion yester- ; day, will also join in the official . recognition to-day.

A detachment of the Second New Zealand Medical Corps comprising 6G men under Major Grant passed through Oamaru yesterday on their way to the annual training camp at Awapuni, Palmerston North.

At the annual meeting of householders of the Incholme School district held on Monday night> the following were elected members of the committee for the ensuing year: Messrs John Newlambi (chairman), Wm. Kinnimont (secretary), John # Grant, Jas. Robertson, and Lachlan Williams.

The annual meeting of householders of the Ardgowau School district was held in the school on Monday night. The balance-sheet was adopteilas read, and considered satisfactory. The following were duly elected as a committee for the ensuing year: Messrs D. R. Henderson, Wm, J, Sparks, R. J. Scott (ehairmnn), H. Downing, and J. G. Kirton (secretary and treasurer).

Mr Win. Ferguson, 'chairman of the National Efficiency Board, who has been taking evidence in Wellington, pays: "So far, I may say that nobody has come forward except in support of the continuance of the agricultural shows, picture shows, racing and other sports," The llnwern Star stales that the experience of Mr Moss on his visit 'to Taranaki was precisely the same as that of Mr Ferguson in Wellington." *

'Considerable' interest was .crenwW 1 the Acclimatisation Society's meeting last night, when a boar's tusks, the gift of Mr Allen, of Kauroo, was exhibited. The tusks were very fine specimens measuring 10:1 inches in length and' overlapping in i} circle by about two inches. This gift should prove quite an acquisition to the society's museum. A letter 'of thanks was ordered to be forwarded to the donor,

St. Paul's Ladies' Guild acknowledges with thanks the following dona tions: Mrs Hunter (10s Guild fuiu and 10s Maheno fund), Mrs Meek, sen 7s 6(1; Bay and Phillis McDonald 10; (for Belgian fund); Miss Spalding 5

singlets. Returned work: Miss Portei 2 pair sox; Mrs Miller (Newboj'ough) I coats and 2 suits pyjamas; M«js Grant 1 coat; Miss Spalding, 1 knitted coat and Hat; Mrs Gemmell and Miss Mainland, clothing,.

.„Jhe committee of the Oamani Poultry Society met last night, the"presidentMr W. D. Burns', presiding. It was decided to ask the following gentlemen to act as judges as the forthcoming show:' Utility poultry sections, Mr F. Brown; other poultry sections, Mr T. Kennedy, Eaugiora; canaries, Mr James Grant, Oamaru; cats, Mr C. A. Browne, Oamani. The schedule was received and a number of important alterations made. The secretary of the South Island Association wrote intimating that arrangements had been completed for holding a monster art union on similar lines to that held last year, ~

Ati the meeting of tlio Otago Educa-' [ion Board oii Thursday the resignation of Mrs Beatrice Turner as sole teacher at Wharekurl was accepted, and the appointment of Miss Ruth K. Chapman as sole teacher at Kauroo Hill was confirmed, May 21 was fixed ,«3 the date for the fresh election whore'committees have not been elected. The Education Department wrote suggesting that Tiaimiig College students who had com pleled their comses and wcie now on actne sciuce should iocdivo permanent appointments undei the boaid entitling thun to join the supeianmifltion fund. The depaitment's view wa e that ex students'who wen, on aethe senicc should he placed in as tin oinable a position for length of semct on the >ripeiahmi!ition fund as If the\ had jomod tlio Expedltlonaiv Tnioos The vcprotnij wul that about a" score of] Otago mtrnwoviu'l be aflected b) the pioposal, The boaid appioved of it, and'the ehahman was empowered to mako thei necessary adjustments. r. * . / I S y. ' * K ''<<<\ s i

It is earnestly to be hoped that the general pubiic will fall in with tho of- '\ fieinl decision and make the demonstration ti's'entliusiastiL'.

The police arrested 11 iimiii lit about a v . quarter to two o'clock this morning at , the rear of, Thompson's billiard saloon premises. He will nppenr in the court "this morning ou a charge of drunkenness. "' . -..,;;', v.>:j

The Djmediii coitespondoht of the Lyttelton Times states that it is under- ,' stood that the price paid by au oversea . *. linn f((r~ the. Antarctic ship Aurora, *\\. which was sold at Sydney recently, was £6OOO. .' ■

A trial shipment 'of Verii'son is being sent homo for distribution among tho military hospitals, thanks to the patriotic action of members of tho North Dnncilm Gun Club, wlio offered to procure it, The deer (fallow) were, shot in the Blue Mountains, Tapamri, and as they are reported, to he in good condition they will no' doubt be greatly appreciated.

The fact that the popularity of any regular publication can be gauged by its circulation must place the monthly issue of the Gazette containing the ballot names as a very popular publication. On -Tuesday, says ; . the Dominion,, the ballot issue of the Gazette was eagerly, sought after by the public. Over 1400 copies were sold. The Government printing office was besieged by prospective buyers of the Gazette, Immediately putside the printing office and along the front of the .BiiMng'a .many people could'- b*%e&*ls™deepiy immersed in the contents of the Gazette as any juvenile could be in the most blood-curdling'' penny dreadful'.,''

As time goes on and the position in regard to the shipping of dairy pro'tluQc, shows no invßrpveififJjiW factory directors are growing* amicus, with some reason, as to what is going to happen next season, writes the Stratford correspondent of the Taranaki Herald. The cool storage available has •proved this season to be quite inadequate to meet a month or six weeks' break in" the shipping service, . there, are still fewer insulaled floats running ''next season, is there to be no efforj made to prevent the consequent disaster? We can do nothing to provide shipping, but we can, if the matter is, taken up at once, provide, more eooj storage. Thq.re.is putting up new'picture tMtres'to,meet a future demand,

The Awamoko Patriotic Committee, which is one of the most live organisations of the kind in this district, and is always in. the van of every movement demanding public attention, has again showed itself seized of the importance of present happenings, and has called a public meeting for Monday evening for the purpose of discussing the coal crisis, Such meetings should be held in every district in New Zealand, and should be convened by the local 'authorities. It is to be hoped that His Worship the Mayor of lOtimaru will not lose time in calling h similar meeting within the borough in order to give the public an opportunity of expressing its abhorrence of the tactics adopted by the miners and of assuring the community of its whole-hearted support in [\U lnatt'iliitlti'il-'iatlmiristration'of the Military Service Act.

At a sitting of the First Auckland Military Sorviee Board on .Saturday a young : riiaii who appValo'iffur -1 exifmptipn en the ground of being the sole support of liis father (a cripple), aged flftysix, ami mother aged fifty-one, explainer} his earnings, and said his father received a pension of £1 4s per week, 'itwas pointed out to li'im that, financially his parents would'not be worse off if he went away. "Yes, .that is all right; but supposing I come back without an arm and'leg," replied the'appellant. "Ah, yes," replied thd chairman, Mr Burgess, S.M., "but w>can't deal with probabilities," "I'ni quite prepared to go if they give a married, man's allowance for my parents," added the ap.pellant, "It does seem a reasonably way of looking at it," the chairman remarked. "A mother requires just the same as a wife does." It was pointed out, however, that the Government had control of such matters. Appellant was granted leave until the end of nevt month,

Forms showing particular.- of the ownership, of land are being distributed from the general post office i" Oamaru. The returns must be completed and returned to the Commissioner of Taxes at Wellington, not later'than May "1, The responsibility for procuring a form is imposed by the Act on the.taxpayer. ..The return must show all the land of which the taxpayer was the owner at noon,'on'March 31, 1917. A person''holding land under agreement of purchase or sub-purchase is regarded as the owner, as well as a life tenant of any land. The ordinary land tax is assessed on tho unimproved value of land; after deducting mortgages and other charges. Where the assessable value does not exceed £ISOO, ah exemption of' £SOO is allowed: [Beyond £ISOO, the,exemption, decreases by £1 for every £2 of assessable value up to £2500, above which sum -no exemption is allowed. The graduated tax is assessed on the unimproved, value of the land in all cases whe.re the value is £SOOO or over, and no deduction is allowed on' account of mortgages.