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North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13929, 11 July 1917, Page 4

The Hon. G. W, Bussell paid tribute in the House of Ifoprcsciitativcs jesterday afternoon to the late Duncan Eutlieiforil, who had been so generous in his gifts on behalf of returned soldiers,

Ihe monthly united intercessory service under the auspices of the Ministers' Association will be held this evening at C'olum! n Church. Rev, ,T. L, Robinson will preside, and Mr 11, p. Long wili be the speaker. The meeting ivill commence at 7.30. °

111 t!ie House yesterday afternoon Mr Massev read a letter from Mrs Con••'■liiiice (Sillies, ollering her house at Jtotorna as a home for returned soldiers, "'•c gift being received with applause.

The monthly meeting of the Board of Governors of the Waitaki High Schools was held yesterday morning, there being present Messrs J, M, Brown (in the '•iiair), I!, Milligan, W, Sumpter, J. Mit!""l Livingstone. A letter was read from Mr K, Brown acknowledging receipt of the board's resolution in reference to his son, Sergeant ]), V, Drown, awarded the Victoria Cross, and offering an enlarged photograph of the ■heroic soldier if it would be acceptable to the board. It was decided to accept the photograph with thanks, Accounts and salaries amounting to £685 15s Id ViOre passed for payment. A number 'nf applications'for the position of groundsman at the Boys' School were received, and it was finally decided to appoint Ifr Alex. Galloway at a remuneration of £.'! a week, the engagement to terminate at one month's notice on either side, and the appointee to be ■miller, the control of the Grounds Committee,

fi§pi} ; iilg tfl Ml' 15. V> 1/6(3 In the House - yesterday, ; % tlic ; Minister of jbfc fence raised ■ the.question •of increasing the soldier;' pensions was now uiuler the consideration of the Government,

Kcxt Saturday wili be anOtllci' "general day" at the Red Cross Market, that is, no particular branch or branches of the society are responsible for the supplies for that day, The general public is therefore invited to supply the wares' for the market's next trading day, ilnd the management looks for a generous response, Tho entries for the shortbread and fancy biscuit competition are due on Friday,, and should be handed in at the market between 1 and 2 p.m., or at -Mr Perks' fruit shop, Thames street.

The Sdcolul l)lvisioii League Conference, wiiidi takcH pilled ill Wellington next week, will be opened at 10 a.m. (lit Wednesday by the Hon. Sir James Allen. Representatives 'of the conference are. to be granted the right to address a meeting of monibers of Parliament in one of the Parliamentary comlliittee rooms fln the Friday morning, and the Prime Minister, with Sir James Allen and Sir Joseph Ward, will receive a deputation from the. conference probably on the Saturday mornj-ug, All the remits which have been tabulated for consideration by the conference are being classified, and will be printed and forwarded to all representatives prior to the opening of the conference. Mr A. E. Lawrence will be North Otago's representative to the conference,

In tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon 'Mr T. M, .Wilford asked the Minister of Defence if lie would enforce the regulations against soldiers in hospital being served with liquor, and whether he would supply soldiers in hospital with a special uniform to enable them to be distinguished. The Minister of Defence replied that he thought it would be a difficult matter to get soldiers in hospitals to \vo:ir special uniforms, The whole matter might yet be considered by Parliament,

A cable message to the Australian papers states that in the course of a bcturc on the future of aviation, Mr E. fe Montagu, M.P. (ex-Minister for Munitions) said that the British Empire had numerous harbours and coaling stations in a favourable position for developing Imperial aviation. From London to Peshawar (India) in three days was possible, and at the rate of 1200 miles daily the voyage to Australia by aeroplane would save twenty-four days. Aerial jiolice would soon be appointed to enforce traffic regulations. They would fly high, and would pounce upon malefactors and take their numbers or compel them to descend,

The trophies that arc being collected from the war by men who have gone away on active service arc constantly being added to, and there is at present on view in the window of Mr J. Leslie's shop in Thames street a collection of some twenty-four badges belonging mostly to English regiments, the names of many of which are, and for ever will be, illustrious in the annals of the British Army. The names of such regiments as the Argyle and Sutherland, C'amcrons, King's Own Scottish Borderers, the King's Hussars, Lancashire Fusiliers, Surrey Yeomanry, the Royal Scottish Rifles, recall deeds of daring that are incomparable. These all are represented amongst the badges shown, together with the badges of other formations that have been created during the present war, The badges are the property of Mr W. Couper, of Wharfc street, and have been sent to him by his sou, Rifleman D. Couper, who left New Zealand with the Twenty-first Reinforcements.

According to the flew W. C, AVilloughby, who is lecturing in Christc.hurcli for the London Missionary Society, a great change of opinion as to the native people of Africa has been brought about during the past fifteen years, The old racial prejudice, he states, is dying away. Most politicians of note, editors of responsible newspapers, and professional men interested in native problems take a liberal view of the government of the natives. By "liberal view" he means that the Afncan native no longer is regarded as merely a beast of burden, nor as a fancy thing that should be kept in a glass case and fed on sugar plums. The general opinion now is that he is a kind of minor in the world's families, and that lie should be trained for the manhood that lies 'before him. While being trained, less should be expected from him than from people who are the Britishers' equals, and more should lie done for him. The two big African j problems of to-day are the, reclamation of the virgin soil and of human beings, and Mr V/illmigliby states that exceptionally capable and high-minded men arc applying themselves to the solution of the problem, upon whic.li the future of Africa.depends.

At the present time a great deal of

discussion is going on all over the Brit-ish-speaking world regarding the ansoliile necessity of safeguarding the EmRire's trade at the conclusion of the war. The patriotism of our people in this connection is being daily appealed to—unfortunate as the need may appear to be. On Friday, a Dunedin reporter, in making inquiries regarding the boot and leather trade of the Dominion, was given some astounding information, lie

was shown a beautifully made patent leather shoo manufactured by a Dunedin firm. The' manager of the firm said he was satisfied that better work could not be done in any part of the world. This opinion had been subset ibed to by the retailers to whom he had shown this particular class of toot. One retailer, however, said he could not have the firm's name stamped on the sole—with the name he would not be able to sell it. If the name of a British, American, or French firm were inscribed on the sole it would be quite all right. He would buy the boots, but he would .have to knock out the firm's

name on (lie sole, "Did lie stamp out your firm's name?" asked the reporter. "I don't know," replied the manager, "He said he would."

The sale of venison at room# yesterday, on behalf of tho Y MC.A. Alj4. Salvation ; Army appeal. , funds, realised tlio total suin of £l3''B3r : The three first pieces wen) aoM at £l| 'i& and the remainder was cleared 1W ft shojet tirn* ;u wicw iwi«iiv* tW tn H (id. 11l addition to this sura, another £1 has k'flii added by tlio sale of thl skins at Pukeurl. 1 . : ■

Tlio weight-guessing competition in' connection with the recent poulti'J jrfiW IVAB derided yesterday, Tho sheep iltoVi for the purpose was a lialfbred woMior bred by Mr T. Pringle of Duntroon and lent to the Poultry Society by Mr J. Moiklc of Oamaru, The correct weight was SOlb 'to7,, and the guesses ranged from 52 to 721bs, Following arc the suits: Mrs Curwood (SOJlbs), Austin Frascr (SOJlbs), Marjorio Taylor, Arun , street (SOJlbs) all equal.

• 'A mooting of the Onmaru Cemcter/ Trustees was held last evening. Mr A.. Frasnv (chairman) presided and there were present Messrs E. Penfold, J. Vernor, 11. Grenfell, G. A. Travis and tho socratary. An apology for absence received from Mr P. C. Iljorring. L circular letter was received from t.lio Minister of internal Affairs asking that | the Trustees grant a burial plot free of charge to any soldier who may dio befofti being discharged mid also to allow tlio Government to erect later on somo suitable tombstone or memorial over tho graves. The request was granted. The question of casual labour for the comolevy was discussed and it was decided to grant the sexton a sum of money to provide for the extra labour required ~. r from time to time. Accounts amounting to M were passed for payment.

In view of the efforts of the local Dofence Office staff to bring A Company of the Tenth Regiment up to a high state of efficiency it will be of interest and concern to members' of the company to know that any absences from parade may render the defaulter lablc to court proceedings. The Defence Department intends to enforce the Act relative to this and no excuses for absence will be accepted unless they are valid ami signed by the employer or detainer. As many late members of the territorials have enlisted and owing to the difficulty ot keeping in touch with other members a large number of arms and accoutrements have been'missing from the Defence stores. Endeavours are now being made to recover these and for tin benefit of any person unknowingly keeping arms it should be remembered that heavy penalties are provided on eonvic tion for such offences

On llmrsday night the Atdgowan Scnool was fined to its uiniost capacity, the occasion being a farewell social to Privates John I'odie and Thomas Whitaker, who arc down on linal leave. The evening was spent in dancing, interspersed' with songs by Miss E. Mitchell ami Mr Blackmuir, and a recitation by Mr Yv, Fallon. During the evening Mr I'ctcr Connors, in making each of the departing guests a presentation, voiced tlie good wishes of all present towards them, He then presented Private John .Fodic with a wristlet watch, and Private T, AVliitaker with it set,,o£ military brushes and a pocket si, "Viilldf, tond also to each of theiri gave if' parcel of comforts from the ladies of the- Ardgowan-Weston Red Cross Society. The recipients suitably responded. Great credit is due to Richard Callaghan, the energetic secretary, who had left no stone unturned to make all the visitors enjoy themselves. The I music wa;* supplied by !Mr ]{, Brown (piano), and Mr W. J. Sparks was M.C.

As an indication of the appreciation of returned soldiers'of club rooms, tlio caretaker of the Ilanmor Spring Club, in the cfjiirsc of a letter to the editor |Ol the Lytteiton Times, states that lie has served tea to f7.5(17 persons in nine months, that is to soldiers, and a low ot I heir friends. There is ao charge made; Mr Duncan Jiutherford (whose death occurred on Monday)' supplies everything', All the tablo fjames are used considerably, and so also are the writing materials. "The club is a j;reat boon to the boys, 1 ' says the writer in conclusion, "and it is a great, pity there are not more such clubs l'or them,"

Sir Joseph Ward, speaking to a reporter, said: "Some idea of the serious view of the position may be gathered when I say that for months in England the very strictest economy has been used in regard to food supplies. Especially does this apply to articles that have to bo bought from overseas. In our own case we were limited to half a slice of bread per head at any meal, to two ounces of meat, and a very small lump of sugar. In fact, the \ piece of sugar apportioned was a third * the size of the ordinary lump of loaf sugar, and those who ordinarily tool; sugar with their porridge had to make the same piece of sugar suffice both for tea or cotlee and porridge as well, 1 mention this merely to give some in- M dilution to the alertness of the Home, authorities in their fixed determination to prevent the deliberate starvation of the British Isles by the sinking of jiicrehant ships by the enemy."

According to descriptions in the American newspapers, l?,c wooden ships which arc 'being built in American vards to meet the submarine campaign are to be 280 ft in length, of 'Hift beam, and 20ft in depth, They will have a draught of 12ft light and a cargo capac-

it.v of 1)500 tons. Xo sails will be curried, as they would help (o render the vessel conspicuous. The ships ivil] be steamers driven by water tube boilers of the old type, burning crude oil and equipped with apparatus for reducing the amount of smoke. They will each carry a crew of thirty-live men, and also gunners. It is expected to turn them out at the rate of 200,000 tons a month, under the general direction of Colonel tioethals, the famous engineer who built the Panama Canal; and a3 Mie amount of wood used will be only

i. small fraction of America's yearly output there should be no difficulty on that score. All parts will be standardised, so that joinery shops all over tlin country can lie used for turning them out, and tliey will only need to be fitted together in the yards,