Untitled

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 11 September 1917, Page 4

, The Awamoko Committee having cliargp of the Soldiers' Christmas .gift parcels has made arrangements whereby the London Headquarters of the 'Salvation Army will undertake to pack and forward from London a Christinas parcel to each Awamoko soldier at the ■front. Such an arrangement, will effect the maximum economy, and will enable a much more valuable gift to toe sent than could ■otherwise be tho case,, The suggestion is worth .consideration by

other organisations forwarding gift par eels for Christmas. "•

A Bitting of the First Otago, Mililai/ SeiVico Board will bo held at tho Couit'house today at J2.JO pm, Theic aie only ,1 few cases to bo dealt with, all of them being appeals that have been pre•wousl) hcaid, but aio now being le heard in the process of comb/ng out Fast Division ieseivists. „

Tlic : executors of ,tho late Mr G: P. Donnelly's estate,.in an affidavit sworn in -connection with the lodging- 1 of the will for probate, state that according to their knowledge and' belief the deceased 's estate 'and effects are under the value of £200,000. It is understood (says the Napier Tclcgrabh) that the duty which will havo.to bo paid on this sum will be at .the. rato of approximately . 20■ -jJcr cent.—£4o,ooo on, the total sum. ■«

An amusing hoax which incidentally played upon a weakness of human nature was perpetrated in connection with "Save .the Babies" day at Gis borne. A cinematograph operator was stationed at a convenient point, industriously turning the handle, and as the procession wended its way past,- charming ladies, demure girls, and even staid men preened themselves, and looked as "fetching" as possible in the delightful anticipation of "being in ihe picture," Unfortunately,for their liopes, the "camera" was merely a butter box—got up by the staff of a picture theatre in a style which' deceived' ovciu those who had a close view of the mechanism. ■

The Am (or more correctly Aroe) Islands, which were last week reported to have Buffered a severe earthquake, are about 100 miles south of Papua (New Guinea). They are the headquarters, of the Celebes Trading Company's pearling grounds,' which produce the best pearl shells in the world. The group consists of about twenty islets, separated by channels called sungais. They are composed chieliy of coraj, and the highest point jji the group-is only about .'SOOft above sea level, Earthquakes arc frequently experienced. The chief town, Dobo, lias •a population of about 5,000 of mixed Asiatic races, and the Aroncsc native population numbers about 40,000.

Evidence that veterans at the front will welcome the furlough which has been arranged for them is contained in a letter written to a ('hristchurch citizen by one of them, "I don't mind a battle," he says, "but one has nothing to look forward to if one does get through scatheless. One has only to get ready for another light. Why don't they send some men to relieve us, and give some of,us old hands a spell;' Ho they expect us to go on for ever? Sometimes "I think my old comrades who fell at Gallipoli were lucky, as their experience of this hell was abort, | though glorious.''

"University Life in America" was the subject of an address delivered at Victoria University College, Wellington, on Wednesday by Professor Clarke, JI.Sc, Ph.D., formerly of Harvard University. Many of his remarks concerned Harvard, and in relating romic of the queer customs of the students lie caused considerable interest and much laughter. At one university students, who Jailed Jo put in sufficient attendances at chapel were required to write an essay upon some Biblical subject chosen by' the president. As. the essay was subject to review by the Professor of English, it had to be carefully prepared. The universities in general were open to women, but at one Wesleyan Cdllegc it was almost a traditio'i that the men should make an annual protest against having women i» the college. No woman was allowed in t*:? College Campus *at Princton. • and. i l ' one ventured upon it she would ;»• solemnly escorted off by as many men students as could be gathered, Professcr Clarke had something to say about baseball, which he described as the predominating sport of the universities. Sensational headings about a baseball match often displaced, on the frontpage of the newspapers, important headlines regarding the war.

The following regarding the price of bread in Montreal, Canada, appears in the Northwestern Miller of dune (illi: "The price of bread was reduced yesterday one cent, per loaf, and a new ruling regarding weight of loaves will go into force. Hereafter, there will r.« but two loaves on this market, a lib and a IMb loaf, instead of three as formerly—lllb, Hlb, and lp). It hit; been found impossible in" most cases !o make a 21b loaf, as modern baking machinery will not handle so large a loaf, The IMb loaf will be unwrapped, and will sell at 12 cents. The lib loaf will be fancy bread, containing malt shortening, and milk, and will soli wrapped at the same price. The by-law provides that bread cannot be sol<! under the specified weights, but ma; be sold 2oz over, Therefore much o 1 Ihe 20oz bread that has been sol hitherto will 1 be reduced 2oz to ISO 7, Ticketing the loaves is now optional. The discrepancy of one cent per loaf between Toronto and Montreal is attributed to the increased cost of handling bread in Montreal.''

In forwarding a donation to the Athletic Park Hctentioii Fund, Wellington, Mr D. G. A. Cooper, fcUi., chairman of the Military Service Board, wrote in the following strain, states tho New Zealand Times: h l 'hold very strong ideas on the necessity of having breathing spaces and sports grounds far the yo\v,<:'. Whet Wellington will do in the future when tho population gels to a respectable size, heaven only knows. The few small pocket ha.?'.kerchiefs we have at the present d« : are' insufficient even for the present number, in my opinion. I deplore .the fact lliqt the scheme of Sir Francis Bell (then Mr It. D. Bell, Mayor of Wellington) for the purchase of Alivamar was so strenuously opposed, and I shall never cease to bear a grudge against the opponents of that scheme. What a God-send are the parks of London to the poor people, especially the children, and if that were recognised by our councillors and others in authority here perhaps something might bo done fh the direction of an endeavour to get more recreation grounds here, I hope yonr campaign will meet with suc-

cess, and I wish you were getting lifany more big subscriptions,"

Tlio nott sitting of thfl Medical Bonul in Oamaru mil bo hold on September 291 h arttl October Ist nrid\ 2nd! The board sits'at Palmcistoa on September 27th." - " ' ' , There is hiimour even in the irony of gum wai. A joung man who nao Ihe misfortune to have a wooden leg • (says the Auckland' Star) had just received'notice by telegram that he was called'up ioractiyd service by tho ; tenth 'ballot.' He'. jilmned on a tramcar to proceed homo to break the glad news. Inside the car the following religious placard confronted him, and greatly-tickled his fancy: "Prepare to meet thy God." Pulling his telegraphic,' order from his coat pocket, the young,, fellow laughingly nudged a friend with the.remark, "That's jolly funny, isn't., it? The first time I've seen that notice, in the car, and I received 1 this wire a little while ago." ' ~,