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Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12430, 22 January 1915, Page 4

The Southland Times states that Mr •T. A. Murdoch. recently of Merino Downs, has purchased a station in the Oarnaru district. It will be remembered that Mr Murdoch was remarkably successful at the last Sydney Sheep Show, and lie proposes to send oyer another consignment of Itomncys for this year's EastefsKow. .To-day is the 75th anniversary of the arrival at "Wellington of the first batch of settlers in New Zealand. It was on the 22nd January, 1840, that these pioneers commenced the work.of laying the foundations of the vigorous young nation that is now taking its place with the Old Land and its Allies m'the defence not only, of the honor and integrity of the Empire, but of wo.rldlftidc liberty of the nations of the earth.'' A week later the proclamation of the sovereignty of Queen, Victoria 'over tile islands of New Zealand was Issued at the Bay of Islands (Auckland)' by Captain Hobson, R.-N., who assumed the -government of the newly acquired '.territory, so that Friday next : will bs | the 75tli anniversary of the colony. At ' that time and until the 3rd May, 1841, New Zealand was a dependency of New South Wales, but on the date named it was proclaimed a separate colony. The JJepartmcut of Labor has de-, cided the matter of tenders in respect of the proposed workers' dwelling's settlement at thp north end, and Mr A. E. Waite has received advice that the.work -will be allotted as folftnvs: —Messrs J. Craig and Co.. Nos. 5 and 9; Mr D. Sinclair, Nos. '2, 3. and 7 ; Messrs Allan :vnd Crawshaw. No. 6; and Mr A. H. Abbott (Dunedin). Ncs. 4 and 8. The approval of Cabinet will be formally required before the work can be definitely commenced, but that- should not delay the matter, and the completed settlement, should soon be ail established fact. Eight houses will be erected and the -sections as numbered above will be occupied by Mr A. Crichton (2), I Mr A. Moffatt (3). Mr G. Paterson (4), ) Mr P. Hughes (5). Mr D. Halpin (6), |

Mr T. Clarke (7). Mr W". Patterson (•?), and Mr H. Gallus (9). At the South Oaniain Methodist Church on a recent Friday evening, iho ] members of the lately-formed choir showed their appreciation of the oftnrts of the choirmaster ( ; Mr A. Miller) by presenting: him wuh a lea-ther-hound edition of "Sacred Sony;? and Solos." Mr L. S. Jennings, M.Sc\, late science master at \\ aitaki Boys' High School, who lias relinquished lu-> scholastic duties in order to join the. reinforcements, leit Oamaru to-uay ioi the North island. Mr .Jennings lus so far received 110 instructions regarding his appointment, and pending theseavid probably avail himself oi the advantages afforded by the Ilciresher v-.amp at Wanganui for training. . The official quarterly meeting o! the officers o: the Oamaru Methodist Church was held in the Lecture Hall last evening, and wax presided over by the Rev. A. Lochore. .Before the business commenced, the minister referred to tlio lienvv loss recently (sustained by Mr H. Grenfell, and a motion of sympathy was carried, the members standing. The roll showed a total'of 177 members, 27 junior members, and 10 infante: The financial statement revealed most satisfactory progress, and the deficit reported last quarter was now supplanted by a credit balance. The various Sunday schools in the circuit submitted encouraging reports, particularly Jiden St.,- which was reported as being in a very healthy condition. 'l'iie Enfield Church finance was mosj satisfactory, and it had been decided to bold a sale of work for the purpose of securing a Hew organ, towards which object tlie Church was granted the harvest festival collections. It was decided to hold the harvest festival at Eden street on February 14 or 21, and the 21st March was suggested as a. fitting occasion on whieli to Celebrate the Church anniversary. After a resolution of thanks had been .passed to the retiring Church Stewards (Messrs F. G. Marshall and L. V. Couch), they were re-appointed for a further term, the meeting expressing its gratification at the satisfactory manner in which their •duties had been discharged. The next meeting was arranged to be held at the 'Lecture 'Hall on April Bth.

■ The funeral of a Belgian artilleryman. Stanislaus Meeus, was attended bv the entire populations of the villages of'Denzeld and Scliooten. Meeus, who bad begged to be permitted to remain as the iast man in a fort which it was decided to blow up rather-than let it fall into the enemy's hands, was blown to pieces a moment after in saving the life of his commanding officer, who bad ventured too near the scene of the explosion.

The ni'onortion of British officers killed in" action is frightful. With'the Germans it is still greater. It is reported that of those who a little more than three months ago gaily crossed the Belgian frontier on their way to Paris, 70 per cent are killed or missing: This seems incredible (says an English paper).. But. it .must be .remembered that ail the foes of the German officers are not in front of them. As they with indisputable gallantry lead their men into action there are behind them scores, perhaps hundreds, whom by their callous brutalHy they have converted into deadly enemies. When a man has been subjected to.the harshest disciplinary treatment, varied by! private use of the cane, or even of tlie revolver, he might find it difficult .to resist the temptation of settling old scores. It.. would be interesting and instructive to learn how many of the German officers fallen in the field have been shot in the back. It is true that during the war a habit has been ac-r quired by them of advancing revolver n hand behind their troops, ready to shoot any mail who shows a disinclination to iiroceed. But though this practice may limit opportunity, it does not absolutely destroy it. The different relationship between the British officer and his men as comoared with that_jn the Grman army is indicated in a passage from a letter written by Ainslio Gxire, a young officer who - -? short but splendid career is told by his comrade, Major Glambier-Parry. Talking about the rank and file, he sacd: "Fail' to win these fellows' hearts, and they will fail you, and fail themselves through yoii — "don't forget that. Will their hearts and they will follow yon—well, to blazes! The real remedy. I think, is to be a gentleman at all times; and there is no surer judge of a gentleman, especially if lie is ccuutry-bred', than Tommy the gentleman himself.'' . There is not the slightest doubt that the best class of men which the Dominion has sent away to the front is the buslunan, jsays- - the Wiuiganui Chronicle. Recently three magnificent specimens of New Zealand's manhood came, into Wanganui- on completing a'bush contract in the' baekblocks, and lifted a cheque fcr £3!)0. "Where are you cutting out next ?" asked their employer. "Belgium," was the prompt response. Two days later local residents saw the trio in dungaree garb marching to the railway station,- on route to Trentham. One of the men was or exceptional physique. His companions averred that he worked from daylight to dark, and ran from tree, to tree. Another bushman at Raetihi threw up his work, at which he was clearing £7 a week. "My mates have all volunteered," he said by way of explanation, "and I'm oft', too." It is stated in weli-infrrmed circles that there will be' a great scarcity of bushmen on the West Coast during the coming winter. ._ The unwritten law that yachtsmen shall always give assistance in time of need resulted in a somewhat disastrous ending to a launching picnc'c on Saturday afternoon (says the Auckland. Herald). The launch was making its way up to Pino Island when a yacht was seen to be aground just off the Chelsea beacon, having missed the channel. The launch at once went to the, rescue.' A rope was thrown from the yacht and caught by the launch party as it travelled past at full speed' In an attempt to help 'make fast the end, a- young lady belonging to the launch party unfortunately got her hand entangled in the swift-nmning rope', and was instantly 'dragged overboard. .Her brother made an attempt to-help her, and the next mom put he, too, was struggling in the i water. Fortunately the water was not deep, and both managed to resell the yacht, although it was seen that the young lady's hand' was severely hurt. In the meantime' the launch itself had gone aground, and it was some time before the others co.uld be taken on board again. First aid was at once given, and the launch made with all speed for I the wharf,. leaving the yacht to the kindly attention of the next picnic: party. It was found that the little finger of the young lady's hand was dislocated and broken in two places. The Vitagraph Company, perhaps the best known company of film producers, have a production that ranks' as the star- in the new series to be presented at the Opera House to-morrow. This film "The . Children'-of - the Feud'M'eaturos hasty anger and slow remorse and is a play of an hereditary blood feud. A life for a life is claimed and the. intensely dramatic scenes re reproduced a-s only the Vitagraph Comp'any can produce. A fine vaudeville act is seen in the sisters Aitena and the other comedies, dramas, gazettes, and scenici arc well up to the usual standard.

In connection, with the peculiar green, blight, which was discovered to bcTkillmg Californiaft thistle -in the Otago, c and ansolated parts of I ooutu Otago, it is interesting to note that the blight has evidently spread. At a meeting of"the Lake County Agricultural and Pastoral Society montfon was made of the matter. Tlin flv commences, on the.flower of the thistle and works down the stem, with the result that the leaves wither and the plant is apparently rendered quite lifeless. One speaker stated. that about five acres.of thistlcji on his property had already succumbed t-6'the rava.ges of the flv. and he was hopeful that all the thistles on his land would soon be eradicated. _ The fact that- the present situation in Europe is having its effect on every department of trade is undeniable, and manv curious positions have had to be faced. This can be well illustrated in the manufacture of hosierv. sVlien the war broke out the trader here, in locking round his stock to see how it would affect him. thought that hosiery was ojie line that was safe. But the true facts of the matter are that in most of the factories in Leicester and other centres the needles for the flnitting machines _ were all made in Ger-

many, and as a result there was grave dislocation "for .sonic mouths, and in some factories things are not yet normal. In almost all trader similar things have happened, and as a result all f recks t-'U' the (timing .season are likely to lie cf increased price. Under these, cireumstauces people would he well admised to lay- in a lull stock ol all drapery and hosiery while they have the present stocks, ami they cannot be better advised than to do so at the .First Summer Sale at the New Polytechnic. .Better values than are offered there are impossible. and the stocks a re so complete thiit it is a pleasure to lind what you want at the line-cut sale prices now offered. _ -!<')- The Junior Triumph is tho most remarkable Motor Cycle over made: it combines extreme lightness, simplicity. reliability, and _ efficiency as its outstanding characteristics. As a hillclimber it is a perfect marvel. —W. Stuart Wilson and Co., Bond street, Dtuiedin. There's a grand "auld rookie" whiff about BONNIE BOON TOBACCO—a homely, wholesome aroma which tells of honesty and purity. Why not try it to-dav? Any tobacconist sells it — lots of it- 47