THE OAMARU MAIL WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1920. HONOR GIVEN WHERE HONOR IS DUE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14006, 10 March 1920, Page 4

THE OAMARU MAIL WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1920. HONOR GIVEN WHERE HONOR IS DUE.

The departure of Dr. and Mrs Douglas and family on a holiday visit to the Old Country, Europe, and America, is of more tli.iii limited interest-.to North Otago. Dr. Douglas has been a good citizen in the highest sense. To him Oamaru owes the intelligent interest and achievements in connection with its beautification. It is no empty compliment to award the chief' -praise to him for the transformation of the ugly weed-ridden areas and clay- banks into, pleasant, verdant spots, and to recognise that he is the initiator of. our distinctive arboreous -memorials to our soldiers. -So . that the visit of the Mayor, Mr R. Milligan and Hr L. E. Haines to Dr. Douglas, the President of the Oamaru Beautifying Society to wish him ;and Mrs-Douglas and their sons a happy time was no mere formality- There is much to learn, as well as ■ to for those who, like the doctor and his wife, are enthusiastic, .travellers. Even those who have conic'to lis' from, great com-munities-overseas have taken back with them pleasant experiences and recollections- of Oamaru in "return for what they have conferred upon us, and so interchange of ideas and performances go on indefinitely, till let lis hope, beneficent emulation will bring us nearer and hearer to perfection in the management of our affairs and elevate our s Djlens so.as to make our lives more 'anenmofe a reflex of pinv profes- ' rsiohs. - The people of Oamaru, as a body, are- afforded ah opportunity of wishing Dr. Douglas and his party God-speed on the eve' of their departure, which will take place to-morrow, ancl 1 they will; be able to this, act of courtesy and goodwill - with the utmost sincerity in recognition of the services rendered in the past and in anticipation of which he may confer , in the future as, the result ; of his newer and fuller experiences. Nor should we forget th>it Mrs Douglas labored' hard s>.url_ unceasingly, during the years\ of the*war' to help the soldiers in every way- possible in their self-sacrificing task. "We: do. not forget :that there, were many thousands of such devoted war workers, hut we should -. show our gratitude to', them whenever opportunity- occurs. ':. -''-.;"■'■-

AN ARMLESS ARMY.

The comments made at the opening of the Dominion Rifle Association- by Colonel It. J. Collins on the inferior character of the weapons supplied, to the New Zealand Forces' provides _ a strange commentary uoon\the ambition of the Defence authorities' to maintain a large trained citizen armv. The position exposed hy the President of the Association, who is a. high officer of State, is so, striking that one becomes puzzled as to whether it should 1 Acad to indignation or hilarity. It is both! lamentable -and ludicrous., but in gene-" ral leads to one conclusion only—that there is something wofully. wrong with -the administration of '/be Defence De* '■nar_bmeot.' It may. &i course, be urj?e6s "tTfot til? w «r PflS the plans

"of the' Department, but no plea of that kind can-dispose of a. charge of neglect to take one of the primary steps to tho creation of an efficient army of defence. The deficiency is of too long 8, duration to allow of 3uch a plea. * It £oes back -years before the wafc, and, indeed, in the light of Colonel Collins' review; I of the- position, it is questionable *if i any serious attempt has ever been made I to'nrm our citizen soldiers and defence clubd with a really up-to-date and! thoroughly efficient weapon.. Changes have been frequent, but no settled; policy ever seems to liave- been adopted, if we except .the adoption of the magazine, rifle, -iUidv we now learn from Colonel Collins that the supply of these rifles has became useless for snooting purposes, the barrels having been worn smooth, which means the loss of the rifling that renders them accurate. Iu is true, that some new barrels have aeon ordered and are on tho way, but tho supplv ordered of these appears to no very limited,, and would probably do jio more than go nyind the marksmen with intentions'of competing at the shooting meetings- of the Dominion. It may, not. , without reason, be* urged that tne finances of the country do not warrant such a heavv expenditure as would cp entailed bv -the importatioiCbf sufficient rifles to completely arm the Defence ""Forces of the Dominion. If that disability bo admitted the conclusion becomes unavoidable that there are not available funds for carrying on a large military establishment and conducting great and' costly central training camps, "We must be content with a less pretentious and more economic means of military training, and devote such funds as' we can spare to securing efficient weapons" with which to arm the defenders of the Dominion. A big armless army would be of little value, and it is value that we want for our 'xnenditure. The experience of the war has established the fact that men may vcrv quickly be trained for military work, and that only forethought and preparation can ensure their efficient arming.

Mr W. Watters, who has been engaged to sing at the National Concert on "St. Patrick's "Day at Wellington, may be relied'upon to bring credit upon Oamaru's musical standing. Mr Watters will also sing at Parhierston North.

At the Magistrate's Court this* morning H. S./ Raw-son applied tor exemption from parades on account of night work. Sergt.-Major Crowder stated that Captain Opie had agreed to recommend in this case. The magistrate granteM exemption from daylight and evening parades while Raw son was on night shift. Ho would Jiavo to attend parades when on day shift. The- mails which left, the Dominion on the 29th January arrived in London on die 2nd insl. ile.ssrs PyiiCj Gould, Guinness, Ltd., advertise in this issue particulars oi the "Waihao Ddwns clearing sale, on account ol Mr Edward Richards, to be held at the homestead on Monday and Tuesday, -22 nd and 23rd in.st. The whole of the stud and nock sheep and the cattle will be sold on the first day and the horses, implements and sundries on the second day. Members of the United Friendly Society meet at the: Oddfellows' Hall tomorrow., at 8 p.m., to play a euchre ■ tournament to assist the societies' baby i for the Garden Fete. -

-A general meeting of the N.O. Men's Hockey Club will be held in Bartrum's tearooms on Friday, at S p.m. ..-As- a number of new skates have arrived, patrons may reply upon being •fitted readily. The dust nuisance lias also been circumvented. The Tenth Baby will therefore expert to near a good man}' skaters on the floor on Thursday.". Patrons are advised to think out exclusive creations for the competitions this winter. ;i Theiattention of contractors is,direct-* Ijgfl to an advertisement in this issue fSiviting tenderssfor the- supply of road metal for the Waimate County. Under the- iheading "Laborised" School Committees, -the-.Post publishes a-paragraph stating that 1 Labor intcuds to make a very strong endeavor to cap-' -ture nil the school committees at the annual meetings of householders i which will take place shortly. In the past official Labor has taken a more or less prominent part in the meetings, and-in some cases it has secured substantial re-, presentation. However, there has not been a thoroughly'organised attempt to place Labor men on the committees, such as may be the case this year. This week/ says the Post, there will be a representative meeting called by the Labor Representation Committee, at which a complete plan of campaign, and/ perhaps, a policy, will be discussed. The committee iSf urging all affiliated industrial organisations to take an active part in the elections. A strange story surrounds seven beautiful sanctuary lamps which have been presented to St. Matthew's Church, Borstal, near Rochester. Mr Donald Maxwell, the vicar's warden, was in Damascus in 1914, intending to cross the desert to Bagdad. He -bought seven hanging lamps for the church before leaving Damascus, and arrangements were made to ship .them to England. Then war broke out, and when the Turks joined in, the lamps were given up as lost. Mr Maxwell re.turnecl to Damascus when it fell to General Allenby, and found the lamps', which had been buried by their maker, an Assyrian Christian, living in -the street in which, according to tradition, St. Paul's, eyesight was restored after his conversion. "The shop had been turned into a Turkish munition factory, and the old Christian had been compelled to make shells for the TurksY The lamps had.lain hidden for five years under some rubbish at the back of the shop. They will be dedicated to the church by the Bishop of Rochester. ■ Mr James McNeil, stonemason, Queenstown, died rather suddenly on Monday morning-from heart disease ; aged 61 years. He had never had a doctor in his life—till about'three weeks ago, when symptoms of heart trouble probably aggravated by extra .heavy weight lifting, manifested ' themselves. who was a native of Perthshire,.-- Scotland, - came ] out to N.il. when in his.teens. . He was employed, in Oaniaru and Otago Central districts, settling subsequently in x Queenstown, whore he has resided for about 40 years. Deceased was a member of the old . B Battery, a prominent Freemason, and a past master of the Lake Lodge at Ophir, and a member'of the Borough Council. He was twice married, and leaves a widow.

The following have been selected to represent tho Oamaru A team against I ho Oainaru 13 Team at Oamaru courts :—Dickson, H. Sump't.er, Tarlton, Saunders. Miss McMullan, Miss Humphries, Mrs Mitchell. Miss Davie?; B tea-m- —Malcolm, Maude, Nicholls B.nnnerman. Misses Farm. Sewell. Nieojls and de Lambert. The following have been selected to represent the Oamaru junior team against Meadowbank at the Meadowbank courts: —Edwards, Hamilton, Sutton, Gibbs, Mis Irvine, Mrs Vcnnall, Miss Dennison. and Mrs Orbell. All games commence at 1.30. Cable advice was received in Dunedin on, Monday night of the death in London on Ist inst. ot Mr Frank Gellibrand Pogson,. to-day's Otago Daily Times. Decea'sed, accompanied by liis brother George, came to Ota go fioi.o. Tasmania early in the seventies, to take up sheep' farming with his uncle's firm. Smith and Gcllifcrand, at Cottesbrook Station, Strath-Taieri. This station, in those days, was one of the largest Crown leasehold properties in Otago. It extended from the -Waitati and Waikouaiti .Rivers to Middlcma'rch, and included the Silver Peaks and Mount Stoker country. Cottesbrook. carried from '40,000 to •50,000 high-class merino sheep, descended from of the best flocks in Tasmania. "Mr Pogson was a man of outstanding ability in the management of pastoral properties, and his opinions were eagerly sought by others ■who vero engaged in the pastoral industry. Tie was noted for his sound judgment and for his sterling integrity and absolute fairness- in his relations with those who served under him. Frcif. Cotl<'*lrook 4 ,Mr Pogson was promoted to tho management of the Barer wood Station, the -Jock depasturing tkcre at that time being one of the bert in the Strath-Taieri district. Later Mr Pogson took over the control of the Taieri Lakes .Station, near Hyde. After that' he- acquired the Maniototo Station, whieh'he- subsequently sold to his brother-in-law.-Mr A. Duff us Lubecki. Mr Pogson then acquired one of the finest of the Central Otago pastoral properties—namely, Blaekstone

Hill and Highfteld Strums, which &$ tin's time •were worked as one propertv : 4 nnd cuTried .over ' 40,000 magnifi C em J < morino sheep, belonging to Mcsijrs lfo, l [ loud Uror. After holding this Bplc tt . .* did fetation for a low years. Mr sold out to Messrs Hobs and Glcndi a% ! 3 ing, of this city, and took up lii s dance in .Nelson, and Inter in Aiict" land. Sul.'equently he _/} sited Kna!'"' lainl, wliero ho was residing at tff« « timv'of his death. His wife nud oiilv 1 daughter survive him. It can be sniHior tho late Mr Pogbon that he wag |w , loved bv all with whom he ciinio in coil tict.

A finn of warehousemen in Dunedjj. ' imported n ease of high-grade eut|<w costing them £3OO. As the case b 0 rt. evidences of havilig been tampered with the niorehants refused to take delivci-v' It was opened at the sheds, and it ' found tliat not a pennyworth of tho contents remained. Tho prevalence 0 f pilfering has been well recognised fa. some Lime, but we believe that tjuj above instance is nofgenerally knotrn It has led to a new branch of activiU in insurance offices, wherein for ay I per cent, of the cost of goods, porters may-now specifically insure tbetr goods against pilfering> The large audiences which ucUtiityg I Ambassador Booth night nftcr during his recent mission here will L pleased to hear that he will deliver n fl address on "Second Coming 0 f \\ {l , Lord Jesus," at Hayward's J'iuur. Palace to-monow, at 8 p.m. A •synoii, sis of the gist of this free address L contained in our advertising (olutiim A final reminder is given ol ilic-^l ">on account of Hamish McLean, l 0 l held at Mr Parker'*, yaids, Halviitnn,. niea, to-morrow, commencing ;\{ u a.m. sharp.