GENERAL NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16883, 21 December 1916, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

A very proud record of patriotic services i« that of tho family of a Taumaranui settler, who has t*ix sons on active service —five with the. New Zoalanders and one with the Australians. The Defence Minister, hearing of the family and their good record, wrote to tho father a congratular,ory letter. In duo course tire father acknowledged tho letter with thanks, and informe<! Mr Alien that his only son remaining in New Zealand, his second Bon in ago, hud volunteered first of all, but had been rejected ho had lost ono eye. Heven sons, and all had offered their [services!

Tho Suva correspondent of tho Now Zealand Herald roport3 that about 20 of tho male Indian indentured labourers on an estate in the island of Taviuni recently took " French leavb" and marched in a body to the wireless station sir. or seven miles dietant. They requested tho operator m chargo to communicate with tho "Protector of Indians" at Labassi, stating that unless he oamo at onco to the island to redress their grievances they would kill their sirdar (overseer). Tho operator ostensibly agreed, but communicated instead with the District Commissioner at Waiyevo, with tho result that a police officer camp and arrested the men. Five of tho ringleaders were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for intimidation. Tho inspector of immigrants has meantime arrived at the island and is investigating tho men's grievances.

A suggestion has been mado by the secretary of tho Wellington Boot Operatives' Federation (Mr J. Hutcheson) that tho Board of Trade should investigate tiho proposed increase in the price of boots. Mr Hutcheson told a Post reporter that ho was of opinion there was no justification for the increase. The Government was strong enough to resist a demand by boot manufacturers for increased prices, but the public had to submit. When the last award was ma.do tho manufacturers approached the Government with a view to securing better contract prices, but wero refused. The industry had been protected since its infancy, and should bo strong enough now to stand by itself. If the prices of boots were raised 15 per oent. or more it wonld bo playing into tho hands of the Ijoot importers and employing foreigners instead of our own people. Tho Rev. A. Doull, of Palmcrston North, has returned thero from a visit to the central North Island districts which came into prominence a few months ago through tho dramatic arrest of Rua and somo of his followers. Mr Doull was accompanied by tho Rev. H. J. Fletcher, who for the last 20 years had carried on missionary work at Taupo, and whoso knowledge of Maori affaire was of the greatest assistance during tho trip. Tho party reached a point in the Urewera Country within a few miles of Rua's stronghold, and, the weather being fine, tho visit to this picturesquo country was enjoyed. Mr Doull said that they found the Maoris were provided • with practically no educational facilities at all. At To Whaiti a school had been established, but about a year or more ago tho school master was accepted for active service and the school was closed, so that there were some 30 children there receiving no schooling. At Ruatahuna there were fully 150 children in the same condition, and thero were numbers of smaller pas growing up without educational advantages. This was a condition that should receive tho attention of tho authorities without delay. It was satisfactory to learn that the influence of tho notorious " prophet" Rua was limited to a groat extent to his own pa and one or two of the villages in the immediate neighbourhood. Tho name of an Auckland soldier appearing as the recipient of a Military Medal illustrates tho strange vagaries of fortune (write " Morcutio" in the New Zealand Herald). The number of men to see the Gallipoli campaign through untouched was small. Many among their ranks escaped from the perils of that campaign, only to fall a victim to shell or bullet in France. Tho soldier in question, however, has been phenomenally lucky. Two days after the landing ho was struck on the right breast with tho fuse cap from a shrapnel shell. This abject, a conical picoe of brass, is capable of inflicting terrible injuries, yet in this case it merely caused a large bruise. A day or so later tho samo man was sitting in tho open with his knees braced up writing up his diary. He had just written "Shrapnel falling very thickly" when a whole shell came down, passed underneath his legs, and buried itself in tho ground without bursting. Though naturally somewhat startled, he was quite unhurt, and 10 minutes later was busily digging for tho shell which so nearly put an end to his soldiering. And now, aftor all the time the New Zealanders havo been in France, ho is still " going strong," and is tho recipient of a decoration for good service in tho field. A charge of wilfully and wantonly damaging 36 artificial wreaths in the Waikaraka Cemetery was preferred against John Francis M'Grath and Thomas M'Grath, at tho Auckland Magistrate's Court on Monday. Evidence was given that on the morning of November 11 tho 36 wreaths wero found to be broken, evidently having been damaged with some sharp instrument, such as a flatfish spear. Two men were seen near the cemetery with lanterns and spears. John Francis M'Grath was arrested a few days later for tho theft of three fowls, and subsequently convicted. Giving evidence on his own behalf, John Francis M'Grath said he spent tho evening in a hotel, and, after stealing the sexton's fowls, went to bed. He would :• ot go near tho cemetery at night, as ho was afraid of ghosts. Tho case against Thomas M'Grath was dismissed. Tho Magistrate said he was satisfied from the evidence that John M'Grath committed tho damage, but it w r as hard to say who was his companion. Aftor leaving tho hotel in a semi-drunken condition ho evidently went round the cemetery stabbing tho wreaths with the spear. However, drink was no excuso, and ho would bo sentenced to two months' hard labour.

The view that tho Bankruptcy Act pressed somewhat hardly upon a debtor, in respect of the amount of his possessions it entitled him to retain, was expressed by creditors at a meeting- held in Auckland. The bankrupt was a plumber by trade. His creditors were considering the point of allowing him to keep sufficient furniture, cte., to cnablo him to make a fresh start. The Official Assignee explained that tho Act protected a bankrupt's property only to the extent of "tools of trade, wearing apparel, and furniture." of a gross value of £25. The Art was passed 30 years aero, lie said, when £25 meant more than it did now. It. provided, also, however, that creditors could, of their own volition, give back to a debtor possessions valued at not more than a further £50. If it was decided to be more g"nerous stilt, it woiifd bo nee/otsary for creditors to pass a. special resolution, which must subsequently be confirmed, and which must, on both occasions, bo carried by a majority rcpr-sontinir three-quarters of the value of the debts in tho estate.