GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17064, 24 July 1917, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

GERMANY'S FOOD SHORTAGE. Australian and NJZ. Cable Association. WASHINGTON, July 22. .Reports to the State Department indicate that Germany is short of 600 000 bushels of wheat required before the harvest. Crop prospects are reported to be good in Germany, but in other sections the crops have been hurt by the drv weather, also by frost. The German Government is said to be requisitioning one out of every two head of cattle. It is rumoured that part of the provisions sent from the United States for Belgian relief work was consumed in a German hospital at Antwerp. CORN PRODUCTION IN BRITAINLONDON, July 22. Vtte Daily News says that the Government is opposed to Mr Wardle's amendment to the Com Production Bill, seeking to secure an increase of agricultural labourers' wages from 25s to 30s, notwithstanding that the Bill provides for farmers receiving a large bonus to stimulate production. r The paper's Lobby correspondent believes that the Government ia riding for a -It ' x^U 8 read y t0 sprag election without nrst carrying electoral reform. REICHSTAG ADJOURNS. Renter's Telegrams. AMSTERDAM, July 22 a gfu&ste-g has adjourned until August 26. NEW SOUTH WALES RECRUITING. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S APPEAL. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. m . SYDNEY, July 23 (Received July 23, at 10.30 p.m.) ine Lieutenant-governor (Sir W P Cul len), in opening the State Recruiting 'Conference, passionately appealed for action. ne warned the conference that German gold was not restricted in Europe and in it was an element which might at anv time break out into a worse evil than anvthmg yet contemplated. J BRITAIN AND HOLLAND. THE QUESTIONOf'neUTRALITY. A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. ,r> • 3 AMSTERDAM, July 23. (Received July 24, at 1.45 a.m) The Vaderland, in an inspired article points out that the investigations by the Dutch Admiralty do not suggest that the British, committed a deliberate breach of Dutch neutrality at the taking of the German convoy, though during the pursuit the British crossed territorial water Some Dutch jurists hold that a hostile vessel attacked on the high seas may be pursued into territorial waters. [The cable news in this issue accredited • i , Tunes nas appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial, opinion of The Times.]

SHORTAGE IN CAMP. (Fhom Onn Own ConREdPONDKNT.) . WELLINGTON, July 23. Inere is still a shortage of about a whole draft of reinforcements in the camps. The ™mP i_ aro in si^ilt ' and course of time will be available, but there seems to be a recurring delay in getting every fresh draft of men into camp—a delay which did not occur under the old system of voluntary enlistment. If all the men balloted and examined ready to go into camp were to bo taken in now tho camps would bo more than comfortably filled. There are, however, good reasons why it is advisable that the camps should not bo too full in the winter season, and the present shortago is not causing the authorities any concern. DEATHS OF SOLDIERS. (Pkb United Press Association.) rru ™, WELLINGTON, July 23. Ibomas William Hill, a member of one ot tne reinforcements training at Trentham, was found hanging yesterday in the busli at Silverstream. Ho had been missing since February 8. Hill was about 35 years ot age, and a native of New Zealand. He is believed to have a wife at Frankton. Private James Smith, aged 29 years, who belonged to tho 20th Reinforcements, died onfcsunday at the residence of his stepA - M'Culloch, Carr street North-East Valley, and will be buried with military honours on Wednesday. MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES , Mr J: of London street, has been advised that his son, Lieutenant Chas. Kobert Duke, sth Pioneers' Battalion, has been mentioned .in despatches. Sir Douglas Maig states that he considers Duke's distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty deserving of special mention Lieutenant Duke went with the Main Body ot the Australian Forces, leaving Sydnev in November, 1914, and at latest advice was still with them in France. LIEUTENANT SCOULLAR. News came to hand by the mail received yesterday that Sergeant W. A. Scoullar, who left in the 2nd Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, having previously served in Samoa, has passed the examination for a first commission at the training °^ m . p ?*,, lmg - Lieutenant Scoullar met with shell shock in the Somme battle, and on his recovery went back to the front. JJromthe advices to his friends it appears that he is one of 40 who passed the examination out of 120 candidates. His many friends in the railway service will bo glad to hear of his promotion and justify their belief that he would signalise his service. AIRMAN CAPTURED BY ENEMY. Advice has been received by Mr E. Wood that his youngest brother, First Lieutenant A Wood, of the Royal Flying Corps, is safe. - Lieutenant Wood has had many exciting experiences during the past two years m France. He took part in a big aerial engagement over Lille in April, and was then reported as having been seen to tall, in a letter the airman gives a graphic account of his adventure. He states that ho was flying over Lille in company with several other British airmen, when his engine broke down, but he managed to keep his machine under control and make a landing During his flight he was surrounded by four German machines, one of wnich he succeeded in bringing to earth before his own machine failed. He was taken prisoner by the enemy, and when the mail was about to be transferred to an inland prisoners' oamp in Germany, alon°with several British Infantry officers. Up to the time of writing Lieutenant Wood had been well treated by the enemy. Lieutenant Wood belongs to London, and is onlv 22 years of age. He was formerly a second lieutenant in the Yorkshire Regiment, and saw considerable fighting in the trenches in Franco for six months before he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. ST. ELLDA WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION. There is still a good attendance at the meetings of the above branch. The following goods were packed:—lo2 handkerchiefs, 164 soap bags, 30 pairs socks, 53 shirts, 3 muslin shirts, 9 flannel shirts, 140 service bags 78 tea towels, 127 service cloths, 3 balaclavas, 31 housewifes. The Presbyterian Guild (per Mrs Fairmaid) has sent 12 shirts 14- handkerchiefs, and 17 housewifes. Goods for the Lady French Fund have been received from Mrs Ferguson. RED CROSS SOCIETY. Lieutenant-colonel Moorhouse, bfficer-in-chargo cf the Red Cross, Wellington, met the executive (Dunedin Centre) on Friday morning, when many matters affecting the of the sick and wounded soldiers were discussed. Colonel Moorhouse was in a position to say that the Red Cross work was very highly appreciated in England. At the request of Dr Valmiine, 25.pairs of pyjamas were sent to Te Waikato Sana--1??1' „ GanlD ri*re, and 25 pairs to the Otaki Sanatorium, on Thursday. Tho packers will be very busy this week, getting ready a large number of cases which are to be shipped by an outgoing transport to England. The men's bandage guild is doing good work, hundreds of bandages being rolled every week. The .guild seems to bo gaming in popularity, as the membership k steadily increasing. The evening guild will meet on Wednesday from 7 to 9.30 T>.m. The sum of £76 14s has been received from the Red Cross stalL

The executive thanks the following for donations.-—Moray Place School, Mrs Calder, Mrs Cooper, Mrs Holmes, Mrs \V C M'Kellar, Mrs Macdonald, St. Andrew's Collegiate School, L.A.M.8.D.A., Colonel Smith, Mr and Mrs J. R. Goods have been received' from Stirling, Naseby, Lawrence Knox Church Ladies' Association, Allanton, Maungatua, Kaitangata, Anderson Bay, Green Island, Nursing Division, Gore, Waiwcra South, All Saints' Ladies ? Association, Caversham Nursing Division, Kelso, Momona, "W. W. C. A.," Waipiata, Brighton, Romahapa, Port Molyneux, Baloktha Cromwell, First Church Ladies' Association Koslyn and Kaikorai, North-East Valley Palmerston, Clinton, Waitabtma, Mornington, Women's Patriotio Association, and Invercargill. CORPORAL EREYBERG. At the Buckle Street Drill Hall last night (says a Press Association message from Wellington), the "Last Post" was sounded in memory of Corporal Paul Freyberg (brother of Brigadier-general Froyberg), who was killed in action in France recently. . PRIVATE TORRANCE. Mrs Torrance, Park street, Kensington has received advice that her son Jack was wounded in the Messines engagement on June 15. Of her other three sons who are on active service, Gordon' is at present in Sling camp qualifying for a commission, . and , Dick and Andrew, who were well known' here in cricketing circles, are somewhere in France. LIEUTENANT MILLS. News has been received in Christdmrch that Lieutenant J. F. Mills (2nd Battalion King's Royal Rifles), only son of Sir James Mills, is reported "missing" since July 10. Lieutenant Mills is aged 22, and he was born in Danerlin, receiving part of his education here. Some years ago he went Home to Eton College, and after spending some trme at the College ho went to Cambridge, where ho was on tho outbreak of war. He went to Sandhurst, and afterwards joined the K.R.R. and served in France and also in Salonika, being invalided home from_ the latter place after being buried in his dug-out by a sholl explosion. He was invalided for about eight months, and _ had not long returned to the front, serving again in France and in Flanders.

Nicotine is very poisonous. Even in small quantities pure nicotine causes vomiting, purging, and collapse; and when you consider that many imported tobaccos contain from 4- per cent, to 5 per cent, of nicotine, it shows how careful you must be in your choice. Gold Pouch Aromatic is a tobacco containing tho very lowest percentage of nicotine—but 1£ per cent. See bow healthy and safe is Gold Pouch Aromatre. More than that, Gold Pouch Aromatic is N.Z.-growrt; picked, prepared, and packed at Hawke's Bay. In buying it you are BfOT sending money abroad, but are helping the Empire. Gold Pouch Aromatic is cool, sweet, and comes to you in a big full 2ioz bag for Is. Try it! Cigarette smokers should use the N.Z.-grown " Three D'amonds " tobacco. g