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Otago Daily Times, Issue 17531, 24 January 1919, Page 4

A Gazette issued lost night notifies that tho public service , regulations have .been amended to provide for the payment of overtime rates from Is 6d. to 2s 6d per hour for January and February.

The disorder at Port Chalmers on the arrival of the troopship Tahiti was referred to at this week's meeting of the Kaitangata Council. The Mayor remarked: "If our boys got a bite to eat between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. on tho day of arrival they had to thank-tho ladies of Port Chalmers for their great effort to supply food which should have been supplied by the Defence Department. With such disgraceful muddling by tho department, the men were in no way to they broke bounds and scrambled ashoro in search of a meal." A councillor interjected that no man would treat his dog as the Defense Department treated these boys at Port Chalmers.

At the meeting. of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid, Board last evening, the chairman submitted a resolution conveying the thanks of tho board to all ladies and gentlemen who had given their services in the fight against tho recent influenza epidemic. The motion also expressed sympathy with tho relatives of those nurses and! V.A.D. workers who had contracted tho disease and fallen in the fight, thus praptically giving their lives for others. The motion was adopted, and it was resolved that an engrossed copy of it, signed by the members of the board, be presented to every voluntary worker who was recommended to receive it by officers in charge of the various bureaus and institutions, and also to the relatives of nurses and V.A.D. workers who died from the epidemic. It was further resolved that framed copies ,be presented to the Public Library and to each_ institution used as temporary or auxiliary hospitals.

General Pau, writing to the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board during his stay in Dunedin, said: "Commandant d'Andre has told me of the pleasure which it gave him to meet you at the Dunedin Hospital. He was much surprised by tho capable administration, of tho institution and with tho charming grace of tho matron and her nursing staff. Although my doctor denied me the privilege of calling personally, I have been delighted with tho reports of my representative. Tho mission is particularly interested in the welfare of tho men who have fought together with my countrymen on the sido of justice and freedom, and when wo return to France we shall be able to tell of the manner in which these heroes are treated in New Zealand. I wish your institution continued 'Success in its noble work."

The Health Department has advised the Wellington Hospital Board (states a Press Association message) that it will pay for the treatment of the dependents of returned soldiers until the soldiers are discharged.

For the past week tho General Post Office at Wellington has been inundated with overseas mails (says a Press Association telegram). The staff has been working day and night, endeavouring to distribute the accumulation which has resulted from the shipping shortage, and it is stated that never in the history of New Zealand has there been such an accumulation of mail, nor has one vessel before brought so much mail in one trip.

The tender of Messrs Fletcher Bros, of £269 for additions to the operating theatre at the Dunedin Hospital was accepted by tho Hospital Board last evening. Tho blight has made its appearance in potato crops at Kaitangata, and some good crops of the tubers are being ruined. During a discussion at the Kaitangata Borough Council on tho scarcity of labour in tho borough, Cr Pcnnell stated that for the clearing of somo gorso he was charged £1. It took two hours to do the work. Tho Mayor said that the borough works could,not bo carried on for. want of labour and suggested making application to the Returned Soldiers' Club to 6upply workmen.

At last night's meeting of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the chairman (Mr Knight), replying to a question by Mr Templcton as to whether ho had boon invited to tho luncheon tendered to tho French Mission in Dunedin, eaid.ho received an invitation at half-past 2 in tho afternoon, but tho luncheon took place at 1_ o'clock. Speaking further on tho question of the visit of tho mission, tho chairman said that on occasions of the kind the chairman of such an important body as tho Hospital Board—tho most important body in Otago not excepting tho Dunedin City Council—should be invited to attend. Ho had personally invited the members of tho mission to visit tho Hospital, and although General Pau had not been ablo to avail himself of the invitation, other members of tho mission attended, and it was pleasing to know that they wore immensely pleased with tho institution, particularly with that portion eet aside for the treatment of soldiers.

At a meeting of the Outram Town Board there wore present—Messrs Chisholm (chairman), Dow, Doherty, Walker, and Thorneon. Tho half-holiday was arranged for Saturday, as U3ual. The dog tax was fixed at 10s per dog, except as determined by statute, and Mr J. Grant was appointed registrar of dogs. . It was unanimously agreed to give to owners of hedges abutting on the street notice to trim them up to tho boundary line, or the work would be done at their expense.

Tho remains of Sapper Henry Douglas Beck, a returned soldier, were interred yesterday with military honours, the body being conveyed to the Northern Cemetery on a gun carriage. There was a largo attendance of tho deceased soldier's relatives and friends. Captain Dobscn represented the Defence Department, and six members of the Returned Soldiers' Association acted as pallbearers.

Tho interesting fact has come to light that since tho abandonment of the armistice two lodgments of gold have been deposited with one of the local banks (says the Poverty. Bay Herald). In one case the accumulation of sovereigns was of quite a substantial amount, and from what can be ascertained the "hoard" had been secreted in the chimney of the owner's houso for safe keeping. In tho .second case tho "pile" of gold was of similar amount, and had been kept in the proverbial stock-

The Minister of Marine (the Hon. T. M. Wilford) informed a Dominion reporter last week that the steamer Tutanekai had been handed over, to the naval adviser, to be used in mine-sweeping work. The ship is now undergoing alteration to fit her for this duty. Somo little time ago the Government decided that the Tuetanekai was something of a white elephant. \ She is not the sort of steamer they need, and they thought of selling her with the Hinemoa, and buying another larger steamer, which, could be used for £ho carriage of cargo when she was not in use for other Government purposes. An estimate was obtained as to the cost of fitting out tho Tutanekai as a cargo steamer, and the figuro was £7500. The Minister decided that as the war was over he would not have the work done.

The suitability of tho poultry industry for tho partially disabled returned soldier was touched upon by Mr J. B. Merrott at a recent meeting of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club. He said that he was distinctly of tho opinion that poultryraising presented an attavrtiyo field to this class of man. The work was not , ' of a strenuous nature, while it yielded a fair living. In Australia, Mr Merretfc stated, the Government had allocated returned men who wished to engage in the industry five acres of land each for the purpose. Some part of the land was used for the production of fruit. The results, so far, had been of a highly encouraging nature. Whilst he realised that land was a more valuable asset in New Zealand, yet he was of opinion that a groat deal could be done for the returned men in the direction indicated. The poultry-keepers' conference, convened by tho New Zealand Poultry Association, would ; bo held in Christchurch during March, and ho hoped that the matter would then be fully gone into. Six land agents' licenses were renewed by Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. There was a clean sheet at the City Police Court yesterday.

Another smashing Harley performance, Palmerston North, yesterday. Won N.Z. championship, third in 8 miles, first in 13 miles, second 8-mile open; also fastest time. W. Stuart Wilson, Dunedin.—Advt. A salts that is attracting the attention of all keen buyers is on to-day at Mollisons. Values are ■wonderful. —Advt.

The moro you use "No Rubbing" Laundry Help the better you -will like it; Is packet sufficient for seven weekly washings.—Wardell Bros, and Co.—Advt.

Like real good whisky? Then try Watson's No. 10. Lovely mellow flavour. Advt.

Electric Incandescent Lamps, Drawn Wire Metallic Filament, Philips Manufacture, 16* 25, 32, and 50 candle-power. Price,' 3s each. Special terms for quantity orders.— Turriboll and Jones (Ltd.), Electrio Engineers.—Advt.

A. E. J. Blakeley. dentist, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859 — Advt.

Eyestrain I—Consult Mr Peter G Dick D.8.0.A., F. 1.0. (London), consulting and oculists optician.—Peter Dick, jeweller, etc 490 Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt.