JOTTINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3214, 20 October 1915, Page 52

JOTTINGS.

Mr H. Moorman, 01 larawai, Thames, has left (says the titar) for Wellington, en route to England as a munition worker. Dr Howard Thomas, late of the Clyde Hospital, but now of Auckland, has received an appointment in the R.A.M.0., and, with Mrs Thomas, left Auckland on Wednesday for Wellington, en route for England, Private advice has been received in Wellington (says the Post) that Captain 0. it. F. Johnston, son of the Hon. O. J. Johnston, M.L.C., was wounded, though not dangerously, in the big offensive on September 30. Captain Johnston was with tho Middlesex Regiment. Ho is now in hospital in London, and making good progress. Mr E. Newman, M.P. tor R-angitikei, has agreed to pay the rent of a building up to £IOO per annum, to bo controlled by tho Marton Patriotic Society, and used for the purpose of establishing a hospital or convalescent home in the Rangitikei district for returned wounded soldiers. Frank P. Slavin, the old-time famous Australian pugilist, has enlisted with the Western Scottish, a battalion which is_ being recruited in Victoria (8.C.) for service on the Continent. He is 54 years of age. Slavin was one of the great fighters who marked the transition from the old bareknuckle style to tho modern system of glove fighting. “Auckland has nobly done its duty in the matter of recruiting, but it has not done anything more than Wellington,” said tho Hon. J. Allen in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The Woodville Examiner learns that a Pongaroa settler and his son are at the front, the father being among tho wounded. The farm is being managed by a 16-year-old son. The mother is at present in a nursing home, having recently given birth to her thirteenth child. A resident of Dunedin who collected some money in Kaiapoi recently, with the object of purchasing parcels for soldiers at the front, has recejvcd acknowledgments from men in several regiments. He forwarded tho money to the headquarters of the Overseas Club to be distributed as they liked. One of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles got one of the parcels. The gentleman referred to forwarded £lO 10s to London on Wednesday, which he collected from the Roslyn Woollen Mills. Some Wellington firms are doing all in their power to assist the Minister of Defence to raise tho recruits that are needed to make up future reinforcements (says the Dominion). Among the firms which are pursuing an active policy in this regard is the Wellington Gas Company, which is calling on all able-bodied single men in its employ to enlist. The company promises all who do so half salary for the first six months, further remuneration at the end of that term to bo at the discretion of the board of directors. The Wanganui Herald says that two members of tho Wanganui Borough Council —Cl's J. Coull and W. S. Dustin—have handed in their names for active service abroad. Cr Coull leaves a prosperous and growing business in doing so, while Cr Dustin, in addition to doing the same, is showing his willingness to serve the Empire at a.n -age when any man would be justly entitled to rest on his oars. In a letter received by Mr Atack, manager of the Press Association, from Mr F. W. Haylittle, of the firm of George Thomas and Co. (Ltd.), of Wellington, _ the latter states (says the Times), that he is on active service in France as a dispatch motorist, attached to the R.A.M.C. Recently Mr Haylittle was confined to hospital through an * attack of enteritis, but has since recovered his normal health. Mr Haylittle states that while in hospital Wilfrid Findlay (son of Sir John Findlay) was brought in wounded, and they were the only Now Zealanders in the institution, which contained a largo number of cases. Mutual recpgnition led to the New Zealanders comparing notes and chatting about friends in the dominion. A clergyman from the South Island at a public meeting in Auckland on Monday night (reports the Star) said that single men in Dunedin had told him they wanted compulsory military recruiting, so that all single men -would be treated alike. A woman, who applied for a pass to tho Wellington wharf on the occasion of a recent military event, was asked: “Are you next-of-kin to a soldier in the reinforcements?” She answered: “Ves, I have only one left. I had eight boys, I am now a widow, seven of my boys have already gone, four arc killed, three are wounded, and now lam sending my last. I only need one pass, there is only me.” A very largo number of applications havo been received for positions on the_ hospital ship Marama, and at the present time these are being classified with a view to a selection being made (says the Wellington Post). It is pointed out that the beet method to adopt when applying is for the applicant to register at the Recruiting office and to note in his recruiting form that ho desires a position on the hospital ship. “There are one million and a-half letters and papers at Cairo waiting to be delivered to the boys on Gallipoli Peninsula and in the hospitals,” stated a soldier in a letter written to a Stratford resident (says tho Post). Tho writer further stated that he and 24 other men were detailed off to help in sorting the letters, and the military authorities were doing all in their power to have the correspondence delivered. Lieutenant the Hon. K. R. Dundae, fourth son of Lord Melville, has been killed a i the Dardanelles. Deceased married Miss Foot, a Hawke’s Bay lady. According to private letters received in Balclutha last week (says the Free Press) there is a pi'obability of a_ Balclutha member of the Main Expeditionary Force receiving tho Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery on Gallipoli Peninsula. Captain E. G. Fraser, of Remuera, Auckland, returned from Gallipoli by the Maitai from Sydney. He was severely wounded in tho face by a Turkish _ bomb, and tho sight of one of his eyes is someiyhat impaired as a result. Owing to another wound Captain Fraser has partially lost tho use of his right arm. He is to undergo a further operation in New Zealand. A very large muster of Purakanui residents filled tho local hall on Friday evening for tho purpose of bidding farewell to Trooper Dugald M‘La oh lan, who will leave to-morrow for the front. Amongst those present were Major Dodds and a largo number of friends from Port Chalmers. Mr Charles King presided, and expressed the pleasure all felt at being present to honour one who had always been a favourite in the district. On behalf of well-wishers he presented Trooper

M Lachlan with a wrist watch and a leather money-belt, as tokens of esteem, and wished him a safe and speedv return home. An enjoyable social followed, at wliicli Mr Murray and some of ms pupils danced several step-danccs, and songs were sung by a number of those present, a very enjoyable evening being wound up with a dance. A canvass of the Middlcmarch district resulted in ±l7 16s 3gd being collected for the equipment of the hospital ship, with tho addition of bundles of towels from tho following:—Mrs A. Horn, Mrs Roxton, Mrs W. E. W. Elliott, and Mr E. W. Mcssent, Tho cash donors were :*=— Mrs Turnbull, sen., £1 } Mu A. Scorgio, 12s 6d; Mr J. Turnbull, 10s 6dj Mrs F. James, 10s 6d; Mr A. M'Kinnon, 10s 6d; Mr A. Blakely, 10s; Mrs T. Carruthors, ICs; Mi' R. N. Elliott, 10s; Mr A. Colquhoun, 10s; Mr W. G. Thompson, ss; Miss W. Turnbull, ss; Miss H. M’Elligot, ss; Mr R. J. Thompson, ss; Mrs M. F. Thompson, ss; Mr A. Stewart, sen., ss; Mr E. Kinsman, 3s; Masters J. Matbcson and H. Thomson, 2s 9|d; Mrs Cockerell, 2s 6d; Miss Dawson, 2s 6d; Mrs J. Muir, 2s 6d; Mrs W, Jones, 2s 6d; Mrs Standring, 2s 6d; Mr W. Higgins, 2s; Mr W. Lowther, 2s. . On Thursday afternoon and evening the members of tho North-East Valley Women s Patriotic Association were busily engaged making leather waistcoats, and they gave out a good number to workers who were willing to make them in their own homes. The following work for the week was brought in:— dozen pair socks, 5 dozen towels, 6 balaclava caps, 1 scarf, 5 pair cuffs, and tho usual weekly donation of 2 dozen pair hospital slippers. The lady members of the Port Chalmers Patriotic Association are unwearied in thenefforts to provide comforts for our boys at the front, and a very busy time was spent at the workroom on Thursday afternoon and evening, when quite a number of ladies turned out and made waistcoats and housewives. Tho association is grateful to them, and also to several others, for offering to make waistcoats at their own homes. The committee would be very pleased if they could get housewives made and delivered at tho hall on Thursday. The supply of socks has not been so great lately, the wool being expensive and difficult to get. The Lake County Press states that the Rev. Robert Welsh, who is well known in the district, has volunteered for service abroad as a chaplain. Captain J. H. Ross, tho well-known rifle shot, who also holds the King’s and Queen’s medals for active service in tho South African war, has offered his services to the Defence Department for the present war. No fewer' than five resignations were received at Thursday’s meeting of tho Hawke’s Bay Education Board (says the Napier- Telegraph), throe male and one femalo teacher and one of the clerical staff all having asked to be relieved of .their duties, so that they may answer the country’s call. Mr Martin M‘Nabb, of Motucka, is tho sixth son of Mr and Mrs Edward M‘Nabb to enlist for the service of the Empire, and already two have made tho supreme sacrifice of their lives for Great Britain and her Allies.