Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 3258, 23 August 1916, Page 3

It is understood that the Wellington contractor for military supplies who has been found to have used* inferior thread-in tho making' up of uniforms has h a his contract, which represented a big undertaking, cancelled. The question of taking legal action is being considered by the Crown Law

Office. Tho Hon. Mr Allen states that he has received word that the Now Zealand Tunnelling Corps ia doing excellent work on the western front, and that the men are very well. They believe that they are equal to, if not better than, the Gormans, So fat they have not lost any lives. The Japanese shipping delegates—Messrs Z. Kamiya and T. Hagasshimya—■were shown over the docks and ironworks at Fort Chalmers, and also tho wharves at Dunedin, on the 15th by Mr E. C. Hazletb (chairman of tho Harbour Board) and the secretary (Mr Bardslcy). Both gentlemen expressed themselves as very pleased with what they saw. They state that they have received nothing but kindness during their visit to New Zealand, and that they will have very pleasant recollections of their stay here. “What are tho girls at present taking the place of men who are away going to do in the immediate future?” was tho question propounded by Mr G. M. Thomson at a recent meeting of tho Y.W.O.A. Fifty thousand men. he said, were coming back, and it was the duty of the community to the men who had risked their lives to give them tho first opportunity of getting into employment again, r ihis remark elicited applause from the meeting. Proceeding, Mr Thomson said ho was in tho Union Steam Ship Company’s office ia Wellington a month ago. Ho saw a number of hvdie?

attending to the public, and to tho young lady who gave him his ticket he said: "What are you young ladies going to do when the boys como back from tho war?" "Oh, we're going to marry them," replied the lady, who added, "wo wouldn't marry tho blighters who won't go." At any rate, said Air Thomson, the problem was a serious one, and he threw it out because it was a matter that the association, among others, would have to face. He believed tho combined wisdom of the women of the country would do more lor the settlement of the problem than anything else. The women would uso their influence in the direction of securing those wise measures that would tend to a satisfactory solution of the difficulty. It was a national work, an Imperial work, and, above all, a Christian work. At a later stage of the meeting Airs Park oxpressed the hope that the girls now earning good wages would not waste them on frivolities and vanities. Miss Callendar also had a word to say. Sho counselled thrift. Many girls were now receiving high wages. Lot thorn save all they could, and when the tim<3 came for them to relinquish their good positions, they would do so with less discomfort than if they had spent their earnings uselessly.

After 22 months' internment in Germany, William Harpness, one of the crew of the Glasgow steamer Dunslaw, reached homo at South Shields on June 15, and gave a vivid story of the sufferings of the German people on account of the food shortage. Passing through Berlin a few clays previously he saw hundreds of people seated on the pavement waiting for their allowance of food. Many, after being there for hours, were turned away withoift being served. The pinched faces of women and children spoke unmistakably of their sufferings. A similar 6tate of things prevailed at a town near the Dutch frontier, where many sad scenes came under his personal observation. There was no butter, bacon, or meat and sugar was unobtainable The authorities were exercising increasing care of what food there was, which >vas given out in the shape of small quantities of bread, a piece of sausage or fish.

Dunedin butchers claim that the public have been for a long time "on a good wicket," as they express it, regarding the price of meat. They state that though Burnsido is the dearest market in the dominion in which to purchase—that is, etock realise the best prices there —meat is cheaper hero than at Ghristchurch, Wellington, or Auckland. In Auckland, particularly, meat has for some time past been selling retail at from 2d to 3d dearer than in Dunedin. The local butchers state that the time has arrived when they must advance the price by from to Id per lb. There is every probability that Messrs Holmes Bros.'s Tiraumea property, in the Alfredton district, will bo acquired by the Government for tho use of returned soldiers (says the Wairarapa Times). Tho property comprises 10,000 acres of highly improved land, which is admirably suited for subdividing, as tho present fences can be used as boundaries for 24 allotments. There will be practically no roading required, tho property being so well intersected by the present roads. There are at present about 900 head of cattle grazing on Tiraumoa, and the stock is of high quality, Mr Colin C. Holmes being a well-known Hereford breeder.

Tho Hon. James Allen stales that tho new Lewis quick-firing guns which have recently been supplied to the training camps in the North Island are working admirably, and that as a consequence the men are obtaining excellent training. The Vickers Maxim quick-firers are also proving efficient weapons. The Minister also states that the dominion is now receiving a substantial supply of small arms ammunition, and that there is a prospect of tho dominion shortlyobtaining an ample supply of artillery ammunition.

A correspondent wires as follows from Karamea: —"The Karamea bar is particularly good at tho present time, the channel being straight, and there is at least 14ft of water at spring tides; yet through the inability to secure vessels to cany the timber away all the sawmills are at a standstill. Ono firm of millers has 400,000 ft of dry timber awaiting shipment, and although it is offering big freights it cannot secure vessels. This district is one of tho finest in tho dominion, and bids to bo one of tho leading farming districts on tho ocaat.

There is at least 50,000,000 ft of rimu and white pine, tho quality of which is second to none in the country, and at present tho settlers arc felling- and burning it in order to clear the land." Some time between 6 a.m. one day and 10 a.m. the next day recently, tho residence of Air Williams, in Nelson, was entered, and a sum, of £29 in single pound notes stolon (says the Mail). The burglary was a daring one, as Air and Airs Williams wero in the house the whole time.

Tho Supreme Court action, Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company v. Southern Steamship Company, claim. £l9B 2s 3d, damages for short delivery of goods, has been discontinued.

The sittings of the Dominions Royal Commission, interrupted through the occurrence of the war, are shortly to be resumed. The commission will meet at Vancouver on September 21, and, after completing its investigations in Canada, will proceed to England-for the purpose of drawing up its report. Mr J. R. Sinclair, the New Zealand representative, on the commission, will leave the dominion by the Maku-ra, sailing from Auckland on September 5.

Dr Maclaurin, Mr Butcher (the inspector of explosives), and the assistant engineer of the local Public Works Department, selected a temporary site on the 17th for an explosives magazine at the Wingatui end of the old tunnel which runs through the Chain Hills.

A "Wellington boy now with the New Zealand Field Artillery in France, writing to his parents regarding the High Commissioner, says: —"It does your heart good to hear what the boys have to say about Tom Mackenzie. They say he can't do too much for the New Zealanders, and if they know nobody in the Old Country, ho takes them under his wing and gives them the time of their lives. There ;s nothing too much trouble for him, -and if he sees the. chaps anywhere, where things are not what they ought to be, in he goes and gives them the quiet chat. They take more notice of what he says than % hundred policemen. Wo all hope that when his time expires he will stay on and see this job through. There is no man more popular "

"A good deal of Australian money is going into the West Coast of tho South Island," remarked the Hon. W. I>. S. MacDonald (Minister of Mines), in explaining the reason why a mining revival is happily stirring that part of Now Zealand (says the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times). The Minister stated that some big companies are obtaining leases for dredging, and the applications for the use of the Mines Department's Keystone drill are in excess of the capacity of the plant. "With the tremendously improved machinery available to-day," added the Minister, "it is believed that material can bo worked at a low cost which was thrown over roughly in the old days, but which still contains a profitable percentage of-gold. While this dredging proceeds there is going to bo a big development on the West Coast."

"Alienist" writes to tho Melbourne Age:—"As one who for the past IV years has had under daily observation many hundreds of insane persons in all imaginable types, I venture to predict that v.'ah in the next two or three months the Kaiser's name will-cease to appear in the cables as taking any active, or even passive, part in the war. This will be clue to tho fact that by that time he will be suffering from an attack of acute maniacal excitement -a condition that the lay person designates 'a. raving maniac' and tho German war lords will be constrained to place him in seclusion. Naturally, some time will elapse before this news leaks out from Germany. The mental disorder from which the Kaiser has suffered for very many years past, is called paranoia, or chronic delusional insanity. It is a constitutional malady, and in fchoJKuis«*r's case is due to the specific disease from which his father suffered, and which ultimately caused his death. The paranoiac, like the poet, is born, not made, and he is truly the victim of tho moral delinquencies of his progenitors. Sufferers from paranoia are peculiarly prone to periodical attacks of maniacal excitement, attacks which are ushered in with or without any obvious strain or stress. When the Kaiser's colossal egotism is pierced, and when bis perverted

judgment permits him to recognise that the supposed persecutors of Cicrmary aro triumphing, he will become actively insane. For many years past he has boon a certifiable- lunatic, and a dangerous one, as paranoiacs are always regarded as potential homicides. Does it not appear, st, that something is radically wrong with civilisation's laws when a certifiable lunatic is permitted to plunge a continent in war?"

In June the number of births in Auckland city and suburbs was 223, as against 74 deaths; in Wellington city and suburbs the figures were 165 and 71 respectively; in Christchurch city and suburbs 143 and 85; and in Duncdin city and suburbs, 129 and 61. In June, 1915, the figures for births and deaths were 194- and CO respectively in Auckland; 161 and 63 in "Wellington ; 106 and 57 in Christchurch; and 118 and 57 in Dunedin.

The scheme for the collection of bottles by the pupils of the city and suburban schools is progressing very satisfactorily. So far, 54.000 bottles, valued at approximately £4OO, have been sorted at the depot, and the collections of seven schools have been received but not sorted.

Mr Neil NicoLson, chairman of the St. Bathans Patriotic Association, informs us that he has received the following telegram from the Minister of Defence in reply to one asking for the establishment of local military boards, and suggesting the payment of a bonus of 10 per cent, to oldage pensioners : ' "The Right Honourable tho Prime Minister has referred to me your telegram. The question of local boards to deal with applicants for military pensions has been carefully considered, and it is not thought to be necessary. The bonus of 10 per cemt. to old-age pensioners has been considered by Cabinet, and it is regretted that action cannot be taken in this respect."

The following resolution was carried at a general meeting of the Ota go General Labourers' Union, held on the 17th inst.:— " That this union exceedingly regrets the action of a Duncdin wealthy landlord removing tho roof from the residence of one of his tenants who is an old and respectable lady." The foregoing resolution probably refers to a case which was brought under our notice a few days ago, and into which we have made some inquiries. On this assumption we think that, in the interests of justice, -we should state that the landlord treated the tenant with a great deal of consideration, and that in point of fact, when he took steps to secure her ejectment from his house, he had waived his claim for over eight months' rent in respect of the premises.

Canadian paper mills have just cabled their New Zealand agents stating that tho price of news paper has been advanced 25 per cent., owing to the difficulties of securing supplies of the necessary chemicals and the increase in cost of labour (says a North Island exchange). Freights and insurances now equal the price of paper in Canada, so that tho outlook for tho New Zealand newspaper proprietors is not too cheerful. New Zealand is dependent upon overseas eourccs for its supply, and there is a worldwide deficiency.

William M'Manus, a middle-aged man, residing at Methven, came into Christchurch for National Week, and on the15th inst. he was assaulted and robbed (says the Lyttelton Times). M'Manus was accosted by two men who pretended that they were his friends. Gaining his confidence, they escorted him to his hotel, and finally got him down an adjacent right-of-way. There they attacked him, garroting him and going through his pockets. M'Manus struggled and cried out, and his cries attracted the .attention of three or four young fellows in the vicinity, who rushed over. Finding that their victim's cries had brought asfiistance, the assailants struck M'Manus a severe blow, completely knocking him out. and decamped with, it is said, some £5 or £6, of which they had robbed him during the assault. Detective Ward arrived on the scene just as the young fellows were picking M'Manus up. The latter was' covered in blood, and had been very severely handled. On the 16th inst., at the trots, Detectives Ward and Torrance arrested a man on a charge of being connected with the affair, and later, in the city, they took another man into custody.

Our London correspondent writes under date of June 30: A portion of the ensign mast of the battle-cruiser Now Zetland, struck by a German shell during thfl action vith the Gorman High Sea Fleet in tho naval battle oft' Jutland on Slay 31, is now exhibited in the window of the New Zealand Government Office in the Strand. The spar has been presented ro the people of New Zealand by tho officers and men serving in tho ship at the time, and has been temporarily placed in the midst 'of a very fine 1 display of tho wool industry of the dominion.

Dr W. Kington Fyffe, of Wellington, who holds the rank of major in the New Zealand Medical Corps, has written to the Dominion stating that New Zealand soldiers taken prisoners by tho Germans, unless they receive parcels of food regularly every week in all probability will either starve or suffer considerably. The German ration, as issued to prisoners, he says, is quite inadequate to support life, especially in the case of men like New Zealanders, accustomed to a full diet. The German diet given to imprisoned soldier?, and sailors now is regularly reinforced by parcels sent every week from Home, "It is really important," Dr Fyffe fays, "that our men should be treated to like manner. I may add that these parcels do, as a rule, reach tho men for whom they are intended- Th«

Army and Navy or the Junior Army and Navy Stores make up 5s parcels and send them regularly on receipt of the money. This is the kind of thing I sent myself: lib tin of dripping, Is; tin tongue, Is 6d; sugar, 5J,d; tea tabloids-, 10£d; Ncstle's condensed milk, B£d; biscuits to complete 55."

Six o'clock closing in Sydney appears to havo produced some queer results, judging from the story told to a Post reporter by a well-known Wellington business man who has just returned from New South Wales. Immediately the Act came into force all exemptions previously enjoyed by residontial clubs were withdrawn. The news came as a bombshell. No person residing in an hotel could get a drink after 6 p.m. unless he took the chance of breaking the lav/.

"It's all very fine -for people to sit at tho table and make hugo fortunes on paper," said Mr J. R. Triggs, the Conciliation Commissioner, at Invercargill on the 15th inst. when summing up the dairy farmer's position (says . the Southland Times). " Since the outbreak of hostilities," continued Mr Triggs. " fencing wire had increased in price 120 per cent., seeds had gone up 50 pqr cent., whilo manures showed a 33 per cent. rise. So much for tho increased cost of milk production. Materials used in the manufacture of cheese, again, had risen in price 20 per cent., marine freight was up 25 per cent., while tho insurance rates had increased by 200 per cent., with the result that, even with the big rise in cheese prices, the producers last season had made a net profit of only 7 per cent. In 1914-15 they made no extra profit, so thaf the net gain to tho farmer worked out at about per oent. per annum.

A Wellington Press Association telegram reports that the Prime Minister states that the war bonus will be paid to all sections of the public service at once. The second payment will be made before Christmas.

The Postmaster-general has furnished tho following information regarding telegraph business for June, and, for purposes of comparison, for the corresponding month of 1915: —In Juno last the number of ordinary telegrams sent in the whole of the dominion was 440,711, against 493,133 in June, 1915—a decrease of 52,422. On* account of the war tax, however, there was an increase in revenue from ordinary telegrams of £1637. The total number of messages of all kinds, including bureau messages, in June of this year was 817,452, against 860,663 last year—a decrease of 43,211, —while the revenue increased by £2891. The net telegraph- revenue in June of this year was £31,696.

Last month the number of animals slaughtered at tho abattoirs totalled 8697, comprising 936 cattle, 7029 sheep, 325 lambs, 244 pigs, and 160 calves.

The public library was patronised during July by 19,498 persons, and tho juvenile department by 1041 persons. In the lending department 6375 tickets have been issued, including 796 juvenile tickets. The total number of books issued for home reading during tho month was 16.694. An illustration of the continued need in Great Britain of motor ambulances is afforded in tho fact that the Wanganui Patriotic Association having within the past fortnight presented a motor ambulance for use in France, Lord Ranfurly (director of the ambulance department, Red Cross Society) cabled: "Ambulances urgently needed between New Zealand hospitals in England. May wo use Wanganui's hero?" On Wednesday last Lord Ranfurly cabled : "All available ambulances sont to France. Moro urgently wanted at Home, and help for General Fund."

The earnestness of the women of Sydney

in connection with war work was remarked €■ -upon by a recent Wellington arrival from that port in conversation with a Wellington )?oat reporter. One example was symbolic, he said, of a great many others. The wife and daughter of a very wealthy landowner had selected the poorest quarter of Sydney as tho scene of their operations. They obtained the addresses of tho relatives of soldiers in that distrirf. called m them, inrited them to cooking and ■'' making classes (all in the mo 10 ' ■ mis manner), and dealt with neccs3ii.ou,s oaseo which

had escaped notice. They worked from 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and it was weeks before anyone knew where they had gone to or what they wore- doing. To this -lay their names havo never appeared in print.