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Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 44

A Press Association telegram advises that the Governor has received from Lord Lansdowno a cablegram expressing most grateful thanks for the magnificent contribution from the dominion .'n response to the " Our Day " Red Cross appeal.

At a meeting of ratepayers, held in the Waihemo County Chambers, Palmerston, on Saturday morning, it was resolved that all necessary advertising, etc., having been complied with, the road known a° Cox's road, Dunback, be closed.

A pleasant incident took place in tho Early Settlers' Hall on Friday, when Miss Burt and Mrs Theomin entertained the workers present to afternoon tea, with strawberries and cream. Mr W. H. Fcrcns spoke of the peace and harmony which prevailed and the lot of work that was done, and proposed a hearty vote of thanks. Miss Burt, in reply, spoke of the splendid spirit of harmony that prevailed, and gave thanks for the large amount of work? clone. She noted with pleasure that the workers were honorary, and announced that work would be suspended till next year. One of the helpers is a retired farmer, lately from Table Hill, who has cycled up from Portobcllo on 30 days and cycled back on 27 days.

A public meeting was held at Cromwell on Friday night (says our correspondent) to consider a communication from the Lands Department regarding tho lew-lying land at Mount Pisa. It was' decided to enter a protest against the area boh.g placed in possession of any private company, and to suggest that the land be subdivided into small areas and offered by ballot.

At a meeting of the Waihemo County Council on Saturday, it was resolved that it be a recommendation to the county engineer that ho instruct county surfacemen wherever they could be relieved from work that they would be expected to give farmers a hand in getting in the harvest The motion goes a little further than the policy of previous years, when all that was clone was to place no obstacle in the way of the men doing harvest work if they sc desired and could be spared. This season's action is, of course, explained by the shortage of labour and the necessity of getting the crops in.

Up till tho end of November (says our Cromwell correspondent) the season was ideal, surpassing anything in recent years. Tho last three weeks, however, Have been extremely warm, with heavy gales, and these conditions quickly changed appearance of the country.

The Otago Medical Board sat at Lawrence on Saturday morning. Twenty-seven men presented themselves for examination, but, owing to several of them being appellants whoso cases have yet to be heard, they were not examined. Nineteen men were dealt with, and of these 10 succeeded in getting through. This is said to be a high average.

Dr Thacker, M.P. for Christehureh East, •who, with Mrs Thacker, has been on a trip to Canada and the United States, passed through Wellington last week on his way south. He says that America is working very hard to supply military requisites to the Allies, and, while prices were extremely high at the beginning of tho war, they are now down almost to bedrock. Americans, as the visitors found them, are from 85 to 90 per cent. pro-Ally. It was quite striking, Dr Thacker says, to observe the groat want of knowledge throughout the States concerning New Zealand. One individual he met was of the opinion that it was an island off tho coast of Africa, and that the means of communication with Brisbane was by ferry-boat.

The following resolution was unanimously agreed to by a representative gathering of all grades of railwaymen, held in Dunedin yesterday:—" That this meeting places on record its high appreciation of the manner in which the Hon. J. T. Paul has fought on the Otago Patriotic and General Welfare Committee, and also through the public press, for equality of sacrifice during this groat war, and that we express our complete confidence in him as a Labour representative. Further, we believe, that in view of the tone of the press criticism and also the action of some of the members of the Welfare Committee in resigning because of a difTerenoo of opinion on a political question, thereby placing more importance on that opinion than on tho welfare of the wives and dependents of the men who are pre-

pared to fight and die in order to protect the lives and property of those who remain behind, it is necessary that positions on such committees should be filled by broadminded and clear-sighted men such as the Hon. J. T. Paul has proved himself to be."