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Otago Witness, Issue 3309, 15 August 1917, Page 3

The Minister of Internal Affairs stated last week that an alteration had been mada in the regulations under tho Public Servico! Act to enable honourably discharged re* turned soldiers to be employed in tho publio service irrespective of tho ago limit. The following (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) have been appointed a Munitions and Supplies Board to inquire and adviso the Minister relative to the requisition and purchase of military supplies:—Messrs Alfred H. Miles (chair* man), Alex. Macintosh, and George Wilson. A Press Association telegram from Wei* lingfcon states that the Gazette notifies an alteration in tho regulations governing tha granting of financial assistance to so that assistance may ante-date an applica* tion up to threo months, but not go beyonct tho dato at which a recruit was first en* titled! to continuous pay as a member pi tho Expeditionary Force.

When finding true bills in the cases sub-* mitted to the Grand Jury at Dunedin on the 7th at the Supreme Court criminal sittings, the jury made a recommendation that in all carnal offences committed on children floggings should be inflicted where tho accused w r ere found guilty, and that the details of such cases should not be pub* lished in the press. The recommendation was received without comment.

Iho tobacconists and grocers in Dunedin have arrived at an agreement which will result in an increase in the prices of tobacco and cigarettes. Packets of cigarettes hitherto sold at 6d will now cost 7d, and the Is packets will cost Is 2d. Packets o| cigarette tobacco which have been retailed at 6d will in future cost 7d, and the majority of the packets hitherto costing la will now cost Is Id. Plug tobacco will nol bo enhanced in price in the meantime, but cut tobacco will bo raised.

In conversation with a Lyttelton Time* reporter after a visit to the Aviation School at Sockburn on Monday, Sir Joseph Ward said:—"When the war is over there will nos and thero cannot be a discontinuance tf the uses of the aeroplane for effective and necessary defensive purposes. In all part* of the Empire, I am sure, when the .vaf is over, the need for making provision iot this branch for defensive purposes will be accomplished by a great movement to use tho aeroplane for utility purposes of a peaceful nature. The improvement in the machine has been so great that it ig now beyond all question that it will be usedt for commercial purposes. I look forward to seeing mails, that is, letters, conveyed between the important centres in this country through the air, with greater rapidity than any other form of transit. So that tho work' which Mr Wigram has been responsible for promoting is not going to end with the war. It will, in my opinion, bo necessary in this country to continuo tho making of machines to train our youths, and to utilise at least a portion of their services under peace conditions for the requirements of the people." An inquest regarding the death of Philip Gordon Kitson, aged 27 years, who was found dead in bed at the Commercial Hotel, Auckland on Wednesday, Ist inst., was held on Thursday by Mr F. V. Frazcr, S.M. Walter A. Hitchenson, assistant-secretary of tho Y.M.C.A., said deceased was a medical student who arrived from the Islands last February. Ho drank heavily, and had incurred heavy liabil tiVs. About thro© weeks ago ho expressed his intention of conmiittmg suicide if money did not arrive

from Homo. On the day prior to his death he had agreed to bo prohibited, but the appointment was not kept. Dr Stride paid death was due to poisoning. A. J. Parker, Government analyst, said on making an analysis of tho contents of a tube of Soison ho found it to contain a very rare and eadly poison, tho lethal doso being about One tenth grain. There still remained in the tube enough to kill about 10 people. The poison was known only to medical men (tnd others connected with scientific matters. In all probability deceased brought it from

England, as witness doubted if it oould bo obtained in Auckland. No medical man would carry the poison about with him, as if the tubo broke there would bo extreme danger, oven a little on tho fingers being sufficient to cause death if carried to tho mouth with food, or on a cigarette. Tho verdict was that deceased committed suicide by taking poison while in a state of depression. An inquest was held at Hamilton last week concerning tho death of a soldier's wife. , i* was stated (&aya an Auckland

paper) that a year ago she went from Christchurch as housekeeper for a man and his brother, at Frankton, bringing with her a boy aged 14 years and a girl aged 12 years. During that time it was stated deceased indulged in periodical drinking bouts, taking little or no food. Death occurred on July 23. A doctor gave a certificate to the effect that death was caused by alcoholic poisoning. Evidence also showed that the men for whom she kept house were in the habit of supplying the unfortunate woman with liquor and drinking themselves. The coroner returned a verdict that death was due to alcoholic poisoning, andi commented strongly upon the sordid condition of affairs disclosed by the evidence. He said this was no doubt one of many similar instances in the dominion. Prohibition orders were issued against both men.

What is practically a tax on bachelors was advocated in the House of Representatives last week by Mr Anstey, who contended that the exemption from income tax should bo reduced to £2OO, but that exemptions up to £3OO or over should be allowed in respect of the wife and children of married men| thus ensuring bachelors earning between £2OO and £3OO contributing a fair share towards the revenue of the State.

The Government Statistician's etaff is still working on tho classification of the Second Division. The undertaking of ascertaining the numbers of men in the classes cannot be finished quickly, and it is not expected that the figures will be available before the end of the month. A ballot was held on the Bth at the Lands Office to dispose of two Mount Burke small gi'azing runs. For run No. 579, of 7080 acres, at an annual rental of £SO, there were 17 applicants, two of whom were rejected by the board, and the ballot amongst the remaining 16 resulted in favour of Mr Albion E. O. Newick, of Bannockburn. Sixteen application were received for run 580, of 6079 acres at an annual rental of £4O, and two of these were also rejected by the board. On going to the ballot the run was drawn by Mrs Margaret A. Craig, of Maungawera.

"I don't think the people of tho present c'ay realise the conditions under which the old settleiis of New Zealand lived/' stated Sir Robert Stout at a meeting of the Early Settlers' Association in Wellington. "There are great outcries now against the price of food. Only the other day I found a document which shows the prices of food when I first arrived in New Zealand 53 years ago." A 41b loaf of bread cost Is to lis 6d, beef Is per lb, mutton lOd to 3s, ham Is 6d to 2s, lamb 10s to 12s a quarter, pork Is to Is 3d per lb, bacon (imported from Ireland) Is to Is 6d per lb, veal Is to lis 3d, milk Sd quart, butter 2s 3d to 2s 6d per lb "there was no butter-fat then," commented Sir Robert, amidst laughter), cheese (colonial) Is 6d, eggs 3s 6d to 4s per dozen, fowls 10s to 12s per pair, potatoes Igd lb, tea 2s 6d to 3s per lb. Sir Robert said that it would be see.i that some of the .articles were much dearer than they were to-day, although the wages were lower. However, there wove never any grumblings, and everything went along smoothly, and the peoplo seemed extremely happy. Forty cases of smallpox have been reported as a result of the outbreak in western towns of the State (says the Sydney Sunday Times). All are of a mild type. The non-virulence of the disease Is characteristic of what has been the experience since the first oase was reported in New South Wales during the recent epidemic. There have been 3000 cases, and not a single death has resulted. Tho outbreak of smallpox in such a mild form is regarded by many medioal men as a blessing In disguise. It has caused those fearful of contracting it to be vacoinated, while those who caught it have not Buffered severely and have been rendered immune against

virulent smallpox should it become prevalent. Generally tpeaking, the victims oi the disease in New South Wales have not been badly marked about fhe face with pock marks.

For the year 1917, says the annual report of the Munitions and Supplies Department, an improved quality of khaki uniform cloth has been secured A bettor quality material for pantaloon cloth for mounted men has been manufactured in the dominion, and a decided improvement in the cut of the pantaloons has been effected; the latter being the result of an observation made in Egypt by one of cur New Zealand officers, which ivm duly referred to the experts (Messrs Kirkcaldie and Morrison). Overcoating cloth has similarly been improved, and is now subjected to a proofingprocess which, while not rendering the overcoats waterproof, assists in turning the water. The putties now being secured are all woven on&s, and are much more popular

among both the officers and men than the cloth putties issued under necessity during the year 1916. An effort has been made to adopt some standard colour for all uniform cloths and overcoating, but, owing to the difficulties of the dye trade, the woollen mill's, while they have been successful in approaching the standard *hade required, have not in all instances been able to get as near to the standard as could have been wished; but it will be observed that better results in this respect have been secured than during last year. In referenco to the next adjustment of parliamentary scats, Mr M'Callum suggested to the Prime Minister on the 9th that when the boundaries of electorates were adjusted they should be left alone in the South Island as far as possible, and any increase in population in the North Island met by an increase of seats up to a oertain number. Mr M'Callum made this plea chiefly on account of the no-license question. Through the- changing of the boundaries, he said, hotels in licensed districts were transferred to no-license districts, and lost their licenses. Tin's, he submitted, was most unfair. The Prime Minister said there was a provision in one of the Acta passed during bis term of office which was intended to prevent this difficulty. He would look the matter up, and he would be glad to give members the opportunity of seeking to amend the law. Regarding the representation question, he pointed out that in Britain, as the result of fixing the boundaries of districts permanently, some constituencies possessed a population of only 100 whilst others had 50,000. That evil we should avoid He had no doubt that before another election was held they would have the- opportunity in Parliament of discussing these questions. A member said there was quite enough talk in Parliament already without increasing the number of members. _ Mr W. Barrington Miller, of Sydney, late of New Zealand, states that Charlie Chaplin has just completed with the .National Exhibitors' League—an amalgamation of the principal theatre-owners in America—a contract for £200,000 for eight pictures. On this basis Chaplin's salary for the ensuing year will be £3BOO per week! Mr Miller, who is associated with the Australian Films, spent some time recently at Los Angeles with Mr Chaplin, of whom he says: "In two years' time Mr Chaplin will bo in Australia; he lias given me that definite promise. His present engagements will carry him into 1919, and then he will make a world's tour. In all sincerity he has promised me this—in his tour to make Australia his promised land, and probably enact a picture in Sydney during his stay." Charlie Chaplin's present age is 28. Our Wellington correspondent informs us that nothing has transpired definitely to indicate the nature of the Government's proposals in regard to the earlier closing of hotels, but it is not unlikely that the outcome will be the opening at 9 "a.m. and the closing at 7.30 p.m. It is not likely (says our Wellington correspondent) that the Taxation Bill will be brought down before the close of the financial debate. The details of the measure, particularly in regard to the graduation of the income tax, are Being awaited with the greatest interest. It is considered likely that the big incomes and the big landed estates will bo made to carry a very heavy burden.

At Tapanui on the 9th, before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., Eobert M'Guckin, of Spylaw Valley, for failing to enrol his children at school, was fined 40s on each of two informations, with costs (£2 15s lOd), a total of £6 15s lOd.

A very fine display of the Aurora Australis was witnessed at about 6.30 p.m. on the 9th in the southern sky, the colouring being brilliant. The "southern lights'' lasted for some time. A Press Association message from Wanganui stated: —"A beautiful display of the Aurora Australis was witnessed here in the early hours of the evening." The Otago Land Board at its meeting on Wednesday had under consideration a schedule of 20 pastoral runs in Otago, the leases of which will shortly expire. These runs aggregate approximately 325,000 acres, and their rentals range from £1 to £SOO per annum. Messrs J. Smith, C. J. Inder, G. Livingstono l and T. A. Munro (members of the board) will bo associated with the commissioner (Mr Sadd) as classification commissioners, and it will be their duty to make recommendations whether the areas in question should bo relet as at present held or subdivided for oloser settlement. If it is decided to relet tho holdings in their present areas the lessees now in possession will be granted renewals, but if it Is desired to subdivide the existing lessees will bo allowed to choose one division, and the balance will be offered to public com-

petition. In accordance with the present policy of the department the runs, if subdivided, will be available for soldier*. A Wellington Press Association message states that a return of the estimated population of New Zealand, including the Cook and other Pacific Islands, on June 30, published in the Gazette, gives the number of males as 573,347, and females as 583,466. We are informed that some despicable individual with a sadly distorted sense of humour has been communicating with some of the undertakers in the city by telephone, and informing that deaths have occurred in certain specified localities. When the undertakers have arrived at the places mentioned they have discovered to their disgust that they have boon made the victims of a senseless hoax.

Three sections only have up to now been taken up on the Clifton estate, at Waiwera. This fine estate was purchased by the Government and subdivided into suitable allotments for the benefit of discharged soldiers, and thero aro still a largo number of sections awaiting selection. At the meeting of the Ota go Land Board on Wednesday Mr W. Telford, the late owner of the property, was granted a grazing right over one of these sections, and the balance of the unlet sections was let on grazing right for three months to Mr T. G. Crosse.

The decision of the Otago Land Board in connection with the disposal of two areae in the Oamaru district, held respectively by Messrs Moore and Cain, should prove of interest to residents in the northern locality. Mr Moore's property is in the hands of the official assignee, and the other land is held as security by a firm of agents. The board has now decided to fix a period of 12 months within which the assignee will be required to transfer Moore's property, and a period of six months in which Cain's holding will have to bo transferred. At its meeting on Wednesday the Otago Land Board recommended that advances amotinting to £BOO be made to live discharged soldiers to assist them in fencing and stocking their holdings. The board also considered a report from the Crown Lands ranger on a section of 38 acres in the North Harbour and Blueskin district, the lease of which has expired. It was decided to offer the land for selection by discharged soldiers, thus presenting an opportunity to a soldier of limited means to acquire a small farm within easy distance of the city. Mr 0. J. M'Kenzie (District Public Works Engineer) will join the Hinemoa at Bluff next Wednesday for the purpose of visiting Puysegur Point, where his department has in hand the erection of a number of new residences for the- lighthouse keepers.

The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr J. R. Triggs) will have a fairly heavy calendar of industrial disputes before him in Dunedin this month. On August 21 he will take the private hotel and restaurants workers' dispute; August 22, operative tailors; August 23, chemical manure workers and soap and candle workers; August 24, tanners and fellmongers. On September 4 Mr Triggs will again be in Dunedin, where he will preside at the plumbers and gasfitters' dispute; on September 7 he will take the engineers' dispute; and on September 21 the licensed hotel workers' dispute. The cheese factories' employees' dispute will be heard at Invercargill on September 5. The Board of Governors of Canterbury College, as the authority controlling Canterbury Museum, has gratefully accepted from a Dunedin resident a valuable old bronze statuette, "The Dancing Faun," which is now on exhibition in that museum, and is much admired by art-lovers.

A generous offer was made last week to the Palmerston North Patriotic Society by Mr A. D. Duncan, of East street, Palmerston North, who wrote stating that ho held seven sections each 40ft by 66ft, adjoining the Athletic Park, Wellington, and was willing to hand them over, free of cost, to any association that would use them for the benefit of returned soldiers, subject only to the payment of a share of drainage connection—namely, of £2O and cost of transfer. The tenure was a lease of 19 years, with right of renewal for 21 yeara from the Public Trustee. The rent was nominally £4 2s 6d per section per annum, and was now paid up to January 1, 1918. Mr Duncan said he would 'eave the offer open till August 31. The Mayor considered the offer a good one, and should be accepted, and on his motion it was referred to the executive.

The circumstances related in the following statement, whfsh. has been placed before the Otago Soldiers' and Dependents' Welfare Committee, are well known to a large number of Dunedin people. The statement is being forwarded to the Minister of Defence, and a perusal of it will show that the system of medical examination at present prevailing leaves, in some eases, a great deal to be desired. The statement reads j "I was called up by ballot at the end of March and examined by the Medical Board at Kensington three days later, when I waa passed as fit (Class A). I informed the Medical Board, in answer to questions, thai I suffered from chronic asthma, which affected my breathing, and had been bo affected as long as I could remember, and I also informed the doctors that I suffered from rheumatism in various forms. At the time of my calling up I was a proprietor of an art shop in George street, Dunedin, then carrying stock worth £7OO. I appealed to the Military Service Board at the time to enable me to sell my business as a going concern. This appeal was heard at the end of April, and I was given two months' extension of time, to tho end of June. I appeared before tho Military Service Board! at tho end of June, and informed it that I had been unsuccessful in my efforts fo dispo3o of my business. I also asked for a medical re-examination, but the Military Service Board told me it could not grani that, and that I would be re-examined in camp. As I could not dispose of my business, nor get anyono to take care of the shop, I had to sell off by auction, with the result that my property realised less than £2OO, out of which I had to pay some out-

Btanding accounts. On July 13 I was called up for further medical examination, when I was practically in the same physical condition as I had been on the previous occasion. I was examined hy three doctors this time, and held over for further orders (classed as C2). My mother, who is 70 years of age, and a widowed sister, and a niece aged 15 years, who earns at present

15s per week, are dependent upon mo. I have lost my stock, and expended the balance of the money received from the sale on household expenses for myself and dependents. Now I am left without money, employment, or prospects, and my position is one of grave difficulty and distress.'" A Press Association message from "Wel-

lington states that a proclamation published In a Gazette Extraordinary prohibits private * dealing in the coming season's wool clip, except in such cases as those in which the Controller of the Imperial Government Supplies Department has given his precedent consent in writing on being satisfied that the wool in question is not required for the use of his Majesty.

At a meeting of the Southland dairymen on .Friday it was resolved:—"That this meeting of dairy factory representatives hereby authorises the executive of the South Island Dairy Association to accept the Bluff

Harbour Board's offer to erect further cool stores at Bluff to accommodate 23,000 crates of cheese on condition that the dairy factories pay a surcharge of 7s per ton on all cheese passing through the stores during the

next two seasons." It was also resolved that the South Island Dairy Association be asked to go into the matter of purchasing outright the present store and the new one. In these hard times some people appar-

ently are of opinion that the end fuily

justifies the means which may be adopted to add to one's exchequer. The engine utilised in the screening of the picture "Intolerance" at His Majesty's Theatre broke down at the matinee on Friday afternoon, and, despite the earnest endeavours of the theatre staff, it could not be put in order again. The management finally decided to return the people their money. At the circle tieket box, however, it was found that 16s more -Jiad to be paid out than had been received. The reason given why the moneys oould not be got to square is that some of the audience who had received passes of admittance coolly walked up to the ticket box with the others and collected 2s. The promoters and the others who lent ■valuable assistance in the work connected with the "Bag Day" carnival must feel highly pleased with the monetary result of their efforts. The cheque which lias been paid over to the Otago and Southland Women's Patriotic Association amounted to £2674.

Regarding Mr Heed's question as to ■whether the Railway Department ran a special train to convey the people to and from G-reymouth to take part in a welcome to Mr Webb on the occasion of his release fr---!| t.n"! •'• Minister of Railways states that a special train was run from Dunollie to Greymouth in response to a request made by the miners to the local railway manager. The train was a guaranteed special, for ■which full tariff changes wero collected. Through a -misapprehension the matter was not referred to the head office, which had no knowledge of the proposal to run a special train until after the event. The facilities for telegraphic communication between the two islands will be increased shortly the Government being about to lay a new cable across Cook Strait, from Titahi Bay to a bay near the mouth of Queen Charlotte Sound. At present there are five cables across the strait, und there also is another cable from Wanganui to Wakapuoka. When the new cable is laid there will bo seven lines between the two islands. The new cable will rest upon a more even bed than that of the other strait cables, and it will be less affected by tidal influences. The cable will be laid for the Government by the Eastern Extension Company.

In a pamphlet on the way to restore German prosperity after the'war, Walter liaihou.tu, chief of the Allgemeine Eiektrizitatsgcsellschaft, and lately head of the Prussian Department of War Material, publishes tome remarkable admissions and predictions. As summarised by mail advices, ho estimates that the war will have reduced the German nation's wealth 20 per cent. Yet very heavy taxation must bis imposed on everyone, although Germany will probably have lost all her foreign trivia, except with her present allies. This taxation will involve new annual revenues of £350,000.000 —whereas the t»tal revenue before the war (exclusivo of loans) was £184,800,000. To restore her

wealth aiter the war. all capital must be reserved for home uses. No raw material of foreign production must be used. Everyone not actually needed in professional or intellectual work must bo made to engage rin productive labour. Small undertakings will have to be amalgamated into large ones, production and distribution concentrated, and tho tax on luxuries and inheritances must bear an extremely heaw burden. Sitting in Bankruptcy on Friday, his Honor Mr Justice Sim granted an application by Mr W. C. M'Gregor for the petitioners (Messrs W. Sconlar and Co.) for an order adjudicating James O'Kane a bankrupt. Mr C. N. Sourr, for defendant, consented to the order being made. Regarding the agitation that has arisen in certain quarters of the community, and among a number of Parliamentarians for the granting' of furlough to the remaining members of the Main Body, an interesting observation was made by Mr M. J. White (a returned soldier) at the annual re-union of tho Otago High School Old Boys on Saturday evening. He stated, inter alia, that tho representations of some of these people were not quite in accord with the intentions of the men themselves. He was in a position to say that the men did not desire furlough. Some of them had gone through Egypt, Gallipoli, and France, and at this late hour were determined to see it through. They did not require leave, and they were not going to shift until the war was over. This statement was received with applause, and with mingled expressions of surprise. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Employers' Association, the Chairman announced, amidst applause, that the 100th aeroplane contributed by the branches of the Overseas Club throughout the Empire had been presented by the Canterbury branch, £ISOO having been raised in Christchurch audi in the provincial district. He added: "To-clay that machine is flying over the Canterbury men at the front, and underneath it is painted the word 'Canterbury'—a proof to the lads at tho front that they are not forgotten."

The days of large families have not altogether gone, as far as Canterbury is concerned, at least. Mr A. C. Nottingham, of iialswell, visited the Lyttelton Times office on Ihursday to announce, with pride and pleasure, that he had just registered the birth of his twentieth child. The little stranger is a boy, and Mr and Mrs Nottingham have had 10 boys and 10 girls. One of their sons lost his life in a bicycle accident in Lincoln road a few years ago, two are at the front, and one is a returned soldier. Mrs Nottingham, in spite of the cares imposed. l by her largo family, enjoys the best of health.

Messrs F. Barkas and C. S. Neville, of the District Supplies Committee, state (says the Timaru correspondent of the Christchurch Press) that they have been asked by Mr James Boadcn, the Government appraiser of sheepskins, to draw the attention of farmers and pastoral ists to the serious waste and loss that is going on all through South Canterbury and Otago, owing to want of care in many cases in the saving and marketing of sheepskins. Mr Boaden says, that on a moderate estimate, he considers in the districts where he is now valuing and purchasing sheepskins for the Imperial Supplies Department, the farmers are losing at least £IOO every week, and nearly the wholo of this sum might be saved if all tho farmers and sheepowners would take more care with their sheepskins.

A return laid on the table of tho House of Representatives on the 7th inst. by the Minister of Finance (Sir J. G. Ward) showed that tho total number of cases in which the excess profits tax had not yet been paid un was 66, and that the total sum involved was £33,473 19s 3d. Sir Joseph Ward stated that in one case the sum in question ran up to £I9OO. Unfortunately, he added, in a number of caj?es people they would have expected to pay tho excess profits tax had not paid at all Two hundred of the elder pupils of the Christchurch Boys' High School have already offered their services to the Efficiency Board to assist with harvesting and other agricultural work in the summer holidays. Of these 141 have already been allotted to various farmers. In conversation witli a Press reporter, Mr J. A. Frostick (chairman of tho National Efficiency Board) stated that although many women had offered themselves as workers to the board, it was not proposed to make use of their services as yet. "Men first, boys next, and women Inst," is the board's maxim. Mr Frostick said that he had no doubt that the women would respond magnificently to their country's call should it como, and he

had every confidence that they would rise to the occasion just as splendidly as had tho women of England. A pathetic instance of the heroism with which some of "the poor face their tragedies was related by tho Rev. Allen Job at a meeting of the Coal and Blanket Fund Committee in Christehurch on Wednesday. At one place he visited, he said, he saw the tenant —an old man—standing at the door, and after a few words with him was asked inside to see the old man's "boy." "My boy" farmed out to be a man 52 years old. He had been blind and deaf and dumb since birth. Tho father had oared for him with every love and attention all through tho 52 years, and he told Mr Job that his only wish was to live longer than his eon. "I could die happily if I knew that he was laid safely away to rest," were his words.

Tho annual report presented to Parlia ment on the public domains of New Zealand states that " steps are being taken to revoke the appointment of a number of domain boards. This course hais been considered advisablo owing to tho lack of interest taken by these boards in their trust and their failure to comply with the law. The domains concerned will be controlled by the Commissioner of Crown Lands until such times as local boards who will take an active interest in the care of these places of public recreation can bo appointed. Inquiries are being made with regard to those domain boards that have not yet furnished a report for the last year." There are at present 29 staff cadets from New Zealand at the Royal Military College of Australia. The full quota of 10 joined this year. One cadet of the 1915 class was withdrawn, as he was not up to the standard required. The three 1913 cadets are now with the Expeditionary Force. The 1914 cadets who wero withdrawn in April, 1916, are now all under orders to proceed with the Expeditionary Forces. The New Zealand cadets are more than holding then- own at Duntroon College (states Major-general Robin in his report). The commandant ot the college speaks most highly of them, and expresses his appreciation of the manner in which they have worked. One cadet is first in his class, and another second.

The mysterious disappearance of a valuable diamond from the premises of Messrs ProudTs (Ltd.), at No. 107 Pitt street, Sydney, was reported to the police on July 20. Mr W. J. Proud, principal of the firm, stated that the diamond, which was valued at £750, weighed 14i carats, and was widely known as the ""Star of Sydney." It was one of the largest, if not the largest, in Australia, skilfully cut in -modern style, and was of exceptional brilliance. It was set in platinum as a necklace, with loop attachment and chain. The gem was in the possession of the firm on the Saturday, and was not missed till Monday morning, when the safes were opened. A search was made, but all efforts to trace the missing stono proved fruitless.

In his annual report, the Commissioner of Crown Lands in Taranaki states that during the past six months tho Crown has acquired by purchase from tho Native owners of the West Coast Settlement Reserves over 14,600 acres in the Opunake, Waimate, and Kaupokonui Survey Districts, known as the Wast Coast Settlement Reserves, most of which is already held by tenants under the provisions of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Acts. As "The Native Land Amendment Act, 1913," confers on tho tenants a right of acquisition of reversion from tho Crown either in feesimple or under renewablo leasei, it is anticipated that the majority of them will in the near future avail themselves of securing a title under either tenure direct from the Crown. The proposals for dealing with new lands in Taranaki during the coming year include the offering, chiefly for discharged soldiers, of an area approximately 20,000 acres, partly in the Waro Survey District, and in other localities in tho northern end of tho district. In tho south part of tho district about 600 acres, recently aceniired from tho Native owners,' will also bo offered for selection in suitable, areas.

Recently the member for Wallace interviewed the Minister in charge of Hospitals regarding the proposal to erect an old men's home for Wallace (states the Western Star). He placed before him the decision of the Wallace Hospital and C.A. Board, and the Minister said it would be as well if the plans wore submitted for approval. He informed the member that a subsidy nf pound for pound would bo given. The board has decided to erect a home at Otaitai Bush, but the Minister's consent wa3 necessary before anything could be done.