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Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 3

Members of the Otago Infantry Brigade have cabled their hearty congratulations to all officers and men who have been recently, decorated.

Last year there was a considerable falling off in the amount of business transacted at the Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, as compared with 1916. The following are the detailed figures for 1917, those for the previous year being supplied in parentheses:— Number of plaints entered, 2524 (3326); amount sued for, £23,679 14s 4d (£33481 8s 4d); amount recovered, £11,630 6s Bd. (£16,191 15s 6d); distress warrant issued, 365 (548); judgment sumntonses issued, 278 (334).

After the- recent disagreement over tho appointment of a chairman for the Ashburton Hospital Board, both sides referred their cases to the Crown Law Office for a definite decision, which is to the effect that Mr Hugo Friedlander, who was defeated on that occasion, retains his position as chairman of the board until the biennial election in April next.

Ho was a sailor man walking gaily down to board his ship. "My first recreation since the outbreak of the war," he confided as he dropped one of his many parcels, and carefully stooped to pick it up. Small of stature, but trimly built, he breathed loud (fefinanco of the whole German, and Austriaa nations. Thirty-seven years on tho seas of the world was his record. Three times, said he, ho had been torpedoed, but, he added triumphantly, it took them two years to do it. "Our poor old cook down there was put under three times in six weeks." He laughed. Incidentally it may I e renmvSo i. that tho captain of tho overseas veisei was captain of the Limerick, and the chief engineer occupied a similar position on the Middlesex. " What wa9 our merchant marino service before the war?"

ho asked in emphatic tones as ho gently thumped his right fist on his listener's chest. " Any foreigner could get a job on Cur Bh'.ps. But who has saved England during tho war? Who has carried her T.'oopA to all tho lands of Britain and her 'Allies? Tho sailors of tho merchant seryico. Who has saved old England from starvation? Before the war It was tho navy. Ji has. taken thorn to 1917 to realise the •jj-ovk of tho merchant service sailors. But J will grant you that there aro sailors I place even beforo the merchant service. Tho *n*n of the trawlers and mine-s Weepers. Tier used to bo considered 3.0 points below

the merchant men—they were rougher than > we—but I put them first of tho lot." The i sailor told his experiences in the MediterI ranean when many ships were being sunk ' by mines-of how the trawlers went in ' front of them to prepare tho wav as it wcro— of the sinking of his ship the Arcadian, with a heavy loss of soldiers — of what took place at the landing at Gallipoli and tho evacuation—of how ho had worked on the dredges on tho goldfields in 1902. Then his talk drifted to policies of nations. -"I must give credit to Billy Gladstone for his action in ooeupying Mudros," said the sailor man. "Some

people do not think that Gladstone was much of a foreign statesman, but ho certainly foresaw what was going to happen in the Balkans when he took over Mudros. Yes, we have the German submarines in hand—mind, I am going to tell you no Becrets and I am telling no lies. We are not frightened of all their submarines—they will never etarve us," and he threw out his ohest and thumped his' right hand on ' his listener's breast also. " That's the spirit | of the British sailors," he explained, and ' after the we are not going to have ' foreigners on our ships. They aren't going i to sail with me anyway," and a clenched fist waved in the air. It was good to listen to the Jack Tar. Acording to a northern exchange, the falling off in takings in the Auckland hotels during the holidays, on account of the cur- ! tailment of the hours during which liquor may be sold, has been -very pronounced. One hotelkeeper in the northern city reckoned the reduction in his takings at 20 per cent, as compared with the "previous Christmas Eve, while this year's takings on ' Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day showed a decrease of 40 per cent, as compared with the corresponding days of the previous year. Owing to the absence of any previous record under similar conditions, no comparison can bo made so far as Dunedin is concerned. That the holiday takings in hotels here have decreased is undoubted, the falling off being fixed at about 35 per cent., and, in some cases, 50 per cent. I A telegram from Wellington states that at the Magistrate's Court on the Bth, Harry Lewis, who stowed away on a steamer bound for an Australian port, was fined £lO for leaving the dominion without a permit.

At the burial of Mr William Hall, late paymaster at the State coal mines, the second victim of the Runanga murder, Archdeacon York paid an eloquent tribute to the noble :and \mselfish character of the deceased. During the seven weeks in hospital he had borne his sufferings cheerfully and uncomplainingly, and he faced death with true Christian fortitude and courage. Everything that human skill and nursing could do for him was done by the doctor, matron, and nurses/ but they could only alleviate his sufferings and prolong the li'fe of a man with a bullet deeply embedded in his spine, and whose bullet wounds and injuries had completely paralysed all but the upper portions of his body. Most men similarly injured would have succumbed to shock and died the first day. but William Hall was an exceptionally robust man, a splendid specimen of humanity physically, mentally, and spiritually. The highest flight yet made over Christchurch with a passenger "was accomplished on Monday. 7th inst., by Mr C. M. Hill, who Mrs H. F. Wigram up to an altitude of 3000 feet in the 100 h.p. instructional biplane in use at the flying school. Mr Hill declared on landing that ho had never had a more appreciative or selfpossessed passenger. Mrs Wigram, who made a flight with Mr Hill soon after his arrival at Sockburn, was the first lady to fly in Christchurch.

A narrow escape from a drowning accident took place at Waitati on Monday, 7th inst. Edwin Lamb, five years of age, who is on holiday at this popular resort, was playing on .the banks of the Waitati stream, when he accidentally fell into a hole in which there was water to a "depth of 6ft. A girl who witnessed the occurrence told tho boy's mother, who ran to the scene. The distressed woman was unable to rescue tho boy, but screamed for help. Mr Lowe, who resides about 100 yards-from the stream, was informed by his wife that an accident had happened, and immediately made his way to the spot. Ho succeeded in bringing tho boy ashore, and by artificial respiration restored him to consciousness. Those who are acquainted with the facts say that Mr Lowe is worthy of great praise for his prompt action, which undoubtedly saved the boy's life.

In the October number of the London Hospital Gazette ono of tho most interesting pnporg describes "Tho Wanderings of an R.A.M.O. Officer," who gives an account of hjs experiences on several fronts. Tho narrative in respect of hospital work in German East Africa covers ground that is now to most readers. The officer thus describes tho surrounding's of the hospital at Lolkissalot "The hospital consisted of a number of big grass huts and some bell tents, the whole capable of accommodating 400 patients. Tho hospital was enclosed all round by a border of prickly thorns to keep out tho lions and other prowling beasts. Lolkissalo was famous for jte lions, their roaring at night, coupled with tho cries of tk~ fcS?? ' "■** " "-*de sleep impossible until one

got used to the din. . . . One night wo trapped a huge lion over 12ft long. Now and again parties of us sat up all night in trees in the hope of shooting a lion. The usual plan was to tie up an old ox as. bait to a treo near by. . . . As the lion made its spring on to the ox we flashed out our acetylene lamps on the scene, levelled our guns, took careful aim, and fired together if possible." One of the most tragic stories of the war —of a mother who came home from India to see her son, only to learn from a oasual glance at a newspaper on arrival that he had been killed —was told at an inquest at Hornsey on Mrs Mabel Hyde; Bays the Daily Express. Mrs Hyde, a widow, who had lived in India for a long time, came home to see her son, an officer in the R.F.0., from whom she was separated for eight years. While she was on the voyage her son was killed, and his name appeared in tho casualty list the day his mother landed at Southampton. On the way to London a fellow-passenger offered Mrs Hyde a newspaper, and, turning it over idly, she saw tho announcement of her son's death. From Waterloo she went to the War Office, where the news was confirmed, and then she went to a sister's house at Muswell Hill, where she spent a sleepless night. The next day she made her will, wrote a number of farewell letters, and at night, took. tho whole contents of a bottle of tabloids which contained a poison of the veronal class. A verdict of "suicide while of unsound mind" was returned.

To reassure the people of London, Lord Montagu, of Beaulieu recently calculated the chances of being killed or wounded in an air raid. He found that in five raids the chance against a person in London being killed was 163,000 to 1, arid the chance against being wounded 32,467 to. 1. In any one raid the chances were 625,000 to 1, and 87,000 to 1 respectively. He adds that in the first nine months of 1917, 487 persons were killed and 14,104 wounded in traffic casualties in London streets, so London traffic is more dangerous than German bombs. So are a number of other things, euch as consumption and cancer and diseases of infants. The trouble is that they are accepted as part of life,- and German bombs are not. Perhaps these figures will comfort many people. The individual feeling is that in so large a community there is not much chance of being hit, just as a soldier going into action usually counts on othere being hit, but not himself. But it does not do to pin so much faith on figures as did the doctor who told a patient he had a serious disease, but would certainly recover. When the patient asked him why he was so certain he replied that statistics showed that one person in- 25 recovered, and 24 patients suffering from the disease had died.

When the Native School Teachers' Association, sitting in Auckland, was dealing with the motion honouring their members and pupils at the front, one member gave a touohlng instance of the sacrifices that were being. made. He said that from his little village school, where he had been for only six years, eight of his pupils were in the fighting line, one having returned. While the latter was at school he (the speaker) had often had occasion to deal rather severely with him, and when the Jad eventually left school the opinion was that ho would never do much good for himself. The speaker going down the street the other day met this pupil, who now had one arm as a mark of his signal service to his country. That young fellow had proved himself a man in the highest sense of the word, had given of his best for his fellowmen, and now faced the world at tho age of 19 years with the loss of one arm. It was therefore with , sincere feelings that the speaker supported tho resolution placing on record keen appreciation of the efforts and gallantry of their soldier lads.

From the time of Pharaoh downwards flies have been more or less ono of tho plagues of tho world. For somo years past their menace as carriers of disease has been forced increasingly upon public attention, and newspapers and magazines have dealt exhaustively with their habits, characteristics, astounding rate of breeding, etc. Under these circumstances it is natural that a number of chemical preparations for the destruction of tho fly should have como on the market. One of the most effective of these, so far as can bo gathered from a brief inspection, was brought under the notice of a Daily Times reporter last week, when the manager of Messrs Wheelbands (Ltd.) gave a demonstration of his method of fly extermination. On the previous afternoon a manure pit in St. Andrew street had been lightly sprayed with the mixture, and the results of this treatment were obvious in the large numbers of dead larva?, and flies that were visible all over the sur-

faoo of the manure. Tho great value of Messrs Whcelbanks exterminator is that it goes to tho root of the fly evil by sterilising the eggs and killing the larvae- and maggots, while it is equally efficacious in dealing with tho adult fly. Tho sight of so many dead larvae was in some respects an interesting one, even if it was not altogether pleasant, and it came as a surprise to learn that these had all como up through the manure during tho night, and had they not met their fate on reaching the surface, they would in due course have developed into flies. The preparation can bo used for spraying purposes, and it is also available in form suitable for household use.

The new edition of the Official Year Book of the Australian Commonwealth includes a table of much importance, showing the effect of prices on the value of commonwealth exports, and export price levels for the period 1901 to 1915-16. Exclusive of specie and gold bullion, the price level of exports for 1901 is taken as IOOCf, -while that for 19H-15 in 1301, and that for 1915-16 is 1607. In other words, the export prices for 1914-15 were on tho average 30.1 per cent, higher than in 1901, while the prices for 1915-16 were 60.7 per cent, higher. »A Press Association message from Wellington states that official advice has been received by the Minister of Defence that tho 31st and 32nd Reinforcements have arrived safely at their destination.

The due date fixed by Order-in-Council for the. payment of both ordinary and special war tax is January 28, and the last day of payment is February 10. Inquiries made at Wellington on the 7th (says the Post) show that the Tax Department will probably be late in getting out a good many of the demands, but in such cases the Commissioner will fix a new date—for which power is given under the Act. It may be explained that last year the tax was payable in two suras--oii different dates,—but this led to misunderstanding on the part of many taxpayers; and it has been resolved, therefore, this year to make the tax payable on one day, as has hitherto -been the practice.

The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture, speaking at Ashiburton on the Bth, said that since the beginning of the war to the end of December last New Zealand had sold to the Imperial Government £45,000,000 worth of foodstuffs and wool. That proved what a tremendously productive country New Zealand was. " The production, indeed, was more per head in this country than in any other in the world,but, great as it was, it could be increased. Representations have been made to the Government to regulate the maximum wages that may be demanded for such work as harvest labour, but it is understood that the Government has no power to do anything of the sort. In some districts men have been asking as much as 2s 6d per hour, whereas the ordinary rate which the farmers are willing to pay is Is 6d per hour with "tucker." The farmers think that the Government should protect them against these demands, which they consider extortionate, especially in view of the fact that the farmer has contracted to sell to the Government at a price which is below the rate which the corn would be likely to bring in a free market. Tho Government has been having inquiries made as to whether it has power to interfere, but it is believed that no legislation on the Statute Book gives tho Government any power to keep down wages.

A very largo number of officers and men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force returned to the dominion during the past fortnight. From December 23, 1917, to January 5, no fewer than 2241 arrived, 2090 landing at Auckland and 151 at Wellington. The total (says the New Zealand Herald) comprised 140 officers, 12 nurses, and 2089 men of other ranks. All r the latter were invalided siok or wounded, but 76 of the officers were returned for duty. Three nurses came out on duty. Fifty-nine of the officers who returned for duty left New Zealand in the ranks, and, after considerable service in the field, they were selected for commissions and withdrawn to- England, where they qualified. There were 126 cot cases, including 102 patients suffering from pulmonary troubles. There were two cases of total blindness, and about 35 men had each lost the sight of one eye. It was estimated that about 50 had each lost one limb. Approximately 150 of tho total are men who formed part of tho Main Body. A sharp shock of earthquake was expert-: enced at Queenstown at 10.44 a.m. on tho Bth. The shock was also felt in Dunedin.

Owing to the scarcity of tinplate, Australian manufacturers of dry goods, such as biscuits, foods for children, powdered milk, and many other articles, are offering to repurchase their tins, as they cannot obtain new material for new metal containers (says the Adelaide Advertiser). With the exception of tins which have, to,be cut with an opener, they are nearly all worth saving, and oven jam tins are expected to have a value shortly. A large manufacturing firm in Victoria has communicated with the Adelaide wholesale houses asking, them to re-purchase undamaged tins which have contained their wares. Other firms have adopted similar measures, but it. is feared that only a proportion of the old receptacles will be found suitable for refilling. Jammakers have been seriously handicapped because - they could not get either tins or bottles, and there does not eeem to be much hope of tho position improving. Tobaccomakers will shortly have to use paper or cardboard packages. A scheme is now in operation in tho United Kingdom for affording to owners of property not exceeding £SOO in value compensation for damage caused by air raids and bombardment, no premium being required for this "cover," which is provided bv tho British Government. Owners of property exceeding £SOO in value are compensated up to £SOO without payment of premium, provided that all value in excess of £SOO is insured under the Government insurance scheme. The scheme is administered by a committee, under the chairmanship of" Sir Thomas Elliott, and ia

worked in close connection with tho Government insurance scheme, which is under the superintendence of the Board of Trade.. The detailed scheme contains the following paragraph: "In no circumstances will a refund" of "premium be made in respect of any insurance that may have been effected with the Government."

During her recent stay at Sandringham, the Queen organised regular parties for the collection of horse chestnuts for munition works. Her Majesty and Princess Mary both frequently accompanied these walking expeditions. Over a ton of ohestniuts has been collected at Sandringham and forwarded to the right quarter.

The Merchant Service Guild has decided (says the Dominion) to ascertain what action can be taken with a view to obtaining compensation for the relatives of the crew of the Wairuna, which, while on a trip to San Francisco from Auckland in June of last year; disappeared, and has not since been heard of. t

A Gazette Extraordinary, calling up , the remaining members of Class A of the SJecond Division (married men without children) will be issued on January 15. Two ballots have been taken in this class, 6000 names being drawn on each occasion. About 3800 men remain in the class. The Gazette will contain also the names of about 600 Fir3t Division men who have become available during recent weeks. They consist for the most part of youths who have attained the age of 20 years. The married men who are called up this month will be liable to be taken into camp during the period April 30 to May 4 (says the Dominion), but it appears certain that they will not -be "required before June. The dates have still to be fixed definitely, but the recruiting authorities have indicated that the first batch of Class A men will not be required to mobilise before April or May. ""

A well-attended /meeting of the Otago Mounted Rifles Welfare Club was held on the 10th in the Anzac Club rooms, Mr A. M. Don presiding. It was decided to hold a reunion during Winter Show week, and to make an effort to come into touch with all members of the main body of tho Otago Mounted Rifles. The first batch of passes for the boys at the front will bo despatched at an early date. A young Australian, holding a commission in an English regiment, writes to his parents of the courage of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. He says: "During a show lately I had to spend the night with the infantry in a very advanced position more than a mile in front of our guns. The Prince of Wales came up to our pill-box in the morning. He is a wonderfully stout-hearted youth, and I believe they cannot keep him out of it. He is sure to 'get it in the neck' some day. J believe he would 'go over the top' if he got half a chance."

During an inquest at Birkenhead (England) oh an engineer who lost his life on a ship torpedoed by an enemy submarine, the coroner -said that it was not necessary to say anything with regard to the action of tho mercantile marine during times past, but their wonderful courage, steadfastness, and resourcefulness had been instrumental in bringing to naught the schemes of the enemy and rightly exciting the admiration of the world, and bringing to themselves the complete gratitude of the country. The jury associated itself with these remarks, and requested that its sympathy bo conveyed to tho widow and children of the deceased. A verdict of "Death from a fractured skull, due to tho action of the enemy" was returned.

American advioes lately to hand indicate an exceptional demand for Oregon pir.e. Enormous orders have been executed for Britain and the Continent for war purposes. Wooden ships aro being built in lurge numbers on the Pacific Coast, and Oregon is mainly used in their construction. Along with this 'exceptional demand is the worldinquiry for supplies normally drawn from Europe and Asiatic Russia, but now no longer available from theso sources, and it is to Oregon that this demand has turned. The f.o.b. cost is now much heavier, duo mainly to the steady decrease of sawmilling supplies, shortage and higher cost of labour, and increase of local freight. By the timo the timber arrives in Australia or Now Zoaland, with the present increase of sea freights, Oregon will no longer be available at a cheap price. Two months ago the Bruce Railway and Coal Company ordered for delivery at Lyttelton a shipment of Oregon, and within the same month a smaller shipment for 'Timaru. From advices now to hand it is apparent that to duplicate these cargoes at the present timo

would mean the payment of at least 8s per 100 feet super, beyond the purchased prices of the timber at present landing. Freight spaoe formerly available for timber is now otherwise required. Two large motor ships which had been chartered to carry Oregon for ■ Australia have been requisitioned by the United States Government, and it is understood that all motor ships will be, diverted from the lumber trade, leaving the business to sailers exclusively.

There are now 110 Native schools with a total attendance of 5000 scholars in New Zealand, according to a speaker at the dinner given by -the members of the Native School Teachers' Association in Auckland last week. It was stated that these schools cost about £35,000 per annum, and, as about £30,000 of this sum was distributed in salaries alone, the speaker could not see how any great saving could be made in the cost of upkeep by transferring the schools, as was proposed, to the control of the education boards. Sir James Carroll during the evening referred to the teachers in the Native schools as the fathers of the villages, and other speakers. were of the opinion that if, by reason of a change in the method of control, the schools lost their present unique standing with the Natives, their period of usefulness would be at an end.

Returned soldiers who arrived in Auckland last week state that a waste of money resulted from their mode of transport south. They arrived at Auckland last Saturday and two special trains were required to bring them south; there was the cost: of the trains, the feeding arrangements for the men, etc., and on reaching Wellington on Monday morning accommodation on the ferry steamer could not be secured for all of them, and arrangements had to be provided for boarding them till the following evening. The waste resulted through the fact that another boat with plenty of accommodation left Auckland for the south a few hours before the arrival of the steamer, and it is taid sho could' easily and with little trouble and expense have brought the soldiers on. After several adjournments, the case in which F. D. Kesteven. financial agent, of Obristchiirch, is proceeding on a judgment summons against M.P., for Lyttelton. for a sum of £92 12s, again came up at the civil sittings of the Magistrate's Court at Wellington on Wednesday, when Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., presided. His Worship said that since the adjournment from December 18, he had looked into the case, and was not prepared to go farther with it. He had found that, one of the parties bad suggested a procedure of its own, not in accordance with the Imprisonment for Debt Act, and tho Magistrate's Court at Christchurch had seen fit to adopt the -suggestion, but he was not prepared to deal further with the matter or make an order unless the regular procedure was followed. The papers would therefore be returned to Christchurch, and any further action would be taken there. Tho judgment debtor did not appear. Mr Rindmarsh, on his behalf (says the Press correspondent), informed the court, after the magistrate had given his decision, that there was a defence on the merits, and that in fact, no default had been made.

While complaints have been made in several distriote that the Railway Department makes no attempt to save the seed of the cocksfoot grasses that grow by the permanent way, this apparent indifference does not prevail in all districts. Between Upper Hutt and Haywards (says the Dominion), the track-men, frequently spend Sunday in cutting the grass and thrashing ■the seed. This is done with flails and sadking laid on a convenient flat place. In this way grass seed of a quality and quantity which make it well worth the trouble, has been obtained, end at the same time the risk of fires in the summer has been minimised.

William Harris, a labourer, 61 years of age, fell dead in the street at Masterton on Friday afternoon (states a Pres 3 Association telogram). The cause of death has not been ascertained.

Shops for the sale of horseflesh, slaughtered under Government inspectors, have recently been opened at Portland, Cincinnati, and other cities in the United States, and a rapidly increasing demand for the meat set in.

Germany was compelled to re-sort to substitute in finance very early in the war, and two interesting samples of the enemy's paper money have been received by Mr W. A. Chote, of Wellington, from one of his sons at the front. They were given him by tx starving German, found in a

dug-out, in return for a good meal. One is a slip about by 2£in, of value 20 kopeks—roughly sd. This was issued at Posen, in Prussian Poland, and the elaborate letterpress upon it is partly German and partly in Polish. The date of the note is April 17, 1916. The other note is, however, of deeper interest. It is about 4in by 2in, and although its value is only one mark—ll|d —it is exquisitely printed in half a dozen colours upon high class paper. The date of this little note is August 12, 1914 —proof in itself that the Germans had the plates required for printing these warnotes ready before the war began. » It was stated recently that complete plans had been worked out in Washington and in Tokio for the joint patrol of the Paci-. fie by American and Japanese warships. The Government has decided to have motion pictures of the military training camps and other military places taken shortly, the idea being, to preserve in the National Museum these records of New Zealand's share in the war. It is understood that the films, ;\vhen completed, will be shown in this and in other countries.

The Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Dunn, in the course of an address on "My Visit to the Front," said that wherever he went he was profoundly touched by the irrepressible cheerfulness of the British soldiers, whether in the trenches or in hospital, the former being ever eager to advance and the latter to get back to the firing line. He paid a high tribute to the work done by Young Men's Christian Association for our soldiers in France and Belgium, and said he was glad to open one of that organisation's homes for officers. At the officers' moss of the Hon. Artillery Company ho discovered that the cook was a solicitor; the dinner was excellent. An unpredecented increase in the ratio of boy babie3 to girl babies bom in England "and Wales is noted in the vital statistics for the years 1914-15 and 1915-16. In the year from July 1, 1914, to June 30, 1915, 415,205 boys and 399,409 girls .were born, the ratio being 1040 to 1000. The explanation is that women who are extremely fatigued through arduous labour, such as working 10 hour 3 in munition factories, tilling fields, and acting as drivers of street cars, can become the mothers of male children only. Gynecologists of renown have agreed that such is always the result.

Through some inexplicable cause (says the Oropuki Advocate), probably on account of tho large quantity of machinery that is exposed at the shaleworks in Orepuki, the vicinity of that, locality, known as Shaleopolis, has been visited by lightning on more than one occasion. Some time ago the huge chimney connected with the works was destroyed by the agency of lightning. The thunderstorm which passed over the district on the evening of New Year's Day was very severe In the locality mentioned, and three trees located many chains apart were set on fire at their tops by the electric discharge. One of the trees is 80ft high. From tho time it was struck residents have had an anxious time guarding their property from fire. Another tree, struck by tho current in its gravitating path, has now burned down to the roots. The third tree is located fully half a mile distant., In each case the trees held commanding positions, and were in a state of decay, but the inexplicable part of the uncanny business is how did the trees manage to become ignited when they were saturated with tho drenching showers which preceded the visitation. The fires in all tho stricken mammoths started simultaneously, and all of them started burning from their tops downwards. An unusual position (says the New Zealand Herald) was shown to exist in a case before the First Auckland Military Service Board on Tuesday, when George Nicholas, farmer, of Paparata (Mr Mowleni), appealed on the ground that ho was not a reservist at the time of his calling up for service. Counsel said appellant received a discharge from tho navy just before tho war, and after serving at Samoa was discharged, though not because of any disability. Subsequently he received a notifl-, cation that ho had been drawn in the ballot, but his name did not appear in tho next Gazette. A later Gazette contained his name among those " presumed to be serving or dead." He also received a letter from tho Government Statistician to tho effect that he was not a reservist, and that there was no need to enrol as his discharge from the navy would be sufficient. Ho-also thought he had been medically examined and classed as C2, but he was now told that there was no record of any such examination. Tho -chairman said tho Act exempted from service only men

who had been given a final discharge from the army or the navy during the present war. He -was of opinion that . appellant was a reservist. He added that a letter from the statistician was not the Act. It was decided to defer the question of appellant's legal position until he has been medically examined

A movement is on -foot in Dunedin to give a public send-off to the Minister, or Ministers, who may be selected to represent the dominion at the Conference of the Imperial War Council.

The following itinerary has been arranged by the Otago Military Appeal Board: — Dunedin, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday; Ranfurly, Monday, January 21-; Alexandra and Roxburgh, January 22; Lawrence, January 23; Milton, January 24; Balclutha, January 25; Oamaru, January 28; Gore, January 29 and 30; Invercargill, January 31 and February 1; Riverton, February 2; Queenstown, February, 5.

When the Prime Minister was at Middlemarch on Saturday, Mr W. Moynihan brought under ;his notice the delay which had taken place in establishing a telephone at Ngapuna. Mr Moynihan pointed out that some ten residents in the district had subscribed £2 each as an initial subscription and he understood the County Council had also subscribed. This was , done some eight,months ago, and so far the service had not been established. Mr Massey, in reply, said the matter was one which did-not come under any of the departments administered by him, and he was, therefore, not in a position to give as adequate a reply as he would have liked. He surmised that the delay was probably the result of a scarcity of wire, due to the war. He would, however, inquire and let Mr Moynihan have a reply. Mr R. Scott, M.P., said that he was aware that there was a scarcity of wire. Mr Moynihan replied that individual farmers in the Taieri district were being supplied with a telephone service, which did not look as if wire were unobtainable. The Minister of Defence in Australia, Senator Pearce, stated a few days ago that as a result of insertion in the Australian press of advertisements of "lonely soldiers" inviting correspondence from residents in Australia, several bag 3 of letters, papers, and parcels were received by members of the Australian Imperial Force, two advertisements alone resulting in the arrival of some 10,OCO letters for two men. The Minister further stated that tho practice of inserting advertisements in the press inviting the correspondence of strangers is strictly forbidden by the censorship regulations, and is an abuse of tho facilities granted. It also causes congestion in the post office to the detriment and delay of ordinary correspondence, to say nothing of additional work thrown on the base censors. In future advertisements in the press by "lonely soldiers" will be prohibited, and correspondence under the samo class stopped. '• The farming population of Northern France (writes the Australasian) is gradually drifting back to its native soil as the Germans are forced from it by the repeated pushes of the British and French armies. It is estimated that about 25,400 persons have returned to their holdings since the Germans began to retreat, and, with a little, •practical help, these persevering small farmers succeed in retoring their places to something like shipshape in a remarkably short space of time. The help in kind which the Agricultural Relief of Allies Fund has afforded has been invaluable in enabling many of the peasants to make a fresh start. The fund having just distributed many thousand head of live poultry among small holders in tho Somme, Aisne, and Oise, is now arranging to assist in replanting the orchards wantonly destroyed by the Germans in the territiory recaptured by British troops.

A Manaia soldier writes from France: " I have read somewhere or have been told of the hard tasks that the women of the Taranaki cow district perform. But their lives are a luxury of rest and ease compared to the hard lives of French girls and women. New Zealand women should come out here to learn what hard work means. To mo it is repugnant, aricl the tendency must be to coarsen and produce a hard fibre. Though in actual fact it does not appear to, if one may judge from tho conversation and manners of these women. You will so© them loading and carting manures, grooming and stabling horses, cutting and loading wood, working chaffcutters and wood-pulpers, the latter especially very laborious work, carrying heavy loads of mangolds on a yoke across

the shoulders, just as Chinese vegetable sellers do, and similar heavy work. An<s their hours are from dawn till dark. Nof is this because it is war time. I am toll; it is their normal work. And as there if no Sunday in the sense that we regard ifr theirs is a seven days' working week.

Writing,of "The Freedom of the Seas*( in the "Nineteenth Century and After, Mr Archibald Hurd exposes a trap laid by, the enemy in their pretended acoeptanoa of the Pope's suggestion of the establishment of " the true freedom and commoa enjoyment of the seas." It is no mere coincidence that, while the Pope speaki of "the seas," both Berlin and in their replies refer to "the high seas."' This would exclude the Baltic, the North Sea, and the Adriatic, in whioh Germany and Austria are interested; and, since armies can be created far more quickly than navies, "no development could suit them better than a scheme of military disarmament which was accompanied by a rigid plan of naval disarmament applying' only to the high seas." The threat to the Lombardy Plains' recall* Addison's explanation why the inhabitant)! of Northern Italy especially dreaded that these- fertile lowlands, should ever be a iield of battle (says the London Daily Chronicle). In. that dire event, he tells us, the rows of white mulberry trees, which are notable features of the landscape, would ba destroyed, and their destruction would spell ruin to many industries. For the leaves fed swarms of silkworms, swine and poultry fattened on the fallen fruit, the trunks of the trees were props for the vines, and the spreading, umbrageous branches gave to the cornfields desired protection from the fierce heat of the summer sun. All which is as true to-day as two centuries ago. The fall of the leaves provides a free supply of valuable, fertilisers for the allotment, of which holders take full advantage. In most suburbs possessing few avenues you may see the enthusiasts busy of a morning collecting sackfuls of dead leaves, to the benefit of their own holdings and the considerable relief of the wayfarers.