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Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 3

The Primo Minister announced m Christchurch last week that he had been supplied with figures showing the dominion's exports and imports during the year ended December 1 last. The figures are as follow : —Exports, £31,596,434; imports (approximate), £20.603,629;—5urp1us of exports, £10,992,805. A Soutlilander who recently toured tho North Island has returned much impressed (says the Southland News). lie deplores the destruction of kauri forest, thousands of acres of which have been felled and burned in the Kaipara and Northern Wairoa districts for the purposes of settlement. The of kauri gum might have become one of tho most important indus-

tries in New Zealand, as much as £9 worth of gum having been collected from ono tres. Some large fortunes have been made on the gumftelds, and in view of the present high price it will not be surprising to see another rush in the north. Ho adds: It is a. remarkable sight from Auckland to Tangiteroria, up tho Kaipara River or Northern VVairoa, over a hundred miles of whioh i*. navigable. There aro about a dozen ajtwUl steam boats running up and down the river daily. Included are some of thti Union Steam Ship Company's largest boats, and a constant stream of failing vessels. Steamers known as the "cream boats" can be seen running every d»,y of the year down the river, loaded with milk, etc. Every two or three miles th<3y stop at a wharf to pick up or set down passengers or cargo, townships beingmet with every few miles on both sides of the river. In conversation with a friend at Dargaviilo I learned that the climate is all that could bo desired, although last year was a bad ono for rain, which continued for nearly ten months. There are people who have been thero over 30 years and have never seen snow. A telegram from Wellington states that at a sitting of the Military Service Board on the 15th, about 50 appeals made by the Seamen's Union for seamen and firemen Wore adjourned indefinitely, An announcement regarding compensation for men in the New Zealand mercantile marine who lose their lives or suffer injury in the course of their employment, was made by the Hon. T. M. Wilford (Minister of Marine), in a reply to a deputation from the Auckland Seamen's Union last week. "In regard to such a scheme for officers, engineers, and seamen, and in fact all men" *f tliu mercantile marine," said the Minis-

ter, "I am in receipt of an important pronouncement by the British Government on this question. I have referred the communication to the Solicitor-general for his opinion on ono or two points, and when I have it I shall publish the pronouncement for the information of all men on ships. It will then be seen how effectively everyone has been provided for." On Monday, 14th inst., a waterspout oeHarry Parata has decided to become a candidate for the Southern Maori electorate, the representation of which has been rendered vacant by the death of his brother, Mr C. R. Parata. Mr Parata will stand as a supportor of the Liberal party, but will be .a follower of the National Government during the period of the war. It is rumoured that Mr W. Barrett, of Kaiapoi, will probably contest the seat. On Monday evening • a waterspout occurred on the road between Oturehua and Cambrian, in the Maniototo district, as a result of which the mail coach, which was on its way to Cambrian, was washed down the Cambrian Creek. The coach was badly smashed, the woodwork being shattered, and one of the horses was drowned, while all the mails were lost in the flood waters. The driver escaped unhurt. Before the Taieri Amateur Turf Club finally closed down, it was decided to appetite funds in hand to the purchase of a piece of land as a roservo for the people of Mosgiol. The following is the motion which was passed in July, 1912: —" That the balance of the surplus assets be applied in the purchasing of a piece of land in a eantral position-- in Mosgiel and in laying out tho same as a garden, with paths, seating accommodation, and band rotunda; such land so laid out to be handed over to the borough of Mosgiel to bo kept for all time

as a reserve for the citizens of Mosgiel." Offers of sites having recently been secured, a meeting of old members, held this week<> in Mosgiel. selected an acre on Forester's estate, fronting Church street and Gordon road. The late president (Mr R. Green) occupied the chair. It was resolved to expend the money left in hand after tie purchase in carrying out improvements in the shape of paths, band rotunda, fencing, etc. The choice of site will no doubt be a popular one, and will make a tweak in what is now an unusually large block between the two streets. A committee was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for laying off the grounds. The Supreme Court returns for the past year were: Criminal—lndictments 30, persons convicted 20, persons acquitted 8. Civil —Writs issued 29, divorce petitions 13, probates and administrations granted 643, chattels and securities filed 555. For 1916 the figures were: Criminal —Indict- ' ments 17, persons convicted 12, persons ac- \ quitted 4. Civil—Writs issued 24, divorce petitions 21, probates and administrations granted 669, chattels and • securities filed 589. j Cabinet decided j'esterday (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) that the minimum wage for married men in the public service, and' also in the -postal de- ■ partments, shall be £156 a year. I The Telegraph Department was greatly surprised to find that the cable newly laid across Cook Strait had developed a fault. On inspection a shark's tooth was discovered embedded in the insulation, which had caused tile leak. The Burnside stock sales were postponed last week for 15 minutes out of respect to the memory of the late Mr W. J. Charters. During the postponement a meeting was held, . which was attended by about 300 men—prac- ' tically every person in attendance at the sale—representing every phase of farm- . ing and allied interests. Mr T. Smith presided, and spoke of the good qualities of Mr -Charters and the speaker's long term of acquaintance with him. The chairman moved a vote of condolence with the deceased's wife and sister (Miss Charters) in the irreparable loss they had sustained. Mr Jas. Blair, in seconding the motion, spoke of his friendship with Mr Charters, which had extended over many years, and also of the upright character of the deceased gentleman. Mr James Wright also spoke a few words. The resolution was carried in silence. j Our London correspondent states that Mr F. L. Carter, of Clifton College, who ox- I changed posts for a while with a master of Christ's College, Christ-church, contributed to the United Empire for November an in- , foresting article on ''The Public School, I the Master, and the Empire." " The colonial schoolmaster," ho says, "knows more of England than his English confrere ! does of the colonies; he is familiar with j

our history and the slow growth of our constitution; ho regards the land as 'Home,' j and ho lias a fairly complete knowledge of our great towns and regions of industry; j what, however, he does not realise is the i complexity and vastness of our social prob- | lems and .the intricate character of our | foreign policy, due to our interests in every I quarter of the globe." Mr Carter urges j the value of extending the system of inter- ■ change amongst teachers of Empire schools, j Canon Parfit, of Jerusalem, < who de- i sr-i'ibod himself as " Vicar of Mesopotamia \ and Rural Dean of the Garden of Eden," j told a few Eastern tales in London recently, j He said that when he first saw his "charge" the scenery did not impress him. The | people were poverty-stricken, and begged for " baksheesh," the children were "brilliantly i clad in olive oil and the sweetest of smiles." j A soldier, writing home, said tho heat was j so intense that the population were feeding their fowls on ice cream to prevent them from laying hard-boiled eggs. At Bagdad, the | pontoon bridgo having been washed away, i the Sultan determined to build a new one. I Tho people were whipped and blackmailed j into parting with £40,000. The bridge co3t I £4000; the tax-gatherer pocketed the rest. It may not be generally known that every I United States war vessel pays tribute to | the memory of General Washington when passing Mount Vernon. As the vessel ap- j proaches his residence, so beautifully situated on the banks of the Potomac, tho ! bugler is o-dered to "sound to quarters" j and the formation of the men is made I along the side of the ship that faces Mount ! > Vernon. When tho ship comes abreast of j the mansion every man raises his right ! j hand to his cap in salute, whilo the ship's ! : bell tolls twenty-ono times, once for each i i gun of tho national saluto. When this part .'. of tho ceremony is over the retreat is j sounded. It is a simple but moving tribute j • of respect to one of tho greatest men tho ' world ever knew —one who could not be '' persuaded to take to himself any power

or honour that he had won for the nation that he was so largely responsible for establishing. The divorce case at Home of Captain Geoffrey Brian O'Connell, of the Canadian army, for dissolution of marriage, belonged to a type that we do not often read about. In 1911, when O'Connell was only 16 years old, he was married to a woman 32 years his senior. In 1910 O'Connell was living with a tutor at Folkestone. A fellow-student invited him to spend a short holiday with his mother. The woman, who had been divorced, suggested to the boy that they j should be .married, pointing out that friends ■ of hers had been married under similar circumstances, and their union had led to j " unfathomable bliss." In January, 1911, ; the woman came to London and got a . license, giving wrong ages both for herself ■ and the bridegroom. She also purchased ; a false moustache to make her husband i have a more mature appearance. The 1 couple were married at a registry office, and returned to Folkestone the same night. In the following year the boy told his , father that ho was married. Mrs O'Connell ! had substantial means, but the boy's father did not care that his son should be dependent upon her, and sent the boy to Canada to learn a business. While there the son j Wrote to his wife suggesting that he should I return. lShe did not answer his letters, but inserted a notice of her marriage, to him in the newspapers. When the war broke out O'Connell came to England and joined the Canadian army. His wife asked him to return to her. He declined to do. so. It was soon afterwards discovered that she was living with an officer. Her offence having been fully proved to the satisfaction of the court, Captain O'Connell was granted a decree nisi. Harry Lauder, who is on a lecturing tour in the United States, has added a grim little tragedy to his fine collection of stories of the war. Lauder was carrying a tin box that had originally contained tobacco. As ho raised the lid he said: "Here is the tragedy of war told without the need of speaking a word, if you but knew the story. See this piece of barbed-wire with the bit of tartan hanging to it. I cut that myself from the battlefield in front of Arras. It was part of the uniform worn by a lad with the. 42nd Highlanders. A letter came to his loved ones at home, telling his joy that on the. next day, April 9, the famous Highlander brigade would attack. They heard of the attack. They heard no more from him. " Long they hoped to see his name in the list of prisoners taken by. the enemy," added Lauder. " They never heard. This bit of Scotch plaid is all that is known of his end." Sir Douglas Mawson', referring in an interview to the statement that the exAntarctic ship Aurora had disappeared in southern waters, said:—"'lf the Aurora is lost it must be due to a submarine attack. She proved her seaworthiness by navigating 30,000 miles of. the foulest weather, during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition. She was the finest boat afloat for Polar exploration work." A Wellington message states that the exportation of plate and sheet glass from the dominion has been prohibited, except with the consent of the Minister of Customs.

In consequence of the reduction in the number of men now being sent to the front from New Zealand, it is not necessary to send a reinforcement into camp this month. A further reinforcement will, however, be sent away next month. Mr W. H. L. Christie (chairman of the Brighton Domain Board), in conjunction with members of the board and Mr Malcolm Stevenson, has been busy within the last few days attending to some very necessary improvements to the ladies' bathing shed at Brighton, which is to be divided into three compartments, one for children and the others for adults. A site for the men's bathing shed has been decided on, and arrangements are being made for a working bee for tomorrow, the intention being to construct the shod in one dav.

A deal of confusion appears to exist regarding the age at which a reservist is exempted from being called on to servo abroad. From inquiries, wo learn- that if a reservist is 44 years of age at the time he is called in the ballot, or at the time he comes up for medical examination, he is automatically classed as 02. If he ie, say, 43 years and 9 months of age, and is passed fit by tho medical officers, and goes into camp, tho fact that ho may reach 44 while he is in camp does not release him from going to the front. The authorities say that there must be a dividing line, and that if a man verging on 44 years of ago were to bo exempted they would simpler be wasting time in having him medically

examined, provided with a uniform, trained, etc. The belief in sonic quarters that any man who readies the nge of 46 while on active service is withdrawn and sent back to New Zealand is entirely without foundation.

With the issue of Wednesday's list the number of men called up under the Military Service Act reached a total of approximately 92,600. The first ballot was taken in November, 1916. The total" number of l3econd Division men called up in Class A is 13,800. The revenue of the Harbour Board for the month of December. 1917, amounted to £6527, as against £8772 for the corresponding month of 1916. The revenue' for 1917 totalled £92,555 (including salvage of Antiope £1251 and £6500, balance from tho sale, of dredge 404), as compared with £105,257 for 1916. The expenditure for December 1917, was £6308; 1916, £6957. For 1917 the expenditure was £77,159; 1916, £91,949 Mr A. N. Pokon, formerly private secretary to Dr Pomare, and for years connected with the Ministerial private secretarial staff, announces his candidature for Wellington North as an Independent Liberal in th© event of the Hon. A. L. Herdman resigning.

"How long arc men kept in CI camp before being transferred to the military camp?" asked Mr W.. Moorhouse (chairman of the Third Wellington Military Service Board) of Captain Baldwin (military representative) on Tuesday. " Sometimes they are transferred after seven and a-half weeks in camp." "And sometimes," suggested the chairman, " they are turned down after only three weeks in the camp?" Captain Baldwin: "Sometimes, perhaps, but the statistics show that the camp has been extraordinarily successful." Replying, on November 29, to a question in the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the return made to the custodian, in accordance with the requirements of the Trading with the Enemy Proclamation of iSeptember 7, 1916, disclosed the following total amounts invested by British subjects resident in the United Kingdom in certain enemy companies:—■ Works, £8333; Krupps (Ltd.), £2980; tho North German-Lloyd Shipping Company, No,rth German-Lloyd Shipping Company, £31,172; the Hamburg-American Shipping Company, £49,244. Our Cromwell correspondent telegrapher " Since the change in the weather last week very unsettled conditions have prevailed, with intermittent showers. On the 17th a mild rain fell in most parts of the district. Shearing has been suspended for nearly a week, and there is no sign at present of the weather clearing." Our London correspondent, writing on November 13, says #aat the details issued by the National Rifle Association in connection with the 1917 Imperial Challenge Shield Competitions, show that 608 teams entered for boys over 15 years of age, and 361 teams in th a Junior Division, representing nearly 10,000 boys. In the Senior Division Australia won 21 prizes (chiefly leading ones), Great Britain 24, New Zealand 5, Canada 4, and the West Indies 1. The Home Country had a total of 26 in the Junior Division, Canada 7, Australia 6, and South Africa 1. In the senior competition, tho Ist ( Royal Australian Naval Brigade, No. 1 Company, Launceston, had an average score of 93.6, followed by the Ist Division Cadets, Hobart, with 92.2. Tho green light in Rangitoto Channel (Auckland) went out suddenly a few nights ago, and on examination it was found that a swarm of bees had settled on the lamp, and closed the ventilation hole, with the result that the pilot light was extinguished. The lamp was opened and ' re-lit. On a previous occasion, the lamp was extinguished by a swarm of flies. The following extract is taken from a, letter received by the last mail from a young medical officer " Somewhere' in France (says the Auckland Star): —"A few days ago our men each received a parcel from the Otago Ladies' Patriotic Society, and it was* great! If only some of the ladies had been here to sec jtho enjoyment and fun the men got out of simply opening the parcels, not to speak of the pleasure in using all the good things provided therein, it would have cheered their hearts and let them know it was worth while. I can assure you the parcels are greatly appreciated, and also the kindly thought behind them."

A Dunedin gentleman has • received a letter from a friend in San Francisco which has stamped on the outside of the envelope (presumably by the American postal officials): "Food'Will Win the War—Don't Waste It." Our Cromwell correspondent telegraphed On the 18th: ''Unsettled weather inland still prevails, and scarcely a day has passed for fully a week without rain showers. A fairly heavy thunderstorm struck the lower part of the valley at 3.30 to-day, but it was hardly of sufficent force or duration to do any damage. Rain is still sweeping round the hills, but there is no rise in the rivers so far." It is intended (says the Wellington Post) to bring into operation as from April 1 an arrangement under which the staff of the Post and Telegraph Department will be paid fortnightly instead of monthly, as hitherto has been the custom.

Mr Alex. Smith .secretary of the Maniototo branch of the Otago Expansion League, has been advised by Mr R. Scott, M.P. for Central Otago, that authority hag been given for the work of erecting the line to provide for "telegraphic connection between Dunedin and Maniototo. " The Soldiers' Club in Russell square has been an enormous benefit to Now Zealand soldiers on leave," writes Mr I. W. Raymond, chairman of the New Zealand War Contingent Association. London, to Mr L. 0. H. Tripp, of. Wellington. "It" is always full, and accommodation has to he found outside. There is a good reason for its popularity: it, is splendidly conducted and economically run; the food supply is of tho best, and fully 50 per sent, cheaper iq

value than what can be obtained anywhere else. ■ The staff of cooks and waitresses is entirely voluntary, and, with one or two exceptions, wholly New Zealanders. This fact alono exercises a great influence for good, and helps to make the club a centre of attraction to the boys, who- are anxious to get into touch with womenkind who know about them and their country. Concerts, and dances are held at this club as frequently as possible. I think everything is being done that reasonably can be done. I am satisfied that the members of the association and their band of helpers would only irritate and annoy the boys if they tried to push themselves too much into their life during their short holiday. That cases arise where some member of the. forces has discredited himself is a rare occurrence, but when it does occur it is one of those s events that one could almost say is remarkable because it does noif occur any more frequently." The amount of work which has been performed by the New Zealand Dental Corps in the training camps in New Zealand during the year ended November 30 last is revealed in figures which have just been computed. . These show that during the period the total work performed was as follows:—Total fillings, 79,759; scaling extensive, 1125; scaling simple, 5425; extractions, 28,424; full dentures,' 4694; partial dentures, 6188; repair, 1268. The figures given are exclusive of sundry operations and dressings performed in the camps, and also of» work outside the .camps performed for recruits by civilian ddSfeists. Tho Bakers' Union has decided to withdraw its affiliation with the Otago Labour Council. This makes the third union to withdraw its affiliation within the past few months, the others beng the Typographical Union find the Printers' Machinists' Union. The Chancellor, Sir Robert Stout, announced to the Senate on Saturday that the subject chosen for the Bowen Prize essay this year is " The Influence of the War oft the British Communities Facing on the Pacific Ocean." Dr Lindo Ferguson has given notice that he will bring before the New Zealand University Senate a motion in favour of making physics and inorganic chemistry compulsory subjects for the medical preliminary examination. The General Committee of the City Council recommends that notices be served on II Chinamen in various parts of the city to pull down" premises condemned by the District Health Officer. Mr W. B. Steel, acting secretary of the Otago Expansion League, has been advised that the delegates from the Southland League, who were to meet the members of the Otago Expansion League and the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce on the 21st to discuss questions relating to hydro-electrio matters, have postponed their visit until some time next month. Writing to a friend in Dimedin, a member of the 28th New Zealand Divisional Signallers, who was in England at the time the letter was despatched, stated, inter alia: "Most of us here have a grievance. We are not receiving even half civilian pay, while the " Tommy " Royal Engineers from the post office are receiving full civil pay, even those who have joined lip quite recently—both single and married. In other words all British Post and Telegraph men employed in a special capacity receive full civil pay plus military, while tho New Zealand men employed similarly receive only military, or at most, half civil pay. It Is not as though they were more efficient than we. Comparisons are odious, but I cannot refrain from quoting our O.C. in this connection —viz., 'Our men can beat them at everything bar saluting.' He has worked with them all at the front, but I suppose some allowance must be made for bias." Five neglected children, members of one family, and aged respectively six, eight, nino, 10, and 13 vears, were brought beforo Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., on Saturday, Tho ovidence showed a distressing degreo of parental indifference to the children, who were allowed to roam the streets at all hours in an unclean state, and without proper clothing. Thoy wei>e committed to the Caversham Industrial School, where they will bo brought up according to the Church of England tenets. Two boys, one 11 and the other 12 years of ago, were brought beforo the Juvenile Court on .Saturday, charged with stealing an electric iron and fittings, tho property of Miss Helen Stratton. A basket containing tho property, which was valued at 265, was placed on the floor of Barton and Trengrove's butchers' shop while Miss Strat-

ton was making a purchase. The boys came into the shop at this time, picked up the property and decamped with it. They destroyed the fittings to the iron valued at 10s. Mr Bartholomew, S M., convicted the boys and ordered that they come up for sentence when called upon. His Worship directed that each boy should receive a thrashing, to be given by the fathers, and placed the lads under the supervision of Mr Axels en. ► Speaking on Friday of the Government's necessity for importing wheat from Australia (says the Lyttelton Times), the Hon. G'. W. Russell expressed the emphatic opinion that Australia might very well have sold this million bushels of wheat to New Zealand at the same prjc3 as it was sold to the Old Country. Australia had added another 9d a bushel; but the time might come when New Zealand would be able to return the compliment, and the Australians would find that there was a little human nature on this side of the herring-pond as well. " I am losing 30s a day every time I come here," stated a waterside worker at the sitting of the Third Wellington Military Service Board on Thursday (says tho New Zealand Times). Captain Baldwin: "That shows why registered plumbers at 12s a day are hard to get."—(Laughter.) Another waterside worker stated that he had lost 28s by attending the court. A curious experience/ befell Mr H. Otterson, C.M.G., retired Clerk of the House of Representatives, who has been living in South Africa and England for tho past three years, but previously had been a resident of Wellington for over 40 years. On his arrival a few days ago (says the Post) he was drafted out with other passengers for further inquiry, having a foreign name, but eventually he was allowed to land. It" may be added that the name is Scandinavian, but the family has been in Ireland for some hundreds of years. '' There has been some reference to slums and congestion in Wellington," said the Rev. H. Van Staveren at Thursday's Hospital Board meeting, "but the bulletins of infectious diseases issued by the Health Department indicate that in the last month Wellington was the healthiest city in New Zealand." success of Mr D. F. Ays on, chief inspector of fisheries in New Zealand, in the acclimatisation in the dominion of the quinnat salmon from the Pacific Coast of North America is the subject of an • appreciative reference in the Hobart Mercury, which suggests that Mr Ayson should be asked to re- i port upon the Tasmanian fisheries. The paper says: —"Mr Ayson is the only man in the world who has proved that salmon can be successfully introduced into alien waters. Many years ago tho American Fisheries Commission tried to introduce i Pacific salmon to the Atlantic. They failed badly, the only result being that they ob- j tained a limited success in a fresh-water lake. Victoria and New South Wales have also failed in their efforts to introduce any kind of salmon to southern waters. More than that, it has been asserted again and again that the attempts made at enormous cost, and upon a big scale, to restock British rivers, where depleted, with local salmon, have proved of no use. Now Zealand rivers now abound with the Pacific salmon, and presently not only will there be joy for sportsmen, but fresh salmon will bo upon the breakfast tables."