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Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 40

The- Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) states that the class A m'£n of-'the Second Division will probably be required to go to camp in April or May, and the B class in May or June. This information is, however, not definite, as the department is not in a position to say how many men will be available from the CI camp, and how many will be available from those for whom the authorities are still in search — who may, in fact, be termed the "lost" men. When the full information regarding the men who may be secured from these sources is to hand the position . regarding the remainder of the men in the Second Division will be at once made public

It is a, pleasure to the' residents of the Upper CatJins district (writes a correspondent) to* know that the Government is at last going to proceed with the completion of the Catling Valley—Table Hill road. This road has been ..urgently required for a number of years, and since the railway was completed it has been more needed than ever, a* it is-, the- only road following the route of the railway, and yet, for want of a little more than a mile of formation to join the roads together, it has been impossible to get through. It is understood that a grant of £l5O has been made towards this necessary work, and that the survey is being conducted expeditiously by the' resident Public Works' overseer, Mr O. Johnston, of Kahuika. The residents hope that as soon as the survey work is finished the department will at v once put the work of making the road in hand, and that when the next estimates are prepared the Government will grant a further amount sufficient to complete the work. Hie first shot to bring about the fall of one of the two pillars in the Kiwarau Gorge—a work which is being carried out in connection with the irrigation scheme of the Cromwell Development Party —is timed to take place at 10.30 on Friday morning, and it is expected that both the huge masses of reinforced concrete will be oast across the river during the day. The Central tra.in on Thursday will carry passengers through the gorge and land them close to Cromwell. The Government photographer (Mr Taylor) will shortly visit Otago and Southland and take a complete set of kinematograph films of the Lake Wakatipu and Lake Wanaka district, and the motor run from Queenstown to the Hermitage and Fairlie. These films will be circulated by the department in Australia, America, and Great Britain, as was done with the Mount Cook films. Subsequently Mr Taylor will take a completo kinemia film \of the southern fiords and the Te Anau-Milford .track and Manapouri. It is the intention of the Minister in charge of Tourist Resorts (Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald) to eventually have a complete kinematograph representation of the main tourist routes andl places of interest in New Zealand. The Minister hopes shortly to visit the Alpine and Cold Lakes district.

The report of the Court of Inquiry which investigated charges made by Dr H. T. J. Thaeker, and others, against members of Military Medical Boards in the Canterbury Military district, has been for warded by tho officer commanding the district to the Minister of Defence. Those who were fortunate enough to form part of the select gathering that listened to a brief address from Dr G. E. Morrison, of China, on Monday hud an experience they are likely to treasure for many a day. Dr Morrison spoke for less than" 20 minutes, but he gave more authentic information on the war as it affects problems of the Far East than many of Ids hearers had been, ablo to gather from other sources during the last three years and a-half. The speech itself w.as a masterpiece of choice effective expression, without the waste of a single word. Dr Morrison spoke with the unmistakable authority that comes with wide and sure knowledge, andi while everything ho had to say was of keen interest, one could not escape the feeling that much more interesting still were the stories of information which for obvious reasons he could not draw upon at a semi-publio gathering. With perfect grace and courtesy, yet without leaving any room for misunderstanding, he touched on the grave ignorance in this country of Chinese affairs. A great part of his address was devoted to disposing of the current thoughtless notion that tho entry of China into tho war meant little or nothing, and in closing ho pointed out that if tho wonderful opportunities for trade with China and Si-aim after the war are to be used by us we must have more knowledge of what is required. He suggested that commissioners should be sent out to study the conditions in the Far East, and so prepare the way for that development of trade with China which may reasonably be expected after this war now that the competition of Germany has been eliminated.

Much indeed! was expected from a man who has won such world-wide fame as Dr Morrison, but it may safely be said that he disappointed no one last night. Dr Morrison will leave for the north by the 8 o'clock express this morning, and intends to spend a few days in Christchuxch, ill Wellington, and in Auckland before returning to Sydney.