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Otago Witness, Issue 3349, 22 May 1918, Page 3

Captain Free informed the Military Service Board on Thursday that the first of the B class men (with ono child) would go into camp on July 30. According to a Press Association message ''from Wellington the Minister of Defence states that suggestions are being prepared for making regulations to provide that soldiers undergoing "hospital treatment shall not be served with liquor.

A Press Association message from Web lington ctatefi that the total births in the four metropolitan areas cf New Zealand in April were 764; the deaths 297—males 144 and females 153. The deaths of children under five years of age totalled 43, and under one year 34.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that the Gazette notifies that the export of oil of every description is prohibited, save with the consent of the Minister of Customs. Mr O. E. Siatham, M.P. for Dunedin Central, who was drawn in the last ballot (Class B of the Second Division) has been examined by the Military Medical Board and classed C2.

An interesting statement, apparently in contrast with much that is written about conditions at Homo, is contained in a soldier's letter brought by the last Horiia . mail to Dunedin, The writer, who was a shrewd and keen Otago farmer, says, in a letter from Sling: "I cannot get over tho thousands of acres that appear to be idle — any quantity of rough grass and not a beast to be seen to eat it. I do not know why England should be starving. There is ** certainly no need for them taking on growing potatoes in back yards and on road- . sides. There is plenty of room out here, and this is only ono part of the country. A taxi-driver was telling mo that all tho colonials are surprised at tho amount of unsettled Country in England." The Primate has received many letters of congratulation on 'the attainment last week of his 81st birthday. Among them were letters from tho Rev. A. Cameron, Chancellor of Otago University, and the Rev. G. Heighway, hon. secretary of the United Christian Council, which have afforded the Primate special gratification, and to which, N ho thinks, more than a merely personal interest is given by tho position of the writers of them and by tho warm spirit of Christian regard and sympathy expressed in them. The Rev. Mr Cameron, after observing that

the Primate's had been a long term of service for the Master, and that he had done great things for His Kingdom in this part of the dominion, expressed his great admiration of the fidelity and patience with which the Primate had laboured in this community. "Surely," Mr Oameron wrote, " your work will not soon bo forgotten. 1 pray thai God may greatly bless you and Vnoko His face to shine upon you." Mr in his letter of congratulation, vrhivij vjv3 written in the- name of the asst-.'Satea churches, said it' would ill become hvn to attempt to utter a benediction on tb« ofiW. h.:ad of the Anglican Church m Now 2rattlaiid; but very. sincere were the president and other members of the Council of the Churches "in their desiro to offer felicitations to the Primato and assure him that the one prayer was that Heaven's best bi*s»ing /night rest in fullest measure upon him.

The Otago Harbour Board notifies the coining into operation of by-law No. 8 as from the 21st inst. The effect of this byiaw Is to increase the export dues on wool to fis per ton, and all import, export, and transhipment dues below 5s per ton by 25 per cent. The berthage rate on ships is also increased from £d to Id on the registered tonnage.

A Press Association message states that last week the. No. 1 cable across Cook Strait, which stretches from Otcrangi Bay, near Terawhiti, to White's Bay, parted. Tests have been mado by Mr Shrimpton, telegraph engineer at Wellington, which detected the break to be only some 300 yards from the shore in Otcrangi Bay in only five fathoms of water. A suitable opportunity, by means of a surf boat, is to bo seized to repair the broken cable (which was chafed through on a known ridge of rocks). It is not expected to be a difficult job ia fair weather.

The position of Training College students returning from service at the war was brought before the Otago Education Board last week in several communications from tho Wellington Education Board. The Wellington Board forwarded a series of proposals drawn out by Mr J. S. Tennant (principal of the Wellington Training College) to provide vacancies in town schools for such students and grant them other concessions and privileges in order to reduce as far as possiblo the handicap they had Buffered by breaking into their training

course. Mr T. E. Fleming (chief inspector) said he was inclined to favour the proposals, but they required a good deal of consideration. Eventually a committee consisting of Messrs Wallace, Brugh, M'Kinlay, Pinder (principal of the Training College), and Fleming (chief inspector) was set up to report to the next meeting of the board.

In the course of a lecture in the Burns Hall last week, Brigadier Wouters described the conditions prevailing ; n the Belgian army, and contrasted these very unfavourably with the manner in which the New Zealand soldier is treated both in the matter of pay and rations. A private in the Belgian army, he stated, received 7d a week, and his diet for tho most part consisted of black coffee and brown bread for breakfast, mashed potatoes for lunch, and soup and meat for tho evening meal. Added to these trying conditions many of the soldiers had been fighting constantly since the outbreak of the war without as much as setting eyes on their wives and families, and such was tho disturbed--state of the country that many did not even know where their dear ones were or whether they were still alive.

At tho close of a most comprehensive and instructive lecture last week on the subject of "Flying," Professor Jack made reference to the possibilities of tho commercial and other uses of the aeroplane in the near future. He advocated tho establishment of a flying school in Dunedin, so that more of our young men might become interested in the art. As an instance of tho practical uso of the aeroplane in mail-carrying, he pointed to tho fact that a Homo mail was arriving late that evening. " Why should we not have had that mail brought to us," he asked, " in time so that we could reply by tho return mail?" The suggestion met with the prompt approval of tho audience. As a matter of fact, a delay in tho cltising of the English mail, which will not now be despatched until Friday morning, will on this occasion admit of a prompt reply to correspondence that arrived last night. A distinct caso of hardship appears to have been inflicted on a seaman serving on a New Zealand hospital ship. This seaman had his leg torn off just below the knee, through it being caught in a wire hawser, when tho vessel was at Alexandria in 1916. He was taken to England and placed in hospital in July of that year, and sailed for New Zea-

land in November, 1917, arriving here on January 1, 1918. Despite repeated applications by himself and the Dunedin branch of tho New Zealand Seamen's Union, the sailor has not 30 far been able to obtain a sum of £lO 12s, back pay at the time the accident occurred. It is stated that the money was sent from New Zealand to tho High Commissioner in London, but that it was never paid over, and now the authorities at this end decline to liquidate the debt until they have ascertained what has become of the £lO 12s sent to England. From the middle of 1916 to the present is a rather long stretch, and the sailor is naturally becoming anxious. A claim for compensation for the loss of the leg is being prosecuted by Mr A. C. Hanlon on behalf of the injured man.

An extraordinary case of family neglect of education was brought before the Otago Education Board in a report from the truant officer last week. There are no fewer than 14 children in the family concerned, which belongs to the Sutton district, and only one of the 14- has reached as far as tho Fourth Standard. The individual records show that tho oldest, a lad 21 years of ago now at tho front, has passed only the Second Standard; the second, aged 19, passed the Second Standard, the third passed the Fourth, the fourth and fifth passed the Third, and the sixth, aged 15, passed the Second. These five latter are

all worlcing at ''.ome. Of the seven of school age, the oldest, a girl aged 12 years and nine months, has passed the Second Standard, and none of the remaining six has passed any standard at all. The youngest of tho family is three years old. The father was recently brought before two justices of the peace, who commented in strong terms on his. amazing indifference to his children's welfare, and expressed regret that they could impose no penalty as defendant lived beyond tho pi-escribed distance of three miles from the school. The case was adjourned, however, pending the next sitting of-a magistrate in the district. In tho meantime the father has promised to make application for a capitation grant for driving his children to school, and to send them regularly in future. Tho monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of tho Young Women's Christian Association was held on Wednesday, Mrs H. E. Wilson (president) occupying the chair. The Membership Committee reported the enrolment of 34 new members, bringing the total up to 943. As many as 60 visitors had passed through the hostel, where there are 35 permanent girl boarders.

Tho girls' department reported increasing difficulty in coping with tho large number of girls with the small space and inadequate equipment at disposal. There were 504 girls now in tho Thrift Club, tho amount deposited during April being- £l7B. The Rod Cross Club had completed 70 face cloths, 12 tea towels, 3 pairs socks, 6 service bags, 11 eye bandages, 25 handkerchiefs. Tho financial statement showed that tho receipts had totalled £196 16s 6d and the expenditure £IBB 18s 3d, while tho outstanding accounts amounted to £lOl 7s sd.

The details of the death of Captain Hill, of Dunedin, are thus recorded in a letter received by his parents from Lieutenant J. L. Sooullar, now in a hospital in England, suffering from wounds received on April 9: —" Last. Sunday [March 3] the battalion was the victim of one of tho worst tragedies in the history of tho Expeditionary Force. A man belonging to the battalion, who in the past had always been a good worker, and one of the most obliging of men in the battalion, got a fit of homicidal mania, and shot a man named M'Lean and Captain Jack Hill, and then shot himself. This man used to drive the officers' mess cart, and consequently did all the odd jobs in the way of transport for the officers. Ho always seemed such a decent fellow, and always'spoke in very high terms of his two victims. Both officers, especially Jack Hill, who would do anything for the men, were tho most popular officers in the battalion, and were extremely liked by all. Tho medical theory that a homicidal maniac will turn on those he likes best is again

borne out. The officers wore buried in the village churchyard, and, callous as ono becomes as ho sees his friends knocked out in the line, there were, few dry eyes as the two were carried to their last resting place in this world. Jack Hill's wife is staying with her mother, two or three doors from home."

Tho Great Fingall gold mine at Day

Dawn, West Australia, is being closed down, and another tragedy in the mining history of that State is now practically an accomplished fact (says tho Sydney Sun). The mine has been operating since 1892, and has treated 200,000.000 ions of ore for the re-

turn of £4,919,466 sterling. Over £1,250,000 has boon paid in dividends. Tho balance I of tho revenuo has gone in plant, wago3,

and general upkeep. Through its long career the mine has almost wholly supported tho town of Day Dawn, and contributed largely to the support of the town of Cue, three miles away. What this meant may be guessed from tho fact that Day Dawn had seven licensed hotels, a workers' club with full liquor license, four churches, a public library, a town hall and council, and the streets and houses were lighted with electricity. Cue had 10 clubs, three churches, a public library, town hall, and town council. Now Great Fingall has como to the end of its resources, and finds itself 565 miles from Perth, with a great sand dump dominating the landscape for many miles around, and plant worth nominally hundreds of thousands of pounds; but with nothing else to do but to sell up and close down. Already the light is out, for the mine supplied tho electricity, and that has been cut off. The miners have left or are leaving, and in a few months Day Dawn Avill revert to tho roadside inn stage, like Lawlers and Sandstone, and other once famous mining towns that are now deserted. At last week's meeting of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid . Board the secretary reported that donations, totalling £lB ss, to the Blanket Fund had been received. Mr Talboys (chairman of the Benevolent Committee) thanked tho doiiors, and remarked that other contributions would be very welcome. The Blanket Fund, it may bo added, is being raised, under the authority of the board, to provide additional comforts, in the way of bedding, for outdoor cases in view of the coming winter Money or goods ;>V equally welcome.

A disagreement that has arisen in the Dunedin Hospital between Dr Bowie (assistant medical superintendent) and Miss Myles (matron) occupied the attention of tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for some time last 'week, and it was ultimately decided that the whole board, sitting as a committee, should hold a special meeting to inquire fully into the facts. As a result suggestions put forward by Dr Bowie are to be referred to the Medical Committee for a report. An interval of two hours only separated the receipt on Thursday by a Mosgiel resident of a cable from his son, despatched from Walton-on-Thames, intimating that he was leaving for New Zealand, and a telegram from the same son from Auckland announcing his arrival in tho dominion. The cable, which was transmitted: under the "E.F.M." regulations, was lodged in England on April 4. Clearly, the hospital ship had come from England to New Zealand more quickly than the cable had !

A soft answer may sometimes turn away wrath, but a ready one is often more to be admired. It is said that a certain man was on Thursday expressing regret to Brigadier Wouters, the Belgian lecturer, that he had been unablo to attend his address on the previous evening, and ho urged as an excuse that he had been been suffering from a severe cold. Quick as a flash came the retort from tho brigadier: "Yes, I wonder how some of you fellows would have fared if tho Belgian army had had a cold." At a meeting of the Claims Board of tho Wairarapa Patriotic Association a letter was read from the Montenegrin Relief Committee in London, stating that 10,000 prisoners in the hands of tho Central Powers were in a deplorable condition through tho hunger prices, and 'flnless help wore forthcoming the whole male population available for the reconstruction of the race would bo wiped out. The board decided to forward £3OO immediately through the Government, provided a safe channel existed whereby the money would reaeh its destination.

It would appear that men called to tho colours would bo well advised to have their teeth looked over by their dentist before entraining for tho north, judging by the information contained in a letter from a soldier who left Dunedin a couple of weeks ago as a Class A man of the Second Division. This is what he says: "They have quito a battalion of dentists here. Great workmen they are, but they seem to take a delight in taking out 'as many as possible. It is deadly to see youths with 26 and 28 teeth taken out at one sitting, and you can't argue the point, either. If they say they are to como out, out they come. It is all by painless. Of course, fou don't feel them, but the after effects on some are deadly. I haven't had my turn yet, and I can tip you I'll be glad when it is over." It may be added that when a man is first medically examined as to fitness, the state of his teeth does not bar him from being passed, if ho is otherwise sound. A leading Dunedin dentist, who was qxtestioned as to tho effects of shock on a man who had a largo number of teeth extracted at one sitting, saiel it was very severe, and; that he certainly would not take out many at

one timo. "Familiarity broods contempt," as it, wci'i. may probably bo given as Iho reason of Iho camp dentists thus treating their patients. *•

The Otago Military Service Board dealt with 40 appeals in JDunedin on Thursday. Or. Friday, May 24, the board will sit at Riverton; on Saturday, May 25, and Monday, May 27, at Invercargill; and on Tuesday, May 28, and Wednesday, May 29, at Gore. It is probable that another sitting will bo held in Duncdin on Thursday, May 3D.

A letter just received in Duncdin from an -English firm which exports printing papers supplies fcho following particulars regarding the present position of the paper market: —"We think it well for you to" know that the present condition of the paper market is a very serious one, as under the new regulations, which came into force on March 1, wo are allowed to purchase only half the quantity bought over tho previous 12 months, and this added to previous reductions means that we shall obtain only one-sixth of the paper wo bought in the year before the war. Prices have advanced tremendously, and no grade can be bought to-day under Is per lb except the very cheapest quality of tinted printings and news. Although the American market is available, wo find that the difficulties of shipping and transport over there arc even greater than here, as tho United States Government has. taken complete charge of all the means of carriage."

The prevalence of infectious diseases in many parts just now was discussed at the meeting of the Otago Education Board on Thursday The Chairman (the Hon. D. T. Fleming) said that a certain amount of scarlatina was going about, and he suggested that all schools should bo disinfected during the coming holidays. The secretary of the board (Mr S. M. Park) stated that four schools had had to be closed on account of epidemics. Mr Wal* lace and other members referred to the prevalence of scarlet fever andl of a form of blood-poisoning, and it was decided to circularise all school committees as to the importance of having all school buildings thoroughly disinfected during the coming holidays.

At a meeting of the Professorial Board of Otago University on Thursday evening. Professor Benham was re-elected as the member of the Senate. The following were elected members of the Board of Studies:— Professors Benham, Gilray, Inglis, Jack, and Thompson.

Practically, the "whole of the retail drapers engaged in the trade in the city have arrived at an arrangement under which a charge will be made for sending goods on approval to all customers in city and suburbs as from the Ist of next month. This has been forced on them by the increased cost of delivery, the prospect of a much reduced supply of petrol, and the difficulty of obtaining goods to ensure full stocks.

The case of Weir v. Horwood, claim £IM) compensation, will come ■ before the Supreme Court on the 23rd inst., and tho case of Timms v. Hamilton, claim £2OO damages, on tho 22nd inst. The other cases are: Mowat v< Ellis, claim £IOO for damages and an injunction; Duncan v. Duncan, claim for possession of an allotment and £lO mesne profits until possession is given; Moss v. Collcdge, claim £550 damages for breach of agreement; Burton Bros. v. Eraser, judgment for £387 15s, refusal to perform ascertain contract; Baker v. Baker, and M'Neill v. M'Neill and Crichton, petitions for dissolution of mar-

riage. In the latter of the two petitions in divorce an order has been made striking out a claim of £SOO damages.

The Military Medical Board, consisting of Surgeon Lieutenant-colonel Guthrie and Surgeon-captain Nedwill, with Lieutenant Moffatt as attesting officer, completed the Dunedin examination on Friday, eo far as the men called up in the last ballot were concerned. The total number of .men examined was 684-, and the number passed medically fit (including those classed CI) was 256.

The first auction sale since the requisition of hides by the Imperial Government terminated was held in Dunedin on Thursday. Contrary to expectations, both tanners and shippers appeared quito indifferent whether they got hides or not, and in consequence the bulk of the better class hides were passed in, selling brokers not being prepared to accept the very sharp decline on late ruling values. Hides are wanted both for local use and for shipment, and it is expected that before long satisfactory competition will bo forthcoming at auction sules throughout the dominion. Evidently tho reservist who shirks his duty by being reported "missing" after the notification reaches him that he has been called on for service, is not so far to seek in Southland (says the Southland Times). A party of sportsmen from Invercargill who penetrated inland beyond Mossburn a few weeks ago bring back a talo which smacks faintly of the adventures and lives of the outlaws of the days of old. It is stated that close to where the party were camped no fewer than nine deserters had made their temporry home. Supported in their tale by a complete set of the required instruments, the men had stated that they were surveyors. They lived on what thoy shot (it is said every man had a rifle) reinforced by stores purchased from the nearest settlement. The tale runs that tho police got to hear of the party, and the " surveyors " got to hoar of the suspicions of the police, so one day they " trekked," it is presumed to the West Coast. The quarterly meeting of the Public Service Superannuation Board was held at Wellington last week. Eleven contributors retired under section 35 of the Act, by reason of ago or length-of service, were granted allowances totalling £1739 17s per annum, and eight contributors, retired as medically unfit for duty, were granted annual allowances aggregating £BO9 9s. Eighteen widows and children were granted tho statutory allowances, amounting to £493 per annum. The board declined to grant a retiring allowance to one contributor whom it was sought to have retried as medically unfit. Of three contributors medically re-

examined, it was resolved to continue the allowances in two cases, and in the other oaso tho board resolved to ask tho Publio Servic# Commissioner to find suitable employment for tho contributor. In consequence of' retirements under section 35 of the Act, accrued compensation to tho amount of £5182 8s lOd became a liability of tho Superannuation Fund and a corresponding relief to tho Consolidated Fund.

Tho Macquarie Island party which has arrived back at Bluff reports a successful season, there being about 700 barrels of oil ready to ship (states the Southland Times). The vessel chartered to bring the oil up, however, was unable to get off more than 57 barrels owing to the very rough weather. There is no landing place, and the barrels have to be rolled out through the surf and rafted to tho boat. While assisting in this work, the headman, " Otto Bowers," as ho was commonly called, became unwell and was escorted to one of the huts by two members of the party, where he said _he would have a rest. On returning some time after to see how he was getting on'-they were astonished to find that he was dead, and had been so for some time. His right name was F. Otto Gauer, and he was a German by birth, although he generally called himself "Otto Bowers." Deceased, who was 39 years of age, had been working at tho Macquaries for 16 seasons, and on his last trip to the dominion he was married to a daughter of Mr J. Hatch, a prominent member of the Southern Isles Exploitation Company, which holds the rights over the Macquaries. Figures which have been compiled relating to the conscientious objectors to military service/ at Homo show that 72 men have served sentences of two years' hard labour, and of the 5236 who have been handed over to the military 4680 have been court-martialled for refusing to obey orders and sentenced to hard labour. Further, 3515 have been court-martialled once, 592 'twice, 502 three timers, 68 four times, and three livo times, while 18 have died since arrest.

Statistics that have been made public by the Food Administration of the United States show that from July 1, 1914, to January 1, 1918, there was exported from that country to the European allies of the United States sufficient food to furnish complete yearly rations f<3r 57,100,933 persons. The exports of wheat and wheat flour to the Unitedi Kingdom, France, and Italy ■were equivalent to about 354,000,000 bushels. The pork exports amounted to almost 2,000,000,000 lb. Sugar exports to the threo principal Allies averaged 648,000,000 lb yearly. Fresh beef exports amounted to 443,484,00010 in the threo years and a-half, cheese exports totalled 103,465,4261 b and condensed milk 126,356,6791 b. The United Eingdom received enough food to furnish complete rations to 27,334,441 persons for one year, and France enough to furnish 15,000,000 persons for a year. Italy received complete rations for about 7,250,000 men each year.

Writing in the Pail Mall Gazette, "The Clubman" tells, a story which, he says, .has been going the round of the naval ports. Ai ascertain naval base the Commander-in-Chief evolved a theory that the oil patches which often rise to the surface when depth charges are exploded do not necessarily come from a stricken U boat, but may be generated by the high explosives in the depth charge itself. To test this theory, he went out one day on a destroyer with a number of anti-submarine experts. The first chaise was exploded at a considerable depth below water, and nothing happened. The next one was touched off about 20 feet down, and sure enough up came a perfect deluge of oil. But while the Commander-in-Chief was still chuckling over this vindication of his pet theory, the destroyer captain observed that the speed of his boat was falling off, and just then the engineer rushed on deck in a fine frenzy. The second depth charge, it transpired, had blown a hole in the destroyer's oil tanks! In December (says our Wellington correspondent) the Tuapoka Times published very soiious statements regarding alleged excessive drinking among the New Zealand soldiers at the wet canteen in Sling Camp, They appeared m a letter supposed to have been written by a soldier in the camp. The Minister of Defence referred the statements- to the Officer Commanding the New Zealanuors at Sling, and he has just received replies to his inquiries. AIV the officers state that there is no excessive drinking in the canteen, and that numbers of the cases of drunkenness which do occur are among men who have, while en leave, visited hotels outside tho camp. A Presbyterian chaplain writes as follows:—"I must protest against the defamation of our soldiers and the alarming of their New Zealand friends by the publication of such misleading and pernicious correspondence." A medical officer also denies that anything in tho nature of excess in liquor exists in the camp.

When the magistrate had loft tlio bench on Friday, after sentencing the Rev. J. H. G. Chappie to II months' imprisonment, tho crowd in the court, which consisted mostly of women, filed past the prißOr.ec and shook him by tire hand. One woman's feelings overcame her (says tho Lyttelton Times), and in a strident voice she shrieked, " (Jail himself a man 1 How dare they condemn a man like that. I don't care for man. I would do it myself rather than him, a, man with 14 childraa ai;d a wife that has got to battle for herself." The crowd waited outside for some time, but fir.-olly dispersed. Mr C. J. M'Kenzie (District Public Works Engineer) returned on Saturday night from an extensive tour embracing Kaitangata, Lawrence, and the goldfie'ds. Mr M'Kenzie states that trouble is still being experienced with tho lock at tho Kaitangata Canal, and that, as the pumping and other operations havo failed to clear tho water from the lock, other means of coping with the difficulty will havo to be adopted. Several of tho necessary buildings have been erected at tho Cromwell end of th-e gorge railway, and a goods train runs over the lino. The quantity of goods of all descriptions being carried over tho lino la considered to be most satisfactory, and

during the season now ending heavy parcels of fruit were sent in to the Cromwell loading platform. Work on the new bridge at Arthur's Point is proceeding steadily, and the structure should bo completed about the end of the year. The ribs of both arches aro now in, but as the heavy frosts preclude concreting work, the winter months will be occupied in pulling down the old bridge. The weather has been beautifully fine in tho goldfields, taking it all round, since the beginning of April. Tho police have practically given up hope of discovering the body of Oswald Mayhew, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Mr G. Burke at Kakanui. A number of policemen are, however, still prosecuting the search. Right from the beginning of ' the search nothing which might be regarded as a tangible trace of Mayhew has been discovered. The police theory inclines to the belief that Mayhew has shot himself, in preference to the theory that he might have drowned himself, as he was, it is considered, too good a swimmer to adopt the latter means of self-destruction — that is, of course, if he has committed suicide. Mayhew, however, had suicidal as well as momicidal tendencies, and a few years ago, when at Falmerston North, cut his wrist so badly in an attempt to cause death by bleeding as to necessitate 13- stitches being put in by a doctor. Two military deserters from camp, Frederick Henry Paintin and William George Price, were arrested at the home of the latter in Victoria street, Christchurch, early on Friday morning (says tho Press). A party of detectives and constables, numbering 10, under charge of Detective Sergeant Gibson, left tho police station at 3 a.m., and, proceeding to the house, surrounded it. When it was daylight, Detective Sergeant Gibson knocked at the door, which was opened by an elderly lady. She attempted to lock the door, but the police pushed their way in, and, in spite of the woman's attempts to impede thern, discovereel their quarry in the attic. They were conveyed to the police station, anel later were handed ever to tho military authorities. A resident of Springburn, says the Ashr bin-ton Guardian, ha,s discovered a locality in the upper reaches „■ of the Ashburton River which ho considers could be easily tapped in order to generate power to supply electricity to Methven anel Ashburton. Some local residents have become interested in the scheme, and arrangements will be made at an early date to visit the locality. Sir William Frasor has promised the Ashburton County Council to visit Mount Somers'district, and lie will inspect the lives at the point suggested * Acting Vice-Admiral Roger, Keyes, C.M.G., D. 5.0., is just the man for a "cutting-out" expedition like those of Zcebrugge and Ostend, During the Boxer rising in ISOO he was a lieutenant anel led a cutting-out expedition up the mouth of the I'ei-ho River, passeel the Taku forts at its mouth, anel cut out three rew Chinese destroyers, taking oho after another by boarding, cutlass and pistol in hand, quite in tho old style. For this exploit ho was promoted Commander. When the war broke out he- held the rank of commodore in command of the submarine flotilla, and his exploits in the Bight of Heligoland made possible '"Bcatty's Heligoland" at the end of August, 1914. He is credited with having penetrated up the mouth of the Elbe a good way beyond Cuxhaven. Tho admiral was born in 1872, and attained the rank of rear-admiral during 1917, and during the war has won the C.M.G. and D.S.O. He succeeded'-- Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon in command of the Dover Patrol. His father, the late General Sir Charles Keyes, C.8.G., was a dashing Mutiny hero, who could handle both cavalry and infantry with tho same brilliancy. When a British vessel is torpedoed, at does not mean the end of the mail matter, as the following letter from the New Zealand Base Army Post Office, Mount Pleasant, London, which ha 3 been forwarded to a lady at Kaiapoi, shows: —" I have to advise you that a parcel from New Zealand, addiossed to you, has been received here, after being salved from a torpeeloed ship, with tho contemti, a cake, m such a state it was necessary to elestroy it. A letter, which was enclosed, is forwarded herewith. —Fred Koldsworth, Major, Director ArmyPostal Service." To another soldier on service intimation was sent that an empty tin, which was forwarded, had contained a little sugar, which had been dissolved by the sea water. Tho memoranda enclosed in the parcels in both cases were written in ink pencil, and reached the senders in a fairly legible condition. One of the strange meotings which the war has brought about took place recently iji France (says the New Zealand Herald). An Auckland boy, who is a gunner hi a New Zealand battery, was struck in tho thigh by a machine-gun bullet, which remained embedded in the flesh. By chance ho was sent to a Canadian field hospital. An X-ray examination was necessary to locate the bullet, and when th© gunner was on tho table the operator, having noticed his name on the list, astounded him by remarking in a long slow drawl i " Ever been to ——i" mentioning a Maori place name, " I was born there," said the gunner. " Well, I guess we're cousins," said tho Canadian, and cousins they proved to be. Tho New Zealander'e branch of th© family camo hero over 50 years ago, and he knew as little about his Canadian relations as the Canadian knew about his. But it was left to the wheel of chance to bring the two men together in the X-ray room of a field hospital in France. For the first time in the history of New York "coo-ees" echoed amongst the skyscrapers of the city as a body of Australian troops marched up Broadway on May 4, states a cable message to tno commonwealth newspapers. The Australians, who had all seen service and were diverted to America to assist in tho Liberty Loan campaign, were commanded by Colonel W. K. Fethers, D. 5.0., of Melbourne, and were greeted by tremendous cheering as they entered tho city. They were greeted by the Mayor of New York. Tho Australians were given the freedom of the principal theatres, and a, full round

of entertainments was arranged to fill ill the timo available before their early departure for England. They invaded Wall .Street in order to aid the Liberty Loan, and some of the officers spoke, being received with the wildest enthusiasm. New York newspapers devote columns to descriptions, interviews, photographs and appreciations of the Australian soldiers. The iS'cw York Tribune, in a leading articlo with the heading, "Hail to the Anzacs," says: "As we see the bravo Anzacs marching up Broadway there is a tug at our emotion such as this city has not known before. No wonder the crowds cheered so lustily. We recognise these frontiersmen of Australia as our own brothers. Wo are proud of their deathless record in the fight for truth and righteousness." A witness in a case before the Military Service Board at Auckland, who has been employed as a farmer for a number of years, was asked by Major Conlan, military representative, whether he would bo willing to take over "the lease of the farm from his employer, a single man, who had been called up. The witness, who is in class B of tho Second Division, and who recently received a legacy of £ISOO, stated that if he was classed C2 he intended to buy a farm of his own, and ho would not think of taking over appellant's farm. Major Conlan stated that any man classified 02 was liable to be called up and sent to camp to do homo service at soldier's pay. Tho only reason why reservists classed C2 were not thus dealt with was booausa there was no work for them to do. It was open to him to recommend that any rejected reservist should be ordered to do heme service, and, in view of tho disinclination of witness to assist so as to release a single man fit for active service, he would, if witness were rejected, censider making an application to have him sent to camp to work at 5s a day.