NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3353, 19 June 1918, Page 43

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Military Police at Christchurch had. in custody £n the 12th 11 deserters and absentees, principally gathered in on the West Coast, 'lhese men were sent to camp under escort.

Although the training camps are fairly fuii, the health of the troops is particularly good. June has been a bad month in other years, but tiio camps at present are liee from epidemics. During tho discharge of coal from the Pohcrua with a grab lifting about a ton, a hook or grab, to which the hoisting chain was attached, snapped, and a grab full of. ooal foil back into tho ship, fortunately, no men were working in the hold at thu time.

The Marshall and Caroline Islands were German, but are now in the occupation of the Japanaese forces. The population of the Marshals is estimated at 15,000, and of the Carolines at 55.000. The imports for 1912 of both groups were £122,000, the exports £352,000. At Hamilton on the 13th Frederick Jones and Robert -vVhittcn were charged with using their shop as a common gaminghouse,- and were fined £25 each. Whittcn was further charged with betting with an infant. He was fined £25. Notice of appeal was given. At Auckland on the 12th August Ockcrstron, a milk vendor, was charged with having sold milk containing added water. The evidence was that an analysis showed 15 per cent, added water. The milk was originally very rich. Tho defendant_ was fined £2O, the' conviction to be advertised. The Minister of Public Works, said on the 13th that preparations were being made for the meeting of ihe House of Representatives next session in the new chamber of Parliament Buildings. It is expected that parliament will be called together about 'the middle of October, when both the chamber and thr lobby will be ready for the accommodation of members. »>*'" ,

At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Horticultural Society the president (Mr_ B. S. Irwin) said there was a slight shrinkage in membership from 461 to 450, due, no doubt, to married men being called up. Mr Irwin was re-elected president, and Messrs R. Nichol, A. Miller, and T. Scott re-elected vice-presidents. A committee of 13 members and six ladies was appointed. An interesting lecture on underground warfare was- delivered at a meeting of the Otago Institute by Professor D. B. Waters, who served with a Tunnelling Corps in France for nearly two years with the rank of captain. By means of diagrams ho was able to makf clear how underground warfare was conducted, and he explained how the opposing forces tried to outwit each other.

At a meeting of the Professorial Board of the University of Otago resolutions were passed congratulating Dr John William Salmond, Solicitor-general, on having had the honour of Knighthood bestowed upon him, and congratulating Professor H. Lindo Ferguson on his Majesty conferring on him the honour of Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. The Society for the Protection of Women and Children has passed a resolution protesting against the proposed removal of Mr M'Carthy from the Wellington bench of magistrates, asserting that he has administered ~ the law fearlessly and consistently, and has made the streets much safer for children and old people, and has fostered every attempt to safeguard the interests of home and family life. Sir James Allen, referring to a statement concerning the alleged* ill-treatment of military prisoners in the Wanganui Detention Barracks, stated that he had made some preliminary inquiries, and the reports so far indicated that things were satisfactory, but he was taking steps to have a full investigation made. Instructions had been given by a defence officer who recently visited the barracks to see that no illtreatment of prisoners took place, and he had issued instructions himself to the same effect.

At a largely-attended meeting convened by the Mayor of Petone (Mr J. W. M'Ewan) the following resolution was carried unanimously:—"That this meeting of citizens of Petone wishee emphatically to protest to the Minister of Justice and the Acting Prime Minister against the removal of Mr S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., from Welling ton to Wanganui, and would ask that he be kept at his present duties in Wellington until Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., is released from his duties on the Military Service Board.

Mr H. F. Hallingsworth delivered a lecture on the 12th in the Technical College on vegetable-growing. He emphasised the importance of drainage, deep and thorough trenching, the use of well-rotted stable manure. He dealt with the value of lime. Artificial manure did not improve the soil, as it did not add humus to it. Ho was not in favour of much uso of the hose, but was a great believer in the Dutch hoe to keep the surface of the ground open. Before planting cabbage and cauliflower plants he advocated dipping in a thick mixture of clay, horse manure, and soot. A young man named William Henry Fenn was committed for_ trial at the Supreme Court by Mr Cruickshank, S.M.. at Invercargill last week on a charge of the alleged forging and uttering of a\cheque for £7O. The accused had been in treaty with Mr Campbell, cycle agent, and the cheque drawn in the name of Mr Fox was tendered in payment *>f an account for £37 odd. As change Mr '"Campbell's cheque for £33 w.as given. The cheque was cashed, and accused paid away the cash to several business firms to which he owed money. Although arrested two hours after uttering the cheque, he had spent most of the £33. A memorial service to the late Nurse Isabel Clarke, who was drowned when the Marquette was sunk in the JEgean Sea,/was held in Oamaru last week under the auspices of the Waitaki Hijrh *School Old Girls' Association. Miss _ Ferguson, the lady principal, and Chaplain Burridge, who was on tho Marquette at the time, were present. The Rev. Mr Hunter addressed those present, and explaine-d that the memorial to be placed in the school took the form of an enlarged photograph of Nurse Clarke, and draped with the union Jack. Chanlain Burridge in the course of his remarks said he did not know Nurse Clarke .very well, but he could remember her as a heroic and noble woman. The work of women in this war was magnificent.