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Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 3

At Wednesday's meeting of the Gtago Land Board four applications were received from soldiers for the purchase of residential, properties under the Soldiers' Settlement Act, and in connection therewith advances to the amount of £2305 were approved. As an instance of the unreliability of departmental estimates of cost of works, tho Commonwealth Government's acetate of limo factory stands in a lurid light. _ According to an official information furnished to the House of Representatives, at tho request of Mr Gregory (W.A.), the cosb to date of the factory has been £97,000. The original approved estimate of its cost was £40,000. This was subsequently doubled, tho figures being increased to £BO,OOO. The latest estimate of the complete cost is £107,000. What the actual cost may prove to be at the end no ono can gay. Included in tho list of Australian winners of the Victoria Cross published recently, was the name of "Sergeant Sexton," of the 13th Battalion (New South Wales). "Sergeant Sexton's" real name —although he is thus designated in the official military records. —is Sergeant Maurice V. Buckley. Ho is a son of Mr and Mrs T, Buckley, of M'Arthur street, Malvern, Victoria. And thereby hangs a tale (says the Melbourno Age). Sergeant Buckley enlisted in Victoria in December, 1914. Prior to the date upon which he should have embarked for the front, he was given leave in the usual way. Ho went to Sydney for a short holiday, i but inadvertently overstayed hia leavo there. The position caused him anxiety. Rather than return to Melbourno he enlisted in the 13th Battalion under the name of Sexton.

The problem of the disposal of army horses was referred to in a speech in London by Sir William Birkbeclc, Director of Remounts. He said that there were 250,000 horses with the British armies abroad. Britain had been denuded of 17 per cent, of its working horses for tha armies, while 700,000 had been purchased in America. Regarding their disposal, Si* William Birkbeclc stated that Belgium waa being supplied with 50,000 to assist in reconstruction while a large number would bo wanted in Franco for similar work. It was intended to sell 25,000 in England by the end of January. The speaker remarked that the army wastage of horses had been less s than was experienced, in commercial firms before the war. The- suggestion that the restrictions in> posed by the Mortgages Extension Act, 1914, should not be allowed to remain any longer than is absolutely necessaryi in orde* that borrowers may net be g_iven an tuofai» advantage, waa -referred to Sir Francis BeU

(Attorney-general), last, week (says the New Zealand Herald). The operation of the Act has been continued from year to year ipnd the opinion has been expressed locally

ithat instead of' the restriction being removed gradually, the best way would be to give a few months' notice to all mortgagors affected. Sir Franraia stated fiiat the Act

provided that, for a period not exceeding six months after the war ceases, a mortgagee cannot call up his money without the leave of the Supreme Court, and as far as he knew the Government had no intention of altering this. At any rate he would say that the matter had not been considered by the Government. He remarked that the people who were complaining that they could not call up their money were those who would not take the matter to the Supreme Court, as they were entitled to under the Act. He was of the opinion that the period which the Government would fix when giving notice of its intention to remove the restrictions of the Act would be sufficient for the protection of mortgagors.

Some workers employed at Vesty's meat works, Port Darwin, have seen the " slow strike" from a new point of view. Some girls employed as waitresses in the men's dining-room demanded from the men, who are their employers, their steamer fares from the south, a privilege granted to other employees. This the men lefused, whereupon the waitresses went on waiting, but only carried one plate at a time, and that in a leisurely, dignified way, more befitting a duchess than a waitress. The result was that very few of the men got all that they wanted, and some got nothing at all before the whistle sounded. One man, explaining the situation to an outsider, said: "The little beggar brought me a plate of beef, but no vegetables, and there was no salt on the table. I said, ' Get a move on, Sissy,' and she said very politely, ' I am sorry you are kept waiting,' but she never brought another thing. I filled the gaps with bread and jam, and next day, blest If all the bread and jam hadn't been moved, and I didn't get a bite of anything. Fair terrors they are, and they ? ll have to get what they want." . >

The unique but trying experience of being locked in a freezing chamber all night fell, to the lot of Mr Andrew Blake, a freezing chamber hand employed in the Gisborne Freezing Works (states the Gisborne Times). The men were engaged a few days ago in loading operations in connection with the Port Sydney, and about 6.30 p.m. the chamber door was clsoed, Mr Blake by some oversight, being looked in the freezing chamber. Nothing whatever was known of the matter until about 3.30 a.m., when the chamber was again opened to continue work, and the unfortunate man was found "in a state of collapse. He was assisted home in a weak state, the ordeal of being nine hours enclosed in a freezing chamber having reduced him to a low state of vitality. By the use of hot water bottles and stimulants his condition was reported to be greatly improved. Once the door of the chamber is closed not sound whatever therein can reach anyone outside. The unfortunate man hammered the door in the hopes of someone hearing the noise, and also to try to keep himself warm. Finding himself becoming weak, ho was obliged to keep hitting himself to maintain the blood circulation, and when rescued his condition was extremely low.

In war the Germans have shown that they are absolutely without scruple; even in peace it would seem they have done serious mischief in Australia. To the Germans (says an Australian exchange) is attributed the presence of the arch enemy of the landholder, the stink wort. It is not generally known that this 'noxious weed was first planted by Germans at Bright, according to official records, for alleged medicinal purposes. Dysentery was Hie only stated ailment upon which the wort was supposed to have a curative effect. But records disclose no cure of any kind. On the other hand, the weed has become an intolerable nuisance, and a growing menace. It has crept over what were previously choice pastoral and agricultural areas, has stunted natural growths, and reduced the potentialities of the country in a marked degree. It has laid the foundation to bad temper and bad crops, and now so serious have its ravages become that a prominent institution loaning money on landed assets has closed its doors to applicants where lands may be affected by the pest. Gratification was expressed in the Mines Statement, presented to Parliament in the recent session, at the infrequency of accidents in or about the coal mines of the dominion in the year (1917) then under review. The proportion of deaths was exactly 1 per 1000 persons employed, and 1.93 per 1,000,000 tons raised. On two occasions only during the history of coal mining in Now Zealand has the annual propgrtion been lees. The figures also compare favourably with those obtaining in Great Britain, which generally stands ahead of all other countries as regards the low proportion of fatal colliery accidents. In the North Island collieries no iatal accident occurred during the year. Fox a period of six years no fatal

accident had occurred at any State colliery; and there had been for four successive years an immunity from fatal accidents In the coal mines of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, over which Mr E. R. Green exercises control as inspector.

It is of interest to read that a severe attack of influenza was experienced in the North Island as far back as 1839. In the late Mr Ro. Carrick's book, " Historical Records of New Zealand South," the following extract is reproduced from the Hobart Courier of March 1, 1839 : ". . . . The master of the Elizabeth and three of her passengers from the port fell victims to the influenza, which was laging in New Zealand with great violence, especially among the Natives. During the stay of H.M. Pelorus [in New Zealand! -Mrs Wilson, the wife of a missionary, died of the complaint. Mr Williams, the head of the mission, had been absent on a missionary visit round the coast, and returned from Tauranga in the beginning of January."

Richard Sainsbury, hairdresser, was charged in the Police Court recently with keeping open his saloon during the influenza epidemic in contravention of the regulations made under section 18 of the Public Health Act. At the conclusion of the hearing the magistrate (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) reserved his decision for the purpose of considering the legal argument advanced by Mr W. Hay, who appeared for the defendant. In the court on the Bth Mr Bartholomew, in giving hie decision, said he had not reached the length of considering counsel's arguments. Under section 21 of the Public Health Act proceedings must be taken by the district health officer or a person authorised by him. This information had been laid by the court orderly without any evidence of authorisation, and therefore he would dismiss the case without prejudice.

The changeable and frequently inclement weather which has been experienced for. several weeks past has necessarily had the effect of making the season later for all classes of produce. From the point of view of the householder, this has been particularly noticeable in the case of fruit. The crop of most classes of fruit this year will unfortunately be smaller than usual, a frost on Christmas morning having, we are informed, extended the damage attributable to previous late frosts. In the case of strawberries, apparently the one fruit of which the supply in the shops has been at least equal to, if not in excess of, the average, the Beason is estimated to be fully four weeks behind that of a normal year, and it is expected that it will last for other three weeks. The quality of this fruit does not seem to have been affected by the adverse conditions that have obtained.

"With the object of investigating the banking business methods in New Zealand, two prominent representatives of the Canadian Bank of Commerce are at present visiting the chief centres in the dominion. They are Mr S. H. Logan (supervisor of the foreign branch) and Mr G. H. B. Heathcote (manager of the San Francisco branch). By an overwhelming majority the members of the Police Force have decided to remain attached to the Public Service Association (remarks the association's journal). The exact voting was:—-Against any association, 35; for a Police Association, 87; for the Public Service Association, 697.

The use of wireless telegraphy and telephony was explained by the well-known expert from America, Dr Lee de Forest, who recently arrived in London. His chief invention, the audion lamp, is' in use all over the world. Its function is to receive and amplify the sound waves, which by its means can be magnified a million times without affecting their tonal qualities. "All the United States airplanes," said Dr de Forest, "are now fitted with this apparatus, which has made it possible for the pilot to roceive a message in the air despite the noise of his engine. Our signal corps, too, in the trenches are using the same apparatus of a move portable kind, and they have an effective range of from four to five miles. Simply by moving a switch the apparatus can be used for either telegraphic or telephonic work." The probability of a continuance of high prices for textile goods is indicated in the following extract from a market report from London: —"While the general trade buyers have been standing still during the last few days, there has been enormous buying by Government officials to clothe people in such places as Belgium and France, who have been practically in prison during the last four years. "Wo are informed that these peoplo are almost without clothing, and the Government is absorbing all goods it can Eut its hands on to send these people. It i known that in the banks in Manchester

there are large deposits for the purchase of cotton goods for the Balkan States. The majority of manufacturers of calicoes and sheetings are requiring 12 months for delivery, whilst regarding woollen goods, wo only this day received advice from a Bradford firm with referenco to an order recently placed, that October of next year is the earliest delivery they can offer. We believe higher prices will continue for at least another two years. . The whole of Europe will be competing for supplies of raw cotton and wool, which will tend to a further increase in prices. The cost of labour in England is sure to continue high." No sooner have wo settled down, says an Australian writer (though lots of us find : it still impossible to do so), to the idea of peace, than the pleasure-as-usuals begin to plan about running overseas, and here and there, and with stupefying callousness, talk gaily of "doing the battlefields," as though this terrible war was just a rehearsal for a military film, and they are off to see the finished performance! But it will be many a day before the troops of tho Allies are all off French soil, and many a day after that before the French authorities will allow their country to be overrun by gazing tourists. A warning has been issued to globe trotters that they may book for the overseas trip, but there is no promise that they can get back within a specified time. Anyone can take the voyage over (who after the full and plenty of our war fare can put up with the rationing that must still go on in England for some time), but it might be two or even three years before they can get back.

There is a party of French manufacturers now in Lancashire, placing orders for some millions sterling worth of looms destroyed or stolen by the Germans (says a London paper on October 29). Of course, these, orders can only bo filled with the consent of the Government, as all loom manufacturers are now controlled. At any rate, the Frenchmen intend to get their orders on the books first. The Japanese have agents travelling through the country buying up looms, no matter how old, at prices three and four times higher than those obtained before the war. The Jap. since the war ha 3 already secured a large part of the market in the Far East in the cheaper cotton cloths, and he is now no doubt making a bid for a still larger share of the cotton trade that was once the monopoly of Lancashire.

A graphic account....of the piercing of the Otira tunnel has bee-R. given by an

engineer of the Public Works Department. He wrote the description of the incident for a friend in London, the latter guve the letter to an Anglo-New Zealand journal for publication, and the extract returned to New Zealand by the last mail: "It was rather an anxious timei as the headings got nearer and nearer," the engineer wrote. " When 100 ft of, rock intervened small chips: would come down at one end when charges were fired at the other. At 60ft we had to. stop one end for fear of accident from falling rock. Up to the last week we had informed the men of the distance, but after that we kept them in the dark. The last length of steel, 10m, was put in, and the rock drill flew at > it with a roar. The steel worked in with all eyes glued to it until it came to the end. According to calculation we had still 18in to go, and so decided to load up with explosive. We had got very distinct replies to our tapping. Things were getting, very exciting. The shaft boss loaded up 4in of the hole with thirteen double plugs of gelatine. And then we retired. When it went offl we reckoned by the sound that nothing had happened, and we ran back rather leisurely. We had not got half way to the face when I heard cheering. I let out a yell, and was soon congratulating the other engineer through the hole. We were like a lot of school kids, peeping through the hole and calling out messages." The Ruahine will take 6000 crates of cheese from the smaller coastal ports, 6000 crates of butter from Port Chalmers, and 9500 boxes of butter and 2100 crates of cheese from Lyttelton. The Suevic will take 7830 crates of cheese from Port Chalmers..

Numerous inquiries have been made at the Lands Office in Dunedin by soldiers who were in camp and were discharged at the time of demobilisation as to whether they are eligible to take up land under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act. The answer is that they are not. The definition of "discharged soldier" under the Act is as follows: "Discharged soldier means any person who (a) has been a member of the New Zealand Naval Forces or of any Expeditionary Force, (b) has served beyond New Zealand in connection with the present war, (c) has returned to New Zealand, and (d) has received his. discharge from service either before or after his return to New Zealand."

Forty passengers made a flight over London in the' latest type of Handley-Page biplane early in November. The machine flew over Hendon to St. Pancras, and, after following the course of the Thames for a time, travelled over the West End and Buckingham Palace at a height of about 6500 ft. The return journey was made over Edgeware road to Hendon, and thence to the aerodrome. The passengers included 10 ladies. The " record" number of passengers carried by an aeroplane flying over London until this flight was 20, this number having been carried in a Handley-Page machine in the summer of 1916.

Not long ago, many a dairy farmer's head was turned with visions of enormous profits from dried milk; the yield was to be equivalent to 3s 6d or more per lb of butter-fat. The war had already filliped prices to points ..far beyond the wildest imaginings of fivo year 3 ago, but those golden returns were to be doubled. At the time when the dried-milk picture was being painted with very rosy tints, the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonalS (Minister of Agriculture), and the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands) spoke - plain words of warning (says the Wellington Post). Following up that advice for caution, the Department of Agriculture is sending an officer to America, to make a thorough in-

vestigation or all processes of treatment and marketing of milk (particularly dried jnilk enterprise). . The officer will ascertain the extent of the present plan for drying milk, and the prospective or probable development, and what demand for this product may be expected in the world's markets. The purpose of the department is to obtain all available information to enable it to give the best possible advice to dairy farmers on the question of assuring a maximum steady profit per cow.

Sir Walter Raleigh is generally credited with having introduced both the potato and tobacco into England, and every schoolboy has read of how his Irish servingmain throw water over him on discovering him smoking in the garden of his house at Youghal, (says the Westminster Gazette). But there is a fair amount of evidence to show that potatoes and tobacco were known this side of the Atlantic some years before Sir Walter Raleigh popularised them, and in all probability Sir Francis Drake was the first to bring the tuber that is "doing ite bit" in the war from the New World. At any rate, there is a statue of Sir Francis Drake in existence with the inscription : "To the immortal introducer of the .potato into Europe," but it is in Germany —at Offenburg, Baden —and few, I am afraid," will now accept any statement originating in Germany without plenty of independent corroboration.

Italy does not quite understand Scotland, as anyone knows who has' seen Italian " Highlanders" in " Lucia di Lammermoor." At a Red Cross concert to which British and American soldiers contributed in Milan a tenor came forward and sang a serious and most melancholy song of Scotland. The manner of rendering was very emotional. The singer, gazing ceilingwards, took up sorrowful attitudes, and drawled his lament with tearful and heartfelt expression, but the audience, imagining that it was listening to another comic turn, was soon on the borders of hysterics. The Oarabinieri being informed to the contrary, they vainly tried to restore order, but in vain. The singer, however, appeared quite unconscious of the effeot he was creating, and continued, in more senses than one, the even " tenor" of his way, becoming, if anything, more pathetic, which made the people shout all the louder. Poorly paid pastors was the burden of Sir Henry Lunn's remarks made in the Methodist Recorder. "In one circuit, with four ministers, an appeal was made for a war bonus," stated Sir Henry. "The total response was under £25. In another oirouit, with which I am well acquainted, in a town of 60,000 inhabitants, the whole place is prospering as it never prospered before. I/'know business men there intimately, and they tell me that they have never known anything like the plethora of wealth which is pouring into the town. Every available room has been occupied for weeks and months, and the town is still orowded. And yet nothing has been done in this circuit to supplement the allowances of our ministers." He asserted that in Cardiff and Swansea there were two Methodist millionaires who could alone have settled the • question of reasonable pay for the needy Methodist ministers, and never have felt the weight of their donation. In the operations in Palestine invaluable aid was given by the Arab forces of the King of Hejaz, which swooped upon Deraa, iii the desert ( east of Lake Galilee, and destroyed the railways radiating from that junction to Damascus, Palestine, and Medina. It is piquant to learn from the Echo de Paris that the organiser of this desert cavalry, which inflicted heavy losses on tho Turks for many months past, is a young archaeologist of- the British Museum staff, Colonel Lawrence. Somehow, whenever Great Britain needs a man to perform a difficult and delicate task of this kind among strange peoples, the man appears. Colonel Lawrence, according to the Pall Mall Gazette, was the officer who arranged the exchange of wounded after the fall of Kut, when he went blindfolded into the Turkish lines. It is also said that the Turks, well aware of his feat of organisation among the Arabs, had put a price upon his head. !

Additional facts concerning the progress of the demobilisation of New Zealand troops were given by Mr A. Harris, M.P., when speaking at a thanksgiving social at Takapuna on the 6th (states the New Zealand Herald). Mr Harris, who said his information came from a thoroughly reliable source, stated that six ships carrying wounded men had loft England in December, while another five were leaving during the present month. These 11 ships would bring 10,000 men, or practically all the sick and wounded, exclusive of the pot cases. It was estimated that there would be 50,000 troops in England and Franco, and 4000 in Egypt. In addition there were about 3000 wives and dependents, and another 3000 civilian workers and members of the British military and naval forces. There were also the personnel of the Young Men T 3 Christian Association, the New Zealand War Contingent Association, and the New Zealand Red Cross. If peace should be signed in March it was estimated that it would take practically 12 months to bring all the combatants and -non-combatants back to New Zealand.

" I have removed the human lung from the chest cavity with forceps, tied its bleeding blood .vessels, cleansed its outer surfaco, and, whilst still holding it in my hands and manipulating it as you would a handkerchief, I haze run thin pieces of gauze up its tracts. Feeling my *vay carefully along its walls I have removed a bullet or shell fragment. Then, after suturing the aperture, I have placed the respiratory organs back into the cavity of the chest In two-thirds of the cases upon ■which I have so operated the patient lived." This was one of many amazing statements made to 1200 medical officers of the American Army at Camp Greenleaf, by Colonel Pierre Duval, of the French Reserve Jledicai Corp 3, early in November. Colonel Duval" was on a visit to America with 10 of the foremost surgeons of England, France, and Italy, to attend the InterAllied War Conference of Surgeons.

A gold and diamond ring, valued at £l2O, was the subject of a case heard before

Mr Eraser, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington on Wednesday morning, when Thomas Perry was charged with stealing it. The ring belonged to John Collins, of Dunedin, who was a passenger to Wellington by the steamer M aor i on November 3. He went into the bathroom, and left his ring there. Finding later that he had left it behind he interviewed the stewards, including the accused,.and all denied having seen the ring. Later the room occupied by tho accused in Wellington was searched, and tho ring was found there, although accused, said Detective Carney, had previously denied that it was in his possession. Accused then said that he had found the ring in the lavatory and taken it to his room. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The return of the ring to Mr Collins was ordered by the magistrate.

" Such a thing is unique in war time," said a leading estate auctioneer to the London Evening News, "and is evidence not only of there being plenty of money in the country, but of the returning confrdenoe of investors." The speaker was referring to seven large sales conducted by his firm in one fortnight, ranging from the Midlands to the South Coast, and including farms, licensed premises, and residential property. "In 45 years," he said, "I have known nothing like it." Auctioneers, he said, were never so busy. An estate in Cheshire was sold last month for £51,000, or an average of £sl an acre, compared with £4B, the highest price for agricultural land hitherto obtained in the county. "I account for these high prices," he_ said, "by the fact that the price of grain has been guaranteed for a few years, and by the feeling that we shall never revert to free trade." Cows which used to sell at £23 to £25 now fetch from £SO to £6O. The farmers are getting a stake in the country.

At meetings of the Vestry and Ladies' Guild of St. John's Church, Waikouaiti, presided over by the Ven. Archdeacon Russell, it has been decided to postpone the diamond jubilee celebrations of the church until the end of February. This step was taken in view of the fact that, owing to the interruption in the steamer service, it Will be impossible for the vicar (Rev. E. J. Neale) to return from his health recruiting visit to Melbourne before the date originally fixed in January. It is intended to hold a garden fete at the vicarage on February 26, festival services on the 28th and March 2, and a parish social and concert on March 3. *

One of the matters before Cabinet (says the Dominion of Tuesday) was the arrangement of details connected with the purchase of New Zealand wheat from the harvest which should soon be gathered. The decisions of the Government will have to be ratified by a meeting of the Executive before being announced. In any case, it is understood that no material changes haye been made in the proposals made to the farmers some weeks ago —6s 6d per bushel for all good milling grades of wheat. Discussing the probability of a further war loan of £10,000,000 being floated in April next, the Hon. A. M. Myers (Acting Minister of Finance) informed a representative of the Auckland Star on Tuesday that it was not to be supposed because hostilities had ceased expenditure had stopped. It was estimated, he said, that this would amount during the next three months to approximately £1,750,000 per month. This being the position, it devolved upon every citizen to recognise his duty by contributing to the utmost of his ability to the final victory loan. Although the ordinary expenditure on the war should be a gradually diminishing sum, it must be remembered that the cost of repatriation, demobilisation, settling soldiers on the land, and granting assistance to soldiers still had to be provided for. " From an examination of the figures published by the banks," said the Minister, "it is evident that there is still a large amount of money available for subscription towards the proposed victory loan. In this connection I may mention that the amount standing to the credit of depositors in Government and private savings banks for the financial year 1918 was £33,002,507, as compared with £19,214,671 for 1914." " The good conduct of the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who make use of the club has been a source of great satisfaction," states the annual report of the New Zealand Soldiers' Club in London. '' The appreciation shown by the men is most cheering to the voluntary workers, whose efforts have been the making of the club. Though the New Zealander, like the Englishman, is chary of showing enthusiasm, a large number of men have personally thanked the ladies in the canteen and the workers in the offi.ce, and many grateful and appreciative letters of thanks have been received." The Transvaal Provincial Council has decided to again impose a tax on houses and bachelors. According to the Johannesburg correspondent of "South Africa," the council will raise the largest proportion of its revenue from this source, apart from the tax on gold mining profits. In the case of dwelling-houses, taxation was on. the basis of the number of rooms, irrespective of the rent paid, except where sub-letting was done; while in the case of flats and tenements the basis was rent paid irrespective of the number of rooms. It remains to be seen how the operation of the re-imposed tax is to be arranged for the future. This reactionary legislation will be a serious offset against the advantages accruing from the recent ordinance permitting the local rating of land values. Replying to a request from the Mayor of Ir.vercargill (says a Press Association telegram), Sir James Allen states that he will do what is possible to arrange for a returning transport to make Bluff its first port of call, though he cannot hold out much hope. The position of the Ottoman Empire at the present moment in regard to food supply and distribution is nothing short of lamentable. - From first to last (states the British National Food Journal) Turkish food organisation has consisted of incredible negligence, alternating with fruitless interference. At last in July, 1918, it was decided to institute

a Ministry of Food, but it was stated that tho principal task of the new organisation would bo to provide for the army and the officials, and only in tho second place for ordinary civilians, so that the latter can hardly hopo for any substantial improvement of their wretched condition. How wretched this is may be judged by the statement made by a Turkish official that the cost of living in Constantinople some months ago had risen 197 per cent. Taxes in Turkey are to a large extent paid in kind, but as brigandage is allowed to flourish, the farmer dare not cultivate his fields. The Government requisitions food, but the consideration is paper money, which has depreciated enormously, and the Treasury is not always in possession of sufficient funds to discharge its debts. The people of Turkey, in fact, must be in doubt whether the consequences are moro disastrous when the administration is negligent or when it makes up its mind to act with energy. Admiral Sims, speaking at the Newspaper Conference recently, ■ dropped into a rather startling aside. He had been describing how the submarine was finally conquered, and how the plans which proved effective had been elaborated by the British sailors. " I suppose," he added, "the matter is not in my department, but that never stopped me saying what I thought, and I say that all these submarine devices had been inaugurated under Admiral Jel'licoe just before he was fired out." That was the generous tribute of orfe sailor to another whom he believed to have been hardly used, and it is stated that the blunt indiscretion caused no little sensation.

At a Y.M.C.A. hut in Central London, whore many girl war workers had gathered together, the subject of where they would go after the war was discussed. There seemed to be but one opinion. They would go overseas. A land-girl said she would go to New Zealand; a shipping clerk said: "I have had a good commercial training; I am off to America." Of several W.A.A.C.'s, two signallers were going to Australia; three clerics to "any of our overseas dominions" ; a forewoman cook chose Australia; and one girl said she had "heard of a girl in a factory who meant to go back to domestic service."

The Moaha, which is due at Wellington this week from San Francisco, is bringing 7721 sacks of mail matter, of which 5628 sacks comprise American parcels. The balance consists of letters from the United Kingdom and the United States of America. We are advised that New Zealand mails of November 16 for the United Kingdom arrived in London on the 27th ult.

Robert Gumming, ager 77 years, a resident of North-East Valley, suffered a severe heart attack after climbing a hill to his home on Saturday, and died before a doctor arrived. At the inquest before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., Dr Fitchett stated that death was due to heart failure, and the coroner returned a verdict accordingly. ' The Industries Committee appointed by Parliament to inquiro into and report upon matters tending to benefit and encourage the industries of the dominion will sit in various centres during February and March to hear evidence as to how existing industries can bo stimulated or new industries promoted. Persons desirous to give evidence should communicate with the seoretary to the committee, Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington.

The great publishing house of John Murray recently attained its 150th bh'thday. There is something of romance in the story of the firm (states the Daily News). The first John Murray, a kinsman of the Dukes of Atholl, was a lieutenant of Marines, who at one time called himself* Mac Murray. It was in 1768 that Lieutenant John MacMurray retired on half-pay at the age of 23, and purchased a bookselling business at the sign of the "Ship," No. 32 Fleet street, opposite St. Dunstan's Church. He put a ship in full sail, which sign the firm still uses, at the head of his invoices. The firm remained in Fleet street till 1812, when they moved into Albemarle street, where they have remained. From its foundation the head of the firm has been a John Murray, and the heir is Lieutenant-colonel John Murray, commanding a battalion of the Royal Scots in Flanders. With the exception of a short period the Murrays have always lived at the firm's premises, or (as at the present time) next door. The biggest names in the literature of the past 150 years are on the Murrays' roll. Byron, Scott, Jane Austen, George Borrow, Thomas Campbell, Coleridge, Benjamin Disraeli, Grote, Hallam, Washington Irving, Southey—to take a few at random—owed much to the house of Murray—Byron in particular. They also published for Dr Livingstone, Mr Gladstone, and the famous letters of Queen Victoria in more recent times.

Caledonian sports are to be revived in Wellington, the Scottish Society having decided to hold a gathering there next New Year's Day. Long ago there was a nourishing Caledonian Society in Wellington, and the sports which it carried out on. the Basin Reserve on the first day of each year were most successful. Big prize money was given and competitors were attracted from all parts of the dominion. On one occasion over 10,000 people were present. Interest in the affairs of the society gradually slackened, and for many years the organisation has been a thing of the past. " Our oversea commerce will be vastly improved by aviation. Within a reasonable period of the end of the war we.shall find all the principal mail liners fitted with seaplanes." This is the view of Mr D. H. Bernard, expressed in the current Merchant Service Review,* of which he is a co-editor. " A liner leaving New York with urgent and important letters will be able,' he writes, " to dischargo them by seaplane, 300 or 400 miles west of the Irish coast; within a few hours they can be delivered in London, thus effecting a saving in time of 24 hours. The same procedure can be carried out by a vessel bound to New York. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that letters posted in London can be delivered in New York within four days." At the outset, Mr Bernard thinks this service will, no doubt, be subsidised by the Governments of both

countries. He points out that it could bo developed on routes to all parts of the world.