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Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 3

With fine pride of country. Mr F. C. Daniell, of Hamilton, who has just returned from America, labelled his touringcar in the United States “ New Zealand ” in large characters. Whilst the car was parked outside the Capitol in Washington, an American, with the curiosity of Ids kind, stepped up to the owner and said, “ Say, stranger, but in v. hat part of California is New Zealand?” Mr Daniell explained, gently and firmly, that New Zealand was a country on the other side of the Pacific. “Is that so?” said the American. “It’s strange I should meet two of you in the same week. I had some speech with a fellow from your way yesterday.” “ Where from?” asked Air Daniell. “ From Sydney !” was tho reply. Then the New Zealander took down the sign, and wrote to the papers about the way the study of geography was neglected in American schools, pointing out that there was quite a lot of territory outside of “ the land of the free.” “ A night out with the boys,” as he described it, was spent by the Prince of Wales .at the Lambeth Baths (London), where he addressed the unemployed and watched a boxing tournament given for their benefit. “ I am very proud indeed to be the patron here to-night,” said tlte Prince. “ First, because the proceeds are being devoted to the very important object—the unemployed—and secondly, because, as the Duke of Cornwall, I am very closely connected with Lambeth. My sincerost sympathy is with those who have the misfortune to be out of a job. It is tho greatest possible satisfaction to me to bo able to help them in any way, particularly ray own comrades —the ox-Scrvice men—(cheers) —and, may I add, above all, those who are on my own property?”— (Cheers.) Aluch amusement was created during an interval, when Air Johnny Thwaitesauctioned various articles, which brought in £ll7. Several articles were sold and resold many times, and a bottle of oatmeal stout fetched £SO. A brooch made cf a shilling, which the Prince had given to a taxi cab driver, was secured by the Prince himself at £lO. He offered it back to the taxi cabman’s wife, and, when she refused it, the Prince decided to put it up to a “silent auction,” and repurchased it himself for another £ls. “ I intend to send it to the woman’s little daughter by post,” be said, as he put the brooch in his pocket. The dominion president of the Farmers’ Union (Air W. J. Poison), the vice-presi-dent (Captain Oolbeck), and the dominion secretary (Mr E. C. Jack) are about to engage on a tour in the interests of the union coveting the whole of the South Island in a fortnight. Air Hugh Alitchell (local secretary) has received word that tho party expects to arrive here on the night of tho 22nd inst., to visit Palmerston South on the 24th, Invercargill on the 26th and 27th, returning to Balclutha on the 28th, and to Oamaru on the 29th. They intend to go on to Timaru the same evening. Our Wellington correspondent wires that the long spell of dry weather that New Zealand is experiencing is causing both pastoralists and agriculturists some concern. Should it continue for some time there will be a scarcity of grass and a consequent diminished output of butter and frozen lamb, which are likely to be our most valuable and most saleable exports during! the coming season. Rain is also necessary to ensure a good wheat crop. The Canterbury Education Board, having received information that some head teachers have already received leaflets from the New Zealand Alliance in connection with tho subject matter “Alcohol and the Human Body and Mind,” has informed the alliance that the board’s consent to the distribution of the leaflets was subject to the approval of the individual school committees, and that tho leaflets must not he distributed until the approval of the com- ■ mittees had been obtained.

The people of Mercer. 0:1 the Waikato River, Auckland, have d vised a war memorial which is certainly unique, whatever its artistic merits may he. I he, body of the memorial is the actual gun turret from the old river gunboat Rangiriri, which saw service in the Maori war, especially near Rangiriri. Ihe turret, which is looplioled for guns and tides, has been placed on a substantial concrete base, anti wit be surmounted by a full-sized bronze figure of a soldier in full fighting kit- f’ pon the sides "ill be affixed two ♦ablets, one giving the names of those men from the Mercer district who fell in the Great War, and the other, as far as possible, recording the names of those who fed in the Maori War. the gun turret

bus iiad many uses during the long years, and was cnee used us a lock-up for drunks on the very spot tvhere it has now been placed as a war memorial. The turret of the Pioneer, the Rangiriri’s sister boat, now lies in a swamp some two miles below Mercer. On the 9th inst.,, at Bulclutha, the District High School held the half-yearly box opening ceremony for the benefit of Dr Barnardo’e Homes. The rector (Mr J. M. Nieolson) addressed the pupils and read to them an interesting letter giving an account of the occupant of their cot- at Woodford Bridge. The collection amounted to £27 3h l£d.

Mr Hugh Mitchell (provincial secretary of the Farmers’ Union) is in receipt of a wire from the Hon. W. Nosworthy, stating that he will be unable to be present at the conference of warmers’ Union delegates, to be held here on September 23, but that the department will be represented by Dr Keakes. A Hastings Press Association message says that Westernman and Company’s drapery premises were broken into between Saturday night and Monday morning, the safe opened, and about £l5O, largely in cash, taken. “file thoroughly-reliable worker is one of the most, independent men in society,” observed the president of the Wellington Employers’ Association (Mr T. S. Weston) on Saturday. “He can always find an employer %lad to give him a job, and in this country lie can always go ahead. It is true there are no Crown lands now vacant, compared with the position in 1886, but it is aiso clear that the dairy farm of the future will be one of much smaller area than at present. With improved herds and better methods of tilling, a man with 50 acres will do better than the man with 100 acres at present. Subdivision of present areas will subsequently follow. Consequently, just as in ltß6, many a young follow, who was driven reluctantly to come north and go into the bush, has reasons now to bless the mischance that drove him from town employment into his present prosperity; so the steady young fellow who now takes his fate in his hands, and endeavours to acquire farm experience, even at a temporary low wage, will probably be in a much better position 10 years hence than the man who sticks to the town.'’ The secretary of the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union was informed that a Government servant on a month's holiday, who received £lB 12s 6d salary whilst on holiday, worked for a portion of that time for a local firm of coal merchants, discharging coal (says the Lyttelton Times). Other men working in the same coal depot have raised objection to a man in such circumstances entering the labour market at a time like the present, anti successfully competing with married men who have families to maintain. The secretary of the union has been asked to investigate the matter, and he informed a reporter the other day that he knew that one man with a wife and four children had applied for the work, but hie offer was rejected in favour of the Government servant on holiday. The number applying for exemption front service on the jury in the Supreme Court at Hamilton on the Ongoroto murder trial being mostly dairy farmers, called forth comment from his Honor. Mr Justice Stringer. He remarked to the SolicitorGeneral that it would be a good thing if they were to take the names of dairy farmers off the jury panel, seeing they had to get, tip at 4 o'clock in the morning to milk cows, which certainly was essential work. Mr MacGregor said that it, certainly was worthy of serious consideration. Walter Dear, a soldier settler a.t Ahiaruhe Settlement, who was staying at the Marquis Hotel, walked in his sleep at 3 o’clock on Wednesday morning (reports a Carterton Press Association telegram). He opened his bedroom window, 16ft. from the ground, and stepped out. Ho was picked up with his face cut and bruised and both wrists broken. He is now in hospital. The Christchurch Presbytery passed the following resolution (says a Press Association message) : —“That this Presbytery would be glad to see the Bible read in the public schools of this dominion as part of the school syllabus, with a conscience clause for both teachers and parents, and would commend this step at the present juncture to ilio Bible in Schools Committee of the C e neral A ssembly. ’ ’ A peculiar theft, was perpetrated the other day on a well-known firm of concrete builders. One of their works at; present in progress is the building of a motor garage in Dundas street, which necessitates the placing of lamps at, night on the scaffolding. These were lit as usual at night, but in the morning it was found that the kerosene had been stolen out of the lanterns. Charles Henry Roseborough. who was arrested at Hawke’s Bay <a few days ago, after an exciting chase by the police, on a charge of theft, at Tokoma.ru. escaped from custody at Palmerston North on Tuesday (says a Press Association telegram). He asked for a drink of water, and when it was given him he made a dash past the constable and got clean away. lie is still j at large. | A drop of Id per lb in the retail price jof butter was announced. following a j meeting of the Auckland Provincial Butter j Committee (says an Auckland Press Asso- | elation message). The meeting also carried | a. resolution to the effect that owing to the I drop in tlie Home market it will be a recommendation from the committee that. ! the wholesale price of first, grade butter be j 2s per lb hulk at factory door, and 2s Id for pats at, the factory door (plus j d for delivery at Auckland), in order to make the maximum retail price of 2s 4d per lb. The annual ball of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association was held on ihe 15th. over 90 couples participating in the enjoyment of the evening. ’The Art Gallery Hall was decorated with bunting for the occasion, the floor being in excellent, condition. Dr Harrison (president, of the association) and Mrs T. W. M‘Donald led the grand march to the excellent music of Messrs Mitchell anti Dagg’s Jazz Orchestra. Messrs G. Baker and J. Henderson acted as M.C.’s, Mesdamea T. W. M'Donald and J. M. Park attending as chaperones. Dancing was continued till the early morning. Mrs Winter and assistants providing an enjoyable and plentiful supper. The Social Committee of the Returned Soldiers’ Club carried out everything in a most satisfactory manner. Extras were supplied by Mr Fogo. The Chief Postmaster advises that mails which left Wellington on August 2, per R.M.S. Tahiti, via San Francisco, arrived in London on the 9th inst.