MINISTER OF DEFENCE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 885, 11 December 1916, Page 10

MINISTER OF DEFENCE.

PASSES THROUGH CHRISTCHURCH. THE MABEND'S DELAY. The Hon. James Alien (Aclingi’rinie Minister and Minister of Defence) arrived in Christchurch yesterday morning. In the afternoon, accompanied by ’Colonel the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, he visited Queen Mary’s Convalescent Home at Hanmer for the purpose of ascertaining what his department could do to make the lives of the inmates brighter. As this institution is under the control of the Minister of Public Health, the visit hat!, of course, nothing to dt) with anything that comes within the jurisdiction of Mr Russell. Contrary to his usual custom, the Minister, who was in a colon uniform, did not spend this morning in thereby, hut remained in conference with his Excellency the Governor, who is at present staying with Mr A. E. G. Rhodes. . He caught the 12.5 p.m. express for Dunedin, where he purposes staying a day or so, intending to return to Wellington on Wednesday or Thursday.

Approached by a Sun representative, the Acting-Prime Minister said that he had no announcement to make with regard to public or military matters, beyond the fact that the Maheno, carrying New Zealand sick and wounded, had been delayed for a few days' at Albany. She had been unable to obtain a supply of coal on arrival at that port; therefore a New Zealand collier had to be dispatched to that port with all haste. He regretted deeply the inconvenience to which the sick and wounded men had been subjected. But the Government had done its best, and the public would be able to form its own conclusions as to the unfortunate dclav.