LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 963, 13 March 1917, Page 11

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Social Committee t of. the Canterbury Automobile Association has arranged to holil the annual Routing for orphans 'of Christchuri hj on Saturday. March 24. Cars will assemble -in Cathedral Square at L 45 juri.,' and wilt leave at 2 p.m., proceeding to the fishing huts at the Selwyn River, where the orphans will be entertained by the local residents and anglers. It is estimated that about 100 cars will be required for the outing. The quarterly summoned meeting of the Queen's Own Lodge, No- 36, P.A., was held on Monday night, Bto. 4- E. Cooper, W.M., presiding. One new member was admitted to membership, and sick pay was granted to five sick brothers. Bro. H. McCan was appointed auditor iu place ,of a brother gone to the .front. Dr Thompson was ap : pointed Lodge doctor, in plane.of Dr Marks (resigned). Delegates' reports were received re F.S. Dispensary, and F.S- Card Association. There was a good deal of excitement in the Upper Hutt Valley on Sunday afternoon immediately after rhe passing of a train bound for Upper Hutt, says the "Dominion." Following upon the week's dry weather, the grass bordering the line on both sides is as dry as tinder. As the train proceeded from a point below Silverstrenni to Tremham it loft behind it a trail of smoke and flames. There seemed to be little doubt that on this occasion sparks from the engine, which was drawing a heavy load, were responsible for the fire. The wind carried the sparks into the grns--on the westward side of the line, where there are numbers of cottages on sec-

tions lying between the main raid and the railway. These were threatened by tlie grass fires, and every available man, as well as a number of wqmen, turned out to fight the flames. At one or two places the situation was critical at times, and in several instances the flames raced diagonally across open pad docks and were only cheeked when they reached 'he road. In one place a fence was burned. The biggest blaze was at Heretaunga Station, where the dry gorse flared up like tinder, and the flames had a clear run across open padlocks. At Trent ham. too, a heavy column of smoke rose after the train passed. So many letters have been written, complaining of neglect on the part of postal and military ofuials in forward ing mails, that it is pleasant to be able to show the other side. Throughout the war. Captain Owles, of New Brighton, has made a point of sending the Saturday's issue of ''The Sun" to his two soldier boys—one formerly in Egypt and now in France, and the other with General Smuts, in British Hast Africa. One Saturday night last year, he sent off the papers as usual, and, a !eu<'r had just come to hand from the Itoy in France, he enclosed this aNo in the "The Sun" for Hast Africa. Unfor tunntely the wrapper was rubbed off in transit, and, although paper and letter were duly delivered in Fast Africa, there was nothing to show for whoi.i they were intended. On January (5, last, however, the soldier in France re ceived the letter he himself had originally written in Egypt (March I'2, 11>!G). with a covering letter, all courtesy and kindliness, from Lieutenant 1\ L. Overell (?), of the South African Pioneer Battalion, explaining how the letter had arrived in East Africa, and notifying this X.Z. soldier in France that the letter he had sent his father had never (so the writer of course believed) reached its destination. Xow, exactly twelve months today, after it was originally written, Captain Owles lias receive! the letter posted to him last -March, in .Egypt, as well as Lieutenant Overell's letter, and a request for an explanation from his mystified son in France. Very properly Captain Owles thinks that such official thoroughness and courtesy ought to be made public.