NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13824, 20 July 1915, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Messrs E. B'uxton and Co., Ltd., agents for the New Zealand Shipping Company, have received advice that the Ruahine, from London, reached Wellington at-4.46 p.m. yesterday.

In the House of Representatives, in reply to Mr. Myers, the Minister of Defence said he saw no necessity to establish a bureau of "information at Alexandria.

As a result of a concert given by the Maoris of Punki, a cheque for £365 was handed to the Wungairui Patriotic Committee yesterday. The Wanganai kind now stands at £2G,249.—Press Association.

The question whether the Whangarei Freezing Company or the Auckland Freezing Company should export _the butter .output of the Whangareij.Hikurangi, Parua Bay, Waipu, and Waikiekie dairy companies has been practically settled in'favour of Auckland for the present.—Press Association.

The Sports Committee are taking steps to run a 'fish stall in connection with the Produce Fair. Mr. Murray, of Kirkpatrick and 'Co., has _ kindly consented to manage it. Applications for contributions are being made to Picton, French Pass, Croixelles, etc., and contributions frcm local fishermen are also requested.

Tho A.mbulauce Corps met at the Baptist Uall last night, when 12 members were present. Dr. Jeffreys gave a brief Jecture, and Staff-Sergeant Johnson put the corps through stretcher work.

Mr P. A. McHardy, of the Manawatu, who has recently given over £2000 to the various war funds, has donated to the Palmorston North Patriotic Society a valuable business site worth £3000', to be disposed of for patriotic purposes.

Mr Tom IVlann visjted Girvan recently, and 'remained ti^o weok-o'nd the gueso of- Bailie P. G. Stewart, Glasgow, who was staying at Bay Terrace, Girvan. He was exploring Byne Hill on tjie Siindav morning m company with his host" and two friends, when the party was attacked by a ferocious young bull. Mr Mann courageously caught Ihe animal by the horns, and with theiielp of Mr Gilmour Robertson succeeded in flinging it on its back. Before it was able to rise the party made tdi&ir escape.

The death of Lord Wendover, Royal Horse Guards, from wounds received in action; is especially tragic. His birth was the occasion of great 'rejoicing, occurring as it did after five successive daughters, and three years after the birth of the youngest of them, Lady Victoria, for whom, by the way. Queen Victoria stood sponsor in person. Lord Wendover died-in hospital at Boulogne which both his parents reached in time to &c© him. The marouisato will, on the death of the present Lord Lincolnshire, now become extinct. Ill© Carrington barony goes eventually to Colonel Rupert Carrington who has one son, but both the earldom of Carrington and the marquisato of Lincolnshire cud...with. the present peer.

Chatting casually with some of the men on the Willochra an interviewer at Albany was told some Httle incidents which hitherto had not been reported. One of the great difficulties with which the landing forces had to contend was the organised-spying and treachery of the enemy. Even some of the native interpreters who were brought over from Cairo proved to be enemy spies, and many who were seen leaving the Turks' trenches and returning to the British lines were shct. The spies actually mingled with the Australians and New Zealanders on tho decks of the ships, and others who were clothed in British uniforms would creep into the lines and give such orders as ''Cease firing! The Australians are ahead of you!" You aye killing, your own men!" "Those irto whom you are firing on your left are the Otago Infantry!" and similar commands would be heard. This caused no end of ct nfusi< n.

Hiram Percy Maxim, the inventor, in speaking of the possibility of a- foreign invasion of the United States by a European Power, said: "There is not the slightest reason why the German or the English army should not in ninety days' time accomplish it, provided thojr were not othenvise engaged, as it happens to be the case at the present time. The German navy certainly would have no difficulty in disposing of cur navy should Germany desire to land an invading force upon our shores. England would have still less difficulty. Our coast defences around New York could be hammered to pieces by the long range guns, and it would only be a few days before transports could land hundreds of thousands of troops upon New Jersey or New England shores. Now, just see what would happen if these invaders cleared' our troops out of the country between Boston, Springfield, Syracuse, Bethlehem and Wilmington, Del. They would have in their possession practically our entire war material manufacturing facilities."

A Hamburg merchant has given to a Copenhagen journalist a picture of lire in Hamburg. He said: "Economic life is ruined. Ail the factories are at a standstill. Magazine and shot mills ore not working, and all docks and quays are empty. Wo aro in need <-i everything." The merchant was asked about the dearth of copper, and said: "If it were only copper we were in need of, it would be all right. But we want alumiuiunv, which w© are new paying 530' marks for,, as against the usual price of 160 marks. We want antimony, for which we are now paying 220 marks.' as against 45 marks. Nickel, which'usually costs 135, now costs 620 marks, and we are -also in need of" nitrates, petrol; wool, and, above all, grain. Tf the war lasts some time longer, I do not dare to think ..about the future. We can hit England by tornedoing, and we can hit her hard, but that, unfortunately, does not fill our stores. But we have sufficient to last us for three or four month's, and we hope that that will be enough-time for bringing final victory tc our arms and breaking the iron ring which is squeezing us."

The Thermometer.—^At 3 o'clock this mornine the thermometer ont^ifio this office registered c 2 de>rrees.

Tho travelling public are notified that Norman Emms has commenced a daily motor car service TSfalson-Mofcueka-Tn-kaka. The cars employed are * Insurious 50 h.p. Cadillacs. Patrons can rely on careful attention and civih'+v Book seats 'phone 3D Private address No 14 Wainui street, 'phono 327 *

An attractive and interesting fuft column advertisement, with prices quoted, from "Novelties," 42 Hard? street, will, repay perusal.

Norman Emms's cars lonvc Tattersail'» (next to Post Office) evorv morning at 10 o'clock for Motnaku and Takaka. Ring 'phone 39. Private address 527 (No. 14 Waiwu street).*

Mr. William Beetham, of Masterton, who lived in the Hutt district about 60 years ago, states ijsays the Masterton correspondent of tho *'Dominion s') that the site of the Trenthain Camp was formerly covered in black birch, and was a swamp. The subsoil renders drainage exceedingly, difficult, and. in his opinion it is a mistake to retain tihe camp at Txentham This description is contradicted by evidence given before the Koyal Commission.

An interesting instance of Bolf-sacri-fice, illustrating what even the youngest can do, has taken place at Somerfield School, Spreydon, where the children in standard 11., '.standard 1., and the infant rooms have devoted their pennies, usually spent in sweets, to a soldiers' fund.. The result in four weeks was £3, which will be forwarded to the Dardanelles.

Experiments made in the German Army show that the average soldier can recognise an intimate friend at 500 ft, an acquaintance at 300 ft; a person whom tii© soldier had seen only once before at 80ft. An expert rifleman can distinguish the parts of a man's body and any decided movement at 300 ft. A man seems but a spot on the landscape at 1800 ft, and, as a. rale, he cannot be seen if he keeps still or if his dress does not contrast with the background.

An inquiry was made in the House of Representatives .by Mr. Ell as to whether the Government would undertake the distribution of newspapeits among the wounded soldiers in base hospitals in Egypt or elsewhere if private citizens found the newspaners and the postage. Mr. Ell%as informed by the Defence Minister that if a person wished to send newspapers he could obtain all the information he needed on application to any post office in the country. '

The trial artesian bore being sunk for the Public Works Department by the Napier City Council's staff at Westlshore has reached a depth of 150 ft (says the "Telegraph"). A peculiar thing happened recently when tho pipes had reached a. depth of 143 ft. Suddenly there was a great rush of gas up the pipe, the current carrying with it water, sand, and seashells, which were thrown over 30ft into the air, covering everything nearby with a liberal coating of mud. The ga3 subsided some time later. A couple of days previously a combustible gas was experienced., ' ■

Letters received from soldiers i?» Egypt complain of great irregularity in the delivery of mails. In one instance, it is stated, mails that should have been delivered at the base in Egjpt. were taken to the Dardanelles and there thrown ashore and left, Relatives and friends of the soldiers who have been sending papers regularly are receiving word that they have not reached their destination. One trooper in hospital at the base received twelve weekly papers in one bundle, although a copy was dispatched every week from Christchurch. >

The number that speak, volumes in whisky—No. 10 Watson's.

There are evidently some intensely patriotic people in Gisborne, judging by thp following extract from a local paper: —"A copy of a magizine entitled 'Internal Combustion Engineering' was placed outside a second-hand shop the other day. It contained some illustrations of Krupp's machinery, and, thinking these would be interesting, the proprietor wrote across the top, 'Have a Look!' Some men passing otjected to the reference to German goods, and became demonstrative. They tore off the page bearing the name 'Krupp's/ and threatened .further proceedings if it was displayed again. A small crowd began to assemble, and when about 50 people had collected in front of the shop, the proprietor, to pacify the objectors, took the publication away."

Deserving of general patronage—No. 10 Watson's Whisky.*

The employees of Messrs. Winger and Smith, sawmillers, Taumarumii, have started a novel scheme for making a regular contribution to the patriotic funds without using one penny of their present wages. With the cordial cooperation of their employers the men are working ten minutes* extra each day or a total of one hour per week, the Amount so earned to be sent to which ever fund the men desire. If the idea was taken up by all the other mills in, the district a sum of £115 each month would be raised by this means. No working man in the country should object to work these few minutes fcr such Sn object (says an exchange), and if the scheme was generally adopted throughout the. Dominion many hundreds of pounds per month would be added to the funds.

Why do you drink No. 10? Because ''one ought."*

"If he would only" take my hand and call mo mother!" Such was the lament of an elderly woman who had gouo aboard the Willochra on Friday to see her son —on© of the men who returned wounded from the Dardanelles, says the "New Zealand Times." It was a pathetic incident, which moved to feelings of compassion all who knew of it. The man, lying in ono of the wards, refused to recognise the woman who claimed to be his mother, and- who had travelled a long way to speak to him. A bystander sought to reconcile them, "but his overtures to the wounded man were met with the stern command: "Don't you mention ray mother's name." Sobbing, the woman watched the attempts to soften her son's resolution, and was only induced to leave the ship by a promise that further efforts would be made, and she would he informed if they were sxiccessful.

For Children's Hacking Cough at night, Woods' Great .Peppermint Cure, la 6d, 2s Qd.

The Minister for Defence, than whom there,is no more criticised man in the Dominion at present, suffersL from the vices of his virtues (says • Meroutio" in the Auckland "Herald"). He is one of the most industrious and con-1 sciontious Ministers that ever held a portfolio in New Zealand. ' He lias, unfortunately for the- present circumstances, more than a, fair share of Scotch stubbornness and "dourne.'fe," and more than an ordinary measure of loyalty to his Departmental advisers.

This loyalty and stubbornness, which, in other -circumstances might have been admirable, have resulted in his accepting an untenable position arid attempting to defend it. Errors of judgment have undoubtedly been, made, but they might have been avoided if Mr. Allen had escaped occasionally from the atmosphere- of officialdom and got - the perspective of the ma.n in the street, uho, being neither a clever nor an official porKor.. has a large fund of common sense. Unfortunately, Mr. Allen has been trying to carry on the work of too many departments to Tinvo much opportunity of escaping from officialdom.

An American and an Englishman with a foreign name had a fight at Taumaranui, and the former, who received! physical injory, called the latter a German.and a mongrel German. The ' Englishman "brought an action for slander. The court held that the words used by defendant were defamatory, but were admittedly given utterance to under the influence of excitement. The seriousness «$ the offence was pointed, outj and judgment v/as given for the plaintiff for £7 damages, with cost's.

An inistanco of grit and enthusiasm: A man who had fought in the Boer war, and had his hand shot off, was. anxious'to-join-the New Zealand Expeditionary .Forces. He claimed that, despite his deficiency, he could handle the rifle as well as the nextman, b.«t .the authorities could not see their way to accept him.. So keen was this soldier to fight again for the Empire that he determined to go to the Old Country ano? endeavour to get into the army in -eoine capacity. His enthusiasm kindled interest in friends,, and a passage Home was arranged for. Such a man will get into the fray; soinelwnv.