LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12081, 9 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

1 Over two hundred pupils of tho Boys' High School have volunteered for farm work during tho coming vocation, and of these 145 are making their own arrangements. Tho annual social of the Canterbury Drivers' Union was held at tho Alexandra Hall last overling. There was a very large attendance, over 100 couples participating in tho dancing. Messrs Bates and M'Caw acted as masters of ceremonies, and vocal items were contributed by Mr G. Coleman and others. Soldiers' allotment warrants sent out by tho Pay Branch of tho New Zealand Department during March last totalled no less than 5JL013, an increase of 22,107 during tho year. Up to March 31, 1017, the Department had also remitted £100,461 hy cable to New Zenland soldiers abroad, the number of remittances on some occasions reaching as many as 60 and 100 a day.

The Defcnoo Department's expenditure for hospital maintenance has largely increased consequent, upon the return, of invalided soldiers and provision for accommodation therefor. The total payments for hospital accommodation (new buildings, etc.) to .March iU. Li/17, amounted to £.S7,l'Jb\ The payments to public, hospitals for maintenance of soldiers in these institutions have also largely increased. A sum of i'.'MOO has been provided by (he Government towards the cost of building hostels for soldiers in New Zealand and abroad.

" Will' a. man who owns a cow and supplies his neighbours with milk have to join the Dairymen's Association when the block system is introduced," asked a, councillor of Mr IT. Bliss at; the Spreydon Borough Council last night, when a deputation from the Dairymen's Association was explaining tho proposed block system of delivering milk. 'Mle will not. have to," replied Mr Bliss, "lint, it would be to his advantage." " T am of (lie same opinion," said the Mayor (Mr W. IT. V. insor). "Jr. these days of unions it would bo the best thing to do." Tho days of large families have not altogether gone, as far as Canterbury is concerned, at least-. ".Mr A. C. Nottingham, of Tlalswell, came, into the"Star" office, tin's morning to announce with pride and pleasure that to-day he had registered the birth, of his twentieth child. The little strancor is a boy, and tho family now consists of ten boys and ten girls. One, of his sons lost his life in a bicycle accident in Lincoln Road a iew years ago, two are at the front, and one is a returned soldier. Mrs Nottingham, in spite of the cares imposed by Tier largo family enjoys the best of health. When a man reaches tho ago of ninety-eight, with a perfectly clean record (as far as the police are concerned), it would seom pretty safe to assume that he would die without coming into contact with the officers of Ia.AV and order. Such was not tho case with an old Napier identify. Recently he celebrated bis ninety-eighth birthday by imbibing ton freely of intoxicants, and, for his own safety, he was taken into custody. The next day the presiding justice expressed surprise that so old a man should fall to such a level, and decided merely to convict and discharge the ancient first offender.

Four days after the outbreak of war eighteen members of the Auckland College Rifle Corps left Auckland for Wellington to join the advanco guard which left that port for Samoa. They were the first, Aucklanders to answer the call of Empire and to leave the city upon the great adventure. Tt is a remarkable fart that on the third anniversary of their departure from their homes levory one of the men is, so far ins is known, alir<% and well, with the. possilo exception of Flight-Twontenant Culling, who is reported missing. All but two of the eighteen went on to Callipoli and France, and most 0 f them have, been wounded. There are at present twenty-nine staff cadets from New Zealand at the Royal Military College of Australia. The lull quota of ten joined this veaf. One cadet of the ]9>o das;, was withdrawn, as he was not up to the standard required The three. VJVA cadets axe now with the Expeditionary Force. The 191-1 cadets who were withdrawn in April, lf)lf>, are now all under orders to proceed with the Expeditionary Forces. The New Zealand cadets are more than holding their own at Duiitroon College (states Major-General Sir A. W. Robin in his report). The commandant of tho college speaks most highly of them, and expresses his appreciation of the. manner in which they have worked. One cadet is first in his class and another kocoik'.. " It is practically a. daily occurrence," said tho president of the Automobile Association last night, " for the secretary or myself to be asked to supply motor-cars for country concerts. Last Saturday we were asked to supply three cars for Hanmer, threo for another country concert, and one for Rangiora. It appears that tho public regard tho association as a free, carrying institution during tho war, and no doubt for six months afterwards, and we cannot stand tho pressure." Mr Clarkson exonerated Mr Raphael's concert party, which, he said, had always arranged for cars privately, hut the association must be protected, (especially at a time when al] available cars were required for returned men. Me added that in many concerts tho receipts could h'ardl.V meet the petrol cost, apart from the owner's inconvenience. If a. record could ho obtained of the services of tho association, it would astonish tho public. Only that day the .secretary had been asked for cars for Rollesfon and Darlield. Tho president's remarks were warmly endorsed, and it was resolved—"That in future the. association cannot entertain any proposal 10 supply cars for concert parties save under exceptional oircumsiances. when application miipt be made at the monthly mooting."

At 9.10 last evening the Five Brigade received a call to a iiro in tho St Martins district, an unoccupied lion so, the property of Air W. Brightling, being in Haines. Tho. fi.ro being outside the Oliristchurch fi.ro district, the brigade could not givo its services, and the house was gutted-

Very few permits to travel beyond New Zealand are being' applied for just now. Tho necessity for providing a, cash bond, with a guaranteed return to Nfw Zealand, have cub Australia out of the general holiday itinerary, and the local Tourist Office reports that this has a. tendency to confine holiday tours to oi'f own country.

A correspondent, writes as follows from Ma.storion :—" You may be interested to know that the recent earthquake which has'done so much damage in the North Island has been experienced just thirteen years almost to the day after the last heavy shock which wrecked so manv homes. In Ihurana close on forty 'quakes' have been inlt since the heavy shock two days ago, and many homes are not habitable.

'•' Before tho war the Irosfc customer of the New Zealand primary producer was Xew Zealand itself," said a speaker at a recent, meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (says the "Time,''). "The people of this country bo-.ight 70 per cent of the beef, 60 per cent, of the mutton, all the pork, grain, coal and timber. The farmer is not, entitled to talk, as though tho local market was of no account."

An ordnance, workshop has been established in Trentham Camp, where the whole of tho musketry equipment for the Dominion is standardised, thus reducing the cost of production. This workshop will shortlv b' l able to manufacture the whole, of i.he Defence Department's wood requirements for the Dominion. The armament workshop at Mount' Cook Barracks is also utilise.! as an ordnance workshop.

In the course of an inquest at Auckland, on iho body of a child that had died from croup, Dr Reekie Mia ted that fheiv was a simple remedy for croup m every household that should bo widely known as a. good palliative while the patient was awaiting the arrival of a. doctor. Ordinary halving soda applied on the end of a spoon and tipped dry behind the back of tho tongue would give relief in acute cases uf croup.

At leasli 0110 celluloid collar was Hiimniarily "scrapped" as n. result of Nurse Everett's lecture at Petono on Monday evening, states the " Post-." One question askod by a member of the nudienco was as to the cause of his suffering at nightl from a stiff neck. The nurso at once, without examining the patient, diagnosed tho trouble as the result of free perspiration around the neck, conducing to rheumatism, and on closer examination at once spotted tho offending collar as tho oauso of tho trouble. Tho celluloid shuts in the perspiration, which, when cold, causes a chill. She stated that much wrist and throat troublo was caused among nurses when the regulations forced them to wear celluloid collars and cuffs. On Saturday afternoon, tho third anniversary of the declaration of war, a thoughtful tribute was paid to the memory of those, soldiers whose graves are in'the 'Wellington cemeteries. At the invitation of the National Committee of the Y.M.C.A., several members of the local Ladies' Auxiliary placed wreaths on the graves, with a card inscribed. "In sympathetic remembrance of a soldier who sacrificed his \>/° * or the honour of King and country." The. "Nmv Zealand Times" states that th« effective carrying out of this timely thought was made possible through the active co-operation of Captain Nine, or ihe Records Department, and Mr j\ay, tho sex-ton of the Knrori Cemetery, who sympathetically acted as guide. Mr C, >T Parr, who recounted his e» peH-n-es in a, visit to the western front at Palmerston North on Monday, speko elocp-iently of the Maori troops In company with Sir James Carroll, he ■went, to their headquarters, a.nd was welcomed with all the old-time ceremony of tho Maoris. Sir James Carroll 'addressed the men for two hours and three-quarters, and Colonel Buck, the officer in command, occupied threo hours in replying, " mostly in extolling the virtues of their guest—■myself'," explained Sir James afterwardH(liainditer.) "Looking at those find troops." said Mr Parr, " ono wondered what brought those mien thousands of miles from tho home of their race to. light side, hy side with those they had fought against only half n century ago. They had tho same purpose as our own men, to fight for liberty, freedom, and civilisation." (Applause.) Mr Panalso stated that tho Maoris were regarded as the finest axemen in th 0 Allied armies, and had done immense work in the pioneer battalions.

Ladies know them to have no equal. Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all Chemists and Stores throughout Australasia. We understand that the Canterbury Motor Company, the Ford car agents. will 60011 bo landing the/'Ton-Ford," a one-ton lorry, that is in such groat demand in Canada that only a limited number can be landed here. Immediately on arrival they will he on view at tho Canterbury Motor Garage, 166, Taam Street. 6