LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12757, 29 September 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Yci Manx arrived at Wellington from Newcastle on Saturday with a cargo of coal for the gasworks. In less than ten years the world’s production of oil fuel has increased, from 40,000,000 tons to over 68,000,000, which was the total for last year. ‘ * Next to preparing men for the fight, lied Cross work is the most important,” said Mr J. A. Flesher, president of the Canterbury Centre of the Red' Cross Society, at a welcome home reception to the Hon R. H. Rhodes on Saturday. During the four years of the war the centre, he said, had handled practically a quarter of a million sterling. As a result of the free will offerings of the people up and down the district goods to the value of £170,000 had been sent to the other side of the world for the benefit of their sick and wounded soldiers. Two and a half millions of articles of various kinds had been dispatched across the seas—that gave. an idea of the magnitude of the work which the Red Cross had carried on- During the closing stages of the war 19s 9d out of eTery £1 contributed had gone directly to the benefit of the soldiers, so it could be easily understood that their consistent efforts to keep down expenses had met with success. The total sura handled bv the British Red Cross organisation during the war was £16,000,000. The complicated but apparently simple matter of supplying an army in the field was the subject of a lecture delivered at the Wellington Officers’ Institute on Friday night by Lieuten-ant-Colonel H. E. Avery, D.S.O, Ho detailed the methods employed by the British Army in the late war in the distribution of food, forage and other supplies to the many units of each division, and outlined the channels by which rations were allotted and transported to their destinations. “ I was fortunate enough to be able to see the working of supplies in France,” said the colonel, and 1 must say I think it was an extraordinary system, and one of the best services in the war. I _ think ■ the cases whore troops went without meals through neglect on the part of the . supply departments were very seldom indeed, and were generally brought about by insurmountable difficulties caused through field operations.” He thought the whole system reflected great credit upon those responsible for its organisation. Other officers present gave as the only instances in their experience of delay of rations, incidents, which occurred on the Somme in 1916, when the shell fire was especially severe, and at Passchendaele, when supply was hindered on account of the mud. The soldiers at the Soldiers’ Sanatorium, Cashmere Hills, were entertained on Saturday evening by Mr F. G. Raphael’s concert party, assisted by Hemsley and Brull and the Campbell Bros., from Fuller’s Vaudeville Company, whose turns were vociferously encored. The performers were Miss Cicely Audibert, Messrs T. M. Charters, S. J. Atkinson and F. C. Raphael, Mr Alfred Bunz being the accompanist. A large number of soldiers were present, and they thoroughly enjoyed the excellent turns by the different performers. At the conclusion of the concert Lieutenant Davey heartily thanked the concert party for the kindly thought which prompted them to entertain the patients and help them to pass dull care, away, and specially thanked Hemsley and Brull and the Campbell Bros., who after performing at the Opera House that afternoon and evening, had generously given their services to amuse the soldiers.

Tho Secretary of the Poss and Telegraph Department recently wrote advising the Otago Harbour Board that the question of making provision for a flat rate of freights for the four mam centres had been noted for consideration when the terms of the new mail contract were being drafted. This matter came before the board at its meeting on Friday night in the form of a recommendation from the Standing Committee, states the “ Otago Times.” Mr. H. E. Moller ssud that tho Postal Department should be made aware that the board was dissatisfied and took exception to the fact that a contract had recently been let under the old rates for a period of eighteen months. Mr H. O. Campbell smd that under the present system the .North Island was being placed at a distinct advantage over the South island, and had a great deal to gain by keeping things as they were. The difference m freights debarred the South Island from doing any business m butter with the North-West Coast Am ? nc f: , Mr Russell suggested that they should keep at the postal authorities until a change was made. Ho asked if any member had read the reply which Mr Massey had given to the deputation which waited upon him in connection with this matter. Mr Camnbell interjected: “Yes, and he dkjky. Ed gross ignorance on the subject ” ihe recommendation of the committee was adopted without further dis cussion. UIS

• roefcliod of apprenticeship now P f °rce in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. kno-vra as the Co-operative Industrial bourse, is worthy of serious considers twn, states a paragraph of the .annual report of the Wellington Provincial Industrial Association. “ Tho course a P° riod of four years. I he first year—when the boy is between fourteen and fifteen vears of age—is spent entirely in tlie trade or continuation school, and during that time he specialises m those subjects which will best fit him for the trade ho has decided to take up, or, where h© has already done so, is encouraged to come to a decision, and then receives the tuition which will assist in equipping him for Ins career. For tho next three years—-that is to say, when he is between fifteen and eighteen years of age —the lad divides his time between the school and the workshops. All these bova are ‘paired’ in each trade, so that while one is in the school the other i or factory, and vice versa. Inis ilan has proved _ successful in 1 ennsylvama. Those views we recognise as being views expressed some short while ago by technical school directors. oome manufacturers, however, have pointed out that under existing circumstances there is very little specialising m our secondary industries and that the boy learns far more by putting all his time of apprenticeship at the workshop, that to attend technical cln during some evenings of the week is not by any means a hardship to the hoy.” Hundreds of Christchurch citizens have been cured by Dr Fellow’s Pile Cones when every other known remedy has failed. Price 3 S 6d box, from chemists, or direct. Loasby and Co., chemists (opp. Ballantyne's). X Bradbury’s Sweet Peas, the real “ Glory of the Garden.” As the supplies this year were abundant, many of the best kinds are still procurable at Hastie, Bull and Pickering’s. Sow this month. I We like the youngsters and know just how best to treat “ Their Highnesses " to secure portraits that please both father, mother and auntie.—Steffano Webb, Petersen’s Buildings, High Street. ’Phone 1989. 1