Tourist And Traveller

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1497, 2 January 1919, Page 36

Tourist And Traveller

HERE AND THERE. Captain Walter Manning, who has just retired from the Union Company’s service, has settled down in Wellington.

The Hon. T. M. Wilford, who is spending a holiday in Timaru with Mrs. and Miss Wilford, is devoting his time to golfing and fishing.

Mr. F. D. Wood, headmaster of the Rotorua District High School, who has recently returned from active service, is to resume his position at Rotorua from February 1.

Mr. James Hislop (Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs), accompanied by Mrs. Hislop, arrived at Whakatane last week from Sydney. Mr. Hislop has been visiting Australia for health reasons.

The Auckland Cricket Association has appointed Mr. Moss Ballin its delegate to the N.Z. Cricket Council, which has its headquarters in Christchurch. Mr. Ballin was for many years a prominent figure in all kinds of amateur sport in Auckland.

The death occurred at the Royal Oak Hotel, Wellington, of LieutenantColonel Thomas Orr Guthrie, New Zealand Medical Corps. Since the Military Service Act had been brought into operation Colonel Guthrie had been a member of the Wellington District Medical Board. He was a son of the Rev. Dr. John Guthrie, of Glasgow and London. His only son, Capt. Errol GGuthrie, N.Z.M.C., was killed at Armentiers. Colonel Guthrie’s only brothers are Dr. John Guthrie, of Christchurch, and Sir James GGuthrie, the well-known painter, of London. He leaves a widow and one daughter.

The following war statistics are of interest: —The cost of the war to New Zealand up to September 30th was £51,417,650, excluding pensions. For the past financial year pensions amounting to £1,122,052. For the current year the total is estimated at £1,500.000. The total of war loans authorised is £86,000,000. The total raised to September 30th this year was £61,905 264. A sum of £50,000 is on the Estimates for repatriation. A sum of £500,000 has ben mentioned as the probable cost within a measurable future.

It is felt by those soldiers who were on their way oversea when the armistice was signed, and who have since been recalled to Australia, that it is due to them to be given some recognition by the Government as men who had actually embarked upon war service (says a Melbourne message to the Sydney papers). So far no official announcement has been made as to whether these men will be issued with the official returned soldiers’ badge. In military circles the opinion is expressed that any soldier who actually embarked from Australia for active service will eventually receive the King’s war medal.

The will of the late Mr. Andrew W. Rutherford, formerly M.P., of Mendip Hills, which has been proved for probate, is dated June-29, 1917, states a Press Association message from Christchurch. It contains a list of some ten legacies to relatives, but most of these are revoked by a codicil dated September 18, 1917. Under the will and the codicil, as far as the former is confirmed by the latter, the testator’s wife, Emily Rutherford, is given all the household furniture, china, glass, trinkets, etc, at the homesteal at Mendip Hills. The house at Mendip Hills and the outbuildings, with 20 acres of land, are left in trust to her during her life. After her death they will be held in trust absolutely for the testator’s son, Norman Rutherford, a junior. The sum of £5OOO is given to Isabel Scott Robinson, testator’s daughter. The trustees are instructed to realise from the residue of the estate sufficient to pay certain expenses and the legacies, and to hold the remainder, in trust absolutely for Norman Rutherford.

Christmas among colonial troops in England will be a happy season, eight days’ leave and free transportation having been granted.

Mr. A. Stubbs, who has occupied the position of registrar of the Supreme Court in Dunedin for a number of years, has been transferred to Auckland.

Colonel A. S. Herbert. N.Z.M.C., who has been Government balneologist at Rotorua for 16 years, has resigned. The resignation will take effect at the end of the present season, when Dr. Herbert will leave for England.

Under a “Gazette” notice recently issued certain species of birds indigenous to New Zealand are not to be deemed protected. The schedule includes hawks of all species, kea (or mountain parrot), black shags, whitethroated shags, and sea-shags. Protection is suspended till December 30th, 1919.

Mr. W. S. La Trobe, Director of the Wellington Technical College, has been appointed to the new office of superintendent of technical education for the Dominion, at a salary of £7OO per annum. Mr. La Trobe was born at Ngaroto, in the Waikato district, and is 48 years of age. He was educated at the Paterangi School, the Auckland Grammar School, and at Cambridge University. He spent ten years in England, and for eight years of the period he was lecturing in the Engineering School attached to Cambridge University, under Professor (now Sir James) Ewing, at present president of Glasgow University.

The Bishop of Wellington, the Right Rev. Dr. Sprott, conducted a dedication service at St. Alban’s Church, Eastbourne, Wellington, to the memory of the late Captain R. J. S, Seddon (killed in action near Bapaume). The memorial was a bell, donated to the memory of the late officer by Captain and Mrs. Knox Gilmer.

It is understood that the Government has paid £lO 10s. per acre for the Westmere estaie (Wairarapa). A Masterton resident who knows the property well states that it is cheap at the price. It will probably be cut up into six or eight farms, access to which will be gained by the Te Wharau and Westmere roads.

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. L. Cooper, of Sydney, are visiting Auckland.

Mr. and Mrs. E. Riddiford, of Wellington, are in Auckland for the holidavs, and are staying at th e Grand Hotel.

Lance-Corporal Anthony D. Meaney, of Waiwera, has been awarded the Military Medal for bravery on the field of action. He is 21 years of age.

The new ferro-concrete bridge spanning the Shotover at Arthur’s Point, Otago, is now nearing completion. The approximate cost of the bridge, which is the first of its kind to be constructed in New Zealand, is £4500.

Early in the New Year military service boards will be formally gazetted out. Some practically finished by November 30, and the others by December 7. From those dates all travelling allowances or other payments to members ceased.

After almost 46 years of service in the Union Bank of Australia, Mr. F. T. Morgan, manager of the Gisborne branch, will retire early this year. He has been given six months’ leave, commencing on February 11, which will complete his term of service up to the retiring age.

A very pleasant gathering was held at the Metropolitan Hotel, Auckland, when the local staff of the T. and G. Mutual Life Assurance Society entertained the local manager, Mr. L. G. Smither, and his two assistants, Messrs. Hastwell and Gregory, to dinner. During the evening Mr. Fitt, on behalf of the staff, presented to Mr. Smither a silver entree dish, suitably engraved, as a token of the high esteem in which he is held.

A public reception was accorded Lieutenant C. R. G. Bassett, V.C., of Auckland, at the Town Hall on Tuesday night. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, presided, and the Hon. A. M. Myers, Minister for Customs, represented the Government. An address was presented on behalf of the Grammar School Old Boys’ Association, Lieutenant Bassett being an old boy of the school. Lieutenant Bassett, V.C., who is a son of Mr. F. C. Bassett, of Burleigh Street, was the 'first New Zealander to win the highest military decoration in the great war. The London Gazette of October 15, 1915, which announced

the award, “for most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the Cliunuk Bair Ridge, in the Gallipoli Peninsula, on August 7, 1915,” contained the following:—“After the New Zealand Infantry Brigade had attacked and established itself on the ridge, Corporal Bassett, in full daylight and under a continuous and heavy fire, succee.ded in laying a telephone line from the old position to the new one on Chunuk Bair. He has subsequently been brought to notice for further excellent and most gallant work connected with the repair of telephone lines by day and night under heavy fire.”

Town-planning is receiving enthusiastic support in South Australia in connection with the repatriation of her soldiers. On the banks of the Murray a large training farm is turning soldiers into agriculturists, who are given land of their own as soon as they obtain diplomas of efficiency. Community centres in town and country are provided for in the new plans of settlement.

Mr. James Campbell - (“The Times” correspondent with the French armies) states that before the armistice was signed, although he was aware that another ten days would see the surrender of the whole German army, Marshal Foch deliberately renounced the greatest victory in history because his conscience would not permit him to sacrifice a single additional life among the allied soldiers when it was within his power to make a victorious peace.

Netting in Lake Hawea is reported to have met with little success this season, very few fish having been obtained by this method. Fly fishermen have accounted for most of the rainbow trout secured, and several were recently taken in the lak e near Timaru Creek by Mr. Butterworth, of Dunedin, to whose efforts the successful introduction of this variety, as far as Lake Hawea is concerned, was largely due. Other anglers have taken fair numbers from Timaru Creek, several having, been secured some miles from the. lake.

It was stated in the annual report presented to members of the Viticultural Society of Victoria that the 1918 vintage was the worst on record for many years (reports the “Age”). Owing to the prevalence of black spot, oidium, and downy mildew, many vineyards had no vintage at all, and those that did experienced con-

siclerably reduced yields. The 1917 vintage produced 1,302,660 gallons of wine, as against 1,380,367 gallons for 1916 being a decrease of 77,707 gallons. This was very bad. But the 1918 figures recorded the great shrinkage of 502,008 gallons compared with 1917, Victoria having made only 800,660 gallons of wine, of which a considerable quantity would go to the still. As a natural result, wine was very scarce and prices high. Fortunately South Australia had a record vintage, which had relieved the situation somewhat. The area under bearing vines was slowly year by year increasing, there being now 18,900 acres in Victoria, as against 18,604 in 1917. The non-bearing acreage showed an increase of 1875 acres, ther e being now 6336 acres under non-bearing vines, as against 4460 in 1917. The total number of vine growers in Victoria is 1843, an increase of 92 more than last year.

In the near future hospital ships, as such, will be a thing of the past, as far as New Zealand is concerned. The Defence Department will still control the vessels, but they will be known as ambulance carriers. This re-classification provides for the “red cross” being removed from the sides of the ships, and, in addition to the carrying of troops, they will also be allowed to carry certain classes of cargo.

Yacht racing, which was abandoned in Sydney at the commencement of the war, is to be resumed early in January. At a meeting of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club it was decided to start the season on January 18 with a rendezvous on Sydney Harbour. The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, the Motor Yacht Club of New South Wales, and the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club have been invited to participate in the function, which is to be carried out on an elaborate scale, equal to prewar days.

Mr. A. V. King, of Otautau, has been appointed postmaster at Lyttelton, in succession to Mr. J. T. Cameron., Mr. King has been about 40 years in the postal service, and previous to being stationed at Otautau was at Blenheim and Dunedin.

Recently provision was made by the Government for returned soldiers securing advances from the State for the purchase of houses up to the amount of the Government valuation upon the properties. The other day (says the Christchurch “Press”) the widow of a soldier who was killed in action 18 months ago, and who has four children, made application to the Government Lands Department for such assistance, but was informed that the Act did not apply to her. The woman said she was being turned out of the house she was renting, and as her husband had lived in it, she wished for the sake of old associations to remain in it, which she could do if she bought it.

Senator Millen (Minister for Repatriation) announced the other day in Melbourne that in order that no hardships should be incurred by the dependents of soldiers upon active service through the depletion of patriotic funds, it has been decided that these funds shall be replenished by payments from ■ the Repatriation Department.

As a result of a tally kept by the lighthousekeeper at Gabo Island (says a message from Melbourne), it is announced that from March to August 91 whales passed Gabo Island, some coming so close as to rub against the rocks. Seven were seen in a single day, and it is thought that many passed in the night unobserved. Many are now returning.

Sir James Wilson has been reelected chairman of the Manawatu County Council, with which body he has been a valuable member for many years.

The committee of the Wellington Choral Union has decided to recommend the appointment of Mr. H. Temple White as conductor of the society in succession to Mr. Robert Parker, who is retiring this year.

Remarkable developments have occurred in England during the past few months, says an English paper, in the methods of treating shellshock cases amongst soldiers, and other cases of neurosis which have arisen as the result of war service. Long-standing and apparently hopeless cases of paralysis, loss of speech or hearing, and other functional nervous diseases, have been cured in a few days—sometimes in a few minutes —by purely persuasive treatment and without the aid of hypnotism or electric massage.

Mr. J. C. Williamson, chief postmaster, Auckland, who is to succeed Mr. R. B. Morris as Chief Inspector, joined the service in 1877, and was for many years attached to the general post office in the capacity of chief correspondence clerk, second clerk, and prior to his transfer to Auckland as chief postmaster he was chief clerk at the General Post Office.

A leading sheep farmer stated to a Hawera “Star” representative that the position in regard to shearers for this season’s wool is serious. Sheep farmers in that district have always depended largely on the Maoris, and unfortunately they are not now available in any number. The epidemic, too, has been responsible for a lot of trouble. A runholder in the Wanganui hinterland, who has 40,000 sheep to shear, had 25 men at work in his sheds when the influenza attacked them. Four died, and most of the others were seriously affected. Whereas shearing is mostly finished about Christmas, many farmers have not started. The shearers, said the informant, are not in sight. What wool has come in was shorn before the epidemic came. The position he emphasises as very serious. It is difficult to say when the shearing will be completed. * * * *

Mr. Edward Dowd, who recently died at the Wairau Old People’s Home, had reached the venerable age of 100 years and six months. The deceased was born at Glasgow, Scotland, on June 24, 1818. His parents were Irish, and his father was a horse dealer whose operations involved extensive travelling over the United Kingdom. The centenarian tame out to Australia as a lad, and was ’for many years engaged in gold mining there. He arrived in New Zealand 57 years ago, and took part in the Gabriel’s Gully gold rush. Subsequently he applied himself to stock droving throughout the South Island, and experienced a full share of the hardships associated with the pioneer days when roads were practically non-existent over the greater extent of the country. For about 40 years, comprising the latter portion of his long life, he worked as a station hand for the Goulter family, in the Marlborough district, and he was so employed until about a year and a-half ago, when he entered the Old People’s Home. Throughout his hundred years he enjoyed splendid health and up till a fortnight ago, when sheer old age brought him to bed, he retained his physical and mental faculties in a remarkable degree. Mr. Dowd never married.

Mr. R. B. Morris, Chief Inspector, General Post Office, who has been appointed first Assistant Secretary in place of Mr. F. V. Waters, deceased, has had a somewhat varied experience in the activities of the Department. His first appointment in the Department was at Timaru in 1875. In 1891 he held the position of money order clerk, Wellington, and in 1903 he took up the position of chief clerk, Christchurch. Five years later he assumed the position of inspector of savings banks, and shortly afterwards returned to Christchurch as chief postmaster. Soon after the war broke out he was selected for special duties in the Defence Department, and subsequently was appointed chief inspector.