TOURIST AND TRAVELLER

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1531, 28 August 1919, Page 36

TOURIST AND TRAVELLER

HERE AND THERE.

Dr. and Mrs. Cameron, Auckland, have left on a trip to England.

The Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association has over 6000 members. Mr. R. O. Gardner won the Auckland Golf Club’s championship, defeating Mr. F. Binney, 6 up and 5 to play. Plans have been prepared for an up-to-date ferro-concrete private hotel of 50 rooms to be built at Raetihi. Lieutenant W. W. Stuart, R.N.R., has returned to Auckland after four years’ active service. The total estimated population of New Zealand on 30 th June was 1.201,587. The close season for seals in New Zealand has been extended for a further period of three years. Mr. E. G. Ross, of Wanganui, is leaving for England shortly to take up the position of London buyer for Messrs. McGruer and Co. Lieutenant E. J. Orr, of Napier, who has been serving with the Royal Air Force, returned home on the Mahia. Corporal J. E. Chinnery-Brown, of Parnell, who left with the Main Body returned by the Mamari last week. * * * . 9 The official war correspondent with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, Mr. Malcolm Ross, is about to return to the Dominion. c * « The “New York Times” says that everybody was impressed with the Prince of Wales’ democracy and frank appreciation of the welcome. ♦ « * * The output from the principal West Coast mines was 78,321 tons last month, as against 93,537 for July, 1918. Mr. Clutha Mackenzie has been unanimously elected a member of the committee of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association. The will of the late Father James Patterson, who died at Takapuna on June 4, haS been proved, the value of the estate being shown to be under £lO,OOO. • • « • The Official Labour Gazette states that the cost of living is higher in England now than at the tensest period of the war. • « • • A Yacht and Motor Boat Club has just been formed at Evans Bay, Wellington, with a membership already of 100. * * * * It is stated that over 100 employees have been discharged from Rotorua hotels and boarding-houses through the falling off of business owing to the railway restrictions. A • « • Mr. Neil Paterson, lately of the staff of the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington, has been appointed to the position of the Clerk of the Court at Samoa. « * • The Auckland Grammar School celebrated its jubilee last week with ceremonial and social functions, at which there were great re-unions of old scholars and friends. Sergeant C. W. Lopdell was presented at Wellington with a gold watch and chain and inscribed medal, from all the n.c.o.’s and men of the uniform branch throughout New Zealand, in recognition of his services on behalf of the uniform men at the recent committee of inquiry into the conditions of the police force.

The society entertaining New Zealand soldiers’ passing through Sydney has disbanded. During its existence it entertained and otherwise assisted thousands of New Zealand soldiers.

It is understood in New York that Dempsey, winner of the world’s heavyweight boxing championship, has accepted an offer of £200,000 to act for the cinemas.

Lieutenant Kenneth Gould, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Gould, of Napier, who has been on active service with the Royal Air Force in France, returned last week.

A two-year-old Holstein-Friesian heifer, owned by Mr. R. Melvin, jun., of Masterton, has produced 19,5881bs of milk and 6741bs of butter-fat in a year. This is a record for the Dominion.

Captain Alec Whitcombe, of Whitcombe and Tombs, Limited, has just been awarded the Military Cross. Fie has been serving latterly in Northern Russia, and is now about to leave London for New Zealand.

Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Liberal Party, has tendered his resignation as a member of the Executive Council and as Minister for Finance, Postmaster-General and Minister in charge of Post and Telegraphs in the National Government.

Mr. S. W. B. McGregor, Senior Trade Commissioner in Australia, leaves by the Niagara to make an official tour of New Zealand in the absence of New Zealand’s Trade Commissioner (Mr. R. W. Dalton) who is in England.

Chaplain-Captain Noel Robertshawe, son of the late Rev. E. Robertshawe, of Dannevirke, and who was attached as chaplain to the Imperial Forces in France during the war, returned to New Zealand by the Mamari.

New Plymouth now lays claim to possessing the youngest soldier who served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. It is said the lad, who is remarkably well-grown for his age, enlisted when fourteen, had three and a half years’ service in Egypt and France, was wounded twice, and returned to New Zealand just as he reached his nineteenth year.

Lieutenant-Colonel James Hutchen, Chief Divisional Paymaster of the Expeditionary Force in London, expects to leave England for New Zealand shortly. Colonel Hutchen is credited with having done excellent work in connection with the finances of the Expeditionary Force. “Every municipality in the British Empire has to face the housing question,” said Councillor Scott at the Otago City Council meeting. “The day of landlordism is dead. The day has passed when a man can build properties and extort handsome profits, and thank God for it. It matters not how long we dodge it, it is only a matter of time when we shall have to provide homes for the people.” « * * ■ “I’m proud to be here, proud to be back in New Zealand,” Sir Joseph Ward said at a function in Christchurch. “This is one of the most beautiful countries I have seen. It’s a country worth living in; it’s a country worth working for; it’s a country worth coming back to. I have been away on several occasions,

and people sometimes said that I had gone for good; but it’s astonishing how a bad penny always turns up again, and so I’m here in these happy surroundings. It seems only yesterday since I was in Paris, a day or two since I was in. London, then New York, then Canada, and finally I find myself back in young old New Zealand.”

“I won’t allow a man to stand in the dock in uniform. Take him away and call another case. I have over and over again stated that I will not permit a man to appear in dock in uniform,” said Mr. Justice Chapman in Auckland at the Supreme Court. The prisoner was then removed and the Court waited until he had changed into civilian clothes.

“You can’t, and never will, eradicate sport from the human race,” said Sir James Carroll, at the reunion in Christchurch of the Owners’ and Breeders’ Association. “What has made the British nation but those sporting proclivities? How would we have scored in the great war had it not been for our youngpeople, who went out, thoroughly imbued with fine sporting spirit, readv to give their lives for sportsmanship and duty? Sport does not demoralise mankind; it elevates.”

In speaking for the Old Boys’ Association, at the Auckland Grammar School jubilee, Mr. J. W. Wiseman referred to the proud record of the school in the great war. About 1500 old boys had been on active service, of whom over 200 had been killed, and one old boy, Lieutenant Cyril Bassett, had won the highest honour —the Victoria Cross. (Applause.) « • » “There is a very good class of returned soldier ■ applying for land in the Canterbury district,” said Mr. H. D. H. Haszard, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to a “Lyttelton Times” reporter. “Occasionally we find some ‘hard cases’ who give us a bit of trouble, but on the whole we find that the men play the game, and are sincerely anxious'to make a start in farming.” « • »» The deprivations of hotel licenses in Victoria for the financial period of 1918-1919 . have now practically been completed (says the “Age”). Since the beginning of this year, 95 hotels have been deprived of licenses, making a total of 223 deprived in the

two years and a-half since the amended law came into force. When the amendments were being considered, it was pointed out that in many districts the operation of the “statutory number” prevented the closing of many unnecessary hotels. Under the new provisions, the vote for “reduction” was deemed to have been carried in every district. In the two years and a-half hotels have been closed in 114 different licensing districts. and in 80 of these districts 140 hotels were c’osed which, under the old provisions, could not have been touched. The total number deprived of licenses to date is 1277.

Speaking at a meeting of the Wellington Returned So’diers’ Association. the district organiser, Lieuten-ant-Colonel G. Mitchell, expressed the opinion that the Returned Soldiers’ Association should stand clear of party politics. He was perfectly convinced that if the association decided upon political action it would be soon snlit up. There could be no objection to returned soldiers standing for Parliament, for if they had sound views they would receive the support of the returned men. but for the association to enter into the political arena as a separate party would be. in his opinion, a mistake.

Mr. Charles D. Stewart, for many years travelling representative in the Hawke’s Bay district for Mes,srs. Ross and Glendining, has been appointed to manage the firm’s Gisborne branch. Mr. Stewart, who is an enthusiastic bowler, was farewelled at the annual meeting of the Wairere Club.

It is. related of the late Sir John Denniston that he used to tell the following story which has human interest. The late Judge was on circuit on the' West Coast. During a long, slow evening in the commercial room of the hotel where his. Honour was staying a fellow-guest proffered friendly advances. He invited the Judge to join him in liquid refreshment. The Judge at first declined. “But.” said Sir John, in relating the incident, “the fellow became so persistent that at last, for the sake of peace and quietness, and in order not to appear intentionally rude. I agreed to join him in a drink. When the drinks were served the fellow said. ’You don’t seem to remember me. your Honour, for we have met before.’ Is that so?’ I said. ‘Really, my memory fails me, for I cannot recall the occasion. When and how did we meet?, -Oh,’ said my host for the time being, ‘you once sentenced me to five years’ imprisonment.’ Ah!’ said I, ‘in that case you are now returning good for evil.’ ”

Amongst Auckland officers who returned by the Mamari were Captain W. J. Reid, Temporary-Captain R. P. Worley, Second Lieutenant P. H. Ayson, Second Lieutenants C. Gerrard, J. S. Whyte, S. Shove and O. G. Smith. » • » • Speaking at a luncheon at Fort Vaux during a recent visit to the battlefield of Verdun, Mr. Lloyd George said: —“In this place was fought probably the most terrible battle in the world’s history, terrible in its duration, terrible in the numbers engaged, terrible in the numbers who were lost. It is the greatest battle ever fought for liberty. In that battle the banner of liberty was borne by France. Thank God. France won. “I have always had the most profound admiration for France. ’ Great as she has been in the past, glorious as have been many of the episodes in her history, her crowning glory is the defence of Verdun. Glorious France, brave France, torn France, bleeding France, devastated France, victorious France, I drink to the glory of the men who fell for the freedom of the world.”