LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2466, 20 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday was the Day of Pentecost, and a Jewish holiday. Most of the Jewish-owned warehouses closed their premises for the day, and the morning service at the synagogue was crowded. Rabbi H. Van Staveren preached an eloquent sermon on the text "Thou shalt have no other gods before mo" (from the Book of Exodus), but abstained from making any direct reference to the great international upheaval;

The practice of sending white feathers to mon who havo not gone to the front has commenced iu Wellington. A certain member of the Permanent Artillery lias received nearly sufficient feathers to make a duster with, and he has vowed vengeanco on any discovered senders. The artilleryman in question is not permitted to go to tho front, but lie is a keen soldier, and resents the insults. Purveyors of insults in tho form of white feathers might note that the N.C.O.'s of the permanent staff and members of the Permanent Artillery aro not allowed to go. Most of them, by the way, wish to do 60.

A well-known New Zealander who ia at present at Home invalided on account of wounds received in the neighbourhood of i'pres, writing to his family states_ that ho has in his possession a curiosity in the shape of a bayonet whicli he obtained from a dead German. The bayonet has a hook on ono side of it about half-way down, the purpose of which can perhaps bo imagined. The foes Britain is lighting are evidently more like wild beasts than huuiau beings.

"Can it be," said the Minister of Defence in a- speech at Ashburton, "that there are still young men in this country who will refuse to do thoir duty? What will they think in the days to come when they seo their companions come back from a glorious, and, I am convinced, a victorious war? They will meet them in tho streets, they will meet them in the country places of New Zenland; and what wiil they have to say? I cannot imagine the position of a youiig man who could go, wlio is physically fit to go, and who does not go. He must surely lack something, or he could not help enlisting. I know that there are young men who would like to go, but who, through physical disability, are unable to go, and I will gladly hold out the hand of friendship to these men, for they have my sympathy. But Ido not think we shall have to think twice before we hold out the hand of friendship to those young men who could havo gone, but won't." (Applause.)

"To our already large numbers i 6 added another unit, small perhaps, but most noticeable—the Maori contingent," writes Private A. J. Phillips, 3rd Auckland, Regiment, from Zeitoun. "Already, the inhabitants are getting to know the Maoris, for they are not the most insignificant in the streets. Tho other night, one of the English 'Tommies' was brushed up against by what he termed a 'New Zealand .Niggei,' and proceeded to deride tho Maori in terms of tho same respectful nature. Tho English 'Tommy' learned something that night. A little later my friend and I were walking along one of the main streets when we noticed a great throng of excited natives. Working our wny_ in we found a solitary Maori just putting the finishing touches on an Arab, about half a head taller than himself. Perceiving the crowd, he deserted his first victim and charged into the veiling natives, who mado a hurried search for the other end of the street. When we asked him 'what was the matter, he 'pulled up,' quite composed, and 6aid: 'Aw, tose bally niggers chase me like flies, play me out, want me to buy everything, I don't want their stuff, and if I can't tell them, I show them.' "

The Archbishop of York, preachlns at Hull on March 30, Baid many sacrifices were necessary if our cause was to be carried through. The hardest seemed to be the habit of drinking. It was unthinkable that the habit should be continued if it- increased the dangers and possibly accomplished the deaths of men defending us by laud and sea. We were all our brothers' keepers, •' and if it were so the blood of our brothers would cry out from the ground against those who had shed it. He was sorry there should be compulsion, hut if there was they should stand by the Government, in whatever drastic sacrifice was necessary.

Mr. F. A. Allen, son of Mr. H. F. Allen, of this City, both accountants and auditors, has been advised that ho has been awarded first prize in an essay competition promoted by the Incorporated Accountant. Students' Association of Victoria. Tim subject was; "Tho procedure necessary prior to the incorporation of a public company and un to its Hrst, annual meeting." Mr. F A. Allen has now competod iu eleven essay competitions, and lias secured five first', one second, and two third prizes —an excellent record.

The following resolution was passed at a meeting of trades unionists held under the auspices of tho Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union: "Having h.eard first-hand reliable evidence tliat hundreds of reputable and industrious workers (becauso of their conncction with the 1913 strike) are still denied tho right to compote for a livelihood on the Auckland waterfront and elsewhere, this i meetiug of Wellington trades unionists hereby records its surprise and indignation that the prosent, Government still knowingly allows such vindictive discrimination to exist at a time of such grave national peril as the present. Further, we call upon Mr. Masscy, as Minister of Labour., <to tako immediate and dmstio action to open all tho so-called new unions formed at the time of the strike to all workers of :Vod character, as provided hy tho. Arbitration Act." In connection with this motion, a. representative committee of the trades unions of tho City was set' up to wait oil tlio Minister of Labour.

At a special of the Central Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Mr. A. R. Senuett's explanation of the objects and constitution <if the proposed Hoard of Trade and Industries for N«w Zq&land will be rccuivod.