LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2538, 12 August 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postmaster-General has received advice that arrangements have been made for the use by the senders of cable messages to members of the Australian Expeditionary Force in the United Kingdom of the military code word indicating the regiment or unit to' which the addressee belongs, provided such telegrams are addressed to the care of "Crotoiiate," London.

! Tlie first Cabinet meeting of the National Ministry took place yesterday afternoon, but Mr. Mac Donald and Mr. Elanan, both of whom are on visits to their electorates, were not present. The Prime Minister, referring to the meeting, said that Cabinet had dealt with a lot of preliminary business of considerable importance. Arrangements 'have been made to have parcels for New Zealand soldiers in Gallipoli or in Egypt sent direct to Egypt. Formerly the practice was to send all parcel mails direct to England, whence they were forwarded to Egypt. It is hoped that the new arraugoment will reduce delays in the receipt of parcels by soldiers, a matter about which there liavo lately been frequent complaints. ■ >

This city's Rugby football dubs l'ove all contributed lieavily to the l'.xpeditionary Forces, and tlio Wellington. Club has done a very full share. Last evening tlio "Wellington Olub asfceu the permission of the union to withdraw its junior team, bccauso their enlistments had'been so heavy tliat they found it impossible to. keep going. Hie enlistments at the beginning of the war were heavy, and recently further won have offered their serviecs to the lmlitary authorities, and the result is the depletion of the junior ranks of the club. The union • granted the request.

A document which is awaited with keen interest is the forthcoming report of the Trentham Camp Royal Commission. It is practically, certain that the report will be presented this week or at the beginning of next week. Ilie existence of the Commission terminates next Monday, so the report should be to hand by then, unless an extension of time is sought and granted.

The Gtli Reinforcements, who have just undergone four mouths' training at Trentham, have been placed under Rotive service conditions, and will make their public appearance ,as a_ body oil Saturday afternoon, when they will march through tho streets of the City. Tho force will leave the Government Buildings at 2.80 p.m., march along Lambton Quay, up Willis Street, along Ingestre Street, returning to Jervois Quay via Cuba Street. It is expected that the soldiers will be. given a reception befitting the occasion. The ' ,6th are generally voted to be a particularly well-trained' and soldierly body of men.

No matches in the city_Eup;by championship will be played in Wellington next Saturday; the fixtures have been sot back one week. On. Saturday, August 21, in addition to the cup matcnes, there will bo played on Athletic Park the annual match botween Wellington College and St. Patrick's College, and the junior championship -final between Berhampore and Petono. The cup draw for that Saturday isOriental and Petojie, at Petone j Wellington and Poneke. at Miramar; University and Athletic, at Lower Hutt, •

A novel method of raising funds for wounded Australian soldiers was adopted on board tlie' mail steamer Makura during tlio vessel's trip from Sydney to Now Zealand. Packs of cards wero sold, which bore the colours of the Allies and caricatures of t'lie Kaiser, the Crown Prince, and the Sultan of Turkey. Tliese were the work of a number of well-known Sydney artists. Six packs were disposed of, and each was signed by Madame Melba, who was a passenger by the Makura. The sum realised was about £18. One pack brought £5. The money will be devoted -to a. fund for establishing a home in Australia for wounded men returning from the front.

The erection of 100 workers* homes in different parts of New Zealand wher. ever they may be required has been authorised by tho Government. The cost will be about £50,000. The price.of some building materials, such as corrugated iron, has advanced enormously, but the pneo of timber has fallen, and it is hoped that the total cost of the buildings will not be above that of normal times.

Writing to liis brother in Wellington, Troper 11. B. Burn,'of tho Canterbury Mounted infantry (a brother of Lieutenant Bum, tho aviator), makes sonic interesting remarks upon tho Dardanelles campaign. He likens tho .lighting area, to "ground that has been shot over before, with rabbits lying hero and there." "That," ho continues, 'V exactly what theso hills arc like:, dead men dotted about. From whore lam now I can see four dead Turks lying in a- spaco of a quarter of ail acre. Iso one bothers to bury them unless an armistico is declared. Last time that happened 2000 Turks were buried. It was then that they found tho bodies of Lionel Parson and Fred. Johnson Canterbury men). "Thero aro numerous aeroplanes here," Trooper Bunt adds, "and the bombs they drop make 6omc sort of dint» too. # Wo aro awfully pissed that uioat of them aro on our jjidfli"' •• *

Two representative Rugby matches, in aid of the Patriotic Funds, are to be played next month between _ tno "Ellington and Canterbury Provinces. On September 11 the teams will meet in Wellington, and on September '.o in Christchurch. Wellington's ordinary fixture with Taranaki will ewsiuuatp hero on September 18, and AAellingvon may send a team to Carterton to xilay Wairarapa on August 26. At yesterday's meeting of the Mayor's Patriotic Committee, it was decided to purchase a quantity of fruit to be placed on tlio troopships that are shortly leaving for the front. Not always is silence golden. Often (it seems) it is a very sad thing. According to a witness in the Supremo. Court .yesterday, there is an inmate of the Porirua Mental Hospital who. never speaks. He,has been in the institution for years. 'One of the hospital staff Epoke of another man whom lie had heard speak only three or four times in (.en years.

According to tho Superintendent of tho Porirua Mental Hospital, who gave evidence in tho Supremo Court yesterday, there are at present 960 patients in'tho Porirua institution.

"It is possible for a soldier to do more real good in olio glorious hour of life oil Gallipoli than many another man can do in a life of four-scoro years," declared Dr. A. W. Averill, in tho course of a sermon in St. Matthew's Church, Auckland. The preacher based liis remarks on tho Biblical incident of the Shunamito woman, who, though her son had died, answered, "It is well" to the prophet's question': "Is it well withthee? Is it well with thy husband ? Is it well with tho child?" Bishop Averill addressed his remarks to the mothers t and ivives whose sons and husbands were at the front. "Because you let them go quietly, ungrudgingly, and cheerfully," ho said, "I say 'It is well.' Aye, it is well, for what we call death is not the cessation of life, but tho intensification of life. Your boy is promoted by this transition to a higher sphere of usefulness and labour."

Carpenters are urgently required' for work at tho Trentham Camp. Mayor, who lias been appealed to in the matter, states that there is a shortage .in tho number of carpenters required i for work on tho hutments at Trentham : that is urgently required to bo i done on account of the men that aro shortly to go into camp .there. Should there bo employers who have carpenters engaged on work that is not of an urgent character, lie would ask that such, "work be held up for a week or two so that the men could bo free to proceed to Trentham. Any carpenters out of "work or contractors witli carpenters under engagement who desire to know tlie conditions -will be supplied with'all information by calling on tho Mayor at the Town Hall. Notice of the following motions have been given by- Mr. F. T. Moore for next meeting of tho "Wellington Hospital Board:—(1) "That a qualified veterinary surgeon report monthly on the health of the cows and tho sanitary condition' of the farm from whence the Hospital milk supply is drawn." (2) "That immediate steps be taken to effectively test each can of milk delivered at the Hospital, and a register kept recording the percentage of nutter-fat and water contained in eaoh can."

, A letter has been received at Defence Headquarters, Wellington, from Mr. Peter AndoTsoh,, Vivonno Bay, Kangaroo Island,' South • Australia, stating that he had picked up a message in a bottle on the sea-shore from the Aparima, one of the transports for the New Zealand troops. Tho sea-borno mossaKe contained the names of Wallace Eoland Guy, Palmerston North, New Zealand ; Herbert Augustine Dannevirke, New Zealand; Hugh H. Harold, Waimiro, Now Zealand; and •Henry James Hevnolds, Wellington. Mr. Anderson, in a letter forwarding tho message to New Zealand, expressed the wish "that theso lads may return to their homes after having wiped the floor with the Germans." The Trentham and Provincial Hotels, Upper Hutt, bavo been placed out of bounds for soldiers at Trentliam as from Tuesday.

A statement was cablcd a few days that tho British Army was abandoning the use of puttees and adopting tho Russian military boot. The Minister of Defence states that ho has made inquiries on tlie subject, and that ho is informed that this is not so. Among the numerous congratulatory telegrams Sir Joseph Ward lias received in connection with tho formation of tno National, Cabinet is one from the Hon. W A Holmau, Premier of New South Wales, which reads:—"New South Wales Cabinet desire to convey warm congratulations yourself and colleagues Liberal' Party oil inclusion ■ National Ministry. Trust that in c-ooperation with Prime Minister your labours may strengthen Empire in its hour or need. (Sgd.) Holraan." To this message Sir Joseph Ward has sent the following reply"The Hon. W. A. Holman, Premier New South Wales, Sidney.— Sincere thaiiks good wishes. Feel sure formation National Cabinet here is in best interests of the Empire and New Zealand. I reciprocate tho 'goixi wishes for tlie success of your Administration. (Sgd.) J. 6. Ward." . "What Naval Disaster would mean to the British Empire" ,is the subject for the Navy League's school essay competition this year. The competition is open not only' to junior members of the Navy League, but.to every boy. or girl who attends aJiublic primary or secondary school. The essay is to be written under supervision duxing school hours, and the winner will bo lire sent ed with tho prize at an entertainment that is to take place in the Town Hall on October 21—the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. The . secretary, of the Wellington branch of tho Navy League (Mr. C. -W. Palmer) is at present making arrangements to dispatch at an early date ,a wreath of flowers to be placed on the Nelson Monument in Trafalgar, Square, London, on October 21, the anniversary of tho Battle of Trafalgar. This wreath, which is to be arranged by Miss Murray, of Willis Street, will bo forwarded to London on behalf of the whole of the branches of the League in New Zealand.

Tho president of the Delawaro and Hudson Railroad, Mr. L. F: Loree; who was asked by bankers last August to head a committee of railway executives for the purpose of determining the exact amount of American railroad securities held abroad, reported last nionth that the results -of his investigation show that 2,570,000,000 dollars worth of these are owned by European investors. Requests for information were sent to all the railways in tho country ' above a hundred miles in length, and practically nil replied, giving the data desired. Mr. Loree states that of this total approximately 113,000,000 dollars worth maturo on or befote January, 1919. Tho report contains a statement that vast amounts of American railroad securities are held by life and fire insurance companies in Great Britain, .and that people of large means in that and other countries aro also heavy investors. Tlie estimates of the foreign m industrial concerns and municipalities : in America have so far not- been determined accurately, but the prevailing belief is that tiiese are valued at 2,000,000,000 dollars. This would placo the entire value of all American.-; held in Europe ' at- about 4,376,000,000 dollars.

Tho congestion of shipping in New York has interrupted the deliveries of motor-cars to New Zealand. This lias been felt oven by the Chovroiot cr.rs, wliich arc at present attracting a great deal of public interest, and also tin envy of competitive agents. Now, however, supplies are coining to hand in large numbers, and the controlling agents—The Dominion Motor Vehicles, Ltd., G5 Courtenay Place— invito inspection of tho latest self-start;, ine and lighting Chevrolet, which sells a\ ■6545 complete.—Adv.t, ;

An inquest will be held at the Magistrate's Court at 4 p.m. to-day into tho cause of death of a wharf labourer named Joseph Loughliu, who dropped dead at tho corner of Auel Smith Street at about 8.30 o'clock on Tuesday evening. Deceased, who is a single man, about 39 .years of ago, had been talking to a man named Michael O'Brien when ho suddenly fell down and expired.

A letter, dated June 12, and written iii t'lio trenches, has been received by Mrs. Henry Smitli, of Chilton House, Wellington Terrace, from her son, Sergeant Sidney O'Carrol Smith, of tlio 3rd Australian Brigade, who was one of tho first 100 soldiers put ashoro at tho Dardanelles on April 25. Ho refers to his experiences as follows:—"Tho most, trying time I have had yet was tho time iii. tho rowing boats before wo landed. After leaving,, in deathly silence —tho battleship on which we had come —we just sat in the boats, being towed silently in shore, for two and a half hours. The moon was up for the first hour and a half, and then it went 'flown, and in pitch darkness we stealthily cropt in. It was tho most nerveracking timo.l have ever known. Then a voice from a battleship camo across the water 'Clo ahead and land—Good luck/ and i wo silently crept away from tho big slvip. After another half hour's creeping ivo could see we were about 200 yards from shoro, when, zip, zip, zip, the bullets whizzed. Then nerves were forgotten and as soon as we could wo hopped out of tho boats, all the time under terrible fire, up to our armpits in water, struggled ashore, got under sonio sort of cover, and when tlicro were enough of us, charged. From the' timo we heard the first bullet till wo charged' was not five minutes. The next four days and_ nights—l hardly knew which was which—was hard going." Sergeant Smith was uninjured and was in good health when tho letter was written.

The wealth census proposed by the Federal Government is, under present conditions, a perfect justifiable thing (says the "Sydney Daily Telegraph"), and by pushing matters beyond the limit of practicability any measure of the kind may easily bo made not only burdensome but ridiculous. It was to prevent this that an effort was made in the Senate'to have the valuation of each citizen's household furniture omitted. !In the first place, such a valuation in many cases can amount to no more than the merest guesswork. And what is the uso of it, anyway? Does tho Government , contemplate calling upon tho householders to contribute a half-worn carpet or a patent gridiron to the War Fund? If so, there would be some sense in trying to. ascertain tho market value of those articles, though how it could _bo done over all the Commonwealth in one day can scarcely be imagined. Second-hand furniture for sale purposes is worth what it will fetch, and if a valuation had to bo

iven on the basis of everybody, wholly or partially selling off on the one day tho boldest prophet might hesitate to predict what any v particular articlo would bring. How tlio return is to bo made, therefore, is difficult to see.

The officer in . command when LancoCorporal Jacka, of the Australian forces, won his V.C. on the Gallipoli Peninsula, gives the following account of the incident;—"We have just passed through" two very strenuous days and nights here. The Turks were heavily reinforced, and made an attack on our position, and wo inflicted'terrible loss on the attackers.. One little incident during the attaok may interest you. The Turks, eight in. number, got into a small section of our trench, and as I was near we had to clear thorn out. Lieutenant Boyle.was wounded and Lieutenant Hamilton killed in tackling the same job before I came on the scene. 1 got four boys, who made a rush at thom, but were repulsed with two wounded. Then I made as if wo were .going to attack l again, ' and threw some grenades at them, "and the lancecorporal whom I have written the memorandum about rushed in at the other 'end and fired 10 shots. The copy enclosed' is what I have written to"-get Jacka a medal for conduct The general was greatly pleased with the way the attack was repulsed right along, and Major Rankino, who was in command of our trench, got great praise. AU o. as wero personally congratulated by General' Godley, Brigadier Monash, and Colonel Courtney. This is an extract from my report to headquarters:—'l beg to report that at 5 a.m. on May 19 Lance-Corporal Jacka, No. 4 Company, 14th Battalion, A.1.F., under my instructions, rushed in at one end of tho trenches, whilst I had a party engaging them at the other end, and shot seven Turks who . had forced and obtained a section of our trenokes. Lance-Corporal Jacka and a party of four had tried a previous bayonet rush, but were repulsed with two casualties to us.' "

Sir W. S. Meyer's statement as to India's'finances, made to the yiceroy's Council (says the "Sydney Daily Tele? graph"), snows wliat must -under tho conditions be regarded as satisfactory results. India now has. a gold basis for her currency, which has to. be safeguarded very carefully, and he said that the war put that basis to a supreme test owing to the Curtailment of snipping, and the financial disturbance throughout the world. • The ordeal was safely passed through, as well as the fluctuations in prices, including the fall in cotton; With regard to tho dispatch of troops, it appears that the Indian Government only finds the ordinary pay of her troops abroad, the Imperial Government finding the additional expenditure. Still, this year India is paying £4,800,000 for her Expeditionary Forces. Economy iu the ordinary expenditure has been practised. The original estimate of the revenue for tho year to March 31 last was £85,079,000,. but there was a curtailment of nearly £5,000,000 from the war. Tho expenditure could only be reduced by £2,000,000, and' the year closed with a deficit of £4,950,000. Loau expenditures have been much ourtailed. Instead of . £12,000,000 being expended on railways, tho figure was reduced to £8,000,000,: and the outlay on New Delhi was cut down by oue-lialf. The .loan proposals for the current year are reduced to £6,500,000 raised in England, aud £3,000,000 raised in India,

"Salary" comes from tho Latin word "sal" —i.e., salt —Roman .soldiers navintr received a daily portion of salt as part of their pay.. Hcnc* tlio expression, "not worth his salt.