LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2583, 4 October 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An Australian mail is due by the L'limaroa, which is expected to reach Wellington about- 9 o'clock this morning. All English mail via San Francisco is due on Thursday next.

Tho universal rule of the Postal Union is to charge double of tho deficiency raised on any postal packet in consequence of t'he short payment of postage. The Postmaster-General hoped to be able to make an exception on behalf of the Dominion public when the halfpeunj' war tax was recently imposed; but so/many difficulties and delays have arisen in the way of • computing the charges in consequence of the exemption that the Minister has found it necessary to withdraw the exemption and to order postmasters to follow the rule of making tho surcharge the double of the deficiency. A postal packet therefore whicli with tho war tax should be prepaid lid., and is only prepaid Id., will carry the, usual surcharge of Id. The camp for the tunnelling company which is Being formed will be established at Auckland within a week's time, probably about October 8.

"The employers of New Zealand have dene a great deal, but I think it is possible for tliem to do a great deal more, in view of the urgent necessity for moil," said the Minister of Defence (tho Hon. J. Allen) yesterday. The object of the appeal made t-o -them lmd been, lie said, to cause them to organise tboil- businesses, and to bring in other employees temporarily to _ take the places of men who were desirous of enlisting, and eligiblo to serve as soldiers. It would have been unfair to have made an appeal to the men themselves first, without affording employers an opportunitv of making arrangements to meet the depletion of their staffs that might result.

A very large number of peonle visitodTrentliam Camp yesterday afternoon, tlio largest crpwd for some considerable time Many of tho visitors had not seen the camp since its earlier days, and tlicy wero much impressed by tlio extensive improvements which liavo been made within recent months. •

Tho cheque for £25 received by the Mayor on Friday for tho No. 2 Hosuital Shii) Fund was from the firm of Bell, Gully, 8011, and Myers.

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A young man named Walter do Lacey, working on the 'J'inui-Pokowai Road, had u providential cscapo from death n few days ago (says our Cartorton correspondent). lie had put n charge of gelignite in a face of rock, and, as it did not explode at tho time expected, he proceeded to investigate tho cause, lie had readied within a few yards of' the rock when the chargo suddenly exploded. Ho was thrown backwards, and sustained injuries to his face, which fortunately wcro not of a serious character. Had ho proceeded a yard <f.' so further lie would certainly havo been blown to pieces, as tlio chargo was a heavy one.

The operations of the flax grub in some of the green blado areas in the Manawatu district, and particularly thoso in tlio vicinity of Rangitane, arc causing alarm to all interested in the liemp industry (states an exchange). In places near Rangitane the grub is playing liavoc. At tlio beginning of tlio season tlio leaf was in fairly good condition, although the presence of the grub was quite evident, but in the last feiv weeks an aliuming cliango has taken place, portions of the area now being infested with tlio post. Recognising the seriousness o ftho position the Department arranged with Mr. A. Cockayne, biologist to tlio Department of Agriculture, to visit and inspect the area, and observe the grub at work, and to ascertain if something could not be done to exterminate the pest. Ho recently visited' tlio swamps and took I specimens of tlio grub (which resembles a caterpillar) and tho green leaf after tlio pest had been at work.

The "Weekly Press" has just published its first volume of "Now Zealand at the Dardanelles," whose purpose is to form a permanent record of tho part New Zealand has taken in the war with the Turks and Germans. The illustrations, which cover many phases of our activities, and include portraits : from the Roll of Honour, are a feature of the production. A splendid supplement in colour, specially paint.ed for the record by W. A. Bowring, depicts the joyous rally of our young New Zealanders to tlio flag.

Dr. P. G. Sliiiin, examiner to the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and-Royal College of Music, London, has arrived in Wellington to conduct tho board's annual musical examinations. There are 239. candidates entered in Wellington, and Dr. Shinn will probably be engaged here until October 20. He is staying at tho Hotel Cecil.

In connection with the wealth census that is now being taken throughout t'he Commonwealth, proclamations in German havo been issued at all internment camps notifying enemy subjects that they will be required to furnish returns ,of their worldly possessions, in addition to filling in the personal card 3. The arrangements for the taking of tho census will be in t'he hands of the various cainp commandants, _ but the responsibility of complying with the proclamation is thrown upon tho prisoners. Failure to furnish returns renders them liable to the full penalty under the Act.

At the last practice of the Wellington Professional Orchestra, Mr. Herbert Bloy announced that he would very shortly be leaving Wellington to take up h'is residence in Napier.

"True Imperialism must always be accompanied by splendid magnanimity. AVe must practise .that. To see a helpless people and not oppress them, to see great 'wealth and not' confiscate it, to raise a native race to your level instead of sinking to theirs—these are the supreme trials of a nation's spirit. The whole story of Britain's supremacy is expressed in the word 'magnanimity.' It shows a moral character for which we should bo thankful. The fact of the matter is this: Our Imperialism does not consist; in the annexation of territory, but in a solemn purpose to help the world, to lift thoso who aro submerged, to succour tlie helpless, to shield the weak without staining our honour " —Prom the annual report of the Navy League.

Lieutenant R. F. Mitchell writes from Heliopolis Hospital to his brother (Mr. D. G. Mitchell, -of the Duuedin Telegraph Department), giving details of how 1 Lieutenant-Colonel Bauchop and other members of the Otago Mounted Regiment gave their lives for the Empire. He says:—"l had eleven weeks, on Gallipoli Peninsula and, t'he heat was awful. The sights seen there beggar description. Our little squadron got it hot and strong. On Friday, August 6, at 9.30 p.m. we moved out to take a position on Baucliop's Ridge, which was about 1200 or 1400 yards away. We had to take it with the bayonet, not a shot to be fired and well and nobly our men. did it. I think there were only nine left in my troop. Our poor old Captain Bruce Hay died like a soldier. He was dictating orders to me to send to the general when he suddenly said, 'Oh 1' aad, putting his hand to his heart, wont right down. I asked-if ho was badly hit, but ho just turned and looked at me, and said 'Good-bye.' He only lived a short time. Two hours previous to tho charge he said to mo, 'By this tirno to-morrow morning, Mitch, we will have earned the right to wear the King's uniform. I've soldiered twenty years for this.' He earned the right if ever a man did. I saw old Jack Fea. He was alive Avhon I saw him last, but I hear he pasesd away. Ho was bravery personified. The last position we charged we struck more Turks than we thought and had to form a fightiiig-line. Sergeant Fea was well ahead of it, so I sent out two volunteers to bring him in. He was wounded very badly, but even then he callcd to me. and showed me where the Turks were. That showed the piece of stuff that Sergeant Jack Fea was made of. Our colonel (LieutenantColonel Baueliop) was shot just after we had consolidated our position. Ho was a game one, and was always in the thick of it, dealing it out well and hearty. He lived for a short time, but was paralysed. Even had he lived he would never have been able to move."

In a letter just received by an Auckland resident from Lieutenant-Colonel Plugge, the latter, writing from a London hospital on August 8, remarks, inter alia:—"My wounds did not trouble mo for long, and for about a month I liad a great time in England.' How* ever, on presenting myself to a medical board which I wanted to pass me as fit to return, I was sent back to hospital, and to bed. I hope it is only temporary." 'The letter throws some light on a recent report to the effect that Lieutenant-Colonel Plugge liad received a cablegram from Major'Stuckey stating that ho was wounded. Tho colonel writes: —"I have not been able to write much about the Dardanellesit is not nice to think about—Stuckey, Bayley, and many othor old friends killed." It is Evident from this that Lieutenant-Colonel Plugge believes in Major Stuckey's death.

The anniversary services . connected with the Kent Terrace Presbyterian Cluu'cli, Wellington, were conducted last evening by the Rev. Dr. Erwin, of Ohristchurch. The subject of the morning discourse was self-denial, and was based on the words of our Lord as recorded in Matt. 1G:24. In tho afternoon a very interesting address was given on "The Parting of the Ways." The evening text was Genesis 26:25.

There is an extra olass added to the Wairarapa P. ami A. Society's Show at Carterton on October 27 and 28, for which a prizo of three guineas has been promised by Mr. Arthur Tocker, for bust walkiua: draught horse. The entry must he driven witli full set of harness oil, and a .separate entry made for class.

Our Collar and Tic Department is stocked full with the new season's ties and cnlhuii, Everything smart and now. Goo. Foild!, Ltd u fanners Street,~Advt s