TELEGRAMS. VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1921, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

[by tblegbaph—pee press association] NOTES RECOVERED. STRANGE AFFAIR AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, May 18. -The sum of £7OO lost by a >voman on a ferry boat last Friday, has been recovered. A detective received an anonymous telephone message that the notes would be found in a certain open space in the city. The notes were found there tied with string. They were intact, except that one was torn in half. BRITISH WAR MEDALS. NOW BEING DISTRIBUTED. WELLINGTON, May 17. Up to the present the Defence Department has issued 25,000 British war medals to ex-soldiers of the Dominion. In all there are approximately 07,000 medals to be issued. These are being turned out at the rate of about 500 a day. The medals are being distributed in alphabetical order. Medals due to next-of-kin will not be distributed until surviving ey-soldiers have all been supplied. As regards the Victory Medal to be issued to all ex-soldiers who were in the actual seat of war, an officer of the Defence Department stated none had come to hand, and be had received no word about them. THE MEDAL DESCRIBED. The British War Medal is of silver. On the obverse side is a nude mounted figure, the right hand grasping a short Homan sword and the left the reins. The horse is trampling on a shield at the left of which appear the skull and crossbones The war years "1914” and 1918 also appear. On the reverse side is the head of ffing George, with the usual Latin inscription. The name of the recipient of the medal is inscribed on the smooth edge of the medal, along with his number and rank. The centre of the ribbon is gold colour, supported on each side by narrow strips of pale blue, black and royal blue. BRIDGE DAMAGED BY FIRE. WAIROA, May 17. Early on Monday morning lire destroyed two spans of the Mohakn bridge. But for good work by residents, the whole bridge would have been destroyed. The residents pulled up the planking of the bridge. While they were so doing, part of the bridge collapsed, carrying two of the workers into the river with it. They were rescued without much injury, but they had a miraculous escape.

MILITARY CLOTHING. INGENIOUS SCHEME TO PREVENT MISUSE. WELLINGTON, May 17. The country has suffered considerable financial loss through Territorials wearing privately flu* miltary greatcoats and other military clothing which are issued only for service purposes. An effort is being made to prevent this abuse of public property, and a rather ingenious scheme has been designed for the purpose. It is ordered that all overcoats on.issue, and future issues to officers. warrant officers, n.e.o.’s and men of the New Zealand Military Forces, will he branded with a hot iron with the mark, “N.Z.” with a broad arrow between the two letters, in the centre of the top of the hack on the outside of the garment. The brand is to be covered with a patch sewn on diamond wise, the top .corner of the diamond to touch the'hem of the collar. When turned down the size of the patch is to lie 21 inches square. The colour of the patches will be as follows: Mounted Rifles, green; Artillery, rod and blue, with the join horizontal ; Engineers and Signal Corps, blue; infantry, red; Army Service Corps, white; Ordnance Corps, rod and blue, with join vertical; Medical Corps, cherry; Veterinary Corps, maroon.

All overcoats now on issue are to lie called in and branded and patched accordingly by Juno Ist. Thus, if a Territorial wears a coat without the patch, lie will bo given away by the broad arrow.

THE WIUTTA SENTENCE.

PETITION FOR REPEAL

“Easy come, easy go,” seems to be the motto, if not the fate—so far— of the bookmakers. A few weeks ago it was reported that the bookmaking fraternity had formed a protective association, and had engaged an organiser »t a salary oi £IOOO per annum. If the projected activties have been set in operation, this may have some connection with a petition which is to be put into circulation in Christchurch to-day. Thu petition is that Cabinet should be asked to repeal the sentence of six months’ imprisonment imposed on W. V. Whitta for a breach of the 1920 Gaining Act. It is stated that the men engaged to canvass for signatures to the petition have been promised' remuneration at the rate of £1 a. day as well as a bonus. They are instructed to canvass what is termed in the engagement “the sporting fraternity.”

CLOTHING TRADE WORKERS. ELDER ATTON FOR MED. WELLINGTON, May 10. A conference of Dominion delegates of the employees of wholesale clothing trades unions met here to-day and decided to amalgamate and form a federation. The office hearers were elected, namely, the council at Dunedin where the previous executive was located. The employees are now staking for reduced hours and a substantial ipcc'ise in wage's. A conference with the employers was held. The latter stated they were unable to depart from mo •' • 'tting award. The matter has inw hern rofei red to the affiliated unions lor con- j sideration • !i