News From Everywhere.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 4 December 1917, Page 4

News From Everywhere.

A court-martial is to sit at Auckland to-day to try three soldiers for having disobeyed orders. Eight officers will participate in the proceedings, according to the Auckland "Herald." Cabinet has appointed a Commission to make investigation into the expenditure of the Defence Department in connection with the war. The names of those who comprise the Commission will not be published until they have been advised, and the Government may not receive advice from all of them for several days. Mr J A. MeLeod, who has been in charge of the Otaki branch of the Bank of Australasia during the past four months, leaves for Morrinsville shortly. Mr B J. Dando, from the Palmerston North branch, will take charge at Otaki temporarily, until the new manager arrives. About live hundred thousand men have already been conscripted and drawn, and have been sent to training camps in various parts of America. The second lot of Jive hundred thousand has not yet. been called. Sergt. Stanley Bowie Thomson, killed in action in France, was the only son of Mrs Edgar Austin, of Dannevirlte, and was born in Sydney 27 years ago. He was educated at West Christchurch and Boys' High Schools, after which he joined the staff of the Jvaiapoi Woollen Company in Christehurcli. Some years ago lie was transferred lo Wanganui, and later to Wellington, where at the time he enlisted he was town traveller for the company. He served in Samoa.

"You know there's nothing like being honest; and saying what.yon mean," Mr David McDougall, Mayor of Gore, told the company assembled at Sir Joseph Ward's banquet at Invercargill on Thursday evening. Mr McDougall made the remark in explanation of his expressed opinion of the National Government. Indicating the guest of the evening, Mr McDougall said, "Sir Joseph has said that those who want an election at this time ought to be hanged. Then I think that the only way to get rid of the National Government- will be to get plenty of butter-fat, so that we can drown the Government in it. It would give me the greatest pleasure to see the whole lot getting round a big vat and gasping for their hist breath.''

Letters received by the last mail from Major U. A. Wilson, son of Sir ,T. G. Wilson. Bulls, mention that on September ::n he was out when shells were falling about, and suddenly found himself on his back; two fragments of shell had struck his steel helmet and driven it in on his head, making a scalp wound. He says that these helmets undoubtedly save thousands of lives. He was sent to the base hospital, and after niiif days' rest rejoined his battery, which has now been increased by the addition of two more heavy guns, lie now commands six guns, 200 men, and s.'ven officers —a good record for a year's service in the Imperial Army. The Wellington Social Democratic I'.irtv, which is affiliated with the Labour Representation Committee, has decided to nominate Mr 11. E. Holland for the selection ballot for a Labour candidate in the Wellington North byelection. Captain AY. W. Fitzherbert. Royal Su -sex Regiment and R.F.C., who was reported missing some time ago. is now declared to be killed. He was the third son of the late W. A. Fitzherbert, of the Uutt, and was educated at Wanganui College and Mr i ":' roagh College, England. He had been farming for some years in the Argentine with his youger brother, and c-.sm.'- to England to enlist as a private in tlse Sussex lfft'imcnh He was Ir. ice wounded betransferring t«. the R.U.C.. in which he met his death, when returning from a long ilistas;- • bombing raid. Mr O. A. Jorge.nsen hes-- entered into partnership with Mr A. R. Allen, and t'ne firm will carry on t'::e business of architects in Palmcrslon Nojtli and 1').: nnevirke. Brigadier-General Yeung was very unfortunate in receiving a rather nasty wound the day after he took over command of his birgade. lie was. in fact, in the act of taking it over from Act-ing-Brigadier A. 1-;. Stewart, when he received a bulle; wo-.iiul through the neck. Injury to the lung has since developed. and it is unlikely that General Young will be able to return to duty for a month or two.

Several taxation questions were dealt with by the Dominion Executive of the Fanners' Union at its last meeting. A motion was adopted expressing alarm

at the tax on the mo;-;gages of farm la lids, which it was contended taxed a man on his debts, and was a direct hindrance to land settlement by men of limited means. The executive also protested against such legislation being rushed through without giving the farming community an opportunity of stating its views. It was further resolved: "That all Provincial Executives be requested to submit the question of war taxation to the branches, and to ask them for an expression of opinion as to how the heavily-mort-gaged farmer can be protected from bearing an unduly heavy burden imposed upon him by the present system of taxation, and to ask them for concrete instances of hardship due to that svstem."