DOMINION NEWS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1651, 16 December 1916, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS

“Oh, no, I won’t be sworn. I must think of my reputation,” remarked a female who was charged at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court with having cycled at night without a light. A constable stated positively that she. was the offender, which she just as emphatically denied. “I do not wish to make this gentleman out to be a, liar,” she informed the court, indicating the constable, “but he must have made a mistake. It was not me.” As she continued to consider her reputation and decline to enter the witness box to make a sworn statement, she was lined 10s and- costs. Smiling sweetly on the Bench, she again remarked, “It was not me,” and left the court.

Some alarm is being expressed in Labour circles at a reported influx of Asiatics to the Dominion. The Auckland General Labourers’ Union has asked the Government to publish a statement 'showing the number of Asiatics already in the Dominion, as shown by the last census, and to publish monthly returns giving the names and occupations of new arrivals. A correspondent, of the Wellington Post has expressed the opinion that Chinese arc now coming here in greater numbers than formerly. Returns published monthly in the Gazette by the Government Statistician show the exact position regarding Chinese to be as follows: —11115: Arrivals 265, departures 237. 1!>16; .January, arrivals 24, departures 14; February, 8, 20; March, nil, 3; April, 31, 48; May, 40, 30; Juno, 40, 14; July, 28, 1; August, 20, 24; September, 10, 18; October, 7, 0. Totals for 1016 to end of October: Arrivals 235, departures 10(1.

Tho general subject of profanity was discussed ul some length at a meeting of (lie Presbyterian Sabbath School Association in Dunedin. The milder was raised by a letter received from a prominent Sunday school worker, now in camp in the North Island, who stated it was a moderate estimate to say that 75 per cent, of the men there were addicted to bad language, -varying from (he comparatively mild type to the worst kind of blasphemy and obscenity. A number of speakers expressed the belief that the habit of swearing was alarmingly prevalent and on the increase among our young- people, and were of opinion that the Sunday School Association as it body ought to take some action to combat the practice. One proposed that the Sunday schools should work in conjunction with the Bible classes and day schools, in organising a regular campaign against profanity. The Otago Daily Times stipes that the matter was left with the understanding that it would be brought forward again and dealt with by the executive, of the association next year.

A unique eu.se, in which creditors, lifter wailing for a period of 15 years, are jo he rewarded witli. a first and final payment of 20s in the £, is reported hy Mr S. Tansley, Official Assignee. Many years ago Mr -Joseph D. Tnstin earried on business in Wellington as a painter and paperhanger, hut in April, 1001, was eompelled to seek the proleelion of the Bankruptey Court. The novel idea of taking out an insuranee policy on Mr Tnstin’s life was suggested by the creditors. A policy for £SOO was thereupon taken out, and |his matured on November ls| last, enabling Mr Tansley 1o make the pleasing announcement that “a dividend of 20s in the £ in the estate of -Joseph D. Tnstin is now payaide.” Mr Tnstin is now in business in Gisborne.

“This will suit me all my days,” the cheerful soldier said. “This is the life. Like it? A man can’t help liking it—-regular hours, regular exercise, plenty of good food. And then the sleep! Look here, as a civilian 1 rarely went to bed before midnight, or got .up before eight. And now, why, I’m in bed by half-past nine nearly every night, and wake before reivelle ip the morning. And I'm getting tit. Before 1 came here I was a bit nervous a|)oij| Jhe work. Hopje spid it was cruel. Well, a( lir,-d it’s a bit solid, but nothing to cry about. Then it gels easy, oh, dead easy, Fatigues! that’s when the laugh comes in. I like fatigues, ami there's a reason. Drill starts at 7.30 in the morning; fatigues don’t start till 8.30, and nobody worries as long as you attend to your work. Xo thanks, I don't want a stripe or a commission, or anything that will stop my getting to the front. I’m meeting nil kinds of men, all manner of good sorts, and I’m well and happy like thousands of others in khpkij apd my advice to you is to get ip to h, right ■ a.\vay. Jj is the life, (ilf) Plan. 11 And the cheerful soldier set bis broom in uiofiop a-, gain and resumed bis sweeping of the main camp thoroughfare. There are thousands like him in the camps,