NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1758, 29 November 1917, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

A rather extraordinary accident happened on the train at Runanga recently (states the Greymouth Star). A boy, Charles Hilton, was standing near the door of the carriage during shunting operations, when the engine caused a sudden jerk, which precipitated him through the door window, with the result that he was severely lacerated in the neck just under the chin. He was immediately taken into Greymouth and attended at the Greymouth Hospital, where it was found necessary to put several stitches in the wound. The Marlborough Press, in commenting on a letter published in the “Herald” by “Aunt Sally,” re suggesting that men married since the war should not be called up for service until after the married men with families, says:—-“This argument reminds us of another we heard in Picton in the early stages of the war, when the pick of the country’s young manhood were going forth to fight. A patriotic citizen, well over the forty mark, gave it as his opinion that the Government was making a mistake in not conscripting the elder men and guarding the younger generation. “If men have to be killed or maimed,” was his way of putting it, “why not send us. We’ve seen the best of our days, and a year or two cut off our lives wouldn’t make much difference. These young fellows, on the other hand, are just beginning theirs, and should be given a chance.’ Such theories, however, do not hold good in war.” ’'.Anyone who has attempted to teach the value of sustained effort will understand me when I speak of quite an orgy which is destructive of concentration of thought, destructive of concentration of effort, destructive of everything that makes for efficiency —the orgy of gambling,” said Mr J. S. Barton, at the Central Chamber of Commerce, Wellington. “I know there is an answer to that —‘wowser!’ —but I claim that I am not a wowser. It will take years to rid ourselves of the effects of this orgy of art unions which has hold of the community,” (Hear, hear). What was the use, Mr Barton asked, of trying to convince a boy that nothing of any value could be gained except by sustained effort when they saw his eyes glisten as a book of art union tickets was put before him with the chance of getting a bicycle for a shilling. Baden Powell, in his advice to Boy Scouts, told them not to sell art union tickets or beg for money, but to give a little, however small, of their own. That is sound advice, but we are very far from it.” Writing from one of the camps relative to the taking over of the canteens by the Government, a correspondent of the Auckland Star says: “The Government has now controlled the canteens for two days, and I do not think anything apart from actual training has done so much for the men as this. It is going to benefit them in every way. To give you an instance, a small i’efreshment that previously cost sixpence is now obtained for four•—jjpncc. Shilling haircuts now cost thr^'pemni,Y^mUk,avt'£h which are needed every day are reTffkktt in price on ••■n average of 25 per cent. There is no dealing in actual cash, bui at each door of the Featherston canteen there is a desk at which the, soldier buys credit dockets which he exchanges for the articles at different counters. The staff is of all home service men, and thus the wages and profits are retained for soldiers. Previously the. profits were delivered outside the camp to private individuals, who had leased the canteens. If the organisation and discipline is maintained, the Government’s action will he one of the finest things yet done for the soldier in training in New Zealand camps.”