NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1797, 5 March 1918, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

A striking feature of the vital statistics in a recent Gazette is the difference between the number of marriages in 1915 and 1917. The average pre-war rate of marriages was about 8.5 per 1,000 of population. The 10,028 marriages in 1915 made the rate for the year 9.12 per 1,000. In 1917 there were only 6.309 marriages or 5.73 per 1,000 of population.

Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, noticing in Leicester Square, London, two soldiers from his own country, went up and spoke to them. But they having been warned of the danger of the affable stranger, Urst asked his name and his place of abode (says the London Evening News), and it was not until these details had been written down for th'em that they felt it was safe to converse.

A thrilling story is told of a mad soldier at large with a bomb, and a chase after him by a R.A.M.C. man, in connection with the award of the Albert Medal in gold to Private James Collins, 14th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C. Near an advanced dressing station in France, a lunatic soldier escaped from his escort, and ran away along the trench. Collins ran after him, and the man threatened him with a bomb. Collins closed with the lunatic, who then drew the pin from the bomb and let it fall in the trench. ~ In order to save the patient and two other soldiers who were near, Collins put his foot upon the bomb, which exploded, killing the lunatic and injuring Collins severely. Fortunately the two other soldiers wero not hurt.

The Periodical, the advertising journal of the Oxford Press, notes that the word “strafe” has been accepted for publication in the forthcoming portion of the Oxford Dictionary, Vol. 9. “Strafe, v. slang (from the Gorman phrase ‘Gott strafe England,’ ‘God punish England,’ a common salutation in Germany in 1914 and the following years). Used (originally by British soldiers in the war against Germany) in various senses suggested J\y its origin: to punish, to do damage to, to attack fiercely; also, strafe, sb., a fierce assault.” The first recorded use is noted as in The Times literary supplement, Iflth .February, 191(1. It may be mentioned that the word is pronounced as if spelt strarf.

The vital importance to New Zealand of the Pacific colonies formerly held by Germany being retained under British control for all time, was stressed at the last meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board, when the following motion was carried unanimously: —“That, the Wellington Harbour Board, realising fully the immense importance of the question of the future occupation and administration of the Pacific colonies formerly Held by Germany, desires to most strongly urge upon the Dominion representatives to the Imperial Conference in London that no settlement will be acceptable to the loyal population of New Zealand which leaves possible the re-occupation by Germany of any of the before-men-tioned colonies.” Mr J. G. Cobbo held that if these colonies werq handed back to Germany, be would feel that New Zealand had been betrayed, and that the sacrifice of blood had been in vain.