GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 2, 6 December 1915, Page 7

GENERAL.

Yesterday afternoon the Wellington Catholic Women’s Hostel, built under the auspices of the Wellington Catholic Federation, was officially opened for occupation by the Archbishop, prominent representatives of the clergy and laity being present. The residence known a s “The Knoll,” in Thompson Street, has been secured as the site of the hostel, and Miss Williams Ims been appointed matron. The schen e is to provide a real home for Cathol c women, either permanently residing or holiday-making in Wellington, the accommodation being sufficient for thirtytwo.

A communication received by the Hon. Minister for Internal Affairs* (Hon. C. W. Russell) from the Christ-) church branch of St. John Ambulance Association states that as a result of shooting parties promoted by Mr Duncan Rutherford, of Leslie Hills, Culverden, 540 crates of hares and rabbits have been sent to London for the use of the military hospitals in the United Kingdom. Eighty-nine crates, each containing twelve hares, are awaiting shipment .in store at Lyttelton. The shipping companies have carried the consignments free to London and the delicacies have been greatly ‘appreciated in the hospitals, j

What looks like a case of attempted arson, occurred early on Saturday! morning, when.a big wooden structure; in High Street, Dannevirke, known as) the Cafe de Paris, was -discovert! on| fire. The brigade effected a good save, I but a good deal of internal damage was 1 done. The building is owned by Mr J. Westlake, Pahiatua, and insured for j £IOOO in the State Office, and the furniture, owned by the late lessee, Mr W. J. Rountree, for £l5O in the State Office. Indications point to the budding having been set on fire in two places, but there is no . evidence at present as to the perpetrator. Rountree suspended the business after the discovery of an incipeut fire at the premises a few days ago.

A Cliine.se, Van Chu Ling, "as charged in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on* Friday with landing in New Zealand without paying the poll-tax of £IOO, and also with landing the Dominion--' without fulfilling the requirements of the Immigration Restrictions Act, 1908. Chan Zee Hop was at the same time charged with assisting in the landing of Van Chu Ling. Mr P. S. K. Maeassey represented the Collector of Customs, and said that the defendants were man and wife, and the facts of the case could not be dispute. Mr .1. W. Dickson, who appeared for the defendants,'said that he was instructed on Wednesday only, and was not in a position to proceed. A remand until to-morrow was granted.

Mr Ergar Marchant, of Wanganui, who enlisted for service, has invented a new style of military bridge which lie intends placing before the'Government and military authorities. It is on the cantilever principle, but embodies an entirely new application ol it which qualified men here say they have never seen or heard of before. Its chief features are that it will give fifty per cent, greater span than any other stylo of bridge-building, and can be constructed without either nails, bolts, ropes or any other fastening, and can be easily and rapidly put together. The bridge is also very strong, a two-foot model built of ordinary r.otara carrying a weight of list without any appreciable movement. Experts consider that for military operations, in which simplicity and rapidity of Construction are essential, it is difficult to surpass Mr Marchant’s invention. I

The Hawera Star states that Mr J. S. Murray, surveyor, of Hawera, lias been instructed by the Public Works Department to make the land plan survey ol the Manaia branch oi the To Roti-Opunako railway, and lias made a start with the work. The Government surveyors have already laid out the route which the railway will follow, and Mr Murray will now prepare the necessary survey of the land required. The line will junction with the main branch line just above K.apuni, and will come out on to the Manaia road at the bond just above K a pilin', at which point the road will bo slightly deviated. The railway will cross the Sheet Hoad between the Kapnni store and the bridge over the Kanpokonui stream, and yome on to the Manaia road again at a corner just below Kapuni. Here the road will be again slightly deviated, but from this point onwards the railway will be snne few chains from the road. There will be no streams to cross ,and the formation out to Manaia. should be of the easiest character.

A wounded English officer tells the following incident which occurred alter the capture of the village of Loos by the British troops;—“l had picked my way among heaps of German corpses, when I was arrested by a voice which seemed familiar. A few yards to my right I observed one of our Bed Cross doctors dressing the wounds of a Gor-

man officer. ‘Bad case, doctor?’ I remarked' casually; and immediately bis patient shouted; ‘Hello, Willie!’ 1 approached the wounded man, and to my astonishment, found ho was a German cousin of mine. My German friend did not conceal his emotion, and I, too, was much affected by a meeting in such circumstances. ‘You’ll look after him well?’ I said, to the Red Cross man, and, bending down, I bade adieu to my German cousin. A few days after my arrival in London I received a letter.from him. It was an unstinted tribute to the valour of th British

troops in our great attack, and to their traditional sense of humanity. Of our soldiers he wrote in chivalrous terms ; ‘Your men are not only soldiers, they are gentlemen, every inch of them.’ ”

“There is a growing disregard for the duties of the married state in New Zealand,” said Mrs Atkinson, when addressing the Minister for Internal Affairs on subject of film censorship. “Young people hurry into marriage and then do not make the least attempt to ‘make a do of it.’ They have no sense of responsibility, no feeling that it is their duty to put up with disappointments and overcome difficulties. Many of those who are engaged in social work in this country arc of opinion that a large part of the trouble is caused by the lax tone of cinematograph pictures imported from America, where the marriage ties are regarded very lightly indeed and divorce is frequent and easy. The films make our people familiar with a, state of things entirely opposed to tins finer traditions of our race.” The people who say that there is nothing wrong with the picture-shows are not attending them regularly,” said another speaker. “The films are persistently presenting the ugly, strained side of life to the clean, wholesome minds of our children. If I want to teach a boy to love sweet savours, 1 do not take him to the drainage outlet at Lyall Bay.. How can it be good for the boys and girls to be made familiar with scenes of depravity, with robbery and murder, with unhappy homes, with dishonest lovers and unfaithful wives ? I. am not exaggerating. Let any father or mother go to the pictures and examine the plots of the dramas that form a large part of the weekly programme. Let them try to see those pictures with the innocent eyes of childhood, and imagine the lessons that are being impressed upon the young minds.”