LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 38, 20 January 1916, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the course of a conversation with the Taumarunui representative of the Auckland Herald, the Hon. G. \V. Russell spoke strongly as icgards the action of the Auckland Executive in refusing to place patriotic funis at the disposal of the Government. He said that these funds nad been raised lor the benefit of men who had sacrificed their all. The monev raised in Auckland was not being used for that.purpose, but was being loaned out for long periods, so that soldiers who needed it just now could not touch it. If something was not done soon he 'the Minister) would enlighten the people of Auckland as to how their money was being spent. He was in a position to do this. A big excess of deposits over withdrawals in connection with the Post Office Savings Bank is reported for the* year 1915. The Postmaster-General (Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) states that during the twelve months ended December 31st, the deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank amounted to £13,706,057, and the withdrawals to £11,291,974. The excess of deposits over Avithdrawais for the year amounted to £2,411,083, the largest addition to the credits of depositors in the history of the bank. The figures are attributable in part to the raising of the rate of interest and the extension of the maximum sum upon which interest is paid. The following conversation was overheard whilst travelling in a train with a party of Tommies (states the London correspondent of the New Zealand Times). "Our major," said one of them, "e's an officer and a gentleman. The other day he comes into the canteen and says he, 'Any conif plaints, boys?' And 1 said, 'Yes, sir. Beg your pardon, sir, the tea they are serving us ain't fit to drink.' So he said to the bloke who served us "Give us a cup.' And when he'd tasted it, 'Ogwash,' says he, 'Og-wasb,' and he .says to the bloke, 'Lina these men up,' and when he'd done that he says, 'And now give them back, their tuppences.' And I'd never paid mine!" The question as to whether German names should be retained for certain flowers was in evidence.at the Christchurch flower show.. The National Rose (Society recently decided that the beautiful white rose hitherto named Frau Karl Druschki should be rechristened with an English name, Snow Queen being selected. At the Christchurch display the exhibitors? of this rose were not unanimous on this point, one prominent nurseryman adhering to the original German name, whilst some other exhibitors preferred Snow Queen. Patriots will learn with mingled feelings that Mr C. Poulsen, the grower who retained the German name, secured the premier bloom award for his specimen. A represents ative of the Lyttelton Times asked Mr Poulsen if he had experienced any agitation among the public for the changing of the names of flowers bearing enemy alien names, and he replied in the negative, and added that great confusion must ensue if the names of. flowers were altered for merely patriotic, and probably temporary reasons. A characteristic of Billjim in Gallipoli is fixed determination not to allow his leg to b e pulled, and a rooted belief that someone is always trying to do it (states H.O. in the Bulletin). General , who was being piloted by Colonel , looked down into an eight foot trench in which a number of Billjims were doing vigorous pick work, and, apparently with the object of making himself a good fellow with the Ifbys inquired! "Well what ate you men doing there?" Work did not cease, but a reply was promptly forthcoming: "What the lias that got to do with you?", The staggered colonel announced that it was a general who had asked the question. This allegation struck Billjim as be- : ing unworthy of investigation, so he. I merely observed, without looking up, I that "if the blanker had been in the ' army long enough to become a general, he ought to well know what they were wpll doing." There being no answer to that in the I wide world the inspection ended right ! there. ! | i mi in ■ ijMi»_«iiii«iinrr—