The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 133, 8 February 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(With which ia incorporated The Taihapo Post va3 Waimarlnt) News.) :

RECRUITING IN CT..GO. Recruiting in the various provinces of the Dominion is by no moans>of anything like uniform character. While men are coming forward enthusiastically and plentifully in some parts in others there is a hesitancy and a lagging behind that is scarcely creditable to the class of men uhose duty it is to tight the battles of the Empire to which they are glad to belong. In the North Island men have spiritedly rushed to Join the colours it the first call. Indeed, many are the complaints at not being able to get a place and of having nr information vouchsafed as to when they may or will be wanted. In Otago, however, men are not coming forward in such numbers as to furnish anything like the minimum that is cvnected r;• that is their quota. Although ample notice has been given of the men required for current reinforcements from the Otago Military District, the response is distinctly poor. Actual figures showing the number of men coming forward are not being published and i\rn not available. Why these figures should be withheld, or what good purpose is served by keeping them secret, no one seems to know; prompt divulgenco of the true position would rather tend to lessen inconvenience ond help the Otago authorities out of their difficulty, as there are still thousands of manly, patriotic New Zealanders who arc willing and .anxious to show their teeth to the German destroyer o’ the world's peace, and would-be-invader and conqueror of our territories. These men are not particular where the headquarters of the force is they Join so long as they are allowed to go; it matters not to them whether it is Otago, Wellington nr Auckland, and if Otago young men are not sufficiently patriotic, or lack that love of the country that gave them birth, to such a degree as to Pc careless, of wheher it remains BritisVunr becomes German, let the surplus of other districts be passed on'quietly to Otago. A MATTER OF fKETH.

The military authorities arc rejecting a large number of volunteers because of teeth troubles. In fact, it is stated that a very considerable proportion of recruits are thrown out by the examining medical officer for having defective teeth. Now, a soldier cannot, very wolf.

show his teeth to the enemy if he has uuiie, nor can ho shoot if he hasn't a I gun. Government furnishes the g >n. and if the recruit is satisfactory in all other respects, why will they net supply the teeth f It seems altogether too , small a matter to sot up a controversy j about, but all our newspapers are now 1 discussing the question with a seriousi ness that should not be necessary, if f. ! good fighting, patriotic recruit hasn’t I the teeth to gnash at the enemy, they ought to be given to him. even if :r.!y from a humane point of view, for such a man might find it too painful t; go on gnashing his gun:; all the lime. In all seriousness, it does’ seem a little thing for our authorties to make a fuss about, and it is distinctly unfair to force volunteers to go to several pounds’ expense in getting new teeth while the Government could, in all probability. get the work done at quarter tho cost by appointing dentists in the four chief ccntrcse, whose duty it would be to attend to the dental requirements of those who are in every other way desirable soldiers. It appears that a great deal has already been done by the honorary staff of dentists, but the strain on them has reached the breakingpoint. Indeed, it is unreasonable to ox poet them to do the amount of work that examining medical officers seem to be needlessly loading thmn w’th. Obviously, the proper course is to appoint military dentists for a period that ihoy will likely be required: the expense of the appointments would be altogether too insignificant to prevent such a course being adopted, as it would mean the retention of a number of good men for whom there j„; urgent need.

NOXIOUS WEEDS. Owing to criticisms and statements of a widely diverse nature, the Agricultural Department recently deemed it advisable to consult occupiers of land through their respective local bodies, in eonection with certain well-known weeds being brought under the operations of the Noxious Weeds Act. Farmers have been interviewed and reports have been furnished, and the consensus of opinion seems to be that the Californian Thistle is a weed that has outgrown any possibility of eradication in the bush and back country districts. It grows luxuriantly in standing bush and it reappears after a good burn long before seeds have time to germinate. From what many pastoralists state it is no menace to them, in fact, several of them arc particularly partial to it as being eaten by sheep when other pasturage is scarce. On agricultural lands the thistle is easily coped with, the frequent ploughing and other surface working rendering any firm hold being obtained. It is the opinion of mos» people, even of those who regard this weed .as something to be coped with, that the utmost discretion should be exercised in the administration of the Act. With regard to blackberry and briar, there is a distinct unanimity of opinion that trio Act sh mid be strictly enforced. It ij also thought that the yellow-flowered ' *-.ipe weed, known to some os should lie placed on the schedule of noxious woods.