NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1916, Page 6

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

, '■ SHORTAGE -Oil TRANSPORTS. , ( (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, Jan, The commandeering of the Ulimaros. •by tlie Government for transport purposes . has caused considerable anxiety in shipping circles. The shortage of shipping space is acute already, and there seems reason to fear that the Government will require other steamers within the next month or two. The fleet of transports at present in use sufficed as long as the reinforcements were going away without horses. The size of the drafts had grown, but the last half-dozen reinforcements had not ■been required to take horses, and so a balance was maintained. But now there is a call for horses again, and additional transports ..-must be found. A tramp steamer which left here with horses the other day was the first of the extra vessels. Now the Ulimaroa has been taken, and the question is, "Which next?"

WOOL SHIPMENTS. The trouble with regard to wool shipments is not likely to continue for very long. Undoubtedly there is a shortage of shipping, anil if the companies and the exporters had to face the problem unaided the position would be very serious. But the Imperial authorities want the wool, just as tiiey wanted the meat last year, and they will see that the bales required by the British factories are not locked in the New Zealand stores indefinitely. The Prime Minister provided an explanation of the present position when lie said at Christchureh that the shortage of shipping space for wool had come upon the Dominion suddenly. If .it had been foreseen precautionary measures would have been taken. Now there may be some delay before the necessary arrangements can be made.

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS. ' Tlio Department of Education is adI vertising for a secretary, who will have charge of the business and financial side of the Department. This appointment, mentioned in these notes some time ago, is one of the administrative .changes .that are being made by the present Minister for Education (Hon. J. A. Hanan). The old office of Secretary for Education, about to be vacated by Sir Edward Gibbes (who retires), is to'be abolished, and the new officer will be Secretary to the Education Department. There "will be a clear line of demarcation between his duties and those of the Director of Education, the head of the professional side of the Department. Overlapping and lac!; of individual responsibility have been among the troubles of the Education Department in the past, and tiie change should make for economy as well as efficiency.

The "Minister for Education met an importation deputation representing the Catholic Federation to-day and heard the views of Archbishop O'Shea. Bishop Geary and others regarding the claims of the Catholic schools to concessions from the Education Department. He stated that lie did not intend to deny Catholic children the right to hold Junior and Senior National Scholarships at their own schools, and his Department would continue to issue leaving certificates in suitable eases to children who iiad completed their courses in the denominational schools. He indicated that lie was disposed to give a friendly- ear to the demands of the Catholic community with regard to medical inspection and the selection of school books. Hut the claim most strongly pressed by the deputation wag that free places should be tenable at the denominational schools, and the Minister replied that the question was going before Cabinet. One may predict confidently that Mr. Hanan will not recommend a change in this direction, and that the Xational Government will maintain the attitude adopted by previous Government—that the free places must bo held in the national schools.

NURSES FOR THE FRONT. The hospital ship Maheno is nearly ready to leave for, the front on her second commission, and to-day the nurses who are to go with the ship were entertained' by the Ministers at a gathering in Ileliai'ny's, where they were presented with their badges by the Countess of Liverpool. They are a fine-look-ing band of women, experienced and capable, though the average age was below that of earlier drafts. When these nurses, forming the second portion of the extra hundred asked for by the Imperial authorities, have left Egypt, New Zealand will have sent away nearly four hundred trained nurses for service in Egypt and elsewhere. The Minister for Public Health, in mentioning this fact, said that the suppl'- of certificated nurses was being well maintained, and the Dominion would be able to meet further demands if they were made.

THE RIFLE BRIGADE. The Third and Fourth Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, containing some 2200 men, have very nearly completed their training, and they will be on the move within the next few weeks. This force is to pay a visit to Auckland before its final departure from the Dominion. The Rillo Brigade, which was raised as an extra contribution to the armies of the Empire, will then be complete, and it coos not appear at the moment that New Zealand will be required to provide any more "main bodies. 7 ' The task of the future will be to send forward reinforcement drafts at the rate if about 2500 men every month, or roughly 2200 men every fourth week. It is possible, of course, that the need for raising additional forces over and above the regular reinforcements' will arise, but the Defence Department is provided against a sudden call by the Special Reserve, now in camp. This reserve of about 1000 men was formed at the request of the Imperial authorities, as announced by the Minister for Defence during the last session of Parliament, and when its training is complete it will be available for service when required. . The existence of the reserve must not be regarded by anyone as an excuse for slackening of effort in the matter of recruiting. This force has to be kept intact, against a possible emergency while the ranks of the successive reinforcements arc filled in the ordinary way. THE ADMIRALTY'S METHOD. The steamer Tainui, which arrived here from London yesterday, made a call during the voyage at a certain port, quite unknown even by naine to the average New Zealauder. There she landed the gun she had carried through the submarine-infested zone around the United Kingdom. The gun's crew went ashore, too. Some other steamer, inward bound, will have picked up that gun long ere this time, and when the.. Tainui'-fe. on her yray back to London