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Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 99, 26 April 1919, Page 6

Following is the official weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. this day: "The indications are for moderate to strong south-easterly winds, backing by north to west. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled at times. The barometer has a failing tendency. Sea moderate. Tides good."

_ The Arahura, which sailed for East Coast bays this afternoon, had a particularly heavy passenger list. All the availi able accommodation was taken up early iin the morning, and "shake-downs' J were requisitioned to provide for other I passengers. These conditions are a reI suit of the holiday traffic and returning | transports, a large number of visitors I having been in town for the Easter holiI days and to meet returning soldiers.

It is 6tated that three large refrigerated vessels, which hail been originally intended for Australian loading, have been ordered to come to the Dominion instead, and lift produce during May. They are the Westmoreland, Devon, and Port Sydney, and their total capacity ia about 50(\000 freight carcases. Of they are additional to the refrigerated vessels already announced as coming here in May. Their diversion to New Zealand _ rather significant, in view of the representations made by Sir Joseph Ward to the Imperial Shipping Controller. It is not known yet whether any portion of their space will be reserved for cheese.

In the course of his speech at the soldiers' welcome home at Otaki, Major Buck referred to the intrepidity of the Maoris', ancestors. He stated (reports an exchange) that there was a carefullypreserved record among the Maoris of the wonderful adventures of a venture-

some voyager. He sailed to the dark seas in a canoe, away down to the Antarctic, where there were wonderful monsters of the deep. Thai, wad about the year 650 A.D. Another man set out some 200 years after to verify the story

of thk voyage, and left records of the Antarctic which had ben verified by the discoveries of later centuries. These stories, Major Buck said, proved the prowess and venturesome spirit of the Maori ancestors. Tlie prosperity of the dairying industry, which had made Taranaki, was evident by the fine class of cows seen and the 6ubatantially-built factories, which were met with in all directions. This was the opinion expressed by the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald to a Palmerston reporter. The prices of land simply astonished him, as he was shown one property which had just changed hands at £ 107 per acre. It was evident from the prices paid for land that there was money in dairying at the present time.

Work is not plentiful in Wellington, according to the officer in charge of the State Labour Bureau. A good number of men are inquiring for employment, and are unable to obtain ii.

Manj- good stories of the ruses employed in deceiving the enemy are told by returned" soldiers. At the time a vigilant censor prohibited their circulation, but to-day they afford good reading. One such yarn is vouched for by a member of the draft that reached New Zealand from Egypt last week. It seems that for some time before launching the attack which resulted in the annihilation nf the Turkish army in Palestine, General AHenby steadily withdrew mounted men from his right flank and concentrated them in the area towards the coast. It was essential that the enemy should be kept in ignorance of what was going on if possible. Camped on the hills above Jericho he could look down on the British lines on the plain by the Dead Sea, and the problem was to convince him that no movement was in progress. The hoary old ruse of the wooden horse that led to the fall of Troy was revived to deceive the Turk. When a regiment moved the horse lines were filled with wooden horses, and just before the attack was launched, on the right flank was little more than lines of dummy animals, with a nucleus force to lend an air of activity to a practically deserted camp, and to light fires at night to keep up the impression of a big body of troops. The secret seems to have been kept, for no attack was mode, and when Allcnby launched his great offensive in the coast sector Johnny Turk bolted up the right bank of the Jordan without waiting to wonder why his rear was not pressed by the great body of mounted men he was convinced that he had been watching through his glasses for weeks.

The Auckland Catholic teachers' Institute third annual conference was continued yesterday at Grey Lynn Convent, and concluded this afternoon at St. Mary's. The morning session, which proved one of the most successful of the conference, was devoted to a paper on " Reading "by a Sister of Mercy. The paper was most suggestive, and opened up a wide field for discussion. The afternoon wag devoted to several " Topics for Discussion," and " The Question Box." It was generally considered to be the most successful conference yet held by the Institute, and much good is expected as a result of its deliberations.

Heavy snow fell in Geraldine (Canterbury) on Wednesday, the depth in places being from 3in. to 4in. Some damage was done to fruit trees, but on the flat the fall was lighter, although about an inch was lying on the ground in the town. Old settlers say they have never seen such a heavy fall ot snow in April before.

Instead of spending £350 on a Peace arch, the Wellington Harbour Board intends to hand that sum of money to the City Council to be spent in general cele'bratkms. Persons owning old motor cars for which they have no further use, are asked to kindly donate them to soldiers' classes in motor engineering at the Seddon Memorial Technical College. The present term of office of the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) does not expire till the first week in May. Mr. Gunson, who has been elected unopposed, will then be formally installed for his third term. The delegates to th e United Conference of the United Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association of New Zealand, which sits in Auckland next week, will be welcomed at the Town Hall by the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson). "The Better 'Ole," or "The Romance of Old Bill," has all the persuasion and foree —both for humour and pathos—of the famous Bairnsfather pictures on which it is based. Strand, season commences to-day, 2 to 5, and again at 7. Ad.

An intimation has been received by the Dunedin City Council from the Public. Works Department, Wellington, that it is proposed that the new tramway regulations which were prepared prior to the war but suspended for the time being should be made to take effect as from January 1 next. In order to comply with the regulations, a very large addition will need to be made to the carrying capacity of the tramway system, and in order that no time should be lost, _.' struotions have been giiven to invite tenders at once for th cnew cars necessary to enable the service being maintained. In«the meantime the Tramway* Committee has given instructions for tha town clerk to endeavour to arrange a, conference of all tramway authorities in the dominion for the purpose of discussing the new regulations and coming to 6ome decision in respect thereto. The Public Works Department is also being communicated witlt on the subject, and asked to extend the time in which the alterations are to be made to existing rolling stock.

A contingent of boys came before Mr, J. W. Poynton, S.M., at the Juvenile Court this morning for various eia__ of offences, such as committed by boys in their unthinking days. Three lads admitted having thrown stones at tele, graph poles and insulators on the Helensviile telegraph line, and, before being discharged, had the gravity of the offence impressed on tliem by the Magistrate, who pointed out that while the damage done by all the stone throwers all along the line was considerable in the matter of broken insulators, there was the greater consideration of risk of holding U p urgent telegraph messages on which the matter of life and death frequently depended. Two other boys admitted laving set fire to toi-toi grass on a vacant section, and they were properly impressed with the danger they had caused to. life and property, which in this case had been averted by prompt action on the part of the Ponsonby Fire Brigade. Two other lads admited having annexed the bridle from a tethered horse in order that they might use it for the purpose of subsequent joy-rides on the horse, and as they had had previous escapades to their discredit, which had resulted in, their being formally committed to the Weraroa Training Farm, but allowed probation, they were this time sent oa to the farm.

Tlie Auckland Savage Company wHI present an attractive musical programme for the opening of the winter session at the Leys Institute, Ponsonby, on Thursday, May Bth. The lecturers this year comprise Mr. C. H. Poole, M.P., Mr. T. W. Leys, Rev. W. G. Monckton, M.A., Monsignor Hackett, and Protestor Gwilym Owen, M.A., D.Sc. The subjects are interesting and topical. A dramatis evening, and an entertainment by the Auckland Vagabond Club complete the bill.

The Eastern Extension Company announces that the London office advises that it is not necessary to divert homeward messages via the Pacific as the delay en route is only 24 hours Homewards. It has already asked the Pacific Cable Board to assist with traffic from North America to the Far East during the interruption of commercial Pacific cables •between San Francisco and _ie Philippines, to equalise the delay in the United Kingdom outwards to Australia, "by both routes.—Press Association.

There is a further drop in the hemp market which now is extremely low. The trouble has been accentuated by cable delays. Palmerston merchants received a favourable quotation a short time ago with the usual 48 hours' margin for reply. The cable took a fortnight to reach the place of origin, and by that time the deal was lost and 9 prices had dropped. Mrs. John S. Petricevich, of Victoria Street, City, has been informed, by the Minister of Defence that 26/1677 Vincent Patrick, a Jugoslav, of New Zealand Rifle Brigade, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on the field of action.

" The latest idea is to allow grass to grow on the sides of the streets," said the Mayor of Wanganui at a meeting of ratepayers. " You may laugh," he added. He went on to say that grass strips on. the side of a road reduced the cost of maintenance, kept down the dust, and improved the general appearance. Charles Hodler and Alfred Krant, the last of the six German prisoners of war who escaped from the internment camp at Featherston, were at rested at Hastings yesterday. They will be taken to Wellington to-morrow, under an. armed