100 YEARS AGO
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Special reception mooted
THE fact that 1500 men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who enlisted in 1914 and 1915 have left London upon their return to New Zealand has aroused considerable interest, and the question not unnaturally is being asked whether they will be tendered a special reception. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr J.P. Luke, C.M.G., M.P.), in referring to the matter, said that if the steamer made Wellington her first port of call — and he hoped she would — nothing should stand in the way of giving these men a reception fitting
the great work they had done for King and Country. It would be his duty to interest the citizens in according the boys who answered the first call so nobly and so cheerfully a brilliant and cordial reception on their arrival. His Worship expressed the hope that other soldiers who had returned would not feel disgruntled at the proposal. It would be the last thing in the world to occur to him to offend any man who had honourably worn the King’s uniform, but those of the Main Body, who had won right through from the first landing at Gallipoli to the taking of Le Quesnoy (in France) or the roundup of the Turkish army in the Valley of the Jordan, deserved the honour of a special reception, and it would be given them.
Smoke concert at Wilden
On Thursday night to celebrate the finish of the shearing season at Wilden Station and to make a presentation to the cook and his assistant in appreciation of their
attention to all hands during a very trying time, a smoke concert was held in the shearer’s dining room. The two accompanists provided capital music. A song and dance by Mr J. Bushell was followed by a Highland fling by Mr M’Kellop. A comic song by Mr P. Ferguson was well received, and Messrs J. Ford and G. Gordon gave a good exhibition of longshoe dancing. Mr Frame, as a quickchange artist, kept the audience amused for 10 minutes. After the interval the M.C. presented the cook and assistant with a Mosgiel rug each, and both suitably replied. A very enjoyable evening was brought to a close by all present singing ‘‘We Are Homeward Bound’’.
Poorly paid researcher
Dr Cockayne (president of the New Zealand Institute), in the course of his evidence before the Industries Committee, gave an illustration as to how little is done to encourage scientific research work in the dominion. A most talented young lady
in New Zealand, he stated, got today only £100 a year for research work. If she went to Central Otago to help him in his investigations in regard to tussock lands, the Government would pay her railway fare, but would not pay her hotel bill. She would have to pay it out of the £100 a year. Recently she went to Nelson to do research work there; but, because she happened to live at Nelson, the Government would not pay her fare. That was not the way to encourage scientific research. If she could get only £150 a year, she would be delighted.
Tobacco consumption
A witness before the Industries Committee of Parliament stated that the smokers of New Zealand consumed annually three million pounds weight of tobacco. Another witness said that he believed the annual consumption was equivalent to 4lb per head of the male population between 17 and 40 years of age. — ODT, 15.2.1919.