Mr Sidey said that he would like the Minister of Defence to state, for the information of the public, what the arrangements regarding pay were.
The Minister (the Hon. J. Allen) said that no instructions had been given to hold up pay which had been allocated.
Half the pay of the men was being kept, but the authorities could not allocate money to a mother or a wife unless the soldier had earned it, and he so directed the authorities.
What the Defence Department was trying to do was to induce the men to sign forms allocating their pay to their wives and children or other relatives to allocate money to pay their debts, and, further, to make allocations to keep their life insurance policies going.
If Mr Sidey could supply the name of the widow an officer might induce the two men concerned to sign forms allocating a portion of their pay to her.
• Sir, - A correspondent in your issue of this morning volunteers the statement that in the new Christian Brothers' School ''it is more than doubtful if a single Protestant would be permitted to work about the proposed building.''
I am the architect for the building, but I am not a Roman Catholic. Mr McLellan is the successful contractor for the building.
He is not a Catholic. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers were Catholics.
There is nothing whatever in the contract that suggests that Catholic workmen should have preference.
Mr McLellan will be enabled to give employment to a number of men of entirely his own choosing.
Your correspondent may rest assured that these workmen will be engaged because of their ability to carry out their work, irrespective of their creed. - I am, etc., H. Mandeno.
• Tree-planting in the Mackenzie Country is being carried out vigorously (states the Timaru Herald).
Recently the County Council received 60,000 young trees, which were soon absorbed by ratepayers all over the district.
Private planting by the Mackenzie runholders has been carried out very extensively, irrespective of the provision of their leases - that one acre be planted each year.
Mr T. D. Burnett, of the Mount Cook run, has planted 23,000 trees over an area of 20 acres.
Such planting will no doubt be a great improvement to the runs, providing valuable shelter for stock and homesteads, and by and by quantities of firewood.
• A subaltern writes from the front as follows:- ''I do hope we will wipe out the fellows in front, as then, perhaps, we will get a little sleep.
All our people, especially the infantry, are very tired.
I don't suppose we have averaged more than four hours' sleep nightly for three weeks, and all the time we have been in the open.
It is wonderful how accustomed one grows to little sleep and food, and very little washing.
There is no time for washing and shaving. Most of us have grown beards.''
• It was stated (says the New Zealand Times), at the Petone Borough Council meeting the other evening, that the council's employees when carting coat were in the habit of pushing coal off the cars for the children to pick up.
Hundredweights of coal were being lost to the council through this practice.
It was decided to call the attention of the police to the matter. - ODT, 7.10.1914.
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