Early in the day it was rumoured that the firemen, following the precedent of their British brethren, who refused to take a steamer across to America in which shirkers were carried as passengers, would not take the Moana out of port, because among her passengers were some 58 young men of military age, alleged to be fleeing for safety to the shelter of neutral America.
At the ship's side an expectant crowd awaited possible developments; but the firemen did not walk out of the stokehold.
All eyes were on a knot of very undemonstrative, sullen, anxious-looking young men and middle-aged men hanging over the rail in the steerage section of the deck.
Presently the boat began to move off, and the crowd on deck seemed to be reinforced suddenly by other young men, who had preferred to remain out of sight.
At the first motion of the ship all sign of anxiety vanished from the men's faces.
They cheered and waved their hats for joy, and there was a distinct note of triumph and defiance in their shouts.
Some half-hearted, mocking cheers were given by bystanders.
The Moeraki correspondent of the North Otago Times states that the blue cod season, which is now drawing to a close, has been the best for some years, catches of 1000lb of cod having been secured at times by some of the more fortunate launches.
The aggregate totals also have been good.
There has lately been an exodus of Maoris from there to their favourite fishing stream, the Shag River, in quest of eels and whitebait.
The whitebait is at present setting up the river in fair quantities and good catches are being secured.
Eel-spearing, the delight of the adult Maori, has been much indulged in and the hunting instincts of the Maoris, their most interesting heritage, have been bounteously rewarded.
The dearth of women workers, both in Auckland and in the province, is reported by Miss Morrison, officer in charge of the Women's Employment Bureau, in her report for October.
She states that, though in private homes 20s to 25s per week is offered for good generals, they are quite unobtainable.
Quite a number of cooks' positions are vacant, and excellent wages are offered, but the supply is totally inadequate to meet the demand.
Brisk inquiries are being made for hotel and boardinghouse workers, and seamstresses and improvers for clothing factories are wanted.
The Bruce Woollen Mills have been working at high pressure during the past few months on Government orders for khaki, grey blankets, and underclothing for equipment of the troops.
As a consequence delay has been experienced in completing orders for ordinary purposes, and (says the Bruce Herald) to overcome this it has been decided to work longer hours.
What looks suspiciously like a case of procuring mutton ''on the cheap'' was related to the Lovell's Flat correspondent of the Bruce Herald the other day.
A local farmer took his sheep to Mr J. Clark's shed to have them shorn.
The sheep were left in the shed over night, and Mr Clark and family went to an entertainment.
A day or two later Mr Clark found half of a dressed wether with the head in the corner of his wheat paddock.
Apparently a whole sheep was too much for the thief to carry away
It is understood that the police have the matter in hand. - ODT, 12.11.1915.
