There is every reason to believe that a large number of women in the dominion are not only ready and willing but are even anxious to perform a war service in order that there may be no undue dislocation of the business life of the community through the withdrawal of men from their civil occupations in order that they may enrol themselves as members of the Expeditionary Force.
Nor can it be doubted that there are women in abundance who are competent to undertake during the period of the war many of the duties which are ordinarily discharged by men.
So far the call upon the young manhood of the country for active service has not interfered very seriously with the efficient performance of the work of the dominion.
But it is inevitable that as drafts of reinforcements are sent away there must be an increasing demand for the services of temporary substitutes for the men who will be absent on active service.
And it is clear that, in the main, the labour of women must be utilised in various fields of activity which at present chiefly provide employment for men if the industrial and commercial business of the country is to be carried on smoothly and satisfactorily.
In order, however, that this end may be achieved it is necessary to bring an organisation into existence that shall take upon itself the duty of compiling a register of women who are prepared, in a spirit of patriotism, to offer their services in the positions for which they are respectively best qualified.
• At Otira the rainfall per annum is given in yards.
At any time the passing clouds may drop a foot or two of rain into that rocky valley, and, in fact, in October 20.61in of rain fell there.
There were only six fine days in the month, but Otira's proud position has been assailed by a weather station in the North Island.
It goes by the name of Mautotara, Te Araroa, and for 21 days of moisture it reported 19.66in of rain.
For sheer downright bad weather a valley called Upper Mangorei, at the foot of Mount Egmont, had most cause for complaint.
In October the dwellers in that valley had only two fine days, and the rainfall on the remaining 29 exceeded 1ft.
Practically all the North Island stations reported excellent rains, but the Canterbury stations, with the exception of those along the hills, could seldom report more than 2in of rain for the month.
• Two new Scout troops have just been formed.
One is at the North-East Valley and the other is in connection with All Saints' Church.
The census return made up to November 20 shows over 450 scouts in Dunedin and district, and to this number must be added another 30 who have since joined.
This makes the total number of boys under the influence of our movement almost reach the 500 figure, which is a record for the city.
• Wild pigs abound in the forest-clad mountains of Northern Kaipara, and their destruction is aimed at by settlers (says the Auckland Herald).
In the Maungaru district, Northern Wairoa, the pigs invade the grassed areas.
If they stopped at that little objection would be taken to their existence, but they stalk, kill, and devour the young lambs.
During the past two years the manager of the Maungaru estate has thinned their mobs to an appreciable extent by the employment of men with guns and dogs, and estimates that he is responsible for the death of some hundreds. - ODT, 9.12.1915.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
