In wishing Mr de Beer a successful military career and a safe return to New Zealand, the employees broke away from the usual custom of giving a presentation by handing Mr de Beer a sum of money, with a request that in any spare time during his course of training in England, and he so desired, he might spend the money in the purchase of luxuries for the benefit of any of the 40 odd employees of the company who have enlisted or on any other needy New Zealanders invalided to the Old Country.
Mr E. E. Nicolson, secretary of the company, in addressing Mr de Beer, stated that the directors were so pleased with the idea that they had increased the employees' fund by a substantial cheque.
• One hundred and ninety-seven soldiers, returning from Egypt by the Willochra, arrived in Port Chalmers on Saturday.
The vessel was expected to come up alongside the wharf at Dunedin early on Saturday morning, but there was a very heavy fog outside the Heads, and she was unable to enter.
Early on Saturday morning the Defence authorities announced that the Willochra could not get in, and that the relatives of the men could proceed to Port Chalmers, where she would berth, and meet her there, returning afterwards, by motor cars that would be provided, to Dunedin, where a public welcome was to be held.
A number of people, therefore, journeyed to the Port, but the fog did not lift, and they waited all day in vain.
Fortunately the weather in the town was warm and sunny, which rendered the period of waiting more agreeable than it would otherwise have been.
About the middle of the afternoon the persistency of the fog made many people think that the vessel would not get in at all that day.
A little later, however, a thinning of the fog enabled the ship to enter, and she berthed alongside the wharf at about 6 p.m.
The wharf was barricaded, and neither relatives nor the public were allowed in.
At about half-past seven the medical and record staffs started work, finishing shortly before 1 o'clock in the morning.
The men stayed on the ship all night, but a train left Dunedin for Port at 7.22 a.m. yesterday, and relatives were then permitted to see their friends. Captain Bolton was in charge of the returning men, with Major Wheeler as principal medical officer.
• The pollution from the sewage outfall was very marked on the first Tomahawk Beach at low tide on Saturday afternoon.
Portions of the sand were so badly strewn with sewage deposit that it was difficult to pick a clean path, and the plight of any unfortunate children who happened to play in these places may well be imagined.
A most offensive smell emanated from the deposit, thereby completely negativing the theory previously put forward that the action of the sea water deodorised the sewage.
"Presumably the flies, which assembled in swarms, were identical with those who subsequently paid attention to the baskets of numerous picnickers. It is regrettable that something cannot be devised to stop this splendid foreshore - one of the finest assets to the attractiveness of Dunedin - from being irretrievably ruined as a weekend and holiday resort. - ODT, 31.1.1916.
