Diplomas or scholarships are awarded by the college for each division for competition throughout India and the British dominions, and in the Junior Theory Miss Florence Richardson (Stratford), and Miss Lorna Forbes (Stratford), both of whom are aged nine years, secured the maximum 100 points, and will divide the award.
These exhibitions are awarded on the results of the local examinations held last year, and provide for the further musical education of the winners for 12 months at their respective centres and under their own teachers, the college providing the necessary fees.
The subjects of the exhibitions include theory, singing and pianoforte, and the successful candidates were drawn from Brisbane, Bunbury, Carnarvon (West Australia), Gympie and Perth in Australia; Launceston in Tasmania; Dunedin, Stratford, and Wellington in New Zealand; Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa, and Bangalore, Calcutta, Darjeeling, and Jurseong in India.
It is interesting to record that the complete scheme for these exhibitions, now in its eleventh year, embraces the whole Empire, and that in all no fewer than 682 exhibitions have been awarded, of a total value of £4774.
• A short time ago the secretary of the Otago Labour Council wrote to the Minister of Defence asking him if it was not a fact that men in the first division of the railway service joining the Expeditionary Forces were granted leave of absence, but that men in the second division volunteering for service had to resign their positions, and if such was the case would he have the matter rectified?
To this letter the Minister replied as follows: ''I referred your letter to the General Manager of the Railway Department, and am now informed by him that owing to the depletion of staff caused by the granting of leave to members to accompany the Expeditionary Forces, it became necessary, in order to provide for the efficient working of the department to decline to grant any further leave to members desiring to enlist. Members of both divisions who have obtained commissions, have been made an exception to this general rule, as have also non-commissioned officers of the second division with special qualifications for the military duties required of them. The department does not differentiate between members of the different divisions of the service.''
• Bowlers have a sprightly way of doing their share in contributing to the fund for the relief of the Belgians.
Although they may not have followed the recent example set by the King and Lord Kitchener, they are nevertheless a loyal set of men, who realise their obligations, and meet them cheerfully.
Whilst the Belgian Fund Pairs Tournament was in progress at Wellington on Saturday afternoon some Feilding visitors, who had succeeded in lowering the colours of the Wellington Club in a two-rink ''friendly'', and a number of other bowlers, adjourned to the Wellington Club's pavilion to say ''Goodbye'', and whilst the little ceremony was in progress (says the Dominion) a conspicuously old and shot-battered Panama hat worn by one of the visitors attracted some attention.
Under the impression that somebody might like to possess this relic of other days, the hat was lifted from the head of its owner, and before he could realise it was being sold by auction for the Belgian Fund.
The ancient remnant was sold over and over again, and when the purchases were totalled it was found that the sum of £8 1s had been realised for the fund.
And, after all, the old hat goes back with its owner to Feilding, little the worse for its little trip to the capital city. - ODT, April 2015
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
