The intimation is one that will be received with satisfaction by the natives of the dominion.
They will be especially gratified, moreover, at the suggestion that the creation of another Maori contingent has been asked for by British military authorities.
We have already heard of the exceedingly favourable impression which the force of Maori soldiers, already despatched from our shores, made upon its arrival in Egypt.
According to some accounts that have come to hand, the splendid physique of the members of that contingent excited very general admiration on the part of those who had never previously seen a picked body of Maoris in the flesh.
Apparently, it is to be gathered from Mr Massey's statement yesterday, that force, which has latterly been stationed at Malta, is to be given an opportunity of exhibiting its prowess in the field.
Presumably it will be associated with the other New Zealand forces in the operations at the Dardanelles.
• Good progress is being made with the workers' homes, now in course of erection at Beach road, Oamaru.
The number of cottages to be erected is nine, and of these four are nearing completion.
The framework of two others is under way, and the erection of the remaining three is to be started immediately.
The cottages are roomy and built upon up-to-date lines, with hot and cold water service and modern sanitary requirements.
A roadway and footpath fronting the cottages is now in course of formation and when the whole scheme is completed the block will form a very desirable residential quarter.
• An impudent attempt to steal fowls from the back yard of a resident of Nelson was made in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Shortly after 4 o'clock one of the occupants of the premises was awakened by a noise in the poultry run and on making investigation saw a man with a dog endeavouring to steal fowls from the fowlhouse.
The intruder was disturbed and made good his escape.
It being bright moonlight, the would-be thief was easily distinguishable.
There has been a good deal of petty thieving going on lately.
Several bicycles have been stolen within the past few weeks, and no trace of them has been discovered.
A sack of chaff and a pair of blinkers were removed from a shed and several safes were cleared of their contents.
• Dr E. Baker, medical inspector of schools, met a small gathering of teachers at Timaru and discussed with them various matters pertaining to her work. She dealt chiefly with her annual report for 1914 and gave some interesting statistics bearing on the various diseases met with in the course of her examination.
Dr Baker expressed the opinion, inter alia, that the new physical instruction was already giving evidence of its power to combat the minor physical deformities commonly met with in school children.
In reply to the suggestion frequently made by parents in poor circumstances that the Government should go a step further and give medical treatment free, Dr Baker stated that the notification to parents should ensure admission to the medical or dental wards of the public hospital when parents could not afford to obtain other professional advice.
She was of opinion that when things became normal again, after the war, the most necessary step in the extension of the medical inspection of schools would be the appointment of school dentists. - ODT, 6.5.1915.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
