The only reason for which the Government proposes that the celebration shall be held on April 23 is that the actual anniversary day is that on which this year the biennial election of members of local bodies will take place. This seems to us a wholly inadequate reason.
It is difficult to suppose either that the celebration of Anzac Day will interfere with the conduct of the elections or that the conduct of the elections will interfere seriously with the celebration of Anzac Day.
As far as we can see, the only persons who may suffer some inconvenience through the observance of Anzac Day on the actual anniversary of the great feat of arms, in which Australian and New Zealand civilian soldiers were associated with a representation of the British army, will be the candidates at the elections, their committees, and the officials in the polling booths.
On the other hand, the feelings of the soldiers who took part in the landing and of their relatives have to be considered ...
•A strong protest against allowing male teachers to go to the war was made by Mr S. R. Dickenson, principal of St. Andrew's College, Christchurch, at the opening of that institution on Saturday.
Two of the Education Boards, he said, were not going to appeal on behalf of their male teachers called up in the ballot, holding that female teachers could take their places. He sincerely hoped for the sake of the country that that attitude would not be persisted in.
No one possessed a higher admiration for women than he did, but the education of boys from 14 to 18 years could not be undertaken by women, although they were, he believed, better in training younger lads.
As the result of the war, boys would be required to shoulder the responsibilities that men had not had to shoulder and would have to make up for the absence of quantity by quality.
The country would have, consequently, to be very careful about allowing its male teachers to go to the front. The distinction between State and private school teachers was rubbish. When the sale of liquor was restricted, when racing was abolished, and when the picture shows were shut up, then, he would say, send the male teachers out of the country, and he would be one of the first to go.
•At the last meeting of the Otago Land Board a couple of applications for transfer received special consideration. One was an application by Robert Scott to transfer his run of 18,250 acres, Vincent County, to Mrs H. E. Kain, and the other was a similar application by Geo. Scott to transfer run 345a, of 17,800 acres, adjoining, to the Ben Nevis Pastoral Company.
This company comprises among its shareholders Mr Wolsely Kain, husband of Mrs H. E. Kain, and as the two runs are held under separate leases by the Scotts, the question of aggregation arose.
Evidence was submitted in support of the contention that the runs are not capable of being worked separately, and Mr Kain produced evidence of his bona fides as a settler as opposed to a mere speculator.
After deliberation, the board resolved: ``That, having taken into consideration the question of aggregation, and the members of the board knowing the country and its capabilities, a transfer of both runs be recommended for the Minister's approval.''
- ODT, 22.3.1917.
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