The collapse is so complete that, viewed from the railway, there does not appear to be one stone left standing. Nothing is to be seen but a huge pile of stone and mortar. This cairn was erected 16 years ago by the people of the whole dominion, subscriptions, large and small, coming in freely from North Cape to Bluff, testifying to the esteem in which the late Minister of Lands was held by the people. It did not really require the cairn to keep his memory green. His work in breaking up the large estates which blocked the progress of the country and in laying firmly the foundation of the lands for settlement policy of New Zealand, as well as the thousands of smiling homesteads throughout the land, is a more fitting monument to the man who devoted his whole political life to further the progress of his adopted country. It may be interesting to mention that the cairn was over 60ft in height, and its estimated weight 600 tons. The cairn stood on the highest point of the late Sir John Mackenzie’s property, and commanded a very fine view of the whole of Shag Valley, where he began and ended a long and honourable career.
800 YWCA girls meet
Every available seat in the Burns Hall was occupied on Sunday afternoon, when a special meeting for girls under 20 was held under the auspices of the Y.W.C.A. There were about 800 girls present. Miss Ross (Principal of Columba College) presided, and read as the lesson the story of the raising of Jairus’s daughter. Miss Andrews (general secretary of the Y.W.C.A.) led on prayer, and this was followed by the singing of a hymn. Miss M. Black (secretary of the girls’ department) then addressed the meeting, basing her remarks on the words, "Maids, arise".
She spoke of Christ’s love for girls, and of His deep interest in their welfare. She showed how important the girl life in our city was, and pictured the hundreds who went forth daily to the colleges and schools, the shops and factories, and how they were a power for good or ill. Those present were urged to take Christ into the home and the workshop with them, and so to live as to make the world a better place to live in. The speaker’s remarks were followed with the closest attention. A duet was rendered by Misses Dorothy Paterson and Lorna Abernethy, and a solo by Miss Jennings. The meeting was closes by the singing of the hymn, "Fight the Good Fight With All Thy Might", and the Benediction, which was pronounced by Miss Ross.
Hedge-hopping rescue
The story of one English pilot’s "side-show" on the western front goes right back to the bird, his model. He was compelled to descend in a field far behind the Hun lines. His observer jumped out and ran across the field to keep watch on that side. Just as the pilot was ready to start off Hun soldiers came running up. They did not notice the observer. The pilot opened out his engine and sped across the field alone. He "hopped" the intervening hedge and settled down in the next field. As his pursuers came running up he did the same again, and led them on again. When he had led them far enough, he came back, picked up the observer, and got home! — ODT, 2.10.1917.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
