The Balina got away first, and the Crescent followed. The Cachalot hurried after, passed the other boats as if they were standing still, and was soon crashing through the seas at the Heads. The rival party happened to be at Te Awaite, and all hands quickly boarded the launches. The Peerless was soon away; the Sussex shot past, and going ``full out'', soon left the Crescent and the Balina in the rear, and was away through the breakers in hot pursuit of the Cachalot. In one charge the Sussex gained the vantage first, but, contrary to expectations, the whale did not rise the second time. Whales generally spout, round off, and rise again a few moments later. If a boat is too late for the first rise, there is often a chance on the second. Great was the excitement. The huge form rose, the fountains of spray shot up, branched, and fell - the boats charged. The Crescent was in the lead. The whale subsided, and rose again. The gunner was about to fire, when the Cachalot cut in, fired, and made fast. To make doubly sure, the Balina put an iron in as well. After the killing the whale was towed to the Neck to wait for the flood tide. About 4 o'clock, at the turn of the tide, the prize, accompanied with much cheering from onlookers and crew, was towed to the works. Hump-backs had been coming along more freely that week. Three days running Perano's launches towed one in. Forty-one is now the total - 33 hump-backs and one right whale for Perano, and seven hump-backs for Baldick.
It was announced some time ago that the Post and Telegraph Department was arranging for the special instruction of boy and women telegraph operators to fill the gaps in the service caused by military enlistments. The Wellington class for women probationers started in June with 40, and the following month classes were formed in Christchurch and Dunedin with 60 and 45 respectively. Boys' classes have been started at Ponsonby and Wellington, with an attendance at each place of 30, and at Oamaru with 55. In the case of the boys some previous experience in operating having been acquired in the department, three months' special tuition is considered necessary, but in regard to women the period ranges from six to nine months. During their student period the young women receive remuneration at the rate of 40 per annum, and afterwards, when they are sent to get practical experience at country post offices, they obtain 50, with an allowance where they have to pay for their board and lodging.
Officers of the Native Land Purchase Department, after inspecting various properties, have returned to Gisborne. The land inspected included areas from Napier to Palmerston North. Several blocks of land were purchased, and the total sum paid to Natives ran into over five figures. The success of the purchase operations has been largely due to the fact that the Natives of the Wairoa and Napier districts realised that the Government was purchasing the land for the settlement of returned soldiers. Native owners who had held out against the disposal of their interest for a year or two had now come forward readily.
Speaking of his experience of Chinese as employees, Mr C. E. D. Tisdall, of the British and Foreign Bible Society, at the annual meeting of the North Island branch of the China Inland Mission at Auckland on Thursday night, said Chinese were employed by his society in Singapore as bookkeepers. He declared that the Chinese were the finest bookkeepers in the world. - ODT, 30.8.1916.
- Copies of picture available from ODT front office lower Stuart St, or www.otagoimages.co.nz
