I<2 From Magazines, S^c. [isf'olt 



as it was done in parts of Scotland and in parts of Austria, a " vole 

 plague " — that is, a tremendous increase in the numbers of meadow 

 mice — occurred. To such an extent did these little rodents increase 

 that the crops of whole districts were entirely destroyed. Further, 

 the effect upon the game birds, in whose interests the killing of vermin 

 was undertaken, was not what was expected. Instead of increasing 

 in numbers, the game birds became a prey to disease, for the reason 

 that the diseased and weakly individuals were no longer eliminated 

 bv predaceous birds and mammals, and thus spread disease far and 

 wide. The balance of Nature is in reality a very tine one, and when 

 man interferes with it the results usually recoil upon his own head.' " 



Welcome Home Dinner to A.I.F. Members of 

 R.A.O.U. 



The Peace Dinner of the R.A.O.U., with its welcome to twelve 

 members returned from service abroad with the A.T.F., was an 

 unqualified success. 



Apologies for non-attendance were received from Sir Baldwin 

 Spencer, Col. H. W. Bryant, and Messrs. T. Dunbabin, W. Laid- 

 law, H. B. Hall, A. W. Milligan, H. Angwin, F. Keep, W. J. O'Neill, 

 and H. G. Liscombe. 



Each of the soldiers spoke in response to a toast, and an inter- 

 esting evening, marking a memorable occasion in the history of 

 the R.A.O.U., was spent. The Vice-President (Dr. J. A. Leach) 

 occupied the chair. Reports of the soldiers' replies are rather 

 incomplete. 



The toasts honoured were : — 



1. " The King." 



2. " Our Fallen Comrades," proposed by Mr. A. J. Campbell, 

 associated with the names of the nine members who liad made 

 the supreme sacrifice. 



3. " The Navy," proposed by Mr. A. H. E. MattinglcN' and 

 responded to by Commodore Cochrane. 



4. " The x\rmy (Permanent Forces)," proposed by Mr. J. A. 

 Ross and responded to by Surgeon-General Sir Chas. Ryan, Col. 

 (Dr.) G. Hornc, and Major (Dr.) W. Macgillivray : 5. " The Army 

 Medical (Voluntary)," responded to by Capt. G. Finlay, Sergeant 

 Chas. Barrett, and Private L. G. Chandler ; 6. " The Army 

 (Scientific)," proposed by Mr. J. A. Kershaw and responded to by 

 Major H. \V. Wilson : 7. " The Army (Field Forces)," proposed by 

 Mr. A. C. Stone and responded to by Capt. G. Anderson, Warrant- 

 Oiificer M. A. Sullivan, Privates H. B. Slaney and W. M'Lennan ; 

 8. " Women and the War," proposed l)y Dr. Brooke Nicholls, 

 associated with the name of Nurse Bowie, and responded to by 

 her uncle (Col. G. Home) : and (q) " Our Host," proposed by 

 Mr. Z. Gray and responded to by Mr. C. E. Wilson. 



To Mr. A. J. Campbell was entrusted the solemn and subUme 

 toast — "In memory of the 'deathless' dead." Tlie Great War 

 to tliem liad been mrrcl\- an " intrrruption." Tliey arc yonder : 



