LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1550, 13 May 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlu> wiir expenditure <>(' !Bouth Africa is now well over £1,000,000 a month.

The Hrankton ratepayers took a poll on Thursday, and decided to amalgamate with Hamilton.

'fhe number of women “postmen” already employed in the metropolis area of London’ has been increased from 500 to 1,000.

One of the recruits leaving Hastings with tin* Kith Reinforcements walked all the way from Mangaham; to Hastings, a distance of about 75 miles.

It is stated that, informations are to be laid against, several men in this district for failing to send in their registration cards in connection with the National Register.

There has os yet been no further developments in the position regarding the (wo foreigners, Schack

and Komashko, who were hamlet over to the military authorities oi Wednesda v.

Xo less than 50 players out of 70 who took part, in the Manawalu Hockey Association’s last winter competition have now volunteered for active service, in addition to large numbers of past players. 'Die (Queensland Government is establishing two cattle ranches in I lit l gulf country —one with an area of 1410 square miles und (lie other 1285 square miles.

II is (he* int.onl.ion ot ! the Governnienl this session, it possible, to introduce n Bill providing for Ihe orclnml tn.v of Is per no re, ns sought by the New Zealand Fruitgnnvt rs* Association. Some time ago the New Zealand Government decided to put down bores to a depth of 5,000 ft. in order to lest the posibilities of the Taranaki oillields. The results of the experiments have yet to be ascertained.

Mr \\. Hollis Cocker, secretary of the Foxton Harbour Board and Main Trunk Deviation Commission, was in Foxton yesterday, making arrangements for the first silting of the Commission, which will be held here on Friday next.

The Supreme Court sessions at Palmerston North have been adjourned to an early date in June. The case C. H. Speirs v. H. F. Wall, a claim for £l-f,OOO damages, has been postponed until that sitting. A Taumarunni message states that eight men employed on the Okahukura tunnel works were reported out on strike on Thursday. It is alleged that an Austrian foreman sacked one man, and the others immediately struck work. Floods have done! considerable damage to the roads and bridges along the Fast Coast. Two spans of the large bridge at Tolago Bay and several smaller bridges have been washed away, interrupting the mail services.

The l committee of the local bowling chib lias decided that as far as I lie club is concerned the green will be closed as from to-day, but until the top-dressing is commenced members can continue play provided they prepare the rinks themselve.-.

The best cropping potato this season at Weraroa Experimental Farm has been Moan Chief, yielding i-1 lons per acre, and the tubers being of good size' and quality for table use. (iamekeeper was a good second, with 12 tons per acre, and pro\id the best blight resister. (Seasonal conditions generally have been adverse for potato growing at the farm.

Mr A. (S. Malcolm. Ml 1 ., speaking- at the Navy League meeting- at Dunedin, said that “the war could not be of shorter duration than live years, and might be many more." It is to be hoped that, Mr Malcolm is a long way wrong in his calculations. It would indeed, be heart breaking to imagine that the present I earl ul struggle could last for live years longer. We entertain more optimistic views of the situation.

Truly, there is no accmmtiing for tastes. The following is not, as might appear at lirsl glance, a laundry list (says the Mataura Ensign). It merely represents the breakfast items consumed by a cow belonging to a well-known (lore resident;—Nine barber’s towels, one pair underpants, one lady’s pinafore, and a barber’s overall for chair. Seeing the clothes on (he line, the animal just helped itself. The cow’s early demise is anticipated. British shipowners made a profit of £20,000,000 in the year 1013, says the Bulletin. Last year they made £250,000,000 despite the Joss of many ships. Freight charges average now. four to jive times more than those of two years ago. If the English people want foodstuffs from Australia their shippers charge them 110 s for what cost 2(is 3d before the war. If they want grain from the Atlantic ports, they pay 18s* (id, as against Is i)d in 1914. This is what Lever calls “freedom of the seas.” It is clearly a case of misspelling “seas.”

The*'members of Parliament who were candidates for the trip Home were : The Hons. W. Beehan, A\. P. C. Carncross, G. Carson, A\. Earnshaw, Iv. Moore, Messrs Bollard, Craigio, Dickson (Chalmers), Forties, Hudson, Isitl, .leanings, Lee, Parr, Poole, Sykes, Thacker-, Veitch, Thomson, Sir dames Carroll. Of the four chosen, Mr i arr easily topped the poll, ike tiers selected should sai B Makura, leaving Auckland on fc Kith. B is understood he Am * lian representatives "dl re on m that vessel. The Canadian 1 acihc railway ha>. ottered special carnages right aeross (he continent. For Children's Ka eking Coilgh, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

Aii eight-year-old hoy, named Ernest Guy, died at Nelson yesterday from shock received by falling 1 into a stream.

Mr M. Sweeney was a visitor to Fox ton to-day. Mr Sweetie v has recently taken up land near Kaitaia, north of Auckland. The Government intends to establish a station at Lake Ellesmere to smoke trout and supply Christchurch.

A ease ot infantile paralysis—a boy of seven years—was reported from North Canterbury yesterday. A cas<> was also reported from Welling!on suburbs.

The Awahou is still stuck at the Fishermen's Point, having been there since Wednesday afternoon. Tti Queen of the (South will load general at Wellington on Monday night, and is due here on Tuesday. The Prime Minister stated yesterday that negotiations between the Government and the Colonial Sugar Company regarding a further agreement were approaching completion. The price of sugar would not be increased for the present, and he believed the price would not be increased at all, certainly not for a considerable time to come.

A successful dance, organised by Messrs B. Morris and F. Longney, in aid of the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund, was held in the Masonic Hall last night. Mr S. Hudson otficiated as M.C., and (he music was provided by Mr Morris. Several vocal items were interspersed during (he livening. Supper was handed round at half-past eleven, and afterwards dancing was continued until iln* small hour> of the morn-

At the request of the ladies of the Foxton Patriotic Build, Mrs Freeman and Mr Ait ken have consented to arrange a patriotic concert very shortly to raise funds to purchase material for the Guild workers. Will those who so kindly assisted in the last concert please come forward again and help to make the entertainment a success ! As there is a shortage of male voices, any gentlemen who would he >o kind are specially invited to offer their help. The lirst rehearsal will he held in All Saints’ school-room at 7.Hit p.in., sharp on Monday next, loth instant.

A new valuation of the Feilding borough has recently been made, to which the Council is objecting. The capital value of the borough has been reduced by £53,510. and the unimproved value by £(i2.3t)(J. The new valuation was not asked for. and the Feilding Borough Council looks upon the result as a colossal farce. Compared with the previous year the new valuation represents a decrease of 13 per cent in the unimproved value of the borough. The Mayor and I own Clerk have been appointed to wail on the Valuer General and ask him to abolish the whole valuation.

ll i- not often that an official complains that hi- salary i- too high, hut a case of the kind occurred at Auckland this week. Mr William Hogg, secretary and trea--urer of the F.psom U«>ad Board, sttitod at a meeting of the Board that he was appointed to the position about thirteen years ago. at a. salary of £1 per week, plus a commission of 5 per ('em, on all rates ’collected. Since then the amount of work and the rate- had greatly increased, last year over £!M'OD from ratepayers passing through the hoard’s ulliec. lit 1 considered that the siilary he was now receiving was too high in proportion to the work done. The members of the hoard did not comment on Mr Hogg’s statement.

A letter was received at 1 hnrsday’s meeting of the Palmerston X. Hospital Board from a soldier’s wife in Foxlon, which speaks for itself :—"I notice by the paper,” said the writer. •That a woman in Eoxton. whose husband has gone to the front, had applied for charitable aid. 1 am the woman referred to, and 1 wapt to inform the Board that 1 have' never applied for aid and have never asked for assistance from anyone. A lady came and offered to help me, and 1 was grateful, but as long as 1 have my health I don’t need aid. J have eight children, not six as staled, and 1 am not. getting £2 2s a week. I am only getting 3s per day so tar. i have applied for the other allowance, but have not got it yet. 1 get some help from my two eldest boys as well as my husband’s pay, and so do not require charity.”

‘■lt is worthy .of note,” says the writer of a letter 'from Portland, Oregon, lo an Auckland business lirnC “that reeently the value of tonnage, particularly steam, has become greatly enhanced. A lair example "f this is the case ot a steamer now building m San I'rau,.jsco The builder's contract price was about £120,000. Shortly after (he keel was laid she was re-sold lor about £140,000. Several weeks ago the original owners bought her back for £300,000. and immediately resold her for £425,000. Here is another ease. One of the steamers of the Anieriean-Hawiian Line, built a jew years ago at a cost of some £150,000, was offered, so it is reported, £21,000 per month for ,12 months' time charter. So, general!' speaking, it appears that the production of steam tonnage is insufficient to replace the losses by ordinary sea peril and by the instruments of war.'

Don’t go home to-night without NAZOL —that wonderful remedy for coughs and colds. Thousands praise it —so will you. Is 6d buys (JO doses. A hint for the housewife. Make ■washing a pleasure by purchasing one of our splendid little washing machines. Price 7/G, “Hard work made easy.” Walker and Purrie, Provision Merchants, Poxtou.