LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1554, 23 May 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In Hu; House ul’ liepresenlatives, the* Prime Minister slated that ilie (lovernmenr Statistician had iuI'ormed him (hat lie was quite satislied now that th(‘ threshing return was almost eomplele, that lliei'e was sufficient wheat' in the country to meet its own requirements right I ill the next harvest.

The Elllmm Argus says : There is a rumour current (hat a lady in a certain city in New Zealand who has posed as a very patriotic person has had a somewhat doubtful past, and that (he genuineness of her loyalty is quite open to suspicion. There may be developments of an interesting (diameter.

While lilling in his registration papers in Auckland the other day, a recruit was faced with the question: “Have you ever served in any military force 1 If so, state which, and cause of discharge." After hesitating for a second or two, the volunteer (says the Star) tilled in the blank space : “Discharge from the left ear."

Says the Sydney Sun : Mr T. E. Donne, who has just been appointed secretary to the High Commissioner for New Zealand, spent his early days in the New Zealand public service as a telegraph operator in Wellington, and at the Bluff ; and one of his fellow-operators at the Bluff was a certain young Ward, who afterwards became Prime Minister of New Zealand, with the,title of Sir .Joseph.

11l the report of I lit l evidence given before tlie Royal Commission on Salurday, Mr G. 11. Stiles was reported to have said that during the past live years eighty-livc trips of steamers had been prevented through the had slate of tlie bar and river. This should have read ; Averaging' the shipping for tlie past, live years he estimated that last year eighty-live trips of steamers were prevented owing to tin* had state of the liar and river, lie eonsidered that the average amount carried each trip hy the steamers trading here worked out at about 150 tons.

Story told by a returned Masterton trooper : —On the third day of the landing of the New Zealanders at the Dardanelles a lull occurred in the lighting. A first-aid man came across one of the infantrymen, who appeared to be diligently searching the ground for something. “What have you lost ?" enquired the A.MsC. man. “An arm,” was tlie reply. A glance showed the A.M.C. man that this was a fact. “You had belter get back to the dressing station immediately,” he urged. “It would be no use to you if you found your arm.” “By cripes, won’t it answered the injured soldier. “My blanker wristlet watch was on it !"

A chance remark made in the course of a case at the Juvenile Court in Auckland the other day indicated that "cigarette parties" are popular among the small boys of Newton. On this subject a police officer informed a Star representative that in the district it was quite customary for six small boys to overcome the money difficulty, and at the same time evade statutory restrictions by forming a cigarette (dub of six members, one of the members being over lift ecu years of age. l£aoh member contributes a penny, and the lad of fifteen makes the purcahse of a packet of cigarettes with the rssultant sixpence. Being “a man," at fifteen, so far as the smoke-restricting law goes, the senior member is legally intitled to purchase the cigarettes, which he later shares with the live junior members of the club, who retire to some secluded spot to enjoy their forbidden whiffs and wrestle with the physical qualms caused by the fruits of their eliteness. All the best cooks say SHAKLAND’S is the best Baking Powder. It is cheapest, too. Ask your grocer. Why bother making cakes when there is usch a good assortment at Perreau’s ?• “Worth live times its price,’ m what everyone says who tries NAZOL for bud colds and sore throats. Prove this to be true. GO doses cost I/O. A hint for the housewife. Make washing a pleasure by purchasing one of our splendid little washing machines. Price 7/0. “Hard work made easy.’ 7 Walker and Fume, Provision Merchants, Foxton.

A Wellington milk vendor was yesterday fined IT), nml £2 !I- costs, for sidling adulterated milk. The police are keeping art eye on cyclists who arc committing a breach of (he borough bv-hiv/s by riding on the footpath-. We understand several will face fhe Maemirate at an early date. The second of the series of dances organised by Messrs B. Morris and F. Longney, in aid of the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund, will be held in the Masonic Hall on Friday evening. Admission, gentlemen Is (id, ladies one shilling. It is reported that while the Chief Justice was conversing with a friend in Main Street on Saturday, a man wearing the King’s uniform, and under the influence of liquor, drew up and asked for the loan of a shilling. Sir Hubert kindly admonished the man, and said that his conduct was a reflection on the uniform he was wearing. He advised him to give up the drinking habit, and remarked that he (Sir Hubert) was old enough to be his father and yet he had neither indulged in strong drink or tobacco. The beery one looked at the Chief Justice (of course, not knowing who he was addressing) and said, “1 don’t know who you are, but, anyhow, you have got an honest looking dial.!” One of the funniest stories of the Kaiser appears in a Glasgow contemporary. it gives a conversation which is said to have taken place a few weeks ago between his Imperial Majesty and (he Crown Prince. Crown Prince to Kaiser : “Father, who started the war ? Was it the F.mperor Joseph, or King Peter of Serbia, or King George, or had the

King of Bulgaria or the Sultan of Turkey a hand in it “Xu, no, my son,” said the Kaiser, “none of they had anything to do with it. There was a man called Kooseveldt came from America to see me. I let him see my great army, my great navy, my great guns, and my huge stores of munitions. He gave me a pat on the shoulder, and said, ‘Bill, you can conquer the world,’ and I, like a blooming fool, believed him.”

A “Bom - War Battalion” is the latest idea to supplement the forces from New Zealand. Three cx-con-tingenters in the Stratford district are moving in the matter of raising 1,000 of their old comrades, and it is the intention to ask the Defence Department if a battalion of married and single men up to the age of -15 would be accepted for service. On (he motion of Mr F. Milner, the New Zealand Secondary Schools Conference, in Wellington, decided to congratulate l tin l Minister of education (Hon. J. A. Hanan) on his action in addressing a memorandum to the Boards of Education emphasising (he necessity of scientific temperance instruction in our schools. Further, the conference allirmed “the desirability of familiarising all secondary pupils with llie real physiological effects of alcohol." The motion was carried unanimouslv.

Corporal Earles, of the Second Reinforcements, now a prisoner in Turkey, in a post card (o his mother in Wanganui, says : “We are all at Belomedik working for a German company. I have a job at my trade, repairing tents. We are well treated, and paid enough to live on. We are doing well, and have our liberty.” The postcard is dated March sth. A further loiter has been received by his relatives in Palmerston from Private W. R. Snrgenor, also a prisoner of war at Bilemedik: “Am quite well ; am working with pick and shovel at gravel . Our gang, 50 men (two cooks), get paid for work. No news from you yet, had card from , also [tost card of Mount Egmonl. Work at nights fortnightly, and days ditto. Get no news from outside, often wonder how and where you all are. Getting used to life here. Now have more money limn previously. Spring coming on, and have freedom of district and village, for miles. Live in four-roomed hut, fairly comfortable."

An amusing instance of the persistency of New Zealand soldiers in getting their own way was related recently by Major Maguire in addressing the members of the Women’s Patriotic League at the. Town Hall, Wellington. While strolling along the streets of Cairo one day, he said, he came across some New Zealanders and Australians in heated altercation with the native conductor of an electric cal - , and on going across the street to investigate, he found the men insisting on taking a small donkey aboard the car. They explained they had taken a fancy to it and bought it from its owner as a mascot for one of the regiments, and not knowing how else to get it out to Zeitoun, they proposed taking it on the car - . The conductor offered a most strenuous resistance to this unusual fare, but the, soldiers finally became so urgent in their speech and action that the native perforce had to allow them their own wav, and the donkey was duly taken aboard, a fare paid for it, and the men dismounted in triumph with their new; pet at the camp.

No good housewife can afford to be without SHAKLAND’S Baking Powder —the most economical compound on the market. See cheap rates, front pages Laidlaw Leeds’ Wholesale Catalog. A boon to public speakers, singers and reciters is NAZOL. Keeps the throat clear as a bell. Can be taken anywhere. The season has now come for hot: steak and kidney pies—a good meal for school children.—At Perreau’s,* When influenza is raging, take NAZOL. Best safeguard against attack. Swiftest reliever to sufferers from colds, catarrh and sore throat.

Recent onlisimenfs inedudo Messrs H. L. Ruscoe, Vernon Robinson, and Guy Edwards, of Feixton.

The Eresh Eood and Ice Company Cup, which was won this year by the Foxton Rifle Club, is at present on view in Mr Perreau's window.

No time is being lost by the Jlaxmillers in the district in re-com-mencing milling operations, and the majority of the mills will be in lull swing next week.

The White Star Lino’s profits for the year were £1,0(i8,255. After paying the war tax, a dividend of b 5 per cent, was declared, and huge amounts transferred to (he depreciation and reserve funds.

The members of the Royal Commission yesterday motored over the proposed route of ihe Main 'frank deviation, leaving Foxton at nine o'clock. They afterwards motored from Marton to Palmerston N., in readiness for the silling there, which commenced this morning. A sensational cattle driving accident is reported from Whangarei. A mob of 4!) bullocks on Sunday took to the wafer in the Wairau river. The current was too strong and the whole mob was swept over the big Wairau Falls. Reports vary as to the number killed.

A further development in Tauniarunui borough affairs is that Councillors Thompson, Fletcher and Irvine have resigned in order to carry out a pledge made at the recent byelection that if the “reform" candidate was not elected they would retire, and another by-election will be held.

In our lust issue we recorded u motor accident ut the bend of the Whirokino roud where it crosses tin* druin. The Balmerstou 'l'imcs states ; As a result of (lie affair, it is stated that there will probably be a law suit agaisl whoever is responsible for not having' a danger sign allixed near the bridge.

A call at Pitcairn Island, in the Pacific, was recently made by a steamer. It is only once or twice a year that any vessel touches there, and her advent was received with delight by the residents. Notwithstanding the late hour at which the .vessel arrived, the residents went out to meet her in boats and eagerly asked for news of the outside world. Ail the inhabitants were well. After a few provisions had been landed, the steamer continued her voyage.

In a public notice in the city papers the printers of Wellington draw attention to the difficulty of securing supplies, and also the heavy increased cost. “As the market is so dislocated, it is impossible to maintain prices at past rail's, and all prices, naturally, will be* considerably increased.” In Foxton as well as in Wellington, the cost of materials, freights, and other charges have been advanced from 100 per cent, to 150 per cent., with a posibility of a further advance whilst the war lasts.

Stocks of hemp have been accumulating in Auckland since the end of 'March, with the result that two grading stores in the city now con-

lain !),()()() hales, the value of whieli is £40,000. Sueh a congestion lias never lioen experienced previously in the history of the industry, so fains Auckland is concerned. Some relief has been afforded during the past two or three months by a certain amount of space being intermittently available in American bottoms, but with the disadvantage ol lower prices obtainin';’ in America compared with London.

The “gintleman who pays tin* rent” —in other words, the harmless, Uecessary pig—will yet play a much more important part in the estimation of the Taranaki farmer than he has in times gone by (remarks the Eltham Argus). At the presenttime “pigs is pigs,” and are realising good prices. One farmer said to us the other day, “1 have received £4 per head for some of my jugs, and I remember the time when that was about all that I could get for young bullocks.”

A body called the Citizens' Referendum Six O’clock Association has been formed in Sydney, and its purpose is to advocate the closing of liquor bars at 6 p.m. as an ur-gent but temporary war measure. The new organisation is not connected in any way with existing political and temperance bodies, and its members point out that they are asking for (1 o’clock closing only during the continuance of the war. The general committee consists of 46 representative public and business men.

During the course of an address delivered to the Auckland Women’s Patriotic Leage at its quarterly meeting, Major Maguire made a special appeal to the women present to do all in their power to influence their menfolk, and public opinion generally, in the direction of putting a stop to the “treating” of soldiers. “Far more harm results from this practice than is generally known,” said Major Maguire, “but we medical men know its injurious results. Not only is the recovery of sick and wounded soldiers frequently retarded, but the moral welfare of the men is endangered by this most pernicious and foolish custom.”

Commissioner J. Cullen, of the Police, will retire on superannuation at the end of the present year, when he will have completed over forty years in the Government service. He is a native of Ireland and was for about seven years a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary, stationed at Dublin and elsewhere, before leaving for New Zealand. In 187 Ci he arrived in Wellington from the Qld Country, and at once joined the old New Zealand Armed Constabulary, and after serving some seven months, was transferred to the police. By stern attention to duly and native ability, he worked up through the grades, and was appointed Commissioner in l‘Jl2.

Another of Wellington's old colonisls passed away on Saturday night in the person of Mrs Joseph Chapman, who arrived in Wellington with her husband, ihe late Joseph Chapman, in the ship Derwent Water, in the year LStid, and has resided in Wellington ever since. The deceased lady was a daughter of Eli Crapper, who was hilled in the Wairau massacre. She leaves three sons and a daughter.