LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1633, 4 November 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Boston was well represented at the Manawatu Show yesterday, and the special train carried the usual crowd.

There were a large number of visitors to the seaside yesterday. The weather was perfect, and a most enjoyable day was spent.

A wedding of local interest is to lake place next week, when Miss Xellie Coley, youngest daughter of Mr and .Mrs Geo. Coley, is to be united to Sergt.-Major Ilebditch.

Commencing on Monday next, and continuing for a month, a record will he taken of all travellers through the Manawatu Gorge. The record will he used by the Commission, which sits in February next, to allocate the proportion of cost to he paid by the different local bodies cited.

Mr Smith desires ns to slate that a rumour has been maliciously circulated to the effect that the Him "Cahiria," to he shown in the Town Hall 10-night, is not a complete copy of this famous production. The rumour is entirely without fonnda-

lion in fact, as the copy is com plete in its entirety, and is in m way connected with the film de stroved bv lire at Timaru some 1 iin<

On a reporter enquiring why the flag at the Trades Hall was living the oilier day, he was informed that it was to euliearten those Austra.lian Stales who had voted in favour of conscription, as those who voted “Yes”would go to the front and would need encouragement. Then* was a suspicion that the statement was intended to Ite taken as “spoke sareast ie." —Christchurch Evening Xews.

The Southland Museum has Just received a very interesting relie of the (airly days—the Hist plough imported into Southland. This interesting old relie was tirsl used on b’uapnke, the then great stronghold of the Southern Maoris, about the year .1849. At first the chiefs were inclined to look upon it as an uncanny object, but as time wore on they became resigned to its usefulness. In those days Ruaqttke was the rendezvous of the Southern traders when they wished to replenish their stores of [lour, potatoes, and pork, for the island then possessed a lloiirmill.

Despite Die advent of the tenshilling notes, hall-sovereigns appear to be in circulation to much the same extent as they were in the i»rewar days, remarks a Christchurch paper, the frequency with which the little gold coins are seen having been more obvious during the last week or so. Another peculiar feature of current coinage is the number of English-minted half-crowns, hearing this year's dale, which have been released from local hanks within the last few days. Those who make a study of coinage will probably he able to draw from these eireiiinstanees their own deductions. Even to the layman it is apparent Dial the British Dominions have not yet reached the stage of a universal paper currency.

New Zealand's Drink Bill for 1915 was £4,408,181), a cost per head of .population of £3 Kis BAI. This shows an increase on the drink hill of 1014 of £1(51,828, or 2s Bld per head. The arrests for drunkenness in 1915 were 13.2(58, an increase of 79 on the number for 1914. The latest published return shows that in License areas the consumption of liquor per household is 57 gallons and iio-liccuse areas 9 gallous. The eight ■ .No-License districts which have separate Magistrate’s Courts, viz., Clutha, Mataura, Ashburton, Bruce, Invercargill, Oamaru, Masterton and Ohinemuri, are shown to have had altogether 442 convictions for drunkenness. The total population of these districts is about 1(50,000. Gisborne, which is a license district, with a population of about 14,000 reports 440 convictions for drunkenness.

The Queen of the South, with general from Wellington, is duo tomorrow morning. She will load hem]) and sail again for Wellington on Monday night.

At All Saints' schoolroom next Tuesday, a social will take place under the auspices of the choir. A capital programme has been arranged, inclmyng glees, solos, duets and orchestral items —Fox ton’s leading talent. Refreshments will he provided. Admission Is, children halfprice.

At the recruiting office in Wcl-V lington the other day, an officer was interrogating a young fellow from the country, who appeared to he rather confused at the elaborate cross-questioning necessary for enlistment purposes. But when it came to the enquiry, "Next of kin?” •*- the recruit became conlidentiallv "

apologetic. “I’m only wearing u jersey," he replied,” for mother says they’d steal a bloke’s shirt off his back in camii!"

Notwithstanding the fact that the Government, through stress of war legislation, was unable to pass a daylight-saving measure, as has been done in Britain and elsewhere, the wholesale softgoods and woollen houses in Auckland and Wellington have adopted a daylight-saving scheme of their own, starting at 8.30 instead of 9 a.m., and closing at -1.30 instead of 5 p.m. Besides being no detriment from a business point of view, this, it is contended, should he a benefit to the employees engaged in this trade.

Tl’.i! present state of the vote in Australia on tlie conscription issue was referred in by Air C. J. Parr. M.P.. in the course of au address at Auckland this week, as a lamentable occurrence. The moral effect was hound to he serious in Britain, he said. Over there Australia had been placed on a pedestal owing l to the doughty deeds of her soldiers. The men he felt sorry for in the light of the anti-eon.-eripthm majority were the Australian soldiers in the trenches. Still, they must hope that the three-quarters of a million votes still in he recorded might change the position.

The police are now serving notices on members of families containing two or more sons belonging to I lie lirsf division of the Expeditionary Force 'deserve, calling upon them lo show cause why they should nol he called up for service under section 35 of the Military Service .Vet. In (his district there, are between 30 and 30 families that come under this section of the Act, and the first hatch of notices under same are now being served locally. By this section the person served is given ten days to show cause why lie should not he (-ailed up, and failing an appeal by that time is liable lo he called up at once.

Lord Rosebery, speaking' at Edinburgh, said (lie war had enabled the Empire to Hud itself. There was nothing so unifying' as blood shed in a eonitnon and righteous eause. Nothing eould he so relaxing to Empire ties as an “as yon were” peaee. He believed if such a peace were eomduded I lie Dominions would cease to adhere to Britain. Continuing his speech, Lord Rosebery said: “If there is a Minister, which, thank Cod, there isn't who is so cowardly, shortsighted, or imbecile as to conclude a peace leaving Prussia with the same devilish power as in the past, I am afraid our Dominions will say that a country so governed is not the country to adhere to, and we had belter find better statesmen of our own!”

On the road at Tiakitahuna last: evening a motor ear was stranded, and tlie owner could not locate the fault. A local motorist pulled up, and upon investigation found the cause of the trouble, which was of a serious nature. The only way out of the diltieulty was to take the injured ear in tow. 'This was done, and the ear and its occupants were towed from Tiakitahuna to Bainesse. Both cars had a full complement of passengers, hut the powerful Buick paced along at 20 miles an hour with its added burden. A liner example of the courtesy of the road would he hard to find. Mr Signal was the good Samaritan who happened along to the assistance of the stranded farmer and party.

Jji speaking al: Auckland at, a meeting of soldiers’ wives and mothers, of tiie bond of sympathy uniting- ;ill classes ami underlying - all the 1 ragedy of world-war, Dr. Averill related an interesting incident which occurred at the front. One day a white hare dashed out of a wood and ran between the British and German trenches through the strip of ground known as A’o-mau’s-iaud. At once the men on both sides took shots at it, and the hare finally fell to a German gun. A German, carrying the white Hag, presently came over the parapet, ran forward, seized the hare, and returned in safety. (Shortly afterwards, the white Hag again appeared, and this time one of the enemy approached right up to the British trenches, and presented the men with the animal, receiving m return a gift of tobacco. Towards evening, the white Hag appeared for the third time, and the German, on reaching the British lines in safety, handed in a slip of peper bearing the following friendly warning:—“We are Bavarians, and are leaving these trenches to-night. Prussians are taking our place; and you’d better play no games with. them!” r

Wanted Known. —We believe is giving the utmost value for every penny expended in our store, and wq guarantee the best qualities always. Let us handle your next grocery order. Walker and Fame, Foxton,

Pte. Reg. Barber returned to Foxton yesterday, after treatment, at Rotorua, much improved in health. The ravages of meningitis have left him unlit for active service, and the Medical Board has been compelled to grant him a final discharge. The following appeared in a recent issue of the North Auckland Timesßirth. Phillips.—On the 25th October, at Dargaville, the wile of Air 11. V. Phillips, of a son. Another volunteer to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, 24 uncles and five cousins who are lighting for their King and country.

Air W. Brcdin is nil a visit to bis brother, the Rev. .1. H. Brcdin. Air Bredin, some months ago, underwent an operation to his foot in order to qualify for the infantry. The medical officers subsequently refused to accept him. Not to bo denied, he offered his services as a mechanical engineer, and after much delay the Home authorities have accepted him as a chief motor mechanic in the Motor Boat Patrol. Air Brcdin has had experience on the Irish Coast in this work. He will leave New Zealand at an early dale —a happy man. A noteworthy instance of endurance on the part of a girl of 15 years of age lias been brought under the notice of a Hawera Star reporter. The other morning the girl, who resides at Kakaramoa, was sent to catch a horse belonging to her parents. The animal had strayed out of the paddock, on to the public highway, and was making for Alauaia, from where it had come originally. The girl followed the horse on foot to Alunaia, a distance of 27 miles. She rode the animal back as far as Alanutahi, where she became exhausted, and some friends, who were searching for her, took her in for the night. The girl left home at seven in the morning, and did not roach Alanutahi until 10 o’clock p.m. It is not necessary to go from home to find marvels of surgery and medicine, says a Southern paper. Lust spring there was put aboard a transport in Egypt, the wreck of a once well-known New Zealand athlete. It was his one chance. Three days at sea would, so his comrades said, bring him promise of life or a canvas shroud. He was almost completely paralysed, the result of a wound in the spine. When the boat touched at her first. New Zealand port he was one of the cheeriest men on the ship. He could move his toe! And his delight was childlike. But he was weak, and terribly thin. A few months ago he was seen in an open vehicle provided by friends to allow him and other convalescent hospital patients to witness a pageant. To-day he is custodian of a soldiers’ club.

According to a letter recently received from a New Zealand trooper in Egypt, a boastful Australian had some of the “swank” taken out of him, ami was at the same time relieved of a £5 note through overconfidence in himself. A dismission was in progress as to the relative merits of Australians ami New Zealanders as riders. Individual instances of horse management were being cited, when a burly Australian insisted that he eouid ride any horse,in existence. Not much notice was taken of him and his offer for some time, until a New Zealander questioned his capabilities and undertook to produce a donkey that the “Cornstalker” would he unable to ride. The Australian jumped alike offer, and a bet of £”) having been made, the Maorilamler left the scene in order to produce the donkey. Presently lie returned with the animal under his arm, and when the Australian saw it he scratched his head, paid over his money, and took no further part in the discussion. The donkey in question is the troops’ mascot, and is only eighteen imdios in height.

Speaking at the garden party of Sister Lewis’ “mascotle,” (says the Mail), Mr W. P>. Smith mentioned the fact that, prior to her departure from Olaki some two and a-half years ago, the natives had presented Sister Lewis with a greenstone tiki. Those present would be interested tmknow that of all the things Sister Eewis had taken with her from New Zealand, only the tiki had been saved. This she had worn continually. It had’been with her all through Belgium, through the terrible retreat from Belgrade to Salonika, and had never been parted with to that very day. Evidently the greenstone tiki, which had been presented as a token of good luck, had proved Sister Lewis’ mas•cotte.” The remarks were greeted with much applause, .especially by the large number of natives present.

Many .incidents have revealed the bitterness with which the anti-eon-scriptionists have conducted the campaign in Australia. At a meeting organised by women in Port Melbourne a grotesque figure soaked with oil was produced as a representation of Mr Hughes. It was handed to a crowd of small boys, and to the accompaniment of much yelling the figure was set on fire. A sensational incident occurred at a conscription meeting in Tasmania. Sapper Cameron, a returned soldi*!’, was in the middle of his address when a loud explosion was heard at the rear of the building. It was found that Constable Poe and the hall-keeper, Mr Cowie, had been badly injured about the legs and ifeet ;and were bleeding profusely. It appears that a man was seen to climb up the fence adjoining the hall and hurl something in the direction <of the acetylene gasometer. It was a bomb in a jam tin. The fuse was alight, and no sooner had Roe and Cowie approached it than it exploded. v

A Marlborough farmer speaks highly of the value of small birds in keeping down inseet pests. He says ninny years ago, when the birds had not multiplied to their present numbers in his district, the barley crops were frequently ravaged by caterpillars. As showing the severity of the pest, he told of a case in which a neighbour’s barley had been wiped out by the caterpillar. The insects then began to cross a road dividing the destroyed crop from a paddock of barley on the opposite side. The owner of the threatened Held successfully met the invasion by driving a roller up and down the road, crashing the caterpillars in masses. Of late years (presumably owing to the increase in the numbers of birds) Marlborough has been free of the pest.

Air W. C. Nation, coroner, of Levin, held an inquest on Wednesday iu connection with (lie death of Tiripa Taueki, a woman 02 years of age, who died suddenly at Kavviu., Ilorowlicuua Lake. The evidence showed fhai the natives had been holding a religious gathering, and some of them became very excited. One of them, Kckc Taueki. a nephew of deceased, became demented, and, assaulted his aged relative in various ways. He was secured with ropes, and eventually committed to a?i asylum, lie was under the delusion that he was the Apostle John and could walk the water. The coroner, after reviewing the evidence of several witnesses, considered that deceased had been undergoing severe menial strain of religions fervour, and that death was the result of exlmustion and shock.