LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1634, 7 November 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The sad news has been received by Mrs E. R. B. Holben, of Palmerston N., from Mr Holben, who is al present in France, that their only son, Lieut. Robert E. Holben, died on Friday from wounds received on September Kith, aged 24 years.

Viennese newspapers are telling the public that, according to doctors, the common clover found in the meadows is a delicious ami noursihing vegetable, and easily cooked. Prepared like spinach, with flour and butter and salt, it resembles tender French beans. Radish tops are also said to bo excellent.

in (he course of the hearing of an application for a decree absolute in the divorce proceedings at the Supreme Court at Auckland on Wednesday, before His Honour Mr Justice Masking, both (he petitioner and the respondent, in (he case intimated that they each proposed to marry a second lime immediately the decree absolute was granted.

Mr I). E. Porter, (laxmiller, Koputaroa, met with a peculiar accident at Shannon on Sunday afternopn. He was endeavouring to start his motor car,'and slipped, and sustained a broken leg. It was deemed advisable to remove him to the Palmerston Hospital, and for that purpose the midnight Auckland express was stopped at Shannon and the sufferer placed on board. On arrival at Palmerston he was removed to the hospital, and is progressing as well as can be expected.

The digging of the new ditch at Tuturau some few weeks ago was indirectly the means of securing for the Dunedin Museum one of the largest “finds” of moa hones ever located in the country. It appears that tin* ditchers struck hones of au n.nusual nature, and submitted them to Professor Bonham, of Dunedin, for identification. The Professor at once recognised the importance of the discovery, and replied in person with the result that when he returned to Otago's capital lie carried with him fifteen complete moa skelel ous.

A man who calls his stinginess economy found something to please him in the paper recently. A firm al Grimsby was offering to send a large quantity of tinned food, guaranteed fresh, for half a crown. He quickly got a postal order, and sent: it off with a note. “I’d like,” he wrote, “a good lew pairs of soles, some smoked haddocks, a hox of kippers, and a hit of salmon.” Tho next day he received this reply; “Dear sir, —Your esteemed order, with P.O. to hand. We have noted your requirements, hut suggest that if you forward another threepence we will include the steam trawler iu the parcel.”

Three buys, whose ages were respectively 15. Hi and 17, were charged before Air E. Rawson, S.AL, at Hamilton, this week, with sending another hoy, aged IS. into the Hamilton Hotel for intoxicating liquor. Tim fourth hoy was charged with aiding and a belting. It was shown I ha I the hoys between them clubbed up sufficient money to purchase a bottle of whiskey, which they consumed the following day on a shooting expedition. The youngest of the hoys, as a result of the “spree” had already been convicted of drunkenness. Senior Sergeant Cassels described the quartet as a set of larrikins, who, from a police standpoint, were very “promising” youths. They were about the town at all hours of the night, and seemed to be completely out of their parents’ control. The youngest boy was the ringleader. His Worship characterised the case as one of the most disgraceful that had come before him, and said the framers of the Act never contemplated its application to such a set of circumstances. He gave the youths r, severe talking to, and lined the youngest of the four £2 and costs, and each of the others £X and costs.

The usual monthly meeting 1 of the Foxton Borough Commit will he held in the Council Chamber on Monday next, at. 7.30 p.m. Business: Genera 1.

The secretary of the local bowling club has received an invitation for croquet players to he present at the opening of the Hinemoa Croquet Club’s lawns on the Palmerston X. sports ground on Saturday next. So far four ladies have signified their intention of being present.

A somewhat extraordinary occurrence happened at Rotokohu on Wednesday (says the Greymouth Star). An unoccupied house there, owned by Mr Richard Rowe, was struck by a whirlwind and stripped of (tvery shed of iron. The iron was carried some distance into the hush, and there is hardly a possibility of any of it being recovered. A resident who saw the occurrence considers it a most remarkable one.

Another splendid example of selfsacrifice is related of an Australian soldier who was in the fhiek of recent fighting around the Trones Wood. This brave soul, wounded in (he foot, was trying to limp back to the dressing station when he heard a faint moan from a shellhole. He crawled to this, and discovered a badly wounded man who bad lain there for three days and nights, and who was parched for water. The Australian promptly used the contents of his water bottle, which he sadly needed for himself, to cleanse the month of the soldier, and then, wounded though he was himself, managed to drag the other poor chap to safety.

"Notwithstanding all we hear aboul the Germans having so many old men and boys in their army, I am hound to say that the (1,001) Ger-

man prisoners we saw in a Prench camp on our way to Paris were the most vigorous, strong, and healthy men I have ever seen,” said Mr C. •I. Parr, ALP., at Auckland the other evening. “They were all great, big men, of good pliysirpie—every one of them. They were a cheery lot. As we approached they came to the barbed wire enclosing them, and in broken English asked us where we were going, when the war would be over, and wind her the Kaiser was in London yet. These l prisoners were well-fed, and extremely well looked after by rheir captors. “Indeed,” said Mr Pan-, “I am inclined to think that German prisoners are a little too well treated in England, here, and on the Continent.”

A bank note story is going the rounds of the banks just now, says-the Manchester Guardian. A customer paid in to a Manchester bank a fragment of a bank note gummed on to a piece of paper with the explanation that the baby had eaten the rest. The bank was solemn over the affair. “We shall have to send it up to London.” To London the uneaten portion of the note was duly sent, and by and by there came back in reply an elaborate and awe-inspiring form to be tilled up before any compensation for the destroyed note could be considered. Rut what pleased (he provincials most was the instruction that the form mu.-4 be tilled up and signed by the person who had done the damage. It was suggested that the person (sex unknown) should lie allowed to make its mark by chewing the corner of the document.

A remarkable discovery of a miser’s hoard has been made at Newlyn, near Penzance. For sev- . . i oral years an eccentric old couple, Mark Kemp and his wife, have been living in (he village under circumstances which siiggcsied indigene)*, and frequently they solicited alms of the neighbours. It was known that they had spent their earlier life in Arizona, and hy this name 'they were known to the hobbledehoys of the village. .Recently the old woman was sent to an asylum, and the condition of Ihe husband became so deplorable that the PoorLaw authorities stepped in. An order for lu's removal to the workhouse was made, and a sanitary inspector and a constable went to the cottage. They discovered a trunk in the kitchen, which on examination revealed a pioneer miner’s belt, the pockets of which were full of sovereigns and half-sovereigns, amounling to a thousand pounds, which had evidently been hoarded for many years. Despite the recovery of this unsuspected wealth, the old man remains in the workhouse.

The question Inis boon raised whether prisoners of war are paid as soldiers during their captivity. On making enquiries from the Minister of Defence (Hon. James AO leu), on his recent visit to Southland, Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P., was informed (hat all soldiers are credited with full pay until they are killed or discharged. A prisoner of war is credited with the full amount of his pay. Continuing, the Minister said; “Up to September 30th the information received by the New Zealand Defence Department was to the effect that the Foreign Office had stated that prisoners of war in Turkey were receiving a weekly allowance of 3s 7d. The High Commissioner stated recently that arrangements were being made with the Mar Office to sufiply money to New Zealand prisoners in Germany, and also that food and comforts were being despatched regularly to prisoners both in Turkey and Germany. Of course, the 3s : 7d weekly will be debited to the prisoner’s account, but on his release at the end of the. war, or sooner, the prisoner of war will receive his full pay as it he had been in -the ranks during the time of his imprisonment.”

See cheap rates, front pages Laidlaw Leeds’ Wholesale Cata~ log.

The population of Hamilton has increased over 50 per cent, since the 1911 census was taken,- the figures being 7,533 now against 4,876 then.

Prior to the sermon at the Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning, the Rev. Bawdin Harris congratulated the congregation upon the improved appearance of the church building since his last visit, a few years ago.

Mrs Withers, aged 35 year’s, wife of Mr A. J. Withers, of Palmerston North, died suddenly at her residence on Saturday night, shortly after retiring to bed. The husband and two children are left to mourn their loss. At the inquest a verdict of death from heart failure was returned.

As instancing the huge dimensions of the trade between America and the Dominion nowadays, there are in Wellington at the present time no fewer than four ocean liners discharging American cargo, says the Rost. They are the Maitai, from San Francisco; Stratavon and Port Phillip, from New York, via Auckland; and City of Delhi, from New York direct.

A Levin resident pleaded guilty to a charge of gambling on a train. The police said accused had been led into playing “hanker,” and had lost. £l6. He was the only man of the lot implicated who had given his right name, and expressed regret for his action. The S.M. thought accused had had a lesson, and let him oil with a conviction.

“New Zealand soldiers at the iron) receive :i complete change of underclothing every week.'' said Mr C. J. Pa it, M.P., speaking at Mount Eden. “Hundreds of Belgian women are employed in laundering their clot lies and in darning llieir socks. Roth in these respects, and as to the bathing facilities for the men, the arrangements made by Genera! Russell are admirable.”

Clarence Dawson, aged It) years, accompanied by two boys named \Vatl and Edwards,.-each aged 13 years, was boating in Evans Bay, Wellington, on Sunday, when the mainsail became slack, and it was while Dawson was trying to rectify matters that he fell overboard. Being, unfortunately, unable to swim, he sank rapidly, and although other boats in the near vicinity lent assistance, it was then too late to save Dawson's life. The body was recovered.

Telegraphic advices were received by merchants in Wellington on Saturday advising a further rise of Ids per ton on flour at South Island ports. This is a rise of £1 per ton within the last fortnight. The price is now £l3 per ton, free on board at southern ports, or £l4 in the Wellington bakehouse. The advaiice is* no doubt in sympathy with the Australian market, whore the latest rise was 15s per ton in Melbourne and Sydney. The Australian quotations are £l2 per ton in Melbourne and £l2 5s in Sydnev.

Tin* Now Zealand Uci’ii !<l states llial (lio Government regulations fixing tho retail price nt‘ butter at Is 7)1 per lb., which is now the subject ol' ah appeal, was discussed with the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. T). S. MacDonald, hy Mr C. IT. Poole, M.P., in Wellington last week. The Minister indicated that whatever the result of the appeal the Governini*iit was determined to adhere to its determination to regulate the price of butler. Mr Poole states that it is evident (hat if the appeal is successful the Government will lake other steps to give effect to the purpose of the regulations. The Post's Loudon correspondent writes that a New Zealander, taking advantage of the fact that a mail was closing for Tristan de ('unha, wrote to The Times mentioning the fact that the French ship Bonnevein had called there on the voyage of 1(>0 days from New York to Fremantle. Quoting the Weekly Press, he said: “The population of this island now numbers 100 people. 20 of whom are women. They were clad in skins and remnants of civilised clothing, and some, indeed, wore nothing. The Bonnevein was the first ship that had called there for six months, and the first ery of the inhabitants was for flour and clothing. For these they bartered purses made of sealskin and shoes made of fox skins. The master of Bonnevein received many letters to post at Fremantle to various quarters of the globe.” “New Zealander’s” appeal for help was supported hy Mr Douglas M. Gane, of Lead-enhall-street, who wrote:—“When I visited the island the men for the most parr were dressed in blue dungaree, and looked well set-up and iri good condition; but from the account ‘New Zealander’ gives they have apparently come on more than usually hard times, for he speaks of actual deprivation of clothes.. Though the war* has multiplied appeals, an appeal on behalf of the people of Tristan seems most appropriate, for, speaking generally ,they are the' descendants of the small’body of troops which were stationed there when Napoleon inhabited St. Helena, and so, in a way, they bring ns into touch again with the last great European war. Let the opportunity not he lost of supporting these isolated compatriots of ours.” \

Why bother making cakes when there is such a good assortment at Perreau’s ?• _ anted Known.—We believe in giving fhe utmost value for every penny expended in our store, and wg guarantee the best qualities always. Let us handle your next grocery order, Walker and Fume, Foxton. The season has now come for hot steak and kidney pies—a good meal for school children,—At Perreah’s.*

A rink from the local howling elnh will visit Shannon to-morrow afternoon to play the holders of the gold stars. A final reminder is given of the social and concert (in aid of the choir funds) to he given in All Saints’ schoolroom this evening. An excellent programme has been arranged, and refreshments will hs provided.

The death occurred at Otaki on Sunday of another of the district’s pioneers, in the person of Mr Alfred Monk. Deceased was the third son of Mr John Monk (who came to New Zealand in 1842), and was born in Wellington. The late Mr Monk leaves a widow and grown up family.

The Defence Minister states that henceforth money to provide comforts for sick and wounded New Zealand soldiers in Egyptian hospitals will be forwarded direct from New Zealand, and the High Commissioner has been advised that it is unnecessary for him to send money from London for that purpose.

Owing to the war and land aggregation the Dannevirke County has shown a drop in population of G 75 since last census. The figures were 4,683 in 1911. They are 4,008 now. Dannevirke’s population has increased from 3,501 to 3,662. The population of Norsewood Town District has increased by three people. Ormondville Town District has lost 43 in population.

The death occurred at Oroua. Downs yesterday of Mr Thomas AVitton, a well-known resident of that district. The late Mr AVilton was 65 years of age. The immediate cause of death was pleurisy, the deceased having been ill for some time. Mr AVilton had resided at Oroua Downs for about 10 years and before that lived at Brooklyn (AA'ellington). The funeral will take place to-morrow, leaving his late residence at 11.30 a.m. for the Foxton cemetery.

According to the census return there arc 2,880 dwellings in Palmerston, of which 2,765 are occupied; in addition 14 are in course of construction, making a. total of 2,894. Most of the unoccupied buildings are old houses that were erected in the early days and have fallen into disuse in favour of more modern dwellings, some of them having been condemned by tho health authorities and having to he included in (ho census enumeration under the Act. Houses are still very difficult to rent in Palmerston, despite the extensive building.

Mr R. Bright’s motor car, used on the Foxlon-Shannon mail service, was totally destroyed by lire at an early hour this morning'. The origin of the outbreak is unknown. The car, which was driven over from Shannon as usual last night, caught lire in front of the Mauawatu Hotel at about a quarter to ten, but through the prompt use of a patent lire extinguisher by Mr W. Smith, the |f)uthreak, which was in the front of the car, was extinguished before any great amount of damage had been done. The car. was afterwards driven round to Messrs Harper Bros.’ garage and left outside, when everything appeared to he safe. The second lire occurred early this morning, the car being totally destroyed.