LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1674, 13 February 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the month of January, two horses were impounded by the ranger. The latest addition to the local telephone exchange is No. 97, Mr S. E. Cowley, painter, Park Street. One hundred and fifty-one dogs were registered in the borough during last month, the fees totalling .€33 7s (id.

Accounts amounting to £397 8s 8d were passed for payment at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council.

At the local police court this morning, before Mr Horublow, J.P., Alfred Bade, charged by the police with drunkenness, pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s.

There were present at last night’s Council meeting: The Mayor (Mr A If. Fraser), and Crs Stevenson, Coley, McColl, Henderson, Simmons, Thompson and Bryant. An apology for absence was received from Cr. Freeman.

The amount of gas sold through private consumers’ meters locally for the month of January was 378,000 ft., compared with 292,900 ft. for the corresponding month of last year, and 321,700 ft. in January, 1915. The increase in consumption over 1915 was 146,300 ft.

Outside of the business taken in committee, that of considering tenders for the erection of a concrete tank at the gas works, last night’s Council meeting was one of the shortest monthly meetings on record, only occupying twenty minutes from the commencement of reading' the minutes until the Council went into committee.

At last night’s Council meeting the Inspector of Nuisances reported that one person was still draining into the Awahou drain, and it was decided on the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr. Stevenson, That the Inspector of Nuisances be instructed to take proceedings at once against the person reported as draining into the Awahou drain.

During his period of service in the Waikato, ex-inspector Gillies, who died on Saturday, successfully planned and carried out one of the smartest arrests ever made in (he Dominion. A young man named Pecker, who bad come from England to reside at Epsom, Auckland, was brutally murdered by a Maori mimed Winiata. The murderer got away to (he King Country, and remained there for several years. Ultimately, however, he was arrested by Mr Gillies, and was brought: to justice, being sentenced to the extreme penalty of the law. The residents of the Waikato presented Mr Gillies with an address setting forth (heir appreciation of his courage and resourcefulness, and his services were also recognised by the Government.

Only four of some twenty dogs which left with the Ross Sea party on the Antarctic Expedition have returned to Wellington. The survivors may be considered veterans in Polar exploration, as they journeyed no less than 1,600 miles altogether, encountering many vicissitudes and much hunger during their travels. They looked in remarkably good condition when inspected on the rebel' ship last Friday night, and the affectionate relationship which existed between them and members of the party was particularly noticeable. During the sojourn in the South the canine birthrate increased, and three big healthy pups were brought back. There was also a litter of eight pups, whose mother evidently believed in the full cradle, and who jealously guarded her offspring, and •showed white fangs when any intruders came near.

Housewives should bear in mind that Walker and Furrie can supply household ironmongery of every description at the best value prices.

See cheap rates, front pages Laidlaw Leeds’ Wholesale Catalog.

Sweden is now an armed camp, with 300,000 men ready to take the field at a moment’s notice.

Ex-Police Inspector Robert J. .Gillies died on Saturday morning, at the age of 67 years. He retired in 1911.

At last night’s Council meeting it was decided to forward the piano at the Coronation Town Hall to Wellington to be thoroughly overhauled. Mr Hastings Moore, a well-known draper of Wanganui, and chairman of the Gonville Town Board, dropped dead in his shop on Saturday night.

“Our firm is paying £SO a week more for meal now than it did before the war,” stated a witness before the Military Service Board recently.

German prisoners recently taken on the western front have been found to be wearing uniforms made of a fabric consisting of 40 per cent, codon, 40 per cent, paper fibre, and ‘2O per cent, shoddy. At last night's Borough Council meeting no lender was accepted for the erection of concrete tank for gas-holder, but the lenders were referred to the gas works eoiumittee with power to act.

Miss Mcllendry was entertained last week at a “kitchen tea” by Mrs Fraser, and at an “all sorts” afternoon by Mrs MeColl, in honour of her approaching wedding.

For the year ended 31sl December last, the output of coal in the Dominion was a record, totalling some 2,337,000 tons, although the number of men employed was slightly less than in the previous year. Miss Turka Hawke, the first graduate woman blacksmith on record in the world, received her diploma from the lowa State College, U.S.A., a few weeks ago. She is preparing to open a blacksmith’s shop, in which she will specialise in the repairing of farm machinery. A large number of local eligibles have been drawn in the recent ballots, including many who had previously enlisted, notifications came last night and this morning, and groups were humorously discussing the calls. From what we can gather, very few of those drawn will appeal, but the medical test will thin the number out.

The Kev. .1. .M. Thompson, M.A, (first-class honours), has been appointed first assistant in Scots College, Wellington. He will also be the college chaplain. The Kev. .Mr Thompson was for three years minister of the local Presbyterian charge. His scholastic attainments should amply qualify him for such a responsible position.

A .tribute to the value of the New Zealand newspapers was made by a speaker at a meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Overseas Club. He had repeatedly received letters from the front stating that the writers anxiously awaited the Dominion papers, as they got better war news in them than those they received from across the Channel.

A Press Association telegram from Greymoulh states that the Patriotic Committee on Friday passed a motion condemning the attitude of Mr P. Webb, M.P., for not attending send-offs to troops, and in regard to patriotic work, also a motion urging the Government to bring to bear the clause of the Military Service Act to round up men who have not answered the ballot call.

To illustrate a lesson in Komaii history, the schoolmaster showed the boys one or two copies of antique busts and medals, and then sought to lest the pupils’ powers of application by asking questions based on the previous lesson. Pointing to a head of Nero, he said, “Now, boys, what do you think of Nero? Do you think he was a good man2" No one answered. Then the teacher singled out a boy. “Thomas, what do you think? Do you think he was good?” “Well,” returned the boy, after a long wait, “he never done nuthin’ to me.”

“Is the war finished?” This was (he first question put to those on the Aurora by the exile ;I members of the Boss Sent party when the relief ship came up to the ice-pack. Considerable astonishment was expressed when a reply in the negative was received. One of the explorers told a Wellington Post reporter that the partv did not expect anv relief ship to come for them until the war was over, as they had the idea it would be impossible to obtain the necessary W-‘ssel. When the Aurora broke away it was thought that she had gone to her doom. Bichards it was who first espied the Aurora, on 10th February of this year, and, needless to say, there was a race over the ice to get as close to the vessel as possible.

Quite a pleasant atmosphere permeated the sittings of the Appeal Board at Hawera one day last week. A line stamp of a young fellow was called, who had appealed on all grounds. He cheerfully admitted in a brogue that proclaimed his nationality, that he did not object because he was not a reservist, nor because he was a religious objector. “Then,” remarked the chairman, “what are the grounds of the hardship’” “Xo hardship at all,” was the astonishing reply. “I’m ready to go to fight any time Frn wanted.’’ “Then go to Major Cox,” said the chairman; “you’re the man he wants.” Appellant went gleefully to the Major, who told him to come up for medical examination on Tuesday, appellant remarking that it would he a day out. As he left the Court, someone volunteered the information that he had 11 brothers at the front.

•Interesting reading matter appears on pages 1 and 3 of this issue. -»-■ A thunderstorm, accompanied by a heavy downpour of hail and rain, passed over this district this afternoon. A census of all the large hunting and watch dogs in Italy is about to be taken with the object of utilising them for purposes of scouting. The Government offices through- “ out New Zealand will be closed on April (ifh (Good Friday), April 7th and April 9th (Easter Monday). A captured German motor-omni-bus, with the table of stages and fares still intact, is now used on the local transport work at a British camp in France.

According to the Rome Messagero, the museums and the royal palace at Bucharest were completely pillaged by the Bulgarians and Germans.

On the Terrace End bowling green on Saturday a rink from Shannon, skipped by Roach, defeated the holders of (he Gold Stars by 23 [joints to 14.

It is 50 years ago to-day since Mr John Hillary arrived in Foxtou. For many years he acted as ferryman. .Mr Hillary is living a retired life, and enjoys comparatively good health.

Not' ;i single* German newspaper has been received in (lie United States from (lie Fatherland for ofer eight months, according to a prominent Gernmn-American in the New York Herald.

It is reported that, as a result of the opening of Government retail butcher shops in Auckland, private retailers have come into line, and are selling at the same rates as the Government.

The Germans, according to their own admission, conquer only places of the highest strategical importance and lose only positions of no strategic value.—-Brooklyn Ragle (New York).

The father of an appellant at the Appeal Board in Palmerston slated that he had reared a family of 15 children. Five of his sons had gone to the front, and one had been killed. A member of the Board remarked that this was a good record.

Local authorities in different parts of the Dominion lind it pays to tar and sand their main thoroughfares. When Pox ton experimented some two years ago, many people expressed the opinion that the process would be a failure. It has proved the opposite. We are not in possession of the cost per chain locally. The cost of similar work in the Greytown borough was: 15 chains, 2 coats of tar, £55 8s -Id, and a further 20 chains £(il 7s.