LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1682, 6 March 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

War economy is actively practised in the training camp at Featherston. As the men of each new reinforcement draft enter the camp they are informed of orders requiring that all the wire on hay or straw hales must he removed intact and returned to the supply depot; that when leu is issued in lead-lined cases,’ the lead must be collected and returned, and that coffee tins must- be handed in when empty. Failure to comply with these orders results in the unit concerned being charged with the valueof the inaterial deficient. Just landed, a supply of BradesMills hooks. Only a limited quantity.—Walker and Feme.*

At the recent teachers’ examinations, Miss Phyllis McMurray, of the local staff, passed in four groups in Class D. Miss Jessie McMurray passed in Class D.

The usual monthly meeting of tiie Fox ton Borough Council will be held in the Council Chambers' on Monday, 12th March, 1917, at 7.30 pan. Business, general.

The opinion was expressed by the engineer (Mr It. 11, Dawson) at a meeting of the Wanganui County Council (hat where heavy traffic had to he dealt with, the only satisfactory highway for the future would lie concrete roads.

A reduction of one penny per pound in the price of beef steak, corned round, corned roll, and mutton (diops is announced hy the Auckland Master Butchers’ Association. Many other joints are reduced in price by one halfpenny per pound.

The officials of the Sandon tramway had the longest train of produce hauled last year photographed. The load consisted of 28 trucks of sheep, !) of wool, 2 of cheese, 1 of butter, and 1 of general merchandise—ll in all. This train, run about the end of December, was in itself a remarkable proof of the importance of the tramway to the settlers in the vicinity.

The concert under the auspices of td. Mary’s Church, which is being arranged for Friday, March Kith, promises to be a great success. Performers quite new to Foxton audiences are taking part, while much assistance is being given by local singers and musicians who have generously placed their services at the disposal of the committee. The result should be a record audience.

Mr Basil Walls, who recently enlisted, and went in camp yesterday, was on Thursday evening last made the recipient of a presentation of a, safety razor by members of the local Borough Band, with which Mr Walls had been connected for the past ten years. The presentation was made by Mr A. Smith, and Mr Walls suitably replied. During the evening songs were contributed by Mrs Osborne and Messrs Smith and Osborne, Miss Ebett presiding at the piano.

The ferry steamer Maori was an hour late in leaving Lyttelton on Thursday night. A khaki-clad passenger, who failed to grasp the reason for the late despatch of the packet, hailed one of the officers and enquired the reason why the main-spring had not been cast off. “Are you waiting for the Acting Premier,” asked he. “Oh, no,” said the officer, “someone more important than that.” “Oh, the Governor,” said the soldier. “No, of more consequence than him even,” replied the officer. “Who is that, I lien?” said the soldier. “Our firemen,” replied the navigator.

A young' Native in uffluent circumstances appeared us the plaintitT in u civil case at the Wanganui Supreme Court last week, the outcome of the disposal of his property for .€IO,OOO. The plaintiff had been of a speculative turn of mind, one investment being €SOO in connection with an aeroplane. “How far did you fly?" queried his Honour. “It was not worth talking about," said the plaintiff. “1 suppose when you get all this money you will be wanting to buy a Zeppelin,’’ said his Honour. “No,” replied the plaintiff, “I’ve got married!”

A man was arrested by the police at Kilbirnie on Saturday for failing to answer questions put to him by a police ollicer regarding enrolment in the expeditionary Force Reserve. He was brought before the Magistrate at Wellington yesterday, and remanded for three days. This charge has not previously been preferred against any men, but the experience of being accosted by a policeman and questioned regarding enrolment may not be uncommon shortly. In order to avoid complications, Reservists, whether in the First or Second Division, will be well advised to carry with them their certificates of enrolment, if they can safely and convenientlv do so.

While Mr T. C. List (proprietor Taranaki News) and Air C. Walker (Hawera Star), accompanied by their wives, were motoring home from the press conference at Wellington on Saturday, they struck trouble on the Wbirokino road, about half a mile on the Levin side of the bridge. While in the act of passing a trap, the car pulled too close to a drain on the roadside, the deceptive grass border gave way, causing the car to tilt and the front off side wheel to sink out of sight in the drain. The sudden stoppage of the car threw the ladies violently forward, but they fortunately escaped with a severe bruising. Attempts to get the car out of the drain on Saturday evening were unavailing. On Sunday morning Air Alex. Ross, provided with tackle, and assisted by his powerful motor lorry, engineered the partly submerged car on to the road. The only damage sustained was a buckled splash-board. Our brother pressmen desire us to publicly acknowledge Air Ross’ splendid services on their behalf, and also to thank Messrs P. G. Jackson, O. and A. Cook for services rendered.

Why bother making cakes when there is such a good assortment at Perreau’s '?*

Wanted! Housewives can now purchase machine-cleaned Currants and Raisins at Walker and Furrie’s, “The Store for Cleanliness and Quality.” .

At the Supreme Court sittings in Wanganui, a young man named Lionel Claude Wilson, who was found guilty of stealing a motor bicycle at Wanganui on January Kit iv was sentenced by Air Justice Edwards to (wo years’ reformative treatment.

The Acting-Prime Minister says: “It is not anticipated that any ballot of Second Division reservists will take place until August next, or perhaps later. Before that date the Second Division of the reserve will have been classified and each reservist allotted to the recruiting district to which he belongs.

The hospital ship Marama, which arrived at Auckland on Sunday night, brought back 538 officers and mlm. Two days out from England she picked np a lifeboat containing twelve men from (he steamer Brookwood, sunk live days earlier by a German submarine on February 13th. Private F. T. Bo well, of the Medical Corps, whoso parents reside in Auckland, died, and was buried at sea. The returned soldiers were officially welcomed by Sir James Allen, who. presented four medals Avon by members of the Expeditionary Force, Gunner R. Fleming, of Devonport, being the only one of (he. quartette alive.

A certain commercial traveller put up for the night at an hotel where the alleged bedrooms Avere cubicles with thin partitions that reached only half-way to the ceiling. For hours he lay awake listening to the finest demonstration of snoring it had ever been his unhappy lot to hear. There was no regularity about it —it was full of strange and weird variations and cadences. Sometimes i( seemed as though' strangulation Avas imminent. Very suddenly it slopped, and there was a deathly silence. From away down at the end of the long line of cubicles came a weary voice: “Thank God! He’s dead!"'

Palmerston is gaining an unenviable notoriety for sticking-up cases. Mr L. H. Colinson, returning home from business about 10.15 o’clock on Saturday night, was confronted at his garden gate in Ferguson street by a. man with a revolver. In the shrubbery he saw the shadowy outline of another footpad. Mr Collinson called for help, and Mr Frank Mowlem, who was going down Linton street, at once ran down the footpath, saw the fugitive running up the other side of the street, and when he overhauled him the man turned, kneeled, and resting a revolver on his right knee, exclaimed; “stop, or I’ll blow your head oft!” The footpads got away.

At one of Sir John Findlay’s meetings a questioner wanted to know what Sir John had done to help the war “except talk." Sir John had a brilliant young son killed in the war, another has been wounded, and a third is fighting, it was a brutal question to put, but some people always do make brutes of themselves at election time. It is a strange commentary upon our civilisation that whenever a man offers himself for the honourable position of Parliamentary representative of tiie people crowds of ignoramuses immediately assume that they have a right to publicly insult him. It is this fact that prevents many of the Dominion’s best citizens from standing for Parliamentary honours.

At a military parade at Te Kuiti a presentation of medals was made in the presence of over 300 Territorials and some thousand residents. Sir -James Allen presented Mr T. frost, of Kelvin House, Te Kuiti, with a French decoration of the Croix de Guerre,, and the Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded lo the late Sergt.-Major Frost, who was hilled hi the Somme offensive. The Minister gave a stirring address, and referred to the Territorial system as the great primary school at which lessons were learned that enabled the men to accomplish deeds similar to that to which they were assembled to do honour. It was an unique honour to him to have to present such distinguished medals, and while there was a sad side to the presentation, the lesson of self-sacrifice by the late officer was one the nation as a whole could profit by.

“The nipuuted man has a hard time of it,” writes a member of the New Zealand Mounted Kitle Brigade to his parents in Wellington. “He does all the reeonuaisanee right in front of the infantry, provides all the advance guards, screens, safeguards, etc., all under lire. Once the enemy sights our horses, he gives us hell with the shells; also when their planes come over we have to stand to our horses, and they present a good target. 1 had a narrow escape a few days ago. We had Jed out from the lines, as the plane was right overhead, and I heard the bomb coming, f set the horse going for a little way, and I seemed to be right under it, so I stopped, thinking it was over me, and I had a minute to live. When it struck the ground ten yards ahead, 1 think I was the most surprised Juan in the regiment when 1 found f wasn’t hurt. The soft ground saved me. I had the presence of mind to turn round and go back, as •she dropped three more right in line with the first one. A bomb dropping from an aeroplane has a very demoralising effect on one, as the peculiar noise is awful, and there is no cover; but a man becomes a fatalist. If your name is on a bullet, shell, or bomb you will get it.”

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

The Queen of the South, with Hemp and wool, sailed for Wellington on Sunday morning. She is due buck again with general to-morrow. The people of Rotorua have for many years been dependent for (heir living, almost exclusively, on the tourist traffic,” remarks the local paper. “Now that the Thermal Springs Act has been lifted, the prospect of agricultural industry has been opened up. Very soon we shall be an important farming district.”

The total areas for threshing of the various grain and pulse crops in the Dominion are stated in the census returns as follows: —Wheat, 329,708*acres; oats, 213,585; barley, 30,435; maize, 8,104; peas and beans 9,359; other crops, 1,874. For chaff, hay, or ensilage, the totals are; —Wheat, 0,237 acres; oats, 431,575; barley, 2,000; maize, 032. The total’area in hops is 741 acres.

Asparagus stimulates the kidneys. Celery is a nerve tonic, and so also are onions. Honey is a good substitute for cod liver oil. Watercress is an excellent blood purifier. Parsinps possess (he same virtue as sarsaparilla. Bananas are beneficial lo sufferers from chest complaints. Beetroot, is fattening and good for people avllo Avant to pul on flesh. Toma foes are good for a torpid liver, but should he aA r oided by gouty people. Lettuce lias a soothing effect on (lie nerves and is excellent for sufferers from insomnia. A young man appeared before the Military Service Board in Wellington seeking exemption on the ground of undue hardship. In the course of his evidence he said' that iiis brother, who was aged 4(i. and his brother's son were lighting in the ireaches, and three other male relations were also at the front. The appellant's aged mother pleaded pathetically for him not to be taken. “1 don't Avant the money, I want (he boy,” she said. “1 have one son, four grandsons, and live or six nephews a! the war now, and most of them have been founded.” Certainly (he family seems to have done well, the chairman commented (Mr W. S. Moorhouso). “Yes,” replied the old lady, “they have, and you might spare me this one.” The hoard e\eii(ually decided (hat it Avas unable to allow the appeal.