LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1686, 15 March 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A committee meeting' uf the luce 1 Horticultural Society will be held at 7.30 o’clock this evening.

Young Kin, twice previously convicted, was lined £SO at the Dunedin Magistrate’s Court yesterday for having in his possession opium suitable for smoking.

An* English paper says: “For over a year now there has been in the possession of the Staff of the New Zealand Division a ring for which no owner can be found. It was picked up at the entrance to Reserve Gully, near the beach at Anzue, on May 20th, 1915, It is a gold seal ring, with two monograms, “J.S.” and “LAV.” on the face. Inside the ring is this inscription: “From mother, September 7, 1913.”

Mr David McFarlane, a Avellknown Wanganui merchant, visited the local seaside yesterday, and informed our representative that he was surprised at seeing such an ideal resort. As a seaside resort he considered it had its advantages over Castleelitfe, in which latter place he look a keen interest. He added that the loeal seaside should be a very valuable asset to Foxton, and steps should he taken to further popularise it by carrying out a beautifying scheme.

Tlie Military Service Board at Christchurch heard the appeal oi' Mal l hew Joseph Brodie, Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, and Bathers Herring; and Murphy. Bishop Brodie appeared for himself and the other appellants. He produced a letter from the Minister for Munitions supporting his appeal. The Board allowed all three appeals, The Bishop said Bather Murphy had been appointed military chaplain. A Marist Brother was exempted conditionally on remaining in his present occupation. The ravages of the kea have been so had this year throughout North Canterbury that some of the high country stations are taking unprecedented steps to meet the trouble. Not only has the price per head been more than doubled, and guns lent and ammunition supplied tree, but permission has been given to shoot at birds hovering over or settled amongst sheep paddocked for the night. No greater evidence could be asked of the serious nature of the damage done than that on the chance of killing one bird a sheepowner is willing to risk the lives of animals worth perhaps 35s each.

Bte. P. Petersen, of Eoxton, who was one of the cot cases on the Marama, is now in the Olaki hospital. Mr 11. Witched recently visited Pie. Petersen, and had an interesting chat with him. Mr Witehell informs us that the patient is in good spirits and is glad to be back in New Zealand, and the sea. trip seems to have benetitled his health. Pte. Petersen was urged to remain in hospital in England, hut lie said he would prefer to take the risk of returning. After leaving (he Marama at Wellington, Pie. Petersen was in the ambulance collision. Mr Witched says (hat the patient is being wed cared for, and desires to be. remembered to Eoxton friends.

Count Zeppelin, just reported dead, was 77 years of age. lie was the constructor of the huge rigid dirigible balloons which have accomplished remarkable flights since 1900, when the first long journey was accomplished. His success achieved by persistence under many difficulties, have been widely acclaimed in Germany, but they have nearly always been followed by disaster. He started a “passenger service” in the air in June, 1900, but the project, was not- persevered with. The Zeppelins, as the cruft were named after the originator, were to accomplish an invasion of England and produce dire disasters for the hated English; hut so far the greatest disasters have befallen the raiders themselves, several of which.have come to grief.

A special meeting of the Borough Council will be held in the Council Chambers on Monday, 19th inst., at 7.30 p.m. Business: Appointment of office assistant, and general.

Harvest -thanksgiving services will he held at the local Presbyterian Church on Snuday next, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The minister. Rev. J. H. Bredin, will occupy the pulpit, and hymns appropriate to the occasion will be sung.

The lion. 0. W. Bussell slates that the censorship of cinema trims is to be considerably tightened, ample time having been given to importers to instruct, their buyers as to the New Zealand standard.

Officer; Very dirty turn-out, sergeant. Look at that man —lie’s not “clean.'’ Sergeant: Well, sir, it a hit. as if they don't “wash” theirselves; hut what-a-mean-ter-say, a lot* o’ these ’ere men they “dry dirtv!” —London Punch.

The name of Jack Hornhlow, a local boy, appears in the list of those awarded proficiency certificates (220 yards) by the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. At the school swimming sports yesterday, the same lad won the 25 yards back stroke in 24 4-5 secs., with a handicap of 8 sees. A number of other Palmerston High School pupils were also successful, several gaining certificates of merit (one mile). Trooper Prank Moore, of Johnsonville, writing to his mother on January 18th, says: We are now well into Palestine, and less than 100 miles from Jerusalem. While reeonnoitcring with throe of my fel-low-troopers a Jew days ago, we captured eight Turks who had only an hour previously made a prisoner of one of our airmen, who had been forced to come down in the enemy’s front. His joy at being rescued was great. It was Just by chance that we sighted them. The Turkish officer was chargrilled ■when he found that we were only four strong, and regretted allowing his party to la* disarmed by us when our supports were miles away. He graciously presented us with Turkish notes, our first trophies won in the Holy Land.

A surest ion is being discussed among the Australian troops , in I l 'ranee, the Commonwealth official correspondent states in a telegram dated February 26th, that Australia should recognise the supreme sacrifice of those who die for her by instituting a medal which shall be recognised first among all possible decorations. it is suggested that a simple six-pointed star with a wattle wreath and motto, the man's name on the back, and a simple purple ribbon symbolical of Royal mourning, should be sent to (he relations with the intimation of the death, similar in manner to the diploma, of the French soldier’s death.

Tlie present nee<l for gelling the most oul of the land gives rise to tile question of how nuudi land, unproductive or not, there is under enilivation. In (he Hawke's Bay Land District 4,383,094 acres are occupied, but of this only 2,921.5(53.] acres are eulitvated in any form. Barren land is estimated at 117,9071 acres, while standing virgin hush approximates 325,7901 acres. Bur the sake of comparison, Taranaki has 1,088,34(5 acres in occupation, and of this 1,287,(5(551 acres are cultivated. The total land in occupation in Xew Zealand is 41,38(5,0401 acres, unimproved land totalling 24,401,8(5(5 acres.

A Shannon fanner who entered an appeal at (he Palmerston sitting of the Military Appeal Board, informed the Board (ha 4 t milking was not sought after by labourers in his district. They preferred Jlax-cul-ting contracts, at which from ill to £1 Ids per day could be made, which was much better than dairy fanning, and the. hours wore shorter. Hence it was a very difficult matter to get labour for the farms. The same appellant said that from 12s to 14k per day were offering for harvesting recently, and there was only an indifferent demand for the work at this price. A Levin flax contractor later in the silling was able to substantiate to some extent the satement of Ha x-workers’ earnings. He staled that for months past his wages had averaged over £4 per week. An explanation of his decision to impose a line in the case of seditious utterances at Horoliu was given by Mr H. Hawson, 5.. M., in ids judgment delivered at Ilamiilou on Saturday. The Magistrate said the very idea of men engaged in essential industries striking at the present time naturally aroused feelings of indignation in the minds of rational people, but one must not let those feelings interfere with the judicial estimate of the case. The evidence showed that (he defendant was a respectable man and not a professional agitator. He stated that after the warning given by the present ease, a similar offence in. the future would he punished hy a substantial term of imprisonment. The line of £SO which he imposed might seem a heavy penalty, but he considered it a light one, compared with the degradation of even a short period in gaol. He did not blind himself to (lie fact that, on the other hand, it might in effect be a light punishment, because there was a possibility, even a probability, of sympathisers paying the defendant’s line, but the only alternative to a lino would be imprisonment, which he did not feel justified in indicting. Mr Hawson added that in default of payment, the defendant would be imprisoned for .three months.

The monthly meeting of the local Patriotic Society will be held in the Council Chamber Ups evening, at 7.30 o’clock. A full attendance of members is requested.

The Patrioitic Shop will he open as usual on Saturday, and will be in charge of Mesdames Me Murray and Benton. A consignment of Molueka apples will be on sale, and several competitions are being arranged. Gifts of all kinds will i he thankfully acknowledged.

The appeal of Bobert Semple a.gaiust Ji is convictions for sedition will be heard at Wellington on March 27th by a Bench of seven Justices, a Full Court being considered necessary, as the constitutionality of the Military Service Act will be raised by counsel for the appellant.

Mrs F. Barnett, of Foxton, has received advice that her son, Driver Bert. Barnett, died of cerebrospinal meningitis at the Twelfth Stationa'ry Hospital, France, on the Bth instant. The deceased was 24 years of age, and left New Zealand with one of the Reinforcement drafts. Prior to enlisting he resided in Foxton. In common with the Foxton public we extend our sympathy to the relatives.

A hoy named Tapp, whose parents reside at Alton, Wanganui, had a very narrow escape from death recently. The little fellow was playing in the engine-shed at milking time, when by some means or oilier his clothes got in the wheel of the pump, am! he was instantly carried round. A brother, witnessing the occurrence, speedily weal to his assistance, hut before being released the hoy was badly cut about the head, am! was severely bruised about the tmnds and arm>.

At the Daunevirke Magistrate's Court yesterday, in the ease agaiusl Henry Redwood, an official of the Woodville Jockey ('lull, charged with permitting investments to he received on (lie lolalisalor after the notified time of start-

ing of the races, a conviction was recorded and a Hue of £2O imposed, or two months' imprisonment with hard labour, the Magistrate (Mr McCarthy) holding that a serious breach of (lie law laid been proved.

Among the articles brought from the Antarctic by the Aurora was a, bottle of ale with a history. The Challenger Expedition of .187!) carried with it into the Arctic regions some ale specially bottled for the use of the explorers. The expedition returned to England with a few of the bottles still unopened, and one of them at least has been retained as a souvenir ever since. The owner wished the bottle to complete its (ravels by visiting 1 the vSonth Polar regions, and he therefore entrusted it to the members of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. His faith was not misplaced, and the bottle returned to Wellington with (he cork still undrawn.