LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1687, 17 March 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The death is announced from Paris of the famous French lawyer Labori, who defended Dreyfus. The sum of £026 was collected on the Masterton racecourse on Thursday for the Red Cross movement. “ I be moral training of New Zealand children is left in a considerable manner to chance/’ said Mr IT. A. Parkinson, discussing citizenship and education at Wellington. “Chance, coloured largely by the picture show, the totalisator, ‘Tails,' and so on.”

flic annua! picnic and destribution of prizes in connection with (he llangiotu State school took place on Mr Pearce’s property yesterday. Practically every family in the district was represented, and a most enjoyable time was spent, the children being particularly well catered for. The prizes wore presented by the Rev. J. H. Brcdin.

Po.xton, like many oilier centres, possesses excitable sensationmongers. Yesterday afternoon they seized upon a garbled secondhand report concerning (he revolution in Russia, and (he Tsar’s abdication, and allowed (heir imagination free play. They set forth that Russia had thrown up the sponge so far as the war was concerned, whereas (he very opposite is the case.

Miners who were called up in the ballot and failed to present themselves for examination to (he Military Board, Boe.fl.on, have received notice from the various mines that their services have been dispensed with (says the West Coast Times). This is in accordance with the regulations under the Military Service Act, which entails a penalty of £SO on anyone employing those who fail to conform with the regulations.

The Bishop of Wellington appealed to the Third Wellington Military Service Board on behalf of the Rev. Kenneth J. Me Faria no (Palmerston), William B. S. Ogden (Aramobo), and Thomas Gardner (St. Pet er’sy Wellington). The Board decided to deal with each case as heretofore, granting an adjournment without fixing a dale, and intimating that the position would be reviewed when the First. Division was exhausted.

An excellent story is 1 old in “Experiences on Active Service,” by Major H. Lloyd George (son of the British Premier) in (lie magazine of the 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill. Major Lloyd George says (hat lie was called on to censor some letters, in one of which a private wrote; “Our company commander is a son of Lloyd George, hut the other oliicers are perfect gentlemen.” The private is now a corporal.

At a meeting of the Auckland Presbytery on Tuesday, the clerk referred to the enlistment, eighteen months ago, of the Rev. A. R. Al<idill, of AVhakatane, who had resigned for the purpose. The Rev. gentleman had declined a chaplaincy, preferring to go into the ranks amongst the men, where he fell it his duly to go. It is now reported that the Rev. Madill is missing on the Somme battlefield. A motion of sympathy with his relatives was passed.

A point of interest to landlords and tenants was mentioned' at the hearing of a case in the Supreme Court at Wanganui. His Honour Mr Justice Edwards said many, even among the legal fraternity, were of opinion if a tenant paid rent by the week he was entitled to only a week's notice, hut that was not the law. Unless there was a special agreement as to what length of notice was required, a tenant was entitled to a month's written notice. The case was one in which a landlord, wishing to rebuild, gave a tenant a week’s notice to leave a house, hut the latter claimed a month's notice. The landlord thereupon pulled down two chimneys and the verandah, and the tenant, entering an action, received £SO damages.

The .National Government is endeavouring to obtain historical materials which are to have a home eventually in the projected Dominion Library. The .Minister for Internal Affairs (the lion. G. \V. Russell) has therefore issued an appeal for such gifts as State papers of any description relating to New Zealand, personal papers such as diaries, letter-books and letters of prominent men and women, busts, portraits or photographs, views of Now Zealand, early maps and plans, especially those connected with war and early settlement, minute-hooks of societies or corporations prior to 1870, logs of vessels and records relating to shipping, trade and industry, early newspapers, leaflets, directories, programmes of meetings and entertainments, and menu cards prior to 1870, Maori manuscripts and papers, and especially letters written from the front during the present war. A Board of Science and Art and a Historical Committee have been set up to deal with this historical research.

The Pahiatua Borough Council has passed a resolution in favour of abolishing race meetings until after the war.

.Some amusement was caused during the calling of the Common Jury at Napier Supreme Court, when the Clerk called the name “Lloyd George.” There was no sign of the little Welshman, but one George Lloyd answered the call.

“What is the laud of the country compared with the lives of those who are lighting for us in the trenches?” This was the question asked by Mr A. P. Whatman at a meeting of the Wairarapa Patriotic Association on Thursday.

Travelling in a train to Wellington the other day, some people observed a man. to be in distress. They inquired if they could*no anything for him. “No," he said, “you can do nothing for me. 1 have lost ihy live sons at the war, and I am just coming back from putting mv wife in an asylum.”

The largely increased cost of newspaper production is being felt very severely in New Zealand. Tire Palmerston and Waikouaiti Times, an old-established Otago ucavspaper—one of the oldest country papers in Xcav Zealand, avc believe —has succumbed to the Avar pressure, and ceased publication. It is quite probable that this Avill be i'olloAved bv others.

“All’s well with the war in spile of the horrors of war. We. need only to study the cause of the strife, the reason for Britain's entry, note things at stake, the mighty issues of (he light. Never was there such a glorious war. Never did such a host arrive to overthrow tyranny and lift up the downtrodden.” —The J\’ev. 11. Allen Job, in his sermon at the Congregational Church, at Wellington on Wednesday evening.

Somewhat unusual circumstances attended the death of a Herman prisoner of war at Wellington Hospital on Friday. Deceased was admitted to the institution on the preceding Tuesday from Somes Island suffering from appendicitis, and was duly operated on. Later on he became delirious, and during (he night got out of bed and attacked one of (he nurses. Attracted by the noise, various persons rushed to the nurse’s assistance, and secured the prisoner, who was put, hack to bed. The nurse was not much hurt, hut had her nerves badly shaken. The prisoner gradually sank, and died on Friday night. The creditors of a bankrupt estate in Christchurch received rather a welcome surprise (he other day in having all their claims paid in full. It appears that the bankruptcy took place as long ago as 100(1, and as the assets were written down as “nil,” no further thought, was given the matter. But a son of the bankrupt went to the front and was unfortunately killed, and it then transpired that he had left sufficient to pay every creditor in his father’s bankrupt estate 20s in the £. “1 leave (he Oflicial Assignee," ran the (danse in the young soldier’s will, “(he sum of .(.'2OO to (dear off mv father's creditors.”

Writ in”’ from Featherston, an Aucklander now in training- says:— “An officer came into our lull (he other day and asked for Private Food. He was not in our hut, hut there happened to be a Private Tucker, who, at (he time, was half asleep in his hunk. He gave a leap up on to his feet and answered ‘Hei’e!’ The officer says ‘Private Food'?’ ‘Oh, no,' was the response, ‘Tucker.’ The officer then left the hut to look for Private Food, so Private Tucker got into bed, remarking (hat he thought he heard someone sing out Ids name. So there is a difference between Tucker and Food after all.

In the sermon at (he Congregational Union on Wednesday evening, the Rev. 11. -Vilen Job, of Linwood, said: “The pearl of nationality cannot be destroyed. One of the greatest things done by this war has been the enforcing of the truth of the indestructibility of nationality. Servia was once the greatest power of the Balkans. Five hundred years ago it was cast into the cruel Turkish crucible. A few patriots look refuge in (he mountains of Montenegro, and kept up perpetual warfare for 400 years. Then unaided it won freedom and inspired Greece and Bulgaria to do the same. Today it is plunged again into the furnace, but its spirit is not broken, and it will emerge unscathed.'’

The Hon. A. T. Xgata lias had erected a line residence at Wai--o-Malalini, near Waiapu, and a big fJTJiI heriii*’' of .Maoris has just been held in the vicinity. During 1 the meetings the sum of £5,890 12s dd was raised for the .Returned Maori Soldiers’ Ruud. Mr Ngata’s house was inspected, and the famous ‘’carved room” formally opened. The residence is of a large and extensive nature, the interior decorations being of an artistic and tasteful kind (says the Poverty Bay Herald). Amongst the numerous rooms is one which is designed after the nature of the old carved houses, being panelled throughout with splendid carving, which must have occupied ‘many months of labour. The carvings and the room generally are in faithful keeping with the old traditions, and naturally form an object of considerable interest. Lady Carroll was entrusted with the honour of formally declaring the room open, after the time-honoured custom. Housewives should bear in mind that Walker and Fume can supply household ironmongery of every description at the best value prices.

For obstructing, a parade of senior cadets, two youths named Ernest Newson and Percy Kirkland were convicted at Palmerston yesterday, and fined 5s each and costs 7s. The latest addition to the telephone list is No. 104, Mr W. Davis, Coley Street. Although the number of subscribers now exceeds the number required for an extension of time from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., the postmaster has not yet received in- j structions to carry out the extern • sion, nor has any addition to the .-'tair been made for the purpose.

The annual Harvest Thanksgiving celebrations will take place in. the Methodist Church to-morrow, when the church will be decorated with gifts of fruit, produce and, (lowers. There will be on exhibition a “Birthday Tree," valued at from £25 to £3O. The goods will Indisposed of by auction on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock.

A working woman of France wrote to a Paris paper urging a light to a finish with the Germans, and concluded: “Bir. you needn’t worry. The soldiers who have got children and the women who are left behind and who are working to take the father's place, they’ll hold out as long as is wanted —a year more, even two —so that the little children of to-day won't have to sec this sort of thing later on. A premature peace means another Avar.”

“The engine room looked as if a cyclone had struck it. The wreckers had attacked the engines with sledge hammers, doing irreparable damage, and leaving what had shortly before been a handsome array of shining machinery a shattered mass of debris.” In this way an American navy oilicer (visiting Sydney) described (he condition of the Herman gunboat (Icier in Honolulu harbour. The Ceier hail sought refuge in (he neutral port, and when recently America threatened war with the Huns the Herman ollicers of the gunboat wrecked (he engine room. Not content with the damage to the main machinery, the Hermans filled (he four boilers with fuel, and set the contents alight,. The boilers were absolutely ruined by the intense heat.

Thus the Wairarapa Nows:—-

Many rumours raise in camp. One is that a sergeant delivered himself as follows: —“Squad—’shun! As you were. When I say ’shun, I mean ’shun. Spring up like a trout catching Hies. Don’t wipe

your nose on your sleeve, ain’t allowed in British Army. Squad—’shun. That’s better. Heads up, eyes off the groan’, heels (dosed, knees together. If you’re knockkneed sleep with a Bible between your knees and a strap round your ankles. Stop that laughing-! I can see you—all of you. By the right, quick march! Left —right—left— right—eyes off ground. There’s no diamonds or gold watches there. Look your own height. You’ll never get a woman to give you the glad eye if you walk like a bent hag of beef tied in the middle. Out with your (diesis; if you haven't got a idlest, stick your kit-bag inside your tunic. Halt! Stand at ease!

Xmv you cun wipe your nose. If you iiavon'l: got a, handkerchief, use an old sock!”

They tell of a chapla in (says “Woomera” in the Australasian) with rather a quiet way of showing it. On the heels of every charge he went out into that charnel house of A T o Man's Land to comfort (he dying and pray for the dead. And his companion was a big, raw Queenslander, who with many expletives declared that he wasn't goin’ to see the old bird go out all by himself. They were a strangely mated pair, for the Queenslander was noted as not merely the most fluent swearer in the Australian ranks — which of itself meant something

quite uncommon—but, it was believed, without peer anywhere. It was an odd burial service that came ban k in scraps to the listening treuches, the solemnity .of it broken with the appeal, “Hurry up, boss, this is no bloomin’ bong to me,” and a quiet “Hush!” from the padre. So it goes on to-day, and to-mor-row, and the day alter to-morrow, until —well miracles still happen in battle, so let us hope for .the best.

“Perhaps there is no class in Che community which suffers more by the war than the clergy, especially the country clergy, with miserably small stipends” (says Bishop Averill in the Auckland Church Gazette). “They suffer in silence. Their miserable pittances too often arc not paid regularly. They are too loyal, too self-sacrificing, to make their sufferings public, and so their sufferings are unseen and unheeded. God give us imagination this Lent! Every congregation should, pay its vicar a stipend of at least £ - 50 per annum, even in countryparochial districts. In spite of war taxation it is possible to buy motor cars as never before, and is it not. possible to pay the clergy H ‘Jiving"age. Do the people know or care what their clergy are receiving?, Sympathy would, in many cases, remove (he causes for criticism. What about the Easter offerings this year .' It is my wish that the Easter offerings in every parish and parochial district should be handed toIhe vicar, and should not he c ount - ed by the church officers or regisfered in the vestry hook. Wlml a splendid opportunity fojp rca ( . t j IJIS . giving, loving sympathy, practical Christianity! The parish finances will not suffer, for God will see to it. that they don’t suffer if the congxegation are kind, sympathetic,, and unselfish,” See cheap rates, front pages. Laidlaw Leeds’ Wholesale Cat&*? log.

The Board of Trade has agreed to supply meat to Masterton butchers at the same price as Auckland and Gisborne. As a result of the Board of Trade's operations, the price of meat has been reduced in the above-mentioned places.

In recording a case of unusually mature marriage, the Stratford Host says: “They were no! a young couple in any sense of the word who were married at the Registrars office this morning, as their combined ages reached 134 years. It was the third venture in the matrimonial world of the bridegroom, who had seen 74 summers, and the second occasion on which the bride ((SO) hud faced the hymeneal altar.”

The man in khaki i- not always what he seems. One of him went to Masterton and put up at a boardinghouse, stating that lie was on leave. lie ingratiated himself with members of the household, and was extended many courtesies. At the cad of the week or two lie intimated that he had received an appointment in the local Defence Office, and would pay for hi- hoard at the end of the month. When the month had expired, he mysteriou-iy disappeared, leaving the mistress of the house lamenting. Enquiries revealed flic fact that he was unknown at the local Defence Office. He is now posted as missing.

The peculiar appearance of the liver- in rabbits shot in the neighbourhood of Christchurch having aroused suspicion, one of these was taken to the District Health Officer, who obtained a. bacteriological report from Dr. Pearson on the condition, From (his it appears that the rabbits arc suffering from wiiat is known as Coccidiosis. This parasitical disease is entirely confined to the liver and intestines, and does not affect (he rabbit otherwise as an arlicle of food. flic District Health Officer, I liercforc, advises f lie public to di-card Ihe liver and all inlc-linal organ- of I tic rabbit when preparing thc.-c animal- for (lie table. Dr. Clicsson remarked to a Christchurch Star reporter that the fact of this disca-c being found in the liver would no| pul him off eating rabbits, lie thinks it is only necessary to discard the organmentioned.