LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1697, 12 April 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A nurse girl (afternoons only) is wanted. Mr .). A. Nash has been re-elect-ed (unopposed) to represent Palmerston borough, and Mr John Robertson (unopposed) Levin borough, on the Eoxton Harbour Board. A North Canterbury resident points out that during this dry season the flax plants have been attacked with the American blight, similar to that on apple trees. In the flax it forms on the portion of the leaves nearest the ground, and some of (he branches of flax are losing all the blades from the cause referred to. The hemp market continues very (inn, and there is a good demand, but the shipping space problem is still unsettled. Of late small quantities have been shipped to England, but the largest part of the output has been going to America. It is very difficult just now to forecast the future of the market in view of America's entry into the war. There was recently added to the London Regiment a new draft of fifty men remarkable for their splendid physique. It was the result of a newspaper paragraph announcing that there were openings for recruits. The average height of these new recruits is sft. lllins., but many of them are consedirably taller, and one is (ift;. Sin. The average age in 241 years.

“We passed the Garden «i:' Eden coming up,” writes a .Master!on member of the wireless troop in Mesopotamia to Ids friends. “Great changes must have occurred since Adam's time, for there is very little left in the Garden now. A few date palms, apple trees, and a tig tree are about all that remain. We also passed the tomb of Ezra, one of the prophets mentioned in the Bible.” The largest locomotive in the world lias been put in service in the Virginian railroad. It is hauling coal trains over the mountains. The locomotive is a mammoth triple engine, and it was built at the Baldwin locomotive works in Philadelphia, ft has 44 per cent, greater power than any other engine in the world, and is 101 ft. long and weighs 422 tons. Its pulling power is rated at 2,375 tons.

A few days ago a Southern paper reported a case of wanton destruction of a house and contents at Kurow, belonging to Frederick Steffan, a Tyrolese Austrian, who was absent- motoring with a soldier relative on leave from camp, Windows, crockery, mirrors, and furniture were broken. A few days afterwards Sleilau threw the place open to the public, in aid of the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund, and u considerable sum was raised. On Wednesday of last week the detectives arrested two married women, Hardy and Pratt, on a charge of committing (lie damage, which is estimated at about £IOO. Pratt is the wife of the local constable, who Avas absent from the district when the oil cnee occurred, and the other woman is the wife of a carpenter. Both live next door to the Steffans.' Sloffan is a well-known Few Zealand guide, and an expert bushman. Some years ago he assisted Detective Broberg to hunt down the murderer Ellis in the back country of the Forth Island. He also recovered the body of a tourist, Mr Andrews, who avus lost in the bush Avhile deer-stalking in the Martinborough district. Andrews’ life was insured for £IO,OOO, and a reivard of £4OO was offered for the recovery of the body or the man himself.

Old friends, old books, old sotxgs, old wine, Old-fashioned folks to these incline; But as a rule, apart from such, Old-fashioned fads don’t count for much. The old-time chemist made and sold His Avorthless dopes for cough and cold; But sufferers now such trash abjure, Preferring Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 4

Mushrooms are very plentiful throughout the district as a result of the recent warm rains.

Heavy and continuous warm rain has fallen throughout this district since Tuesday night. Fortunately, there is no snow on the ranges, otherwise the rivers would have been Hooded.

The rainfall locally on Tuesday night and yesterday totalled within a point of two and a quarter inches. Up till nine o’clock yesterday morning 1.70 inches was registered, and from that lime until nine o’clock (his morning .54 of an inch fell, making a total of 2.24 inches.

At the local Masonic Lodge on Tuesday night, the brethren presented the W.M., Wor, Bro. Berry, with a clock, suitably engraved, as a mark of esteem on the occasion of his wedding, which took place on Good Friday. The presentation was made by Wor, Bro. Hornhlow, and suitably acknowledged.

Mr F. K. Jenks informs us that it

was his intention to accept nomination for a further term on the Foxton Harbour Board, hut he was out of the district when nominations closed. He was also under the impression that (he date for (‘losing of nominations was later than Tuesday last.

Addressing an important gathering at Delhi on aviation, Lord Montagu, of Beaulieu, who is recognis-

ed ;is an authority on Iho subject, expressed his linn convict ion t hat mails and passengers between India and England will he conveyed through the air in it) years lienee. He calculated that the distance to he covered will lie from 3,500 to 5,200 miles, according to the route selected, and that the time taken will be from three to five da vs.

The installation of Bro. R. M. Malheson as W.M. of Lodge Rongotea and investiture of his ollicers took place at Rongotea last night. Local brethren were represented as well as brethren from other lodges in the district. Wor. Bro. J. H. Perrett was the installing master, and Wor. Bro. ITornblow Director of Ceremonies. After the installation, the brethren were entertained at a banquet in the Town Hall, where the usual toasts were honoured anil a pleasant social time spent. The catering was carried out by Mr Perreau.'

It appeal's that Auckland entertained a celebrity unawares. Miss Rankin, the first lady member to be elected to the United States Congress, was in Auckland for a considerable time some two years ago, more or less, studying our life and our politics. She (mine mainly for that purpose, but while she was here she made her living as a workingout dressmaker. She was then determined to win her way to Congress, and was here merely for an experience which she believed would help her to win a seat. Evidently, N the experience was profitable. Those who came in contact with her in Auckland regarded her as an exceedingly feminine woman, with none of the aggressiveness which is associated with the suffragette. Possibly, it was for this reason that they paid little regard to her political views and thought a good deal of her dressmaking. Replying to a suggestion that the first division would not be exhausted so soon if the age for voluntary enlistment wore reduced to 10, the Minister for Defence stated at Invercargill that if any lowering of the age limit took place it would be at the other end. Recruits would not knowingly be accepted under 20, and a man of 4(i required to lx* very (it before he was passed, It was an easier matter, said the Minister, to take young lads in (lie Cnited Kingdom, from which the tiringline was not very far distant, but experience had proved that these had better not be taken from New Zealand. Of course, numbers of young boys of IS and 19 and of older men up to 55 who had left with the forces had stood up to the life well, but there were others who became simply drags upon (he army, and the Department considered that it had adopted the wisest course in .fixing its present age limits.

A writ for £2,000 damages has been issued against the Palmerston Forth Borough Council on behalf of Christine Forbes and Eva Forbes, aged eight and six years respectively, the children of William Forbes, avlio evas killed by accident at Palmerston Forth on the night if Friday, Fovember 3rd last. Mr I'orbes, who was an insurance agent, and resided in Wellington, was driving along Filzroy Street, and he failed to notice that a gate placed by the council across this street had been opened* Avith the result that the car avus precipitated over an embankment into the ManaAvatu river, killing Forbes and seriously injuring two other occupants o s : the car. It is alleged that the street had been closed by reason of (he encroachment of the river, and that the gate in question had been left open by reason of the negligence of the defendant borough, Mr O’Pegan is also issuing writs on v behalf of Miss Sullivan and Miss Catherine Sulii\-an, of Waimate, South Canterbury, who Avere injured by the same accident. The cases Avill be heard at the May sittings of the Supreme Court at Palmerston Forth. Wanted Known: The Store Avliefe quality and value lead is Walker and Furrie’s. The best of everything—always. For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/6 and 2/6.

The Queen of the South, from Wellington, with general, arrived at one o’clock this afternoon. She will sail again for Wellington tonight with a cargo of hemp.

Mr Massey is still urging the authorities to provide greater facilities for the shipment of New Zealand produce. He is hopeful that America’s seizure of enemy vessels will soon help in relieving the shipping stringency.

Enquiries made by the New Zealand Postal Department have elicited the gratifying information that the mail matter, consisting entirely of newspapers and parcels, principally for the Expeditionary Eorees, which was sent away by the steamer Rotorua (torpedoed), was landed at Plymouth before the vessel left for London.

Sir James Allen was .asked if lliero was any likelihood of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward returning to New Zealand in time for the sitting of Parliament. He said that, so far as ho knew, they would be back. He had no direct information from them; all depended on the length of the War Council proceedings, but lie had no doubt they would return in time for the sitting of Parliament in June.

An important development has occurred in connection with the recent Home Rule resolution carried by the Christchurch City Council. The Mayor announced on Thursday that he had received for transmission to the Governor a petition from citizens protesting against the carrying of the resolution by the council. As the petition was to His Excellency the Governor, he did not feel justified in revealing its contents. He would simply forward it on to the proper quarter.

Through a plague of caterpillars, Mr doubling, of Kikau, Westport, lias bad the misfortune to lose three acres of oats (says the Westport News). They have eaten not only the oats, but also destroyed the stalks. Cowls, pigs, and ducks turned into the Held tailed to combat the hordes of caterpillars, which have effectually destroyed the crop as, if a lire had run through it. Mr doubling does not recollect anything so serious happening in his district before. He attributes the plague to the unusually dry season experienced on the coast.

Mr Spiers, who stood for the Christchurch Mayoralty in the Labour interest at last election, writes to the Lyttelton Times: - The workers are represented in the N'ew Zealand forces to the extent of at least 80 per cent., and with few exceptions the leaders of Labour have consistently avoided being represented on the various bodies that have been established —Red Cross work, aid to returned troopers, appeal boards, and so on. No word of cheer has ever been expressed by the official Labour body to the thousands of workers whohave gone to perform what they believe to be their highest duty to the Slate. The fact that so many working men of New Zealand have gone and are going, to my mind is not due to any encouragement given them by the leaders of the movement. it may be rightly said that they have gone in spite of the wishes of such leaders.

The April, 1917, issue of the New Zealand Aledical Journal cuiitains the .following paragraph; “As for the gambling craze, the Government of New Zealand lias even added 21 to the number of days on which the totalisator is licensed iit (his dreadful year of war. In the year of Verdun, (he Irish rebellion, and of General Townshend's surrender, the year of intensilied .submarine rulhlessness —in this fateful year we are on the edg(‘ of a strike —-we crowd our places of amusement, throng our pleasure resorts more than ever, pile up a huge drink bill, create a record in gambling figures, and behave generally as if the war were on another planet. Behold the war zone: Our men live in misery, light in cesspits, die in shambles, but as they thus buy safety for us all, they joke at their foul environment. meet agony with courage, death with a gay heart, and wounds with good-humoured philosophy/’

The estates of 111!) deceased persons were sworn for death duties during the month of March, the largest being that of George Giddings. of Canterbury, £44,993. Estates in the Wellington district over £51)0 were as under Augustus Robert Inwood £10,235, Malcolm Alaeßherson £8,307, Henry Hamilton Gowdy £7,1)80, Matthew Muir £7,594, Mary Ann Handley £4,908. Wm. Arthur Waddell £4,843, Alfred iSearner £3,994, Ellen Stevens £3,092, John Stevens Donaldson £3,577, George Farmer £3,253, Gertrude Baker £2,950, Janet Purvis Cowdy £2,034, Win. Kirk £2,544, Thos. Cecil Higginson £2,484, Fredrick Horace Hill £1,093, Hy. Harris, £1,401, John Masters £1,105, AVm. Peter Barber £1,070, Cheong Pah £1,075, Alary Woodside £1,053, Jemima Heinlze £I,OOO, Catherine Augusta Francis £1,004, Joshua Rutland £1,003, Mary Ann Gibbs £9BO, Agnes Poole £909, Annie Discaciati £920, Wm. Archie Kelly £847, Eliza Ann Furrie £BOO, Margaret AlcGillivray £OSO, Elizabeth Alarguerita Fitzpatrick £573, James Donald Clarke £544, John Johnston £535. See cheap rates, front pages Laidlaw Leeds’ AYholesale Catalog.* Why bother making cakes when there is such a good assortment at Perreau’s * For Children’s Hacking Cough at night, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 1/0 and 2/0.

John Dome, who created a sensation a short time ago by escaping from Mount Cook Prison, appeared in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday to answer three charges in connection with his escapade. Dome was charged with escaping from legal custody while undergoing five years’ imprisonment (for indecent assault), breaking and entering and theft at Paraparaunm and Pukerua. Accused pleaded guilty to all charges. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

There passed away on Sunday morning, at Carnarvon, one of the oldest settlers of this district, in the person of Mr Gustave August Herman Rockell, who died suddenly while engaged in attending to the separator. He was 72 years of age, and settled in Carnarvon a-

bout fifty years ago, becoming very much respected and esteemed by the residents. He leaves a wife and family of four daughters and seven sons to mourn their loss. Deceased was buried in the family burying ground of the Frasers at Parewanui.

Sir W, C. Buchanan remarked at the meeting of farmers, held in Masterton on Monday, that in Germany the authorities were encouraging potato growing in order to cope with the shortage of wheat, etc. We wished to know whether it might not he more profitable to grow potatoes than wheat. The .Minister for Agriculture replied that he was obtaining a report from his Department on the subject of pota-to-growing. in growing potatoes the fact of the blight must not be lost sight of. The more potatoes that were grown the less quantity of (lour would be required.

Says the Christchurch Star; — 1 Strange as it may appear, there are some people in this district who do not like Mr J. McCombs, M.P. There is the ease of the young gentleman who at Sumner recently saw a swimmer in ditlicultios, and dashed into the briny with all his clothes on, effecting’ quite a neat rescue, fie was interviewed afterwards, of course, and with the characteristic, modesty of the truly brave, said to the reporter; “There was nothing in il at all. I just swam out to the man, turned him over to make sure he wasn’t .Jimmy McCombs, and brought him to shore. There’s nothing to make a fuss over.” Mrs Margaret Jackson, of 32, Franklin Road, Ponsonby, Auckland, celebrated her 101st birthday on Tuesday last, when she was visited by a number of friends. The old lady, who still enjoys comparatively good health, is a native of Ireland, and came to New Zealand in 1872 with her second husband, Corpl. John Jackson, a Mutiny veteran, who lias been dead some thirty years. She has one surviving child, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. During the past twelve months Mrs Jackson’s health has shown a slight decline, and she has spent some weeks in bed, but on her birthday she was up and about. Apart from deafness, the old lady shows few signs of her great age.

The National Government have been referred to as “the Government of Commissions and Omissions,” stales the Railway Oliicers’ Advocate. It is certainly obvious that they enjoy setting up Commissions on the slightest provocation, even though one of their clarion blasts is “Economy in war time.” The Commission set up to investigate the soundness or otherwise of railway rolling stock was surely unnecessary at such a time as the present, especially when a reduction in the train service must have been foreseen. As expected, the verdict is “Everything in (he garden is lovely,” and there will now by much puffing on flic backs of thh chosen few.

"There has been considerable talk lately about the running of race trains," stated the Hon., W. D. S. .MacDonald at .Master! on on Monday last. “Well, 1 have been, racing for thirty-two years. 1 own horses—in fact, I was represented at the Tauherenikau meeting. I have not seen my horses race for about two years. Baeing has never done me ally injury or caused me loss. But it is not an essential industry, neither is it profitable to some. Everyone is of opinion that luxuries and non-es-sential industries must go, and our whole attention given to the essential industries. Bight on top of the essential industries are agricultural and pastoral pursuits. The Government will organise labour and help the producers.”

The following paragraph is taken from an Auckland paper of titty years ago, the Herald of April 111 h, 1807: —A meeting of the subscribers in connection with the experiment in /lax-dressing hy Messrs Ninnis and Purehas, was hold at the Chamber of Commerce. Air A. Beveridge was in the chair, and a report was read by Mr J. AleCosh Clark, hon. secretary, from which it appeared that the whole result of the experiment made in ilax-dress-ing was that it had been proved a marketable Jlax could be produced, four parcels having been sold, which realised at auction the following prices: £37, £3O, £25, £27 per ton. The quality of the fibre was considered superior to anything yet produced, as was proved by its market value. The report was received. Wanted Known c You can get better groceries for the same money at Walker and Furrie’s. Gee cheap rates, front pages Laidlaw Leeds’ Wholesale Catalog.