NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1699, 17 April 1917, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

The German “War Book” expressly asserts that it is permissable to utilise the services of assassins to remove prominent men of enemy nation.

A very happy gatherin'; took place in Lemon Street, New Plymouth, on Tuesday afternoon at the home of Mrs M. Bundle, when several elderly ladies paid a visit to congratulate Mrs Bundle on attaining her 92nd birthday, says the News. This lady is still hale and hearty,, and joined in the singing of several old favourite songs. Afternoon lea was enjoyed. There were present; Mrs Ford, senr., Mrs ■Jury, Mis Chatterlon, Mrs Bonnitt, Mrs Taft, Mrs Bestford, and Mrs Ballot., The Bov. 0. S. Bearn also assisted in making the afternoon pleasant and profitable. All the guests stood and sang the National Anthem.

Mr lb L, A. Astbury, writing to the llawera Star, says: —“I submit a saner and simpler method would have been abolishing the £SOO exemption under the land tax and striking a higher rate, together with a temporary export tax commensurate with the revenue repaired. This would have been simpler, cheaper to collect, infinitely more just, and would not have created the bitter feeling that exists, would not have (ended to make men dishonest, would not have thrown taxpayers into the hands of the solicitors, and would have secured all the money needed.”

Lionel Terry, the famous antiChinese murderer, who has been confined in Sunnyside Asylum for some years, has dropped his violent methods, and is now quite peaceful and quiet in demeanour. 11 is hair, once shori-cropped, now falls in curls to his shoulders; his jaw, once

clean shaven, is now adorned by a beard and goatee. Physically Ter- ■ rv is lit and well, and every morn-

ing takes his constitutional run of from two to three miles. Warders have to accompany him, and lake relays of a mile each during the const it ul hum I. 11 is recreation is reading —ehielly war news, of which he is a close student.

A story comes from the Keaiheis--lon .Military Camp, which, it it had not a serious side, would be rather amusing. A number of men were silting in the bakehouse, when a soldier approached the water lap. He drew some tablets from his pocket, and swallowed them with a

drink of water. Those present look no notice of this apparently harmless procedure until the man suddenly bolted off at full speed as if his life depended upon his swiftness of foot. It was later ascertained that the tablets he had taken contained morphia, and that innnedialeiv he swallowed them he decided to bolt for a doctor. The doctor duly pumped out (he tablets and the soldier recovered.

One of the resolutions passed by the Coaehlmilders' Conference draws the attention of the National Efficiency Board to the use ol shipping spaee for the transportation of aleoholie liquor at a lime when there is a shortage of space lor essential articles. One delegate stated that importers id' goods urgently required by the people of Now Zealand had (mind it impossible (0 secure space on steamers that were bringing to New Zealand large quantities of beer and whisky. Another delegate mentioned that he had experienced very great difficulty in sending an important consignment of iron plates to a West Coast coal mine, although .space had been found on the steamer for a whole shedful of beer. The larger firms of champagne makers at Kheims only use the juice from the first pressing of the grape for champagne. The juice is taken in barrels to the cellars and poured into large vats. The wine remains in the vats from October till January, when the mixing takes place, This mixture stands again until April or June, when the operation of filling the bottles takes place. The bottles are thoroughly tested and well cleaned. Then the long pipes are extended to the bottles from Hie mighty vats that bold the mixture, and as the bottles are filled, corked, and wired, they are lowered in baskets to the caves below, where they are stacked. These bottles are left from one to two years, when they are put in smalt racks, neck downwards, and for two or three months each bottle is givendaily a gentle little shake by an experienced workman. In this way the sediment is brought gradually to the cork, and the wine becomes per. fectly clear. One man can shake about 30,000 bottles a clay.