LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1742, 31 July 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is officially announced that the second portion of the 24th Reinforcements has arrived at its destination. The Levin Co-operative Dairy Company has a profit of £447 to divide among the shareholders after making necessary provision for the requirements of the company! .Although the expenses of the Wairarapa Egg Circle are, heavy, the excellent average price of Is SMI per dozen has been realised on the year’s working. A meeting of shareholders in the Kaupokonui and T. L. .foil Dairy Companies is to bo held at Mauaia next month to discuss a suggestion for the amalgamation of these two big companies. The Feilding Jockey Club last year gave £525 to war relief funds and £5,121 was paid in taxation to the State. We’re a great people, and do so love to improve the breed of horses! The death took place at Palmerston on Sunday of Mr James S. Lane, at his late residence, No. 14, Willis Street. The deceased gentleman was 89 years of age, and was wellknown and highly respected throughout the district. Instructions have been issued by the Director-General of Medical Services to the district medical boards that any man who has attained his 44th birthday on being called up .for service is to be placed in class C2 (medically unfit), and transferred to home service. French soldiers who recently visited Wellington stated that in the case of men recruited in New Caledonia, the rate of pay for a private is 2MI a day at all times, when he is not actually fighting. When he is in the trenches and otherwise actively engaged in fighting the enemy he receives an extra sd, making in all 7id a day. As soon, however, as he leaves the trenches-for billets or a hospital his rate of pay drops to 2id a day. The death is reported a Her a brief illness of Mr Herbert B. Kirkcaldie, of Wellington, aged 42. The late Mr Kirkcaldie was born in Wellington, and educated at Wellington and Wanganui Colleges. His scholastic education completed, he entered the firm j)f Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd., and was its secretary and also a partner at the time of his death. The late Mr Kirkcaldie is survived by his wife (who is a daughter of Mr Anthony Stubbs, formerly of the Railway Department)) and three sons and a daughter.

Dr. Mandl, who has been absent for some time in the Auckland district, returned to Eoxton on Saturday night. The Queen of the. South, from Wellington with general, arrived at 9 o’clock this morning. Weather permitting, she will sail for Terakohe to-night to load cement for Foxfon. The recent heavy rains were responsible for the river rising fairly, rapidly on Sunday and yesterday and last night hooded the road the other side of the Shannon bridge. There was a depth of about three feet on the road at the deepest part. The river, however, is now falling. It is reported that Mr A. ’Walker, M.P., who was elected president of the New Zealand Labour party in succession to Mr J. McCombs, M.P. (who resigned from the party on the liquor issue), has now tendered his resignation from otliee. At the annual general meeting of the Flaxmillers’ Association, held on Friday, tire following officers were appointed for the ensuing 12 mouths: President, Mr A. Seifert; vice-president, Mr R. T. Bell; treasurer, Mr H. Akers; committee, Messrs C. 11. Speir-s, W. Ross, J. Liggins, A. Brown, IT. Seifert, Tj. Seifert, G. Craw, A. Ross, A. J. Gibbs. The London Weekly Despatch’s Dublin correspondent states that thousands of Sinn Fein recruits are being enrolled weekly, and lodges are being formed almost daily. Trouble is browing, and there" have been a number of arrests - in various places. Shiny Feinism is developing phenomenally, and is swelling over the country. At the Palmerston Police Court yest erday, before Mr AY. G. K. Kenrick, S.M., Harold C. Mellsop, a well-known resident,- was (“barged with resisting Const aide Gow in the execution of his duly on July 13th last. Defendant pleaded not guilty, and after hearing lengthy evidence defendant was convicted and fined 20s and costs. The Flaxmillers’ Association has communicated with the chairman of the Efficiency Board to find out how the tlaxinilling industry has. been placed in the matter of essential industries, and lias requested them to find out whether the Imperial Government classes the industry as an Imperial necessity. No reply has yet been received to (his request, A farm of KiT acres in this district, on which 00 cows, were milked last season, sold to the .Shannon Dairy Co., Ltd., 21,138 lbs. of but-ter-fat, which with the average overrun of IS.-J per cent., produced II tons 3 ewt. 1 qr. 22 lbs. of butter. If cheese had been manufactured instead of butler, the quantity of cheese made from this farm alone would have been nearly twenty tons. The authorities at Home keep a keen look-out for men who might have a notion of dodging military service. The following paragraph is taken from a London journal of l-llh .lane: “Passengers who arrived by (rain at the Central Terminus, Brighton, on Tuesday evening were held up by cordons of military police, while (hose of military age were required to produce (heir papers of identification. Ladies only were allowed to pass unchallenged.’’ The Maslerlon correspondent, of The Post, writes: —Monsignor M’Kenna has been advised that the Rev. Father M’Menainen was killed outright while conducting a burial service over the grave of a. fallen soldier in France. Six soldiers who were attending the service were woitiulcd. The body of the late Father M’Menameii was interned four hours after he was killed in a grave adjacent to the spot where he was conducting the funeral ceremony.

“The cost to Hie ('mmtry of the special (rain was nil. The (rain Avas what is called a ‘guaranteed train,” the promoters of the function having become responsible.” This is the reply of the Prime Minister (lion. W. P. Massey) to (he question asked in the House of Representatives by Mr J. Payne, the member for Grey Lynn, regarding the special train which avus run in connection with (he banquet tendered to Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward by the residents of Pukekohe.

Members of the Plaxmillers’ Association have subscribed among themselves sufficient money to purchase Mr Miller, the Government entymologist, a motor car, Avhich he slated avus absolutely necessary for the carrying on of his im'estigations. Mr Miller expects it Avill take fully twelve months or more to complete his investigations, when, it is hoped, useful results will be obtained, and a means found of eradicating the grub and other swamp pests.

A well-known settler of Raurirau, George Humphreys, aged 50 yours, u married man, when returning by Thursday’s express from Wellington, alighted at Waimarino, and set out to walk to Raurirau, Owing to the bad state of limy roads he was following the railway track, accompanied by a friend, Jack Carr. Crossing a bridge over a stream four miles south of Raurirau, he tripped and fell sixty feet on to a toi bush, missing some rocks in the stream below by y few feet. Canproceeded to Raurirau for assistance. Constable Rogers and a party went back, and got Humphreys on the line after great difficulty. They took him to Raurirau on a jigger, and then to Taumarunui Hospital by a goods train.

More economical than cough mixtures or syrups is NAZOL. Eighteenpenee buys sixty doses —more than three a penny. No cold is NAZOL-proof.

No part of the world, neutral or belligerent, appears to have suffered less from the indirect effects of the war than has New Zealand. Much * of the credit for this is due to the National Ministry, as we should very soon discover if administration were handed over to some of the parliamentary politicians who would have us believe that the National Government has done nothing right. —Auckland Hei’ald.

Regarding the question of whether or not men of the Main Body of the . New Zealand Expeditionary Force should be given an opportunity of returning to New Zealand on furlough, letters have been shown to The Post which indicate that some of the men at least would gladly welcome a holiday with their friends. An extract from one of these letters states: —“I think it is up to the ' New Zealand Defence Department to give the Main Body leave to re- >" turn to New Zealand after three

years’ active service.”

Mr AVilford, speaking in the House, said he realised fully that the most onerous position in the Cabinet was occupied by the Minister for the Treasury, who had to bring down taxation proposals. He hoped those proposals would not represent a weak-kneed policy. The House wanted a strong scheme of taxation designed to plaee (he burden on the right shoulders. The man who was hit by a high tax was much better off than the man hit by a high explosive. No half measures would suthee.

Tluil I here is money iu dairying is proved by Ihe returns of a supplier of the Shannon Dairy Co., Ltd., Cor the year ended June 30(h last. This fanner has a properly of KM acres, and during last season milked 1)0 eows. The milk supplied to the factory produced 21,138 lbs. of but- > (er-fat, which, at the average price per pound of Is 7d for I he year paid by the Company, gave a return of i £1,(173 Ss (id. To Ibis has also to be added the return received from the sale of pigs, etc., which would increase same by from £2OO to £3OO. The children of (he local Stale school in one week raised the sum of £0 by voluntary coniribulions by way of showing (heir practical sympathy with the little sufferers in London, their fellow school males, in the recent air raids. The .suggestion came from the Education Board I hat each child contribute one penny, or more if desired, towards a fund which had been inaugurated for the relief of the little sufferers. The sum above named has been for- ■ - ' warded to the secretary of the Education Board. Biting pur from Dunedin Star: Overheard on Satunfoy evening in a city tramcar. Ti:j. ce 0 » four girls were talking e^ pr i r to each other. “What a glorious day we have had,” said one. “It was real jolly,” answered another. “What shall wo do £ after the war!” anxiously asked a third; “it will be dead slow, won’t itag it!” “Beal stale,” was the sympa-*’^ 1 belie response. “Well, never mind,” piped another, “dad says the war will last a little time longer yet.” One man remarked to other as he passed out; “Seen the latest news about submarines!” to which the. response was iu slightlyT sarcastic tones: “What does that matter! Our Dunedin, gamble has been a glorious success.” Two boys named Dodunski were seriously injured at Inglewood by the explosion of several plugs of gelignite. They were working on (heir father’s farm, and during lunch hour placed the gelignite near the stove in the residence. While (he elder boy was examining the explosive it exploded, and lie received serious injuries to his head and burns on his body. The younger boy received severe burns and abrasions. A neighbour noticed a volume of smoke issuing from the window after the report, and on investigating found the younger lad grop- ■4l ing about iu the smoke for his brother, who was lying senseless with his clothes burning. Both were removed to a hospital. 'The lads had Ja remarkable escape from death, for the stove was shattered and the chimney badly damaged, whilsjt some sacks were ignited. Can wheat ho profitably grown iu the North Island I The Hon. W r . D. S. MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture, replies in the aflirmative. lie writes in the Journal of Agriculture to the effect that if promises made to the Department’s oflieer.s materialise 40,000 acres will bo under wheat where wheat had not been grown before or where its cultivation had been discontinued. About 12,000 acres of this was new wheat land in the North Island. North Is- • laud average yields, from Auckland to Wellington, ranged from 22.07 to 28.12 bushels per acre. At Weraroa the yield had been 50.35 and 30 bushels. “The contention that the North Island generally is not ed to wheat-growing,” writes the/ Minister, “is not borne out by the records of recent years. . .Excellent crops of wheat were grown in the early days of settlement in those very districts where the cry of unsuitability is chiefly heard.” lie crouched iu a doorway, hungrjT and cold, Homeless and hopeless and sad; I could see at a glance he needed help, That no friend in the world he had. So I gave him a crown and choice cigar, And advised him strong drink to ♦ abjure; He moaned his need was a bed and a feed, i And Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. XQ ,

At a meeting of the Wellington Trades, and Labour Council last week, the following motion, carried by a congress of Auckland Labour unions, was endorsed: —“This congress of sixty-one Labour organisations has absolutely no confidence in the National Government; that in the matter of food supplies for-the people the Government has not considered the public interest, but has aided and abetted exploiters of food supplies." The Financial Statement in all probability will be brought down tomorrow, certainly not later than Friday. The excess profits tax disappears. This tax had worked in-' equitably in both the country and the town, and no attempt is being made to modify or amend it. The tax will lie replaced by heavy imThere is no news yet as to port, income and land taxes to produce the same revenue, whether the Government intends to impose luxury taxes through the tariff, hut these are not impossible. Il is practically certain that (here will be no Customs duties on commodities in general use. There will In* no taxes to increase the cost of living. The statement made in a Wellington newspaper that the National Efficiency Board had recommended the Government that hotels .should he closed during the period of the war and for six months afterwards; also that hotelkeepers should receive compensation for the loss su.-tained, was referred to Sir James Allen, who stated that it was incorrect. The National Efficiency Board had presented a report on the subject, which contained certain suggestions. The question of closing hotels was dealt with in that report, which would be presented to Parliament in due course. It is understood that praclmally the whole of Cabinet's lime since the return of the leaders has been derided to the question of finance, which this year bristles with knotty points. This lias led to (he inevitable postponement of many other important matters, but it is Imped that (be Financial Statement: will be ready shortly, and, once this has been disposed of by Cabinet, other questions will come up for eonsidemlion. including iho appoinlincut of members of the Legislative Council, in connection with which about 300 names have been mentioned. On the evening of June llfh Mr John Anderson, 82 years of age. a resident of Ivongotea, was walking along the Kongo! ca road when lie was accidentally si ruck by I be sidecar of a motor cycle ridden by L. ■Simonson. Air Anderson's injuries were such (bat il was found necessary to remove him to the Palmerston North Hospital, where he died on Sunday last. An inquest was hold on Saturday before Mr G. AV. K. Kenrick, S.M., District Coroner. Sergeant Henry conducted the enquiry. Mr Kavanagh watched the proceedings on behalf of Mr Simonson. After hearing evidence, the Coroner said the evidence clearly showed that deceased met his death from shock resulting from in - juries received in the accident, combined with his great age, ’had that no blame was attachable to .Air Simonson.

General Botha's eldest son, Capt. Louis Botha, recently joined FieldMarshal Haig’s staff. Captain Botha came from (he Cape to join a well-known British regiment, in which he had been offered a captaincy. His military career has been remarkable, As a youngster of eight years he went through the Boor War with his father, and saw it good deal of lighting, being under lire on several oeeasions. When the ITiion Defence Act was passed, lie joined (he South African Military College, where he showed great promise, and on the outbreak of war he asked to he allowed to proceed to the front. He served on Sir Duncan Mackenzie’s staff in South-West Africa for some time, and subsequently joined General Botha’s staff and went right through the SouthWest campaign. Subsequently Captain Louis (as he is generally callmi) joined General Small's stall’, and did some excellent work in the German East Africa campaign. Ever since the outbreak of the war, however, he had been extremely anxious pi see active service on the western front, and when the call came he accepted at once.

Al Iho last mooing l of Iho Danncvirke Borough Council, Cr I>. Hohbvtshawe made a protest against ilio circulation of dirty bank notes, anil, in Iho course of his remarks (says (lie loeal paper) drew a moral and adorned a tale with the following anecdote: —One race morning a man in the lock-up, charged with obscenity, wanted a lawyer. The speaker wont round. “I suppose you don’t want to he mixed up in this mi so said the captive. “Well, I'm in a hurry," said the speaker, “and if you waul my services my fee will 1)0 two guineas." “All right," said the arrestee, “1 can pay you. The police searched me when I came in, and thought they had got all my money, but they didn’t." And then, continued the eouneillor, the man look a hoot off, and then a dirty sock, and there were three £1 notes pasted to the bottom of his dirty foot. He gave the speaker two and received one back. (Loud laughter). The Mayor: I suppose that’s what you call footing the bill. (More laughter). Seeing that it was race day, it is difficult to 1 say how far these dirty pound notes from a dirty foot went, and how many dirty hands they passed through on that day alope.

Wanted Known: You can get better groceries for the same money at Walker and Fume's.

“Now, Air Ross/' said Inspector Hendry, in the Magistrate's Court at Wanganui, when some alleged bookmaking eases were being heard, “look hero, do you admit, or do you not, that a man gave you something outside Chavannes’ Hotel, as the constable states'?" “Oh,” replied witness, “ a man might have given me something on the day in question. It might have been a_ mate]), and I put it in my pocket." inspector Hendry: “Do you honestly say it might have been a match?" Witness: “Yes; it might have been." Inspector Hendry: “Do you mean to tell the Court that you would receive a niatch from a man and put it in your pocket?" Witness: “I might have done it.” Inspector Hendry: “Then you went about the Avenue ail day pn the 25th May putting matches in your pocket ?" Witness ; “Yes; I might have done." Inspector Hendry: “I shan’t press the matter any further, your Worship,”

A case illustrating a father’s readiness to make heavy sacrifices so as to release his son for service was heard by the First Auckland Military Service Board. In supporting the appeal of Ernest D. AVilkinson, farmer, Pukekohe, his father submitted a statement declaring that lie himself was crippled, and that the son was working a 59-acre farm in order to support his parents and Jive brothers and sisters. In addition, they were also supervising the adjoining farm of the writer’s late brother, Captain A. E. Wilkinson, killed at Gallipoli. As the farm could not support a manager, the father said he intended to get the crops out,, put the paddocks in grass, to sell his stock and implements, retaining only his milking cows, in order that his son might perform his duty to the Empire. All that was asked for was time to complete these arrangements. The board expressed the opinion that the case was one deserving of special consideration, the father having shown a very tine spirit in his willingness to let his son go, when he might, with very good cause, have applied for an adjournment sine die. Tlie lad was bearing a heavy burden, as the livelihood of the whole family depended on him. Leave until 31st December was granted,