LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1740, 13 October 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The screening of the picture “Tnlolerancc” attracted a large audience in the Town Hall on Thursday night. There was a heavy fall of snow on the ranges on Wednesday night, and on Thursday the weather was very chilly.

During September last 28 persons in the Dominion died of consumption, 37 of cancer, and 8 of diphtheria. Appoplexy caused .25 deaths, heart disease GO, and chronic bronchitis 17. There were 7 suicides for the month. During his speech on the War Pensions Bill in the House of Representatives, Sir Joseph Ward-de-clared that the amount already raised in New Zealand for the prosecution of the war was equivalent to £2,000,000,000 in Great Britain. According to the,.-Public Works Statement, the amount expended on new public buildings last year was £251,431, out of the sum voted, £304,000. For the current year an appropriation of £310,000 for new buildings is proposed. The District Medical Boards have been instructed, on the recommendation of the Director-General of Medical Services, to classify all men who have attained their fortyfourth birthday when drawn in the ballot as C2, as experience has shown that men of this age are not able to stand the strain of active service. These Reservists are thereupon granted indefinite leave, without pay, and are free to continue in their civil employment. An Auckland senior cadet named Rouselle had a narrow escape from serious injury while at musketry practice at the Penrose rifle range on Saturday, Rouselle was prone on the ground in the act of firing, and the explosion of the cartridge blew part of the rifle to pieces. The bolt was broken in two, one portion striking another cadet on the thigh, slightly bruising him. Strangely enough, the only effect felt by Rouselle was that he was deaf for some hours.

“The Union Steam Ship Company is paid a subsidy of £20,000 per annum for a service between Auckland 'and Vancouver. The contract has just been extended for twelve months. Provision is made therein for the company, if it considers it expedient to do so, to extend any voyage to a port or ports in Australian The contract does not oblige the vessels employed to victual in Auckland.”—Sir Joseph Ward, in reply to a question in Parliament by Mr G. Witty,

Mr Massey stated in the House that he hoped the session would close on to-day fortnight. At Wellington yesterday, several hotelkeepers were each jliued the minimum amount of £2O for being in possession of bottle labels not bearing the world “bottled in New Zealand” and the name of the bottler. Sir Thomas Mackenzie visited the warship New Zealand. The captain recently appointed to the command declared that in all his thirty-two years’ experience of the navy he can honestly say he was never aboard a ship imbued with so high a spirit of discipline and duty. Sometimes most illuminating verdicts are given at Coroners’ inquests. At an inquiry in the south into the death o|- a woman 47 years of age, the following verdict Avas given: “That the deceased died from the effects of toxaemia, due to acute peritonitis folloAving the rupture of an ulcer on the duodenum.”

No public Avorks of any importance Avcre undertaken by the Public Works Department during the past financial year in connection Avith ■tourist and health resorts. The total amount expended Avas £1,094, compared with £5,167 for the previous year, and more than half of this amount Avas expended on drainage and Avater-supply Avorks in Rotorua.

Evidence of Avhat appears to have been a deliberate attempt to burn doAvn the Methodist Church in Stratford Avas discovered during the week. Shavings Avere placed under the vestry at the rear of the church, but beyond charring some planks of the flooring and burning the grass in the vicinity for a space of a yax-d or tAvo squax’e, the fire got no further.

An adjourned inquest was held at Shannon yesterday into the death of an eleven-months-old child, named Arthur Harold Russell, who was burned to death in a house near Tokomaru on Friday last. The Coroner returned a verdict that Arthur Harold Russell came to his death by burning on October sth, 1917, at Makerua, the house having been set on fire by a child playing with matches.

The 148th anniversary of the landing of Captain Cook on the shores of Poverty Bay was celebrated last Monday afternoon at the memorial on the ‘'Haiti beach, Gisborne, by a function, arranged under the auspices of the local members of the Royal Colonial Institute, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. W. Bright) delivering a short address and Mrs Bright placing a wreath on the monument. “If the Government allows these sort of men to take up Crown land it will be fatgl to the system,” remarked the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court at Wellington yesterday, when dealing with a returned soldier who had pleaded guilty to a charge of fraudulently selling chattels. His Honour added that the man in question seemed to lack all business ability and understanding.

In the death iu action of Captain J. G. Foster, of the Lincolnshire Regiment, there has been completed one of.the most remarkable coincidences which the war has disclosed (says an English paper). Captain Foster is the last of three brothers to die in, action. Each has been killed in successive Augusts—--1915, 1916, 1917, and in each ease the death occurred on the same day of the month, the day being their mother’s birthday. Manawatu’s health report for September: There were 24 infectious cases throughout the district,, mostly being diphtheria—Palmerston 12, Feilding 1, Kairanga County 2, Oroua 3, Manawatu 1, Pohangina 3, Bongotea’Town Board 1. On the whole, there was a decrease in the number on previous months. Cases of tuberculosis were being discovered as the result of the Medical Board’s examination of men called up for service.

At the presentation to Mr A. E. Laery, late secretary of the Fcatherston Pacing Club, the Rev. R. Catherwood (Presbyterian) said he took it that those present were “sports,” and he would like to say that very often in administering his duties he had had occasion to seek assistance to help distress. He had always found that the best class to appeal to were “sports,” whom he had always found willing with cheerful alacrity to “put up the dust” every time.

The trough at the windmill in the Avenue is a god-send to local carriers and stock-owners, particularly during the summer months. There is always a good supply of water there. We have been asked by the borough foreman to warn motorists against polluting the water in the trough. We are informed that oilbesmeared tins are used to dip water from the trough. An appeal to the good sense of those taking the water is made not to pollute the water.

A message from Christchurch states that private advice was received on Thursday night that the Rev. G. S. Bryan Brown, Anglican chaplain to the New Zealand Forces, was killed in action last Thursday. Mr Brown, prior to his departure for the front, was chaplain of Christ’s College. He was a splendid athlete, and represented Canterbury in the cricket field. He was also prominent in hockey circles. He graduated at Carabi’idge and was master at Loretto School, Musselburgh, before coming out to Christ’s College. Why bother making cakes when there is such a good assortment at Perreau’s*

The Hon. Mr Herries (Minister of Raihvays) stated that all holiday and other excursion fares on the railways have been cancelled until the conclusion of the Avar, and it is not intended to make any concession on the existing rates for Christmas or other holidays, either in connection Avith the fares of adults oxchildren. Even under existing circumstances the Railway Depart- ; ment Avill have considerable difficulty in providing staff for the additional trains that it may be necessary to run during the holiday season. The Military Cross has been aAvax'ded to Lieut. W, W. Cook, of the Ncav Zealand Forces and Flying Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and skill in attacking a Zeppelin, He ascended during a strong A\’ind, thick mist, and loav clouds, but eventually gave up the attack when sixty miles out to sea. The journey avus hazardous, but he landed safely after hours in the aix-. The Wellington Waters! (levs have signified their Avillinguess to unload drugs ux-gently required in the Dominion from a “black” ship-(loaded by free labour) at port in Wellington, provided steps are taken to ensure the men against possible danger in handling the cargo. Owing to the hold-up of the mosquito fleet, A T ery little merchandise is coming into the Foxton port, and the consequence is that there is no traffic for the Foxton-Sandon tram. This fact being remax-ked to the ManaAvatu County Council on Saturday, Sir James Wilson remarked: “Isn’t this an amazing thing? Hci-e the Avorkers organise a tremendous deputation to the Prime Minister to protest against the high cost of living, and at the same time there ax-e ships upon ships in Wellington harbour, and hang me if the men Avill unload them,” —Star. There is Avork for all and plenty over just noiv, more especially in the country (says the Southland Times). The demand for all-round farm-hands, ploughmen, shepherds, and musterers groAvs in keenness daily, and the supply is not nearly up to the demand. Pai-tieularly is this so in regard to ploughmen (both married and single), Avages for whom are still gradually on the increase. Sawmills and flaxraills are busy, but very shorthanded. Country casual labourex-s are not so eagerly inquired for, but most can be placed. In toAvn trade employment offers steady Avork, but general labourers have not a great choice of jobs. For some years hoav the ManaAvatu RoAving Club has been in a moribund condition, a state of affairs that should not be alloAved to continue, as the toivn has an ideal river for boating and roAving, and the Club possesses a fairly good plant, Avhich is absolutely free of debt. Considering all the natural , advantages, Foxton should possess ' one of the best roAving clubs in the Dominion, and an effort is to be made this year to again put the Club on a good footing. The annual meeting will be held in the Coronation Hall supper-room on Monday evening, and a special invitation to be present is extended to all interested. It is to bo hoped that thereat will bo a largo attendance, and that, a lively interest Avill again be evinced in the Club that Avas a fcAv years ago one of the foremost in the Dominion. The concluding comments of Mr Fraser, on bringing doAvn the Public Works Statement are marked by observations Avhich indicate that the Minister sees further than the usual narroAv range of the public service official. He says: “Let me state lioav greatly I appreciate the patriotism of those local bodies and settlers throughout the Dominion avlio have refrained from pressing their demands for expenditure during the war, on Avorks which in normal times would be. considered very important. I regret exceedingly that I have not been able to do more to relieve many cases of hardship, especially in the backblocks; but as soon as the war is over and our boys return, ample means will be then available to provide employment for all Avho need it. The construction of roads, bridges and raihvays Avill be pushed ahead, and thus facilities Avill be afforded ■' for increased settlement and for increased production. It is on these tAvo factors that New Zealand has to depend to enable it to bear the heavy burden it has so readily assumed in aiding the Empire to Avin this appalling Avar,” The folloAving amounts are included in this year’s public works estimates for this district: —Gorge road (Kiwitea and Pohangina), £650; Finnis’ road (Pohangina), £1 for £l, £SO; Pohangina bridge and approaches (Piripiri crossing, Pohangina), £1 for £l, £200; Scott’s road (Fitzherbert), £1 for £l, £600; Pyke’s road (Rangiotu, £1 for £l, £150; Mamuvatu Gorge, gaone to Rikiorangi (HoroAvhenua), ' £1 for £l, £150; Otaki to Mt. Hector (HoroAA’henua), £SO; Te Horo to Mangaonc (HoroAvhenua), £4OO, £1 for £l, £600; Waiknae river protective Avorks (HoroAvhenua), £75; Waikanao to Hadfield (HoroAvhenua), £1 for £1 £250; WaikaAva V ‘ Beach road (HoroAvhenua), £1 for £l, £4OO. Under the heading of “Roads to open land for settle-; ment” are the folloAving grants;— ManaAvatu Gorge forest block, £1,000; Piripiri block, Pohangina, „ £500; Takapari block, Pohangina, £100; Upper Gorge block, Pohangina, £1,750; Aorangi block, Kairan- y ga, County, £1,000; Oroua block, Kairanga County, £7OO. k Fresh supplies of Lettuce daily at Walker & Fume’s,*

Mr W. H. Field (Otaki) gave notice to ask the Minister of Industries and Commerce, whether the Government has yet given any consideration, or taken any action, with respect to the intended operations in this country of the Nestle and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, which is believed to be an alien company, having practically all its shareholders in Switzerland and other foreign countries, and which threatens to stifle our own local industries- manufacturing the same product, and said to he amply supplying all present needs?