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LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Every little helps. Help our wounded heroes by helping the “Our Day” effort.

The postmaster notifies that cable messages for soldiers in Mesopotamia should be addressed Basra.

Captain W. Douglas Reid, of the Army Medical Corps, formerly of Blenheim, New Zealand, has been killed in action.

Donations of any dimension will be gratefully received at the Patriotic Shop for the “Our Day” Fund on Saturday next. Mr H. Greig, who recently underwent an operation in a private hospital in New Plymouth, has gone to Paekakariki to recuperate. Mrs Greig is accompanying her husband. Tuesday last was the third' anniversary of the departure from Wellington of the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. It comprised some 8,400 officers and men, including Ist Reinforcements.

The local branch of the P.W.M.U. held a meeting in the Presbyterian Sunday school yesterday afternoon, Mrs Bredin (president) occupied the chair, and an address was delivered by the Rev. Mr Patterson.

"If members of the Second Division fight half as hard when they get to the front as they do for pensions and allowances at home, it would go hard with the Germans,” said one of the audience (sotto voice) at a Ngaio meeting of the League.

The Red Cross is the most important civilian organisation in connection with the Avar. All over the Empire a campaign is being organised during this AA r eek called the “Our Day” movement, and about £4,000 was raised in Wellington. Foxton’s effort will be held at the Patriotic Simp on Saturday next. Describing the difficulties of the campaign on the Italian front, during his war lecture at Wellington, Mr T, M. Wilford waxed descriptive, if not strictly historical. “When God had finished making the rest of Europe,” he said, “He gathered up all the great ugly rocks which Avere left, and Avas carting them down to throAV them into the Adriatic, Avhen the Devil slit the sack, and they fell out and made the Carso.”

The hearing of the appeal of William Thomas Young and Frederick Charles Hoavcll against their conviction by Mr S. E. M’Carthy, S.M., recently for having incited a seditious strike, has been fixed to commence on Saturday morning, at Wellington, The conviction Avas, it Avill be remembered, in connection Avith the hold-up of coastal shipping by the demand for two men to a AA-atch. Vs

Several local Masons, together with their wives, attended a Masonic conversazione at Palmerston on Tuesday night. Wor. Bro. Treadwell, of Wanganui, delivered an address on ‘‘England’s Preparedness,” which was followed by a concert programme and dainty supper. The proceeds of the affair are to be devoted to buying comforts for the boys of the Army and Navy. A thoughtful and kindly act was performed last week by nine railway men (says the Wanganui Chronicle). ■ They visited the home of a late fellow-employee (who recently returned from the front invalided), bringing with them garden tools and seeds. They set to work to dig and sow and plant, and before the evening closed in the greater portion of the soldier’s quarter-acre section was transformed into rows and beds of seeds, plants, etc. No trace has yet been found of Miss Martin and Young, whose clothes were found among the lupins a few days ago, says the Otago Daily Times. Mrs Young is proceeding against her husband for desertion, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The police have issued “missing friends” notices regarding Miss Martin, not entertaining the idea that it is a case of suicide. The usual crime reports have been circulated with regard to Young. “I believe,” said the Bishop of Nelson, speaking in the Christchurch 'Cathedral on Sunday morning, “that it will be a mistake to treat our returned soldiers —as there is a tendency to do- —as a select and separate body by themselves. We must assist them in every way to shake oft’ the awful impressions of the scenes they have witnessed. We look to them to return as soon as possible to the ordinary routine of civil life, so that there may be introduced into the nation the true spiritual and social progress.”

A few nights ago a man was seen to pick up in an Auckland picture theatre a pocket-book which an old man had dropped. It contained £9 and a number of papers. The owner offered a reward for its recovery, but there was no response to the advertisement, and the services of the police were invoked, with the result that Oscar Bull was found to be the man who had picked up the book. He was brought before the Court in Auckland charged with stealing the book. He owned up to having picked it up, and restored £8 of the money, but could not produce the book. Accused, who had nothing else against him, was fined £5, and ordered to refund £1 that was missing, and to pay 12s expenses,

Twenty-eight men' at Lyttelton will be affected by the War Regulations prohibiting aliens to be employed on overseas steamers. An application for a billiardroom license led to considerable discussion at the Mount Eden Borough Council the other night, says the Herald. It was stated that a billiardroom in the district some time ago brought many complaints from parents of youths who frequented the room. The application was refused.

One of the grossest pieces of vandalism ever experienced in the Rangitikei district, by which three miles qf fencing was deliberately cut to pieces, was committed on the night of Saturday, September 9th. The main party affected is Mr David Robb, whose 7-wire fence was cut in no fewer than 240 places. He estimates the damage at between £2OO and £3OO.

Miss Adele Pankhurst, a member of the notorious suffragette family, was.married the other day in Sydney to Mr T. Walsh, a seaman, at the rooms of the Free Religious Fellowship, by the Rev. F. Sinclaire, a Unitarian minister. The witnesses were Mr R. S. Ross, editor of the Socialist, Mrs Ross, Mr Walter Cookes, and Mr R. Fraser, Other guests included Miss Walsh (daughter of the bridegroom).

The death occurred at Otaki on Tuesday evening of Private “Dick” Ransfield, a popular young native who saw a deal of fighting at Gallipoli and on the Somme. Deceased who Avas the second sou of Simon Ransfield, was invalided home early this year, owing to lung trouble. He was for a time in the Otaki Sanatorium, but for several weeks has been confined to his home. The interment takes place at Ohau to-mor-row.

A prolific crop of “flaxsticks,” the floAver stalks of the native flax, is said by the Maoris to denote a dry season. If, per contra (says the Christchurch Press) a short crop means a moist season, then there should be no danger of a repetition of last summer’s shortage of rain. There Avas a great growth of floAver stalks last year on the Port Hills, but this season very few are showing. Like the cultivated fruit trees, the konini (native fuchsia) is cropping heavily this year, Takaka Valley, Nelson, is renoAvned in Ncav Zealand for its marbles, and the field is said to be so vast as to permit of ample export after meeting all local requirements. The specimens on view at Parliament Buildings, Wellington, represent a portion only of the full range. Yet these samples, in the opinion of some experts, are not surpassed, and in some cases not equalled, for comparison, strength, compactness of texture, polishing qualities, variation of colour, and beauty in vein and figure. Acting under influence of liquor, Frank Robert Wilson paid a visit at Wellington to the shop occupied by Ah Leong and expressed his desire of purchasing tAvo cigarettes for one penny. The proposed deal did not appeal to Leong, Avho informed the spendthrift that he could have a packet of cigarettes for seveupenee. Wilson replied that he required the balance of his last sixpence for the purpose of purchasing beer. Leong was adamant, and Wilson picked up his Avalking stick and struck the Chinaman on the head three times. Wilson Avas subsequently sentenced to tAvo months’ imprisonment. 'The statement telegraphed from Christchurch on Friday 7 to the effect that Captain L. S. Jennings lost his life through a treacherous prisoner is, according to an Auckland officer, not in accordance Avith fact, says the Herald. It appears from this officer’s story that Captain Jennings Avas shot by a sniper from a shell-hole Avhile he Avas consolidating a portion of a captured SAvitch trench. This sniper is believed to have been overlooked during the advance, but he Avas ultimately discovered in the afternoon, after having shot another Ncav Zealand officer, and was promptly bayoneted by tAvo London soldiers, Avho had Avitnessed the latter incident.

A f amici', in appealing for the exemption of a ploughman before the Third Wellington Military Service Board, said that he had advertised for a man to fill the reservist’s place, offering £3 per week, a free cottage, and firewood, but he got only one reply from a man with six children, and he was unsuitable. Captain Baldwin, the military representative, then recounted his own personal experience. He had, he said, recently advertised, offering £3 per week and free cottage for a man who bad to be able to plough and shear. In reply to this advertisement he got no fewer than 38 replies, some of which he handed to the less fortunate seekers for help. Special ears for ladies only are to be provided by the Railway Department on the long distance mail trains, it having been decided to utilise some of the old dining-cars for this purpose. In the ease of the North Island Main Trunk line the ears will carry a female attendant. They will also be provided with special fittings, including a gasring, which mothers will find useful in providing hot' drinks for young children. One end of each car is to be devoted to first-class passengers, and the ether to second-class, and no extra charge is to be made for travelling in these cars. Some of the old dining-cars are to be converted into two-berth sleepers for the North Island Main Trunk expresses, and the converted cars will avoid a fault of the ordinary two-berth ears, Avhich provided too little space.

Do not forget the wounded boys who are attended to by the Red Cross. The “Our Day” collect ions are the big yearly effort to help this fund. Remember Saturday next.

The brethren of the local Masonic Lodge are invited to attend the funeral of the late Bro. A. Jonson, which leaves his late residence at 2.30 p.m. to morrow.

As the result of a motor falling into the Kahumingi river, near Masterton, on Tuesday, Mr James O’Connor and his daughter were killed. The driver, Gordon Laing, managed to escape.

The Methodist quarterly meeting was held at the parsonage last night, when there was a fair attendance. The total receipts for the quarter amounted to £75. A hearty and unanimous invitation was given to the Rev. Mr Harding to remain another year in the circuit, which he signified his willingness to do.

“Who discovered New Zealand?” asked Rev. Mr Packe of the school children assembled at the Cook anniversary celebrations in Gisborne the other day. “Captain Cook,” replied a chorus of juvenile voices, the children being evidently under the influence of the reason of the celebration, A few gave the correct answer, “Tasman.” The speaker went on to say that they were present to pay a tribute to a great man who landed in a very great harbour, (Laughter). Even 148 years after, the bringing in of food supplies was a little hampered. It was because Captain Cook could not get supplies for the inner man from the natives in the Bay that he christened it “Poverty Bay,” “but,” remarked the speaker, “judging from the faces before me, no one can say that now,”

A rather startling announcement was made by Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., in his lecture on the Avar at the Wellington Town Hall. He said that facts had come under his notice recently Avhich showed that in 1912 and 1913 the Germans had bought up all the sabadilla crops in Mexico and Venezuela. This product is Avhat they have been using for the production of the deadly gas Avhieh, in the first stages of the Avar, so overcame our troops. The nauseous character of this particular plant may be judged from the fact that in gathering it the agricultural labourers had to Avear masks to protect their eyes and nostrils.

Quoth the Japanese: The Kaiser expected Japan to declare AA'ar against the Entente, did he? Then he is madder than any of us had thought. It avus Germany Avho egged Russia on to Avar with the “yelloav pagans,” as the Teutons had it. It Avas Germany avlio dreAV up the Russian plan of campaign against the island empire. It Avas the German Emperor Avho described Russia as “fighting the Avhite man’s cause against the ‘yelloAv peril’— and fighting it miserably.” It Avas the German Emperor Avho sought to inflame America against Japan by declaring that our Ally Avould soon make Avar on the Republic. And did he think that Japan forgot Kaioehau —and Germany?

Speaking at Wanganui on Sunday, night, Chaplain-Captain Blamires, who has just come from the Western front, dealt with the question, “When is the war going to end?” He said there was a strong conviction that wherever we decided to push we could win. The cost of rapid pushing was expensive, and our leaders were conserving their forces and strength. “We have beaten the Germans on the West front,” continued the preacher, “and the only question is, when will they acknowledge their defeat.” Proceeding, Captain Blamires contrasted the conditions in Britain and France and in Germany. Last winter was one of the severest experienced in Britain and France for many years, but the conditions in Germany were infinitely worse. Our men were better fed than the Germans, and if the latter held out they were going to have a bad winter. Without attempting anything in the nature of a definite prediction, he believed that the end of the northern summer, when America could be ready to add her full weight to the strength of the Allies, would see the end of the fighting.

Some of the difficulties attendant upon the education of children in backblocks districts were brought under the notice of the Wanganui Education Board by Mr A. E. Joblin last week. The first ease referred to was that of 14 to 16 children in the Upper Turakina district, who were taught in a room 24ft by 10ft, the lean-to of a hall, with a ceiling so low that the speaker declared he had no difficulty in touching it with his hand when he stood up. An iron roof made the conditions very bad in summer. There was no ventilation or drainage, The environment was wretched. He considered the children should be taken out of it. The Chief Inspector (Mr T. B, Strong) admitted that the conditions were not satisfactory, but considered the hall could be used instead of the lean-to. The Board decided to apply for a school and site, the matter being referred on to the Chief Inspector. Mr Joblin next referred to a stable in a country district which, for the past twenty years, had been used as the school, “On one side are the children,” he said, “on the other side are the horses.” The trird case of educational hardship Mr Joblin referrec| to concerned a settler’s family, who lived five and a-half miles from ft school. The eldest of the children, aged nine, had not as yet seen a, “Ojiool.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19171018.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1742, 18 October 1917, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,631

LOCAL AND GENERAL. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1742, 18 October 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1742, 18 October 1917, Page 2

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