LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1753, 17 November 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr W. H. Ferris, chief hemp grader, is at present on a visit to Foxton on official business.

The Queen of the South, from Wellington with a cargo of oil and general, is due to-morrow morning, and will sail again for Wellington on Monday night with hemp. k ßobert Hannah and Co.j of Wellington, for engaging an unregistered reservist, was fined £2O and costs yesterday. In giving judgment, the Magistrate said:—-“The Act casts on employers the duty of assisting the authorities to discover military shirkers, and employers must take this duty seriously and discharge it intelligently.” There was a good attendance at the Town Hall last night, when a double attraction was submitted. Mr Tom Recce, of Fuller’s circuit, gave an instrumental performance of mei’it, and proved himself a pleasing and versatile entertainer. Owing to lack' of accompaniment, several of his instrumental items were cut out.

During Mr Tom Reece’s performance in the Town Hall last night, the entertainer was entertained. His jokes—one or two of which, although not new, lost none of their freshness by reason of a pleasing Irish brogue—-so tickled the risible faculties of one member of the audience, whose merriment found vent in a falsetto laugh which fairly convulsed Reece. That laugh is worth a mint of money to the owner. With its use at the psychological moment, it could out the greatest musical or histrionic artist, flatten a politician or soap box orator, stop a train or submerge a submarine. It’s a bonser laugh!

At the court-martial of Michael Kellalea at Palmerston on Thursday, some peculiar evidence was disclosed. Accused said he had lived in a dugout and subsecpiently in a cave at the back of the district of Waitotara for several months, lie was afraid to come out, because his employer had terrorised him by the statement that if he came out he would be’ shot.. The accused’s employer did sentry-go while accused cut the bush for him. The passing of sentence was deferred. Other action will probably follow.. At Wednesday’s meeting of the Education Board, it was decided to refer the local Committee’s letter re contributions for improvements to teacher’s residence to Mr Fraser. The facts briefly are that the Commit lec promised to provide half cost of hot-water installation at the residence. 'A concert was hold, and £ll odd netted. This sum was forwarded to the Board for £ for £ subsidy, which was obtained from the Department by the Board. Instead of the Board paying its half shai’e, the Committee and Department found the whole amount, and the Committee are of opinion that it should receive a refund of portion of the money raised. About eight months ago the New Zealand Rifle Brigade band on service at the front met with a serious loss through a German shell falling in their practice tent and exploding, and killing three of the bandsmen and damaging the instruments (states the Manawatu Standard). Particulars of the occurrence were forwarded a few weeks later by Lt. Cole, the conductor. Lt. Cole stated it was the intention to return the damaged instruments to Palmerston out of consideration for the great assistance that had been rendered by the patriotic society and citizens there in equipping the band. The damaged instruments reached Palmerston on Wednesday, and comprise two basses, a euphonium, two trombones, a cornet, and flugel horn, and their battered and torn condition serves to show the terrible effects of artillery lire, and also that our bandsmen share the common dangers of the battlefield. Local residents will remember the excellent concert given in Foxton by the Baud Avheu encamped at Rangiotu.