LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1755, 22 November 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ripe cherries are heipg gathered in Masterton orchards.

The proficiency examination is being held at the.local Stale school to-day. - ,

Mrs Rodie, of Hawera, is on a holiday visit to Poxton, and renewing old acquaintances. Mr Rodie is stationmaster at Hawera.

Henry Herbert Beere died at the Christchurch hospital yesterday, making the fifth death in connection with the Silver Grid fire.

At the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday, William Beats was sentenced to four years hard labour for improper relations with a girl under the ago of sixteen.

The bonus to public servants is now being paid, as it was last year, to all Government officers whose salary does not exceed £315 per an- \ mini.

Monday last was the fifty-ninth anniversary of the departure from New Zealand of the 58th Regiment, the “Black Cuffs,” The flag of the regiment is hung in a glass case at the Auckland Municipal Library. A meeting of the local branch of the P.W.M.U. avus held in the Presbyterian schoolroom yesterday afternoon. The president (Mrs Bredin) read an interesting paper on missionary Avork in China.

Tavo men, at Picton Avere fined £lO each for supplying prohibited persons Avith liquor. The Magistrate stated that it avjss a pity that the Legislature did not empoAver magistrates to imprison such persons Avithofit the option of a fine.

- Murphy Tore, a Native, aged 24, who had been leading a stallion while riding another horse at Otorolianga on Monday, was picked up dead by Mr Clarke, who was passing in a motor-car. Deceased had been kicked over the heart by one of the horses. No one witnessed the fatality.

George Stokes, alias Mack, and James Patrick Cronin, alias Atkinson, alias Cameron, were charged in the Auckland police court yesterday that on Ist November, at Auckland, they broke into the paymaster’s office at the Auckland railway yards and stole the sum of £209 ss. The case was remanded, bail being fixed in the sum of £250 for each of the accused.

The Daily News, advocating a Bishopric for Taranaki, says; “No matter to what particular branch of the Christian Church any individual may belong, he is bound to recognise that each section is working for the good of the people and the advancement of the State.” A lovely theory, but the ordinary daily life of the people does not appear to be governed on these lines. Waikare Karaitiana, a Native of Hastings, has filed a petition in bankruptcy, the statement of affairs showing liabilities £17,544 and assets £21,888, leaving an apparent surplus of over £4OOO. In his personal statement the bankrupt states that he filed at the suggestion of some of his creditors. The amount owing to unsecured creditors, who are mostly of Hastings, is £1,610, and that to secured creditors is £11,944, while the bankrupt has property valued at £20,490. Says the Eltham Argus;—“We have printed our last ream of newspaper, and we now continue to publish only by reason of the fraternal action of our contemporaries the Hawera Star, the Taranaki Herald, and the Stratford Post, who are each helping us as Tar as they can. Unfortunately they are all in doubtful street themselves, so far as future supplies are concerned, and may not be able to continue their assistance for long. We greatly appreciate the help they are giving us.”

The Levin Borough Council passed Ihe following resolution at its last meeting;—“That this Council again bring under the notice of the Government the desirability of ac-quiring-for closer settlement the lands in the vicinity of Levin belonging to the estate of the late J. R. Macdonald, as it considers the offer of thejrustees of that estate to allow theV-U’chase price of such lands to be settled by arbitration to be a fair and reasonable one, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the member for the district with a request that he again bring the matter under the notice of the proper authorities.” In forwarding the Herald a list of all approved war funds in the Dominion, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hop. G. W. "Russell, says : “You will observe that the'amendments made will ensure a more complete supervision over the various means employed to raise patriotic funds, and that a permit is now required not only to, solicit moneys, but also to receive contributions. No entertainment, social, bazaar, or any like function to raise money for any purpose in connection with the war will henceforth be allowed without a special permit. Such permit wiJJ j.'ecjuire that the proceeds of any such function shall be either paid into' an approved fund in the Dominion or remitted abroad through the Internal Affairs Department.” In regard to the cost of living, Sir Joseph Ward, speaking at Winton, said New Zealand was the best off - to-day of thp whole Empii'e. There had been criticism, opt when men ■and women had been invited to show how things could be unproved they had not a single practical proposition to bring forward. New Zealand had only a white population of 1,100,000, and yet were the war to finish within the next twelve months we would be financially the strongest portioij of the British Empire, and we would then bp able to relax the high taxation the war had made necessary. He and the other members of the Ministry recognised it to be their duty io keep the farms occupied and at, work, apd would do everything in their power to .carry this out. (Applause),

The Presbyterian General Assembly opened at Dunedin yesterday. The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., was installed as Moderator. According to advice received by the. Minister for Defence, the 30th Reinforcements have reached another port of call, all well. If you want a good hearty laugh, don’t fail to attend at the Town Hall to-night and witness the famous Anderspns.

The Levin Borough Council has passed a resolution to allow slock to graze on the roads between the hours of 6,a.m. and (i pan., provided the stock are in charge of some' responsible person.

A case of an unusual type, and the first of its kind in Dunedin, will be heard before the City Police Court, when an employer will be charged with dismissing from his service a young man who was required to attend Territorial parades.

The death is announced of one of Palmerston’s oldest settlers, in the pei’son of Mr Anton Ewald Koehler. The deceased arrived in the district in the early days, and took a prominent part in the pioneering work which has brought Palmerston to its present position. Sir Joseph Ward had a cordial reception on his arrival at Bluff on Monday, A large gathering of townspeople, headed by the Mayor and the members of the Borough Council, welcomed him at the railway station, and he was subsequently entertained at dinner at the Club Hotel by the Mayor and Councillors.

The Foxton Girls’ Guild forwarded to Wellington to-day a case containing the following:—B pairs pyjamas, 4 bed jackets, 4 hospital shirts, (i pairs flannel shorts, 7 flannels, 1 flannel shirt, 2 pairs Ink. spiral sox, 4 pairs Ink. sox, 1 pair Ink. bed sox, 1 Ink. scarf, 5 Ink. balaclavas, 1 treasure bag, 12 handkerchiefs, 25 swabs, 1 Ink. face washer, 50 towel face washers, and old linen. The death occurred at the Palmerston hospital yesterday of Mr Thomas Ellis Foss, who was seriously injured in a collision with a motor car at Longburn last Saturday evening. Deceased was cycling without a light, and is stated to have crossed in front of a motor car driven by Stephen Havill, a taxidriver. His injuries consisted of a fractured skull. An inquest will be held on Saturday morning. Mrs A. J. Kellow, local secretary of the Diocesan Church Schools Fund, has arranged a social gathering in aid of tho fund, to be held at All Saints’ schoolroom on Friday evening next, at 8 o'clock. An attractive programme has been arranged, including progressive euchre, hidden treasure competition, musical items, and refreshments. No charge will be made for admission, but a collection will be made. Children unaccompanied by parents will not be admitted.

The Shannon Borough Council is urging the Government to acquire 900 acres of land belonging to the estate of the late Mr G. N. Wood for closer settlement. The Prime Minister, in a letter to the Mayor of Shannon (Mr Murdoch), says: “I shall be glad to bring a proposal be - fore the Land Purchase Board for consideration, and you will be duly advised when a decision is arrived at.”

When some motor cases were before the Magistrate’s Court in Palmerston, Mr W. G. K. Kcnrick, S.M., expressed the opinion that under present circumstances motor licenses should not be granted to young men, who should be put to more useful work in the country. Sufficient men over 30 years of age, or men unfit to do heavy physical work,, could be found to act as motor drivers, and the authorities might well consider the question. The presence of a lady journalist in the Supreme Court at Christchurch on Wednesday —an unusual but by no means unprecedented event in Christchurch —caused the defendant in the case to express some diffidence at repeating certain alleged bad language. “The lady,” said Mr S. G. Raymond, K,C., “represents the press, in .the absence of men at the war.” “Oh,” said his Honour, “in that case I am afraid > the lady must get used to bad language.”^—Sun,

At a meeting o£ the Manawatu section of the Post and Telegraph Association, the following motion was passed unanimously; “That this section of the Post and Telegraph Officers Association strongly protests against the action of the National Government postponing, during the dying hours of the session, the re-classilication of the Post a'nd Telegraph Service until 1920, without either consulting or advising our executive committee of its intentions, which must have been decided by Cabinet some time previously."

The Mayor of-Levin, speaking in protest against Sunday tennis, at Monday’s borough council, meeting, said:— “It is ray conviction that it is an improper thing to do at the present time, and shows a lack of realisation of the serious issues at stake in the great straggle in which we are engaged. The question of what is conventional or proper on the Sabbath is outside the discussion at present, but the whole matter will come before the- Council at its next meeting when it sits as a Domain Board, which has jurisdiction oyer the ground 'upon which tennis is played."

Wanted: Housewives to realise that it pays to purchase groceries and household requisites at Walker and Fi?mg ? g, . .

The Queen of the South, from Wellington a cargo of oil, is due at mid-day to-morrow.

Problems of the most difficult nature had to be settled, and New Zealand would have to apply itself with great determination and fixity of purpose when the war was over to ensure the future prosperity of the country, said Sir Joseph Ward recently at Winton. And there would have to be co-operation on a sensible basis between Capital and Labour to produce' the best results. Ho paid a tribute to the statesmen of Great Britain. They had a gigantic task and enormous problems to unravel.

Two of the Wanganui Education District Inspectors have been rather unfortunate in horse-flesh lately (says the Star). The Senior Inspector (Mr T, B. Strong), while riding along a dangerous x’oad from one school to another in the backblocks, his horse fell over a sidling, di’opping a distance of some GO feet, Mr Strong struck a log at tile bottom with his head, but beyond a few; bruises, little harm was done. Inspector'Milne was also tempting Providence in a horse and ti'ap, up Taranaki way, when the horse bolted and set a merry pace for some miles before it could be again brought 'under control, and now Mx* Hodge, Board overseer, has met with a serious motor accident.

Premier Massey, in the course of a comment on the military situation, emphasised the need which was now, evident of the Dominion maintaining its tine efforts. “As .New Zealand* crs,” remarked Mr Massey, “we all have every reason to be proud of the position occupied by this conn* try so far as doing its share in tho war is concerned. It is well known that, next to Britain and in proportion to its population, New Zealand has done better than any other part of the Empire. Whatever happens, our efforts in this country must not be relaxed. In saying that I am speaking not only from the Empire’s point of view, but from the point of ' view of New Zealand.”

The following stirring reply has been received from a Taranaki set* tier who has lost three sons in tho war and has a fourth in the lighting line. The recipient of tho letter has obtained the consent of the writer to its publication;—“Many thanks for your kind latter of sympathy. I am indeed proud of my boys. How can one die belter than lighting for the liberty of one’s country. I am proud of the 9,500 married men iu khaki, who, without counting tho cost, volunteered at the Empire’s call —some I know partly with tho idea of setting a good example td the young men of their neighbourhood. How different with others. 1 What would be the condition of their wives and families to-day had not: our lads iu khaki shown a nobler; spirit.”

Referring last night to Mr Herd-, man’s appointment to the Supreme. Court Bench, the Post says editorially : It is true that the most learned lawyer docs not always make the best Judge, and success in advocacy may even lie said to raise a pre-. sumption against success on the Bench. But after making all duo allowances on these accounts, the fact remains beyond dispute that on professional grounds alone the At-torney-General could not possibly have been selected by any tribunal, whether professional or lay, for the position which he is about to take. Wo are far from saying that he will not make a good Judge. We have indeed already indicated our opinion to the contrary. A man who six years ago, when politics established something like a monopoly upon his energies, stood well in his profession, and during the interval has provided conclusive evidence of his integrity, sagacity, and moral force, has obviously some of the qualities indispensable to success on the Bench. Nevertheless, the (political), grounds of Attorney-General’s promotion are a matter for unmixed regret.