LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1807, 28 March 1918, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oatmeal was advanced by millers by another £1 per ton yesterday. This makes a £2 rise within a few days, rather less than }d per pound. The small steamer Elsie, engaged in the Sounds trade, struck a rock off Long Island in Queen Charlotte Sound, and sank in twenty minutes. All aboard were saved. The closing date of the War Loan has been extended from April Blh to April 15th. This decision has no doubt been arrived at on account of the Easter holidays. Private P. C, Webb, who was recently sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for disobeying the command of a superior otlieer, was sent on Tuesday to the Kaingaroa afforestation camp in the Kotorua district. Mr J. G. Harvey, a sufferer in the recent bush tires, had an unenviable experience. This is the third time in twenty years that he has lost everything. In January, 1898, he was burned out of house and home in Kimboiton. During February, 1908, he experienced a similar misfortune at ffaetihi, and in March, 1918, a similar fate overtook him.

At the Oroua Downs sports yesterday an item not down on the programme was on the point of creating a diversion, but for the plucky bitervenlion of a lady. Two men

> ; re on the point of settling a hooted and somewhat sanguinary argument hy fisticuffs, when the combatants were .separated.' Another of the party desired to tight anyone on the ground. We were informed that liquor was the cause of the trouble. A deputation representative of the miners employed in the State coal mines and the Paparoa coal mine waited upon the Prime Minister and Minister of Mines, at Wellington yesterday. The proceedings were private, and as some of the points submitted have to be referred to Cabinet it is not possible to mate public anything that has so far taken place. Emery Bros.’ Circus showed again to a good house on Tuesday night. In fact, a large number of patrons were unable to obtain seating accommodation. The vaudeville turns were good, particularly (he dancing. Some clever performing dogs went through a number of tricks, that of the dog which rode a horse over hurdles and leaped on to the back of the horse while travelling at a fair speed was loudly applauded. The circus, on tlie whole, was very good. The other day (says a Loudon writer) I witnessed a pathetic incident while washing my hands in an hotel. Two young officers entered, strangers to each other, one with his left coat sleeve empty, the other with his right arm in a sjing. They looked at each other, and one of them said with some diffidence; "Shall we wash hands together'?” Whereupon each washed the other’s hand, dried it, and after this novel introduction they went off to lunch together.

The registration of Maoris under the Military Service Act leaving been almost completed, it. will soon he possible to bring the Act into operataiim as applied to Maoris. Th Defence Minister stated on Mon--day that unless the Waikatos voluntarily enlisted as the other tribes had dune, it would he necessary to bring the Act into operation. He hoped that this would not he necessary, hut he considered that it was his duty to sec that there was fair play as among the different tribes of Natives. The number of Maori reinforcements required is 75 men per month.

Mr .Lumps Hobble, aged 83, died at Palmerston yesterday. The late Mr Hobble was born near Balmoral Castle, in Scotland, in Hie year 1843, and landed with bis wife at Lyttelton, in Canterbury, in 18(i3.. Mr Robbie carried on farming at Bunnylhorpe for a number of years, retiring to Palmerston ten years ago. Tbe deceased leaves a family of two daughters and live sons to mourn their Joss, besides twentysix grand-children and one greatgrandchild, .Five of the grandsons are at present on active service, while one grandson, A. F. Robbie, made the supreme sacrifice at Gallipoli, and one son, Lieut. G. A, Robbie, was killed in France. A REMEDY FOR CROUP. Croup is the most prevalent during the dry, cold weather of the early winter months. Parents of young children should be prepared for it, All that is needed is a bottle of Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy. Many mothers are never without it in .their homes. It is not only a safe and harmless medicine, but the best in use for coughs, colds and croup. For sale everywhere.—Advt.

The “Herald” will not be published on Saturday. An old settler informs us that this is the first time he has experienced two such dry spells in one season. The latest addition to the telephone list is Mr C. M. Cronquest, No. 113. Although Foxton did not observe the usual half-holiday yesterday, a large number of local people attended the Oro.ua Downs sports. Performers and patrons will be conveyed free to and from the concert. to be held at the seaside on Wednesday next. Steps are to he taken to form a fire brigade at Otaki, and, if possible, to obtain a high-pressure water supply. Two young Sambur deer in a high fenced enclosure attracted a good deal of interest by those attending the sports at Mr Hammond’s homestead yesterday. Mr and Mrs W. Hamer and family elsewhere in this issue extend their sincere thanks to all who rendered assistance and for messages of sympathy with them in their recent sad bereavement. Premier Massey attained his G3rd year on Tuesday. He was born at Londonderry, Ireland. Amongst the numerous birthday greetings received was one from Lord Khondda, Food Controller of Great Britain, who was born on the same day as the Prime Minister of New Zealand. The businessmen of Levin have agreed to observe a holiday on (Saturday next, which means that their premises will be closed from Thursday night (when a late night will be observed) till Tuesday morning. Foxton business places will observe Good Friday and Easter Monday. A young woman, giving evidence in the Magistrate’s Court, at Maslerton last Thursday, said that her husband had referred to his father-in-law as a “tight-skinned Jew,” and had said that she herself was a viper, and the biggest liar that ever stood in a. pair of boots. He had also used other uncomplimentary remarks, “Apple Day” in Nelson on (Saturday last was a great success. About GOO cases of apples blown off the trees during the recent storm were offered for sale at the Church Steps at 2s Gd per case for dessert and 2s for cookers. There was a regular scramble for the fruit, which was soon sold. The Mail states that hundreds of order’s could not be tilled. The predatory habits of hawks in regard to chickens are generally recognised (says the Nelson Colonist), but that they will tackle fullgrown poultry was exemplified on a Wakapuaka farm recently, when the farmer caught a hawk making off with a white Leghorn hen. A well-directed shot .with a billet caused the marauder to drop his prey and make off. The farmer got his gun and waited, and on the return of the hawk later had the satisfaction of ridding the farm of a most undesirable visitor.

The death took place last week of Mrs Harriet Jackson, widow of the late Thomas Jackson, of Kumeroa. The deceased lady was the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs William Judd, of Lower Hutt, who were among the pioneers of Wellington. She was born on January 6th, 1841, and was one of the first girls of European parentage, if not actually the first, horn in Wellington. After her marriage with the late Mr Thomas Jackson, she resided for some time in Grey town. They went (o Woodville in 1883, and were farming with their sons at Kumeroa until the death of Mr Jackson, in August, 1907. Evidently the men who have gone to the front are learning the conditions existing in other parts of our Empire. A letter received by mail from a soldier in France states; —I have been learning a lot about the splendid land policy of Canada. It is one New Zealand should go in for. Even before the war the Canadian Government gave every man who deposited £2 an area of 160 acres of first-class land, and the conditions of tenure are exceptionally easy, as the money is lent free of interest. Now Canada is offering her gallant soldiers even better terms. Wake up,‘New Zealand. I saw in a paper that out of 9,000 men who had returned only 342 had taken to the land. That is a disgrace. Mr W. Pereival, builder, had u terrible experience in the Raetihi fire. He was making his way out of a whare near the railway, when he heard the cry of a woman, and, returning, he look her and her child to safety. He’then started back to the whare, with the idea of saving valued personal effects, but was suddenly lifted off his feet by the gale, spun round, and flung down on his back. Being a man of 60 years of age, this fall well-nigh stunned him, and, as he lay there recovering, he thought he was doomed. He pulled out his pocketbook with the intention of scribbling his will, but taking hold of himself in his extremity, and life seeming dear to him, he made one more effort. He arose and blindly groped his way out of the inferno, eventually coming out of the fire zone and joining the others at the station. ILLS OF WOMEN. Many women suffer miserably from chronic constipation, causing nervousness, dizziness, and sallow complexion. They will find that Chamberlain’s Tablets invariably bring relief. These Tablets are easy to take and pleasant in effect. For sale everywhere.—Advt,

The death took place at Wellington yesterday of Mrs Craig, formerly Mrs E. Page, of Foxton. Tho funeral will take place to-morrow, leaving All Saints’ Church at 2 o’clock. As the outcome of a public meeting, the Otaki Town Board is to be urged to take steps to have the town constituted a borough. The board can only borrow £2,000 under the Government Loans to Local Bodies • Act, but if a borough is formed up to £5,000 can be obtained from that source. According to a cablegram received in London early in January from Copenhagen, the Norwegian Mercantile Marine on January Ist consisted of I,GG9 vessels, of 1,990,000 tons, 367 boats, of 5GG,000 tons, having been sunk during the year. It was stated that at the present time there were 127 steamers, of 91,000 tons, building in Nonveigau shipyards. During the year Danish shipowners have lost 215 vessels, of 223,912 tons. The recruiting authorities are making an arrangement that will meet a point raised by the Second Division League. It is possibly under the present scheme for married men to be taken into camp out of the order of their ballot. . That is to say, a man drawn in June may be required to enter camp before a man, drawn in May, though he will have received his full twelve weeks’ notice. This anomaly, due largely to ..appeals, is expected to practically disappear under an arrangement that is now receiving consideration. “The cost of living in Fiji is high,” writes the Auckland Star’s correspondent. “This can be understood when it is realised that, we are entirely dependent upon overseas shipping for most of our supplies. An Indian merchant recently imported some goods from India, the cases measuring one and a-lialf tons. They came via Bombay and Sydney, and the total freight and shipping charges were £sl 17s sd. The actual value of the goods was just over £IOO, so that’ freight charges added about 50 per cent, to the cost.” An urgent appeal has been received by Mr J. H. Stevens, chairman of the Manawutii Trustees of the National Efficiency Board, from the National Efficiency Board, now at Ohakune investigating the requirements of those who have suffered hi the fire, asking that farmers in the Manawatu district who are able, should graze stock from the fire area. Mr Stevens would be pleased to receive letters or telegrams at once giving the locality and the number and class of stock to be grazed, also the weekly charge per head. —Address: Jas. H. Stevens, chairman Trustees, Efficiency Board, Palmerston North. Mrs Bradley (an ex-Sandoniau) tells this remarkable episode in connection with the recent bush fires: —“At midnight, I think, I was awakened partly by the roaring of the wind and partly by an awful, dream I had just had. I dreamt that the Mankaturoa Valley was on fire from end to end, and that our house was burning. I dreamt that I suggested to my husband that he should take the water-tank down from the stand and let baby and I get into it, and he should use the water to soak blankets and things in to put over the tank to keep it cool. I dreamt I grabbed up everything I thought valuable and placed them in (he tank. Just as I dreamt baby and I were gettigg into the tank I awoke. I thought I would tell my husband of the dream, but on secon thoughts I decided not to do so, because he might have thought me ailly, you know. Well, in an hour or so sure enough the valley was on fire, and so was our house. 1 did exactly what I did in my dream, and that was how we saved our lives. I shall never forget the experience, and do you know, our wee baby was laughing practically all the time he was in the tank with me, from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., when we left for McArthur’s/’