LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1816, 20 April 1918, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The 36th Reinforcements were reviewed at Trentham on Wednesday by the Governor-General. The local Patriotic Society invites applications for the position of secretary, at a salary of £1 per week, Henry Fitzgibbons, a drover, of Buunythorpe, died in the Palmerston Hospital as the result, it is supposed, of a fall from a horse. Mr F. Z. D. Ferriman, Ashburton, who has already contributed liberally to various patriotic funds, gave a further £I,OOO on Thursday for the same purpose. The Commercial Boardinghouse at Eketahuna was destroyed by fire yesterday morning. Miss Gray, a boarder, was severely burned, and was taken to the Masterton Hospital. Fresh eggs have reached the giddy height of 3s per dozen wholesale in Wellington, says the Post. Even at that price the demand continues strong. The N.Z. Farmers’ Distributing Co. predicts that the price is likely to still further advance. For Influenza take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. Never fails. 1/6 and'2/6.

The Petit Piirisieu reports that the American airmen are beginning to prove their tine qualities. They include many noted sportsmen. Be* fore long 2,000 perfectly trained men will have joined the Allies.

The shooting season for native and imported game opens on May Ist, and closes on July 31st, both days inclusive. Native pigeons, paradise ducks, kakas, pukeko, and black swan are protected. In the Auckland Supreme Court, Joseph Wachncx*, bankrupt, formerly a fancy goods dealer, pleaded guilty to a charge of having destroyed his business books. He said he had done it without thought, being disgusted with the business. He was lined £SO and costs.

“The Prime Minister and others may be lauded throughout the country; the Governor-General may be considered to be an important person, but not one of theni is as important as the school teacher. When we realise this the teacher will be put into his proper position.”— Mr G. London at Thursday’s meeting of the Wellington Education Board.

No wonder the Prince of Wales is popular with the Tommies. Somo lime ago, on the Western front, an ollicor who chanced to meet him just behind the trenches, ventured to suggest that the German guns had got the range, and that his Royal Highness should take cover. The Prince only replied that if he was in danger there were “others at. home” who could replace him. Addressing a meeting held under the auspices of the Women’s Investigation League, at Wellington on Thursday, Mr W. H. L. Foster said that he considered the interference of churches with education was endangering the whole educational system of the country. Church schools would become class schools, and the inevitable tendency would be to inculcate hatred and class prejudice, which would spell the end of an educated democracy.

Advice from Dunedin states that Thursday was observed as a special day of prayer for the nation in the present crisis, and some 7,000 people attended continuous services arranged by the United Christian Council, lasting from 10 a.m. to I) p.m. In view of the remarkable response made by the public, the executive of the council has decided to communicate with the representatives of Protestant Churches in other centres, with a view to having similar gatherings arranged.

“The woman was dressed in a drunken way,” said Sergeant McLean, when giving evidence against several persons charged with keeping a house of ill-fame when they were before the Court at Wellington on Friday. “What do you mean by hi drunken way’?” asked Mr P. W. Jackson, who apepared for one of the accused. “Well, her blouse was open at the neck,” replied the sergeant. “Are you not aware that is the way they are worn now”? retorted counsel.

Maximum prices of Hour, bran and pollard are now Jixed. For Hour the price is £ls IDs a ton when (he nearest port is Lyttelton, Oauiaru or Timaru; bran, £5 10s per ton; and pollard £7 10s per ton. The maximum prices at the nearest port other than those named arc to bear an addition equal to the cost of carriage by sea of a ton of such produce. Bran and pollard sold in quantities of half a ton or more to bear an extra charge of 10s per ton and 15s per ton respectively, or if less than half a ton in quantity 12s 6d and 17s (id per ton extra respectively.

“Owing to unforseen circumstances, 1 have arranged for my marriage to take place hurriedly next week,’’ was the startling statement by a lady teacher in a letter read at Wednesday’s meeting of the Wanganui Education Board. The amazement of the members was considerably abated, however, when the letter went on to state that the prospective bridegroom was on the eve of his departure with one of the reinforcements. It was decided to grant a week’s leave, and then allow the lady to resume duty. It is almost on a par with another lady who asked if she could have a fortnight’s holiday xvith a soldier leaving for the front, and be allowed to resume duty if she married him. The answer was curtly (o the point —“you may have the leave, but you cannot resume duty if you don’t marry him.”

An Ormond (Gisborne) soldier, Pte. C. Leggett, relates that while convalescing at a hospital he volunteered to allow blood to be transferred from his system to a badly wounded soldier. “The next thing I knew,” he continued, “was that I was on the operating table with .the old doctor hacking away at my arm. He cut a slit in my left arm about an inch long, and severed an artery. Then he ran some of my blood off in glass , tubes, and injected it into the other chap who was lying alongside. It was a very interesting business, I can tell you. I did not have any anaesthetic, so was able to see what was going on. It did the other chap a lot of good, and did me not a scrap of harm. I felt a bit weak for a day or two, but soon got over that. They kept me in bed for three days, and then sent me to Blighty.” FINDS THE WEAK POINTS. The sudden changes of weather we are having are sure to find the weak point in your system. These are immediately attacked. Colds are most prevalent now, Chamberlain’s Gough Remedy checks coughing, relieves hoarseness, and drives out inflammation. For sale everywhere.—Advt.

The Beach Rond needs attention, large ruts have made their appearance .which will deepen after the next rains. Caution is required in driving along the road, as the ruts are a menace to springs of any vehicle. '

A Maori boy named Tnhi Hoterini, 11 year’s of age, son of Mr Joe Hotcrini, of Motuiti, died at Baincsse yesterday. He was staying with friends there, and was a pupil of the Baincsse school. The immediate cause of death was appendicitis.

Returned soldiers looking for employment are asked by the police what occupation they would like to follow. One of them who called at the Masterton police station was asked the question, and he promptly replied: “Well, if Paddy Webb’s job is going begging, I should not mind taking it.”

The Wanganui Education Board took a ballot on Wednesday night, with the result that the following five members retire from office, but are eligible for re-election: —Wanganui, Mr Sewell; Palmerston N., Mr Broad; West Ward, Mr Hemingway; North Ward, Mr Christie; (South Ward, Mr Eraser.

The first practical step to be taken by the Government under the naservice clause passed this session is the preparation of a new register of man-power. Every man in New Zealand will be asked to indicate his qualifications, and what he is prepared to do to assist the Do minion industrially. The Government statistician will have control of the census.

At the meeting of the Wanganui Education Board on Wednesday the following resignations were' accepted:—D. E. S. Taylor, assistant, Mahunui; R. Burley, assistant, Kelvin Grove; S. Hesketh, assistant, Taihape; E. H. Bell, assistant, Victoria Avenue; L. Kelly, assistant, Ohakune; A. H. Gibb, sole teacher, Waipuru; M. V. Keane, assistant, Manga weka.

Ah instance in which domestic infelicity was ended in an unusual way was related at a meeting at AVellington recently. The speaker stated that a woman, after having lived unhappily with her husband, finally applied to the Court for a separation order. The order was granted, and the woman immediately returned to her home. “Ever since the granting of that order,” said the speaker, “she and her husband have lived in absolute domestic peace!” “Animal worship and the worship the public give to other less things is greatly to be deplored,” sa id Mr J, W. Boynton, S.M., at the Palmerston Opera House on Thursday night. “If a tooth of such men as Wesley or General Booth were put up for auction to the community with a hair from the tail of Desert Gold, 1 would be inclined to back the hair.” Mr Boynton was inferring that it all the attention given to horse-racing were devoted to such a work {us the Salvation Army is doing, greater benefit would be afforded the community and our boys at the front.

When passengers board a railway carriage at Wellington they frequently lind every seat in the carriage with a “reserved” ticket on it. Then an official comes along, and* with some fuss announces that he will try and find a seat for you. This he eventually does, and passengers feel grateful. But before the train starts, the tickets are lifted from the seats, and it is discovered that the seats were not engaged, after all. Recently, in one of the railway carriages all the seats save one were ticketed “reserved,” yet when the train started the tickets were lifted, and there were seven unoccupied seats —what does it all mean ? asks the Eltham Argus.

A tribute to the Maori soldiers was paid by Miss Lee, a Maori mission worker, in the course of an address at Christchurch. Miss Lee, who has just returned to New Zealand after a considerable period of mission work in London hospitals, said that General Richardson had told her that fewer Maoris got into any sort of trouble than did pakehas. During her experience in London she had come across only two cases of actual misdemeanour byMaoris in hospital. Their behaviour on furlough had been equally satisfactory. “They are warm favourites amongst doctors, nurses, and Tommies alike,” she added. “They are wonderfully good patients, they bear the most frightful pain, and are always bright and cheerful.”

A four-roomed cottage in Coley Street, owned by Mr W. Jane, was totally destroyed by lire in the early hours of yesterday morning. The lire was first seen by Mr William Anderson, who lives next door, and it then had a big hold, and it was impossible to save anything. The cause of the outbreak is unknown, Mr Jane and his two children left the house on .Sunday, and were staying with friends. On Wednesday evening he returned for the purpose of having a bath, and the only light he used was a candle, which he put out when leaving at seven o’clock. The house was securely locked, and there had been no fire alight since Sunday. The building was insured for £l5O in the Liverpool Office, and there was a cover of £IOO on the furniture with the Globe Office. A DANGER AVOIDED. There is no danger from bloodpoison resulting from a wound when Chamberlain’s Pain Balm is applied. It is an antiseptic. For sale everywhere. —Advt. Wanted Known: You can get better groceries for the same money at Walker and Furrie’s,

The final meeting of the outgoing School Committee will be held at 7 o’clock sharp on Monday evening, prior to the householders meeting, for the purpose of receiving annual report and balance-sheet.

Mr Burrell, of Stratford, has discovered a large ice cave on the summit of Ml. Egmont. The cave opening, which is about 15 feet in diameter, lies on the north-west side of the crater ice, directly below the trig station.

Among the names mentioned as candidates to fill the vacancies on the Borough Council caused by the resignations of Crs McColl and Stevenson, are Messrs Berry, Read (ex-Councillor), and Honore (one time chairman of the Rongotea Road Board).

A volunteer fire brigade has been formed at Otaki. Appliances are to be obtained at a cost s»f £2OO, and including a twin-cylinder chemical engine and fittings, two bucket pumps, syren lower and syren, and shed for the engine. A Sum of £l2O has been publicly subscribed for the tire fund, and the Town Board will find the balance.

At present, and for some time past, there has been a demand for moderate-sized dwelling houses in Foxton, and now arrivals with small families have been seriously inconvenienced thereby. There are plenty of vacant sections hereabouts, but owing to the high price of building material and the scarcity of labour, house construction is a costly problem.

“Is this the express, or are we climbing a hill?” was a question pflt to the guard of a train as it bowleg along between Wanganui and St. John’s stations. “Why, this is the Waverley express,” replied the guard, with a smile on his face. “I

thought as much,” promptly answered the fair inquirer, “but the New Zealand Government will never be hauled before the Court for exceeding the speed limit.” “Do you know,” she continued, “when at Foxton the other day, I actually saw a man catching up to the train, running along side for a second, and then jumping on to the carriage he was after.” The young lady in question is apparently a recent arrival from Australia, where the speed of trains is made a speciality of, says an exchange. An excellent war story, which is claimed to be true, comes from a soldier in France. It is a wellknown fact that a number of Chinese arc employed on fatigue work behind the British lines, and one day Fritz paid a party of these Celestials the questionable compliment of bombing them, with fatal results. Such treatment was not to be regarded lightly by our Eastern Allies, and a form of revenge not allowed for in Army Orders was decided upon. Behind the lines also was an enemy internment enclosure, and Avilh this in mind the “diggers” collected a quantity of hand grenades, and set off in the direction of the imprisoned Boches. By medium of these deadly weapons the wily Celestials carried out reprisals most successfully, but, needless to say, a stricter watch was subsequently kept over everything in the shape of ammunition.

The mortgages extension clause added to the Finance Bill the other day will have wide effects. The moratorium law of 1914 provided that its provisions might be negatived by agreement between the mortgagor and mortgagee. Lenders have used this provision very extensively by requiring borrowers to contract themselves out of the moratorium. The new clause provides that, except in the case of trade mortgages, all covenants and conditions excluding provisions of the principal Act shall become void. The moritorium applies to mortgages effected during the last three years, and in future, regardless of contracts to the contrary. A trade mortgage is one securing to a bank, tniding company or merchant, the balance of the customer’s account. As evidencing the scarcity of benzine, the Levin Chronicle relates that the manager of an insurance company, whose business took him on a tour of inspection up this coast in the early part of this week, left Wellington by motor with just •enough petrol to carry him to Levin, where he expected to get a supply to take him oh to Feilding. At Johnsonville he met another motorist, who advised him to go back, as petrol was a diminishing quantity as one went northwards. He accordingly enquired at every centre through which he passed, hut always got the one answer: No petrol except to oblige regular customers. In no ease could the holders be induced to part with a drop of the essential spirit. The motorist fared no better in Levin, and he spent a couple of days here trying to beat up enough to take him to his destination. He had the mortification of seeing a procession of anything up to a hundred ears pass through Levin to the races at Palmerston, and is now more than . ever convinced that everything possible is being done to win the war in regard to the economy of necessary commodities.like petrol. If you sniffle and sneeze and feci ill at ease, If your sight gets blurred and you sag at the knees, You may bet your life it’s a signal sure You’re in need of'Woods’ Peppermint Cure. So don’t get worried, and don’t grow sad, Thousands of others have been as bad} 1 our influenza won’t 10/ig ehduro If you take \\ oods’ Great Peppermint Cure,—Advt. I

At yesterday’s sitting of the Palmerston Military Appeal Court, Alexander George Parker, flaxmill hand, Foxton, applied for time to be medically re-examined. Leave was granted until 21st May. Mr J. L. Passmore, sen., one of, the pioneers in the rope-making industry of the Dominion, died from apoplexy on Monday last, states the Dunedin correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, He first began the process of rope-spinning from flax fibre at Burnside about 1874. The business steadily developed, and in 1896 the Auckland Fibre Works and the Southland Rope and Twine Company’s works were taken over. Deceased retired from the position of manager in 1908, and from the board of directors three years latex’. When there was a depression in Dannevirke many years ago in the timber trade, an enterprising townsman still resident there, launched a building scheme, erected nine cottages which are still rent returning, and sold them for £1,750 —at a profit! These places were of four rooms, and ranged in price from £l2O to £9O each. How does this compare with the price of building to-day 1 ? A five-roomed cottage, costing on ordinary pi'e-war prices about £450, now involves an expenditure of nearly an additional £3OO. At the time of the depression mentioned, ordinary building timber was delivered on the ground at 4s per 100 feet, and dressed at 6s 6d. Nowaidays match-lining costs anything from 25s to 30s per 100, and other timbers are equally dear, and rising almost weekly. An interesting story, for which an English paper vouched, is that a well known neutral gentleman who arrived in Paris recently from Berlin, via Switzerland, had been asked by some distinguished persons in the German capital to bring a small but heavy parcel with him, and, when in Paris, to hand it to a certain titled lady. He declined this mission, but, on being pressed, agreed to bring the parcel and hand it to the French authorities, who would pass it on to the lady to whom it was addressed, if they saw fit. This arrangement, was accepted. When Mr X. arrived in Paris he did as he had pi’omised —he handed the parcel to the head of the police. The lady was summoned, and the parcel was shown to her. Asked if she knew what it contained, she said she had no idea. Further asked if she knew the person who sent the parcel, her reply was also in the negative. “Very well, madam, we xvish you to open this parcel in our presence.” The request was carried out, and the packet was found to contain jewellery and other personal belongings which had been taken by the Germans from the lady’s country house in the invaded district occupied by the troops of the Crown Prince in the autumn of 1914.