Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1918. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1871, 31 August 1918, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1918. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The schools in the Wanganui Education district dosed yesterday for the winter holidays, re-opening on Monday, September Dth. The. meeting of the local School Committee, to have been held on Monday evening, has been postponed until Monday week. The Minister for Defence has received advice that the Eorly-lirst Reinforcements have reached a port of call “All well.” The Minister has been advised also that the Xew Zealand hospital ship which was the last to leave Xew Zealand has reached the port of destination. Eight organisers are now working in X’ew Zealand in the interests of the Protestant Political Association, and it was stated at a recent, meeting that it is proposed to appoint live others. Further, it was stated that about seventy applications have been received from different centres in the Dominion for the establishment of branches of the association.

There are 25,270,380 sheep in llui Dominion, uu increase on last year's figures.

The offertories’ at All Saints’ Church to-morrow will be given to the General Church Fund of the diocese.

Dannevirkc possesses an enterprising milkman, who now dispenses the lacteal Jluid per medium of a motor car, “manned” by two young women, who are rapidly mastering the mechanism of the new means of transport.

It is understood that arrangements are being made for the meeting of Parliament in the latter half of the month of October, by which lime Premier Massey and Sir Joseph AVard will have returned from their visit to England. Returns of actual threshings in the Dominion to July 22nd show, that (i,2(15,205 bushels of wheat and 4,279,131 bushels of oats have been threshed out. The average yield per acre of wheal is just over 244 bushels, and of oats over 324 bushels.

Every woman avJio registers in America, must furnish live photographs, showing the head and shoulders. Xo hats may be worn, and the hair must be combed close to the head. Regulations for the women provide that their linger prints also must be taken. All females above the age of 14 must register. Women who are born in the United States, hut are married to unnaturalised Germans, are considered enemy aliens.

Samples of Southland timber are to be forwarded to Great Britain at an early dale, so as to determine its suitability for pulp-making purposes, and careful tests and trials will be made by a committee of experts appointed by the British Government. Similar timbers from Urn West Coast, which were despatched to Switzerland before the war, and made into pulp, were reported to be admirably suited for wood-pulp purposes.

There is nothing to prevent a flight to Sydney being made to-mor-row if the Government thought it worth while to make the experiment, says Mr C. G. Grey, editor of the Aeroplane in Overseas. The flight, he says, would be London via Marseilles, Home, Greece, Cyprus, Palestine, Bagdad, Calcutta, and the Miday Archipelago. As to a (light to America, he feels confident that the journey between Newfoundland and the West of Ireland will be made this year. The distance would occupy about ten hours’ Hying.

One of (lie returned soldiers who has taken up one of the sections in Lamonl’s estate near Woodbinds, was agreeably surprised one morning hist week (says the Southland, Times) to receive a visit from some, of his neighbouring farmers. They considerately brought (heir teams with them, and instead of talking about the weather, crops, frozen mutton, dairy produce, and other topics so dear and necessary to a farmer's conversation, they merely said, “Good morning!” and immediately made preparations for a day’s ploughing. Fortunately, they were favoured with beautiful weather, and consequently made good progress, some 15 acres being ploughed before they finished.

lii Iho high country of the Otago lakes there is every ehaiiee of serious Jesses of sheep (says the Tapanui Courier). Mr George Edie, of Glencoe Elation. Arrowlowh, was in Tapaimi recently, ami staled that at .Arrow!own the snow was a great depth. On the low country (here was over 21'!. of snow, and up to (lull 1 it had not been possible to visit the outlying ground. In one instance it was necessary to make a journey of over 100 miles by a round-about route to accomplish rj distance of 20 miles. At Glencoe fowls were frozen on the roosts, and their necks could be broken like dry slicks. At Queenstown the frost was responsible for much damage to the water-pipes and laps. A good idea of: the cold can be gauged by the fact that housewives found the breakfast eggs frozen, to say nothing of milk, meal, etc., while it has been a common thing to find vases and water jugs split with the frost. Likewise, business men arrived at their offices to discover the. ink frozen hard in the wells.

“If Hie Prussian people,” Mr Gerard, Ihe American ‘ Ambassador says, “cling’ to their Gods uf War, if: Kaiser aml CroAvn Prince fulfil 1 heir ideals, if the Prussians leave (fie reins in-the hands of these warlike taskmasters and refuse to .join (lie other peoples in stamping out (he devil of war, then the conflict must go on until the Germans get (heir stomachs full of Avar, until they forget their easy victories of hist century, until their leaders learn that war as a national industry does not pay, until their Aveallh and trade have disappeared, until their sons are maimed and killed and their land laid waste, until (he blinkers fall from their eyes and they sicken of Emperor and Crown Prince, of the almost countless kings and grand dukes and princes, generals and admirals, marshals and chamberlains, and majors and adjutants, captains and lien-> tenants, avlio now, like fat, green, distended flies, feed on the blood of Germany.” And that, it must be remembered, is the verdict of an observer who writes with appreciation of individual Germans, and whose words are nowhere tinged witlr prejudice or hostility towards the German people. Cover your coav to-night, and increase your milk supply. Best white duck covers 17/0, at Walker and Fume’s.*

The Queen of the South, from Wellington with a cargo of benzine, is due to-morrow morning. She will sail again for Wellington on Tues j day morning with hemp.

The local State school football team left for Levin this morning, where the return match against the Levin school team is being played this afternoon.

There are on view in Mr Colder’s window the football challenge shield presented by Mr E. Petrie, and the cup presented by Mr'M. E. Perreau, the finals for which are being played -day.

By the last mail, Mr J. Colder received a parcel from (he front from Private J. E. Gillespie, containing a German gas mask and pay book. The pay hook has the iiiuue Artur Stenberg inside, and other information given is that the owner was born in Leipzig on November Olh, 1808. Both the mask and book are on view in Mr Golder’s window.

Special meetings will be held in the Salvation Army Hall to-morrow, ami also on Monday night, conducted by Brigadier Toomer and SlaffCaplain Haines. It will he the lirst visit of the Staff-Captain to Eox(on. He has lately been appointed to assist the Brigadier as Divisional Secretary at headquarters, Palmers! on North. The public arc invited to hear and see the visitors.

Contracting work in the backblocks must be a profitable occupation. It was staled in a Supreme Court action that the profit on a contract for 21 days’ work were expected to be about £4OO. His Honour the Chief -Justice; “Contracting in the backblueks is more profitable than any gold mine I know.” It. was explained by counsel that part of the work included crushing boulders, and for every yard of boulders crushed 1 { yards of metal would he obtained.

“■Japan is ruled by old men,'’ says the .Japan Advertiser (Tokio), and goes on to say that Prince Yamagala, at the age of 83, is still (he eenlre oi' political inlluenee; Baron Shibusawa, in spite of his 78 years, is constantly dragged from his would-be retirement, and Marquis Okuma, at 79, is still at (he vortex of public affairs. And it comments that nothing of any great moment has ever been aeeompjished or even, tried without the assistance of the inlluenee of these three great old men.

America has evolved a shop without a salesman. Down the centre of I he-store is a rail dividing it into two aisles lineal with the goods for sale. Customers cuter by one doin', and leave.by another. Every article is plainly marked with (he price. Next to (he door is the cashier. He inspects what has been taken and calls the amount due, and the shopping is over. Customers bring their own baskets or wrappings, and pay cash. With no delivery and bills to be made out, no telephone orders or post, the business is done more cheaply than by the usual method, and customers get the maximum value for expenditure,

Australia is particularly prosperous and flourishing' at the present time, slates Mr C. M. Olliver. of Christchurch, who has just returned from a trip to Australia. The wheat production is an eye-opener. There are literally miles and miles of wheat stacked in rows along some of the roads in the farming' districts. These stacks are covered by iron roofs and sheltered from the weather by scrim. Wheat land can be purchased at a very low figure. Land producing from 15 to 25 bushels of wheat per acre can be bought at ill an acre. Protection from drought is obtained by the fallow treatment —that is, by putting in a crop every oilier year. Land in Australia is better to-day than it was 20 years ago. Mr Olliver suid be saw Hocks of 50,000 slice]) which were averaging 17s ueli for the wool alone. The hoot: producing industry was also surprising, in Mr Ollivcr’s opinion the Australian linns were turning out boots as good in (ho mailer of style as American lirms. They have reached a great degree of clliciency in their factories. Thousands of pairs of hoots arc on order or have come into New Zealand. The development in iron works at Newcastle are making great progress.

What about tlio lievemie? How is the £1,000,000 at preset) ( rcccivt*d through Die Traffic to be made up, and where are we to get the £300,000 annual payment involved in the £4,500,000 to be paid to secure immediate Prohibition? The answer is 5imp1e—4,757,085 was Die amount of last year’s Drink Bill. Two-thirds of this sum, if diverted into legitimate trade channels, drapery, boots, furnishings, etc., would produce on an average of 20 per cent, customs duty, £035,000. The saving in the annual cost of Police, Charitable Aid, Old Age Pensions, Menial Hospitals, etc., is, on a low estimate, £050,000 to £700,000. The loss is therefore made up without taking into account the other third of the Drink Bill or the indirect cost of the trade in loss of efficiency; and of life, etc., which is at least equal to the direct cost of £4,757,058. Be sure you sign the right petition! Look carefully, or yon may he induced to support a proposal asking for nationalisation of the Drink Traffic with all its attendant evils. The Alliance Monster Petition is the one that every patriotic citizen should support. Sign it, and no other.* For Children’s Hacking Cough at night, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/6, 2/0.

The Hon. G. W. Russell, referring to the appointment of a totalisator inspector at Christchurch, made an announcement regarding the odd money over in dividends, which, during the four days' racing in Grand National Week, amounted to £BBI. The Minister said that the money did not belong to. clubs, and should be returned to the public. He would not object if it were banded to patriotic organisations during the war, hut later he would endeavour to secure it for (he beuelit of hospitals ami to assist the country's poor.. Speaking of maternity homes, at a meeting of the Workers' Educational Association at Christchurch, the Hun. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, paid a tribute to (he memory of the late Rl. Hon. R. J. Seddun, who was responsible for the establishment'of the lirst four homes. Without doubt (hey had been responsible for reduced in Inutile mortality, as evidenced by (he fact that whereas the rate per 1,000 in 1007 was 88, in 1015 it was 50, (ho lowest in any country in the world, and less than one-half of that of Britain.

The death took place on -lime 17(li, at Henley-on-Thames, of Mrs Cavcll, mother of Edith Cavell,' at the age of 81, Her death recalls those days of October, 1015, when the whole civilised world was horrified by the news of the execution of Nurse Cavell by the Germans in Belgium. The King’s private secretary wrote to Mrs Cavell, saying: “The hearts of their Majesties go out to you in your hitler sorrow, and they express (heir horror at the appalling deed which has robbed you of your child.” Many written requests were addressed to her for advice as to the form of memorial that she considered would be most in accord with her daughter’s ideas and sympathies. Her general suggestion wiis in the direction of something that might he permanently useful, and especially something connected with nursing.

A man named .John Irving was brought before Mr J. S. Barton, S.M. at Gisborne, on a charge under the Military Service Act, that, being a member of the First Division of the .Deserve, he did register in the Second Division A class (married, no children). Accused pleaded guilty. Sergeant Clarkson produced a roll in which accused was registered in Class A. Accused made a statement on oath that he enlisted in Wellington in February, 1915, bull was rejected as medically unlit. He was 1-1 years of age, and served in South Africa. His Worship pointed out he was liable to a line of i‘5U or three months’ imprisonment. An act such as had been committed by the accused cut the very rout of the system of the Military Service Act in calling up single men, and made it necessary for a married man to go away to lake his place. He must take a serious view of the matter. Accused would be sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.

Whales invaded Sydney harbour recently, and in order that a* collision should be avoided, the Manly steamer Bingarra was stopped when she was oft Dobroyde Point. During the previous lew days the whales had been moving outside the Heads, and at times gave a wonderful display of spouting. The captain of the Bingarra sighted two big whales 30 yards ahead in the harbour, between Dobroyde and Smedley's Point, on the port side. The vessel was travelling at full speed, and as it was possible that the monsi ers would get in the way, the engines were stopped, and the helm put hard over to port. By the lime the Bingarra stopped the two whales appeared amidships on the starhoard side, about live or six yards from the vessel. They apparently did not welcome Hie disturbance, for spouting violently, they dashed ahout, and several times seemed to collide with each other. When the whales were at a safe distance the trip was recommenced, and when last seen from the Bingarra they were making towards the Heads.

Writing home to Dunedin, a soldier says: “I must tell you of a. visit I paid to St. Dunston’s Home for Blind Soldiers and Sailors. It is in Kegeut’s Park, London, and the staff are so nice and cheery. 1 went there with one of our hoys to see a, mate of his who was in the Dinks (New Zealand Hide Brigade). He is a sergeant, and is very cheery and. happy. One would never know that he is totally blind, for he carries on like any ordinary person —does massage work,, dances, etc. It is really an eye-opener to go there, but it makes one realise how lucky he is in escaping from less serious wounds.’' This soldier says he was at a concert in Hornchurch, and the leader of the party that was giving the performance was for all the world the living image of the New Zealand Prime Minister. “I felt sorry for him at the start, for some of the hoys at the back started calling out, ‘Hullo, Bill!’ Where did you leave -ley? How’s the ostrich farm? Has the last man left New Zealand yet ? Are you going up. to the front line this time, Rill?’ The man was in blissful ignorance of what they were driving at, and fortunately the fellows did not say much.” i I canvass around with packet tea, Which takes me everywhere, you see ; And where I go, both far and near, The same familiar name I hear. Especially in winter time, When coughs and colds are at their prime; I hear at every door, I'm sure. The praise of Woods:’ Great Peppermint Cure. 21

According' to American files there is a possibility of the American concrete steamer Fiutji visiting Now Zealand. At the time of the vessel’s trial trip it was announced that she would take a load of salt to Vancouver, and then load case-oil for New Zealand, returning to'Araeriea with a cargo of wheat from Australia. Any doubts of the seaworthiness of large concrete vessels were removed by the tests to which the Faith was subjected. Her trial trip, when she made over 10 knots, was a surprise even to Mr \V. Leslie Comyu, the president of the San Francisco Shipbuilding Company, which constructed the vessel. The first sea voyage of the Faith was made in six days of stormy weather. She cleared from San Francisco on May 22nd, with a cargo of over 3,000 tons of salt. Off the Golden Gate (he vessel ran into a strong gale and a very heavy sea. The voyage was staled to lie one of (be roughest coast voyages on record. The building of concrete ships has been undertaken by many companies in America and other countries. The possibilities of concrete vessels being built in New Zealand are under consideration. It is understood that a Southern shipping firm is going into the matter and arranging details.