LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1904, 19 November 1918, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It was 11!) years ago on Friday last since Captain Cook look possession of New Zealand. In the latest, casually list, Private C. Cox, of Foxton, is reported as missing on October 241 h. Ilis next-of-kin is his wife, Mrs Cox, Frances Sired, Foxton. A number of grapegrowers in California announce that this year they will make their grapes into sugar instead of wine. One ton of grapes will produce 4001 b. of sugar, and as the crop is estimated at ■IOO,OOO tons, the conversion of the whole crop would mean an increase of the sugar supply by 1(10,000,000 lbs. Mr Massey made a speech at Toronto when he was on his way back to New Zealand, and a Boston paper makes him say this; “The Maoris of Australia and New Zealand, he said, had contributed 2,000 men to the colours.’'' The impression that Australia is a suburb of New Zealand grows. The public is warned against the rumour and scare monger. These individuals should be severely dealt with for circulating false reports. Yesterday a rumour was sent round to the effect that a well-known Oroua Downs farmer was dead, and also a well-known ex-(laxmil!er. Such reports not only cause pain to friends, but seriously ulted nervous people. The epidemic is having a marked effect on business generally in Auckland, and many of the shops wear a deserted appearance. A prominent bank ollicial reported that business was exceptionally ipiicl, and wholesale trade is almost at a standstill, and several wholesale houses are without a single commercial traveller. One wholesale house last week had a staff of six in attendance out of (id, while if is quite a general thing for staffs to be reduced to less than a third. A sad accident occurred at a farm in the Paparangi district, Kai Iwi, un Thursday last, whereby a-young girl, fieri rude Bunn, three years of age, daughter of Mr E. Bunn, lost her life. Early in the morning the child was missed. Search was made by the mother, who was horrilied to lind the child lying in an unconscious condition in the stock yard. Her father immediately took the child to the Wanganui hospital, but unfortunately the child died on the way. Death was due to a badly fractured skull, presumed to be due to a kick from a horse. The tremendous and world-wide ravages of the influenza epidemic prove that medical science l is largely in the dark as to its causes and its treatment, and it will become a source of the deepest study to medical people. Medical science has fought with signal success very many diseases, and its most notable triumphs are those over enteric fever and the various malaria. In the meantime in a great epidemic of this kind, which is visiting the earth, skilled medical lighters are too few and themselves 100 subject to its influence, to cope with it. It is therefore a matter for the precaution of the individual, perfect hygienic surroundings, fresh air, pure water, and sunshine—and some day, when the Government gets a rush of brains to the head, it will decide that influenza must be notifiable and a matter for quarantine. —Auckland Observer, If you in bed lie sick and sad, Because you’ve influenza bad, Or if a wheezy, chesty cold Upon your lungs has taken hold. To keep that cold from getting worse You’ll need but little from your purse: Relief with promptness you’ll assure By taking Woods’ Great Pappermint Cure. 20

The returned soldier* collected the sum of £4 Is (id on Tuesday last, and have handed same over to the Girls’ Guild. All Junior Cadets willing to act as messengers in connection with the work of fighting the epidemic are invited to assemble, in uniform, outside the Town Hall, at 10 o’clock to-morrow morning. A Loudon paper reports that Lieut. Cecil Healy, the ex-swim-ming champion of the world, was killed in action whilst attempting to swim across the Somme at the head of 500 Australians, to take a German position in the rear. An apparalus being experimented with yesterday for inhalation purposes in the Racing Club office came to grief. The receptacle was charged with tar and formalin. The soldering gave way, and the tar was ignited. N T o damage was done. The total number of persons who arrived in New Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year ended March 31st, 1018, was 2,060. -Of this number, 17i were assisted to (be Dominion by the Government. The number of assisted immigrants in 1014 was 5,004. The United States Government has seized 150,000 acres of timber lands on the Florida coast. Their ownership has been traced to the Wilbenilslrasse (German secret service) although they were held in the name of a German lumber company. The timber is to be used in the construction of shipping. The Wanganui Harbour Board proposes asking Parliamentary sanction to raise an additional loan 1 of £150,000 for harbour improvement works. The board is also endeavouring to obtain delivery of the powerful dredge purchased some time ago, but which could not be brought from Fnglaud on account of war conditions. All hough all hold bars were ordered to he closed and the sale of liquor prohibited except for medicinal purposes, several persons were In he seen yesterday about town more or less under the influence of liquor. It is scandalous to think (hat while everything is being done lo stamp out the epidemic that such disregard is paid to so important a matter. A special reporter of the Wanganui Chronicle writes: “Some idea of the magnilude of the slip on (he Main Trunk railway line can now be formed. It seems as if the whole bill *ide has come down. Logs, tree roots, stones, and spoil arc mixed up in inextricable confusion, tilling up (he culling to a level on the lower side. There is a green kowhai tree, which has come down the hillside, slanding perpendicularly almost over one of the rails. The slip is about a chain and a half in length, with an average depth of about eight feet. Gangs of men in relays are working strenuously to clear away the obstruction, but it will be two days before the line is-opened. Railwayman have been working to get the engine on the line. An engine on the north side of the slip made three attempts to pull the derelict back on to the rails, but each lime the treble chain connections broke. Astonishingly little damage was done to (he derailed engine as far as could he judged, the rear coupling, lamps, and cranks being broken or distorted. The remains of (he postal van were cleared off the line on to the side of the line and burnt. The other carriage, a bogie, is smashed beyond repair, and is now lying on its side, by the line, minus the roof, and the interior a mass of splinters and twisted ironwork.” A motor ear journey that for pluck and perseverance will probably stand as a record for many a long day, was undertaken lasi .weekend by two Ha worn young ladies. A wedding was arranged to take place in Hawera at eight o’clock on Monday, and on Saturday it was discovered (hat through an oversight the bride’s brother, who was in camp a> Featherslon, had not been notified, and as he was the only male representative of the family in the Dominion, it was essential that he should he at the ceremony. A young lady friend (hen volunteered to motor through to Feathcrston to bring him and she, with a girl companion, left Hawera on Saturday night. They reached Palmerston wi!limit mishap late that night, and early next morning set off through the gorge. At Pahialua (lie ear got bogged, and laid to be dug out, and tins delayed (heir arrival al Featherslon till two o’clock in (he afternoon. They then discovered that tlie man they had gone for was on leave in Wellington. So the motorists went straight away over the Rimutakas, arriving in the Capital City about 5.30. After locating their man and partaking of some very welcome refreshment, and re-tilling the car, the home journey was commenced about 8.30 o’clock. All went well till near Foxton, where a couple of punctures caused two hours’ delay. NL; further trouble was met with until the benzine supply gave out just a few miles out of Hawera, and the party then left the car and resumed the journey on foot. They had proceded some distance when another car picked them up, and they arrived in Hawera just twenty minutes before the ceremony commenced.