LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2037, 4 October 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A commencement lias been made with the woodwork construction at the .school.

A number of people' throughout (Ills district, have been affected by a mild form of influenza.

Air Geo. 8. Whibley, llaxmiller, of Te A rob a, is on a health-recruiting visit to Fox(on.

Retiring collections will be made after all services at All Saints’ Church to-morrow, on behalf of the Diocesan Church Schools Board.

A special meeting of llu* Foxton Borough Council will be liekl on Monday next, at. 7.30 p.m. Business: Picture theatre license; district lieallli OlTicer’s report.

"• 'William Hindmarsh, one of the host known legal managers of mines, died at lleeflon yesterday. The deceased was a prominent Mason, and author of “Tales of Hidden Best.’ He was in his STth year.

A*special sermon to young 1 men and women will be preached to-mor-row evening by the Rev. Thomas Halliday, in the Presbyterian Church, the subject being “The House of Rimmon, or Man’s Compromise with God.”

A marine 1 woman named Margar-. et Sullivan, TO years of age, employed at a cook at the Captain Cook,Hotel, Dunedin, was admitted to the hospital at (i. 30 on Thursday evening, and died at 10.15. It is understood that death was caused by taking poison.. ' Admiral and Lady JeDicoe attended the. marriage of Miss, Doris Sawyer to. Mr* Clutiia MacKemaic, the blind son of the High Commissioner, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Auckland, on Thursday. The bride, who arrived by the Corinthie, was given away by Lord Jellicoe. Why bother making takes when there is such a good assortment at Pm’eau’sf*

On the motion of Sir James Wilson (Manawatu) the Counties’ Conference carried a resolution that where the ratepayers of any portion of a county wished to secure the services of a district nurse the Counties Act should be amended to give power to strike a further rate for the purpose of subsidising such nurse through the hospital board.

A rather notorious criminal named R. D. Warden, who, although only 26 years of age, has been convicted enough times to gain the distinction of having “habitual” after his name on the police records, managed'to escape from Mt. Eden Gaol a couple of nights ago, and is still at large, lie cut out one of the bars of his cell, and, getting through the opening, escaped from the gaol precincts.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the annual sale of work in connection, with All Saints 1 Church will be held in the Town Hall on Thursday next. A wonderful assortment of goods, plain and fancy, lias been provided, and there will he a large display of-cakes and sweets. Flowers and produce from the best local gardens will he on sale. The young folks will find much amusement in the tulip garden, -bran tub, and among the surprise packets.

Mr S. Hudson asks ns to publicly thank the local Patriotic .Society for a grant of £IOO from the funds, and a promise of further assistance if required jn his business undertaking. Mr Hudson also desires lo express his gratitude to others for acts of kindness in connection with his business operations. It will be remembered that Mr Hudson suffered, the loss of an arm while serving with the forces at the front, and has decided to enter into business life. -His many friends will wisli him every success.

The Faparoa, due at Wellington about October 271 b, Ims the following returning local and district troops on board, the draft being under the command of Major A. L. Gray (Halcombe) : Palmerston N. — Corporal "W. H. Lewis, Manawatu; Corporal J. A. Thomson, Feilding; Captain R. B. Watson, Privates R. A. Clieyne and W. A. \\ ildbore. Paxton —Privates 11. Evans and IT. J. Prow. Mar ton —Corporal J. K. Findley.

The following paragraph appears in t-he annual report of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce: “We supported proposals Iha 1 the Government should acquire coastal areas between Packakariki and Wai(ara for afforestation purposes, with a view of preventing the sand-drift problem. The Minister replied that certain areas near the Manawatu suitable for the purpose were being acquired, but suggesting (hat in other places individual owners could cope with the matter by the planting of marram, lupin, etc.”

No party had any right to rule unless it had behind it a majority of the people, said Mr Veilch, M.P., at Masterlon. The moderate men had withdrawn from the Labour Party (.wing fo the extreme views held by some of its leaders. Extremists were responsible for the downfall of the Labour Party in Australia, and the organisations (here were now expelling extremists from their ranks. .Labour would never be adequately represented in Parliament while it subscribed to extreme views.

Small business houses in Fcilding,' especially those dealing in a “catch” trade, have, it seems certainly not done well by the introduction of the Saturday half-holiday, says the Star. A local retailer told the pressman yesterday ilmj while his Friday takings are no more than the;/ used to be, his Saturday takings have been reduced by 50 per cent. So strong is Hr; feeling by certain small shopkeepers* that it is probable a determined effort will be made lo persuade Feilding lo re-, vert to (be Wednesday half-holiday us soon as it can be 2)ossibly done.

Feilding Borough Council took a, poll of the ratepayers on .Wednesday on three proposals —namely, to borrow £SOO for a soldier’ memorial and alterations to the square in the heart of (he town as a setting* for the monument ; £IO,OOO for an additional reservoir, and £20,000 for tar-sealing the main roads in the borough. There was strong opposition to the monument question, as many ratepayers objected lo altering the square, as it meant diverting roads which now go through, and also because many thought the money for a memorial should be raised by voluntary -subscription, and not by borrowing, The reservoir jva.s the onl'v, proposal carried.

Says yesterday'* Palmerston Times: —A regrettable feature in connection with the troop train which passed through Palmerston yesterday was that so many of the men returning had procured a great deal more liquor than was good for them in Wellington, and a large number of' them were hopelessly drunk. Apart from the sentimental side of Hie question, so many inebriated men on the train was hound to hi dangerous. An example of this was shown when one of the soldiers, who was very drunk, became obstinate as- the train commenced, to move out, and refused to get ahoard. He stumbled alongside the carriage for about 100 yards before a- comrade, not much *more sober than himself, was able to get him on the platform. It is quite time some action was (alien to prevent the supply of liquor in large quantities to men just off: Die troopships, when their constitutions are unable fo stand it. The carriages in which the troops were (ravelling were in'a filthy state, and in several of them the windows Avcre broken.

The engagement is announced of Mrs Bright (Wellington) to Mr Har- 1 old Beauchamp, President of the " Bank of New Zealand. A committee meeting of the local i. Horticultural Society will he held i in the Racing Club Office on Monday ‘ night, at 7.30 o’clock. '! A Native waited upon ns this i morning who rejoiced in the cogno-to men of “Henare,” and disclaimed (he paragraph relating to the explo- ' i its during the flood of another native called “Henare.” He said he did not desire to rob “Pino” of his notoriety in the matter. Two young men wailed upon us this morning with a request that tiie , gallant action of a companion in, going to the rescue of a young lady who stumbled down some steps at a recent dance should be publicly recognised. We are pleased to chronicle acts of chivalry. * . Fish is commanding famine prices*' in Wellington, Our , representative was informed by a Wellington resident that he is now paying Is per lh. for fish that was sold at 3d per lb. some time ago. Ho also stated that three lishertucii opern one (*f the bays netted above expenses £3OO each, during the past three months.

A married man named Wilfred Fry, a member of the draft who recently returned by the Cordoba, pleaded guilty at the Wellington isirale’s Court to the theft of a mail hag and its contents. While the vessel was four hours’ steam from 'Wellington Heads, the bag and its contents were thrown overboard. Cry was committed to I lie Supreme Court for sentence. yi 'The number of deaths following lambing which have occurred among ewes* in the Wairarapa has occasioned considerable anxiety. Officers of the Agricultural Department are making special inquiries regarding the trouble, which many think is -somewhat mysterious in character. No definite information is yet available, but it is staled oil good authority* that the source of the (rouble might he found to lie in dietetic causes. Admiral Lord Jellicoc, in his farewell speech at Auckland, saiA that his heart was sad that limy were leaving* this beautiful country. The people- had taken Lady .lellicoe and himself to their hearts, and they thanked the people from the hoi tom of (heir hearts. Of all the thousands (hoy had met in New Zealand, i( was,'perhaps, the child-, ren they sorry to leave. While* not for a moment saying they were not sorry to leave I hem all, it was the children, as far as he was concerned, who had got most deeply into his heart. With a sad heart lie said good-bye and Kia Ora. The Minister for Defence was asked in the House whether thoY Government was aware of the accuracy or otherwise of the complaints that there were employers, including at least one Government Department, who had refused to take hack into their employ returned soldiers who were in (heir employ before going to the war; and, if so, what ' steps the Government proposed to lake to deal with such employers. Sir James Allen’s reply was: “The Defence Department has no knowledge of such complaints. It the lion, member will advise me as to wind department herefers to I shall be pleased to have inquiries made.” Mr J. A. Nash asked the Minister of Education whether lie will introduce legislation this session providing for an increase of the educational grant to at least £3,000,000, so as to provide better housing for the children, increased playing areas, and increased rales of payment for teachers’ salaries. Mr Massey (for the Minister of Education) replied: The Estimates lost year provided substantial increases in. the votes for school buildings and sites and for teachers’ salaries, and the necessity of providing further increases is being considered in connection with (hi* year's Estimates. It must he -remembered, however, that the amount that could he expended on public buildings at the present time is limited by the number of workmen and the supply of material available. > By the death of Mr Thomas King at his home at Bulls on Thursday, the Manawatu and .Rangitikei districts lose one of their oldest and most respected pioneer settlers. Born in Ireland, the deceased arrived in New Zealand by the ship “Candidate” in 1876, when be settled in Palmerston North, and established, witli his brother, a grocery business, which they managed jointly for several years. In 1886 Mr King sold his business, and removed to Bulls, taking up a position with the oldestablished firm of Stevens and Gorton. Leaving their service, he was appointed* secretary to the Bulls - Town Board, but later took up the secretaryship of theßangitikei Dairy Company, Mr King was a .consistent supporter of sports and athletics, and for a considerable time was clerk of Scales and secretary to, the* Rangitikei Racing Club. He was an enthusiastic Mason, and one of tlie oldest in the Dominion, having been, a founder and, later, life member J| of both the United Manawatu and Rangitikei Lodges. For sonic time past Mr King had been in failing health, but continued at his work until his death. He leaves a widow and the following grown-up family to mourn their Ibss: —Messrs llouston and Ronald King (A ellington), Mr Guy King (Waitotara), Mrs Gibson* (Kiwitea), Mrs R. Brown (Wanganui), and Misses Harriet and Zbe King (Bulls). Tile funeral yesterday was a Masonic one, and* visiting brethren were present from all parts of the district.

Two pairs of shoes figured in a debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. They were small shoes, children’s size, and Mr G. Witty (Kieearton), who produced them, explained that they had been re-soled by a Wellington firm, which he named. The new soles wei’e thin Haps of leather, attached by three nails at the toe, and by swne sort of adhesive preparation the rest of the way. Mr Witty stripped a sole with his fingers in order to show how poorly Die leather was attached to the shoe, and he produced a receipt to prove that the firm responsible for the repairs had charged 3s 6d for one pair and 3s for the other. How were working parents to keep their children shod, he asked, when such extortionate prices were charged for work worth a few pence? “That is profiteering,/' remarked the Prime Minister.