LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2092, 19 February 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Labour Department is investigating tho Miranui liazeutlersk strike. Steady rain fell throughout this district yesterday and tills morning, retilling the house tanks and brightening up herbage. Levin is threatened to be plunged into darkness, there being only enough eoal available at the gasworks to last for a few days. The local Stale school re-opened this morning. All the slab' was in attendance. The. temporary classrooms will be used until the furniture arrives for (he pew building. A keeper named .May was hosing from the outside the polar bears 1 cage at Hie Zoo in Adelaide ibis week when a bear seized him and tore oft nu arm at the elbow, and ate it. “The Lightning Haider,’' featuring Pearl While, which was shown at the Royal Theatre last nighl, and is to be refloated to-night, bids fair to be the most thrilling and exciting serial yet shown. i .Returned soldiers are reminded of the meeting to be held in the Council Chamber' 5 at 8 o'clock’ this evening, when addressed will be delivered by members of the Palmerston R.S.A.. The object of the meet •• ing is to form a local branch of the Association. The heat wave in the South caused stone fruit to ripen earlier than usual, ami lids, eombiued with the shortage of sftgar, has caused a glut in the market. The quality of* (he fruit is splendid, better than lor several years |iasl. Meantime it is running to waste froimhundreds of: eases stored in various plaees at Dunedin. General Bramweli Booth, of the Salvation Army, will not now arrive in New Zealand until about the middle of dune. He was originally expected about Kith April, (ravelling to Australasia via the Failed States. The influenza epidemic in’ the States, with the dislocation of (he world's shipping, has caused him to alter bis plans, and the General will now come out via Suez. The Matron of the Children’s Jlome, Palmerston North, wishes to thank the FoxUm people, the Beach residents, and visitors for all their kindnesses to the children . during their stay at the Bench, especially Mr Reeves, Levin and Co., Mrs Slack attd party, Mr and Mrs Freeman and parly, Mrs Bayley, Mr Smith (“The Poplars”). Mr and Mrs I lamer, Mr Hartley, Mr Sntditte, Mr F. Williams, Mr Murphy. Mr Bunn and Mr Langley, for all the sports, and the following for gifts: Mr F. Robinson, Mr Joint Robinson, Mr James Robinson, Mrs Malls, Mr Linklaler, Mr Collins, Mr Giorge, .Mr Crow, Mrs C. Symons, Mrs 'Hasten, -Mrs Dighlon, Mr Way, Mrs Waldegrave, Mrs Hocking, Mps Bell, Mr Short!, Airs Buchanan, Airs Boon, Airs Robertson, Airs Lovelock, Airs D. Bell, Air Parkin, Air Perreau, Air Bock, Air Bullard, Mr Thompson, Airs Whitehead, Air O'Brien, Air Hart, Airs Tennant, Air Islington, Airs Wny, Airs Raine, Air Hudson, Air Johnstone, Air Murphy,'''Und various “friends” and auonviuou's.

The effects of the coal situation are very noticeable in A estport, where a stale of inactivity prevails. The tVeslporl Times, commenting upon I he state of affairs, says;,‘“At 10 o'clock this morning there was a good tide, brilliant weather, and not a steamer in sight. The wharves looked spic and span, ready to receive 10 or 12 5,000-ton steamers. A well-equipped railway system was at hand to deal with 7,000 tons of coal a day. The district abounds in coal —theV make roads with it at Charleston, in the Duller Gorge one can obtain a sack of coal for the mere asking. The A estport Coal Company and the Stockton Company could supply almost the whole of the Dominion’s needs in coal.” But somebody won't work —there is something radically wrong when such u tine coal port as this is idle.

. Rabbitakins are rabbitskins now-a-days. At the sale in Dunedin last week, prime winter doeskins fetched up to 21s 5d per lb., and buckskins up to 15s per lb. It takes only about six skins to make a pound.

, Detective McLeod has,arrested at Gisborne a young man named Frank Ballar, alias Frank Devine, on three charges of burglary at- Opotiki, involving goods and cash to the value of £9B.'

The OtakgTown Board intends to go' in, for ■ further street improvements, and failing a supply of cement will turn its attention, to asphalting the footpaths in the main streets.

A line-specimen of a peach is on exhibition in Mr Patterson's shop v,;indow. If was grown by Mrs F. Robinson, Thynne Street, and weighs IFJoxs. 'fins will give some indication of wlmt the Foxlon soil is capable of producing in si one fruit.

While Sir Frnesl Shacklddn was lecturing at the Philharmonic Hall, London, he saw Frnesl Joyce, who is Jo be second in eommattd of Cope’s expedition, in the audience. He called Joyce to the platform, and introduced him to the audience as the saviour of the Ross Sea party.

It is no use saying one thing about the alleged wool scandals in Britain and meaning another. If the profits made are a tithe of those reported, to have been made, somebody ought to be banged. That is the* plain' English of the situation (says the Christchurch 4 Sun).The oldest priest living in Australasia was present at the opening of St. Bede's College in Christchurch on Sunday. This is Dean Binstichl, S.M., of Grecnnicadows Seminary, who is. well past (he foiirscore marie, hut, despite his age, lie evinced the keenest interest in the proceedings.'

A London cable j hat, responding to Dean Weldon’s invitation, the. Rev. -John dowel 1, non-con-formist minister, occupied (he pulpit at Durham Cathedral at’Evensong. There was a vast congregation, and when the Rev. dowell entered the pulpit the vicar of a neighbouring parish rose and protested. Amid cries of “Put him out!” the congregation struck up a hymn, while the vicar was removed.

A - Master!on returned soldier told an Age reporter that there was a, considerable i|imniily of goods in the Ordnance Store's at Wellington which could he purchased by returned soldiers at exceedingly moderate prices, tie had secured a lirst-cJass new saddle, bridle, and out lit for £!); good repaired hoots at 12,s per pair;, a woollen jersey for hs (id: splendid new blankets for lj7s; ami denhams as good as new for hs. lie Ihinks (hat all relumed soldiers should he acquainted wilh these facts.

The Ashburton police recently raided a dwelling in I lie borough in 11 lies I of liqu'or, wilh (he result that forty-eight bottles of whisky were seized. One of the raiding cons!allies staled that the store was concealed by one of the cleverest pieces of architecture he had ever seen in ids experience. On the removal of a tea caddy from the mantelpiece it was found Iha ( the-polished wood behind had been worn by eonlinual handling. This hoard was found to move, and subsequent experiments revealed a system of sliding or hinged doors, behind which was a snug little apartment accommodating four dozen bottles of whisky, the straw packing stripped off, hut .-.till wrapped hi tissue paper. A prosecution will, follow.

“I believe I bat the* l»'ioo of woollen goods is a scandal,'’ remarked Lieut.-Colonel G. Mitchell, M.P., during' a complimentary fund ion at Wellington South on Tuesday, “and 1 think the Government should step in and protect the people.” Whether profiteering was going on or not, lie said, did not matter so much as the Tael that (he people believed it was going on, and he believed that such was the ease, lie instanced having bought some knitting wool at 14s per lb., and this cost only Is (id jo the farmer. “Who gets the difference?” he asked. “II is. high .lime,” ho urged, “that some commission was set up by the Government to properly go into (he question.’ Lieut-Colonel Mitchell also suggested that consumers’ committees might be formed, similar to those in Paris, which had brought down the price of foodstuffs by 50 per cent, within a week.

“The strong are using iheiv opportunity In exploit: the weak,” said Archbishop O’Shea, at the opening of St. Bede's College, Papamii, this week. “They are using their power —worldly wealth —to exploit Ihe masses, and they hold not only people but governments in their hand. The few rich arc robbing the people.” pi’here were two ways to remedy this state of affairs, said the speaker. One was by a Red revolution —in which some of the guilty and many of the innocent would lose their lives —the’other was by bringing the Ten Commandments into the lives of the people. Christian principles no longer had any practical effect upon the oligarchies which ruled us to-day. For all sane people and all who loved justice there was only one way to mend matters, and that was to bring back Christianity into tiie world. We must not do evil that good might-tome of it — the end did not justify the means. A Chinese correspondent to an American journal had summed up our religion when he said that as a nation we did not practise it. Would it not he better for us to found our peace oil the' Ten Commandments than upon the Fourteen Points 1— Times. ,

—-rrrn: f A Welling (on fish dealer was yesterday fined £2 for having unwhole- ■- some fish in his possession, and £1 * and costs for selling unwholesome fish.

In the opinion of Lieutenant-Co-lonel G. Mitchell, M.P. for Wellington So.uth, the Government should j appoint some kind of commission to ' go'to the Coast, and there inquire into the conditions of the miners—the wages, the mining conditions, and the housing question. It should thoroughly investigate the priee of coal from the lime it is mined until it reaches the home. “Who gets that high difference,between (lie cost of mining coal, and the cost of which it is procurable for use in the home?" he asked.

Liability of local bodies to be prosecuted tor damage sustained by persons during - the operation of sired-tarring was mentioned in connection with the present tarring of Jackson Street, by the Fetone Borough Engineer, Mr A. Cowie, in liis report to his council. Mr-Cowie explained that he considered the only way out of the difficulty was to declare the street being operated upon, closed to traffic. This would not necessarily mean Unit the street was actually closed' altogether. hut only that people using it. would do so at their own’risk.

Considerable annoyance has been caused to residents, and much damage done of late to on-hards and gardens, by .--Iraying stock. These animals lake their-walks abroad at; night, and vary the wayside fare by

visitations to private property. Apples, plums and pears are ravenously partaken of as a bovine change of diet. Anyhow, (wo local residents have had considerable damage done to their orchards and gardens of , late by wandering cows, which, if claimed against the owners, would be more than the animals are worth.

“I ;!iii extremely hopeful lhat as lhe result of lhe conference now silting iii Wellington-agreements will l>e arrived at (hat will he acceptable lo both |!iir(ies,’ J stated Mr William Heeee (president of tlx 1 New Zealand Mine Owners’ Association), at Christchurch yesterday. Mr Reece had to leave (he conference on account of! pressing business. He slated that the representatives of the Miners’ Onion had dismissed the yarions points at issue without any illfeeling. The Prime Minister had handled tin 1 eoni'erenee with eonsiderahle lam ami infinite, patience, and had given six days to assist (he parties in arriving l af an acceptable agreemeut. Mr-lames Leslie Nash, (driest sou of Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., was married at Palmerston mV Tuesday to Miss Maud Roberts,' daughter of Mr and Mrs F. J. Roberts,of Pohangina. The Palmerston Borough Council and staff presented the bridegroom with an aneroid barometer :ilid thermometer. In ’ making the presentation, Cr. E. PI. Crah'o spoke of the fine qualifies of Mr J. L. N'ash, and the high esteem in which' he was held, as also was his lather, the Mayor, who had tilled a .large number of public positions and bad done so much good work for the town. Thanks were 'relumed on Ids own bdhalf and that of Ids bride-elect by Mr J. L. Nash, while the •'Mayor also spoke, and mention- 1 ed lhat last Saturday he and Mrs Nash celebrated their silver wedding.