LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 31, 8 February 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Weather Forecast.—The indications are for southerly winds strong to gale at times. The weather will probably prove cold and showery.—Bates.

The condition of Mr’ Percy Hopson, the young man. who met with a serious accident at Lepperton Junction on Wednesday evening last, is still causing much anxiety. On Saturday he was reported to be regaining consciousness, hut serious complications are feared.

A shrewd Japanese got the better of the Censor for once, so the Japan Times tells. The Tokyo Mitsui firm of Tokyo wanted to give a hint to its London office to get all its Hamburg employees out of Germany before war was declared between Japan and the Kaiser. Tokyo knew war was coming, and it knew that a> cable to that effect would never reach its destination. So this cable was sent: “Mr Sensenfukoku arrives to-morrow.” The Censor passed it. But Sensenfukoku means Declaration of War, and London took the hint.

A company has been formed in Auckland to mill the valuable timber in the Otanewaihuku forest, between Tauranga and Rotorua. Mr Hossack, who has been connected with the sawmilling industry, in New Zealand for half a century, will act as local manager. Two mills are to be built—one in the Otanewainuku buush, and the other in Tauranga. These mills will be con, nected by a tramway, about fifteen miles long. The mill in the town is Jo he made the main one, as it will he handy to deep water and will permit of the loading of vessels at very low cost. It is estimated that the Otanewainuku Forest contains about 252,000,000 feet of rimu, inangeao, and mixed timbers.

The war has brought out strongly the fact that mechanical transport cannot displace the horse. Says an English stock journal: “In spite of aeroplanes and motor traction, horseflesh is indispensible in war, and the wastage is appalling. No matter where you go you hear farmers discussing .horses, how many have been taken, and the number they have got left to do the yvork, but the biggest problem is replacing the losses. , The drain on horseflesh is being felt to a serious extent in more ways than one, for to many there is not only the difficulty in getting a horse to fill, the place of one taken for the army, but the demand, being in excess of the supply, the price has gone up very considerably. If one adds to this the increased cost of. food, then the position of a good many people who use a few horses as a means of earning a living is realised, and it is„not an enviable one by any means.”

Mr W. E. Smith, of the Dunedin railway goods who wrote to Mr Chappell, the composer of “The Day,” congratulating him on the widespread popularity achieved by ,ffi^ | . | poen],..ffa. < j received an interesting letter from Mr Chappell, and also an autograph copy of -the verses, which,. have evidently been issued in leaflet form, in England,, Mr Chappell’s< letter ig as follows: “Dear Mr Smith,—Very many thanks, for your kind and appreciative letter. It is nice to know that one’s /efforts are not in vain. The lines have penetrated to every quarter of the globe, as is manifest from the letters I receive : Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, India, Australia, America, and Canada, and yours from New Zealand, besides shoals from Great Britain. I am proud to think that I have been able to do some'little good in the world. Please ’ accept enclosed copy as a small token of my gratitude for your kindness in writing. Yours fraternally, Henry Chappell,”.