GENERAL NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 43, 22 February 1915, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

.v settlor who was at the Pahiatua Show told a newspaper representative that lie had purchased his farm in the early days for £3 per acre. He had recently been offered £-lo per acre for it, and had refused the offer.

Keals, arrested in connection with the Onewhere murders, is well-known LU tiie police. He has only been back from Australia for a very short time, having served a term of imprisonment in tnat country for a serious offence. He is a man considered to have been mentally afflicted for some years, and it .s stated that this was due to an experience as youth. According to a statement made to the police, Keals was on one occasion using the telephone while u severe storm was lug. Lightning fused the wires, and the young man received a shock which rendered him unconscious. His menial condition is stated to have caused his relatives a great deal of anxiety ever since.

Prices that would have made the pioneer farmer’s mouth water are nowadays being worked out of Taranaki land. It is not so long ago since the dairyman was glad to get fourpence per Hi for his butterfat, but at the present price of cheese it now runs out at nearer eighteenpence. What this means in intensive farming is strikingly illustrated in the case of a settler at Kaupokonui (revised version Cowpokonui!') On a section not larger than fifty acres, he runs forty cows and confidently expects the season to pan him out £2O per cow—the maivellous record of £BOO off fifty acres. Who wouldn’t be a Taranaki farmer!

The evidence of spectators had to be taken by the judges of the annual hridge-to.bridge swimming race at Wanganui before they were able to announce the result. The engine of the launch in which the judges were stationed failed just as the competitors were completing the distance, and as the launch was carried away by the current, the judges were unable to see the finish of the race. They made inquiries among those who had a better view, and then announced their award. This led to .much contention, as many people considered that the aian who was placed third won the race by a good margin. The latter lias offered to swim the race again, but no solution of the difficulty has yet been reached.

“There is no peace in sight yet, and 1 am not ashamed to say from this public platform that I would be sorry, in one way, if there was any peace .n sight at this juncture,” declared the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, J)r A. \Y. Averill, when addressing a meeting held at Parnell on Tuesday night for the purpose of forming a branch of the National Reserve. “For the world’s sake, for Germany’s sake, for the sake of the future civilisation the world this Prussian tyranny, this unworthy ambition must not be made terms with, but must be crushed right out of existence. (Cheers and applause). We are face to face with, .1 suppose, the world’s greatest tyranny, and if peace is made anywhere hot on German soil it will he most disastrous for the world as a whole. (Continuous applause.) We have to carry on until the Allies can dictate the terns of peace,” declared Bishop Averill an-xhc more cheers.

In one of the Sydney court's last week a cake manufacturer was proceeded against for selling adulterated food. Inspector Allison, an officer of the Hoard of Health, said that when he visited defendant’s premises he Isaw a boy passing figs through a slicing machine. The figs were fermented, weevily, and maggoty. Inspectoi Tvench said he would like the magistrate (Mr Love) to examine a bag of figs. Mr Love did so. He picked up a handful of figs (which were emptied I out on the floor of the court), hastily dropped them, and resumed his seat on the Bench. The defendant said:— “Figs are one of the most awkward things a man can handle. 1 paid a good price for them, and it is impossible to get a large quantity without finding one or two that are not good. They cost 10d per lb, which is 3d more than I ever paid befoie. cannot see any maggots in them. 111 eat one.” Mr Love: “You may do so if you like, but I would advise you not to oat too many.” Adams then proceeded to eat a fig. Inspector Kench : “Another case for the hospital; Mi Love (to defendant): “I fine you £2O, and if I could I would have fined you more. It is a very filthy thing to send' figs like that out to the public. It appears to me a case for imprisonment. The officers of the Public Health Department deserve credit for bringing you to court. The alternative is three months’ imprisonment.”