LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 46, 23 October 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Stratford Evening Tost” will he published as usual on Monday (Labor Day). In the list of Long Service medals, the name of Herman Rolf os was wrongly included, reports/ the Press Association. Weather Forecast.—The indications are for northerly winds strong to gale prevailing. Expect war and humid conditions, with increasing haze and cloudiness and rain probably following. Barometer falling.—Bates. Captain Cameron, of the Wellington Infantry, writing to Lieut.-Colonel Hughes, refers to the Wellington Battalion thus: “I don’t know whether you have heard it or npt, but the Wellington Battalion is known /as ‘The men who never retire,’ and I believe they have thoroughly earned the title.”

The Pukekohe police received information on Wednesday that a Maori named Kiln had been found dead in bed at Tauranganui with his head partly blown off. Tauranganui is a Maori settlement on the Waikato River about 15 or ‘2O miles from Pukekohe. The details supplied to the police are meagre, and the manner in which the deceased met his death is not vet known.

The town had a very busy appearance this morning when the streets were patrolled with gay young ladies collecting on behalf of the Red Cross Fund. Everybody was asked for a donation, and in very few cases was there a refusal. The collectors will be on the street again this evening, and from present appearances, a substantial amount should be lodged to the credit of the Fund.

The war raMcs frequently make reference to tlie numbers of troops at different places. Whey. divisions and Army Corps are spoken of, the number of troops is somewhat confusing, i According to the British army ratio, an infantry division comprises 15,07’! men. 5592 horses, 70 guns, and ‘if machine guns. Two infantry divisions make an Army Corps. A cavalry division comprises 9269-men. 9815 horses. 21 guns, and 24 machine guns. The Continental armies are slightly on a larger scale, but in the main they are approximately of the same si rength.

The statutory report of thy Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Company, Ltd., shows that the total number of shares allotted is 8571, all of which are allotted for cash. The total amount of casli received by the Company in respect of the shares issued is £7573 13s. The receipts and payments of the company on capital account to October 18, 1915, are as follows:—Payments on account of shares issued. £7373 13s; part payment, for site and for work thereon and in connection therewith, £1115; materials, £3O ss; preliminary expenses. £SOO. •

The Patriotic Market held in the C.B.A, to-day by Mesdames Uniacket Glasgow, and E. C. Robinson, was packed to the doors from early in the morning. The goods, including a complete hospital lied, made by the members of the Stratford Ladies’ Patriotic Committee for the second New Zealand Hospital Ship, exhibited in one of the windows, commanded considerable attention. The shop was well stocked with provisions of all kinds, included amongst which were butter, eggs, ham, soap, vegetables, preserves, cakes, and flowers'. Two raffles for a side of bacon and a ham conducted during the day will be drawn h.y his Worship the Mayor at 8 o’clock this evening.

Dr. A. K. Newman., speaking at the amateur sports bodies’ recruiting meeting in Wellington on Wednesday night, said that he thought it rather mean that some men would not let their own sons go and fight, hut were letting other fathers’ sons go and light for them. He knew of one man who had called his four sons together, and had said to them. “If any one of you goes to the front, he won’t get a shilling.” A voice: ‘ A man like that ought to be shot!” and another: “He is liable to imprisonment for that.” Dr. Newman: “That may lie. But,.of course, he only says that sort of thing in the bosom of his family.” Mr C. G. Wilson said he thought that it was the mothers rather than the fathers who were keeping the hoys at home. They thought it all right for other mothers’ boys to go. But they wouldn’t let their own I toys go. They openly said that it would break their hearts if their hoys were to go. He thought that these mothers ought to realise more keenly their own duty and their sous’ duty to the Empire and to humanity. (Applause.)

A case reported from Melbourne suggests that “By his sausage ye shall know him,” is an apt perversion of a Scriptural text in relation 'to a sympathiser with the cause of Germany. A party of recruits travelling in a railway carriage got into friendly conversation with a civilian fellowtraveller. When refreshments were produced the stranger brought out a large sausage of the Zeppelin type, which he offered to share with the soldiers. The nationality of the sausage was commented on, and there was a natural transition to remarks about other German peculiarities, with special reference to the war. As the talk went on, the producer of the sausage became pretty heated,, and expressed views which in no wise agreed with the opinions of the soldiers. He might have been roughly treated but for the intervention of some military police who were at hand. But at the end of th e journey he was apprehended, and he is now the companion of mafiy other Germans in a camp of internment. Another illustration of the dangers that lurk in a sausage.

1 The experience of a Canterbury ■ man, a well-known officer, as related by him to his parents in a letter ■ dated 12th August. 1915. proves the 1 risks which all our brave fellows have ' to run when on active service. The writer says:—“l have had some remarkable escapes. On the landing day a bullet cut my trousers, and just grazed tbe left kneecap, and another bullet went right through the right pocket of my jacket, but none was so close as the escape I had on Chunuk Bair. Besides the holes in the arm, one bullet went through my revolver holster and splintered the handle of the revolver (the new one f had not used) ; another went through the left jacket pocket and two through the right pocket, making holes in my maps, field message book and diary. No less than five bullets went through my haversack. Of these three went through my small Odette safety razor hox, ruining the razor and a box of new blades. Inside I found the heads ol two bullets, oite inside the other. My knife, spoon, etc., are jagged and unusable, a metal mirror in case, lias a bole right through, ray linen bag of biscuits, meat, etc., is in shreds, a tin of coffee has a bole through it. as has also a tin of extra grocery rations— tea, sugar, bovril—a tin of photograph rolls has a bole right through, one of the rolls being reduced to powder, and tbe others spoilt except the one with photographs on it. There is also a bole through a box of tooth paste. Strange to say, tbe two most breakable things, a glass mirror and my camera. were untouched. My watex bottle, on the other side also bad a. hole through it. 1 think that is as dose a shave as any man could wish. 1 also have a slight cut under the left knee. Well, as soon as the holes were tied up, I made for cover in the shallow trench—-I wasn’t looking for any more!”