GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 15, 21 December 1915, Page 7

GENERAL.

It is stated that the Hon. Hr. McNab intends to take offices in Hastings for the accommodation of his staff for the next six months so that, while still carrying in his Ministerial duties, he may, for the time, be also in close touch with the affairs of his own constituency.

American papers report that Dr., Booker T. Washington, foremost teacher and leader of the negro race, died on November 14 at his home, near the Tuskegee Institute, which he founded and of which he was president. Hardening of the arteries, following a nervous breakdown, was the cause of death.

The Melbourne University Council has declined to reappoint Mr E.

Scharf as a teacher of music at the University Conservatorium, and Mr W, von Dechend as lecturer in German. It has done so in terms of a resolution that the engagement of any unnaturalised citizen of any enemy country who may bo in the employment of tho University be not renewed at the end of the year.

In his address at Grey mouth Mr Webb, Labor M.P., put a new interpretation upon the recall. He stated that, if a requisition asking him to resign were signed by the same number of persons as had voted for him at the election, within five minutes of receiving that petition, he would telegraph his resignation to the Speaker of the House.

Whilst working in their claim at Big Beach, Arthur’s Point, last week (says the Wakatip Mail) M'Mullan Bros, came across the skeleton of a human being. The remains were found buried some Bft or 10ft down in the river bed. It is generally thought that the bones may be those of one of the men who were washed down the river at the time of the Old Man flood.

“Since the war broke out,” said a Wtellington commercial traveller iat present in Napier, to a reporter the other day, “our business has increased at least 50 per cent.” The man who made the statement is the representative of one of the leading motor importing firms in Wellington. He said he had never known money to be so plentiful in Hawke’s Bay befoxe, and instead of the war interfering detrimentally with his business it had, on the contrary, benefitted it.

It is reported from America (says the “Australian Meat Trade Journal”) that a “community of interest is approaching among-tcf? the big meat concerns in the Argentine, with the American group directing the combination. The object is to control the French market. The Americans' control the greatest single industry, aside from agriculture, in the Argentine, and it means, when considered together, with the fact that American packers are establishing themselves powerfully in Uruguay and Australia, that a world-wide meat interest under American management is in sight.”

A large Overland car, the property of Mr E. Limbrick, was totally destroyed by lire on the northern side of the Esk River, on the Wairoa load, on Sunday week, whilst the driver and his friends were picnicking on the river bank (says an exchange). A passing motorist rescued the front wheels and headlight, but was unable to check the flames. The first intimation the driver received of the outbreak was from a Native, who went up to the party and said: “What number your car?” On being told that the registered number was H.O. .760, the Native replied: “My word, it in great big fire, burning hard. 1 don’t know, 1 think you lose him, by golly.”

A fifteen-year-old boy from Auckland was recently committed to the Wereroa Boys’ Training Farm (says the Feilding Star). He reached there on a Sunday, bolted that night, changed his mind and went back next day, and received 20 strokes. The day following he bolted again, walked to Palmerston, and got on board the Auckland express, locking himself in the lavatory. He was persuaded to open the door at Feilding, and the railway officials placed him in the stationmaster’s office while they sent for the police. The lad made another opening for himself by raising the window, and once more dashed for liberty. He was run to earth right opposite the police station, and was sent back to the farm.

Miss M. Frayue, of Grimsby, England, in a letter to Mrs Davies, Hastings, relates a few incidents in connection with war matters (says the Hawke’s Bay Tribune). Tile writer says in her letter, dated October 10, that about a fortnight previously several trawlers were captured by the British fleet arid taken into Grimsby, and on the previous Saturday another 14 were taken in, and on Monday, six more. These were indeed very valuable captures, as the boats could very jquickly be prepared for mine laying. The fish the Germans had on board were sold in Grimsby and the men were interned at once. The financial position of the people of Grimsby is splendid. The working men of England are not only getting a living wage, but a surplus for a rainy day. Work is plentiful and wages are better than usual. Food is dearer. Sugar is now 4d a lb., tea 7d quarter lb., butter Is lOd, flour 2s 3d lb., and candles two for a penny. -

The White Star Company has agreed to pay 644,000 dollars in settlement of all claims in connection with the Titanic disaster. One-tenth of this sum will go to claimants. Two boy newsvendors, whose lung power in the matter of calling their wares in Queen Street and Symomh Street, Auckland, had brought complaints from two business men whose shops adjoin the “pitches” of the boys, were brought before the Juvenile Court on Saturday morning on a charge of disturbing the peace and quiet of the neighbourhood by crying their wares, it was explained (says the Star) that the prosecution was made with a view to warning the boys not to overdo the calling business so as to get on the nerves of other users of the street by weird, nerve-jangling calls, but the complainants bad no desire to prevent the youngsters from plying their business so tong as they moderate their calling to within reasonable hmits. The boys were exhorted by the magistrate to train their voices to ( a more tuneful pitch, and were discharged.

The war has its lighter side, even in the lining hub. A soldier correspondent ol the “Military Mail” telis of an incident that happened not long ago. “1 was returning troin a deserted village near ,” he writes, “when 1 saw leisurely strolling down the road a man absolutely naked. You can judge ray astonishment. When we met, after greetings, he told me that he nad become separated from lus regiment,' accidentally walked into an enemy trench, and there had been stripped ox all his clothing and put under guard. In the night ho had managed to overpower tire guard and make his escape, trusting to get some clothing on Jus way back. I gave him my waterproof, and, after begging a smoke, he coolly continued his journey. 1 have since had my waterproof returned with a letter of thanks from the sender, a'Canadian officer.”

It is now common knowledge that the small Fijian contingent which left for Flanders many months ago was badly cut up at Festubert and in The second battle of Ypres, and that there are very few survivors of the gallant little baud which volunteered for service during the early stages of the war. The first of the survivors to reach home travelled from Vancouver to Suva by the Niagara. This was Lance-Corporal* S. Wall, who scraped through notwithstanding his live wounds. Moreover, except for an arm contracted by the effect of a machine gun bullet, he has reached homo whole, which will not be said, j,t is stated by those who were associated with the corporal on the voyage, of many of those who again reach the sun-baked islands. Wall was in the firing line for four months, and then spent a similar period in hospital before he was convalescent. Suva is said to have given the solitary hero a great reception. Lands escorted him from the ship and the streets were eu fete.

Resdents in the vicinity of the Hamilton saleyards have repeatedly complained of having their slumbers disturbed by bellowing cattle, bloating sheep, and grunting pigs, left for convenience in the pens throughout the nights’following the sales. A further complaint was lodged with the Hamilton Borough Council the other night (reports the correspondent of the Auckland Star), by Mr J. C. McCrea,, who described the row during the whole of Thursday night as “really awful.” In the loner paddock of the yards upwards of 100 cattle had been left without water, while the remaining paddocks were well stocked, and sleep for the ordinary individual in the vicinity was quite out of the question. It was evident that if any relief was to be given residents, there must be a definite rule that all stock must be removed before nightfall. Cr. Tidd said the case was a particularly bad one, as he believed the cattle were put in during the night by drovers. It was about the worst experience people in the district had had for a long time. The bellowing continued throughout the whole night, and sounded like the advance of Cox’s army. No one in the vicinity of the yards got any sleep, and many were up at daylight at various occupations. The cattle were also driven along Milton Street, a prohibited route for stock. If Mr McCrea had made his letter ten times as strong it would have been well within the limit. The matter of closing the paddock in question altogether was referred for a report from the Saleyards Committee.