LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 74, 30 June 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Yesterday was the nineteenth day of the trial of Rua, at Auckland.

The mails which left New Zealand on May 11 arrived in London on the 26th inst.

A private cable received in Wanganui states that the Rev. J. A. Luxford has been appointed principal chaplain on the staff in London until the end of the war. He will reside at W alton-on-Thames.

Whitebait are making their appearance early this season (says the Orepuki Advocate). One of a party stated the other day that he has been catching them for the last 15 years, and this is the earliest he has yet known them to appear.

In the House of Representatives, Mi J. B. Hinc (Stratford), has given notice to ask the Minister for Railways whether he will improve the travelling comfort of the men of the Featherston camp by substituting carriages in the place of the improvised vans now being used in conveying troops to and from Wellington and the camp.

Replying to a question by Mr J. Payne (Grey Lynn), the Hon. A. -to Herd man (Attorney-General) stated that it is not proposed to introduce legislation this session to allow such cases as that of Alice Parkinson to conic before the court again in oidoi that the sentence may be reviewed.

During threshing operations on Mrs Martin’s farm a. Crown Terrace (says the Lake County Press) a dog belonging to Mr R. Mitcherlick was accidentally embedded in the straw stack. Thirteen days later Mr Martin, on going to the stack for a load of straw, heard the moans of, the dog, and the animal was quickly released. I- was in a weak and emaciated condition/ but recovered in a feiv days.

The special service entitled “The Floral Cross,” which was rendered at - the Salvation Army Hall last Sunday is to be repeated on Sunday evening. It is hoped that weather conditions will be more ravorablc than on Sunday last. This service is to be followed by a series of tablaux, recitations, drills, etc., on Thursday next at 8 p.m. % ! The election of members for the Taranaki Education Board will b© held on Wednesday, July 19. Two members are to be elected for each of the ■ three wards for which the following candidates have been nominated:— Central Ward: Messrs W. McL. Kennedy, F. Mackay, E. Mnrfell, R. Masters and H. Trimble ; .North Ward: Messrs A. B. Chappell, A. Morton, and S. G. Smith; South Ward: Messrs E. Dixon, C. A. Wilkinson, and JYoung.

“I regret I am unable to favorably consider the reduction of telegram charges on the lines referred to,” said the Postmaster-General (the Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward) replying in the House to a suggestion by Mr C. H. Poole (Auckland West) that he should “consider the wi.dom of reducing to 6d telegrams sent by or to soldiers while at the training camps.” “Many concessions,” raided Sir Joseph Ward, “have already been granted by the Post and Telegraph Department. The abolition of the war lax on postal matter is as much as can be done at present.”

A New Brig on audience was‘ humorously incredulous last week, when the City Electrical Engineer told them that by installing electricity they might cook their breakfast while they slept.' When the laugh had subsided, t states the Sun, Mr Stark explained that this was actually done in his own home—the breakfast was put in «a electrical oven over night. An alarm clock, set to go off two hours before the hour at which breaklast was required, switched the current on to the oven, so that at the time of rising the A breakfast was ready to put on the ■ table.

The Hon. J. Allen informed a representative of the Otago Daily Times recently that he had received information that New Zealand soldiers spend first a few days in the trenches, then igome days in, -■ reserve behind .the drenches, and finally are given permission to travel to England on a-‘short 1 furlough. The'llMeter added that die « ..would' like 1 to make it'clear that the-' • amount >: bh account of : -pensions and < ■ialWwanc’es ] t'o New Zealand soldiersnow "r£n- out at approximately ■ 000 per "annum. The pensions' have recently increased l at the ■ rate ■ of , ,£‘6ooo per week. The increases, how- . j over, fluctuate, and on occasions have | risen to as high as £IO,OOO a week. * '

Grievous complaint is made in Lond6n°of,'thb outburst {Bf ‘ifltfthpterkhb© i : among the working women of the metropolis since the war began. A census taken recently in one suburb (Claremont) proved that on a Saturday evening, during one hour; 845 persons, of whom 57-7 were women, entercejtjiin public-house that was 6eing.ynjcltod. On a subsequent Saturto 9 p.m /? ;i0?9 (of whom ' (j 87 n ,V«ve women) entered another Bouse; while on a thhjl'&aturdaycven-; ! ; iug, also between 8 and 9, there were'; - i. 819 patrons (of whom 566 were men). These terrible figures are vouched for by the members of the ’ Claremont Central Mission.

“The West Coast is not the only place where coal can be got,” declared Dr. Newman, when the Mines Estimates were being passed by the House. Messrs Pearce and Okoy concurred, calling the Government’s attention to the deposits at Tangarakau Gorge, near tho route of the Stratford-Ongarue railway. Mr Pearce said that dairy factories had to secure coal from Auckland, 300 miles by rail. Mr Macdonald replied that as no official reports on this deposit had been made for 20 years, it was time to look into the matter again. When a survey party was available he would see what could he | done.

Mr A. Macpherson, Government Fields Instructor, stated recently that many farmers were under tho impression that lucerne would grow by sowing it broadcast. This, said Mr Macpherson, was a great mistake, and in most cases resulted in a crop of weeds. The ground required to be carefully cultivated to eradicate weeds, and in order to ge t good results' to sow the seed in rows, not less than 14 inches apart, to allow the cultivator to he worked to permit the nitrogen penetrating the roots. The secret of lucerne growing was not to produce stem, but leaves. It has, been estimated that if lucerne cultivation was universally adopted the export from tho Dominion would be increased by fully 00 per cent.

A member of the Maori Reinforcements, who paraded in Auckland last week, is going to fight for his country for a second time as the result of pecu- | liar circumstances. He was a member of the first Maori Contingent, and took part in the forward movement at Gallipoli in August, and in the attackHjn Sari Bair received four bullet wounds. He was brought back to Auckland, and after a period of convalescence was discbarged from the forces. According to his own statement, he had returned to civilian employment when he waa wrongly apprehended another Maori of the same name had deserted— and given a period of “C.B.’-’ at the Narrow Neck camp. When the error of identity was discovered the Maori refused to leave camp, and insisted on . re-enlisting as a member of the till Reinforcements. Ho is, according to . hi., mvu words, going to ho a here.”

The football matches in tho Senior Cadet Competition to have been played yesterday were postponed on ac‘ com at of the inclemency of the weather.

The Patriotic Market and Tea Rooms will be conducted as usual by the members of the Ladies’ Patriotic Committee to-morrow. The promoters will be pleased to receive donations of produce, cakes, etc.

Weather Forecast.—Conditions continue threatening to the north and west. The indications are for variable and strong breezes, but northerly moderate to strong winds prevailing and freshening. Expect .dull weather with much mist and fog in parts. Rain probable. Barometer unsteady, with a falling tendency.—Bates, Weir lington.

Colonel Logan, Administrator of Samoa, reporting at the end of the week on the health of the garrison troops, states that the following are under treatment for the ailments mentioned:—Captain R. ,0. Smith, muscular rheumatism; Privates Grant, synovitis knee; Davis, neuritis; Morrison, insomnia; McPherson, /enteric; Fitzgerald, bubonicele; Knox, tinea cruris ; Crowley, conjunctivitis; JEtackie, synovitis knee.