LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 135, 10 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Gazette Extraordinary contains an Order-in-Conncil by the Governor revoking the order made and published iu the. Gazette of January 7th under the authority of the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, fixing the minimum price of wheat in New Zealand. The revocation takes effect on February 15.

An American paper is sponsor for the story that a young man was arrested for walking in his sleep. He begged of the night-watch not to lock him up, pleading that he was a somnambulist. “It don’t make any difference what church you belong to,” said the officer, “you can’t walk about this town in your nightshirt.'

The potato crops in the Hakombe district this season are said to bo the best ever seen. Spraying lias boon most effective in preventing disease.

Local committees at Greytown and Qtaki are having a traversible track made across the Tararua ranges, via Mt. Hector. The work is expected to bo well forward this season.

In a paragraph in yesterday’s issue notifying the death of Mrs. Blythe of Ohaknne, the letter "s'-’ was inadvertently omitted, causing it to read Mr. in place of Mrs.

The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened before Mr. Justice Sim, at Christchurch yesterday (says a Press Association message). In charging flic grand jury his Honor remarked that nine cases out ..of eighteen in the calender involved offences against females.

The postal authorities advise that the Makura, which arrived last night at Auckland, brought mails from Anie. idea and the United Kingdom via Vancouver. The Wellington portion is due by Main Trunk express to-morrow morning. The dry season has been responsible tor a large number of sheep being sent out of the Hawke's Bay district to better pastures. How many have gone by the road (states the ‘Telegraph”) it is impossible to say, but the Union Company's boats have already carried about 20,000. Over 3000 were booked for Lyttelton by the Wanaka to-day,

It is stated by the Napier “Telegraph” that the libel action, J. Vigor Brown, M.P., v. th e “Hawke’s Bay Herald,” will be proceeded with at the forthcoming sittings of the Supreme Court is Napier, Mr B. J. Dolan having advised plaintiff net to accept the offer of settlement by defendants by the payment of £SO into court.

“Banjo” Patterson, the Sydney Herald’s commissioner with the Australian forces in Egypt, says; “Onr Polish mentor has settled one very moot point. He has taught us how to pronounce Przemysl. He says it is pronounced Chemez. It does not sound very likely to our ears, but a word sue* that way must be allowed a good deal of latitude.”

A rather curious weed was to be seeon Tuesday in two pens at the Temuka sale yards (says the Leader). It is believed to bo the Bathurst Burr, widen is a terrible curse in the Chatham Islands. The weed is believed to haveboon brought to Temuka and New Zealand by a draft of Chatham Island sheep which occupied the identical penwhere the weed had taken root.

Yesterday in the Wellington Supreme Court Mr Justice Hosking granted leave for certain interrogatories to be administered to T. L. Mills, editor cf the Feilding “Star,” in the libel action cf John Edward Bartop v. Pirani and Co., in which £525 damages is claimed. .Mr R. H. Webb appeared for the plaintiff,-and Mr P. B. Cooke for the defendant company. No costs were allowed.

Germany has put forth a claim to destroy every ship that tries to trade with Britain, without caring whether the crews and passengers drown or otherwise —claims, in short, the right to massacre all traders if they dare to attempt to trade with Britain. Blockaders have been common in war, of course. But never has the right been claimed to massacre and destroy. The vlaVm shows how fpir the GB-iman mind has been led astray by arrogance and disappointment.

,‘She is more to be pitied than blamed,” said Chief-Detective Boddam when a girl eighteen years of age was brought before Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., ~ai Wellington, yesterday to answer a charge of stealing a wristlet watch valued at £5 and pawning it. “The. girl has lost her parents and has no friends or money.” Under the circumstances the bench entered a conviction and ordered the girl to come up for sentence when called upon on the understanding that the 10s would be refunded to the pawnbroker.

To ho marred “while love shall last,” is the new idea in marriage ceremonies which lias been incorporated into the rites of the Church of Social Revolution in New York by Bouck White, its founder. The next couple to be married iu the Church of Social Revolution will be united not “while life shall last,” but “while love shall last ’ When love ceases, according to Dr. \Vhito, marriage not only ceases to tie desirable, but becomes unholy and degrading.

When shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand met on December 11, tn.chairmana announced that 55!) shares of the new capital issue (being the balance remaining available of the recent issue) wore being submitted to shareholders for sale by tender. The date for closing of the list of tenders was December 3.1. Tenders for upwards of 7000 shares have been received. The shares are fully paid-up shares of £0 13/4 each, and the highest tender received was at the rate of £lO per share. Applicants tendering at £ls 5/por share received 20 per cent, of their applications; no application below that figure received any allotment, The average price per share realised was £ls •10/(5,

Forty, municipalities in England arc urging the Government to undertake to increase coal supplies or gas, some suggesting the suspension of the eighthours’ system and the granting of increased mil way facilities.

In reply to the resolution passed by the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at the Dominion conference held in duly last, “that, in view of the proved efficiency of the application of crushed papa to clay land, the Department 'f Agriculture bo asked to make an extensive experiment with same,” the Secretary of Agriculture, by direction of the Minister, has just intimated that certain experiments are beng carried out at varous points and a note of the results will be sent to the union a? soon as they are available.

Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M. at Master!on, has delivered his reserve judgment in the case of Nicholson v. Smith. This was a claim by Miss Gladys Nicholson for £3 15/- Horn her late employer. Mrs. Rachael Smith, as compensation for injuiies received by plaintiff by falling into a coal box near the back door of the Farmers’ and Commercial Chib at Masterton. After reviewing the evidence and cases cited by counsel for the defence, his Worship gave judgment for plantin' for £2 compensation, and 15/- medical expenses, ami also allowed Court costs 10/-, counsel's fee, £1 (>/-, and witness's expenses, 10At.

An elderly woman had a rather thrilling experience in Queen Street. Auckland, on Saturday afternoon (says the ‘‘Star"). She was engaged in cleaning out offices in Palmerston Build ings, on the corner of Queen and Customs streets. In some way she became locked in one of the rooms, and as there was no prospect of being released. she decided to attempt; an escape first by the window, and then along a narrow ledge, to an adjoining window. “I've seen the office boys do it before,” “and I thought I could do it, too.” Once on the ledge outside she probably lost her nerve and her balance. At any rate she fell. Fortunately beneath hei was a shop verandah, and between her and the verandah half a dozen telephone wires. Bhe fell amongst the wires, and broke them, but they saved her to some extent, and she landed on the verandah without broken limbs, much to the astonishment of those who witnessed the accident. For a while she appeared good deal shaken, but later she was able to go on with her work. '

Considering that the Empire is at war,” said the Prime Minister in an interview at Auckland, “the presentprosperity of the Dominion is simply wonderful. Owing to the increase in the prices of our principal exports, which, of course, it has been impossible to avoid, the country lias hardly fell the pinch so far. The year 1011 furnishes a record to the Dominion in' respect to the value of our exports, the total being over 26 millions sterling, and there is every probability that this total will be exceeded during the cur-rent-year.” In regard to the drought, Mr, Massey said that the districts which had suffered south, of Auckland were Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay and the Wairarapa districts in the North Island, and Canterbury, Nelson and Marlborough in the South Island. The fruit crop in Nelson, however, was a satisfactory one. Taranaki, Otago and Southland and the west coast of the South Island had not been affected. Generally speaking, the rainfall had been greater on the west coast of both islands than on the east coast. “As far as this month at least is concerned, there will be no shortage of ships to convey our produce to the Old Country, ’ added Mr. Massey. “Up to the present the position has been met very " °H, an( l the position in regard to frozen meat has been relieved to some c>.. tent by the recent rainfalls, which 0 f course will render it unnecessary to baton the killing operations to such an extent as would have been unavoidable i!, ‘‘ (1, A weather been further nro bulged. I nfortunately, however, ir.c iCl ’ w,f r: “" )ior been sufficiently ge?:eral to give relief in all the -reproducing districts. ”