LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 160, 11 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The jury at the Greymouth Supreme Court, yesterday handed their fees over to the Belgian Relief Fund.

Several hundred people were engaged blaekberryisg in the Hutt Valley on Sunday. The fruit gathered is estimated roughly at three tons. .

The price of flour in Christchurch has been increased to £l7 10/- per ton. The price of potatoes has fallen in Wellington. They are now quoted at from £5 10/- to 0 per ton.

"On the golf links!" exclaimed his Honour Mr. Justice Denniston, during the hearing of a case where "language" was concersed. "It would never do for strong language to be heard on such a place as a golf links! "

A reminder is given of the social and dance to be held in Kennedy's Building, Ohutn, this evening, proceeds to be devoted to the Belgian Fund. The committee has expended much effort in its endeavours to provide a good evening's amusement.

An interesting advertisement appears over the firm name of Colliason and Cunninghame. This Palmerston North firm has a steadly growing mail order trade owing to their constant efforts to give complete satisfaction. See page 8.

The Labour Party intend contesting seats on Borough and City Councils in several parts of the Dominion.

After providing for food and seed supplies till next harvest, Canada will have 28,000,000 bushels of wheat for export.

Captain Gallop, in c&aimand of a section of the English coast defences, writing to his brother, the Rev. E. H. Gallop, of Taumarunu, gives it as his opnion that a new army of 4,000,000 from the French and British will join the western'firing line shortly; of these he thinks Britain will furnish 1:} millions and France 2j millions.

The most successful auction sale of property ever held in Blenheim was conducted the other day. The property offered was owned by Mr. F. D. Monro, and was known as the I'elverton Estate. It comprised 04 sections, varying in area from 40 down to one-acre blocks. Every section was disposed of under the hammer, at an average price of £99 q,n acre, the whole estate realising £15,305.

The winning numbers in Mr. T. R. Attwood's Belgian Fund Art Union, tickets for which were sold at the recent Taihape Show, are as follows: Ist., 3071, Mr. Watson, Havelock N.j 2nd., 1402, Mrs. Whishaw, Kaitoke; 3rd., 2075, Ms.s Hunt, Hastings; 4th., 2(574, Mrs. R. McKay, Napier; sth., 907 Mr. G. Tait, Te Rehunga; oth., 473, D. Moore, Feilding; 7th., 1228, Miss Esdale, Masterton; Bth., 178, Mrs. G. Mexted, Feilding.

Two monkeys, which had escaped from captivity, created excitement in Symonds Street, Auckland, on Thursday evening. One of them stole a cucumber from a fruiterer's shop, and the pair then took refuge on a verandah, from which they defied all efforts to effect a capture. Later in the evening they were still at large, much to the annoyance of residents in that locality, who objected do having to close their windows.

An oyster "war" is the main topic of conversation at Bluff. Rival firms have cut prices down until it is said there is nothing in the trade. From 8/per sack the oysters came down to 7/fi, and then to 7/-, and now the old firms have announced 6/(5 as their pnse to their customers. Half-sacks, containing fifty dozen oysters, are emoted at i/ —or less than Id per dozen. Even in retail shops there is talk of a retail war in bottled oysters. Prices for large bottles have been 1/-, and' for

This morning the local territorials, numbering thirty odd, proceeded to the Marton Camp under SergeantMajor Schank. Prior to entraining, Mr. Yerex secured a photo of the group.

The whale discovered by Mr Andy McKay on the beach between White Rock "and Cape Palliser lighthlouse.was measured by a local resident last we'ek. The biig fish was 90 feet in length, 27 ft in girth, and about 16ft across the back, whilst a six foot man could easily stand in its mouth. A fair amount of whalebone has been extracted from the dead cetacean

The question of an improper book being en the shelves of tire Hutt library was brought before the council at its meeting last evening. Councillor Purdy said h'e had perused the beck and considered it was drivel, but in order to conform with the wishes of some of the readers, it was decided to remove the book complained of from the shelves.

The 700 firemen who attended the Timaru Fire Brigade Demonstration evidently had a strenuous time. The majorty of the firo fighters assert that they were simply "tired to death" in the south. They were so systematically attacked for the Belgian fund and by the Queen of the Carnival candidates that there was hardly anything left to come home with.

The Timaru branch of the N.Z. Locomotive Engine-drivers', Firemen and Cleaners' Association passed a resolution calling the attention of the Government to the unreasonable charges that are being made for the necessaries of Ife, and expressing the opinion that the present crisis is being used by millers and merchants for their private enrichment. The resolution also deplores the inaetivty of the Government in allowing such exploitation to take place, and calls upon the Government to fix maximum prices for all the common necessaries of life.

One of the finest war sidelight pictures that has ever come to New Zealand is to be shown at the Station St. Theatre to-night. The unfurling of this film commences at 8-20 and it takes up the whole evening, being upwards of 0000 feet in length. It is a magnificent peice of photography, with unique, original effects. The acting is superb and most human. The title is "Orders under Seal" and it possesses all the component parts of real drama, true love intrigue, plot, counter-plot, hairbreath escapes, the downfall of vice and the triumph of virtue.

A constable was giving evidence in the Lower Court, and was describing the approach of a motor-car to an hotel he was watching. "We heard them coming along the road," he said. •''They were very hilerous and noisy." Mr. T. M. Wilford (for defendant): "They were what?" Witness: "Very bilious and noisy, you know." Counsel: "Hilious?" Witness: "No, hilirious.' Counsel: "Oh, you mean hilarious?" Witness: "Yes, that's it. I can't pronounce it. I can spell it." Counsel: "Well, you ought to be careful about using these big words you don't understand." The Court smiled broadly.