LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 30 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

At the Taihape Police Court this morning three first-offenders were convicted and fined 5/- each.

An elderly, though capable, man is wanting work at carpenteriig, or at any other work than is not of too •heavy a character.

A newly gazetted regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act provides that extension telephones on private lines shall be charged at the rate of £1 per annum ehch if maintained by the Department.

Soft felt hats for men at Stanley Peyton’s from 3/11.

The Gazette notifies that'the export of hides and skins from New Zealand to the United States is only permissible with the sanction of the Controller, of Customs.

It is notified that a brake will run to and from the Box Company’s works and Utiku on Friday and Saturday next. Seats may be booked at Kelly’s Stables. As there are likely to be a large number of people travelling seats should be booked to prevent disappointment.

Last winter two ice-breakers kept Vladisvostock open throughout the entire cold -season without any trouble This year a third ice-breaker has been purchased in Japan, and the port authorities anticipate no difficulty in keeping channels open to the docks. It is estimated that a trainload of war supplies starts westwarS every three hours. *

Splendid line of summer singlets at 1/6. Very cool and comfortable; at Stanley Peyton’s.

In anotlier column Messrs. George Jack and Eobert Dixon, trading under the name of Jack and Dixon, sawmillers, Mataroa, notify that the partnership existing between them is dissolved as ;from the 28th of December, 1915. Mr. George Jack will carry on the business, to whom all accounts due to the firm are payable.

A Wellington resident while recently driving along the beach road near Island Bay, observed lying on the rocks a lump of material which he believed to be ambergris. The stuff, which weighed about a hundred pounds, was picked up by the finder, and tested by two scientists, who are undecided as to its nature A sample of the material has been sent to England for testing. Grey ambergris said to be worth at least £6 an ounce.

A silk shirt is very nice for wear during the hot weather. See Stanley Peyton’s stock from 8/S.

In Sydney, yesterday, a Hew Zealander, named Pauline Eloise St. George, a nurse, committed suicide by shooting herself. Press Association.

A Press wire states that a stricter 1 regime has been initiated at the Liverpool (N.S.W.) Camp. Yesterday, Hour soldiers, for various offences, were paraded before their battalion, their discharges publicly read out, and •then they were drummed out of the (camp.

During the holidays a man named Wiltshire, while bathing in the Hautapu River, was taken ill and was in danger of drowning, when a man named George Simpson, a trooper on leave, dived in and brought him to shore.

On New Year’s Night (Saturday) a dance is to be held in O’Connor’s Hall, the admission to which is two shillings for gentlemen, while ladies are free. During the evening a poi dance will be given by a number of Maori maidens, and a waltzing competition will take place.

Men’s Smart straw boaters, at Stanley Peyton’s from 2/- each.

The number of mail bags and parcels post hampers received and despatched and the vaiiue of. stamps sold at the Chief Post Office, Wellington from December 21 to 24, inclusive, were as follows: Mail bags received, 3,225, despatched 4,355; parcels post hampers received, 2,15 1 despatc-ied, 2,785; value of stamps sold, £5 ; 7Sr 2/11.

In another column Mr. A. Spence, draper, extends the New Year’s greetings to one and all. He thanks the people of Taihape for the splendid patronage accorded him and assures them that his future efforts will be to give every satisfaction in quality , price, and service. All the resources of his establishment are at the service of his patrons and every studied effort will be made to please.

Special line of made to measure trousers. Best of worsteds, cuff bottoms, beautifully cut, from 12/6 to 18/6. At Stanley Peyton’s.

“The way of shooting spies is this,” tate s a writer who has spent some time in the British lines in the West. “They are shot at sunrise. They are 1 oncealed from the firing squad hy a sheet hung in front of them. They were so placed that the light, coming rom behind them, throws their shadows on the screen. In each squad some guns are loaded with blank cartridges, so that a man firing at the silhouetted figure on the screen never knows whether he has taken a life or not.”

Japan is a country of small hol<*ings, and every bit of land is put ro good purpose. The principal crop is rice, which forms the staple food ov the people, but among the richev classes the' consumption of wheat is becoming morej- common. Rice is grown on about' 7,000,000 acres, producing about 27,000,000 cwt. of rice in average seasons. The area unCer the crop has remained about the sam*. for the last twenty years; the yield, however, has increased nearly- 30 per cent., owing to improved methods of cultivation and the more genera! use of manures. Cereals cover neariy 5,000,000 acres. Silk cultivation is as important industry, and is rapidly extending.

In last week’s Gazette appeared a notice abolishing branding registration districts throughout the Dominion and constituting new ones. The new districts locally and their registration offices are as follows: Waimarino registration district: The counties of Kaitieke and Waimarino, and including all boroughs and town districts in or adjacent to that area; Patea: The counties of Patea and Waitotara, and including all town districts in or adjacent to that area; Wanganui: The county of Wanganui, and including all boroughs and town districts in or adjacent to that area; Eangitikei: The county of Rangitikei, and including alii boroughs and town districts in or adjacent to that area. The registration office for the above districts ?s situated at Wanganui.

It is understood that an Anti-Ger-man League is about to be formed in Wellington. Two of the planks in the league’s platform, it is stated, will be a movement to discourage the employment of Germans or people of Germanic extraction in any Government position, particularly military positions, as it is said to be a part of the German creed to seek enlistment, and even commissions in the Defence Forces whenever it is possible to attain ends not conducive to the success of our arms. Another plunk will be the discouragement of trade with the enemy and with firms established in neutral countries that are known or suspected to be German firms o’firms with a German backing. It is said that sufficient funds will be available to appoint a paid secretary, who will make the fullest investigation into any suspect cases.