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Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 121, 23 May 1916, Page 4

"New Zealand, which has taken such a wonderful part in this war — 60,000 men have been equipped—finds that its expenditure, on a per capita basis, is commencing to run close to the expenditure in the Old Country."

Newspaper correspondents state that several German towns are seriously considering schemes of communal feeding. Herr Waldon, of Pomerania, has been appointed German Minister for Supplies with ruthless powers as food dictator.

Women gardeners continue to be In great demand in a number of provincial towns in Great Britain, where the work waiting to be done largely exceeds the capaciay of the present supply of trained women.

The export of flax is to be resumed. The New Zealand Fhixni'.lk'rs' Assn. lias advised all millers rVit the exporters liad notified the Association that they will again accept hemp tor .shipment as from May 2oth.

Mr B. Treharne, an English composer of the most advanced school, who liaT been interned at Eusleben tor 16 months was recently released on the ground of ill-health. During his internment he composed more than fiO songs, part-song and instrumental works.

Two Stratford County Councillors were "hoist with their own petard." Their motion that the services of the engineer (Mr Lopdell) he disposed witli was lost by seven votes to two, whereupon another councillor moved that the engineer's salary be increased by £25, and this was carried by seven to two. The mover of the last motion said he wanted the engineer to feel that the increase was a token of the confidence he was held in by the majority of the council, and he wanted the people outside Stratford to know that the engineer had the respect and confidence of the council. , ;•„;

The public examination of H. B. Duncan, bankrupt, is set down at. the Wanganui Supreme Court for to-day.

The British sciticn of the K.-l'of Bureau at Berne is supplying 19,000 British prisoners in Germany with consignments of f .-k.") 2'h loaves dally.

What's in a name? At the Masterton recruiting office the other day a man named Casement volunteered for active service. The Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, will make a general statement concerning both the political and the military situation in the House of Commons to-day.

Any information of a lest black and tan sseep dog. with while on breast and tip of tail, answering to the name of Mick, will) be than fully xeceived at Kelly's Stabler,, Tujhape.

Mr. W. R. Morris, Postal Secretary of the Department, states that no less than 747 members of the staff had enlisted last year, and 34 had lost their lives.

The great diminution in the import of French wines into U.S.A. has sent up the price of champagne by £2 or £3 a case, and the cheapest brands arc now £8 a dozen.

A company is at present engaged in experimenting with a view to the manufacture of paper in New Zealand. Machinery is in operation on the Main Trunk line, states an exchange.

"Kacing may improve the breed of horses, but it does not improve the breed of men, judging from Hie size -of these boys,''' remarked Mr F. .V Frazer S.M., in the Auckland Police Court.

The Prime Minister states that up till the present no cases of exploitation or boycotting had been reported by the Board of Trade. He premised to refer any such cases reported to him to the Board of Trade.

T.'ie Norfolk War Agricultural Committee adopted the following scale for women workers, of whom 3500 have already been enrolled in the country: Normal hours, 8 to 4 o'clock or 9 to 5, with a half-hour interval for dinner. Wages, 2s a day.

Madagascar possesses the only oxen cavalry regiment in the world. The climate is so unhealthy for horses that some substitute had to be found. The oxen have been trained to manoeuvre with surprising skill, and lack nothing of the qualities of the horse except its speed.

A "B'oer (War Battalion" is the latest idea to supplement the forces from New Zealand. Three ex-contin-genters in th e Stratford district are moving in the matter of raising 1000 of their old comrades and it is the intention to ask the Defence Department if a battalion of married and single men up to the age of 45 would be accepted for service.

The Crown Prince of Serbia is in the unusual position for a Crown Prince of being the youngest of the family. The eldest is the Princess Helene. The second, Prince George, renounced his right of succession in 1909, after some episodes which made that course desirable. What part, if any, he has taken in the ordeal of "lis country is not known.

A friend, home from the trenches on short leave, told me the other day (says a writer in the Sydney Bulletin) that the power of the horse to detect the approach of poisonous gas was quite remarkable. They seem to become conscious of the deadly menace before the men have any apprehnsion of it, and they cry out loudly as though in terror or pain.

In discussing what the National Government had done in endeavouring to prevent men of military age leaving New Zealand to escape doing their duty to the Empire, the Minister of Internal Affairs announced in the House that since November 1 no less than 5000 passports had been issued.

Some time ago it was announced that the Bank of New Zealand had contributed the sum of £IO,OOO for war relief purposes. The Bank, in reply to enquiries by the War Funds Council has wrieten ho the Minister of Internal Afftirs stating that it is desired that the money should be applied to the relief of wounded or permanently incapacitated soldiers and their dependants.

One of the funniest stories of the Kaiser appears in a Glasgow contemporary. It gives a conversation which is said to have taken place a few weeks ago between his Imperial Majesty and the Crown Prince. Crown Prince to Kaiser: "Father, who started the war? Was it the Emperor Joseph or King Peter of Serbia, or King George, or had the King of Bulgaria or the Sultan of Turkey a hand in it " "No, no, my son," said the Kaiser, "none of they had anything tc do with it. There wag a man called Rcosevelt came from America to see me. I let him see my great army, my great navy, my great guns, and my huge stores of munitions. He gave me a pat on the shoulder, and said, 'Bill, you can conquer the world,' and I, like a blooming fool, believed him."

At the quarterly meeting of the directors of the Farmers' Union Mutual Fire Insurance Association, held at Palmerston North, it was reported that the total insurances now held by the association amount to over £350,000, an increase being shown for the year of £09,500. The losses for the year tmounted to £2,359.

Of the three Willochra men under observation two have been discharged, so there are only two smallpox cases and one under observation. A clean bill; of health will be probably given and loading operations begin today. No trouble, is anticipated from waterside workers. If they object to vaccination the Health Department will probably consider it unnecessary to press the matter.

Referring to the reports regarding the presence of New Zealand troops in England, the Minister for Defence states that parents on hearing that their sons are in London need not fear that they are sick or wounded. It probably means that they.are on short furlough. The men. says Mr Allen, are being sent over for short spells at the rate of about 200 daily.

The well-known Auckland artist, Mr J. Douglas Porrett, intends to give residents of Taiape and district an opportunity to see and acquire specimens of his work. He is arranging for n display of pictures and will offer them for safc by auction next Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock. This is a ehanee to purchase good works by a well accredited New Zealand artist that lovers of arc should not overlook.

A curious coincident '■'- riportnd in connection with. Thursday's land bal. lot at Napier (says the Hastings Tribune). One of the applicant, E. T. Littlejohn, had not formally received bis discharge and was told that unless he complied with the conditions of the Land Board, viz., became a returned soldier., his application could not be :ic.cepfed. Thereupon several friends in the Defence Department received permission from Captain Francis, who was on a visit to Napier, to hold a special meeting- of the Medical Board. The Board met at 4..')0 in the afternoon, and vsued a certificate of discharge to Littlejohn, who presented it to the Land Board at S p.m. Strange to relate, Littlejohn was afterwards successful in drawing a section, for which there were over 2S applicants.

Feahterston camp is well provided with social institues. Another has now been added, in the United Institute, which is just about completed. It is not under the control or- auspices of any one particular church or organisation, but represents a first attempt at co-operation on a large scale on tho Baptist Congregational and the Y.M.C.A Contributions are being received from all these bodies. The result of this co-operation is a building adequately suited to all requirements. It is llshaped, and contains three halls, as part of the Presbyterian, Methodist, well as rooms for the use of the officers in charge. It is passible to hold separate denominational parades at the same time in the institute. Th largst halJ is capable of seating" about SOO comfortably, and is thus easily the largest concert or parade hall in camp. The other hall's will provide opportunities for writing, reading, and games. Those in charge of the work in the institute will be the Presbyterian and Methodist chaplains and a Y.M.C.A. secretary.

Two years ago, on the eve of an execution at Melbourne Gaol, it was suddenly discovered that the services of a public executioner could not be secured, the holder of that office, an habitual criminal, having some little time before obtained his discharge from Pentridge and left the State (says th e Melbourne "Age.") The then sheriff was very much perturbed, because, failing the securing of a hangman, he himself was responsible for conducting the execution. The night before the law was to be carried into effect two men visited the Melbourne Police Station and offered to fill the vacancy for a remuneration, but before the morning another criminal at Pentridge agreed to accept the vacant office. He carried out his work well, and retained the position of public executioner and flagellator until a. month or so back, when -he completed his sentence of ten years and was released. Last week two floggings for prisoners became due. Other prisoners refused to wield the "cat," and the governor of the gaol was faced with th e prospect of having to flog the men himself. At the last moment the discharged executioner was located and for payment he fulfilled the unpleasant duty. It has now been decided that he shall be retained by the State as executioner on an annual salary, provided he reports twice a week for any duty which may be required of him. The governor of Pentridge and the present sheriff have therefore been relieved of much anxiety in regard to future executions and flagellations.

Scones and eakes are always light and nourishing when baked with that superior compound SHAKLAND'S Baking Powder. Most economical you can buy.