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Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 123, 25 May 1916, Page 4

Private advice lias been received in Taihape to the effect that Private C. Tobeek, who left here with the 10th Reinforcements, lias been accidentally wounded.

A Nu-baka correspondent of the Gisborne Times states that a number of small whales have been washed up on Opoutama beach lately, making a great harvest for the Maoris.

A Masterton resident recently received a letter from a british prisoner in a prison camp in Germany, tbe name of which is “Kriegsgefangerriasluduag.”

A lady resident in Marton district makes the statement that during the last 15 months she has posted no less than 400 newspapers to her son at the front, not one of which had he received. .

Some time ago, a correspondent in the Post stated that he would be willing to enlist if someone would pay his insurance premiums. The ton Patriotic Society took up the case and has since then afforded relief in a number of similar applications.

‘“We are so pleased to see the New Zealand boys doing so well for the Mother Country and we are all proud of your help,” writes a correspondent in London to a friend in Te Aroha. “This Old Country is strangely altered. Thousands of women are working in the place of men, many as ’bus and train conductors. They do the work well, too. From the London and North-Western Railway Company alone we have sent 17,000 men.”

A recruit at the Riverton office for enlistment last week has been through three wars, and is the father of a family. He was passed on to the doctor for medical examination.

The Schleswig-Holstein journal ‘ heimdel” states that it is impossible to obtain butter, lard and meat in the large towns since Easter. TraeHlng street kitchens are now universal. In Hamburg there arc 76 such kitchen?? feeding 150,000 people daily. A public meeting is to be held at Mataroa on Monday evening, 29th May, at 8 o ’clock, i to elect five trustees in whom is to ho invested the Mttaroa Hall property. The meeting will also elect a committee to devise means for paying off the debt owing on the piano in the hall,

The death of Mr John Grant, proprietor of the "Examiner” for the past 20 years, is announced in a Press Association telegram from Woodville. Mr Grant was 65 years of age. He leaves a widow and a family of four sons and four daughters. Two sons arc on active service, one is in Africa, and the other is in Napier.

The great magician Hugard, will make his appearance in Taihapc on Friday evening, at the Town Had, with an added attraction of the great Chinese mystery-maker Ching Sung Loo The musical side of the programme is in good hands; Miss Myra Errington is too well known to need any particular mention as a musician. Miss Millie Clare is a clever vocalist and Clivalll with his clog "Sport” is a marvel. A middle-aged man, Alexander J. S. Thomson, a saddler, was killed to-night near the signal-box at the Bunny street end of Lambton station. He apparently was going towards the wharves and got off the road and on the line. A shunter riding os front of an engine saw nothing till the man suddenly lurched forward and fell under the cow-catcher. His body was fearfully mangled his skull smashed and his left arm severed. Thomson died in a few minutes. He loaves a wife and three children. While on route from San Francisco to Sydney, the mail steamer Ventura received a wirelfess message from San Francisco, at a distance of 5560 miles. The ship was then using a new invention called the Audion detector. The operator picked up clearly and read a message from Tuckerton station New Jersey, a distance of over 9000 miles, these facts are claimed as world’s records.

Giving evidence at Palmerston yesterday before the Royal Commission on the Levin-Greatford railway deviation, Sir James Wilson, Chairman of the Manawatu County Council, explained by the aid of a map the general character of the country through which the proposed deviation runs. In the Rongotea ditrict he knew of some land that he considered was the best grazing land in the world, and was capable of carrying a beast to the acre. On the road a three-horse team would expect to get 30s a day. He was questioned at length on technical matters affecting the issue. The Commission was adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day.

That there has been some exceedingly “hot work in Flanders recently is shown by a letter received by a Pa tea. resident from his brother in the trenches near In the letter he says: “Last Thursday we won some, e blew up about five mines just in front of ns, and mv word, what an experience it was The place seemed as though it was made of jelly for a minute or s) and you can imagine the force of the explosion when WI tell you the largest crater was a quarter of a mile round, quite by far the biggest mine that h*>s ever been on this front. We'and the Bth Battalion just nipped across aal took all the craters, but this was rot the. worst job. We had to hold them after we had taken them. Tf you keep your eyes open yon will probably see that our captain will get the V.C., as I think lie has been recommended for it. He is the bravest man I have seen. He was wounded in three places but stuck to his post and *efused to leave it till we had consolidated our position There must have been thousands of Germans buried in the explosios. It was a sight that one could never forgot

Mr W, H. George, of Wellington, who went to Cairo at his own expense, to enquire into Y.M.C.A. work, has returned. He reports that there was no doubt that all Y.M.C.A. moneys were being handled economically and efficiently The chairman of the Hgyptian National Council was the High Commissioner for Egypt Sir Henry McMahon, the vice-chairman was Lord Edward Cecil,, the treasurer was Hr R. M Graingor-Stewart (manager of the National Bank of Egypt), and the energetic secretary was Mr Win Jessup and every officer appeared to take the lievliest interest in the affairs of the association And right throughout the visit of the New Zealand representatives to Egypt they heard nothing but Ihe greatest praise from Generals down to privates of the work, that was being done by the Y.M.C.A., and, said Mr George, ‘‘ 1 was glad to heai on all sides that the New Zealand troops were the best conducted and most efficient troops in Egypt! ” ■

The Committee of the Championship Dog Trial meeting which commences at Moawhango on the 31st May, has kindly consented to conduct a weight-gues-sing competition in aid of the Red Cross Funds.

It is stated that February 17th, 1917, has been fixed by the Government as the day on which the New Zealand census is to be taken. Nothing is said about the men avlio are at the various fighting fronts, but perhaps it is assumed they will bo home again.

Eleven Senior Cadets were examined at Taihape last evening preparatory to being posted to the Territorials. Ail were passed as lit, though two were suffering from slight varicocilc.

In this issue the Commissioner of Crown Lands is advertising the sale of a number of town, suburban and rural lands in various townships and localities. Those wanting land or business sections shouM read carefully this advertisement.

In future the men registering for service in the Now Zealand Expeditionary Force must be classed by the medical officer who examines the recruit under one of the following eatagories: (|) Fit for active service; (2) fit for home service; (3) unfit for both the above. A grand concert is to be given at Moawhango on Wednesday, 31st May, in aid of the Rod Cross Funds. Mr Stanley Peyton has undertaken to organise the programme,, it may therefore be taken for certain that it will be a huge success. It is understood that the grass is already being well trodden down at the Taihape end, and also at Moawhango. where Mr MeCombie and Mr Shepherd are on the pat'll. If Mr Bates can manage to so order the weather that friends in neighbouring districts can venture out, there will be one of the largest houses ever seen at that rapidly growing centre.

“There are still a lot of very sick men in the hospitals of Egypt,” said Mr. W. G. Jamieson, chairman of the National Council of the Ncav Zealand Y.M.C.A.. who has just returned from Egypt Avith Mr. George, of Wellington. “We visited many of the hospitals •5’v 1 fmnd them all pretty full, though

they are beginning to thin out a little. When avc arrived, the New Zealand Hospital at Pont-de-Koubbeh aves quite full, and in addition there Avere patients accommodated in marquees in the grounds. Some of them are still A-ery bad, but as they get strong enough to stand the journey they are being shipped away to a more bracing climate.”

Is a man who has been in constant employment for many years a casual labourer? his point cropped up at the Arbitration Court at Wellington last week, while the timber trade workers’ dispute was being heard. One witness, in his evidence, said that one employee he knew of had been dismissed at a moment’s notice,after being continually employed for twenty- ! six years by one firm. It was contended for the union that if a man could be dispensed with without any notice his employment must be casual. His Honor Mr. Justice Stringer. ‘A man who has been continuously employed for twenty-six years can hardly be called a casual labourer.” Later, a representative of the firm in whose employ the man had been explained that he was a splendid worker. but grew too old for the heavy Work and decided to look for lighter employment. Seventeen members of the local branch of the Farmers’ Union left here on Thursday last for Frankton and visited the Ruakura Experimental Farm on Friday. They were met at the Clandlands station by Mr Green, the manager of the farm, and were shown round. ■ They saw the experiments which tre being carried out with various grasses and manures, were shown the pedigree cattle, horses and pigs, the apiary and poultry farm and a demonstration of pruning fruit trees was also given them. Luncheon was provided for the party at the manager's house, where they were very hospitably entertained. They loft in the afternoon by motor for Hamilton, returning to Taihape on Saturday morning. All the members of the party enjoyed the visit and speak in the highest terms of the courtesy of the manager and his staff.

Mr J. Schloss, indent merchant, of Wellington, who is nn nnnaturalised alien enemy, and who lias hitherto been carrying on business under the name of J. L. Leonard, is prohibited by the War Regulations of 2nd May, 191(1, from being engaged in foreign trade, and certain restrictions have by notice signed on the I9th inst., by the At-torney-General. been imposed upon the scope and nature of that business, and the mode of carrying it on. In order that the observance of these restrictions may be secured, the Public Trustee iias been appointed to supervise the firm's foreign operations. One important restriction is that no goods from oversea ports must be shipped after May 31, except goods already paid for. As the business is entirely an indenting one, tho whole of its operations will cease automatically with the cessation ©f the permitted shipments.

Lumber laden, the American schooner Fred J. Wood (608 tons gross) arrived at Port Chalmers at 2.20 p.m. on Friday last with a cargo of over 500,000 ft of Oregon timber from Hoquiam Harbour, Sound, U.SA.. The voyage occupied 62 days. It is understood that the Fred J. charter Avorks out at 83s per thousand feet.

“I think tkat pricing your land on the present price of your products is ridiculous and absurd. A great number of people have been ruined by it. I only hope that the prices Avill be maintained after the war is over and that there will not be a big drop. I have seen it before. Land that was said to be \-ery good, fetching a high price, and some years later only bringing half the original price.”—The Chief Justice to Sir J. G. .Wilson at the Railway Deviation Commission yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon. Mr. H. B. Duncal called at the Daily Times office and stated that he had been publicly examined at Wanganui in connection with his bankruptcy, and had been fined £25 for not keeping proper books. Mr. Duncan evidently forgot that anyone Avith a little common sense, even Avithout a knoAvledge of the procedure, would realise tin-t such a story Avas untrue. For the menefifc of those interested it may be added that the bankrupt has not yet been examined. .•••, Messrs W. G, Jamieson, of Christchurch, and W. H. George, of Wellington, travelled to Australia by th© steamer Morea. On board they were advised by the officers of a narroAV escape the big liner bad from being submarined as she steamed doAvn the Channel. About three hours before the Morea reached the spot where the Maloja was sent to the bottom, her officers Avere advised by Avireless from the Admiralty that a German submarine, evidently lying in wait, had been fished up from the bottom, probably preventing a “double events Fgav people are aware of the slow groAvth of the tree fern. One specimen, in a greenhouse has been known ta make only three inches of trunk in 25 years, and it is a generally accepted, fact that a tree fern the height of a man is 28 years old. Those who chop down the largest of these beautiful plants to decorate a shop front for a few hours little think that they are destroying over a century of growthEach ring of fronds represents a year’s growth of trunk. Those who Avish to calculate the age of a tree fern will thus have little difficulty in estimating the age by the top portion of the tree. The age of the »whole tree then becomes an easy matter of calculation.