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Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 30 November 1916, Page 4

“He does not drink, follow raceworses, or gambling in any way,” said a constable in testifying to a youngman’s good character at the Wellington Supremo Court. “That makes/him unique,” remarked the Chief Justice.

A man named Thomas Wallace, employed as foreman in the Auckland Public Works Department, was arrested in Auckland for stealing £127 17s of Government moneys. Accused was brought before the Court on Tuesday, and it was stated that accused intended to plead guilty, and full reparation had been made. The case was adjourned.

A firm of solicitors advertised in Johannesburg for Mrs. David Charles Davis, sister of the late Lieut.-Colonel Richard Bernard Poole, Royal Horse Artillery, who was killed in Flanders on May 27, and whose solo heiress Mrs. Davis is. She inherits £BO,OOO, eight farms, and 15 houses. Mrs. Davis the wife of a nnner, and only saw the advertisement by chance.

Mr. W. S. Percy, the old Pollard and Williamson comedian, after a hard struggle consequent on the war upsetting arrangements and closing many avenues, has at last succeeded in getting a footing in London. That his abilities are being recognised is evident from the fact that he was recently called upon to play Harry Tate’s part in “Joyland,” when that comedian was out of the bill for a few nights.

A valuer possession, in the form of a gold cup, has been brought from Australia by Mr. W. G. Stead, the well known sportsman, who returned to the Dominion by the steamer Niagara. The cup is similar in shape to a rose bowl, and stands about lOin. high. It is the trophy attached to the stake in the Melbourne Cup race of this year. The race was won by Mr Stead’s horse Sasanof, which was bred in New Zealand by Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P. in referring to the question of placing returned soldiers on the land, at a function in Mastcrtou, Mr Sykes, M.P., predicted that after the cessation of hostilities closer settlement in New Zealand would bo required. It was Nearly the duty of every large landowner with kith or kin to either give their land or finance returned men on -ome of their property. There would, he .-aid be no bog-pardons when the war was o\ In the meantime aggregation proceed:' apace.

The German War Minister has issued an order that fathers with large families arc not to be kept continually at the front.

Proper accommodation for girls is now a great problem in Wellington, and St. John’s Presbyterian Church is soon to build a hostel fon girls.

General Smuts, thanking the troops which are returning to South Africa, stated that he hoped that they would be able to maintain a South African contingent in Europe.

The recently erected Feilding Freezing Works made a start this week. It is said that the quality of lamb coming forward is quite up to expectations, the average weight being about 37 lbs.

Reuter’s correspondent at The Hague states that the second chamber of the Legislature of the Netherlands has decided to make women eligible for membership of the States-Gencral.

Dr Akcd, who resigned the pastorate of the Congregational Church at San Francisco to accompany the Ford peace mission, was refused reinstatement by the congregation, notwithstanding that lie offered to return at a lower salary.

Of a £SOOO prize in Tatt’s sweeps, the Federal Government take £7(30 l(ss Sd by way of income tax. People who ought to know state that Tattcrsall’s deduct the amount for the Federal Government, and send only the remainder to the prize winner. It saves endless trouble.

The Government has proclaimed 3(545 acres of Crown lands in the Auckland district for selection by discharged soldiers under ordinary tenure; also 8(53 acres in the Nelson district, and 508 in the Otago land district under special tenure. The hundred thousand acres or two in the Taihape district seem to miss attracting the Government’s eye.

An amusing story conies from the Midlands where one of the largest farmers in the country is trying women labour. Ho set a batch to dig potatoes, but they got on but slowly. On the following week they fairly raced each other. The shrewd farmer chuckled. He had cunningly dropped halfpence in the soil, and at the oxponco of about half a crown he had pocketed ten times the amount of his expenditure.

A British colonel, who is not unknown in the political world, has every reason to think the French are honest. While in Marseilles recently he dropped a wallet containing £IOOO, and did not discover his loss for some time. When he did, he rushed off at once to the chief police station,, and to his great relief, found that a French artilleryman had picked it up and brought it at once to the station. Needless to say, the honest soldier was handsomely rewarded.

While a hymn was being sung at St. Mary’s Church, New Plymouth, on Sunday night (says the Herald) the electric lights suddenly failed and the church was plunged in darkness. The singing ceased abruptly, and Bishop Averill, who wa s conducting the service asked the congregation to be seated. After an interruption of about ten minutes th c Bishop announced that.the hymn (No. 24(1) would be resting. Appriately enough* the first line was: "What various hindrances we meet.”

A large sale of sheep has just been reported, Mr Charles Hanson, proprietor of thc Waioura sheep station (7G, 000 acres) having disposed of his flock at a price approximating £30,000 cash. Mr Hanson was a member of the Ist New Zealand South African contingent, under Brigadier-General (then Major) Robin. He represented New Zealand at the late Queen Victoria’s funeral, and was a member of King George’s (then Prince of Wales) bodyguard on His Majesty’s visi tto Now Zealand. Mr Hanson is now enlisting as a private.

A resident of Wellington has received from a New Zealander, Private J. Coulter, who is a prisoner of war at Bilcmidik, Turkey, a postcard containing the following statement: "What is our Government thinking of over there Here wo have been for thirteen months and have not had a lino from a public source to ask after us, while Scotch, English and Irish get money and parcels from funds. Thc card is dated August 27, 1916, and has been forwarded by thc International Agency for Prisoners of War, in connection with the Geneva International Committee of the Red Cross. Thi Chambers of Commutes Conference recently Jield in Wellington devoted a considerable portion of its final sitting to the discussion of the question of land aggregation, two instances being given, one of a wealthy man aggregating 1000 acres into one estate that had previously supported four families. The other case was that of a bachelor farmer who had bought up a whole countryside, converting twenty farms into one great estate. Wo have no need to go outside our own district for instances of the same nature. In New Zealand we have the peculiar paradox of the Government acquiring large estates from private persons to cut up for closer settlement, and on the other hand allowing individuals without restriction to acquire the properties of small farmers for converting into one holding.

Eggs brought 30s for 120 at Smithfield Market,. London, last week, a record price. A Dunedin correspondent telegraphs to a contemporary: It will be no surprise if the hospital ship Mahcno, now on her way to New Zealand with a party of officers, men and nurses, numbering in all 372, makes Port Chalmers her first port of call, reaching here about December 10.

Upon enquiry at the Defence Headquarters, the Wellington Times was informed that no appeals had been received from Reservists whose names were drawn at the first ballot under the Military Service Act, nor had any of the Reservists as yet intimated by telegram their intention to appeal.

"One of the soldiers imprisoned early in the war has lately returned to Ireland under the system of exchanging men too ill every to fight again, ' ’ says the London Spectator. “When he drove through the shattered Sackville street he remarked; ‘Share, I’d never heard that they’d got Home Rule.’ ”

“It is quite a common thing to find the Roman Catholic Chaplain, the Anglican Chaplain, the Methodist Chaplain, the Salvation Army Chaplain and the Presbyterian Chaplain working together in camp in the common interest as though there were no differences between ''■them,” said (Captain-ChaplSrin Gilbert at the Presbyterian Assembly.

Mr Durack, leader of the broken wing of the New South Wales Labour Party, has cabled to Mr Eamsay Macdonald, lender of the British Labour Party, asking him to raise the question of the prolongation of the State Parliament in the House of Commons, adding: “The official Labour Party of New South Wales will endorse any action. ’ ’

The Australian Eed Cross Society in London has received sufficient Xmas donations to enable a six-shillings parcel to be sent to every Australian in Germany and Turkey. The contents of the parcels consist of soup, meat, bacon, plum-pudding, Australian jams, and special parcels of clothing are being sent for 77 Australians in German hospitals.

General Eichard&on, commanding New Zealand troops in England, has cabled to the commandant (Sir A. W.-Eobin) as follows: “I propose to allow all the troops in camp and New Zealand General Hospital to have, special meals on Christmas Day at Government ; s, expense, and avoid, if possible, asking favours of anyone. Telegraph at once whether Government agree. ’ ’ The Hon. J. Allen, Minister of Defence and Acting Prime Minister, has approved of the proposal.

A Gisborne lady bag received from a relative in England, a civil engineer, information which discloses something of the internal state of Germany. The writer’s daughter was married to a German in good postiion, and had been unable to return to. England since the war. The letter states: “My daughter’s life now is not a happy one. She has to wait sometimes four hours in a queue to get food, and then often goes away empty-handed, her servant also, wham she sends in another direction, so has to fall back on chocolate.”

The Discharged Soldiers’ Information Department reports that 5905 men are on the register, nearly all of whom have been disposed of. 2186 men had work to go to, or have enlisted, or returned to military duty; 1208 have been placed in employment; 1168 wanted no assistance. The address of 150 cannot be ascertained; 444 have not responded to communication, or have not accepted the work found for them. The cases "not disposed of number 507, of whom 138 are on the Wanted Employment Register.