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Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 1 December 1916, Page 4

The subject of the Bible in State schools was mentioned at the meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly when it was resolved that the matter be held in abeyance during the war. “You can fruit only?” said counsel to a M itne/s in the Supreme Court. “No.” replied the wdlness, “I manufacture jam as well.” His Honour remarked that the answer given to counsel reminded him of the man who said, “We can all we can, and eat what wo can’t.” A mutual insurance scheme is contenjplated by the Wellington Automobile Club. A sub-committee bas recommended that a company be formed in which club members will be enabled to insure Their cars against loss by tire anywhere within the Dominion at a rate very considerably less than .obtainable from fire offices.

A number of sick and invalided soldiers will arrive by the Ruahinc at Wellington on Monday next, Mr J H. Johnson, wood and coal merchant and cordial manufacturer, wants a driver Good wages will be paid to a suitable man. Bread ha s again risen to tcnpcncc a loaf in Taihape a notification to that effect appearing in another column over the names of all Taihape bakers. There was some trouble in the camp at Trentham a day or so ago, due, it is stated, to the condition of the meat distributed at one of the meals. Ihe men resented very strongly the presence of more in the meat than had any right to be there, particularly as it was supposed to be perfectly fresh meat when issued to t-he cooks.

The Public Trustee notifies that all persons having claims against the estate of Turangapito Taupoki, otherwise known as Turangapito To Eangihiroa, of Papakai, farmer, deceased, are required to send them with particulars to the Manager of the Public Trust Office, at Wanganui, on or before the 30th January, next, as all accounts rendered after that date may be rejected.

A woman possessing a variety of high-sounding cognomens appeared at Wellington to show' cause why she should not be dealt with under the war regulations’. The offence alleged against Phyllis Ferrara or Phyllis Elvera de Fluery, was that she loitered in Courtenay Place for the purposes of prostitution. She pleaded not guilty, but the evidence told against her, and the magistrate sent her into retirement for a month.

The Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald) stated that there was no fresh development regarding the commandeering of New Zealand cheese by the Imperial author ities. He has received an intimation that consignments which have already reached the Old Country are not being delivered to private consignees, and advices are awaited as to now prices are to fixed for what the Imperial authorities take over.

The need of concerted action towards securing greater supervision over young girls, who are subject to temptation by unprincipled men, was considered at the meeting of the Auckland Education Board last Wednesday. A resolution was passed urging the Department of Justice to appoint women as police for the protection of women and children. It was decided to send copies of the resolution to all Cabinet Ministers/ members of Parliament, and to all the Education Boards in the Dominion. “War has never spelt blessing to re ligion,” stated the Rev. J. A. Aster at the Assembly at Welling ton last week. All the big wars, he said, had been followed by religious decadence. He instanced how difficult it was to interest people in the regular intercession services, and gave support to the notion that if the people had been on their knees during the last two years the war would be nearer ending now than it was. After the war, with the big economical struggle that was bound to come, the Church would be faced with many difficult problems. A wag ventures the opinion that the Rev. gentleman is quite right, and says the war is only continuing now to decide a matter of precedence, “Whether English or Germans should go on their knees first.”

Just before the termination of the interview between members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers, at which a request was made for the abolition of the tax on butterfat, the Hon A. Myers pointed out that farmers were not badly cared for in New Zealand. He held that farmers as a class had always been well looked after here. The Government purchased land for them, lent them money at cheap rates of interest, imported selected stock for them, sent round specialists to improve their knowledge and direct them in their affairs “ Indeed,” he added, “I once thought there should be a Royal Commission to investigate the indigent condition of the farmers, but I am not now going to suggest this to the ActingPrime Minister.” The Minister also observed that the general incidence of taxation was not hitting the small farmer by any means

On the defeat at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of a motion seeking to provide for an increase in the annuities of retired ministers, a resolution was submitted by the Rev. G. K. Stowell allowing the sum of £6OO to be raised as a Hind for the assistance of annuitants. r« was pointed out by speakers thac after a long life of service, retired ministers were expected to live on « mere pittance, and instances were ghen of eases all almost semi-starvation The Assembly, therefore, gave permission for the collection of the £6OO. At me evening session is was announced that a donation of £IOO had already been secured for the fund. Tb e treasurer was instructed to pay the bonuses from this fund only to beneficiaries not receiving retiring allowances from their congregations exceeding £SO per annum.

A waitress and a housemaid are advertised for in our wanted column. The Minister for Defence yesterday received intimation that the 18th Reinforcements were all well. A companion-help for Taihape, not expected to do washing, is advertised for in another column. A five-roomed house, having electric light and all other usual conveniences, is advertised for sale by Mrs. Downing, Huia Street. At ilie farewell to the recruits at the New Plymouth railway station the other morning was a venerable, brave old h dy, who was seeing her sixth son off to the front. The seventh, the last, is also--going shortly.

The report and balance sheet presented to “Our Day Red Cross Fund” in the Wellington Military District, shows the sum of £11,161 handed to the trustees. In addition to this, there is' £641 in hand, £2550 to come in, and £361 has been sent Home direct from Wanganui.

Rangiwaea residents are busy in readying up a social and dance in aid of Red Cross funds, which is to take place in the Rangiwaea Hall, on Friday next. December 8. Mr. J. Carroll is the secretary, and this fact alone augurs a big attendance. An advertisement appears on page one of this issue.

Homo idea of the treatment accorded to German prisoners in England as compared with the semi-starving of Britons in Germany, may be gained from the observations of Mr. J. C. Cooper, of Masterton, who has just returned from London. “I was at the Avonmouth stores,” he said,, “when I saw beef being loaded on to a train. It was first quality beef, and came from the Waingawa. works. I asked a military official where it was going, and he smilingly told me that it was going to Doncaster to feed the German prisoners

A rather novel sight was witnessed on Tuesday on the river bank near the local railway bridge, says the Patea Press. In consequence of the tremendous fresh in the river, a number of large eels were to be seen drifting downstream amongst the driftwood. Several natives armed with hooks attached to long sticks took up their stand on the river bank and succeeded in hauling quite a number of immense “tunas” to' land. Some of these weighed about 301 b, and, needless to say, delighted the natives, who were more than pleased with their good luck.

In the course of an address at Martinborough I ait week, Mr F. Brown, Government Poultry Advisor, said the poultry industry had had a great setback since it started, owing to the high price of food and other detriments. Thousands of head of poultry had been sacrificed, and at the present time poultry was very scarce The speaker detailed the rise in prices in the open market. There wcr e no better birds in the world than in New Zealand, but the reasons for the unsatisfactory state of poultry industry were in a measure due to high prices, but mainly due to the insane system of marketing of both eggs and birds.

It has been ascertained that in at least one Southland district the percentage of rejections amongst volunteers for the front was due not so much to their physical unfitness as to the influence of the leading residents who regarded them as indispensables. It is also stated that in one centre a large employer of farm labour was present when a number of men offered themselves for examination, and pointed out those who should remain in the interests of the agricultural industry, and those who could he done without, and that his advice was not disregarded by the medical officer.

A sad story Avas told in the Auckland Police Court on Saturday, when a girl of 12 years was formally charged with not being under proper control. Sister Esther said that the girl lived for a time with her mother and step-father. The latter, however, would not allow her to sit at the table or at the fire, and at an early age she was placed with the Maoris. She lived with the natives until she was six, and could qnly speak Maori. At the age of nine she was sent home again, and had to milk 10 cows twice daily. Later she was put out with another lot of Maoris, and again was returned to -her people. Next she went to strangers. When she (Sister Esther) got hold of her, the child had never worn boots nor stockings, and was in a state of extreme bodily neglect. When living with the Maoris the child had slept on fern and ti-tree, and Her story was one of the saddest of child life the speaker had ever known. The Magistrate' committed the child to the Industrial School, and it is to be hcped she will there get the benefit of a little kindly treatment. But apparently nothing is to be done to the stepfather. ' ' "" -