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Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 19 January 1917, Page 4

This is a final reminder that entries for the Feilding Show close to-day, and intending exhibitors will oblige by forwarding their entries without delay. There is yet time to apply for a schedule, which the secretary will be pleased to forward on application.

At the last meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board, held on Wednesday, a letter was received from Dr G. N. McDiarmid, asking the Board to define his position as hon. surgeon at the Taihape Hospital. It was decided to communicate with Dr Boyd in regard to the complaint by Dr McDiarmid.

Margaret Parker, with previous convictions for sly-grog selling,, was on Thursday, at Dunedin, sentenced to three months' imprisonment, the magistrate remarking that the defendant was evidently a woman of means, to whom a fine of £IOO would be no deterrent.

The Hon. James Allen on Wednesday emphatically denied a rumour that, owing to the number of men who had been drawn in the three ballots so far held, it would not be necessary to hold a ballot for two months. It was absurd, he stated, to suggest that the number of ballotted men relegated to the reinforcements coming later would have any material effect on the shortage.

Recent visitors to Taihape district speak of the amazing development which has occurred in this locality of recent years. Away to the north, areas which before the advent of the railway were covered with bracken and scrub. interspersed with patches of forest land,, arc now heavily-grassed runs carrying gr ea t numbers of cattle and sheep. Labour has been freely availed of, and hills are carrying crops of turnips, rape and oats. Some of the flats are extremely prolific, and in places the rape is high up over the shecps' backs. Under close settlement the country north of Taihape would carry a large population, but the tendency is towards aggregation and still more aggregation.

An erstwhile resident of Napier, who was interned in Germany but is now in London, writes to a friend in Hawke 's Bay as follows:—"While we look for the trouble to finish during 1917, it may be 1918 before the Teutons are satisfied to holler 'Enough.' One thing is sure. When it is over the Germans will have nothing left- I notice a great change in the Germans here. They don't look or fed the same. They are finally beginning to realise that their ", ;'",,,, asuinst something thev eountiv is up "« , overlooked. Still, they try to keep up a brave front, but there is a look in t l, pir f ace that shows worry and trouble \fter the war started they were swinoino- around with a big chip on thcir s houlders. To-day the chip is off, and they are trying hard to figure out how to'be good dog. I guess the Allies have finally got them rounded up, but it will take some time to convince them that all is oil'.'-'

On Monday, Jan. 22nd (Anniversary Day), (here will be no publication of the "Taihape Daily Times." Advertisers will kindly note. A good butcher can get employment and good wages by applying to Mr Durrant, butcher, Utiku. A matinee will be held at the Three Stars Theatre to-morrow afternoon, at which that great educational film, "The All-Red Route," will be screened. Children will be admitted free. Sergeant W. R. Bennett, popularly known as "Toby," has been officially awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for bravery in the field. After doing two years and 68 days of hard service he has received an honourable discharge. Toby fought all through the Gallipoli campaign, and was subsequently sent to France, where he took a distinguished part in the Somme offensive, and where he received the wounds that caused him to be invalided home. He arrived in New Zealand on board the Maheno, and his discharge from the army dates from last Wednesday.

The following is an extract from a letter received from Lieut. D. Kenny, a popular musician of Wellington, at present at the front in charge of a machine-gun section. He is speaking of the fighting on the Somme: "I lost half my gunners, either killed or wounded, and how I came out alive is more than I can explain. To give you an example: I was standing in a group of twenty-six men when a German 5.9 shell landed in the middle of us. Eight were killed and eight wounded, three taken away suffering badly from shell shock, but all that happened to me was that I got smothered in dust and bits of timber.'' The Minister of Defence stated on Wednesday that the Government had de cided to set up four more Military Service Boards in order to clear up a certain amount of congestion wheh has arisen from the fact that the machinery for dealing with appeals for exemption was not in perfect working order at the start. The Government had already set up two additional Medical Boards, and was going to set up two more. It was realised that there was not time between the ballot and the calling of men into camp to allow appeals to be heard, and to have medical examinations and give men reasonable time to put their affairs in order before leaving their employment or giving up their business.