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Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 24 January 1917, Page 4

Voluntary recruiting for the 2 ith and 2Sth Reinforcements will close on February 3.

Russia lias established 115 savings banks on the various fronts in order to encourage soldiers to subscribe to the war loan.

The French Government is introducing regulations lowering the prices of sugar and butter, and restricting the meals in restaurants to two dishes, with hors d’ouvres and dessert.

By the will of a North Countryman, just proved, the testator leaves to his wife the sum of one shilling. This bequest, though small, is, perhaps, generous as compared with that of a testator who, seme time ago, directed that the sum of one farthing should be sent to his wife, in an unstamped envelope.

A Feilding Farmer, about 50 years of ago, an enthusiastic soldier, who •held a commission in the Volunteers, passed the doctor, sold up bis farm, and wont into camp. After he had been in camp for five months, and had undergone a full course of training, the military authorities discovered that he is too old for service. He has been discharged.

The war lias brought about many strange departures from the conventional in various walks ol life, but one of the most notable is the substitution cf a woman in place of a mater,ok on ibe Canterbury Company’s coastal steamer Breeze, the last '..ooiv of the vessel recently went into camp with the reinforcements, and owing to the ever-increasing difficulty in procuring ships’ cooks the owueis were compelled to engage a female mr t-.m work. Not so long ago it was announced in these columns that a stewardess had been engaged on a coastal cargo steamer, also due to the scarcity of stewards.

Mails for Expeditionary Forces, America, the Continent of Europe and the United Kingdom will be despatched by the next available steamer.

Ohura, Taranaki, seems to be a particularly deadly kind of place (says an exchange). Dr Duuck has just committed suicide Micro by taking an overdose of chloral. This is the third medical practitioner within five years who has died by his own hand at Ohura.

A Press Association message from Gore states that what is said to be the Hessian fly is attacking local wheat crops. The pest has not been actually identified yet. If it is the Hessian, it is its first appearance in the district.

The Acting Prime minister made the announcement that the New Zealand Government has bought the cinematograph films showing our soldiers fighting and engaged in other war work in France. The films arc to be sent out to the Dominion, and the fortunate theatre proprietors who get the right to screen them should make a good harvest.

The Union Company has decided to place the Paloona in the !San Francisco service, and she wil commence in the new running shortly from Wellington. The Paloona is one of the best known of the Union Company’s steamers, and she was engaged for some time in the Dunedin-Auckland, via ports, trade. Who will take the place of the wrecked steamer Maitai iu the American service. The Paloona is a vessel of 2771 tons, and was formerly a unit of the Hud-dait-Parkcr fleet, when she sailed under the name of Zealandia.

A Highland soldier was returning to France after a few days’ leave, and having a little matter in his mind about some back pay, he thought he would ventilate it at the War Office. He was passed on from one official to another, but he tenaciously hung on in the hope of getting satisfaction. His persistency provoked the remark: “You Scotsmen give us more trouble than all the English, Irish, and Welsh soldiers put together.” “Aye,” replied the imperturbable Sandy, “that’s what the Germans said at Loos,”-

During the hearing of a charge against a hotelkeeper at Auckland of supplying a person already in a state of drunkenness with intoxicating liq-‘ nor, the Magistrate said that if a man were actually drunk when served with liquor it did not matter whether or not the bar attendant noticed it; he broke the law by serving the man. Further, the law was that if a man were “intoxicated,” in other words, “showing any signs of drink,” he must not be served. Even if a man is “reasonably sober” he must not, by law, be served with liquor.

A stowaway was discovered on board the Westralia after the steamer left Auckland last trip for Sydney. The man was allowed -his liberty on the way across, but the day before the vessel arrived in Sydney he was handcuffed and locked in a room until given in charge of the police at Sydney. Before the Sydney Police Court he was fined £25, er three months’ imprisonment. He elected to serve the sentence, and on his release from gaol will he handed over to the military authorities for landing in Australia without a permit, he being of military age.

Following the announcement by the butchers to increase the retail prices of meat in Auckland, despite the intimation by the Board of Trade that the Government was prepared to give them the option of drawing supplies from the Imperial stores and would

not sanction any increase in prices, the President of the Board of Trade .now announces that two retail shops under the control of the Government will be opened in Auckland to sell meat for cash without delivery at a penny and twopence per pound below ruling retail prices. The Board is now negotiating for shops. Meantime the ontion of the butcher holds good.

The Wanganui Chronicle says: The rifle meeting held at Putiki this week had a lamentable effect on a returned soldier, who had reluctantly consented to attend. The soldier in question — a big strapping man—was gassed, and also wounded in the trenches in France, and as a consequence was invalided to New Zealand. He was induced to attend yesterday’s rifle meeting, but at 4 o’clock returned home, telling his wife that the sound of (he shooting had made him feel unwell, and he was afraid it was going to affect his head. At the same time he advised her to send for a doctor if she noticed, anything wrong. With dramatic suddenness something did happen, and the unfortunate man, utterly demented, was discovered practically digging a trench in the back yard, firing an imaginary rifle and going through all the horrors of war as he had recently experienced them. It was with difficulty that he was removed to the Hospital. This sad episode speaks volumes for the strain which soldiers in the trenches have undergone.

Roumania is one of the richest parts of Europe. After the United States and Russia, it is the largest graingrowing country in the world. It is one of the world’s chief oilfields. Its middle class is probably the richest to be found anywhere.

That wo in New Zealand arc living in very happy conditions compared with those countries so immediately affected by war operations, is pretty generally admitted, but a letter received in Hawera from England will assist us to more fully appreciate the fact. The writer states that ne had to pay 14-/-for a hind quarter of mutton, 11/- for a fore quarter, 3/0 for a dozen eggs. 2/- per lb for butter, and was not allowed to purchase sugar, unless a certain fixed quantity of other groceries were purchased. The writer had endeavoured to buy at a shop 121 b of sugar, and met with a refusal, notwithstanding the explanation that the sugar. was wanted to make jam to be forwarded as a present to solaicis seming in the trenches in France.