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Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 9 March 1917, Page 4

There is still a steady demand by the public for war loan certificates, the total sale at the close of February having reached £1,269,863.

At the Raetihi Magistrate’s Court ■on Friday, J. Leamy, on a charge of keeping liquor for sale, was fined £SO and costs amounting to £lO.

One of the new notions Britain has at the West front is a Golb shell. Wherever it falls, it starts a fire that neither water nor sand can put out; and if the shell lands properly on a trench, it will kill 40 or 50 Germans.

Sir James Wilson expressed the opinion the other day that when the war was over the Government subsidy on rates for local bodies would cease. He thought this would be one of the first economies the Government would enforce.

“No sooner does the church come out on Sunday at some places on the East Coast, than a picture show opens,” stated a minister at the Methodist Conference. The Conference unanimously adopted a resolution protesting against Sunday picture shows.

A little Dannevirke girl’s name was enclosed in a plum pudding which was despatched to our boys at the front, it was opened in the tent of tier uncle (a former resident of Napier) in the desert in Egypt on which liis company was bivouacked. A very small world, isn’t it?

There are now over 300 women acting as stationmasters and assistantmale employees is now 3400 as and Mediterranean Railway. The company pays the women on the same scale as it formerly paid its male employees, its total number of female employees is now 3400fi as against 1400 last year.

In recording a case of unusually mature marriage, the “Stratford Post” says; “They were not a young couple in any sense of the word who were married at the Registrar's office this morning, as their combined ages reached 134 yetyrs. It was the third venture in the matrimonial world of the bridegroom, who had seen 74 summers, and the second occasion on which the bride (GO) had faced the hymeneal altar.”

A lost black and white sheep dog puppy is advertised for. Both Britain and France are building many tanks for the coming big push. They will be lighter and faster than the first tanks, which could only go four miles an hour. A conscientious objector at the West Kent Tribunal stated he had taken a vow not to shave, cut hair, eat flesh, or take life, and he had kept that vow for ten years. Another man belonging to a Brighton (Dunedin) family has been arrested for failing to report to the military authorities after being drawn in the ballot. I It is reported that Mr. D. Wilkie, of Utiku, has sold his magnificent property, with all stock and implements. It is estimated that the figures involved are in proximity to 50,000 in pounds. A few days ago the Hon. G. W. Russell had it telegraphed out that no acting-leader of the Liberal Party had been apointed. In an advertisement in the Hawke’s B’ay Herald the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald signs himself “Acting-Leader of the Liberal Party.” As indicating the extremes that the promoters of the Ruanui fete and gymkhana are going to make it the greatest event of the kind yet held in this district, it may be mentioned that arrangements have been completed with that mystifying Chinese genius, Prince Quang Sang Loo, who will retail mystery and magic the whole day through as few living magicians are able.

The Labour Department intends to institute proceedings against freezing chamber workers involved in the recent dispute at the Westfield and Southdown Freezing Works. The charge against the men is that of failing to submit their grievance for investigation before ceasing work, as required by the Labour Disputes Investigation Act of 1913. The case will be the first of its kind to come before the tribunal, and is different from the ordinary prosecution for striking. -The Act does not prohibit striking, but requires that before the step be taken, the dispute shall be submitted for investigation, after which a secret ballot shall be taken before work ig stopped.

A message from London states that the raising of the price of the Times to 2d -has not sufficiently decreased the sales, and a further increase is possible. The paper shortage is likely to result in the increased prices and the reduced output of all papers and magazines. The Government is considering the question of the publication of four-page halfpenny papers and eight-page penny papers. The military representative at the Peterborough exemption tribunal said that the authorities had instructed him tc suggest the advisability of newspapers amalgamating, in order to release more workers for military service. The proprietors of two Peterborough weeklies have been given a fortnight to amalgamate.