LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 December 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be no publication of the “Taibape Daily Times” on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, Sir James Allen did not deny the report that he was shortly leaving for nn important position abroad when he was asked about it at the Soldiers’ Club (says the Napier Telegraph). A total of 25 diphtheria cases were treated at th e Wanganui and Taibape Hospitals during November. The Health Inspector reported that this number was the lowest for five months, but was still higher than it should be. Thursday was the second anniversary of the completion of the evacuation of Gallij)oli. The evacuation had, been in progress for four days, and the last troops embarked early in the morning of December 20, while the Turks were shelling the back lines and rest camps. -

At the Taoroa School, of which Mr A. Haydon is the master, Winifred Bushby and Newton Collins gained certificates of proficiency.

leather brief bag containing chib dren’s clothes and toys, lost in Taihape on Saturday afternoon, is advertised for and a reward offered.

Mr McCormick is advertising in the wanted columns several important 'ltems of .information wlyich. (Should particularly interest all classes of the community.

Sometimes the soldier gets tired of “shouldering his crutch and showing how fields were won.” Such was the man whom a pressman heard in a tramcar, when the interested old lady asked the everlasting sympathetic question, “How did you lose your leg?” “In a raffle, lady,” said the soldier, and puffed hard at his pipe.

Mrs W. H. Dockery has received a letter from the Hoii. James Allen, Minister of Defence, containing the pleasing that her son Alfred E. Dockery, had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field of action. Mr Dockery left New Zealand with the Fifth Reinforcements on 12th June, 1915, having then only just turned his 18th birthday.

The many friends of Mr Ted Lenihan, who left with the Expeditionary Force nearly three years ago, will be pleased to know that he is returning by the next transport to reach Auckland, about the 14th of January next. Mr Lenihan was severely -wounded in the Somme fight, and he has been under medical attendance ; ever since, having the unenviable experience of undergoing close on ten operations.

This story was told by a chaplain of the forces who was preaching in Salisbury Cathedral (says the Queen) Near Fumes,' the westernmost town of Belgium, a dozen children, lean from semi-starvation, knelt at the foot of a shell smashed crucifix at the crossroads. A Belgian officer without any insignia of rank stood by. The children said their prayer as far as “Forgive us our trespassers . . . . ”

and then there was silence. One voice joined in, and concluded the petition “as we forgive them that trespass against us.” The voice was the voice of the Belgian officer, and the officer was king Albert.

Much interest is being taken among shearers and others interested in the wool industry in the excellent tallies put up in the various shearing sheds in the Taihape district. Some of the Dominion and Commonwealth champion shearers arc on thd boards around Taihape at present. In one shed some very good tallies have been recorded. The best so far are: W, Yella 322, "Knap” 293, J. Queenan 275, L. Amundsen ("Gundy”)' 250. The district record is 332, but it is anticipated that before the Taihape sheds are cut out we will have the pleasure of recording in these columns that the previous best tally has been beaten by one of the above knights of the shears in the Taihape district.