LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A swag packed in a sack, lost on New Year’s Eve. is advertised for.

It is anticipated that the work of the Commission set up to inquire into Defence expenditure and management will occupy six months

' The campaign against bookmakers proceeds merrily in Auckland. Another bookmaker named William Lane being mulcted in fines aggregating £175 for a breach of the law.

The death is announced of Mr. Joshua Jones, well known for many years in connection with claims against the Government concerning the Mokau lands. His age was 73.

As showing the work that is being done at the Auckland Hospital, during the past year there were no less than 3015 operations as compared with 2790 for the previous year. Some of the patients were soldiers.

Some excitement was caused in the Avenue, at Wanganui' on Tuesday afternoon. when one of the overhead cables of the tramway system fell to the ground. One man had a narrow escape from receiving a <shock, the broken cable falling on his shoulder, as he was cycling along the street.

The increase in the price of iron owing to war conditions was brought clearly before the Mount Roskill Road Board at its meeting held last night, by Mr. Henderson, engineer. He said that when the Board’s present iron reservoir was constructed, about three years ago. the iron cost £l2 10s per ton. The same class of iron is now £BS per ton.

A lady spectator present at the landing of the last returned soldiers, hoping to hear some particulars of the death of her son, of which she had been advised, received a shock when her son appeared before her, (says the Star)! “My boy, my boy,” she exclaimed, “they told me you were dead!’’ The mistake evidently occurred from the fact that two boys bore the same initial and surname.

An Ashburton farmer, Who was anxious; 'to - se'curcb' men for harvesting, tried to makc ; a deal with some new ■arrivals on the: street {Says the Guardian). The -farmer ’s offer was 'ls •- 6d per hour, but the men wanted Is XOd. The farmer replied that he did not grow half-crowns on the stalks of the grain. “Just so,” replied one Of the men, * ‘ but you must remember that our railway fare from Taranaki has doubled since this time last season.”.

In a certain institution in Hawke’s Bay some little time ago (slates a Napier paper) the chairman of the Hospital Board was showing round a doctor who; had been sent up by the Public Health Department at the request of the' Hospital Board in order to give them the benefit of his advice. 'At thp conclusion of the tour of inspection the ‘chairhian remarked:' “Now, doctor, you have seen the condition of the whole institution; what do you advise us to do?” The doctor remained silent, but plunged his hand into his pocket, produced a box of matches, which he handed to his questioner.

The trials of the world’s first seagoiing concrete ship, built of steel-con-crete by Fougners Steel-Concrete Shipping Co., Moss, Norway took place recently. The trials, extended over five hours, were run in stormy weather, with a heavy sea running. The vessel was proved to be a splendid ship in every respect, moving as steadily and quietly as if the sea had been smooth, manoeuvring well, and of exceptionally great stability. The vibration from the engine was approximately less than in similar vessels of iron or steel. The ship, which is called the Namsenfjord, will run on the fjords in the north of Norway, near Names. She is propelled by a Bolinder motor, capable of giving a speed of knots. The engine room is aft, thus giving the ship one large, clear hold.

In a letter which the High Commissioner has written to Mr. Connell, session clerk to the Waipu Presbyterian Church, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, refers to a visit he made to Brockenhurst .Hospital. He remarks: ‘'l spent four days ®t the hospital, every bed in which I visited. That, you can understand, was a big undertaking, as there are nearly 1000 patients. The conditions under which they live are excellent from the point of view both of medical attention and comfort, whilst the people in the neighbourhood vie with each other in showing kindness and consideration. You will be pleased to know that the conduct of onr men is first-rate, and wherever one goes the same opinion, is expressed namely, that the New Zealand soldiers are gentlemen. They have carried the honour of the Dominion in the field and in the home in a degree that makes me, as the representative of New Zealand very proud indeed.”

Cool frocks for the children an pale blu%, pink, and saxe Jap crepe neatly embroidered, size 18 to 36, 5/6 to 8/11. —Collinson and Gifford, Ltd,

Married couples, housekeeper, generals, station cook and a locomotive

driver are advertised for by Shute’s Labour Agency.

Free samples of the widely used “Record Tea” will be sent post free to everyone sending their postal address to A. S. Patterson and Co., Ltd., Wellington,

Reuter’s correspondent at American headquarters in France says that the American authorities have learned from an authentic source that Germany is treating American prisoners with very much less consideration than is shown British and French. Indeed it is believed that they are treated

' as the Russians were. The world knows j what that means. It is expected that | the United States will take steps to secure an ameliaration.