LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is stated that every twenty-ninth person in the. United States is the owner of a motor vehicle of one sort or another.

Official advice has been received by the Minister of Defence that the*3lst and 32nd Reinforcements have arrived safely at their destination.

The Johannesburg Recruiting Committee has resolved to draw up a novel roll, on which will bo inscribed the names of all eligible men in the city who have not enlisted.

Sir Thos. Mackenzie, speaking at the Bristol Branch of the Colonial Institute, advocated bringing the eastern and western ports-into direct communication with the Overseas Dominions, in order .to lessen the cost of handling.

Italy is probably the only country in Europe where there has not been a single strike of any importance during the past two years. It is also a notable fact that since the beginning of the war not a single Italian newspaper has been seized or suspended.

At the committee meeting of the Taihape Swimming Club last evening, a complaint was received from a lady swimmer regarding the misbehaviour of two boys, and the committee, after inquiry into the facts, decided to make an example and suspend the two offenders from the privileges of the baths for a fortnight.

Recently (says an exchange) a deepwater steamer loaded at one of the Australian ports, While the job was in progress an armed guard was on the pier night and day, no Britisher being allowed to come near with out a permit. Now —take a deep breath! The wharfinger’s name was Kcinhamer and his assistant’s Bismarck, ■ **

Representations have made to the Government to regulate the maximum wages that may be demanded for harvest labour and such work. In some districts men have been asking as much as 2/6 per hour, whereas farmers are only willing to pay 1/6 and found. After making Snquliries the Government is doubtful whether it has any legal right to interfere.

A very adverse opinion on the Government’s meat supply scheme was expressed by a leading man in the 'Auckland meat trade yesterday. He said the public -would not have frozen meat at any price, which would not, in this climate, keep for more than an hour or two after thawing. Another leading butcher endorsed this opinion stating that it nearly always turned and inattraetive dark colour before being sold.

Up till December 31 test New Zealand had settled about 600 soldiersettlers on the land.

The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald was taken for a long aeroplane flight on Wednesday by Mr C. M. Hill, instructor at Sockburn aviation school. The aeroplane circled over the centre of the city, and also crossed the estuary. A height of over 3000 ft. was reached. Mr. MacDonald was greatly pleased with his first flying experience.

The shortage of certain commodities in England is illustrated by the supply of sugar, which is served in small envelopes similar to collection

envelopes—two-sevenths of an ounce at each meal. A recipient of one of these envelopes was at first under the impression that someone was presenting her with a donation.

Privates England, Hadley, and Pederson, residents of Ohakunc and district, who returned home on Monday night, were accorded a public welcome at Ohakunc. The band turned out, and the Mayor and Borough Councillors Avcre present, the former in a short and eloquent address, Avarmly welcoming home the returned soldiers.

Experiments are still being .made in England with the object of finding an effective body armour for troops. The difficulty, it is said, is to find the material which will stop high velocity projectiles without being too heavy and burdensome to the wearer. A type of heavy armour is being used in some cases in the British Array by bombing parties, but even for this purpose its use is not general.

Referring to the war bread now being made and sold in England, a lady who‘has just returned says; “It is the last thing on earth.” Of a grey colour, it is never sold in any condition but stale. This is compulsory, so the people will get full weight and nourishment. It was accordingly no surprise to see the way passengers on their return journey to "New Zealand made straight for the white bread and butter at meals

The suggestion has been made that Sir James Allen will go Home to attend the next sitting of the Imperial War Cabinet. Speaking on the subject, Sir James Allen said that he would be guided by one consideration —whether he could do greater service to the Dominion and Empire by staying in Now Zealand or by going Horne. The present indications are that Sir James Allen will stay, and that Mr Massey will go Home i

Sir Joseph Ward stated in Christchurch yesterday morning that the increase in Dominion revenue for the past 12 months was £2,978,301, represented chiefly by payments of land and income tax during that period. The net increase in expenditure for nine months ending December 31, was £240,000 made up largely by purchases of wheat by the Agricultural Department, which will in the ordinary course of things be reduced or paid in full.

There is good reason for believing that the Cabinet has yielded quite gracefully to the very reasonable request of the Returned Soldiers’ Association that it should have a representative on the Pensions Board. The latter had been showing for some time that it was without bowels of compassion or a due appreciation of the cases of many pensioners. It would start a crippled hero with a well-deserved pension and revise him down within a compartively few months most unfeelingly and undeservedly.

A schoolboys’ 25 yards race and a 50 yards handicap race will be held next Thursday evening at the municipal baths, Messrs Dunkley, Dymock and Bond donating the trophies. The schoolboys’ nominations, which are free, must be handed in to the caretaker not later than Tuesday, in order to facilitate handicapping. For the 50 yards handicap race swimmers are requested to send in their nominations to the secretary, W. Gieseking, not later than Wednesday next. Nomination Is; first prize, trophy valued £l, second, 10s. First heat five o’clock.

Captain Bean, the Australian war correspondent writes: The Scotsman is I think, the most unrelenting fighter that I have come across. The Australian is a most severe fighter in battle, but he is quite ready to make friends afterwards with his enemy. Once he has taken a German prisoner he is apt to treat him more liberally than most troops—more so, I think, than the English soldier— and that is saying a great deal. To the Scotsman, when he escorted those prisoners home, those prisoners arc German still. He has never forgotten the tremendous losses which the Scottish regiments suffered at the beginning of the war. Ho does not feel kindly towards the man who inflicted them. With the Australian, once the fight is over, the bitterness is left behind, The Scotsman makes prisoners, but ho does not make friends.

An appellant at the sitting of the Military Service Board in Palmerston on Wednesday stated that he made £3 10s per day clear at his present employment as a flax-cutting contractor. " , The person who picked up a gold watch and chain in Taihape a week ago is asked to be good enough to leave it at the Taihape Daily Tines office as early as convenient and receive the reAvard that is offered. A small waterspout at Wainui junction is reported to have hurst yesterday. It was seen by several people towering up into the low fhick clouds. Where it collapsed the road is h n dly washed away. A telegram from Dunedin states that the rain, which started overnight, is still drizzling. Three was no bowling this morning, and the match North versus South arranged for td-morrow has been abandoned.

A story comes from Egypt that a native interpreter had overstayed his leave. He was written to officially, and this was his reply in English: My absence is impossible. Someone has removed my wife. My God, I was

annoyed. ’’

At the King’s Theatre to-night the music will be played by an orchestra consisting of violin, cornet, violincello, double bass and piano As all the performers are well known capable musicians the music alone tonight should be worth an the charge for admission.

More than 150 kincmas at the rear of the British armies in France and Flanders arc kept going with pictures under the direction of Lieutenant Woods, a well-known kinema business man. The provision of adequate programmes entails hard work, especially as many of the kincmas move up with the army. The men pay 3d fof admission, the money going to the Army Canteen Fund. They arc out-and-out pictures enthusiasts the theatres being always full, although in some of them the bursting of German shells is often unpleasantly near.