LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 31 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A nulnber of catfle have died in the Masterton district of late from the effects of eating ergot.

The matron of the Taihape Hospital acknowledges with thanks, the receipt of the following gifts: Illustrated papers, Mr. J. Smith; Christmas Cake, Mr. Milne; flowers, Miss Venables; fruit, Mrs. A. Williams; flowers, Mr. Capill.

We have received from the British Empire Trading Company, Wellington copies of four excellent war-zone maps which are being issued in connection with the sale of Three Castles cigarettes, in accordance with a scheme now being advertised in our columns. The maps arc coloured and shew the national boundaries of the various countries engaged in the conflict, also the location of the principal towns. They will be found useful in following the progress of the war.

I have just heard of the record optimist (says a London writer.) He is aged 81 and a few years ago retired from work, He was a member of a trade union, and a day or two ago ho met the secretary. "How are you getting along?" asked the secretary, and was informed that owing to the shortage of labour the old man had taken on a light situation at 30s a wcek # "Arc you satisfied?" asked the secretary. "Well, the job I am on is not as good as I would like.'' was the reply, "but it might lead to something better after the war!"

Since the British occupation large wheat crops have been planted in Mesopotamia under the direction of the Indian Government, and the harvesting of this will commence in April. Labour conditions are not too settled in that country at the present time and in any case the native harvesting implements arc, for the most part, of a primitive kind. Australia has been asked to help in this matter, and the "Argus" states that Mr Hugh V. McKay has arranged for the dispatch to Bagdad of a number of harvesters, of the latest type,, with petrol motordriven mechanism, and of 28 skilled Australian workers to look after the machines. The men and machines will be dispatched shortly, and at the end of harvesting operations, the men will return to Australia. In order to provide for repairs, a small plant, specially constructed at Sunshine, will be carried also.

Muslin embroidery, 8 inc-hes wide, usual price 10|d, sale price 41d. The Big Sale— Collinson and Gifford, Ltd.

The 25 yards swimming race, whicn was to have been held this evening at the Municipal Baths, has been postponed till next week, on account of tho Aveather.

The news regarding the liner Andania, which was torpedoed off the coast of Ulster is conflicting. First it was reported that she was abandoned, then she had reached a port in Ireland, and now the cable-crammer informs us she sank on Sunday night.

In the Supreme Court at Wellington, yesterday, judgment was given in the Wanganui case of Murray versus the N. Z. Ecfrigerating Co., for creating a nuisance at the Imlay freezing works. Damages were assessed at £2OO and costs were fixed as on an action for £7OO.

Miss Christabcl Pankkurst, formerly the leader of the militant suffragettes, recently said: "We are determined to use the vote for national defence, without which ultimate victory is impossible. Englishwomen to-day have one idea, namely, victory for our arms.'' The Defence Expenditure Commis-sion—Brigadier-General Sir Eobert Anderson, of Australia (Chairman), and Messrs. C. Rhodes and P. Barr — were engaged in Wellington on Wednesday in making preliminary arrangements in connection with the work of the enquiry.

In another column the Marton District A. and P. Show announce the holding of their annual slioav, which will this year be held on Wednesday, March 6th, when numerous cash prizes, and valuable trophies will be submitted for competition. A special fixture will be the double prizes for fat lambs for export.

The Main Trunk express from Auckland was "crowded out on Tuesday night, and quite a number of passengers who had bought tickets at Auckland were not allowed to travel. After the train had left these would be passengers interviewed the officer in charge, and were cavalierly informed that their money would be returned on application by letter or they could travel by the first tram next day.

The New York Department of Justice has issued a report of the movements of M. Trotzky, Bolshevik Foreign Minister, here. It shows that M. Trotzky contributed to German Socialist newspapers, but there is no evidence that he received German money. M. Trotzky left for Eussia on March 27, 1917, and was detained at a British camp at Halifax, but was released on the request of M. Kerensky, who said he needed M. Trotzky in Russia to "help him out." which he thoroughly succeeded in doing.