LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At a committee meeting of the Taihape Swimming Club last night it was decided, on account of the scarcity of water, to close the bathe for the season. A sum of £6 was voted from the funds of the Club to be divided equally between the Red Triangle Day and and Women’s Working Club funds.

Owing to the increased cost of living the opinion was expressed at the Methodist Conference yesterday that the stipends paid to ministers of the church, should be increased, and the following minimum salaries were fixeded —Ministers, £225; probationers, £140; unmarried hpme missionaries, £120; married home missionaries, £l6O and free furnished house. These changes will not take effect until 1919.

An inquiry as to the likelihood of shipments of benzine arriving from Americain the near future, to relieve the present shortage was made of the American Consul-General (Mr A. A_ Winsolw) the “Star” reporter. The reply was that according to his (Mr. Winslow’s) last advices the American people would endeavour to meet all requirements as far as possible when the demand for war purposes has been considered.

At the Methodist Conference yesterday it was disclosed that up to the present time about 40 per cent, of eligible ministers and home missionaries have gone to serve in the army, and 33 circuits and home mission stations are without stationed ministers. The question of appealing for exemption on behalf of single ministers gave rise to a keen debate. The returned chaplains specially pleaded that every man who could possibly do so should go to the front. The conference decided that no objection be raised against any single minister enlisting except in very special cases.

Recently returned Australian soldiers speak seriously of social unrest in England, but none of them will admit that a revolution is possible there while the war lasts. They note that the unions are strong and able to oppose excessive recruiting but they note a remarkable exhibition of the stubborn “ never surrender ” attitude which in times past broke the hearts of all Briton’s focs_ On the other hand, they think that Germany is being honeycombed with Bolshevik ideas and that the Russian peace is a poisonous kind of diplomatic victorjr. And a’li? .are agreed Ihat after the war Democracy will change the whole aspect of Europe.

Mr. S. Forster will be in charge of

the vegetable sales section at the Ruanui Red Cross Shop to-morrow.

The Canadian Government is mobilising women for agriculture, also 25,000 school boys to work on farms. The Government meteorologist telegraphs: The indications are for southerly winds, moderate to strong. Expect changeable and showery weather Barometer rising slowly. A man named W. B. Mildenhall was fined £3 and costs' at Raetihi recently for changing his name without the consent of the Minister for Internal Affairs. As a result of the final draft of stations at the Wesleyan Conference, last week, the Rev. R. E. Fordyce, who has had charge of the local Methodist connection for the last twelve months, has been transferred to Taumarunui. A fine lot of new season oysters has just arrived at Lurajud Bros., .the Taihape fish men. Patrons can now enjoy their oyster suppers. Messrs Lurajud receive all their fish fresh daily and are now offering all that is in season. ’’The true basis of life —the very essence of life —is struggle,” said Professor Macmillan Brown, at Christchurch recently, “and if you cease to struggle you may as well die.” The worthy Professor speaks as though he had had some experience in running a country newspaper! Eltham Argus.

A fresh discovery is announced in connection with the Runanga murder —a dug-out found in the bush about a hundred yards from the railway line. ' The dug-out was under a stump, and was covered with corrugated iron and fern. Inside were found an Alpenstock and the bags that had contained the 'stolen money, also a cloth that had been used for a mask.

It is expected that two large areas of land in the North recently acquired by the Government will be ready for settlement by returned soldiers in about three' months’—, time, when the ballot'will -take place. One of the ■blocks consists of three farms, totalling* 1516 acres, situated near Pakaraka; the other, aggregating 1600 acres is about four miles from Wellsford. The area of the sections will range from 80 to 100 acres.

A member of the Napier Telegraph staff asked the Hon. T. W. Wilford what he thought of the latest suggestion that aeroplane postal services were coming to" New Zealand. “Think of it?” replied Mr. Wilford, “why it is as certain as that day follows night. Take this,’ ’he continued, “as a tolerably good indication. For the past two years there has been a regular postal serv’ce by aircraft between Sicily and Italy. That sort of thing will come here all right.”

What is described as one of the most extraordinary animal freaks conceivable, came to light at the Imlay Freezing Works, Wanganui. It is the almost fully-developed product of a cow which had just been slaughtered and in its still-born state it resembles more than anything else a full-grown bulldog. Its head is an almost exact replica of a bull-dog’s, Its body is very round and'“podgy” and its legs are short and stumpy, measuring not more than six inches. The monstrosity has a calf’s teeth, eyes and hair, but in no other respect does it resemble a calf.

The Auckland manager of a leading tea-importing house received cable advice yesterday indicating a very serious outlook in regard to future supplies. The cable reads:—*‘Co(lombo market very dear. Supplies scarce owing to Food Controller’s operations. Advise conserve stocks,” Other advices record very heavy losses of tea by “sinkings.” The market price for tea is 4d a pound higher than in September last, and with the shortage now indicated there must b e a strong upward tendency. Fortunately New Zealand importers have at present fairly heavy stocks, but the position, we are assured, is nevertheless very serious.

At the Christchurch Supreme Court Herbert Alexander McDonald, a wellknown solicitor, was charged with the fraudulent conversion to his own use of £1042 trust money, and on two charges of fraudulently omitting to account for £ll4 15s 2d and £153 15s, received on toms required by him to account for and pay the same to Samuel Miller and Thos. Kennedy respectively. The jury found the prisoner guilty on the first two charges, and not guilty on the third. He was then charged with, and pleaded guilty to, the fraudulent conversion of a further sum of £3OB 9s, and with the theft of £59 2s Sd. Accused was sentenced to three years ’ hard labour on each charge, the sentence to be concurrent.

The most delicious Sauce In tt world. Liot xr Yorkshire Relish.