LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sugar restrictions in England have brought American" chewing-gum into fashion as a substitute for tobacco as well as sweets. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply to a telegram states that it would not be possible for patriotic societies to invest their money in war loans. The ruling passion: A Masterton bookmaker who has 1 been drawn in the ballot intends to appeal for exemption on the grounds of public interest. ' Said the Chairman of the Defence Expenditure Commission: New Zealanders are equipped better than any other Force. They are the subject of admiration at Home. "The rich will have to unbutton their pockets and pour out their money like water," said" the Hon. W. H. Herries at Petone, referring to the prospective sacrifices for the war.

Mr. J. Orchiston, Chief Telegraph Engineer, draws attention to deterioration of fencing wire. "The loss can be safely placed at hundreds of thousands of pounds. The Germans seem to have led the way in regard to cheapness and poor quality."

The Minister of Justice was addressing an Anzac meeting at Petone. A person in the crowd absurdly interrupted the speaker during a 7 passage which should have hushed the hard-est-hearted heckler. "You always speak out of your turn, Mick," said Mr. Wilford. "Mick," unprepared for this disconcerting reply, lapsed into a respectful silence.

I heard of a wounded V.C. officer at Folkestone the pther day, in mufti, leading a valuable pet dog, who was accosted by a patriotic female (says a London writer). She reviled him for not having "joined up." After listening to her abuse for a few minutes he confessed that appearances were against him, but that as a matter of fact he was employed at the War Office. The incensed female ridiculed the idea. "Yes," he said, "it is true, and, what is more, I am head of the parrot department. You see", he continued, "the authorities, mistrustful of telegrams and wireless messages, are crossing parrots with carrier pigeons, by which means it is hoped that it will be possible in time to receive verbal messages from the front."

Coloured bordered casement CxOths in newest designs. 33 to 50in -wide; 7id, IOJd, Hid, 1/, 1/2, 1/3, 1/6 per yard. The big value house:—Collinson and Gifford, Ltd,

It is notified that the A.M.P. Soci-

ety wil lissue a new policy on the lire of John Boltcn, to replace one which is declared to have been lost.

When a German navy film was shown at an internment camp in Germany the pianist was ill and a British prisoner of war was called in, said Hedley Le Bas at the AldwyCh Club. But as the Kaiser in his yacht thrown on the screen the British prisoner played "Kule, Britannia."

Notice is given that the annual meeting of the Waimarino Licensing Committee will be held at the Magistrate's Courthouse, Taihape,"bn Thursday, 6th June, 1918, at noon. All notices of application must be lodged in duplicate with the Clerk of the Committee, at Taihape, 21 days before the date of meeting.

It is interesting to note (says the Pall Mall Gazette) that it is the experience of the Government departments that the permission to smoke increases the efficiency of the staffs. It is also the experience of the army and of all business organisations where smoking is possible, that the smoker works better when he is permitted the indulgence.

The cables tells how Lord Halsbury, who is 92 years of age, by a superhuman effort attended the House of Lords to move the rejection of the Bill which proposes to give women the right to practice as solicitors. However, the third reading of the Hals-bury-hated Bill was agreed to by 47 to 19. So evidently the old Peer's 92 summers weren't the convincing arguments he supposed.

Burglars are taking advantage of the air raids on London to enter houses when people have gone to raidshelters. The thieves usually scoop out the contents of the penny gas meters. When one family came back after the bugles had sounded "All Clear!" their attention was first drawn to the robbery by seeing scribbled in chalk across the top of the meter an ironic "All clear/' Investigation of the meter till proved that it was only too true.

Secret Service officers have arrested in New York a German .named Eugen Schwerdt, who .for ( two .yiqars past has. successfully posed as : a patrl-, otic. Belgian engaged in. the woo* business. Schwerdt is known '.to haye. been provided ,by Heinrich Albert, the financial agent, of the Gqrman spy machine, with £600,000, with which,to replenish the German wool supply, from Allied and American sources.. Born in Munster, Westphalia, Schwerdt lived for 28. years at Antwerp and pretended to flee with the Belgians when the Germans captured that port. He came to the United States where, as a Belgian, he has> ever since worked for German interests. Schwerdt used his. son to fuK ther the German despite the fact that, the boy had served in the Belgian army and had sworn allegiance to. King Albert and the Belgian cause,. ,;He managed to get the boy out; of .-the; Belgian army, bring him to the United States, and send him to South America armed with Belgian credentials to pose as a friend of the Allies and work for Germany .