LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, 30 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The lady who lost a jewelled gold pendant can regain possession by applying to Mr. W. Howens, jeweller, Main Street.

The next series of .the ; i fortnightly euchre tournaments wil TSe held this evening. A dance'' will finish up the party. Ladies are requested to Bring a basket.

The Whakatane paper reports that Captain A. A. Jonas, master of the Harbour Board's scow Vesper, was arrested as a prisoner of war. He has been interned on Somes Island.

The box plan for the Ada Reeve appearance at the King's Theatre on June 6th is now open at the~theatre. The whole of the dress circle nas been reserved at 4s and 3s, and as the seating acccommodation is limited prompt application is necessary.

An amalgamation of newspaper interests has been brought .about in the South Auckland and King Country districts. The Waikato Times Publishing Company, Hamilton, and Mr. W. Thomas, proprietor of the Taumarunui Press, have joined interests, and have taken over the King Country Chronicle at Te Kuiti # The business of the three papers will be run in the name of the Waikato and King Country Press.

Yesterday is the fourth anniversary of the wreck of the Canadian- Pacific Railway Company's steamer Empress of Ireland, which was sunk in the St. Lawrence Eiver shortly after starting on a voyage from Quebec to Liverpool The liner collided with the Norwegian collier Storstad at night" in a dense fog and sank in 14 minutes. The disaster resulted in the loss of 1023 lives, only 432 of the passengers and crew being saved.

The fact that drink was urged as an extenuating circnrrfstance in a charge against a native youth at the Wanganui Supreme Court yesterday, led to some remarks by the Chief Justice. Sir Robert Stout said that ft was evident that drinking was being permitted among the Maoris, and, in his opinion, the race was doomed to destruction if steps were not taken to deal with the matter. Ho did not think tho Maoris were now half as numerous as when he arrived in the Dominion. "Nothing is being done," Tie added "to prevent the Maoris being destroyed by the evil we have brought amongst them."

The electric light plant at Mangaweka is at present, out of commission owing to mechanical defects and will probably not be in use again for well over a week. Owing to war conditions, spare parts are difficult to obtain, and until these come to hand there will be a dark "void over the land."

A telegram from Wanganui states that in order to bring the matter to a head with regard to the dispute over the wharf sorting charges levied by the Railway "Department Wangaalii importers have decided to refuse to pay what they consider exorbitant rates. '■

The trial of John RfT&ertson for manslaughter as the result of the death of Peter Larsen at Karioi on February 23, was concluded at Wanganui yesterday. The eyidence was practically the same as in the lower court. After a short retirement the accused was found guilty. Sentence was deferred^

A fire was discovered in a picturesque old wooden Boman Catholic Church in Boulcott Street, Wellington, on Monday evening, and soon gained such a hold that the destruction of the building appeared for some time almost inevitable. The western portion of the church, where the steeple was situated, was destroyed, but the eastern end was merely damaged by smoke and water. When the alarm was given, Fathers Mahoney and Hall rushed into the building and saved the sacramental service, and stripped the altars but the vestments in the sacristy were destroyed. The organ at the eastern end of the church was saved. The origin of the fire is a mystery. The church was injured for £I6OO in the United Office.