LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, 27 July 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There are 20,000 bales of wool In the Wellington Harbour Board's sheds at present.

No fewer than 4000 rings were counted en a big tree which fell in California, showing that it was 4000 years old, /

A Plymouth Rock rooster was accidentally imprisoned for 40 days in an empty barrel in a Californian town — and survived th e . ex P er i ence -

The Australian Commonwealth statistician finds that there are no grounds for the theory that boy babies preponderate in war time.

The adjourned public meeting in connection with the Red Jersey appeal will be held in the Salvation Army Hall on Monday night, at 8 o'clock.

The express train from Auckland was about forty minutes late this morning, having been delayed at varvious places on the journey down.

The amount raised in Auckland to date for the Red Jersey Fund has reached the handsome total of £23,800, and the campaign is still going strong.

Mr G. E. Little, outfitter, Taihape, has a notice of special interest in another column to those who desire to be well-dressed. The particular feattures of his notification arc collars and ties.

Discussing the recent snowstorm in the Taihape district with a well-known local resident, hc( remarked that it was by far the heaviest experienced in this district during his residence of 21 years. He has never known the snow to lie on the ground so long.

There is at the present moment an acute shortage of coal and firewood in Taihape. Coal is almost unprocurable, except in small quantities, and firewood is difficult to cart from the country. As a matter of common prudence the utmost economy in tne use of fuel is impressed upon consumers.

Sir Walter Buchanan, M.L.C., in discussing with a Masterton Age representative the effects of the recent snowstorm i n tho Wajrarapa, saiu It was a mistake to suppose that shelter was responsible for the saving of the lives of sheep. On the contrary, the heaviest mortality was caused by drifts from bush and olher Shelter: The best pl aGe for sheep in a snowstorm was on a ridge. Sir Walter stated that sheep could survive for a long time in the snow, as they were good foragers. His father had rescued a wether alive which had been buriec for three weeks in the snow. The sheep had built a sort of dugout and had lived on heather.

A very enjoyable social was held at Bennett's Siding last night, the; b-. - ing a goodly number of dancers present, and the floor was in capital or-

der. Mr. Lang provided the music is his usual able manner. Songs were contributed by Mr. Dawson and recitations by Mr. Moloney.

A indicated in another column the Rev. W. H. Hocking, will conduct the services at the local Methodist Church to-marrow. At the evening service the anthems "O' Lord, My God," and "Abide With Me," will be rendered. A very hearty invitation is extended to all.

Considering the severity of the weather we have had in this district during the last fortnight, it is surprising the small mortality that has occurred among stock. Beyond a few isolated cases of losses, principally with breeding ewes, the' losses have been almost negligible.

On Friday, Mr. Spooner, of Taihape, found a bird on the road that is a stranger to these parts. It was a dove petrel, and apparently a young bird. These birds annually migrate during the winter from New Zealand to Siberia, and it is surmised that it is one of a flight on its way to northern climes, and which had been blown away from the main body during the recent stormy weather. The bird, which was in good condition, has-been sent to the curator of the Wanganui Museum.

A Queensland timber cutter lett this notice painted on his hut: "You all Jake this notice. I have gone to fight the Germans, and ■■! dont' know when I am coming back. Somebody chip round my humpy against grass fires. All my bullocks are sold except Sambo —him with the cocknorn. Anyone finding him can sell him to the butcher, and he will mind the money till I come back." Be it recorded to their credit that the residents of the district have complied with all the terms of the notice.

Among the humours of tiro snowstorm at Christchurch on Sunday w?ts a snowfight among the members of a suburban church congregation. At the conclusion of the service the congregation divided itself into two divir sions, which • for a considerable time bombarded each other, the pastor "assisting, and the ladies proving that their endurance was equal to that of the men. The battle went on till well after the usual hour for lunch, when the combatants faded away in a much bedraggled condition.

As the result of the death of Mr. Thomas Morgan from injuries sustained in a motor accident. James O'Donnell, a farmer, was at the Hawera Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon with unlawfully killing Thomas Morgan. Senior-Ser-geant Till asked for a remand to enable the police to collect evidence, and, in reply to a question by tha magistrate, said that the accused had surrendered himself to the police, and had made a voluntary statement. A remand was granted until Monday, bail being allowed.

The meeting called last night to initiate the campaign on behalf of the Red Jersey App'eal Jar.sed for two reasons. In the first place there were only eight persons present, and in the second the Pierrot Entertainers were having a rehearsal in the Town Hall, making conversation a matter of difficulty in the supper-room. It is very much to be regretted that so little inerc/st is 'apparently '.taken in 'the noble work the Salvation Army is do-

ing among our men on active service. Admitting there arc many bodies working in the siame sphere, the operations of the Salvation Army do not suffer by comparison with any of them. This is the first appeal made locaHy for assistance, and it would be to Taihape's everlasting dishonour if the appeal went unheeded. Taihape has never yet failed when its assistance has been invoked, and we are sure it is only from a want of understanding of the objects of the Red Jersey Campaign that the attendance was so meagre. It was decided that the meeting be adjourned till Monday evening, i n the Salvation Army Hall, when it is expected Brigadier Toomer will be present.