LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A message received by 'the Defence Minister states that a hospital ship on its way out to the Dominion, reached a port of call all well.*

It is the hope of the United States Government, it was stated, that, after the conclusion of hosilities, it may be possible to remove the bodies of American soldiers buried in France to America for 1 re-interment,

Mr. B. H. Just, nurseryman, Palmerston North, offers all the best varieties of onion plants at 10s per 1000, delivered free. This is a splendid opportunity for those who failed to sow in the autumn to be sure of a crop of well-developed bulbs this season.

In a Sydney police court the other day a long argument took place on the question of whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. It was decided to class it as a fruit, but considering the ways of the Law the wonder is that it wasn’t classed as an animal.

“Itis interesting to note,’’ said Colonel Gardner, D. 5.0., at the Wellington Officers’ Institute, “that the first British brigade that went to France was commanded by a New Zealander. That was the late Major-General Dav-

Thc criminality of red-tape! In the House of Commons on March 12 last it was announced that 32 cases of apples were sent to Glasgow from Now York and delivered to a fruit salesman’s establishment. The local customs officer immediately got to work, and skid that the apples were delivered "without authority." They wore seized, and next day shipped back to the United' States. And .all this is in a country that is short of shipping space, and is crying out for every ounce of food it can procure!

An incident that occurred in connection with the burning ,of Mr. Ritchie’s residence, is worth recording, says a Southland paper. It appears that Mrs. Ritchie, on discovering the fire, attempted to subdue it by throwing a burning quilt into the fireplace. Whilst doing so she was struck on the head by a falling picture and knocked partly senseless. On arousing from the stupor, through the pain of her burnt fingers, she discovered her clothing on fire, and after subduing it rushed from the stifled atmosphere, leaving her infant behind. Her son Albert, aged nine years, on being told that his mother in her frenzied state had forgotten his baby sister, rushed back and succeeded in rescuing the baby . Fire was falling from the roof and burning picture from the walls at the time he accomplished the task.

Mails close, at TaLhape for the Commonwealth of Australia only at 8 o’clock to-morrow evening.

An advertiser wants to buy a timber waggon having five-inch tyres. Particulars are to be sent by letter to “Waggoner,” care of this office.

Three largo offices and detached storeroom, opposite the Town Hall are advertised to let. Application is to be made to Mr A. Nathan, ’Phone 10.

A New York gunner private, who prefers to remain anonymous, has presented £20,000 to his battery for the purchase of home comforts in France.

To-morrow, at the Wanganui Education Board, a chairman is to be elected in place of Mr. F. Pirani, who is one of the members of the Pressmen’s picnic party to the Old Country.

At the Military Appeal Board at Pahiatua on Thursday, the military representative stated that he had recently come across a family of nine brothers, all of whom had joined up as volunteers and gone to the front.-

The “Copper Trail” from Auckland has now reached Ohakune, 225 miles south of Auckland, while the Wellington trail has advanced 14 miles this week, and has reached Bunnythorpe, a few miles this side of Palmerston North.

A meteorite that fell on the hills at Bcrhampore, Wellington, was shown at a meeting of the Philosophical Institute. It is an egg-shaped mass weighing just under 21b. black in colour and crystalline in formation. A man who saw the fall about ten o’clock one night marked the spot .and dug the meteorite out the next day.

Lightning struck a house during the height of a thunderstorm at Inglewood recently, the chimney being levelled at the roof, whilst the top of stove and cooking utensils wore scattered on the floor. A woman who was in the kitchen was hit on the back by the metal covering of the switch of an electric iron. Pieces of the slab of the switch were found several yards outside the house. ' ' -

The gentle onion and..the bitnilous carrot are not food for mirth. One docs not look for humour on a seed packet But on one which an Auckland firm imports, because there arc no printers in New Zealand, directions for raising beetroot say: —Sow in drills, etc., then out in rows. In lifting be careful not to bruise them. Note —These cultural directions apply to England, and must therefore be reversed for New Zealand.

New Zealand, according to the geologist, has risen and fallen at various times ias much as 500 ft. Anyone can see the rise on the East Coast along the Ninety-mile Beach, south of Timaru. Here old forests are coming into sight again, while on the West Coast the sea is encroaching. Looks like - a leaning towards the Pole. Such a tendency is possible and would promptly change the climate.

The most convincing proof that we are fighting for "democracy” is found in the balance sheet of the Standard Oil Company for 1917. This historic document shows that the company made a net profit of £7,761,800 on a capitalisation of £5,000,000 —a little matter of 146 per cent. The previous year the company only managed to make a profit of just over 100 per cent. That should convince the workers of the United States that Rockfeller will stand up to the war to the last man and the last dollar.

The return cribbago match between the Fire Brigade and a team of local citizens was played last night resulting in the victory by the citizens by 16 to 14. Following are the details of the various competitors, the Brigadesmen being placed first:— Howens and Mortland 1 v. Sullivan and Beban 4; Mathie and Drew 2 v McLaren and Turner 3; Strudwick and McClure 4 v. Ward and Wrightson 1; Russell and Hartley 2 v Daws and Walsh 3, McClure and Eaton 2 v Hall and Stevens 3. Green and Niven 3 v McDonell and Partridge 2.

The Old Girls’ Hockey Club held a social and dance last night in the Three Stars, when between 50 and 60 couples occupied the floor. The floor was in excellent condition, and the music provided by Mr. Upchurch, assisted by Misses McPhee and Treadwell was all that could be desired. The experiment of running the social wholly by ladies was a complete success. Misses D. Leahy, D. Boyd, and B. Richards made splendid Ms.C., and carried out their duties to the utmost satisfaction. of the dancers. A splendid supper was provided by the ladies, and the social was very enjoyable and pleasant. A novelty was introduced on the programme in the shape of a “Twilight Waltz,” during tHe dancing of which the usual electric lights were turned down and coloured screened lights substituted, the effect being very pretty. Dancing was kept up till .an early hour. The Club’s officials are to be complimented on the complotenes of the arrangements and foresight displayed for the dancers’. comfort and enjoyment.

A northern exchange rather unkindly remarks :y A newspaper paragraph recently gave to a startled world the news that a twin geyser had broken out on Frying-Pan Flat. It is not so remarkable. We have Massey and Ward, and they have developed on a lot of flats.

A meeting of the Taihape Tradesmen’s Association was held last night, there being a fairly representative attendance. It was decided that the time of daily closing at present obtaining, 5.30 p.m., be continued throughout the year, and the weekly half-holiday hour remain at 12 noon. The necessary formal steps to give effect to this decision are to be taken.