LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A youthful drover, 17 years of age, giving evidence before the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court, said that he earned from £4 10s to £5 a week. In regard to the publication of lists of C2 and D. reservists, the Recruiting Department announces that no particulars of reservu--' disabilities will be given. A soldier at the front has been writing to fifteen girls, all of whom he told he loved and each of whom he promised faithfully to marry when he came back to New Zealand. A meeting of the Taihape Branch, of the Taihape Farmers' Union, will be held at the office of the New Zealand ■ Farmers' 'Co-Operative Distributing Co., on Wednesday next, August 2Sth, at 11 a.m. Sly grogging and "dropping," so far as Masterton is concerned, appears to have died a natural death, (says the Wairarapa Age). There has not been a police prosecution for a breach or the Licensing Act In this connection for many months. ' Mr. Beach Thomas, correspondent of the "Daily Mail," says the Americans joined the British on the Sommo by some rare feats of athletics, whicn was only possible to youths of high physique and rare training. Some of the battalions did not stop for a minute after a three miles run, but went on and charged the enemy, and were straightway victorious, after several hours of tough fighting. Then they spent several hours in laborious fortification work.

The usual euchre tournament of the | Taihape Fire Brigade will be held in the Social Hall this evening.

It is reporterd that Mr. Gerald Griffen has sold his Papakai Road property to Mr. Peter Baird at a price satisfactory to buyer and seller.

Football and hockey reports, correspondence and other matter unavoidably held over to-day owing to pressure of cable matter.

The New Zealand mails which left New Zealand for then-United Kingdom on July' 4 have arrived at their destination. Word to this effect has been received by the Postal Department.

The British Tommy will have his joke. A officer just back from the Ypres front slightly wounded, says one of the signs that he first' saw on entering the ruins of the town was as follows: "This way to the war."

While on the way from Moawhango a Taihape resident lost a valuable pointer dog, which slipped down the steep bank of the river where it was impossible for the dog to re-land. The finder is asked to be good enough to return it to this office or to give information, as to its whereabouts.

The picture benefit given by Mr. Swedlund and worked up by Mrs. Smith was a great success, resulting in over £2O being handed over to the crippled widow of a soldier who gave his life for his country. A statement of accounts was brought to this office which* discloses that the expenses were notably low.

Mr. Murdoch, who has, from the public's point of view, so efficiently acted as Postmaster at Taihape, is today surrendering the control of the local postal and telegraph office to Mr. Boland, his successor. A good many residents of this town will regret having to say good-bye to Mr. Murdoch.

Few peopple realise the enormous part the British. .'Commonwealth, is playing in the great war. To March of this year the total contribution of the British Empire to the armies now fighting for freedom is 7,5.00,000. During 1917, 1,163,500 tons of new ships built, .against 542,000 tons in 1916. Over 2000 enemy aeroplanes were brought down by British airmen in 1917.

"Trade figures show a very disagreeable situation as to British trade in New Zealand," said Mr. R. W. Daiton, British Trade Commissioner, at a farewell tendered to him in Wellington yesterday. "The position is becoming really very serious for' British manufacturers." He urged importers, with all the earnestness he could command, to hold on to and strengthen their trade with Great Britain.

'A fire broke out at Paeroa at 3.45 yesterday morning and resulted in the total destruction of the large Criterion THeatre, Mr. Campbell's' fruit shop and the Hauraki Land Agency Office. The buildings were all owned by Mr. L. Cassrels, and were covered by insurance amounting to £llsO on the main building, and £765~6n the furniture, scenery, and piano, divided amongst various companies. Mr. Campbell held no insurance on his stock.

A smart feat of salvaging was accomplished in Wellington Harbour on Tuesday, when the 15 ton boiler of the burnt steamer Defender was picked up from the vesesl as she lay submerged off Leper Island, close to Somes Island, and, together with the vessel's two anchors and chain cables, was landed safely on the Railway Wharf. The'value of the salvaged boiler, cables and anchors runs into several hundred pounds.

Prices at Wednesday's sale of fat stock at Westfield showed little variation from those of last week. Prime ox beef sold up to £2 13s 6d per 10010 and heifer beef to £2 10s per 1001 b. Steers ranged from £l2 10s to £2c, cows from £9 10s to £l7 ss, and heifers from £lO 10s to £l7. Prime

wethers sold up to £2 4s fo~r"extra heavy. Lambs were in small supply, good lines of woolly realised 345, anc shorn lambs 28s. Heavy baconers sold, up to £B.

The Old Identities' Ball, which takes place next Wednesday, promises to be a huge success, and from promises given by early pioneers of the district, the grand march, which opens the programme, will be an iffferesting and instructive item. Mrs. T. Shute yesterday and to-day, received many assurances from old settlers that they would be present, and it is hoped there will be no lack of later arrivals to assist them in assisting our soldiers at the frontf