LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 September 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the sale of Gleeson property at Manaksfii'j Mr. R. A. Port, of tie Palmerston district purchased 150 acres at an average of about £B6 per acre.

A cable message states- that the United States- Senate:has voted in favour of: nationwide prohibition, on July Ist, 1919, as a war<,measure,. ; .>

•The Crown Prince is being fiercely attacked in the German Press. They regard him as more of an ass than an asset

In the Christchurch Magistrate's Court on Saturday, before Mr. McCarthy, S.M., Anri Gallagher and Frank Tborne were each fined £SO for selling watered milk.

The statement that Cabinet had decided that no more racehorses will be allowed to leave the Dominion is denied by the Cabinet Ministers and the U.S.S. Co. '='■--

Wanganui reports that it has passed the 4000 mark in securing signatures to the petition asking Parliament to adopt the Natiorial Efficiency Board's proposal to bring about prohibition on a basis of compensation.

The Naval Adviser states it is reported that an enemy mine has been washed ashore on the west coast of the North Island, about fifteen miles south-east of Cape Maria van Diemen. The necessary steps have been taken to make it secure. '

A sale or sbeep which constitutes a record in Australia was concluded in Melboure- recently. Mr. Joseph Timms, of Momba Station, on the Darling River, sold 100,000 sheep and lambs' to Mr. Ben Chaffey, of Moorna Station, at £1 10s per head.

Anything calculated to render pumice of more commercial value than it is at the present time is of interest to a volcanic country like Auckland. The "Monthly Current Trade and Service Issue of the Pacific Ports" states that local shipping men are interested in a protect t 0... build -monotithic hulls for steamers from pumice and steel on similar lines to those adopted when using concrete. It is claimed that' a chemical compound has been developed which will cause pumice to bind and set as firmly as cement about the reinforcement steel.

'/ The schools in the Wanganui Education district closed on Friday for the winter holidays, and re-open on Monday, September 9th.

The commercial travellers throughout New Zealand have collected over £300,000 for patriotic purposes during the past four years.

The interprovincial hockey match between Auckland and Canterbury, played at Christchurch on Saturday, resulted, after a very interesting game in a win for the Canterbury team.

. Palnierston's retailers have decided to close their shops at noon on Wednesday and to petition the Government to make 5.30 p.m. the closing hour compulsory on the ordinary days of the week all the year round.

Prolonged deliberation is not always a wise course for a public body to pursue, as is shown by the fact that an 8 ton road roller, which the Devonport Borough Council could have bought before the war for seven or eight hundred pounds, is now quoted at about twelve hundred.

The TaumaTunui police, while making inquiries regarding certain alleged thefts by two boys, discovered that they were also the culprits in connection with an attempt to set fire to a sawmill in this district. The two accused will shortly be brought before the Juvenile Court .

State Attorney Hoyne, of Chicago, acting on information as to coercive measures used by waiters to compel the giving of tips, arrested one hundred waiters, members of Waiters' Union, Local No. 7, a few weeks ago. Mr. Hoyne had a report that waiters used a certain powder in the dishes of known opponents to the tipping system.

The school children having the Eed Cross Shop on Saturday, had a remarkably successful day, the netted £l7 10a for the day's work, including Art Union tickets sold. This is good encouragement for the children to try again. The competitions resulted. in. Miss''' Oilernshaw winding -the <book, W. Stevens, the vase, and Miss Mavis Theobald tho girl's books. , f

The Berne correspondent of the "Agenzia Libera" learns that moral corruption is spreading with, alarming rapidity in Germany, and that the principle of multiple marriage has been adopted on a large scale. It is asserted that in chateaux througout Germany veritable harems are " maintained by men who have become Tich during the war. ~ "

A Commission of Inquiry Into the escape of four German prisoners from Somes Island at the end of July has found that the escape was not attributable to any neglect on the part of any officer, N.C.O. or soldier. The Court was impressed with the great care and thoroughness of the commandant. The Minister of Defence is investigating the need of improving the accommodation at Somes Island and Motuihl

, t A tangi is at pres>nt being held at Putiki in connection with the death or a well known native, Moana te Tauri. Deceased r< who was 47( years of age, was a nephew of the late Major Kemp, his mother being Ripeka te Mawae, who belonged to a well known and influential family among the Wanganui tribes. Deceased is survived by his wife and two children, one of whom is Miss Tc Mei Tauri, well known for her patriotic work on behalf of Maori soldiers, and who has appeared before a Taihape audience.

A returned soloier who has a long period of service to his credit was going towards Cheltenham Beach with some friends, when the big gun firing commenced. "Let us hurry up, and we will see some of the firing,' 'said one of the party. "No," replied the soldier. "We had better retrace our steps, for I cannot bear the sound of guns in this peaceful country, so very far removed from the chief centres of this great war." "To you people," he continued, "the sound of guns may mean little or it 'may mean imich, but to me it means hell, and I don't want to hear the shells bursting." When the firing ceased a little later someone said, "This is after all a beautiful country, and the homing of guns within its borders will never add to its serenity."

The practice of sending money to individual officers or nurses for providing comforts for soldiers has led to considerable difficulty in many cases where such officers or nurses have been transferred to other bases. It is directed by a circular issued from the Department of Internal Affairs that such remittances should always be made to the officer, chaplain, or nurse in charge, and not to a particular individual. If this is done, states the circular, the moneys forwarded to a particular base fo" the benefit of members of the forces in camp or hospital can be properly expended for such purpose by the officers or nurses then in touch with the men, and the consequent expense and delay necessitated by retransmitting the money will be avoided.

Mr. Martin Swenson, of Ngawaka, has received word that his son, Private M. Swenson, was wounded in the thigh on August 24th.

Those taking part in the Grand Revue Party, now being organised for tho Copper Trail fund by Mr S. Peyton, are notified that a rehearsal takes place this evening in the Presbyterian Hall, A full attendance is requires.

Good acceptances have been received for the Marton Jockey Club-b Spring Meeting, which is to be held on Wednesday of this week. Given fine weather a large number of Taihapians are looking forward to a successful day's racing.

Of the Valley of the Jordan and its poisonous snakes a New Zealand officer writes: Two of our men lost their lives from bites. The vipers had twined around these men's legs while they selpt. The Australians grab the reptiles by the head and tail when their quarters are invaded, but I would not handle one for £lO.

There will be general regret in this district concerning the contents of a cablegram received by Mr A. Nathan last evening. The was from Mr Nathan's son 'Carroll,, (dated) from France on 28th August and it states that he had been severely wounded in the arm and chest. This message was from Mr Carroll Nathan himeslf, no official notification having then come from the military authorities.

A returned soldier who has taken up one of the sections in Lament's Estate, near Woodlands, Southland, was agreeably surprised one morning last week to receive a visit from some of his neighbouring farmers. The visitors considerately brought their teams with them, and instead of talking about the weather, crops, "frozen mutton, dairy produce, and other topics so dear and necessary to a farmer's conversation, they merely said "Good morning," and immediately made preparations for a day's ploughing. Fortunately they were favoured With beautiful weather, and consequently made good progress, some fifteen acres being ploughed before they finished. ' ■ :