LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, 3 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Rangitikei County Council give notice in another column that all outstanding Tates not paid by December 21st will he sued for. Sir Joseph 'Ward states that the whole accumulation of pareels for soldiers in Wellington will be cleared out by the next two despatches, and the public need not hesitate to continue posting parcels to soldiers. "They will cheat you (the Allies) yet, those Junkers! Having won half the world by bloody murder, they are going to win the other half with tears in their eyes, crying for merey. —Garl Rosemeier, -a German in Switzerland. A peculiar after-effect of influenza, particularly in the case of women, is for the vocal cords to be affected. Such people may be able to speak quite clearly in the daytime, but after dark the voice commences to get husky, possibly through the added moisture in the air after sundown. This affection of the voice gradually wears off with complete convalescence. Th mails which have arrived by the Makura probably will not be available for a day or so. The fumigation of 2,600 bags of mail matter is a considerable job, apart from which the Health Department is very insistent, that the fumigation shall be very thorough, and that the Department deems it advisable and essential that the mail shall be exposed fully to the fresh air and sunshine. It has come to be almost a tradition that landlords are the last people one looks to for any display of generosity. There are, iof course, exceptions to the rule. The landlord of a large New j Plymouth shop has informed his tenants that he intends to forego the rent (for the two weeks during which the shop has been closed on account iof the epidemic. This is an example of public-spirited generosity that olhers so placed might well follow. It cerI tainly seems hardly fair that tenaifts | through no fault of their own should stand all the loss during the time their businesses have been closed in the public interest.

One unfurnished room near to town,' is advertised for by Nurse Mcßride. /

Just one year ago yesterday b* o'clock closing of hotel bars came into operation throughout the Dominion.

Inland telegraph restrictions due to the influenza epidemic have been removed on and from to-day: but offices observing curtailed attendance due to war conditions will continue to cj serve tho same until further notice.

Sir James Allen says there will be two histories of New Zealand's share in the war written —an official history and a popular history. The latter would consist of three volumes, devoted to the campaigns in Gallipoli, Palestine and on the Western front= In those histories the fine part played by tho Maori race would not be forgotten.

When all the breweries in the United States close, on December 1, brewcries declare there will be no more than six weeks' supply of beer on hand, and consequently beer will not be obtained after January. It is estimated that in New York :alonc 10,000 licensed victuallers, or saloon-keepers will go out of business. The revenue loss to the Government from the suspension of the breweries in the next twelve months is estimated at £28,000,000,

"It is my opinion that in this country members of Parliament are not paid enough." Said Sir Joseph Ward in the House, "It is also my opinion that Ministers are not paid adequately. I say that after a long experience. '' He said that the community got very, valuable services from members of Parliament, and it ought to be recognised. The representatives of the people felt the cost of living just as other members of the community did, and most of them had to keep up two homes for part of the year. The ascertained burials in and near Christchiirch during November number 515, compared with 76 for the corresponding month last year, an increase of 439. Allowing for a. possible increase in number of deaths from other causes, and including in that allowance the unascertained number of people who died in Christchurch, but were buried in other districts, it may be regarded as a conservative estimate' that probably 420 people have died in the city and its environs from causes connected with the epidemic. Mr. John Sinclair, iof Mataroa, has just received advice that his sorf R. J. Sinclair, has been awarded the Military Medal for special acts of bravery in the field. R. I. Sinclair enlisted early in the war, and left New Zealand with the Rifle Brigade, in the 7th Reinforcements. He was in Egypt, and took part in the fight in the Land of the Pharoahs on that memorable Christmas Day. He went to France and has fought through the campaign till victory was achieved.' Many friends of the young hero will rejoice at the coveted distinction he has so nobly earned. The decision of the Government to make a grant of £IOO to the Plunket Society for each Plunket nurse engaged for a full year, or pro rata for nurses not engaged for the full year, has been announced by the "Minister for Pubic Health. Referring to the work of Dr. Truby King in England, Mr. Russell said the Home authorities had asked that he should be allowed to remain for a further year. The request would bo placed before Cabinet, and no doubt would be granted. The Estimates provide for a grant of £4OOO for the Plunket nurses. Last year a similar sum was voted, and £3372 was expended.

Two clergymen recently met with an experience in the Waitara district that they are not likely to forget. Like good Samaritans, they had been visiting the houses of the settlers iand the Maoris. In one Maori house they found two people who had been dead .for some days, and the other nine inmates, were all down, seriously ill. They had had no attention at all for some days, and the state of the house may be imagined. The clergymen at once got to work, arranged for the burial of the bodies, cleaned up the place, attended to the patients, and otherwise arranged for them. One of the clergymen is now down with the disease. Some amusement was caused among passengers on the Makura at Auckland on Sunday morning, when the three health officers ascended the gangway of the vessel as she lay at anchor at the quarantine station at Motuihi . With a view to minimising the risk of taking influenza on board, each officer attired kimself in a linen overall, which had been thoroughly fumigated. Passengers lining the vessel's side failed for a few minutes to realise that this unusual attire had been donned as a precaution in their interest. The general impression was that the doctors were afraid of getting influenza, and smiles appeared on every face as they halted at the top of the gangway and ordered the passengers to stand back. The amusement quickly disappeared, however, when it became known that those on board were tG spend seven days in quarantine in consequence of the influenza in their midst.....

The complete vital statistics for Auckland for November are not available on this occasion, the registrar having received official instructions not to give the figures relating to deaths.

The Mayor of Palmerston, Mr. J. A. Nash, has consented to contest the Palmerston seat in the interest of the National Government. Mr. E. H. Crabb is also standing as an Independent. Tram fares have been raised ion some of Sydney's suburban lines, causing complaints in all quarters. A Chinaman, when asked for the extra fare, made the following remark, proving that he was quite conversant with the method of "passing it on": "All li; upee go tlam lide to-day; upcc go callot to-mollow." ' A leading farmer in the Rakaia district, himself a well-known judge of stock, relates how at the recent Metropolitan Show in Christchurch he and three others had a warm argument concerning the merits of the sheep-judging. They were all younger men that he and prominent men in the stock world. Along came the influenza, and within four days the three were dead. Taihape residents, and, indeed, settlers in the whole electorate, will be pleased to learn that Mr. R. W. Smith, M.P.. is rapidly recovering from his attack of the prevailing epidemic, and that he is able to take short excursions abroad. Mrs. Smith and Tony were also stricken badly, but both are well on the w-ay to recovery. Their many friends in this neighbourhood will certainly wish them God-speed.