LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be no publication of the “Taihape Times” on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Tho troopship carrying draft No. 201, which arrived on Friday night, at Port Chalmers, had a fine-weather voyage. There was no sickness on hoard. The men for South left in the 8.30 express, and those for the North shortly after 11. The Wellington city sexton, Mr G. Kay, has reported to the City Council that during the month of November there were 709 interments in the Karori cemetery, and I cremations a total of 721. In November last year there were 59 interments in the Karori cemetery, 1 in Wellington cemetery, and 3 cremations, A sad incident. in connection with the recent epidemic in Wellington took place at the Petone Magistrate’s Court last week, when ten brightfaced, intelligent, healthy, well-bred children were committed to the charge of the Education Department. They were the children of the late Mr and Mrs Jeffries, who were victims of the epidemic. Some of the children were taken charge of by the relatives, and th others will- remain under the direct care of the Department. The custom of taking to the grave personal effects has been followed by some of the Maoris at New Plymouth in connection with recent deaths from influenza. In one case a handsome mat was placed in the grave with the deceased owner, and in another a sealskin coat and other articles of clothing were similarly dealt with. In the case of a native who had died possessed of £IOO, the relatives were dissuaded from their intention to place the sum in the coffin.

The Times’ medical correspondent believes that 6,000,000 people died from influenza and pneumonia during the last 12 weeks. The fatality was therefore five times more deadly than Ike war, and never since the Black Death had such a plague swept the world. India had lost 3,000,000. No medical authority was certain that any conclusion had yet been reached, and possibly the organism was still nndisbbvercd.l r JNio indications were that infection, occurred by contact, not through the air.

After Cabinet has considered the restrictions imposed on picture theatre hours by the amended Public Health Act, the Acting-Prime Minister stated that the Government had no power to ignore such a law passed by Parliament.

A man named Joseph Wilson was found in an. unconscious state alongside the railway line, at Taumorunui half a mile north of the station yesterday morning. It is surmised that he boarded the express the previous night to see a friend and was carried on and attempted to jump off.

The following weather, report was issued by Mr Clement .Wraggc' at 7 p.m. on Sunday:—“Except for coastal showers, with, winds, between west-south-west and south-south-west, there remains a prospect of generally good weather, and there is a strong probability that such w r ill last over the holidays, although one cannot forget the contingency that attaches to the Tasman Sea. ’ ’

A particularly mean and despicable action was perpetrated at the Taihape Cemetery recently ,when an artificial memoriam wreath was purloined from the grave of a lady—one of the victims of the influenza epidemic. A theft c.f this kind is very rare indeed, and we are sorry to think we have in .our community anyone who could be guilty of such an unutterably mean and contemptible action. If the guilty person has the least spark of decency he or she will return the wreath without delay.

The evening train from Oamaru, comprising 46 trucks and two passenger cars, entered the station yars last night in a gale of wind and rain, and collided head-on with an engine which w r as going to the shed, • .after being detached from the Ashburton train. Both engines w.ere very much damaged. Nine trucks loaded with wool were derailed and damaged, and the wool thrown in all directions. Most of the day was spent in clearing up the wreckage. ‘The engin'emen had a miraculous escape, and the passengers were unhurt. An inquiry will bo held.