LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 January 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A woman to help one or two mornings each week is advertised for.

Two returned soldiers' badges are awaiting owners at this office; also a letter addressed "Willing."

The death is reported in the United States, from pneumonic-influenza, of the two great cinema artists, Douglas Fairbanks and Harold Lockwood.

The Moana which is due at Wellington in about a week's time from San Francisco, is bringing 7721 sacks of mail matter, of which 562 S sacks comprise American parcels. The balance consists of letters from the United States of America.

In the House of Lords, in November last, Lord Selbourne declared that a man described as "a common, low, vulgar adventurer of the worst type." was the recipient of an honour recently. In the course of his speech, he held up a copy of the Gazette, and said there were (50 pages of honours. "In such circumstances," he added, "the Prime Minister's responsibility becomes a farce."

Mr. H. D. Bond, Taihape's well known jeweller, lias a notice in another column, stating that his stocks of jewellery for 1919 arc to hand, and present the latest and most artistic designs. Special attention has been paid to the selection of wedding and engagement rings, which are bound to please all tastes. A cordial invitation is extended to all to make an early visit of inspection.

When Messrs. Watson Bros., fishermen, of Waikanae, went fo haul up their nets at Kapiti Island the other day, they found that a large shark had become entangled in the meshes, and had stranded on the beach. Mr. W. E. Bendall and Professor Kirk, who visited the island during the week-end, saw the monster, which is 28ft. 6in. long, 15ft in circumference, its jaw is 2ft lOin long side to side. The shark belongs to a strange .species, t:he bo>ne lioing soft and transparent, and (easily broken, the teeth small and curved inward the eyes os large as a tea-cup, were set close together. The fisherman stated they had never seen a similar specimen, and Professor Kirk has taken a portion of the tail to Wellington in an endeavour to establish the identity of the species.

A house in Main Street is advertised to let by Mrs. Captain Batt.

A kind person is wanted to take care of a healthy baby boy two months old.

The opening, date for '.heir Colossi Midsummer Sale is advertised en page S, by Collin son and C inn'big-):-me„ Ltd., of Palmer?ton North who advise a visit.

Says the Folding Star: Though they are essential in their way, some of the local Municipal enterprises are not profitable just now. Th electricity system is not paying, the Council is losing money on the baths, the abattoir is showing a loss, and the public library never will pay.

One of the band of school mistresses who rendered valuable services during the influenza epidemic, applied to the Taranaki Education Board for leave for one month from the end of the holidays to enable her to visit Australia, as she had arranged to do during the ordinary holidays, but for the influenza epidemic. The teacher had acted as matron of the Te Kiri hospital for three weeks. The Board decided to* grant leave without pay for the period asked.

"One of our prisoners who recently arrived from Germany," writes the High Commissioner from London, "called the other day and stated that he had sent me a paper containing a full page devoted to the British overseas possessions. In large type there was an account of how Mr. Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, and Sir Thomas Mackenzie were receiving heavy bribes in order to keep the war going for the benefit of New Zealand trade.' '

Merchants of the Baltic Exchange. London, have rejected with disgust a proposal telegraphed from the Hamburg firm of Newman, one of the largest, grain importers of Germany, inviting them to reopen old relations. The telegram was posted in the Exchange, bracketed "with extracts from the German Press, published in the "Times" in January,. 1917. These included an article by Henry Newmann, head of the firm, gloriflying the results of the ruthless torpedoing of British ships.

A total of 2(5,665 soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force had been returned to this country up till December 31 last. Of these 3746 were still undischarged/ being unfit for civilian employment. Only 2095 cases were under action by the Repatriation Department, and 334 of thepse wore at this date on the employment wanted register. These last were chiefly men just discharged from the forces. The others of the 2095 men comprised those about whom inquiries were incomplete, or those who had indicated to the Department's committees that they were not yet ready for work.

A useful industry has been established in Eltham. It is the conversion of lambs, (veils) into rennet. The stomachs are received from the Patea freezing works. They are blown up at both ends, and (hen hung up on wire to dry. It is said' that New I Zealand sends away £75,000 per annum for calves' rennets —or what are reputed to be calves' rennets — and that this money can be retained within the Dominion by using lambs' stomachs. About 11 million stomachs would be, it is estimated, sufficient for the Dominion's requirements,, and as there are between five and six million lambs slaughtered annually, it will bo | seen that there is no likelihood ' of any deficiency in supplies. The prospect of a reduction in the price of metal goods was stated yesterday by an importer of this class of goods not to be very promising. During the war hours of work in Britain and other exporting countries had been reduced, and wages had been considerably increased. This meant a very material advance in the cost of production. Referring to the published English prices of metals during the war the importer stated that these could not be taken as an I indication of prices paid for them in | the Overseas Dominions, because the maximum prices fixed in Britain applied only to sales to the Imperial authorities, who controlled the metal market, and did not allow such goods to leave the country. Colonial purchasers had, therefore, to go to the American market and pay American , prices.