LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 March 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The following vessels will be within wireless range to-night: —Maori. Monowai, Mararoa, Pateena. Rivcrina.

The approximate value of the cargo taken from Gisborne recently by the War Castle on behalf of the Shaw Savill line was £500,000.

The burglar who has been "doing" the schools in Wanganui, Taranakl, and Hawkes' Bay districts, took, £5 out of the North School, Dannevirke, on Thursday.

One night last week some malicious person broke into the premises of Mr. Nicholls, tailor, Queen Street, Masterton, turned the whole place upside down, and cut up, either with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, a. number of suits and a quantity of cloth.

Advice has been received by the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company that the lonic left London on March 15 for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. The vessel, which is bringing troops, has also cargo for the four ports named. She should reach her first port of call about April 21-.

Undischarged soldiers are (hot ;utlowed to take work in a civil capacity, but. the - Defence authorities announce that as soon as a man receives notice of discharge he is at liberty to accept, remuneration for civil employment, states a Press Association message from Wellington.

The Marton Borough Council has the almost unique distinction for public bodies of having a substantial credit at the hank, owing to its donothing policy (says the Advocate). — The late Mr. Seddon used to say that the local body which had a heavybank balance was sure to be a bad administrator.

The German General Staff believed that for the conquest and occupancy of Great Britain a minimum force of 250,000 men would have to be landed, together with all the field and heavy artillery, transport, and military supplies. The fact is that Germany needed for this invasion a force of 20,000,000 men, which was a million more than she could raise.

It is not generally known that a soldier's wife cannot be ejected from a house she may be occupying. At the last meeting of the New Plymouth Repatriation Committee the secretary reported that he had been interviewed by a soldier's wife who had her house sold over her head. He showed her that under the War Regulations she could meantime remain in the house, whether it was sold or not. This she is doing, and the purchaser is now cooling his heels until he can find her another home.

It is not generally known that the sun shines over Dunedin for one hour and two minutes longer on December .11 than it docs in Auckland. The reverse is the case on June 30, when it shines 57 minutes longer in 'Auckland. On December 31 Wellington has 26 minutes more sunshine than Auckland and 24 minutes less on June 30. This variation in the susnhine is one of the reasons why the South Island is better adapaed' for grain growing than the North. Although Dunedin has less sun in winter there are many more fine days and a clearer sky than in the north, while the opposite conditions prevail during the summer months. ; .

What is the main cause of the industrial unrest in Britain? asks the Wellington Times, and answers We take it to be the incompatibility of two facts. Of these one is the necessity for a reasonably prolonged consideration of the difficulties of a most complicated problem. These facts are at war because, on the one hand, the men concerned, being pressed by want, cannot wait, while, on the other responsible statesmanship cannot hurry But the deadlock thus produced cannot last because, while responsible authority is fumbling with the GiOrdian knot, Labour is preparing to cut the same with the sword of strike.

Farmers have been complaining bitterly during the last few years about the spread of "biddy biddy" ana the serious depreciation caused in the value of wool in affected districts. It would seem, however, that the burr has medicinal qualities. According to a farmer in Levin district, a herd ol 60 calves Avere badly attacked with scour, and all would probably have died but for treatment with "bTddy biddy/' The plants were pulled and boiled, and about half a pint was given to each calf with a similar quantity of milk. All the calves were saved but three. The plant is apparently very well known to the natives for its medicinal properties.

The drought that has been experienced in the Masterton district during the last few weeks is causing serious apprehension to settlers (says la Wairarapa paper). One settled stated on Saturday that the ground on the East Coast is parched to a greater extent than it was in 1914, when stock had to be shifted to the Forty Mile Bush. The streams and springs, however, are holding out better than they did in the last drought. Settlers in the Lower Valley state that the posltien is every day becoming more serious, particularly as the farms and stations are heavily stocked. Twen-ty-four hours' rain would do an immense amount of good.