LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

THE POLLING BOOTHS THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS ELECTORATES CLOSE AT (5 O'CLOCK TO-NIGHT, after which no votes can be recorded.

The Cufie discharged 700 tons of plain and barbed fencing wire at Auckland last week.

It is estimated that there are at Ashburton (50,000 sacks of wheat awaiting delivery.

Coal is very difficult to obtain at any of the Wellington yards. The State office is crowded day after day by people seeking a little of the precious fuel. Only a couple of hundredweight at a time can be obtained, but even this small quantity is early bought. The department does not undertake to deliver coal it; loss than six weeks from the time of its purchase'.

A most extraordinary sight was witnessed in Otantau one day recently. During a very heavy shower of rain hundreds of thousands of small white jellyfish were to be seen lying on the pavements (reports an exchange). They did n}ot last very long, melting as soon as the sun made its appearance.

Mr John Hall, a half-caste, who has been residing at Ohinemutu for many years, died on Monday morning. Three of his sons volunteered for the war, and returned to Eotorua with the contingent by the Westmoreland. Mr Hall on Saturday night said: "I am determined to live until I see my boys on Monday." On Sunday he lost his sight, and said: "I shall not see them now, but I hope to ITear their voices." Kail died a few hVmrs before the train reached Rotorua.

A lady who took a coat by mistake from W. J. White and Sons, drapery is asked to kindly return it.

A man named Charles Hegarty was before the Court yesterday (charged with being in charge of a three-horse vehicle while under the' influence of drink. He was fined £5 and costs.

The New Zealand Society of Accountants notifies that the complete Examination Syllabus for 1919 is now available asd may be obtained from Mr. Ernest W. Hunt, Secretary, G.P.O. Box 1527 ..Wellington, or from Locol Branch Secretaries.

After a long spell of hot wether, which made the outlook for winter feed very black, welcome rain began to fall throughout Otago on Tuesday morning, and a steady fall continues. The rain will have a very beneficial effect, on the parched pasture land, and will help to restore a fast-falling stockmarket.

The unique expeience of shooting game in Germany with beaters who had been fighting three weeks before, is described in a letter received from a British cavalry officer, who was one of the heroes of Mons. This officer's parly went on this shooting expedition to heavily wooded country across the Rhine, and all kinds of four-legged and feather game was met.

The Hon. J. A. Han an, Minister for Education, is in favour of standardising school buildings and intends shortly .publishing an Educational Gazette. Both of these proposals have been advocated for years in this educational district. But one wonders in what part of the Wellington Department the brains and th e ability exist to carry thorn out.

As an instance of the efficiency and the ingenuity of the Canadian and American people during the war period, the engineer to the Auckland Harbour fi'oard mentioned in a report that during 1917, -IS lake steamers were brought down for service in the Atlantic. Sixteen had to be cut in two to pass the canal locks, and they were put together again at Montreal.

In answer to a question by an Age representative in Masterton, the Hon. J. A. Hanan. Minister for Education, state that it was proposed that after a certain number of years' service on the part of teachers, they should receive a minimum salary in excess of what they were at present receiving. The amount of the minimum had not yet been fixed.

Owing to the increased number of passengers travelling from Auckland \by the Main Trunk express, the number of passenger-carriages has been increased to 11, consisting of 10 ordinary one! one sleeper carriage. These will give seating accommodation for about 390 passengers. Previously the normal train consisted of nine ordinary and one sleeper carriage, accommodating passengers.