LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, 3 September 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

According to report dairy farmers in the Pongaroa district arg not Satisfied with their returns, and are selling off their herds.

In Christchurch it has been decided to reduce‘ the price of milk firom 6d to 5d per quart. The margin of profit to ‘the I'c?tailers~ is meported {to be about the same as when milk was sold at 461 per quart, despite -the fact that the cost of delivery has increased.

At the Wanganui Supreme Court on Saturday afternoon, Thomas P. Christian was charged with imlecently as-I saulting a girl at Taihapc. The accused was not represented by counsel. The jury found the accused guilty. His Honour, Mr Justice Chapnmn, imposed a sentence of two years’ imprisonment. ‘

Victor and Roy Smith, found guilty of common assault on Police.-Sergeant Reid, at Wanganui on Monday, were sentenced at the Supreme Court to eighteen months’ reformaftixgev .trrea.tment. Mr Justice Hosking characterised the .-assault as serious and savage, but mitigated the sentence on account of the previous good conduct of the prisoners, and their good service to the country during the war.‘

A Canadian soldier, Wilford Gr.‘ Oakes, who returned home after a remarkable record of service in za. Canadian artillery regiment, -had the experience near Cambrai of viewing his own grave, with his name inscribed on a rude slab over his last resting place. He took a snapshot of the grave as a souvenir. Oakes was severely wounded several times. In one battle when he was wounded, he lost his identification of-ard. His jaws were shot away, making it impossible for him to communi-' cate his identity, and, as he was missing from his- company, his death was finally reported. Some other soldier was buried under his name. ‘

_A heavy increase in the price of funfus, in which there is considenable ‘trade bsctwcen Aucliland and Hong kong, shows that it is not -only the white Inan’s food stuffs that have become dearer during the last few years. This fungus is gathered by country settlers and their children from dead and fallen trees, sun-dried, and sent to Auckland merchants for exp(¥rt.ASince the beginning of the war the price has advancecl from 4—}»d to 7§d per pound, and, according to one ‘Auckland merchant handling large quantities, has been in greater demand than ever during the War period. The fungus is C-011-sidered {L great delicacy by the Chinese, who cook it and use it as a pot—herb.

It may be taken for granted (asys the N.Z. Times) that little or nothing further will be heard of the Prr:g:'es—sive Party for some time. In an interview with an Auckland nexvspafer a fortnight ago, one of the leaders of this new political combination claimed :3. following of something like twent.y—one members, nearly all of whom were from the Massey side of the House, and he also furnished the information that the party was crouching readyfito spring. “If you want to know where the party is now,” said a well-known ‘Reformeiz’ on Thursday, “it is still crouching, but it is crouching at the heels of Mr Massey, and will be crouching there exDectantly until the vacant portfolios are allocated.” Possibly this eoi-reetly sums up the situation. Some 01'’ the leaders of the Pl'ogreSsi've Party are cf:-taiiily lined up in the ranks of the Massey following

Says the NZ. Times: A story current in the lobbies is that three members of the Liberal Party had broken away from their allegiance to Sir Joseph VVal'd. Ml‘ Hornsby Was 0119 of those mentioned in this connection. and it was said that he had decided to give an open support to Mr Massey fol‘ the remainder of the session. If the story is correct, it will necessarily come as :1 _<urpx'ise to some of Mr

Hol'-usb_v’;,- stzmnc-.hest supporters, bccause he was elected as a 5011116 Slll3portcr of Si]: Joseph Vvaird. and dcfoated one of the pillars of “Reform ” It is certainly a fact that Mr Hornsby has cut himself adrift from his leader for the last two‘ years, and has not been attending the Liberal caucuses, but it was not contemplated that a man with his lengthy Liberal record would go over to the side of land monopoly, which he has consistently opposed, The other two possible defections, it is said, are contingent upon the offer of Ministerial office. With so many “Reformers” chorislifiig similar aspirations, howevci‘, it is Very doubtful whether their ambitions will be realised. V

Hocliey players and enthusiasts are reminded that the next match in connection with the seasoll’s fixtures will be played on fhe Recreation Ground to-morrow at 3 p.lll. The cbuipeting teams will be Huia ‘A. v. Huia B.

The annual meeting of the Taihape Bowling club is to be held in the club’s pavilion at 8 p.m., 011 Thursday, September 11th, -when the annual report and balance—sheet will be pl-esont-ed, oflicers for the ensuing year will be elected, and a. notice of motion by’ Rev. F. W. Stout will be considered.

Temperance circles expect the first‘ prohibition sliccess in Scotland, where! the campaign will begin in the rural ‘

districts and procer-d ‘successively to the towns and cities. The secretary of the Brewers’ Association states that it is unnecessary to organise opposition to the temperance campaign, as the feeling in the country was never more unfavourable to teetolaism.

A bright spark in the proceedings at the Auckland Police Court on Monday morrin-g was the appearance, during the lam-ing of 3. case, of 9. little fell‘)? of between two and three years, who burst in unexpectedly upon the throng_ aml. romping and ‘laughing, mounted the l\zLagistrate’s bench_ The little fellow I-ut all ‘in a good humour, the sombre faces taking an immediate relaxaticn in the form of good-humourcd smiles, brought on by the boy’s hilariousness. Very reluctantly Mr Wilson‘, S.i\l., ordered a. constable to take him out. But this was not the end of his day’s fun, for from a far portion of the building came his cheery voice in laughter. .

One of the features of the houseproperty market ‘Hl’ Auckland at present is the difliculty being experienced by -buyers in securing possession. 'Land agents report that several cases have occurred in which people who have been been compelled to purchase a house have been prevented after the completion of negotiations from taking possession because ‘of the inability of the tenant -to ‘secure another rented house. A few cases are recorded of would-‘be’ purchasers ha‘-ving refused to conclude a transaction on this account (states a northern paper). The ;d'em‘a.nd fior ‘houses continues bufisk-. iDifliculty is still ‘being experienced by land agents in securing suitable houses ifor prospective purchasers.

A case reminiscent of a comic song? about a doeteor having recovered ninepence from a. boy who had swallowed a shilling was heard in the Melbourne Police Court the other day, when a. young woman named Dora. Gray was charged with the theft of a sum of money ulL'de‘r unusuhl circumstances. One Albert Ball said he was accosted by accused in Exhibition Street, and while he was engaged in c-onversation with her she put her arms under his coat. As soon as she went away he missed 20/ from his hip pocket. [He gave information to the police, which led to the woman’s arrest at midnight. On her way to the watehhouse sh ;: was seized with 9,. fit of caughing, with the result that she coughed up three shillings and two sixpences, While in the Watchhouse she coughed uptfour twoshilling pieces. A further sum of 8/3 in silver was also found upon her. She was remanded for trial‘.