LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3482, 10 May 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the 17 provinces of Siam there are nearly 175,000 monks and nuns c.on.nec-ted with the temples of the nni'i\'e religion. “Paints to-day are short-lived in usefulness and inadequate in regard to protection,” Mr L. P. Symes said in his lecture on fats to the Canterbury Philosophical Institute, “and we may see a. development from plastic materials that will be pleasing to the eye, to be more useful and give infinitely more protection than the ‘paints we are now usingl’ ’ A traveller from Wairoa states that when he passed by the construction work on the Gisborne-Napier railway near Frasertown a few, days ago he saw a dear old bewhiskered man wheeling a barrow, which was being filled by two men who were working away at a fairly long cut-ting. At. the rate of progress being made the line will not be completed for generations.

Some days ago i twas reported from lthe South that a number of mysterious cases of temporary paralysis had arisen amongst children. Inquiries made in Gisborne by a Times report.er go to show that at least two cases of a. similar character have occurred locally. A Kaiti resident stated that one of her children one afternoon recently complained that he could not walk. She undressed him, and put him to bed, finding that his feet were icily cold, although his legs were particulurly warm behind the knees, The little chap felt no inconvenience when very hot water bags were applied to his feet. Massage was also carried out for a lengthy period. Next morn-_ ing all signs of the malady had completely disappeared. Concerning the stranding of the Westralia in Banks Straits, Mr J. J. Dougall, of Christchurch writes:—— “Two things struck me forcibly on the night of the stranding. First, the complete ignorance of everyone regarding the method of adjusting lifebelts. The stewards and stewardesses did their best, but there was no system, no organisation, no knowledge. No one seemed to know how :1 belt should be tied on. The majority of the passengers were the belts over heavy furs and greatcoatts, while in] very few cases was the belt properly! tied. The difference .between salva-i tion and annihilation was a few hundred yards of sea. Had the ship struck the rocks instead of the sand, few would have lived to tell the tale. I In‘ very many cases the life-belts would have drowned the wearers ow- i ing to being! improperly fastened. No] one seemed to be‘ responsible. As the result of my experience I am emphatically of opinion that a. drastic change is required in ship discipline and or ganisaton n this respect.” V

,It is ‘considered doubtful if them is 3. Chinese native living who knows the whole 44,000 characters that make up the Chinese language.

The American Post Oflice authorities are investigating uthe latest device of anti-British propagandists who surreptitiously attach to parcels and -letters labels bearing the words “Buy uothing -that is made in England.”

'A' famous American preacher——himself a. bacheloi-—-thinks that the reason men are disinclined to marry in America is because they are afraid to. This is his wail:--4“The ‘Women to-day have gone socially and financially "crazy. Homely interests do not appeal to them Theatres, dog shows, horse shows, cat shows—any old kind of a. sh:ow——are the things that appeal to them. And as for money, it is the kernel of every Woman’s happiness to-day, or she thinks so until she finds out too late that she. is judging hy Wrong standards altogether.”

One of those characteristic acts of Major-General Sir A. Russell (says the Post) which have made him so popular with the soldiers whom he commanded, was witnessed during the handshaking ceremony between the Prince and the returned men at the review in Wellington. The late divisional commander, in mufti, walked past the Prince in :fhe centre of the line as one of the ’-men, and but for the Prince’s instant recognition of him would have gone through "the enclosure in -the ordinary way. He Was, however, warmly greeted by the Prince, and drawn aside in the enclosure.

When the guests at, the ofiicial lunchean were being photographed on the steps of the new Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, -the crowd evidently regarded the affair as a special view arranged for the benefit. of the people. They had a full and undisturbed view of His Royal Highness; but, even the presence of the Royal guest could not deter them from familiarity witli the popular leaders. “Now, look pleasant, Bill,” said a voice, and Mr Massey certainly did look pleasant. “Smile, Joe,” was the next command from "the crowd, and Sir Joseph Ward did smile.

A story about the labour situation in England is to the ctfect that a man applied for a position, and asked eight guineas a. week wages. He was told he could have five guineas. “His reply was: “It would not pay me :to take that; sign my card.” The card was to show he had applied for a job; he had purposely asked more than he thlough-t would be paid, and he then would, on showing the card to the authorities, continue -to receive the Labour Bureau 29/ for himself, 10/6 for his wife, 10/ for his first child, and 5/ each for his other children-——a total possibly of £4, “and then all is Well with him for another week” of idleness. According to Mr J. 0. Hanna, a well—known business man, formerly of Auckland, who has just returned to that city from England, New Zealand Government and municipal stocks are firmly held in London‘. A large landed proprietor in Northumberland, who was realising on some of his land, told him a few days before he left that a former African ‘G*overnol‘,, [of I'ec.ogigl nised financial capacity, recommended him to invest the proceeds of his sale in New Zealand Government stocks. My friend (Mr Hanna said) -added, however, that he could not. get New Zealand Government stocks except at a, heavy advance on the market quotations.

E The robbery of about £4OO in 3. lhandlbag ‘Was carried out in a daring manner in Brisbane the other day, Mr Bayard, Jlllll'., left the premises-, of Bayard and Co., South Brisbane, with a bag for the purpose of taking money to the Bank of New South VVales. He got on to the back platform of a tramcar, and inunediately afterwards two or three men got on the car. He lfound himself hustled to the far side of the platform. When asked for his lfare, he was obliged to relinquish his }hold of the bag, and when he got to ‘the far side of Victoria Bridge he dis‘covered it was missing. The matter ‘was reported to the police, and some of the missing money was found. Some very astounding contrasts in the price of land———which is still selling like hot czlkes—have been registered in (litter-ent parts of England during» the last few months. One peer and; great lando-wner in Yorkshire has soldl everything to his farmer tenantst without putting up an acre to public auction. He offered it——and the offer was nowhere 1-efused—:l 20 .V€lll‘Si' Dlll‘chase on pre-war rents, which brought out the average sum at about £25 an‘ acre. including buildings which are valuable; and the farms were also in an excellent state as regards drainage and repairs. Land in Huntingdonshire has been sold at £l2 and £ls an acre, but such examples are rare. l

New Suede Gloves for winter wear, in good heavy quality skin. Shades; of Suete, Tan and Mole_, Brice 15/6 “and 15/9 ‘per pair.-—Collin‘so‘n' and Gifford,‘ Ltd. T M %

The adiourned meting of'the Tai-' hape and District Patriotic Society‘ will Be ‘Held in the Society's’ "ofl-ice,‘ Nathan’s Buildings, at 8 o’clock to-I night. The new fire alarm system has Ibeen 4 installed in Taihape, and a special Word of warning is necessary as to manipulating the fire alarm boxes placed in different parts of the borough. The mechanism is very delicate and sensitive, and in giving the} alarm it is only necessary to break the glass and press the button. No great force is needed to fracture the glass screen, and if a violent blow is given damage may be done to the[ mechanism. _

Says 3. “Bulletin” writer:—~Plc-nty of the lads will remember when the Prince of Wales plziyecl t.wosup with the Diggers in France. When Ned took the kip the push started laying their bets. “Let ’em go, Prince.” “Give ’em a fly, Prince,” and so forth. But one rough-neck struck a. new note when he bawled, “Fiée francs he don’t turn his old man’s head up.” The Municipal Housing Conference at Shoreditch discussed the enorrnous increase of overcrowding in London, and reported that 11,000 families in St. Pancms were occupying one room each, 15,000 two rooms, and 10,000 three 1001113. The conference asked the overnment to empower Councils to seize empty houses, and to establish a national housing fund. It also urged builders and workmen to quicken the output for the sake of their own class.

The Auckland section of the Postal and Telegraph Ofrlcers’ Association has endorsed the resolution of the VVellington section ul~ging the abolition of the counter delivery of letters. A recent check was taken at the Central Post Oflice, when 25 callers were recorded in two hours. There were only ten letters handed over, and the delivery of these across the counter, according to the calculations of a member of the association, cost the New Zealand Government 4/ apiece.