LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 29 August 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Vancouver message says that l\ew Zealand butler is selling at Is lOd per lb. On account of so many shearers having joined the Expeditionary Force, it is anticipated that there will be a shortage in the Masterton district this seison (says the Wairarapa Times).

Letters to the members of the First Expeditionary Force should be addressed to the -Defence Headquarters, Wellington, for further direction. The same arrangement will be adopted for the main body after the troopships have left. The High School footballers arc to bo commended for their patriotic decision to donate the whole of the "gate" at to-day's match to the Taranak' infantrymen's fund.. These high school boys play really attractive football, and are in full training, so tluit spectators can depend on having an enjoyable afternoon. Ladies will be admitted free, and a diarge of sixpence made, for men.

Subscribers to the fund for the purpose of erecting a memorial stone at Dunedin North Cemetery over the grave of Tlioman Bracken, New Zealand's poet, ,\vill he glad that the appeal for funds 'for that object 'has been successful. The last verse of "Not. Understood" is to he part of the inscription, though many thought the second verse of the poet's ■'New Zealand's Ilymn" would have been chosen.

It is reported that a number of men who •volunteered for the expeditionary force have -been weeded out at Palmerston. and are to return. They include some who are under age, some who have already showed signs of fatigue owing to the severe strain put upon them, and some who are unable, to do upon the war rations which it is staled are being served out to them to accustom them to war conditions.

Bush accidents have been numerous during the past few months, owing to the amoimt of tree-felling going on. There lmve been no le.-s than live ■deaths owing to trees falling, and innumerable more or less .severe accidents, to those engaged iu the dangerous work have been recorded. One of the latest victims is George McConiish, of this town, who lhad a bush contract in the King Country. Writing to Mr Jennings, on the 20th, he said that he had three ribs broken owing to a limb of a falling branch striking him.

A tremendous taxi business has developed with thi concentration cam)) at Awapuni, and taxi proprietors are reaping a hit of a harvest. At the same time I'almerston taxi men are complaining bitterly of their trade, being exploited during the camp by other taxi owners from 'Wellington and other towns. They state that there are sufficient taxis already in I'almerston to cope with the increased traffic, and as soon as the camp commenced they lowered the fares to members of the expeditionary force to half rates, and further, during the winter months, trade was slack, and when they have an opportunity of recovery, they are suddenly inundated with outside competition.

Dr. C. -M. Sheldon, the author of "In llis Steps." one of the few novels that have been translated mt.o most European languages, is to -visit New Plymouth next, month, iie comes to fulfil an engagement made long ago with the New Zealand Aliir-nee, and will lecture in oiiv Dominion's clnex centres. New Plymouth's chance to bear him conies on September lOt.i, ami tlie Theatre lioyal has be m engaged to accommodate tlir large 'lumber that will be eager to make hi> ac pusintaiiee. Arrangements have been Jn.; 1" that will result, doubtless, in a considerable addition to the war fund, for it las been agreed that, deducting only the expenses of hire of ball ami- of advertising, the whole of the proceed., are to <m> to that patriotic object. No charge is being made for the seats on the lloor of the building, where a cuiiee!ion will be taken. The gallery charge is to be one shilling, with -a booking fee of one shilling in addition for each seat reserved. Seats elsewhere 'ban in tin l gallery can. be reserved at I tat nri,-.. also.

Ii) / order to give confidence to the general public at this juncture, and to illustrate their sincerity in.flu l matter (observes the New Zealand Times), the farmers iuteresled have decided to proceed immediately with the. erection of freezing works at Taihape. The .company announces that while realising that financial conditions may be somewhat stringent at the present time, it also realises the fact that the war will practically denude the European countries of live stock. Tt therefore necessarily follows that the overseas dominions of Great Britain, which are stock-producing countries, must, iu the immediate future, feed Europe. The company is aware that the placing of machinery orders on the English market a.f the present time will undoubtedly increase the cost to them. However, it is considered that by helping the manufacturers to keep the industries of the Home Country alive, the company will assist, the industries through the present crisis. With this object in view, Mr. L. G. James, consulting engineer, of Wellington, has been instructed to prepare the necessary plans for the construction of the works.

"A Charge from: a Geni-r.il," v.' 111 be the isiibject o f the 'flew A. If. Chapjiell's sermon at IWhitelev Memorial Church to-iroorrow night, Kitchener's (barge, to Great Britain's [Expeditionary force furnishing the liasis of the |i.sc\iurse. The anthem will be Bainby - ''Sileul Night.," and Mrs. F. 11. Newman 'will sing' D'Auvergno 'Barnard's "Lead, Kindly Eight." ... .

A party who were white-baiting on a Southland stream espied an eel of great size busy among the little fish, wihieh were .providing 'him with a dainty dinner, i One of tile party, exceptionally skilful with the gun; could not resist the temptation of having a shot, and, awaiting a favorable opportunity, discharged his firearm with good effect, the s/hot striking the fish on the head. The eel was GOlb. in weight, six feet in length, and of considerable girth. In fact, none of the party ever came across an eel of equal dimensions. Even the war is responsible for a laugh occasionally. At the Feilding stock sale (says the Star) pen afte> pen was passed until the auctioneer at , last succeeded in disposing of a line of eight culls at 5s each. "The only Briton in the crowd!" said the auctioneer, as he noted the price. "What's your name?" 'he added. "Schneider!" replied the speculator. The staggered salesman made a wonderful recovery. "Not a bad name neither," he managed to ejaculate.

"I'have, to thank the Salvation Army and you personally. I think you have probably saved this mail," said Mr Justice Cooper to an officer of that organisation in the Supreme Court at Auckland. An offender wllio had been committed to the care of the Army was formally brought before His Honor to obtain permission to- proceed to work in the country. The Army officer stat- ] ed that the erstwhile prisoner's conduct had been satisfactory . durin2 his period of probation, and the Judge in giving the; necessary permission earnestly advised the man to abstain from drink, which he was convinced was the cause of his downfall. Optimism is the only trustworthy substitute for luck in the obtaining of happiness, and it is no more within the power of the individual to be optimistic than to be lucky (writes a. correspondent.) Absence of the habit of hope is almost equivalent to the absence of positive happiness', but it is not quite. ] Evcn the man who lias no luck, and lis a natural pessimist, may have a good deal of happiness if lie will deliberateI lv look behind him and take pleasure )in the possession of the past. He will j find he has compensations—will find, f we mean, that he has something which J the lucky optimist lias not got. Mem- '. ory tells a tale almost as flattering as I hope, and, oddly enough, it is seldom I given to one human being to listen to j the cajoleries of both. ,

? When returning to Carterton from I Palnici'ston North on Saturday afternoon by motor-car through tilic Manawatu Gorge, Messrs T. V. Caverhill, of Carterton, and H. Morrison, of Blairlogie, had a very unpleasant experience. They were travelling very cautiously through the Gorge, and, after having gone some distance, noticed another car approaching round a rather dangerous bend. Mr Caverhill pulled up on the roadside. The approaching car rounded the corner and crashed into the other, pushing it back some fifteen feet, one, of the hind wheels of the car banging over a drop into the water of the river 101) fret below. Both cars were badly damaged, /ind both men had a miraculous escape. The Overland car was a new one. and was occupied by the driver . arid two ladies, bound for Wangamii.