LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 129, 24 October 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A »harp stock of earthquake nu felt this morning at five minutes past twelve o'clock.

The Chief rostmaster, New Plymouth, advises that registered code addresses may now be used for inland telegrams.

Tho Anglican Ohiurch in Bannevirte has a generous supporter in Mr W. F. Knight, of Maihai'aihara. At a recent meeting of mrisliioners he donated £SOO and promised, to collect another £SOO within two years towards tile building of a new chancel in 'brick, and as the nucleus of tho fund for a new church in brick.

The strength of the arms used in modern warfare is hardly realised until put to the teslv states the Akaroa Mail. Tho oUhar day a resident of Akaroa who is interested in rifle shooting, though! ihe would test the oenuliratiii" powers of an 1896 Mauser pattern rille, and discharged a 1890 cartridge from a 'bandolier picked up on one of the South African battlefields. He fired at a tree Bft 7b in circumference, and about 32in in diameter, and although cordite is supposed bo deteriorate with age, tide sharp-nosed bullet penetrated the 'tree with ease, and (buried iteelf in a talk near by.

About 1500 surgeons frwni many-parts of itlhfl world gathered in London for the Clinical Congress, wfliidh opened! in Julv. With !he English surgeons whs took part the Congress numbered nearly 2000. Among the visitors were 50 women, who ar e rcoivoned among the moat' skilful Burgeons in the United States. The operating theatres of the great London ilospitals were crowded with the visitors. Oue of tiio main objects of Uhe Congress was to give American surgeons an opportunity of observing -the clinical methods of London surgeons in actual operation in their own hospitals.

A Southern shopkeeper was heard complainine that Some folk were trying to bo patriotic at his expense. One latty ordered a lot of tilings at the counter and then artlessly said that as the stuff was wanted for malting up for the British, and Belgians, Bho suioposed there would lUo no change, On top of this appeal he had a ring from another lan" who point-blank asked, in a courteous tone, for some flannelette or print so that (Sue could fulfil her promise to supply garmenits for the distressed. This shopkeeper makes the point that he has already given freely to the fund', and really cannot afford to he wheedled or tbounoed for more by persons who can very well afford to 'pay for their own donations.

"Wo gave 'em coffee an' biscuits, and then some of us gave 'cm smokes, an' tfli'B poro MigMera blubWred. Th«y thought :Ihey were rescued to be shot. IWihat do they take -us for?" was tihe remark of a badly damaged British tar, when tihe subject of itho German prisoners was broached to him. And another said, "It ain't so easy to love your enemies' as Some people seem to think, but to see the toot devrils in the water struggling for life, and leave 'em to it is —well, show me the man who can do it, you'll show me a dirty coward unfit to Jive Wt a British ship." At Wliiteley OhuTch to-marrow evening the Rev. A. B. dhapwlVg sermon subject will bfl "How Service Aidb Faith.''■ The ftnthem.wiH be SnJKvan's "The. Low Day doses." School anniV«rssry '«©rtlws are uotjfled Jar. iboth

There was a meeting of members of the local branch of the Reform League at the Robe street Hall last might, but (the proceeding* were not open to the press.

At the monthly meeting of the West End school, the inspector's report. was read and discussed, and the secretary was instructed to "write to t!hc head 'teachoT, Mra. Dowliug, congratulating 'her aaul t'ho staff on itho Tery Batistactory nature of the report. Mr. I. Morrison's resignation through ill-health was received with very detip regret and the hope was expressed iby the members that lie would goon 1)0 restored to his usual ihcal'tih and Strength. The committee passed a resolution of svmpatdiy with Mr. J. Russell on the accidental death of ltis youngest son. The half-yearly Ibalances'heet was road and showed a satisfactory financial state.

A practical form of help during the time of distress caused by the war-"was suggested at a meeting or the executive ot tho Auckland Farmers' Union on Wednesday afternoon, As an. outcome, the. secretary of the fund for 'the relief of local distress is to be written to, suggesting that members of the Union might be able to take care of the children of distressed families without, charge until such time aa the parents arc able to take Ahem back. ].t was thought that apart from being relieved in a 'time of .trial, the parents would find that a change to the country would prove beneficial to children of the city. The executive decided to donate £SO to the Belgian Relief Fund and £5 to tHie Huntly Relief Fund.

American trade has not materially suffered through the war, according to Mr P. E. Quin, acting-commissioner for New South Wales at San Francisco, who is on his way to Sydney by the Makura on a holiday trip. As a matter of fact, he said, the United States expects to benefit in several respects. Enormous orders have been placed in America, for instance, for blankets for both the British and the German armies. Foodstuffs for export are also in great demand. Furthermore, America anticipates inheriting a good deal of Germany's trade. Writing to a local friend, a former resident of New Plymouth, who is now in Canada, says:—"The centre of the great ranching country which lies between Calgary and Medicine Flat, is inoculated with that peculiar germ of westernism that is so glorified in popular fiction. As for the glorification, the grounds for it must exist only in the minds of novelists. For thousands of miles one never loses sight of the vast monotony of tinbroken prairie. The monotony seems to have eaten into the very life-blood of the denizens of the west, who are materialistic and non-idealistic to a marked degree. Their souls do not ri3e above horses, hogs and chickens. Physically they early run to seed, to the tune of a pronounced nasal drawl and the beating of a bombastic drum of egotism. Frankly, the type does not kindle any sparks of romance. I will return to New Zealand with an appreciation of its worth I never possessed before. No part of the world can beat New Zealand."

One minute is time enough to make a cup of Camp CofTee, far "Camp" and boiling water is all you need. A child can make it. Ask your grocer for a bottle to-day