LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 12 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho last mail which is due to arrive in London before Christmas closes at the Chief Post Office on Saturday, at 6.15 a. in. ' iLast. month a record number of patients were admitted to the "Stratford Hospital, the total being 28—six more than the previous highest number. At the last meeting of the Stratford ■Hospital and Charitable Aid Board the | treasurer stated that since the war no application for charitable aid had been received. This is striking evidence of the prosperity of Taranaki. The Pa tea Harbor Board -nsia decided to adopt Sir John -L'oode's plans for the improvement of the river port, and lo proceed immediately with the work. The work is to be done under tile superintendence of itho Board's own engineer (Air M'Donald). There are in New Zealand a nunsher of Syrians who are subjects of Turkey, 'with which country Great Brtain is now at war. It'is suggested that they may, therefore, come into the same category as the Germans and Austrians who have been interned at Wellington and Auckland. Among the third-class coming to New Zealand by the setamer Turakina, due next week, are a'large number of immigrants. These include 130 who are coming under the Government assisted scheme, and who comprise 35 domestic servants, 9 farm laborers, and 92 separated relatives.

During the past throe months at Umutaoroa, Hawke's Bay, only D.37 inches of rain has fallen, as compared with 10. H inches in October alone last year. The milk supply is being affected by the drought, while tests are low. Splendid weather is being experienced for shearing, and operations in this connection are very general throughout the district.

Writes a Ngaere correspondent.— T greatly appreciate having your paper delivered at my gate before six o'clock m the morning. 1 have read the news before breakfast; before, vou arranged for the early delivery, I had to leave reading the paper till the evening. Y.ou have removed one of the disadvantages of living in the country." Although there is yet no definite announcement, there is every indication that the elections will.be held on Thursday, December 10th. The Electoral De- i partment has now in hand a house-to-house canvass in the various electorates for enrolment on the supplementary rolls, and this ceases definitely next Saturday. The rolls will close next Monday or Tuesday, and the department's work and preparations point to December 10th as being the day in mind for the voting. New Zealand's High Commissioner visited the McKirdy Hostel, London, on October Ist, where were assembled about forty girls about to embark for the Dominion. They were (says a London paper) a fine lot of young women, and Mr MacKenzie, in a brief address, pointed out the opportunities that New Zealand offered to girls who gave good and faithful service and conducted themselves well. Considering the great number of young women who had gone to New Zealand, the average conduct had been very high. There was, however, some who had given rise to disappointment, and whose references were not borne out bv experience.

There is irony in the fact that the nucleus of the German Fleet was provided by Great Britain in the shape of a small vessel which the Government presented to the King of Prussia in 1814. The gift was made during the visit of the allied sovereigns to Portsmouth, and Lord Broughton records in his diary that the King pointed out the vessel to the tsar Alexander, who had not 1 concealed his displeasure at the superiority of the British navy, and remarked, "You will not be jealous of my fleet." In later times the German navy was largely recruited from the British. The miniature frigate in which the present Kaiser learnt seamanship was a present from \ dham IV. to the King of Prussia, and the Niobe and Renown, still used as training vessels at Wilhelmshaven, are survivors- of a number of transfers from the British fleet.

v t i? ; eY ' >S - B - S - Hammond, rector of .St. 'Simon's (Unurch, of England, hydney), will give an address on prohibition at a meeting under the auspices of the Taranaki No-license League, at Plymouth on Saturday and Sunday. Particulars ar Q advertised.