LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 151, 21 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At a wedding, to take place at Port Ahuriri, Napier, one of the principal features of the breakfast will be a cake eight feet high. It is said to be the. largest ever made in the Dominion.

A little incident worth record took place recently (says a London paper). As a battalion of 1000 recruits from the famous London Scottish Regiment, headed by its pipers, marched past the New Zealand Government Offices in Victoria street, a window was opened, and tin; New Zealand ensign was unfurled. At once the men broke into cheers, and each ollicer as he, passed saluted the flag.A local resident received a letter by the last English mail which contains some move evidences of German "culture." The writer says: "Some of our poor soldiers in the Loudon Hospital have had both eyes put out and hands cut oil by the fiends. And we have in London Belgian girls and women with breasts cut off, and even dear little children with hands off. A motor driver who is back from tin; front says he himself saw Germans brought in wounded; and on searching them the nurses found fingers, in their pockets—some of ■ them ladies', with rings on!" A special train of 25 waggons, containing 200 head of cattle, was despatched from the Westfield saleyards on Friday to the Masterton freezing works (says the New Zealand Herald). A similar train was to leave Frankton on Monday and others will be despatched at intervals. These consignments of cattle arc destined to be converted into beef for the allied armies, the Arm of W. and R. Fletcher, Ltd., which operates largely throughout the North Island, having entered into a contract with the Imperial authorities to supply as much beef as it can spare.

Mathematicians have calculated that j man is too heavy to be sustained in the air by the power of his own muscles, no . I matter how large the wings are which I lie fastens to his body. The weight limit I is probably approached by the largest j birds. The ostrich long ago gave up all hope of winging his way through the air. An aeroplane will sustain a man and use but three horse-power, but as i the best athletes can exert only a niaxi- , mum of about two horse-power far 15 '. seconds at a time, it is improbable that man's dream of flying as do the great birds of the air will ever be realised—he will always be dependent on a machine. In his latest book, "From Tasman to Marsden," fir McNab disposed of New Zealand's cherished traditions. For example, he points out that Captain Cook was not the first to introduce the pig into New Zealand. It was to King, first as Lieutenant-Governor of Norfolk Islands, and then as Governor of New South Wales, that New Zealand was indebted' for the pig and goat, and it was Marsden who introduced horses and cattle in 1814. "It will come v as a shock to the 'old identities of twenty-five years' standing,'' says fir McNab in his latest-book, "From Tasman to Marsden," "to learn that if the first white, child born of New Zealand settlers in New Zealand were alive today he would have celebrated his ninetyninth birthday last February."' The child was the sou of Mr and Mrs King, born 21st February, 1814, at the Mission Station in the Bay of Islands, and baptised by Marsden himself." A, recent arrival from the Commonwealth, in conversation with an Auckland Star representative, stated that things are "dreadfully bait" across the water. He said: "You think things are bad here in Auckland, but let me tell you they are a hundred times worse in Sydney. Auckland people can have no idea how paralysed trade is in Sydney, and how many thousands of workers are searching in vain for anything at all to do. You don't find me leaving Auckland, at any rate, until the war is over, and 1 am very thankful to be here, I can assure you." Mr.> Smith, with the idea of catering for his patrons' comfort, Ims just placed in commission on tin! New l'lymoulh-Urcnui run a 20horse power motor char-a-banc to seat comfortably twenty passengers. The body, which was built locally by Messrs W. Jeii-kinson and Co., if. beautifully upholstered and with glass front and back looks very stylish. It is painted a dark green, tastefully picked >ut. For fine weather, the vehicle can bo left open, fcnd for wet weather it can be liosily curtained in. Provision has been made for the carriage of goods, the back .seat being removable, whilst there is considerable luggage space on the top. It should be eminently adapted to the service in which it it engaged . Many acts of self-sacrifice on the part of children in connection with the appeal for the Belgians were, related at a conference of schoolmasters held in Wellington. "One of my little girls," said Mr Blake, v of the Maranul school, "brought her favourite doll and asked that it be forwarded to a Belgian girl. No.w, you all know how much a girl prizes her dolls. However, I obtained the mother's permission to sell the doll. It has ben sold and over again, and has so far realised £l3. And we have not finished with it yet." Mr Worboys (Kilbimie) related how one boy was unable to play tennis this year, because he hand handed over the money given by his parents for the purpose of a raeqpet. A little girl had agreed to go without her birthday doll. Mr Grundy (Clyde quay) was not to be beaten.' A 'little girl out of his infant classes had emptied the sum of 10s from her money box. A hoy had given Ks (id—the amount in his box—and another ss, which had just been received as a birthday present. It was the general opinion that the children had been taught a lesson of selfsacrifice, which they will never forget. Shortly after leaving Monte Video on the voyage to London, the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Turakina fell in with H.M.S. Monmouth and Glasgow, two of the British warships, the former of which is believed to be lost as the result of the engagement with j the Schanihorst. Gneisenau, and Nurn- j berg off the Chilian coast. The Monmouth came close up to the liner, and dropping a boat her first lieutenant and the paymaster went on board, and during half an hour's visit made themselves very pleasant while seeking any information which may have been useful. They informed the Turakina's officers that "they had been hunting for the Cap Trafalgar, I a German armored merchantmen, off the Horn, and were then on the look-out for tl-ie German cruiser Karlsruhe. The Mumnouth and Glasgow kept with the Turakina until they wen' oIT Permimbuco, when they parted company. T'lio Glasgow kept on the horizon the whole time the three vessels were in company, in order to cover as wide a visual range as possible. The Turnkimi's officers were heartily sorry to learn of the warship's fate on arrival at lloliart. WHY GO HJJNGBY?

Tf your Rtomnoli is weak and you are aniTorins from indigestion, don't sacrifice your health and comfort. Eat all the wholesome food you" want I Then take one of Dr. Sheldon's Digestiye Tabules after each meal. They digest your food, and thus nourish and build you jig,., while the stomach is recovering its

Tliii- Borough SJouncil notifies that the alectria light current -will he off to-morrow (»* unday) morning from- 5 o'clock till nooa, Tonight «t the Theatre Royal about 21)01 ft of war pictures are to be screened; one film includes scenes of the London Nmtl.nli on the march, and London Territorial!! passing Buckingham Palace.

"Tommy Atkins' "principal, splacu in the tfenelijH is his pipe and tobacco. Air. J' - . P. Corkill has initiated a shilling subscription to provide him with extra smokes from lii.s admirers here. Already sufficient to provide about .'tfllO smokes lias been forward:.'! and 'Mr. f'orkill will be -pleased to receive lurihu- contributions.

At the. Magistrate's Court on Thurs day, Geo, Tippins, for failing to clear gorsu from liis property, on the. (Frankley road, was fined £2 with costs 7s. 1". Burgess, for using an unregistered motor-car. was lined 10s, with costs 12s.' Mr. 11. H. Quiliia.ni appeared for the council. For riding a bicycle on a footpith in 1-line street, R. Sutelifl'e -vas fined ss, with costs 7s. At the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday,, ,M;r. Bellr-inger emphasised the importance of a certain matter being considered in open Board. He -mentioned that iinuch of the Board's business was now done in committee with the result that the public were kept in ignorance of what business was being transacted. There is a good deal of truth in these remarks.

When the history of New Plymouth advancement is written there, will he special chapters devoted to the work of those volunteer organisations which in recent years 'have done, and are still doing so much to beautify the seafront. The funds of the East End and West End societies are to benefit from! the ,' sacral concert in beautiful "Aoten." 1 to-morrow and it is hoped that the weather wSI permit of a large nttend- ( ance. The public will ibe asked to conj tribute to the collection boxes, in adj dition to the scenic delights, there will . li« music by Mrs. Woods' orchestra, I assisted by the. Citizens' Band. I The committee of the citizens' ball ! in aid of the Boor in Great Britain, I Ireland, and Belgian Relief Fund have banded to the treasurer of the fund the J sum of £SS (is. Of this amount £79 12s j (id represents the sale of tktots, and J fS l?.s fid is the excess of cash con(tributions over expenses. The total expense was fo 2s and the committee wish ( to express their thanks to all who asj'sistcd by In-iii of moto~ cars and oxI presses; by gifts of prizes, tickets, adj vertising and requisites; to the con- | ductor of the orchestra; the conductor and members of the Citizens' Band; the I expressmen and all others who generously gave their time and assistance j in preparing for and during the function j in providing floor, music, and attendance, the contribution to the fund being materially increased by such ser--1 vices, and the object of the committee I attained. The "Problem of Pain" will -be the 'Rev. A. B. Ohappell's sermon theme at Wiliiteley 2hurch service to-morrow evening. A sacked solo will be rendered ly Mr. Chignoll, and the choir will sing Stainor's anthem "God <;o Loved the World." lAt the morning service, <sj pi-eially for children, Mr. Chappell will Kpenk 'on t'.ie life of the late Lord Roherts. , -i