LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 28 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Prime Minister stated at Lower I 'Hutt on Thursday that to-day 6000 sacks of wheat would be placed aboard a New Zealand-bound st.amer at Sydney, and would be here very shortly. The services at White-ley Memorial Church on Sunday will have special reference to lEoreigni (Missions!, the preachers being Revs. A. B. Chappell and C. H Olda (morning and evening) respectively. At the- evening service the anthom will be "Silent Night." (Barn by)An accident, unfortunately serious in its results, was sustained by a man named Ward, a few days ago at Ohakune. While using some dynamite, it exploded in his right hand, and blew it well nigh off. The unfortunate man was also stricken blind by the explosion. He iwas conveyed to the Taihape Hospital. A resident of Wellington for over 30 years declares that he remembers nothing so severe as Sunday's tremor all the time he has been in the city. By a curious coincidence, lie was reading at the time about the earthquake in Wellington in 1885, and the profound impression it made upon the inhabitants. Mr F. W. Oldham, of Mangorei, was the victim of an unfortunate gun accident on Wednesday afternoon. Whilst playing with one of his children after rej turning from shooting hares, the gun •went off and shot away one of Mr Old- ! ham's fingers of the left hand, bad- ! ly bruising the other part of the hand. |Mr Oldham was brought straight to the New Plymouth Hospital, where he had the hand dressed" and is now doing well.,

A Russian subject, formerly an officer in the army, went to attend the Belgian Fund concert at His Majesty's Theatre last night, says' Monday's Christchureh Press, and found the building fully occupied. Ho placed a £1 note in the plate. "They are our Allies, ho said, "and I want to help them all I can." This striking generosity secured for him a good scat, then being held in reserve for another party. A fire, which was fortunately detected in its early stages, occurred at the wax-house at the works of the Taranaki Oil Wells, Ltd., last night. Some 1 ashes had been: thrown out during the day, an dtlie live embers therein, fanned by the strong wind, ignited some animal charcoal refuse. Presently the lire caught a window sill, but at this stage, at about 7.30 p.m., the nightwatchman arrived, and soon,- extinguished it. A spade standing by suffered the most. x -

A well-known Taranaki business- man whose business take's him into all parts ■ of the province, mentioned to » News man the other day that he had just returned from a.trip to Kotaro. He spoke highly of the recent improvements made on the farms by sheer pluck and hard work of the settlers, and added that 1>« had seen there some of the best-condi-tioned stock he had met in his travels. Of the roads he had a different tale to tell. The main road through the Uruti Valley was well nigh impassable, and horse coaches had a hard task to traverse the whole length between Awakino and Uruti, instead of the motor service being in operation.

A concert was held last night in tluVogeltowu Methodist schoolroom, in aid of the trust fund of the building. The weather had the effect of limiting the attendance, ibut there was .still a'good audience, who were given an excellent programme, the instrumental items being particularly enjoved. A quartette comprising Revs. A. B. Ohappeil and C, H. Olds, and Mcsdamos Chappell and Olds, contributed concerted and individual i-ocal solos, and other soloists were Messrs Ashor, Vealo, and Nelson. Miss Armstrong contributed three panofort" £ i ™ d Mißs Burnett > three violin SOIO3 The accompaniments in all eases were capably played by Miss Douglas. Miss Jemison recited capitally, and an elocutionary item was given bV the Rev A. B. Chappell.

I. tfhe half-watt electric lamp—the most 'economical Jamp yet manufactured—■was up till the outbreak of hostilities solely a manufacture of Germany. A great many companies advertised the half-watt lamps, but it is believed that in nearly every caise they are allied to German manufacturers. The war has gven a big fillip to t'lie electrical trade in Lritam, and tome of the larger compan+w ™T° 1 '" ;0n c ? m P clletl to manufacture that which was formerly imported from Germany. Even those in the trade in ■Wellington have been deceived as to th» origin of goods, which the war has dcated. The half-watt lamp is now be--D,g ™ r nu f actui 'f'l-at Rugby by the British JLJ-l. Company.

IA paragraph in Wednesday's issue | stated that the Gurkha soldiers fighting | in Europe had been said to cut off the j cars of the Germans, and wear them as I buttonholes. An officer residing in WelI « ng ?? n ' wUo has l3ml in command of uurkha regiments, said yesterday to a •umes" reporter that the reported practice was entirely foreign, to the nature of the Indian hill-soldier. The Gurkha would no more think of wearing portions of lua enemy's anatomy than would a white man. The story, according to this officer, must be a German fabrication. In this issue is inserted paiticulars of ' a clearing sale of 'Mr. F. W. OldhanVs dairy herd. Owing to his unfortunate accident Mr. Oldham is obliged to relinquish dairying and therefore (is offering 'his choice little herd of Jerseys at the Waiwakaiho sale next Friday. His test for years has been the highest ftt the Mangorci Dairy Factory, last December, January, and February test being 5.0. Mr. Oldham wishes the public to note that althouph he sold some of his cows j n June last to Mr. ihos._ Linn at logns, his liei-d has not deteriorated owing to his having some yciry oiioico heifers of his own breeding to take their place. This season the test: -has .been higher than ever liefore viz,, September, October, and November once 4.4, once 4.T, three times 4.5. once 4.0, and throe times 5.0. which must bo very nearly a North Island record for a grnda herd. Tn addition to the dairy cows some sundries will also be offered. WISE MOTHERS. can administer Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery to the youngest child without fear of consequences, as it is absolutely free from all opiates and narcotics. Wise mothers will always keep a bottle of this remedy in the house, to .Xi?sAl ***s■ "iSn-tf..* cough ,6t.cold;i

ill very cruel statement is being circulated in New Plymouth regarding one of its most estimable citizens. It is to the effect that the Borough Engineer (Mr Skitrop) is a German born citizen, and that whilst he is at large the Borough water supply is in danger of pollution. As usual, with most of the rumors that j are assiduously circulated just now about people's pro-German proclibities, the statement is as false as it is crue. Mr Skitrop is a native of a country that entertains the bitterest feelings towards the Germans. He was born in the northern part of Denmark, which was robbed of his choicest counties by the predatory Germans. But apart from racial antipathy, Mr Skitrop can have no regard for the Germans, for when a child of three he was so ill-treated by a German inhuman brute that for twenty years afterwards he suffered intense pain and lost the use of one ear. It may be stated that since the war started Mr Skitrop has given one quarter of his salary to the Patriotic Fund, and to the Poor in Great Britain and Belgium Fund, a contribution that has already amounted to over t\?9. This speaks for itself and should for ever silence the tongue of the slanderers who have recently been very industriously circulating the baseless' rumor referred to, and at the same .time it is an object lesson in 'patriotism and abnegation that could with advantage he taken to heart by many others who have so far done nothing to( assist the deserving causes of the poor who have suffered as much for us as for themselves.