LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 166, 19 December 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A wall calender readies us from Mr J. Paton, Taranaki manager of the New Zealand Insurance Co.

A Gisborne telegram says that takers there anticipate a bread famine, as they have only a fortnight's supply of flour.

A competent authority estimates that at the 'present rate of progress Taranaki will be exporting next season 33,W0 vons of dairy

It is reported ill Southland that an oflicer has just arrived from England with a commission to purwiase I(J,OUU army remounts in the Dominion.

It is expected that the recent flood in the 'Waitara and JMoliau rivers will be the means of facilitating navigation for some time. Both rivers have been fju" from good, as far as shipping is concerned, for a considerable period.—Mail.

A petition, signed by 79 ratepayers, representing a capital value of f(iI,BBS has been presented to the Taranaki County Council requesting the Council to merge tile Okato Road 'District into the county.

' An extraordinary general meeting 'of 1J11! New Plymouth KquitaMe Building Society was held last night, when appropriations of £31(0 in each of the two groups were ballotted for, the successful members being Mr A. McL. Thomson, Westown, in tiie first ''group, and Mrs Margaret 'Wilson, Vogeltown, in 'the second group. The highest tender for £3OO in the first group was £53, and a Umilar amount in the second group 'fetched £7l lfe.

A son of Mr L. B, Griinstone, of Eltliam, who wais a member of the New Zealand expeditionary force on the Aravva, in a letter gives some details of the sad death of Dr Webb. It was during t'iio usual humorous ceremonies con'nectcd with crossing tile line when homage has to be paid to "Father Neptune." ■Mr (jrimstone says: "Dr Webb elected to jump into the 'bath in (preference to being thrown in. But instead of jumping hu dived, evidently thinking the water to be deeper than it was. ille. hi; the deck beneath the canvas bath with terrific force and dislocated his neck.''

At a meeting of Hit orovineial executive of the Farmers' Union at Hawera on Thursday, the chairman mentioned 'tlmt he had received a suggestion from Mr E. Browne, Supervisor of Technical Education in the AVanganui Board's northern district, that the Farmers' Agricultural Association and those directly interested in farm work, should provide a medal for competition amongst the boys engaged ju sheep-shearing, topdressing, fruit growing, etc. It was decided to invite Mr ,Browne to attend the next meeting of the executive to discuss the matter, hut that if the subject is urgent the president should confer in the meantime with Jlr Browne. 'Die executive resolved to guarantee f;j 3s towards the medal. "Our sympathies go out to the ser-geant-major, who is likely to be cast in a big bill for damages," says the Pull Thro' (Apia, Samoa). "One morning as lie patrolled the island lie had the offer of some big game shooting. Visions of India and tiger lloated through his mind, with remembrances of African elephants, but this time it was a bull that was the terror of the village, so assuring himself that the owner really wished it dead, he neatly bored a hole in its brain with a bullet. Imagine his horror and disgust when he found that it did not belong to the natives at all, and the real owner wanted compensation!"

y a Boxing Bay's principal attraction for . tlio young folk formed the top id of tlU- ' 'cussion at a very large meeting of the d West End 'Foreshore Improvement Soil ciety last, night, Mr G. Tabor presiding, e A very big programme of running, walk ; ing and hurdle and novelty races was '■ drawn up, with several skipping eham- * pionships, skipping races, boys' wrestling, t coek-fighting and tllg-of-war, men's lug-of-wa-r. and so on. Mr Tabor was appointed chief steward, and Mi's Oliver ? steward of the ladies' sections of the - programme. Mrs Goods' orchestra will , play in flic rotunda during' the day. There are indications of a very large ' crowd coming from "down the line," in ) addition io a fine attendance of the , townspeople, wh«. appreciate this addition to the Christmas holidar fare. . A NEW ZEALAND LADY CURED OF , KIDNEY DISEASE BY DR. SHEL?vw>s (}Tjr puxs. For a very long time I liave been a .great sufferer from Kidney Disease, with nil its usual pains, nervous attacks, and protracted shooting and lasting pains all over the body," making life one long continual worry and pain," writes Mrs. Ballard, 03 Diirliam-street, Christehurch (N./4.) A short time ago I was induc-ed-to try Dr. Sheldon's Gin I'illls after a lot of persuasion, as I had practically given up all hope of getting relief. I am thankful to say that the pills worked like a miracle, in a very few flays the effect was marvellous, 110 one ! being more surprised than myself, I can- 1 not find words to express my feelings J on being relieved from so much pain, ( which was becoming really unbearable, , and to any person suffering from the ' above frightful complaint, I can con- ( scientiously recommend their immediate 1 use of Dr. iSheldon'6 Gin Pills." Price, i

Letters received from members of the expeditionary' force indicate that an examination was held shortly alter leaving here for the 'position ot" chief signaller in t'lie force, and that the proud title was won by Private L. A. llolford, of New Plymouth.

Apart from party, 'Mr. Tan Ilenare, the new member for the Northern Maori district, will be an acquisition to the House of Representatives from at least one point of view, if reports from the l''ar North speak truly, lie is said to be the Adonis of the brown population in the Xgapnhi country. When candidates were being selected by the central tribal committee of the Bay of Islands and kindred tribes, 'J.'au Henarc would have been distinctly out of it had it not been for the ladies. They attended in force to push the claims of their hero, and when another candidate was proposed for nomination the wahhies bluntly informed the assembled elders that they would have none of him, none in fact but Ilenare, who was not only a good speaker, but the handsomest man in all the north. "Look at him!'' the spokeswoman cried, "isn't he a beauty? That's our man for Parliament," or words of similar purport, and the modest Ilenare was brought forward for admiration. The puzzled chiefs, confronted by the threat of a petticoat block vote for lfonare, adjourned the meeting to think it out. The end of it was that the women had their way, and Ilenare received the nomination and the votes of the (strongest faction in the Bay of Islands I'istrict. Certainly, if this interesting little story is correct, the new .Northern member has every reason to approve of women's suffrage in the kianga.

A surprise awaited Dr. Robert Stout I in Wellington one night lust week. He j was suddenly awakened at about 2 J o'clock in tin* morning by a noise in liis ' bedroom. Tie launched out with his foot and caught an intruder in the chest, and before the man could recover his equilibrium the doctor was upon liim. The man complained of being dazed and asked where he was. The doctor told him, and after taking his name allowed the man to go. These facts came out in the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, when before Mr. W. G. Eiddell, S.M., a slight-ly-built man named Alfred John Burrows was charged with unlawfully entering the dwelling house of DrJ Robert Stout with intent to commit a crime therein; with entering the dwelling house of Dr. Wallace Mackenzie and I stealing therefrom jewellery and other ■articles valued at £!)3 17s (sd; and with stealing from the dwelling house of Edith Leah two watches valued at £;> 18s, the property of S. Wilson, and a watch valued at os, the property of Edith Leah. Detective-Sergeant Ward deposed to arresting the man at Dune, din. He searched his cabin on the Buteshire and found there a bag containing articles of jewellery belonging to Mrs. Wallace Mackenzie. When asked where lie got them the accused replied that he "did a bit of trading in that line." Accused, for whom Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared, pleaded guilty to each charge, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Mrs George and "nor orchestra will i,:a\' a choice selection of orchestral music at the End End on Sunday afternoon, when a collection will he taken up in aid of the Belgian Pund. Hot wate* will be supplied free throughout the tiav.

In view of the approach of Christinas, the Rev. A. !H. Uui'ppell will tell a' Christmas story at the children's service at the Whiteley memorial .service tomorrow morning. In the evening Mr C'haippell's subject will be "The Gospel' according to the Garden." The anthem will be." Varlcy's "Seek ye the Lord" (solo and chorus).