LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 198, 30 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hastings and Gisborne reported yesterday that welcome rain had fallen, breaking up the drought.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday 'morning, Messrs H. W. Whitcombe and ?. W. Welch were granted land agents' licenses.

'•I am a farmer myself," said thi Prime Minister at the Levin show yes terday, "though 1 know that many oi you imagine that the only turnips ] raise are ostrich feathers."

One of the earliest measures promised for the. next session of the Victoria) Parliament is a Greater Melbourne Bill The first step towards the framing ol it has been taken by the Cabinet.

By the time the Totalisator Commission has finished its labors, it will have seen a great variety of race-courses and appointments. Already, it is stated, the commission has gazed upon some curious long-paddock fixtures.

Capt. Allen has collected a total o: £ll2 towards the Belgian Relief Fum

at concerts in various parts of Taranaki, where he has recited "The Absent Minded Beggar." This is a very creditable result to his enterprise and patriotism.

An unfortunate accident happened to a native boy named Kelly at the picnic of the Opunake School oil the bead), on Saturday. The Times states that with some other youths he was playing with the tug-of-war rope and got tripped up, breaking his leg. He was attended to and hurried off in a motor car to the New Plymouth Hospital.

Wounded soldiers are now widely scattered throughout England. Many of them have terribly realistic stories to tell of the recent fighting. One man, who shared in fourteen bayonet charges, says he cannot forget the horror of the scenes. "I found myself," he said, "up against old, white-haired men and boys in their teens; once I was faced by a monster German soldier. We paused, it seemed for an endless time, before one another, then I jumped and jabbed. He squealed as I struck him, as a pig squeals when it feels the knife. Sometimes now I wake up at night and hear him squealing still."

Tile secretary of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce is in receipt of the following communication from Mr F. S. Pope, secretory of the Department of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce:— "I have the honour to inform you that the French Chamber of Commerce, London, Jias asked whether a list could be supplied it of firms in New Zealand who have previously represented German and Austrian houses in respect of any of the articles on the attached list, tihe idea being to get them in touch witli French firms manufacturing similar articles. I shall be glad if you will lay this before your members, and if any of them would be prepared to act on' behalf of French exporters and will supply their names and addresses and a list of the lines they would be prepared to take 'up. I shall be pleased to have the particulars transmitted to the French Chamber of Commerce."

An escapee from Poriiua writes as follows:—"I married a widow who had a grown daughter. My father visited our house very often and fell i„ l ove with my step-daughter and married her. So my father became my son-in-law and my step-daughter my mother, because she was my father's wife. Some time afterwards my wife had a son. Ho is my father's brother-in-law and my uncle, for he is the brother of my stepmother. My father's wife, my stepdaughter, has also a son; he is, of course, my brother, and i„ the meantime, my grandchild, for he is the son of my daughter. My wife is my grandmother, because she is mv 'mother's mother. I am my wife's husband and grandchild at the same time, and as the husband of a person's grandmother is his grandfather, I am my own grandfather."

A New Zealand trooper writing from Egypt to a friend in Wellington states'•When we left New Zealand it was generally understood that there were plenty of comforts put on board, and I can say this for the Star of India (IJ.M.N.Z.T. No. S) we have not seen «ny of them. There was a quantity of cake, but it was rotten when taken'out of the hold. The fruit also was allowed to go rotten and had to he thrown overhoard, together with five cases of hanw and bacon. The troopa 'had to be eontent to eat tile worst of everything, vhile the officers (who told us we wcr° gorging ourselves) were enjoying the fat of the land—seven meals a day. Oilbreakfast menu consisted of cither st>w made from flaps of mvuttonr porridge coffee, ox liver?, sausages steak or chops, and fish on Fridays. The heat in the Red Sea was dreadful, but we got only one bottle of limejuice to 40 men. Here are some of the canteen j.i ices--Shaving brushes (sold generally tor fid), 2s; quart bottles of drinks Is"pmts, 6d; pineapples (New Zealand price, four tins for Is), Cd a tin; 21b tins of fruit, s 6d; Eno's fruit salts 3spipes usual price Cs 6d a dozen, Is 3d each."

A wounded lieutenant, who has been invalided home, writing to a relative in Masterton, says that life in the trenches is "hell." Dealing with the officer question, he writes: "Britain has lost heavily i n officers, but one good result will be that we will probably get a better type of officer. I must confess we had too many 'drawing room' officers in the army. The officers were game enough, but they were 'soft.' A largo number of officers are being frawn from the rank and file, and our commanders are ever on the lookout for privates who show ability. My word, you would be proud of Tommy Atkins could vou only see him fighting. Game! Why, he doesn't know what fear means. Why, the much-despised bus-driver of London is proving himself a hero. This war has brought about one thing. I am sure. It has drawn Tommy Atkins and his officers closer together i n a better underI standing of each other. Kipling, in his song, says, 'God bless vou, Tommy Atkins.', England to-day' echoes these words from the bottom of her heart We have just heard that the New Zealanders are going to Egypt. New Zealand m Egypt and the. 'New Zealand' in the North Sea are doing their bit in the war. Well done, New Zealand!" ;

At a conference of handicappers to sports clubs held at Christchurcli last week, it was decided to form a Handicappers' Association for Now Zealand,

Miss L. A. Gallagher, L.A.8., of Hawcra, announces in this issue that she is prepared to take pupils at Mew Plymouth in voice production and sii: ing, if sufficient inducement offers.

Wellington was yesterday envelo . in a dense eloud of smoke nearly , way, the result of grass and gorse 1.. on the surrounding hills. —Press Associa tion.

The Citizens' .Band will render a programme, of music at the Kawaroa Park Rotunda to-morrow afternoon, when a collection will be taken up in aid of the Reilly fund.

The condition of. Mr A. ,), Richards, wiho was taken to the local hospital on Thursday in a very critical condition, as the result of lysol iposoning, was much improved yesterday, he being able to sit up at brief intervals.

The Wellington Harbor Board has accepted the tender of Donald McLean ami Co., at £0450 for additions to the wool jetty. This is preliminary to the setting apart of this wharf' permanently for the Lyttelton-Wellington ferity steamers.—'Press Association.

■ A start was made by the Borough Council's staff at Fitzroy this morning to excavate the site for the tramways sU-d. The old cottage on the site has already been removed to the West End ( beach, while the Fitzroy Hall has been transferred to a site immediately opposite.

On Monday the primary schools throughout the Taranaki education dis'trict will resume after the six weeks' Christmas vacation. Owing to the new 'asphalt at Fitzroy sdhool ground not being ready to use, the school will not re-assomble until Monday week, February Bth .

The following subscriptions have been received on behalf of the "Riclly Fund": Amount previously acknowledged, £8 3s; M. Fraser, £1; Mrs J. Paul 10s (id; Ambury Bros., 10s; W. H. Preece, 10s; D. J. Hughes, ss; D. Norcoss, 2s Gd; Smith, 2s (id; T.F., 2s Od; Sympathy, 2s; Friend, 2s; Sympathy, 2s; S.M., 2s; Y.H.8., 2s; H.J., Is; F.D.. Is; S.R.L Is; W.A.L., Is; E.D.L., Is; 8.M.C., Is; T.A.. Is; A. Cresswell, Is; C.W Is' total, £l2 ss. ' '

Notwithstanding the fact that the tourist and Expansion League gave such a great deal of publicity to the endeavour to arrange a round trip includip" Aotea, Frankleigh Park and Westown, only one motor proprietor applied to the League for detaiils regarding the trip, which he has made several times, and on all occasions hi 3 passengers have expressed the greatest delight at tihe boauty of the places visited en route. •This is an illustration of the reward of enterprise.

In reply to the statement that some 1100 boxes of butter and 1000 crates of cheese 3ent from this district by the Connna last 'Monday, for transhipment to the Home boat, had been shut out, Mr If. Stocker, acting secretary of the Taranaki Prod-jeers' Freezing Co., states that the Corinna took 4000 boxes of butter and 25CK) crates of cheese for transhipment to the Delphic at Wellington on Monday, and that it was all duly shipped on the Homo liner. The Corinna did not take from the freezing works all that was available, but all that was taken was shipped.

To-morrow members of the New Plymouth Defence Rifle Club purpose holding an all-day parade, when it is expected that there will be a good muster. Tt is proposed to leave the Coronation Hall at 7 a.m., and Waitara should be reached at 10.30. The Waitara Defence Corps will meet the local club two miles- out from Waitara. Combined church parades will then be held. Luncheon is -being arranged for all at a small charge. The return joumev will be commenced at 3.30, and town should be reached at 6.30. The Citizens' Hand has kindly offered to meet the members a few miles from town, and plav them home.

Contributions are still rollin..- in aliongl.T for the jumble stall, to be held at tile forth-xuning f e \ K 011 Thursday, *Wi i'ebnmry, the latest gifts including hams, tinned tongues, combined washing machine and mangle, doll's »ocart, emu eggs, electroplated biscuit barrel, kaiin table, and a ponv, with saddle and bridle. The pony will probably bo used for giving children rides round the sports ground, a small charge btmg made. It was intended to dispose of the animal by lottery, but the scheme has been vetoed by 'the police authorities, so it must be a matter for private negotiation.

Taranaki of wh.ch very little is known by the ordinary person, is Pukerangiora or re Aft-ei, at tflie back of Huirangi. Ihis spot was selected because of its commanding position in olden days by the Maoris who made of it a strong hold .second; to none in the whole conn- ™" *T 7?? ? lis « reat nat ««il fortress that the rebel Maoris retired diiring the Taranaki wars, and in order to reduce it the Imperial forces dug one of the West saps on record. Re mams of this sap, with the demi-paral-Iel» and rifle pits, are still to be seen, as well as tflie trenches and pits of the Maoris. Th e bush on the hanks of the vyaitara has not been disturbed, the place having been made a scenic reserve. Weather permitting, a ehar-a-banc is to run to this interesting spo t to-rnorrow afternoon, leaving the Bank of New Zealand corner at 2 p.m.. and returning to town at 5.30. (Particulars are advertised.

Everything from a baby to an elephant, from a lady's garter to a submarine, at the Grand Fete jumble stall on Thursday next. Tlie TaranaW Motor Transport Co Ltd., will run its big motor 'bus between town and Fitzroy to-night, leaving Fitzroy at T. 15 and 7.45. and reX mg from town at 9.15 and 10.15. \