LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 220, 24 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'The Ohura tourists have returned liome very pleased with the hospitable treatment they received from the New Plymouth and Stratford people (states ■the Advocate). "Tin. trip of a lifetime" is their unanimous verdict.

While drilling at Trentham on Monday morning, Private Edward Qiiinn, of tlie engineers' section of th c fourth reiiforcements, stumbled and fell, sustaining a compound fracture of the right leg. He was taken to the hospital, anil is now progressing satisfactorily.

Owing to an outbreak of tTiplitheria at Eltliam. tw 0 out of three of the children of Mr. Clement Thomas 'have died at the Hawcra Hospital. The eldest, a hoy five years of age, succumbed oii Monday, and tho second on the following day.

A contest for the Auckland City Mayoralty Is now assured, Mr. R. Tudehope, a member of the present Council, having agreed to contest the office against Mr. .T. IT. Gunson, chairman of tl'e Harbor Hoard—Press Association.

On the day ef the -Eltliam school picnic several boys and girls were expected to put in an appearance at the New Plymouth Baths, to swim for efficiency certificates. None of the boys arrived, but three girls appeared, and gained ec'-tUicates as follow:—Olive Hill,. 333 yds.,- I.aura Perrett, 2GGyds.; Queenie "crrett, 732yds.—Argus.

A young lady teacher in this district made a sad mistake the other day, -vlien she sent a love-letter to the secretary of the Education Board and an official letter to her sweetheart. The shock the secretary got was nothing compared to the teacher's feelings when the transposition was discovered.— Fcilding Star. A school teacher recently gave his pupils a lecture on patriotism. He pointed out the high motives which moved the Territorials to leave their homes and fight for their country. The school teacher noticed that one boy did not pay attention to the instruction, and as a test question he asked him: "What motives took the Territorials to the war?" The boy was puzzled for a moment, then, remembering tho public "send-on"' to tho local regiment at the railway station ho replied ''Locomotives, sir."

Says Town Topics. New York:—The Kaiser is a constant binder; his hand is railed amid general laughter when he says that his campaigns are conducted under "the wise guidance of God." According to the Old Testament the campaigns of God were not conducted upon the Kaiser's methods. ITe did not fix

i date to enter Paris, another to capure Calais, and another to occupy Warsaw, and then allow TTis troops to be. l>eateu back from every city. The Kaiser lias not been under the guidance of Cod, but o fthe Devil, who is misleading him every tiny, and has won for him alrea.il yuupvo«-<leiited dlhgrace Rjia COilfcnination.

A short sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held yesterday to dea with civil business. Mr *A. Cro'oki Judgment was given by default in tlie following undefended eases: Davy-Richardson Non-refillable Bottle "'Co. (Mr C. H. Weston) v. Frances Ethel \Vebster, claim £3 15s and costs 10s; Pil e and Waters (Mr C. H. Weston) v. Ciiin'pbebll W. 'Morilccs, claim £56 Is 01 an'! costs £4 6s.

"Practise what you preach," was not the motto of a councillor at a recent meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Council (says the Times). The report of tlie building committee stated that breaches had occurred in the building by-laws, and that the offender, who was a member of the Council in question, should be prosecuted. When tlie report was adopted, the delinquent councillor rose and seconded the motion, to tlie general amusement of his fellows. He admitted his guilt, said that lie intended to plead guilty before the court, and hoped that his bad example would be a warning to other residents across tlie harbor!

A champion amongst mean people has been found in Auckland. A machinist, while engaged in changing needles in her machine in her factory., put the disengaged needle in her mouth for a moment, and swallowed it. This was at ten o'clock in the forenoon. Siie was Worked on until dinner-time, when she, Buffering from discomfort, went to the hospital at 2 p.m., for treatment. The X-rays showed the needle to be lodged in her throat, and it was at once removed. When she returned to work later in the day, her employer deducted one day's pay from her wages, for being away from her work!

The "long paddock" is evidently of considerable extent in the vicinity of Wanganui, and a spice if adventure along the various highways is lent by the occasional presence of bulls of various breeds and equally assorted dispositions. On Thursday night two motor cyclists were riding up the Wangaelui hill, when one of them was considerably surprised to see his companion, who was in the lead, scramble off his machine and climb Up a steep hank. Simultaneously the second rider discovered that a large bull was barring progress, and so lie likewise hurried to join his companion wi the bank. The lull sniffed at the machines, and then stood patiently waiting the owner's return. They 011 their part tried to dislodge he enemy with lighted armfuls of dried grass, a proceeding which liad the effect of causing the bull to display considerable resentment. The cyclists managed to drive the bull off.

A little while ago an appeal was made by Mr S. A. Orchard .to Christchurch cricketers and hockeyplayer s for old equipment to be sent to New Guiea. As a result a parcel of goods was sent away, and those who contributed and others will be interested in the following letter fro mthe missionary to whom the goods were consigned:—"The box of bats, wickets and hockey sticks reacV-d here on Saturday night. It had arrived at Übina a few days before, and some the students who were to preach in this section on Sunday brought them round. I was delighted with the gift, and thank you very much indeed for getting them together and sanding tlicm up. The boys here will have great times with cricket for a long time to come; so they will on some of the out-stations to which I take a bat or two. It would cheer the heart of a good cricket enlike yourself to see the zest the natives put into the game. It, is quite a common thing when visiting villages that are seldow visited by white men to see a youth clothed in 'sir little '"ore than a piece of string,..wieiaing a. bat which lie has cut out of the 'solid' with a 12in butcher's knife, and, with strokes most, unorthodox, punishing (or otherwise) the bowling of a similarly dressed—or undresed—youth, who delivers his googlics with a wooden ball also carved out bv a butcher's knife if I knew' nioreo f the game I should begin to dream dreams of one dav 'bringing a team south: must see what can be donew itli them in the footer line after a while— !)4 in thes hade being rather warm for ilio winter game.

"I plead infancy," a law [ "■ when a judgment summons ease was called at the Magistrate's Court at Auckland on Thursday. Mr C. C. KetS.M., pointed out that judgment _°' l previously been given by consent. Eon so," remarked the laweyr, "au infant cannot ratify liis contract." Mr Kettle said that. sinc c this-plea had not been raised before he knew of no reason why the judgment should not "be enforced. The "infant" was called and explained that hp was only eighteen when lie bought the goods to go into tho drapery business. He was burned nut and got insurance money. "He Starton £3O capital lie had borrowed. He received .-£IBO from the insurance oomDanv. and banked it in t.h<. name of his 'brother and himself. He owed wel! over £2OO at the time of the fire. He had hud some of his creditors in full. Mr 'Kef tl ' said it was obvious that all c;editors should have been catM torwlirr and the .-CISO insurance money 'handed over to them. It was either a ense of innocent experience or fraud. Me would defendant the benefit of the doubt, and adjourn the caso for a month to see if some arrangement could not be made. "People should not give youngsters like this credit," said Mr Kettle; "to niako an order on a youth of nineteen might ruin his chance of getting employment." i

The great exploit of the London Scottis'h ha s resulted in hundreds of young men wishing to join these, famous. Territorials. Th e first qualification :s that you must be of Scotch birth, or Scotch origin, or have Scotch interests. and many funny stories are 1 cing tohl ef the subterfuges of young men whose eagerness to join the corps has stimulated .their inventiveness. Perhaps the best of these stories vvrs that concerning a bright lad, who, after passing all measurements, tests and medical examination, was asked by the recruiting officer, "Were you bora in | iScotlaiul?' "No." "Well, were vour J parents born in Scotland.?" "No." "Your grandparents?" "No." "Then uhat the' ■ do you come here for?"' "I've! property in Scotland." \ioou gracious vnc—why didn't you say a-f at first?" "Where is it?'' "In Perth. -'Trll us something about it?" '-Well, T have a j suit being cleaned up at the Perth live] Works!" ' I

Oil Monday evening a concert was Held iu file Whiteley J J all in connestion with the .'Whiteley Memorial Church Harvest Festival celebrations. There was a large attendance, who thoroughly enjoyed the capital concert programme presented. At the conclusion a Dutch auction was held to dispose of tlie fruit, vegetables, etc., thai had been presented in connection with the decoration of the church and some of the suburban churches, when about .ۥ21) was realised.

'J he .Mayoress (Mi"s E. Wilson) has obtained permission from the Taranaki Agricultural Society to take up a co.lection on Thursday, the second day of its annual show, on behalf of the Belgian fund, and it is to ba hoped that there >vill be a liberal response. New il'lyniouth has responded liberally to the various funds which have been opened as the outcome of tile war, but the pathclc appeal which was made a day o r two ago 011 behalf of the Belgians, whose country lmd been so rnt.lilcstly invaded by the Germans, cannot help hut arouse heartfelt sympathy for these unfortunate people. '\\'e in New Zealand can hardly realise what it meam to have seven millions of people on the verge of starvation, arid whilst our people have responded libcijally jalready to the various funds, we should be prepared to make greater sacrifices 011 i clialf of a nation which has so.gallantly defended her neutrality and .by this means has rendered such service to the Mother Country in this great crisis in the history of our Empire. The funds collected on Thursday will 'be sent direct to the Belgian Consul in New Zealand, who in turn will forward it to the Ameiican Consul for distribution, * 0 that there need be no misgiving as to th« money reaching those for whom it is intended.

Records aro being smashed everv day, but the greatest crash known to New Plymouth will be t registered on Easter Monday by the West End Foreshore Improvement Society, who • have launched a great "Carnival of Fun." There will be no lack of novelties on the amusement programme, not the least of which will bo the great procession from the Red House Hotel to the Bungalow at Kawaroa Park, A great .collection of grotesque heads and all the accessories of a Continental Mardi Gras have been secured, and a special committee I'iis the arranging of this procession in hand. The Citizens' Band is co-operat-ing with the society, and will play specially attractive music. A novelty swimrnrnival is to be held at the Municipal Baths, to which access will bo gained from Kawaroa Park. Citizens are invited to visit the park, and see Tor themselves some 'of the b!g works in progress. These are, however, only preliminaries to the great sfcheme of the development of this increasingly popular promenade. The object of t'-V: Carnival is to raise funds tor this praiseworthy work, and the monev el ould llow in all the inoiv readily When it is known not only that good value in enjoyment on Easter Monday is assured, but that every sixpence is to be spent in beautifying a public place for the public benefit. A most unusual spii'ta'::i!-f:'ir Wellington, at all events—mlis witnessed on Saturday morning, when two women met in Cambridge Terrace near Queen Victoria's statue, and casting off their blouses, went for each otuu' "I'ainuier and tongs." At no tim? is ti difficult to draw a crowd in Wellington, so it may be conjectured that in a urj short time a, considerable number o: people gathered to watch the Amav.oiiie affray. Encouraging shouts from the partisans of either side rent the air, and the various blows arid their effects on the recipients were hailed with sivnits. It was a good, willing "go," and as there was no representative of the law present the engagement was fought to finish. Male friends then stepped in, and the rivals were hauled off by their •respective convoys to havens of safety.

'lhe famous Swiss surgeon, Professor Koclicr, of Borne, who was awarded the Nobel prize for surgery in 1912, and his assistant, Dr A. Fonio, have recently •made a -medicall discovery which during the present war will be a great boon to doctors ard wounded alike, and will save many lives. It is a kind of serum, and lms been named "coagulen," which, as it names implies, coagulates the blood and instantly stops bleeding when applied to the wound internal or external. It is manufactured in the form of powder, which must lie dissolved in water before bathing the wound. Coagiilen greatly shortens purgieal operations, and renders them less dangerous. The Swiss surgeons 'have presented a large quantity of this serum to both the French and German armies, and have been informed by the medical headquarters of t>otli countries that coagulen had given the satisfaction, and is a scientific discovery ■of t'he highest importance.