LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 222, 26 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Say 3 the Feilding Star:—"We know the incredulous will doubt the statement ■but it is a fact that a farmer in this district .sent 700 wethers Home last October, and netted 23a -7d each 'for them."

Householders "said things" when tomatoes just about doubled in price a few days ago. A frost in theHawke's Bay district ruined large quantities, and caused a scarcity.

The rates in Wanganui, which were Is lOd in the £ in 19Q4, are now 3s 4d in the £—"despite the fact' that the valuations have increased from £60,000 in 1901 to £165,000 in 1914."

Mr J. H. Walker has received word that Miss E. M. Statham, Government inspector of old soldiers'.graves, will arrive in New Plymouth on Saturday on an official visit, and will be glad of any information that is available as to matters in her department.

A headmaster of a large country school examined the results of Otago's larger public schools, as-given last December, and found that in 22 schools girls were at the hea.d 19 times, while only three boys attained the distinction of dux of the school.

Mr Frank W. Roydhouse, wdio has for some time been publisher of tiie Daily News at Carterton, has been offered and has accepted a position in the physical instruction branch of Department. Mr Roydhouse was a member of the Fifth South African contingent.

During the voyage of the Ruahinc, which arrived at Wellington on Tuesday morning from London, a brilliant auroral display was.witnessed .from 10 o'clock one night till past midnight, when nearing Hobart. Resembling a battery of searchlight on the horizon, the weird white beams fluttered and changed positions with wonderful effect.

Tlie earthworks and timbering is at present being prepared for concrete culverts just beyond the Waingongoro si ream near Te Roti, in connection with the T: jloti-Opunake railway. Heaw machinery .such as steam navvies, etc., is at present lying in the station yard at Te Roti, and these will doubtless soon be put into commission in the cuttings, etc. —Haw era Star.

Two fortune-tellers, one of either sex, and a man whose methods of obtaining money were resented by those who had been "taken in," were ordered off the show grounds -"-sterday by Sub-Inspector Foijhy, who, it is gratifying to note, intends '■:■* l-"rp shady side-shows off Taranaki showgrimds and places of recreation generally.

On Tuesday afternoon, when Mr A, J. flrown, fanner, of Brooks Road, was in Stratford, an unfortunate fire ' occurred at hi'.( residence, resulting in the' tots! destruction of the house and most of the ■furniture. It appears that his wife had been using the range for cooking, and, after being absent for a few minutes, found the chimnev and fire place on fire. With the help of neighbors, Mrs. ISrown did what she could to save the furniture, but owing to the shortage of water, the fire got too great a hold, and very little was saved. The house was insured for £IOO in the Taranaki Farmers' Insurance Company, and the furniture for £IOO in the Alliance, but this will 'n no way compensate the I'liiiwin for their loss. How the fire actually occurred is a mystery.—Post.

[ At a meeting at Vogeltown of those | interested in St. Mary's branoh school in. that suburb, it was decided*' io hold a gathering on March lltli to raise funds. Floral competitions will be | held, including decorated tables, buttons I holes, and baskets,. Produce, sweats,' f and afternoon tea stalls will' be condirej ted. and a sale of work. A concert programme will probably be arranged for the evening.

The men of the Second Australian Contingent have proved to be extraordinary prolific letter-writers. The correspondent of the Argus mentions the formidable task confronting the tensor when the force arrived at Ad;n. One mail consisted of 100,000 letters, of which ft!) per cent, were addressed to women. It se?ms a pity, though it is a necessity, that the. censor should have to scrutinise the sacred text; but it is one of the disabilities of war.

The Prima-Minister; by the mail that arrived from England on Tuesday, received the following tetter from the Daily Chronicle: "I beg to tender my sincere thanks for your courtesy in permitting me to convey your Xew Year message to the British public through: the medium of the Daily Chronicle. The sentiments of the loyal devotion expressed by you and other leaders in the Dominions beyond the s;as attracted tha people at Home, by whom this fresh proof of the indissoluble bond that united the Empire was warmly weloomed.

In chatting over conditions existing in London a few weeks ago an officer of the Euabine, which arrived from the Old Country on Tuesday morning, said: "If it wasn't fo r the newspapers and the men in khaki about the streets you would not know there was any war on. The city is not quite so gay of an evening owing to the dimming of the lights, but of a- day-tilie the aspect of the streets, the crowds, the traffic, and the el 'ops is much the same as it always is. The passage down the English Channel. was quite uneventful and we had little indication of the fact that England was engaged in a' life and death struggle with another great nation.

Says thn Patea Press:—Some pood work is being accomplished by the Harbor Board's staff in connection with the fascining of the western breakwater to prevent the drifting of the sand into tbe river. The amount of sand that can be blown and washed into tbe river at one tid.e has to be .seen to be belioved. Thers a few months ago horses and carts wen able to work is now a solid bank of sand. Bundles of manuka scrub some seventeen feet in length have been lashed together and placed on end reaching to the top of the breakwater and have been completely smothered for some distance, showing tha enormous extent of the drift. , ,

An extraordinary froak of nature is reported by the Stratford Pos: asi follows,: —Mr Charles E. Major, of Denbigh Road, Midhirst, had a curiosity in the form of a calf born on his place recently, when a cow calved a dead calf, the peculiarities of which were that the calf had no eyes, no nose or nostrils, and no solid bones in its body except in the legs. Tt had a bull-dog's mouth and a very strong, prominent under jaw just like a bull-dog's) showing teeth about '2% to 3in long. The tail was only about two or three indies long, the' legs wcro properly formed, but the hooi's .were exceptionally large. The calf was strawberry in color.

The Aparima left .New Zealand last week on one of her periodical trips, and as an evidence of the widespread interest in the Union Company's scheme for training ' for the merchant service, applications to join were, received r rom Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, New Zealand and Vancouver. Nine cadets, whose indehturfs expired this month, have been transferred to the company's passenger steamers as junior officers, and judging from past experience.it will not be long before they will be filling responsible positions in the company's service. In this connection, the examiner for the Government Marine Department, Wellington, has advised the Union Company that four of the earlier cadets have just passed,' in an excellent manner, the examination for first mate foreign-going certificates,! and expresses the opinion that the candidates reflected much credit on their instructors.

The trials and tribulations attendant upon the rearing of golden pheasants were referred to at a meeting of the Wanganui Museunj Trustees, when- it was reported that the golden cock pheasant held in captivity had died. One lot of chicks had been hatched out at the aviary, and as two deaths disclosed the inability of the mother to rear a family, the balance were relegated to the care of a broody hen. The foster-mother proved a kind and- indulgent parent, but, to quote the oificial report, "her big feet killed the rest." More golden pheasant's eggs were laid, but the assembled poultry promptly picked holes through the sliells, and. had.something in the nature of a feast. Apart from these little troubles the golden pheasants are doing well, and come in for a good deal of notice by tiie visiting public to the museum grounds.

The annual report of the Wellington Law Society states that there are 212 solicitors practising in the Wellington district, which is an increase of four over last year's figures. Nine of these, howover, Have joined the army, and .10 will be absentees during the ensuing year. The numbers of solicitors practising in the Dominion (including, however, thoo-j who have joined the army) at the end of 1914 was 10GO-an increase of 54 over last year's returns. Twenty four applicants in the Wellington district have been admittad as barristers or solicitor, or br-th, since the last annual report, viz., six as barristers and solicitors, eleven :is solicitors., and seven practising solicitors were admitted as barristers. The number admitted the previous year was 41.

A tribute to the efficiency of the Home Forces was made by Dr T. H. A. Valintine, 'lnspector-General of Hospitals, who arrived in Auckland on Sunday by the steamer Matatua, after visiting tlie Old' Country. Dr Valintine. declared that he had always thought it,a privilege to be British, but he had nevsr felt so proud of his nationality as recently. He continued: "I paid two visits to Salisbury Plain'and throe to Aldershot, and was tremendously impressed, not only with tjfo type of men of which '■ Kitchener's army is composed, but of the marvellous rapidity with which the. men are picking up their drill. They are determined to make themselves as' good soldiers as possible. Their spirit, is such that never a grumble is hoard, in spite of living unde r conditions that would strike us as rather rigorous, to say nothing of the inclement weather. I saw a good many officers who had been lighting, and all expressed their highest ad' miration for the gallantry of the troops,

"I never can understand those proclamations," said a young lady. "There is too much 'whereas,' and 'be it said' "bout them." Turn to the proclamation in this paper—you'd never think it was Morey's advertisement unless you wore to read it.

RHF.Tmo ts the rniKAT TnEmehy FOK RHEUMATISM. Ttheumo so a bon and a blessinar to those troubled with RHEUMATISM and kindred ailmpnto. It enrea nffeetuallv and permanently fir it eluiinates thi* excess Urio Acid from the Wood. Chemists and ;Sorsß everywhere, 2a 6d and '4s 8i 80

A slight' sftock of fiftrtbq«ate«Mji F in Nev PljpwJuth at' JT.W evening, , '■,, <t ~~ ' /'•'C'S'S Captain; Shilling, deputy-harbormaster \ at Wellington, retires froinf.active swr- _ vice at the end of this weet. Captain Dawson, who has been appointed harbormaster, will temporarily act as Captain Shilling's successor until the former . takes up hi 3 proper duties. Captain , If ay ward will then a?sumc the posiiton of deputv-'iarbormnster in accordance with previous arrangements. ' ' j

A naval officer on duty in the North. Pea writes:—"We are tiedup alongside a ■ repair ship with boiler blown down, a< we have a lot of tubes leaking. Keeping . , the sea in a trawler in rough weather is very trying and d ; rty work. I wear - a blue jersey all He time, with sea boots, and only on*, on a collar when I come into port So much for being a patrd leader. I love, the work, and it is exciting, if uncomfortable. The strictest look-out must,be kept at all times, as «ith the rough teas that are going now " a submarine's periscope takes a bit of spotting, likewise a floating mine.

A liritish warship operating on the coast recently seized a TurkUn_ dhow. While searching the prize, an officer, treading on a piece of sacking in . the. hold, felt something soft beneath it. , On investigation, four wretched Abyssinian girls were found, still decorated with the ornaments thov were wearing when kidnapped, to- be. taken across the sea and . sold into slavery. The poor creatures' were brought alongside the warship, and. as they were too weak to move a stabv. art bluejacket picked up each damsel and carried her up the gangway. On» them, to secure her position, put hex aim round her preserver's neck, and he, observing doubtless some amusement on v the face of an officer, explained: "I can't help it, sir; she will do it!"

Special interest attaches to t\i Methodist Conference owin'g to the cur'-' ionfc year completing a century of Metii- '■ idism in the Pacific, Sydney cablegram. The retiring president, Rev..! 1 . Colwcll, in hU address, tra<Md the century's work. He said the great problems of the future lie in the Pacific. It h ■■' destined to become a centre of tho ' world's trade and politicß.'The driving . . of the Germans from the Pacific meant increased responsibility for the Com- ' monwcalft and for the Methodist Church. He concluded with a stirring review of the war, stating that the' Empire's plain duty was to fight to a finish and then make tcrnj3. '

When a jury was being empanelled afe , the Ghristchureh Supreme Court a sex-) ton applied for exemption on the ground that his duties made it impossible for ', liini to attend. Asked why ho .could not ■ serve on the jury, the applicant men- . tioned something about cleaning lainps. That did not satisfy hi 3 Honor, wnp wanted to know if there were no more ' • valid reasons. Tho applicant then stated that if a funeral came along he would i ■ b e needed. "But, surely," said the judge,,'' - ■'funerals don't suddenly appear at this church door without warning!" After a' little reflection, the applicant admitted.' ' that he generally had a little,notice of ' funerals, buL not always of baptisnu, and "marriages are sometimes very sudden," His Honor did not altogether like the application, "but in view of the vision of, . ; funeral processions suddenly appearing, ' or children for baptism, or the3e marrl- .'. ngos," he would grant it. The applicant" 1 ' hurriedly left the court.

At a meeting of the executive of the,' School Committees' Association, ther-.j ■ were present: Messrs. S. G. Smith' (chairman), W. G. Reid, W. W. Thompson, j; Downcs. J. B. Simpson (Moa Association). 0. H. Dolby, W. F. Short, and G. S. White (secretary). The chairman and secretary wer c empowered to arrance for meetings with country comirittees at suitable centres. It was ' agreed that the Moa Association should collect affiliation fees from its commit- " tecs, and, after retaining half for ita ' own expenses, forward the balance to the executive. The secretary was instructed to forward a circular to committees ask- ' ing for remits for thp annual conference, and also to send a letter to Mrs Garlick, enroling with her on the death of her Jiucband. A discussion took place on \ the possibility of holding a demonstration of physical drill by the town; \ schools on the Recreation' Ground, an:T- ' conwtilions in elocution and sinrfng in tho Theatre Royal. ,

The slr.jet peiformafco to be given in New Plymouth next Wednesday afternoon by the member? of the "fliiinpty JJimvpty" Company, ill aid of the ref.fti fund for the Belgians, piomiies to ho .1 most successful affair. In addition to the canvassing and the musical se'cction3 by the momhers of the company themselves, an auction will be conducted, for a Belgian flag. It is worthy of note that th< ; flag referred to was one of 'the ; few distributed in New Zealand, and the fact that it was presented in recognition of thj excellent work already done here should lead to some spirited bidding '. on Wednesday in aid of the distressed." ■people in Belgium. A beautiful Indian table-cloth presented by. Messrs Gilmour and Clarke win also be auctioned. This is on view in Messrs Arabury Bros. 1 window.

The Ope Egmont Horticultural Society has decided to give the proceeds of its 17th annual show, which is to be held at Warea on Wednesday next, to tlje lielgian Eelicf Fund, and as -this is * . very popular fixture down the coast t3w fund should benefit considerably. Intending exhibitors are notified that entries close with the secretary. MissK. E., florbett, at Warea to-morrow night, and as the show is iri aid of a pood cause - t\v secretary can look forward to n . busy time booking up entries. A gftauction will be held on the owning of the ' show, gifts for which may be left at Mr. Babs' local store, or at the nail on • show day.