LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 227, 4 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. F. P: Cork-ill advertises that he has a geo<2 tenant for a small farm, with or wi.tS.out purchasing clause.

Brussels is now treated as part of Germany, and all the babies bor n in the city are icgistered as German subjects. Them* are 12 British hospital trains now in use, each capable of accommodating- 100 lying-down cases, two doctors* two nurses, two cooks and I'U E.A.M.C. orderlies.

Me effect of the war on the Easit Coast herring fishery is indicated by the fact that the total catch to' date is 40,000,000 fish fewer than usual. La 4 year's total catch was 1,360,000,000 fish.

The annual picnic of the schools comprised in the Moa Schools Association, which embraces Inglewood and five adjacent schools, will take place to-day on the Ngamotu beaeh.

A remarkable shortage of boys is being felt by employers throughout Southeast London owing to the sudden great increase in the number of boys employed in the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, where about 6000, many of whom have only just left school, are now at work.

At the annual'meeting of the Auckland .Poultry Keepers' Association. last night it wag resolved that a further re-, quest bo made to the Government for' a supply,of wheat for the use of poultry keepers, and that the Government be asked to ascertain the price ■ of fowl wheat in other markets, with a view to importation.—Press Association.

A ward to the memory of Lord Roberts is to b c attached to the Home for Crippled Children in London. Lord Roberts was vice-president of the Waifs arid Strays' Society, and was. especiallv interested in the humane work of- the Children's .Union. Lady Beatrix Wilkinson 13 acting as treasurer to the fund. ~. ~.

Senior-Sergeant Bowden, j n conversation with a representative of this paper, stated yesterday that the conduct of the Territorials while on leave in town had been mpst exemplary. . The police had received no complaints whatever regarding their conduct, and as far as 'ie could see the Territorials had given no cau3c for complaint. Some doubt appears to have been cast on the statement that a farmer in the Heddon Bush district had been offered £2OOO for a crop of wheat slightly over 100 acres in extent, states . the Otautau Standard. We are informed, however, on the best authtority, that the offer was quite a genuine one. When it is considered that an 80-bushel crop of wheat has beeen harvested off the same property the statement regarding the above can be accepted.

Few Auckland shopkeepers would expect tiie torpedoing of the Tokomani to assist them in collecting their accounts. Yet one has just expecrienced the truth of the old adage, "It's an ill wind that blows nobody »good," states the New Zealand Herald! From a customer who has a small gum store he ha 3 received the following note: "I will he paying you up in a week or two. Things have beeen very slack here since Christmas, but are brightening up now. A good deal of kauri gum went down with the Tokomaru, and of course this order had to be filled again."

The Boys' High School annual swimming sports are to be held this afternoon in the Municipal Baths. As is usually the case, very large entries have been received, and an interesting afternoon's sport should result. The programme is very varied, containing, besides the ordinary swimming events, high and long diving, diving for plates, relay race, etc. No charge is made by the school for admission, but the Baths Committee charge the usual admission fee. of 3d for spectators and competitors alike.

At a meeting of the Hawera Chambjr of Commerce on Monday evening, the president (Mr. E. Dixon) said he had lately visited Dawson Falls mountain house and he was of opinion that the Chamber should ask the Government to build an up-to-date hostelry there on the lines of the one on the New IPflymouth side. Messrs Straclc, Webster and Caiplen supported the president, and a resolution was carried authorising the secretary to write to Messra <G. V. Pearce, M.P., and C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., concerning the suggestion.—Star.

The condition of the tea market in Ceylon represents a record as regards prices. A Dunedin merchant received from Colombo on Monday cabled advice to the effect tint a record market lias been eexpecrienced this week, and that the price has inereaseed by 2d per lb. The charges to merchants since January 1 have increased by 4d per lb, t'w increases being due to a greater demand for tea for Russia and England, and and to extra freightage ami war risk insurance. It is expected that merchants in New Zealand will be compelled t,increase the price of tea by about -id per lb at the least.

After having a good feast near the body of a native, which was exhumed at Repong-iere recently, Rua and his followers left Tahunga on Wednesday last, savs the Poverty Bay Herald, to return to Maungapohatu, taking the remains of the body with them. Rua, it will be reemembercd, intended to exhume a second body at Wainniha pa. at Tahunga, but was stopped by the poli>r>, as lie had no license, to do so. Upon (lie position being explained to the "prophet," he decided to return home and communicate with the Minister of Internal Affairs regarding the necessary permission.

In tbts issue Mr. Cocker announces to tlio people of Xew Plymouth ami surrounding district that ho has engaged the services of Mr. Neil Gray (of Mr. A. Donald, ladies' and gent.'s tailor, Masterton, and also late of Ballantyne's, Christchurch and Timaru) l who comes as a cutter of the very best city experience. Mr. Gray is a tried-out man, one who lias undertaken successfully some of the host work in "the Dominion.

Addressing the jury in ft, libel "action at the Christchureh Supreme Court, Mr Justice Dcnniston -stated that there was a great'tendency'at'the (present time on the part of people libelled in a newspaper-to immediately see \vlut they cou-M, get out of the- paper by asking for- punitive damages. People, however; were not entitled iir a libel -action to eomo to Court for the purpose of making- -money out of it. A stroiiH case must' be established bt-forc punitive damages were awarded".

Members :of the Legion of Honor, in which a number of British soldiers have recently- been enrolled, cannot be sentenced tt> imprisonment. This immunity, however, does not serve to put a premium- on crime. It must occasionally happen- in an order numbering over 12,0(10 tlfat a member is found guilty of misdemeanor. When this occurs the judge pronounces the fornntfa: "You have been round wnnting in honor. In the name ofP the Legion, I solemnly expr-1 you from its ranks." Them he proceed.-! to pass-; sentence on the- delinquent, j

Potatoes, which now enter largely into the composition of German army loaVcs, are not' the only substitute for wheat flour iir the making of Bread. Bariev bread' and oat-eake are more common than, wheaten loaves in- Scotland, and rye-bread' fa the staple food of the ™.\- santry- in many Contmental countries. Maize- is largely used for bread making in America, whilst millet serves a similar purposes; in' Indra. Experiment, more or less successful, have been made with- substitutes ranging from malt to ground' cotton-seeds.

Writing to a friend in Christchureh, from the camn at Zeitoun, near Cairo, a n officer in the New Zealand Expceditionary Force says:—"lf vou want to make a name for yourseif,' make the people of Christchureh send a shipment of mutton, jam and butter to us. The men could eat more than they get—they practically keep themselves by buying from the canteen. This is absolutely a fact. The men arc as fit as the devil —plenty of fresh air and hard work. Their general bearing is good. Y;iu would not recognise them as the foree you saw leaving Lyttelton."

The response to the request that those possessing old volunteer uniforms should send them i n for use at the Territorial camp has been, very good. About fifty more tunics and caps are required. Any kind will be acceptable, even if very old or soiled. Some men have been reluct'ant to send in old uniforms because of their being moth-eaten, but even these can be used if sent in. But; for'them to be of use, they must be sent in at once. Ex-volunteers in any part of Taranaki are asked to note this appeal. It should be noted that parcels addressed to "Defence," New Plymouth, are carried free on. the railways.;

The following is a n interesting extract from the British -Journal of Nur-sing:r-r"Wc, feel sure mirses will rejoice to learn that the four 'registered' New Zealand nurses, working under tin; French Flag Nursing Corps have won high praise from their superiors. Sisters Lind and Hitchcock have gained respect at Rouen,- and Sisters Cook ami Eaddy, we learn, are vorv much liked in their 'services' at Berriay, and it is not improbable that the former will be made infirmiere major, as her- doctor thinks very highly of her work. We feel sure our numerous readers in New Zealand will rejoice at their success, especially in a service so novel and' difficult."

It occasionally happens that in considering leases of, Crown land granted it. the early days the Land' Board discovers tenants holding more land than the stated area from the Crown, the result of inaccuracies, perhaps, of the rcugh-and-ready surveys of pioneer settlement. A peculiar instance of this occurred recently in the Rangitikei, wliero a tenant was found to be in occupation of IG3 acres more than the 30U acres set out in the original grant of the lease. The Wellington Land Board decided last week under section 132 of the Act, dealing with surplus land of special value, to offer the "extra" piec e of 103 acres, of which the tenant had enjoyed many years' use, for sale at £l2 10s per acre.

An. American newspaper- has been asking American celebrities, "What is the best joke you ever heard?',' The reply of Mr: Irwin S; Cobb contains nothing about Kitchener, being confined to the remark of a weary old f laMoote-i nigger when he heard the- noonday hooter. Dar «fte go," he said; "dinner time fur souk folks—hut je3t twelve o'clock fur m ?-" }&■ George Ade*s best joke dealswith two solemn-looking gentlemen in a railway compartment. One gentleman says to the other, "Is your wife entertaining this summer?" Whereupon the second gentleman replies, "Not very." Which' seems to [prove that American humorists are not giving away their best jokes at bedrock prices. In a certain Territorial .regiment, not many miles from London, one of the 1 newest recruits was awaiting his turn on parade to be inspected. Presently to him came the youthful officer in charge. He had what is -known as tihe 'Varsity accent, and by those who do not know it outside the stage it might be mistaken for faoetiousness. The "nut" officer stopped and inspected. Then: "Ha, ha, no shave! " he said. "He, he, no razor!" replied the new recruit blithely, tihinking that he had met a sociable soul with a pleasant way of reprimanding. The result was, of course, disastrous to the recruit. But now, when the regiment is marching, and "Tipperary" is getting a-\]ittle overdone, the monotony is varied by the front section suddenly calling out in full-throated unison: "Ha, ha, no shave!" which is instantly replied to from the back with a stenSerian roar of "He, he, no razor!"

The Awanui wireless station was designed by German electricians and erected largely by German engineers, or at any rate largely under German supervision; but it is evidently the intention of the authorities not to allow anyone with a German accent to come near it, for a guard surrounds it day and night, and armed sentries challenge' all who approach (states the New Zealand Herald). In the darkest hours a few days ago one of the sentries heard a suspicious sound and called out, "Who goes there?" The only reply he got sounded foreign. He challenged again, and sti'l there was no satisfactory .auswer. So he iired, and shot straight, too, for when the guard turned out they found the colonel's special cow with a service bullet through her. The only language the unfortunate creature could speak was suspiciously like German. In connection with the suggestion that New Zealand should follow'the example set by Australia by appointing a financial expert to advise on matters connected with the defence expenditure in the Dominion, Mr A. M. Myers, who was Minister of Defence in the Mackenzie Cabinet, thinks that an advisory board, consisting of men of a wide commercial experience, and having a thorough knowledge of finance and office organisation, should be set' up. He regarded it as move essential now than ever thatthere should be a marked distinction between the military and the business sides of the Defence Department. "Had 1 remained i u office," said Mr Mve.rs to an Auckland Star representative, "I intended to submit proposals for the'formation of some special board, composed, if possible, of officers of commercial" cxprionce, to control expenditure," General Sir Tun Hamilton, when he inspected the Territorial Forces last year, stated in his report that ho felt'convinced that many advantages would ho gained if a system could be devised whereby the training and administrative branches of our land defence scheme eould be separated, and commanders of troops would be relieved in some measure of the financial responsibility resting upon their shoulders. I

Kccontly the Wellington Diapers' Assistants' Unio n protested to the JprimcMinister against shop assistants having to work two late nights in Chriatnwa and New Year weeks. The- Prime Minister replied, asking if the wishes af-tfio-unio n would be met by the-provisions in the amended Shops and' Offices Bill brought forward last session, that overtime should be paid forliourß in excess of the daily, or weekly limit. The union considered this letter at its meeting nu Friday night, and unanimously decided that no Bill wouM' Be satisfactory which permitted the working of two late nights in one week, and that in tta event of a second latfe ni'gnt being allowed it should not last later than iO o'clock, payment being- made at-over-time rates. It was argtrcd that two late nights put too sevore a strain upon the assistants, many- of whom war* girls.

Those who complain that the authities are not keeping their eyes open lo the danger of enemies vithi n our midst evidently d 6 not know all that n going on. A few days ago a highl/respected resident: of" Henderson (ne\.Auckland), who has been engaged fjr some time in building a mo« picturcv basement for a- house; and more recently in constructing a fruit cellar, received a visit, from an officer of the law. Some suspicious individual who had seen the buildings evidently thougiit they weTe constructed by Germans with a view to mounting guns to shell Auckland. He communicated with the Defence authorities, and to police offirVr was sent out to make enquiries. Forbu» ; nately the porfteman waß wjso enough to begin his enquiries at the rr§|j>*4quar. tcrs. and his visit to the fruittcellar resulted in nothing ■ more disagrgSiiWo than some very fine peaches and nepV tannes.