LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 243, 23 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Colonial Motor Company are erecting a motor garage in Wellington 2} acres in extent.

During 1014, 511 Chinese (of whom 5!l were females) and 13 Japanese (three females) arrived in New Zealand. The town clerk intimates that no claims for enrolment on the district electors' list will be accepted after 30th March next.

The rattier novel sight was witnessed near Masterton last week of a flock of sheep being driven by a couple of drovers who were seated in a motor car. Petrol (says the Age) is evidently cheaper than horse feed.

There will be two "Dandy" companies in New Zealand this year. The Reds, including Mr Claude Dumpier and his popular wife, will open a three months' season in Wellington next month. The "Violets" open in Auckland in May.

Mr Cato, of Waitara, has received a letter from England, in which it is stated that his mother's place below Gravesend has been invaded by the military, and the, back-yard is being utilised in the plan of fortifications of the estuary. The Wellington office of the Post and Telegraph Department advises that the mails which left Auckland on February S and connected with the R.M.S. Ventura at Sydney, on February 13, reached London on the 20th inst., six days late.

For the convenience of 'buyers from a distance the auction committee of the Leppcrton-Huirangi-Sentry Ilill Patriotic Picnic on Thursday next" have arranged to box all poultry, and will deliver on rail and consign any poultry or sundries for Is per lot. The charges will go to the fund without any deductions. The Mayoress (Mrs J. K. Wilson) lias received permission from the Minister of Internal Affairs to hold an art union of two pictures presented by Mrs Kirk-wood and Mrs liigley, the proceeds of which will be devoted to providing comforts for our soldiers. Tickets (Is each) may be obtained from Miss Hammerton.

The usual weekly meeting of the Egmont Lodge, No. 112, 1.0. G.T., was held last night, Bro. F. 11. Pcppercll, C.T., presiding. Thp programme for the evening was a debate on the war-tax and how it should he raised. Bro. L. F. Pepperell led off, contending that the tax should he imposed on the land. He was opposed by the C.T., Bro. F. 11. Pcppercll.

Lodz is the Manchester of Poland, and in population it equals the Lancashire city. The textile industry is the most important, and, as in the English Manchester, Germans bulk largely in the population. Tliev also own a large portion of the capital employed in the industries of tile place, so that, if Lodz be destroyed in the course of the present conflict, the greater share of the loss will fall oil the Germans.

A cavalry officer in France writes:— What astonishes one so much here is the phlegm of the inhabitants. How often one sees tlieni tilling the fields on the outer range of the shell fire, and with our gunners booming off amongst them; and such queer teams tliev use—two milch cows, one milch cow harnessed often with an ass or a mule, a huge Flanders mare pulling alongside a cow or a donkey, any old team, it appears—and they get along somehow.

Tlie Westland Land lioanl has granted siu application for a lease, of ;i(l,000 ihti-h ut Otira as a v-ood pulp reservation; also an area, for a special site 'or a power-house and paper mill buildings, etc. Tlie applications for the necessary water rights for power purposes have been reconinieiided by the Warden for (he consent of (lie Minister of Mines. Kx!iau4hv experiments have been made, and c\pi'rl, reports obtained have proved (lie suitability of the timber for the manufacture of wood pulp and papers, and a company is now being formed to establish the industry on the West Coast.

The Hutt Borough Council has decided to support the Runanga liorough Council's representations to the Government to control the prices of the necessaries "of life. —Press Association.

The body of a newly-born male child was found on the foreshore near the foot of Dawson Street yesterday afternoon. It was discovered at TfiglPjwater mark, at about 4 o'clock. The hody, which was contained in a bag,j was talcen over bv the police, removed to the morgue, and viewed by the coroner, who ordered a post mortem to be held. An inquest will be held this morning-.

Russians resident in London now assert that Lody, the ftcrmim spy, who was executed in the Tower of London, was not altogether wrong when he wiivd to Berlin that certain Russian regiments had passed through England last year. "They did come, but they were en route for Servia, and not l\.-r tfrnnce, as was first stated," is the statement of a reliable Russian journalist living in London. Will the truth of this matter ever come out ?

A burglary occurred in town last evening, when the house of Miss Russell, of Fulford Street, was entered, and a sum of £1 14s stolen. Kiss Russell was absent at the time having attended the pictures. She discovered her loss immediately on her arrival home. The matter was communicated to the police, who at once investigated the scene of the thieves' operations, and it is hoped that their efforts to secure the thief will quickly prove successful. "Enquirer" asks "When is Easter Monday?" Easter Monday this year falls on April sth, and the greate3t Easter Carnival ever (known in Taranaki falls on the same day, taking place at the West End beach (Kawaroa Park). Trains will stop" at Morley Street, at the entrance to the park. The Menagerie Procession promises to be something quite out of th e ordinary], and in a day or two some startling announcements regarding it are due. Meanwhile the giraffe and all his forest playmates are preparing for the affair.

To-night, in the Whiteley Ilall, there will be held the inaugural meeting of the "Whiteley CluV a society organised to cater for the needs of the young people associated with the Whiteley Memorial Church. The framing of the constitution, the election of officers, and various matters' of initial business 'will he dealt with. A programme of music will be presented, beginning at eight o'clock, and will be served. A general invitation is given to all members of the congregation. The club will have devotional, literary, musical, social and general recreative activities. Mrs. Irving, discussing infant welfare at the National Union of Women workers, in London a day or two ago, said that New Zealand had the most perfect system. The mother and infant wer o given skilled attendance and advice, and the infant death-rate had fallen in five years from 80 to 35 per 1000. Mrs. Irving's figures do not agree with those given in the Year Book. The infantile death-rates under one vjear for the last five years are 01.6, fi7.7, 5(1.3, 51.2, and 59.1 respectively. These compare very favorably with the death-rate of 130 in England and Wales, 1!B in the German Empire, and 321 in Moscow. The British Admiralty has just commissioned a now type *of submarine, which is to be known as the "W" class. There are four of these vessels, and they have been designed and built at Armstrong's works since the war began. Tile latest vessel to be sent to sea is WB, but W1 would appear to have been in commission for some time, and it is not quite clear whether there are eight or four of the type afloat. The new das? is styled by tjie English newspapers, "Mysterious Secret Submarines." Another new type of nnder-water craft, known as the "S" class, with a speed of lis knots on the water, has been built and designed at Scott's yard at Greenock. and has been in commission for abwt a year. The two big submarines of the Swordfish tj'pe >-re now attached to Sir John Jellicoe's flagship, the Iron Duke.

_ It is not commonly known that baptism by immersion is recognised by the Anglican Church, and that any adult candidates may demand this form of baptism in preference to the customary "sprinkling." The prayer-book requires a clergyman to "dip" r. candidate if requested to do so, but in only one church in the Auckland diocese are the necessary facilities provided. St. Matthew's Church is furnished w«t7i a font to meet such a demand, and on Wednesday evening (says the Auckland Herald), a lar»e congregation assembled to take part m a baptismal service; when a young lady received the rite Tjy immersion: The service was a most impressive one The vicar the Rev. W. 72. Gillam, performeel the rite, and the Rev Jasper Caldor preached the sermon. In the course of ten years, this is only the second occasion on which a similar ceremony has been performed at tills church.

In connection with the Methodist commemoration of seventy-five years of Church activity in Taranaki, t'l'ere will •be two ' pilgrimages 1 ' this week. One takes place to-morrow from Hawera to n aingongoro, the scene of the first missionary settlement in the province; the socond will be at the landing-place, Moturoa, on Thursday afternoon at 3 o clock. At each of these gathering commemorative addresses will be »iven by the Revs. T. G. Hammond (chairman of the district) and P. \V. Fairclough, who was at one time stationed in New Plymouth. In Hawera to-night and at Whiteley Hall her e on Thursday night, there will be meetings in connection with the celebration. Mr. W. 11. Skinner, whose knowledge of Taranaki's early days is so thorough as to make him an acknowledged authority is prolonging liis visit to New Plymouth in order to comply with an invitation to preside at Thursday evening's local function.

Mr. Jan Cherniavsky, who takes his Chappell baby grand piano with him throughout his tour, is now importing a full-size grand. His testimonial as to the worth of the Chappell is •published by Messrs H. Collier and Co. in this issue.