LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 298, 26 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Australian and English mails, ex Riverina at Auckland, will arrive here to-night. At the Paliiatua "Private Secretary" performance a. doyley, auctioned on behalf of the wounded soldiers' fund, realised £llO. Owing to the sad bereavement of the master (Mr. A. 11. Ilalcombe), the hunt to have been held at Inglewood to-mor-row (Thursday) will not take place. On April 1 the hands of every clock in Ocrmany were set forward one hour. By rising an hour earlier it is estimated that £21,000,000 worth of petroleum will be saved during the six months of summer. The Lincoln Eoad School children, have raised £3 18s 2d towards the 'Belgian Fund, made up as follows:—Proceeds of picnic £3 fis Sd, vegetables sold fis fid, donation by Mr. E. O. Harding Ss. We have handed the amount to the Mayor's Fund. Twelve ships, all insulated, are now on their way to New Zealand to load meat for Army supplies. Following are the vessels: —Kangitira, Paparoa, Kia Ora, lndrabarah, Athenic, La Bhinea, Remuerii, Opawa, Tongariro, Waiwera, Indrapiira, and Somerset. In a shooting match on Monday between Patea and Eltham Rifle Clubs, eight men aside, the former beat the latter by 73!) to 710 points. Rifleman D. Roots (!)8) was top scorer for Patea, and I? ill em an Vincent (94) headed the Eltham list. The weekly itinerary of lectures by Mr. S. 0. Serge), agricultural instructor, will lie found in our advertising columns. These lectures are proving most interesting to farmers in different centres. and much interest is being shown in the work generally. Mr. E. Crabtree has presented the Eltham Brass Band, states tlie Argus, Willi '25 cap lyres, as an ornamentation for the cap. The lyres are worked in silver, on a black cloth background, and are of extremely pretty design. Mr. Crahtree has also presented the secretary with two gold stripes for tlie sleeve with his name in gold thereon. At a meeting of ladies at Eltham on Monday for the formation of a sewing guild to work for sick and wounded soidiers. the sum of £fi 18s (Id was collected in tlie room. Mrs. B. Dive was appointed president and Mrs. W. D. Ross vice-president. Mrs. A. A. Stewart was elected honorary secretary and treasurer, and the following committee was appointed:—Mesdames Mc'Kinnon, Weir, Carncross, Pridcatix and Cooper. The new set of instruments ordered from the Bristol Company, agents for Ifawke and Son, of England, for tlie use of the New Plymouth Citizens' Band came to hand yesterday in perfect condition. The members of the band last Ji'ght tried these instruments and were greatly pleased with the tone. Steady practice will now lie put in with a vieiv to the forthcoming concert in aid of the national Fund for the Wounded, to take place shortly. The following is the second list of donations for the Soldiers' Day at Uruti -Mrs. Campbell, large pumpkin and sauce; Maggie and Jim Campbell, cooked rooster; Mack Campbell, 'one dozen resli eggs; Mrs. Featlierstone, child's lliuinel petticoat and toys for bran-tub; Airs Wells, fancy work, jam and toys i" l ' bran-tub; Mr. Wells, £l, two pigs and hush shrubs; Mr. Sutton, 10s and goose; Mr. D Fraser, onp pig and one slieep; Mrs. D. irascr, four ducks, one gobbler plum sauce, one pair of geese'Mwston, ss; Nurse Kelly, 3a'. The 50 nurses who went to England l<. tlie hotorua are now going to E"vpt J he next contingent of 100, 31 of whom' i.nealready sailed, were originally destined for Egypt and Malta, 50 to each place, but the Defence authorities hero have now been advised that they are ordered to England. There has been a inifeet avalanche of applications for nurses for enrolment in the contingent, mit it js unlikely, owing to the risk of depleting the. hospital stalls in Xow Zealand , that, the (Jovernmunt will send more than 100 nurses.

Tin- spirit of the New Zealanders y.m> haw lost sons or other near rela tivrs at i!ii! front has been already re marked upon by Ministers of tho Crown who have received letters from these hiave-heai'tcd men and women. Another instance ol th.. same sort <|f heroism was shown 111 a letter received by the Prime Minister liom ilt to whom MY. Alassey had sent a message of sympathy regarding the loss of a son. This father wrote of his boy; ••]!„ i' ol ,g] lt for («o<l, king, and Umpire, trim and brave, and worthy of the traditions of his forefathers and lie died at his post. T am trying i„ settle luy private business here It will take some time, but I want to go to the front to take his place. . . . My olher two sons are ailxious to to t}| ( . j'ront." 11l this issue Webster Bros advertise " r elected d l'es-ed m ;U c |, nning and Oregon doors for Saturday f xl - ''"V 1 " 3 ' S, ' U! " l ' S «•'»» av,. anxious o complete any iiajn,.- wolk t | K , h . '"'rnes, or for any additions, this sale oilers a special inducement. The Mew Kealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., draw the a f.!<M,tion of their clients |o their Te \Yera sale, which they are holding in the Te AYcra yards Kr.day, May i>s. Full particulars will Jwmid 111 our advertising eoliiiims on page S. Men like drovers and drivers, whose inclination keeps them out long hours in bad weather liud that Lu Kov's drv oiied canvas coat is the only one that is really waterproof. A feature of these coats is that the harder it rains the morn waterproof they become. The price is 35s at the Melbourne Clothin« ° i

A miniature rifle match "between the Cardiff and Stratford sections of tin; Home Defence Corps was fireil on Monday evening. The scores wore:—Cardiff —Troopers W. 'Belcher 43, R. A. ,Belcher 43, ifj. Rogers 42, Marchant 42, J. Belcher 41, A. Belcher 39, J. Richards 37, T. Richards 35, D. Cameron 33, Lieutenant Howarth 33, Troopers J. liogers 31, W. Marnier 31 Richardson 3!), .T. Morrison 28, Brown 2S, E. Mandor 27, Caldwell 24, Sullivan 1!). RothWell 17; total 024. Stratford Captain McMillan 47, Riflemen W. liogers, Allenson 43, Johnson 43, Plowright, 42, -Edgecombe 41, Thorp 40, Kirby 40, W. •Brocklcbank 40, ColorSergeant Ricliardson 30, Rifleman Pearee 38, 'Peters 37, Ireland 37" K. Broeklcbank 35, Pivac 34, Robson 3:1 Mounsey 33, Lander 18, C. James 1!total 095. In his annual report, the chairman of the Wanganui Education Board, Mr. P. Pirani, states that tllere.'were'open at the close of the year 200 main and three side schools. On December 31 there were 1(5,072 children on the rolls of the schools in the district, of which 1114 were in attendance at the secondary departments of the- district high schools. The average attendance for the year was 14,33!),' the December quarter being the highest with an average of 14,742. The average attendance expressed as a percentage of the average weekly roll was 00' per cent., as compared with 50.3 for the previous year. Comparing the- roll number at the end of 1913 and' the average attendance for that year, the figures for 1914 show an increase of 458 and 435 respectively. The number of teachers in the iioard's service at fhe close of the year was 420, excluding relieving teachers, probationers and punil teachers; ISO were males and 240 males, the number holding certificates being 280. There were in the service at the close of the year 11 male and 50 female pupil teachers, and six male, and 24 female probationers. Of these, 12 ■proceeded to the Training College at the beginning of the current, year. The board' each year experienced considerable, difficulty in inducing pupil teachers and probationers to enter the college. To overcome this difficulty, candidates, on appointment, are nowrequired to enter into an agreement to proceed to the college on completion of their term of service. The grants for school libraries are not taken advantage of to the extent that the board would like to see. Only IS schools complied with the conditions laid down by the regulations; thus entitling them to grants in aid of the purchase of books. The organ recital to he given this evening in St. Mary's, will prove a musical treat to all lovers of the " Kin" of Instruments." Mr. Cliitty has made himself thoroughly conversant with the details of his instrument, ar.d his audience will find he has splendidly gauged the various effects of combination and degrees of power, and may look forward to a finished performance. Mr. Cliittv is not a novice as a recital organist, having played several programmes in Auckland, his latest being given on St. Mary's, Parnell, an organ by the same builder as the one here—namely, Mr. Croft, the well-known Auckland builder! A reminder is hardly necessary of the collection for the organ fund. '