LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 316, 16 June 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, The first prize for hay at the New Plymouth Winter Show was awarded to W. 11. Jury of Omata.

A child on its way home from the Courtney Street School was knocked over by a motor ear in Gover Street ypsterday, but escaped injury.

We liavo received the sum of £2 lis towards our Hospital Ship Fund from Rugby Road, being proceeds of the farewell social to Mr. and Mrs Sprayi. The Wanganui Borough Council last night decided to submit loan proposals totalling £40,000 to the ratepayers for necessary works, principally water and drainage. At the Wellington Magistrate's Court yesterday John Dickson, formerly) an attendant, was committed for trial on a charge of the manslaughter of a patient, James Ifamblyn, by failing to take proper precautions when giving Hamblyn a bath.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday judgment in default was given in the following civil cases:—Ridd Milking Machine Company (Mr. Ron. Quilliam) V. I*'. R. Prcocc, £ls, costs £1 10s Gd; Kay and Bergman (F. E. Wilson) v. William Pratt, £l3 13s, costs £1 19s <sd. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon a maintenance order against Samuel Simons for the maintenance of his mother was reduced from 7.s Cd to 4s per week. Mr. Ron. Quiliam appeared for Mrs. Symons, and Mr A. 11. Johnstone for defendant.

A special general meeting of members of the Taranaki Agricultural Society lias been convened for Friday, 'lßth inst:, to discuss the question of abandoning the autumn show. A matter of such great importance should ensure a large attendance.

The New Plymouth Defence Office wishes to thank the Agricultural Society for a donation of five sacks ot vegetables collected from various exhibitors at the Winter Show. The vegetables will 'be forwarded to Trenthain Camp to the Taranaki men there.

. At a meeting of the committee of the New Plymouth Operatic Society it was decided to stage "The Runaway Girl," the proceeds to be dc.voted to one of the patriotic funds. Preliminary arrangements are in hand, with a view to staging the production at an early date.

Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., gave his decision in the case of the International Harvester Company v. J. Cowling, at the court yesterday. Judgment was for plaintill's on their claim for the freight of the machine, cost of cartage, and jyages of Messrs Sa-gar and Sims to the amoupt of £ls. Costs were also granted to the amount of <CI 17s 2d.

A 'Wellington telegram says that the butter in cool store, at the various ports of the Dominion yesterday was reported by the Department of Agriculture to be: Auckland, 12,025 boxes; New Plymouth, 3058; Patea, 1475; Wanganui, 2031; Gisborne, 172; Wellington, 11,788; Lyttelton, 0100; Timaru, 307; Dmnedin and Port Chalmers, 2087; total, 41,M'J. The total 011 June 15, 1914, was 78,012 boxes, and at the same date in IORi 54,17-8.

A Prosbyterian deputation at Wellington waited 011 the Minister for Defence and presented a resolution from the Presbytery protesting against the refusal to appoint a Presbyterian as one of the chaplains on the hospital ship. After stating the communication he had had with the Imperial authorities regarding the appointments, Mr. Allen announced that lie had so much regard for the work done by Presbyterian ministers in connection with the New Zealand military system that if the Presbyterians would recommend a certain elargyinan, >vho, he thought, had done more for the forces than any other clergyman of any denomination, and whose health had broken down as a result of the work at Trentham camp, he (Mr. Allen) would go out of his way to make the appointment.

The following men have volunteered for active service during the last two or three days:—R. D. Bain, New .Plymouth ;A. lilanchard Awalcino; Backholnn, Waitara; Bracegirdle, New Plymouth; j. M. Crow, Waitara. S. Finch, New Plymouth; JW. P. Feek, Waitara; William Shepperd, New Plymouth; W. Braudwood, To Kuiti; E. Allen, New Plymouth; R. H. Jones, New Plymouth; L. M. Jones, Tikorangi; W. Kendall, New Plymouth; E. Loveridge, Omata; 11. Longstaff, IWaitara; u. Mnlhollantl, Midhirst; J. Parker, Hillsborough; li. L. Y. Payne, Awnkino; 11. U Simpson, New Plymouth; S. Styjiw, 801 l Block; C. 11. Tate, Waitara; D. Wilson, Oka to; Harry West, New Plymouth.

Mr. J. Fan-,'ll, representing J. C. Wil-liam-mi's Pantomime Company, was in New Plymouth yesterday!. Referring to the cancellation 01 the company's visit to New Plymouth, Mr. Farrell said thatafter all arrangements had been made for the production of "Cinderella" at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday next the mechanists discovered that it would be impossible to stage the pantomime here and still pack up in time to get away by the Rarawa at midnight, so the manugcui.-iit were reluctantly compelled to abandon the Neve Plymouth booking and to lose Tuesday night altogether. .It was also not possible to play the pantomime at New Plymouth on Monday night, as the first train troiu Wanganui does not arrive here until ;j p.m., too late to prepare for. such a pvoduet ion the same evening. Mr. l-'.mvll added that several ei the .1. C. Williamson eompanie- will vi-it New Plymouth during the next fewmonths.

Tikorangl celiebnatea tluu fttbilee of the settlement to-day. A luncheon will take place at mid-day and a social in the evening.

Acording to the Press, a fanner in tho Patea district last season milked Mngle-lwnded 43 cows, with the aid of his machine at a cost of slightly over per day.

The council of the New Zealand Hoekey Association, at a meeting last night, decided to cancel all shield matches for tin: season and also to formulate a scheme to encourage hockey players to enlist.

The management of the Plimmer-Hall Company stated at Dunedin that they have already been enabled to hand the Government a sum approaching £SOOO, representing the profits of the Dominion tour.

During the present season up to May fil last, with six weeks of the season yet to run, the Patea Farmers' Co-operative Freezing Company, says the Press, had dealt with 8713 head of tattle and 22G7 veal, this being an increase of and 452 veal over the best previous season. After Mr. Massey's meeting at Urenui last week, a number of settlers were assembled on the platform at the hall talking over matters with the Prime Minister when (says the Waitara Mail) 6- small boy, with much assurance and self-importance, walked into the building, straight up to the Prime Minister, ttnd said: "Please, your worship, will fou make a road to our woolshed?" '•His Worship," much amused at the incident, told his secretary to take a (lote of- the fact that there was yet another applicant for a road grant. An Australian was wounded in a peculiar manner during the fighting at the Dardanelles. He explained it as follows in a letter from the front:—l had just shot a Turk down about 20 feet in front of oitr firing line, and was getting back into our trench when I struck a rifle with a bayonet fixed, belonging to a, chap who had just been shot dead. The bayonet was sticking up, and my leg came right down on it. It seemed a mighty funny way to get wounded after the miraculous escapes I had had up till then. I had very hard luck in being wounded so soon, as I had just been provisionally appointed sergeant, in charge of a section on the field about eight hours before.

TJie Bishop of Auckland, Dr. Averill, who has been spending a fqw days in Christchurcli, stated there that he usually experiences the effect of the "taihoa" policy when he goes amongst the Maori people in the Auckland diocese. Me said that he soon discovered the futility of trying to hustle them, or, indeed, of inducing them to be even fairly punctual. For instance, he might fix the time for a service at 11 a.m. On arriving at the village, he finds that no preparations have been made. "What is the time?" he asks. "Oh, taihoa," is the reply, "plenty time, we have kai first." Sometimes it is one excuse, sometimes another, but the reasoning always is regarded as quite sound, and the only course is to wait until the list of excuses has been exhausted.

For many years "Kitchener's way" has been a eoTt of saying in the British Army. Innumerable stories have been told about it since the war began, and some of them are true and some are not—mostly not. Here, however is a true one. When the Field Marshal went to the War Office, he found himself threatened by a shortage of guns and ammunition, which later developed seriously. It so happened, however, that he knew in a famous city of a certain neutral nation, in Eux-ope, a great modern plant for the manufacture of •war material had recently been erected. He purchased the entire works, shipped all tlio machinery to England, where, considerable is it, it is not yet entirely in working order. When it is in thorough order, it is calculated a great part of the difficulties arising from want of guns and ammunition will havo been overcome.

Writing from the trenches in Flanders, Corpora! Freedman, who left Australia to join'the Belgian army, says: "Our little Belgian army is in splendid condition, and has tremendously increased since the arrival of the new recruits, despite that we have lost 52 per cent, of our men. The French army is doing splendid fighting, but the great surprise of the war is the formation of the wonderful British army. Soon diey will have 3,000,000 in the field, and what splendid soldiers they all are! "ere oil the small river Ysei", where we are now fighting, we liavo given the Germans many a beating. You see, wc Belgians, hate the Germans, because they have completely ruined our country. Mind you, .Germans are hard nuts to crack, but it must not be forgotten that they have lived and prepared 45 years for this terrible war. None of the Allies hiive a moment's doubt about the final victory, but we on the battlefield hold to the belief that Great Britain will give the Huns the final hiding." The Eltliam County Council has detided to continue the metalling of the Boylan Road. This will be good news for motorists throughout Taranaki, as this section of the main highway was the worst in the province. iSouie short Ivliile back, the South Taranaki Automobile Association pointed out to the County Council the bad state of this road, and that it was the only unmetalled piece on the road between Wellington and Now Plymouth. (At the same time it wits suggested that direction posts should be erected at various points and it is gratifying to know that these [iuggestions are being given effect to. The County Council has had direction posts erect,ed at each end of the Dnlziel Road, and at the Mountain-Boylan Roads junction, and danger posts at Dalziel Hill, at each end of Mortloek's Hill, Mangamingi Hill, and both sidles »( Tawiiiti Hill. The. llawera Star Unites that, oil the suggestion of the Automobile Association, the Patea I'ojinty Council has improved some of the curves on the Mnnawapou Hill, and promised further improvements. Motorists and others will greatly appreciate these inrprovements. The grain , season, so far as the railways are concerned is now in full swing, and considerable quantities have to ba handled daily (writes the Invercargill correspondent of the Lytlclton Times). The season this year is much later owing to unfavorable weather conditions. At iiiis time last year the grain carrying season was practically over. Last year the quantity of grain carried ovev the Southland section of the New Zealand railways was the lowest for some years, but this year an obvious revival iias taken place. This undoubtedly was owing to the request of the Prime Minister. when the war broke out, that fanners should sow move cereal*. The better yields this year also will make the total at the end of the season disclose a substantial increase. Notwithstanding the reputed backwardness oT shyness of the farmers to part will their grain, it is obvious that :¥ goodly number of them have already done so. T.ast week 42.105 sacks were dealt with, as against 8021 sacks for the corresponding week of last year. The tolal to dale is am,795 sacks, as against 23.1,318 sacks last year.

A social and dance will be held in the Warea Hall this evening, proceeds to -bo devoted to the New Zealand Wounded Fund.

Headers are requested to note alterations ill programme, of the concert to be given by the local railway staff at the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening.

The Maoris of the Waitara district hare been moved with enthusiasm lately over the doings of a young tohunga, named Nohi to Ngohc, who has been divining the locality of certain stones widowed with great powers, (says the local Mail). The muuri at Urenui we hfive already written of, and now we refer to the finding of a stone on Mr. Bishop's place at Bell Block. There a big party of natives repaired one day last week, and, on reaching the scene, the tolmnga led the way. Several pakehas were also present, and the Maoris wishing to let the whites know there was no funny business, asked them to noto the proceeding. The tohunga chanted and then prayed to the God of the Bible. The power came to him and lie indicated the spot where the stone would bo found. Messrs Thos. Gardiner and .T. 11. Kibby took a hand with the spade, and lo! after going down between four and five feet, a hard substance was struck. It was the mauri. Being removed, it was found to be rounded in form and carved on the top, with a hole in the side. Tn the hole, the Maoris sai.l, there was a taniwha. It appears this stone was stolen from Waingongoro some forty five years ago, since which time tlie Maoris have had few fish. Now the stone has been taken back there will be plenty. Mr. Gardiner inforniß us he is convinced tho atone had lain where it was found for very many years, because tin; ground was covered with blackberry at tho particular spot, and the actual resting-place was marked with the creases of the mauri. Shortly the to hunga will find another out Urenui way, and Kaliu informs us that a valuable piece of greenstone of historical interest has also to bo unearthed.

"Box Suits" is the name given to t'ie improved tailor made and highly finished ready-to-wear suits so much in Vogue just now among men who do not see the force or necessity for paying five guineas or more for tailor-made suits, the fabrics of which as often as not being identical "with those offered by the Melbourne Clothing Company at less than half the cost. Moreover, Melbourne, Ltd., suits give a perfect fit.