LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The English and American mails, via San Francisco, will arrive here this afternoon. The postal authorities have received advice that there were not any New Zealand mails aboard the Hesperian. Feilding suffered very severely in casualty lists on Wednesday. Private cables reported the deaths of three Feilding lads. Now very few of the first batch from Feilding are untouched. When the Legislative Council met yes. tevday afternoon, Hon. Sir F. H. D. Bell explained that the expected message conveying amendments to certain (Bills had not arrived, and in consequence he had to move the adjournment of tlie Council.

It has been decided that half the proceeds of the annual concert in connection with St. Mary's Sunday Miool, which is to be given by the scholars on tlie 30th inst., shall 'be given to the Belgian Belief 'Fund. The other half wilj be devoted to the new Sunday school builuing fund. At a general meeting of members of the T'itzroy Bowling Club yesterday a letter was read from the secretary of the Taranaki Bowling Centre with reference to instructing the club's delegates as to the views of the members upon the proposed united action of bowlers in connection with some special object arising out of the war. It was decided that there was not sufficient information before the meeting to enable it to come to any decision on the matter. In a letter received his week by » member of the New Plymouth Post Office staff from one of the boys at Gallipoli, an amusing little anecdote is related anent the Australians' dare-devilry and fighting courage. The boys from the Commonwealth have earned the admiration of all the forces on the peninsula, and this is how a Gliurka expressed himself: —'When one Jack Johnson come, Indian gets in dug-out; when two Jack Johnsons come, New Zealander he get in dug-out; when six Jade Johnsons come, Australian lie jumps out of trendies, and says, 'Come on, at 'em, vou —— !"'

The Prime Minister has received the following cablegram from the High Commissioner in London:—"The New Zealand War Contingent Association decided to ask for accommodation for 200 more patients. ' The men at the hospital are exceedingly happy. There was a concert last night, which they enjoyed immensely, nearly all being present. Everything is moving most satisfactorily at the institution, and the men are expressing their appreciative delight at the attention they are receiving. Very many wounded are arriving, all of whom are Been and their wants as far as possible attended to." The Membership of Stones is now disbanded. During the three months of its existence the members raised just over £l7O for No. 1 Stationary Hospital. Of this £!io hag already been forwarded and £IOO is now .being sent for the Use of the hospital. After paying expenses the balance will remain in the savings >bank in the charge of Mrs. Crooke who has kindly undertaken t» add from time to time any money sent for that .purpose. This will be sent to the Stationary Hospital at Christmas. The Membership of Stones wishes to thank all who have in various ways helped in raising the money.

Any of our readers wishing to secure a town property should attend the sale at Mr. Newton King's mart on Saturday next, when a quarter-acre section in Lomon street, with dwelling-house, will be offered. It lies on the. sunny sidii of the street, and is only a short distance from the Central School. The reserve is low, as the estate to which the property belongs is being wound up. The section can be conveniently subdivided, and, if desired another building erected.

The New Plymouth Patriotic Committee, at a meeting Jaat evening, decided to tender a quiet welcome to the returning invalided troopers, N. Harding and W. Okey, arriving by tho Tahiti, and who are expected to reach New Plymouth on Monday or Tuesday evening. Both troopers have lost relatives at the Dardanelles,

The Life and Work Committee of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, at a meeting in Napier yesterday, passed a resolution appealing to Parliament not to sanction any relaxation of the gaming law for the benefit of patriotic, philanthropic, or other beneficent schemes during tho war.—Preas Association. A Dunedin telegram says:—lt is reported that buyers of the new season's outputs of cheese have advanced their prices, and that some of the factories have closed with offers of 7%d f.o.b. It is said that the conference of directors of chceso factories to be held at Invercargill to-morrow may have a material 'bearing on prices, which will be accepted for many of tho factories in the. Dominion.

A deputation representing Canterbury flourmillers and grain merchants waited upon the Premier yesterday in order to place before him their views regarding wheat and flour prices, and kindred matters. Proceedings were private, but it is understood that the deputation took the view that there was no present or prospective shortage of wheat in New Zealand, and that Mr. Massey was not prepared to accept that reading of the position.—Own Correspondent.

Last evening the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee decidede to inaugurate a Taranaki Queen Carnival in aid of the Side and Wounded Fund, and to enlist the co-operation of the other patriotic committees of the province. A board of energetic young men of the town has taken up the scheme, which will be identical with the Southland provincial carnival, which is likely to net nearly £IOO,OOO for the funds. It is hoped the different Taranaki funds will beiiefit by £IO,OOO Mi a result of the effort which will be spread over some months,

The proposal for a national highway from Auckland to Wellington was 'before the council of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce recently, when a suggestion was received from the Eaetihi Chamber of Commerce tlvat the chamber should move in tile direction of having the route of the highway via Parapara road and Wangainui instead of the present proposal, that tie road should go through Taihapc. The letter pointed out that the former route was the more direct. The president, Mr. A. Burett, reported having forwarded the suggestion on to Mr Yeitch, tat he himself was of opinion that owing to the present condition of affairs, very little would bo done in the matter.

Writing to one of the Southland News staff, a member of the forces in Gallipoli states: ''We have four Japanese bomb-throwers with us now. They throw a 351'b bomb, with a secret Japanese explosive, a distance of 4SO yards. They can land a bomb on a target a foot square from that distance, and the explosion is reckoned to be equal to that of a o.2in. shell!—so they have something of au effect. They have the rammiest explosion I ever heard. It's exactly 'whodf,' and, everything all around soems to be ripped up to nothing. It's a lucky man that can sort out a whole Turk after one of thee? bombs has landed."

At the Magistrate's Court, Manaia, 011 Wednesday; before W. G. Kenriet, Esq., S.M., four informations for assault came on for hearing, the informants being Kepa, Tahi Kepa and Matiria Kepa. The defendant was Nohopa Robinson, wtiile Matiria iC&pa also proceeded against Mrs Robinson for assault. The Magistrate dismissed the informations instituted by Matiria Kepa, but found Xo'hopa Robinson guilty of assault on both To Kepa and Tahi Kepa, and fined him £1 on each charge, the total costs amounting to £8 2s Od. An application by Te Kepa to have Robinson bound over to keep the peace was dismissed. Mr. Bayley (of Mr. O'Dea's office), appeared for the informants and Mr. Spratt for the defendants.

The Auckland Industrial Association resolved yesterday to inform the Hon. A. M. Myers that it noted with pleasure his action in regard to the manufacture of munitions, and suggesting that a subsidy be offered for the establishment of the iron industry in the dominion. The association decided, after lengthy discussion, to inform the Industrial Corporation that it viewed with alarm the move which had been made to reduce the numl-Cr of apprentices in the awards ol' the Arbitration Court. It was also decided to suggest to the corporation that a deputation wait upon the Government in connection with the matter.—Press Association.

"Kconomy" is tlu; watchword of the New Plymouth Civil Servants Committee who arc rati ling the Overland motor car for the Wounded Soldiers Fund on September 30, and in this respect probably no other body can come before the public with more confidence than the local committee, who are wisely confining their efforts to Taranaki alone. Unlike other bodies who send cauvassers throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion, which must consequently be a drain on the Fund, the local Civil Servants' Committee, will have comparatively little expense. Then again no commission is being paid to anyone for selling tickets or for any other purpose of service. When a concern is being run on such conscientious and business-like methods the public should support it. as the cause is a most worthy one. The public are reminded that the time for closing is rapidly approaching, and this is the last, chance of securing a motor car for such a small outlay.