LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Nominations closed yesterday for a vacancy on the Waitara West Road Board. Mr. O. V. Tate was the only candidate nominated and he was duly elected.

The Tramways Committee of the Borough Council has reduced the number of applicants for the post of tramways engineer to three, and further consideration has been deferred.

The Christchurch City Council (says a Press Association telegram) has decided that no celebration of Trafalgar Day shall bo held this year. The Mayor remarked that Trafalgar was fought between Britain and France, and, !>•■, both powers were loyal allies at the present time, it was a delicate tjuestion as to whether the day should be celebrated any longer. At the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., judgment was given for plaintiff in default of defendant in the case of Petty Bros. (Mr. A. K. Standish) v. Edward Arthur Jeffries, £1 7.". and costs ss. 1" a judgment summons ease, the A.M.P. Society (Mr. If. R. Hilling) v. C. P. Rogers, the defendant did not appear, and he was ordered to pay the amount of the judgment debt and costs, £lB 3s (id, on or before October o, in default 14 days' imprisonment. Tin 1 fishing- season, which on Friday, is being eagerly looked forward to by local disciples of Izaak Walton, wbo anticipate some good sport, as tiie rivers are said to be well stocked. There are some line fish in the rivers about Warea and 'Okato, and as splendid accommodation can be obtained at the Stony liiver hotel, which has been completely renovated and brought up to date, these rivers are certain to be popular fishing resorts, particularly as host Booker takes a keen interest in the sport himself. T'ne New Plymouth Defence Office has received advice that a number of men arc required for the Army Service Corps. The men most urgently needed are those who are used to pack work, and as there are many in Taranaki who have had such experience it is thought that the appeal will not be made in vain. Experienced packmen can in most cases make improvised repairs to their waggons so that their services cannot be over-estimated when it comes to taking ammunition, etc., in to the firing line. For this kind of work big, strong, hardy men are needed, as the duties to be undertaken are of no mean character as far as weight-lifting is concerned. For men's working apparel at lowest prices the Melbourne, Ltd., is the acknowledged leader. For instance: Grey denims 2s lid, double-fronter denims 4s Gd, dark grey saddle trousers Ss Od, allwool Hoslyn saddle trousers 10s od, grand Oamaru saddle trousers 14s Od, cord trousers 5s 6d, bib overalls 4s lid, engineers' jackets 4s lid. drill combination suits Ss lid.

'At noon yesterday, there were 242 patients in the various military hospitals of the Dominion. —Press Association. A first offender of drunkenness ap> | peared before Mr. A. Crookc S.M., at i the New Plymouth Police Court yes-1 terday, and he was convicted and discharged and ordered to pay 17s fid medical expenses. On the 21st inst. probate of tie will of the late (Private Roy Courtney Bell, deceased, was, on the motion of Mr, H. K. Billing, granted by Mr. Justice Hosking to the executor named in tire will. In the House of Representatives yesterday the Postmaster-General said that he could not delay imposing a surcharge on letters for a few days, as the amount of taxation that is being lost was so great that he cotiid not make any discrimination.

A Ohristclmrch telegram saya that in answer to the Christehurch Red Cross branoli inquiry, Dr. Acland, of No. 1 Base Hospital for New Zealanders, Port Said, cables as follows"Please send blankets, pyjamas (flannelette pennisgibU), ebirta, underpants, socks, and. housewives."

The son of a Napier resident, writing] to his father from London, where he Is in j training with the Royal Field Artillery,! saya: "There are twenty-five second lieutenants in our lot, amongst them men from Patagonia, Vancouver, Australia, Bombay, Penang, India, New Zealand, Ottawa, and South Africa." A graphic and pithy description of the colonials' historic landing at Gaba Tepe was contained in a letter written by a Rngby footballer to Councillor L. McKenzie, as follows:—"It was just like a kick high and follow-up—and nobody thought any moire of it than a football rush."

The Wellington Education Board yesterday expressed strong disapproval of any attempts 'being made to influence teachers to sell, or to enlist the help of children in the selling of lottery tickets for carnival funds. The Board approved the action of those teachers who had declined to lend themselves to this kind of thing.—Press Association. In response to a request from the Stratford Borough Council, Mr. P. Skoglund (Town Clerk), received a letter from Dr. H. S. Finch, District Health Officer, yesterday, stating that Inspector Middleton, of the Health Department, Wellington, would arrive in Stratford last night and would make a general inspection and report on the plumbing and drainage arrangements in the Borougb. At Wellington yesterday, Annie Rudd was convicted by Mr. Cooper, S.M., on a charge of sending to the Minister for Justice a postal packet which contained grossly abusive words. The information was laid by Constable Price, of Kilbirnie, about whom Rudd had communicated in offensive terms to several high police officials in Wellington. The letters were in the nature of serious complaints against the constable. A fine of £lO was imposed.—Press Association.

.The fishing season opens on Friday. From information gathered the season promises to be a record, says the Bawera Star. Several very large fish have been seen rising near the mouth of the Waingongoro and Kaupokonui by the whitebaiters. Last year the Acclimatisation Society liberated 21,115 yearling trout in I the neighboring streams, and tfcese should all prove takeable fish this spring. For a number of years past the Society has been liberating close upon half a million fry each season in the streams under its control, all reared at the hatcheries on the Glove; road. On Sunday evening, the Rev. E. 0. Blamires held a patriotic service in the Normanby Methodist Church, when there was a large attendance of the National Reserve, Territorials and Cadets, lieutenant Johnson and Sergeant-Major Hill being in command. Lieutenant Johnstone, Officer Commanding B Company, Taranaki Rifles, unveiled a Roll of Honor containing 37 names of those connected with the Methodist circuit of Hawera and Nomanby, who had gone or were going to the war. 0/ the Westland men who returned by the Tahiti, Walter Smith had a marvellous escape from certain death, and a by no less wonderiul recovery (says the Greymouth Star). A Turkish bullet entered his head close to the left temple, and, passing through the roof of his mouth, made its exit below the right ear. When he fell his comrades took him for dead, and he was carried to the rear, but as he showed signs of life, the ambulance took him in charge, and the doctor:', am! careful nursing did the rest.

A strong effort is being made to amalgamate the -various gun clubs in -the Stratford and surrounding districts, and a meeting with this object will be held in Stratford on Saturday evening. It is understood that of the Stratford, Midhirst. Toko, and "Eltham Clubs, the majority have signilied their approval of the movement, and of their intention to send delegates to the meeting at which office-bearers will he elected and arrangements for the season put into form.

The Postmaster-General explains that the rates of postage on parcel? to members of the New Zealand expeditionary force in Egypt are reduced to a minimum at Is l'/od, 2s 7|'>il, and 4s l'/ 2 d up to weights of 3, 7, and 1 lib respectively. These amounts represent what is actually paid out by the New Zealand Department for transmission of the parcels after they are put on board ship in the New Zealand port, and involves the loss of the whole cost of inland carriage, which the Postmastcr-fteneral has consented to forego. It also represents a substantial reduction in charges by oversea Administrations.

After a ten Jays' motoring tour of the liawke's Buy and Wellington districts a Stratford resident (says the Post), gives it as his firm conviction that the most picturesque stretch of road in hi; travels was the Wanganui-Ilawcra portion; likewise it was the best motoring surface experienced throughout the trip. Again, notwithstanding that certain portions of the highway between Stratford and Hawera are laid down in tarred stirface, this length was the worst of the lot. In Hmvke's Day there are some very fine roads especially of the limestone order, though nothing of course can come up to the motorist's ideal of a course, viz., the tar-macadam road. During the trip real summer weather was liis fortune, the only occasion upon which rain fell being on the run through the Manawatn Gorge, when there was aa slight downpour. The best bit of gr«9s country seen throughout was between Hawera and Manutahi, though everywhere the green sward was most striking and delightfully refreshing to the eye.