LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 October 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otago's fine effort in raising £ 130,0001 in aid of the wounded soldiers lium stirred the jealousy i.i -unit of Auckland's citizens t-ii.v? the SUij. who tiav.- declared their intention of moving iin> financial shirkers. A mon-ler putrioti,carnival is talked of in the ii<<j.e ot mcretting Auckland's present contribution o£ £BO,OOO U a quarter of a million. Only three men have enlisted at the New Plymouth Defence Office for the special corps of miners and tuimollers. The Defence Office repeats the appeal for this force, as the men are wanted an. once. Mr. Symes mentioned at the Waverley Farmers' Union meeting tluit a letter had been received from L. Straehan, who was at the front, in which he stated that they were only receiving American tinned meat, and very salt at that. It was decided to draw the Minister's attention to the complaints, and suggest that if our boys cannot be supplied with frozen meat, the Government send them as much New Zealand tinned meat as possible. The net proceeds from the musical recital given by Mrs. Nathan, Miss Peart aud Miss Hirst in aid of the No. 1 Stationary Hospital amounted to £32. Mrs Burgess wishes to thank those ladies for their kindness in arranging the concert, and also Mr. Hoffmann for loan of piano, Messrs. McLeod and Slade for gift of programmes, Mr. Haasell for flags, and Mr. Baker, jnr., for valuable help. Mlftg Arndt's picture was won by Mrs. Courtney Kyngdon. Mrs. Burgess wishes to acknowledge donation for same object from Mrs. W. J. Ohaney, being part proceeds of patriotic evening.

"By a jury by all means," was the emphatic declaration of an elderly man in tlm dock at the Napier Court when he was asked what method of trial he desired on a charge of being a rogue and c. vagabond. Mr. Lusk, who was sitting at the bar, turned round and informed the prisoner that lie would have to wait in prison for about six months. as there was no sitting of the Supreme Court unI til next Vfiliniary or March. Without liinitatkMi the occupant of the dock re"Never mind. I'll guarantee tliat. I'll wait for a jury even if it is for twelvo months." The ca.se then proceeded, and accused was committed to stand his trial at the ensuing sitting of the Supreme Court at Napier. Prisoner seemed quite hnppy and left the dock with a careless wave of his hund and a smile on his rugged face. As far back as 18S2 British military authorities, in their foresight, knew that war with Germany was certain in the days to come. An extraordinary prophecy of General "Chinese" Gordon is reiailed by Captain .T. R. Pardy, who w&a acting its aide to him in June, 1882. General Cordon was reviewing some troofH at . Dordrecht, in Cape Colony, when he uttered the following words:— "So far as England is concerned, she need not, for the next quarter of a century, be under any apprehension of serious difficulties arising with any of her European neighbors; but in 1910, or thereabouts, there will have arisen a naval Power which may prove mightier than -she, and should she (Germany) gain the supremacy, England will become extinct, both as a sea and land Power, and all her dependencies, including India, will fall into Germany's clutches. You may live to see this; I shall not, but when that time comes, remember my words." Tile time 'has come, and the prophecy to 1 that extent has been fulfilled. But General Gordon's misgivings as to England and India falling into Germany's clutches are groundless, as we "who have lived" havs seen.

A tribute to the fair' fighting qualities of the Turks was paid by Major Arthur Hume, of Wellington, in a letter which he wrote just before his death to his brother, Lieut. Col. J. K. Hume, Auckland. "As regards our enemy the Turk, (he said), 1 have a very high opinion of him. Many stories have unfortunately been told of his ill-treating wounded, mutilating, etc. These are quite untrue, except in very exceptional cases. We collectively consider he has every time played the game, and played it well. He i.3 a good fighter, and a devil to dig out. lie has a very wholesome a road or notfi the Australians and New Zetilanders, whom he has nicknamed 'the White Gurk'has.' In several instances they have sent to us to come and take our wounded, and when we have sent for them we found them already dressed and attended to by the Turldsh medical men. Our food is good under the circumstances. Officers and men all fare alike, and so it should be, and it is mighty hard to tell one from the other. Our clothing is only what we can carry. Some of the outfits are very funny, and 'shorts' are quite the 'popular kit. We call it 'The Ragtime Army.' and it varies so much that its description is impossible. Of course, we all live like rabbits in burrows.''

Newspapers that are under Reman inspiration have labored persistently to create the impression that the breaches of the law of nations have had the grave disapproval of the Kaiser, and the neutral world has been asked, in effect, to admire the spectacle of a mighty monarch overruled by pirates in his employ. A little story told by Mr. Edward Leggc, in his "Life of Wiiheim li.»" goes to show, however, that the Kaiser knew all about the Lusitania crime. "An American gentlemen," says Mr. Legge, ''who lias founded an organisation for succouring our troops and those of our Allies was sending bis son out to further this benevolent work. Having been long on intimate terms with the Emperor he wrote to inform him that his son would be passing through Germany and to express the hope that the voting man would not be interfered with. By return of post came a letter from the Kaiser in his own peculiar handwriting imploring his friend* not' to allow his son to take passage to England on board the Lusitania. " Bailin and Bernstorff may have suggested the commission of the crime, but we have* here (lie Kaiser's own written admission that he knew all about it and sanctioned it. Loril Halsburv's words, uttered in public in November, 1014: 'The Kaiser ought t > lie hanged,' seem weak in the summer of ]916."

Mr. Claude H. Davies, of 30. The Avenue. Wanganui, advertises on our leader page. He is a qualified engineer and draughtsman, and is also agent for Messrs Higgs and O'Donnel l . patent agents, of Wellington. Mr. Davis is prepared to give mechanical hinls and ydviue on all inventions free of cost, and when the patent of any idea is desired, he undertakes to place it in qualified hands for its completion.

A lovely lot of Indies' !in-,-ri.-,. iiifr -lip bodice?, eliemUe-! and dresses, beautifully ramie and trimmed, Swiss embroidery and lace lias just opened out at the Melbourne, Ltd. The prices are exceedingly low for such fine quality goods. Inspection invited

In the House yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister made a statement concerning tin? business to be transacted and indicated that the session will clo6e ;tt the end of next week. The Public Works Statement would be presented 10-duv.

The Midhirst bunch of the Now ffeahlllil Volunteer \ui-ing Sisters mis collerled i<> .lull- I lie turn I,r .CiW Is l id.

in the -House of Representatives yes(erdny. Sir J. Ward said that 'the Finance Bill would ;;o to liie Governor to-day, and, when signed, the new scale </t stamp duties would come into operation on November Ist.

'J he Red Cross Mart will open at >few Plymouth as usual to-morrow, when another successful day is looked forward to. 'There will be a great variety of useful articles for sale that have been donated by people in the country, including turkeys, sucking pigs, home-made bread, cakes t etc. The support which has been accorded the mart in the past ha s been very gratfying, and over £75 has been taken. If the public patronise the mart to-morrow as they have done on past Saturdays the fund should be brought up to the excellent total of £IOO. All the money is for the wounded soldiers and everyone is aiked for help.

We have received a copy of the September number of "The Taranakiau," the magazine which is published by the pfipils of the New Plymouth High School at the end of each term. This number will assist to maintain tile high standaril reached 'by previous editions, for it gives an excellent record of the life at the school and provides a fund of information wh Mi will be appreciated by parents and old boys of the school. Nothing is of too little importance to escape attention, and the notes and special articles are well written. It is inevitable that the war should occupy considerable apace, and the part which old boys are playing in France and on Gallipoli is told in a rfceord of which the school should be proud. A section of interesting photographs of phases of school life are' enhanced by numerous portraits of old boys who are taking part in the war, while news telling of their movements and extracts of letters fiom the front, provide a valuable feature of the magazine.