LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Waipuku toll-gate was opened yesterday. The number of sheep in the, Dominion this year is estimated to be 24,901,421 as compared with 24,798,703 for 1914. The motor car in connection with the recent Eltham Queen Carnival was drawn on .Saturday. The winning number was 7730, the holder being Mr. Samuel H. Jenkins, Mata. For the convenience of intending "Mikado" patrons at the Theatre Royal this evening, day sales tickets for the stalls only arc now on sale at Collier's Music Warehouse. An offer of Is 21d per lb for the season's output of butter from the Kumara Dairy Factory has been accepted (says the West Coast Times). This is 3d in advance of last year's price. When collecting for the R.ed Cross fund in Hawera on Saturday the ladies each carried u bag with ribbons, and when anyone gave them a coin they received a ribbon, and thus escaped being again solicited for donations. A meeting of the Works Committee of the Borough Council was held last night. A petition was received from thirty-five ratepayers in idiot Street and Buller Street, asking that the proposed street improvements should be carried out with the money apportioned for this work. The chairman stated that the £42,000 loan was held up pending the completion of the tramway scheme, and men could not be spared from the tramway route at the present time. It was decided to inform the petitioners that the matter would be considered when the tramway scheme was completed. ,The Fire Board wrote suggesting that a special officer should be appointed to attend to the fire hydrants in the borough. The engineer reported that all minor matters in regard to the hydrants had been attended to, and strict attention would be paid to them in future. The schedules for the Egmont Agricultural and Postoral Association's show have now been sent out, and those who have not received one should apply to the secretary, Hawera. The Association draws attention to two new classes in the horse, section for artillery and transport horses, These 'classes will bo judged specially by an • officer from the Veterinary Service and Remounts Department, by the kindness of Colonel Reakes, and the Association trust that there will be satisfactory entries to warrant their inclusion in the scheduto.

A first offender for drunkenness was convicted and discharged by Mr. A. Crooke, at the Police Court yesterday. *~ \

Mr. H. Okey, M.P., has offered his house on the Krankley road rent free for twelve months to the Government as a convalescent home for returned soldiers.

A! carnival in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund is 'being arranged by the pupils uf the Central School. It will extend over one day and will take place in about six weeks' time.

At the Rotorua Magistrate's 'Court yesterday, Mr. Dyer, S.M., sentenced David Adamson, a grocer at Matamata, to a month's imprisonment without the option of a fine, for sly-grog selling. Adamson had disposed of 126 bottles of whißkey in eleven weeks. The sudden drop in the price of wheat has caught many persons who were holding the golden grain at 7s 3d for a yet higher price, remarks the Oamaru Mail. They will get very little sympathy from the general public. As a local sale has been made at 4s 3d, it will be seen that these persons, with only their own interests iu view, have lost 3s, which they might have had, an infliction they will be the first to duly appreciate. One farraor in North Otago, who was resolute in refusing '7s 3d a bushel, is still holding 2000 bushels, and there are others in the same predicament in varying degrees. The annual cross-country steeplechase of the New Plymouth Boys' High School will take place on Thursday. The course, which is about four and a-quarter miles in length, will be the same as last year's, viz., from the. school grounds, along Avenue road to Te Henui bridge; thence across country towards the Old Hospital road, and then along a, marked course to the finishing post on the school ground. This year there are about one hundred and eighty starters, being about double that of former years, and there is every indication of a keenlycontested race. Friends of the school are cordially invited to be present at the race, which will commence at 8 o'clock.

Lieut. Murray Urquhaxt, writing /to Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., says:—"When the Turks made a sudden attack from an unexpected quarter (our right flank), one of my N.C.O.'s, 10/621 Corporal G. D. Dempsey, of Eltham, gallantly dashed forward, rallied some men round him, and was largely instrumental hi driving j the enemy back. In thus exposing him-1 self he was hit in the shoulder, the bullet, I think, lodging in his lung. His wound was dressed at onco where he lay, but I regret to say I have been unable to find out how he fared eventually. He had always proved himself one of my most reliable men, and his action did not surprise me." —Argus. The usual weekly meeting of the Egmont Lodge No. 112 was opened last evening by Chief Templar Bro. N. White. The programme was the election of officers, and the following were elected: Chief Templar, Bro. P. E. Pepperell; vice-templar, Sis, L. White; secretary, Sis. D. Blanchard; chaplain, Sis. Miss Taunt; fin. sec, Sis. Thompstone; treasurer, Sis. Mrs, Bruce; marshal, Bro. Maunder; past chief templar, Sis. Mrs. Legg. On next Monday night the installation of officers will take, place, and, as there is some very important business to be brought before the Lodge, all members are asked to attend. The Lodge was closed at 9 p.m. by the past chief Tomplar, Bro. P. R. Pepperell. How false reports regarding soldiers at the front are spread is shown by an extract from a letter from a New Zealand boy now at Gallipoli. The writer stated that be had heard that he and three of his friends were reported killed. One of these, he stated, was still at Gallipoli; another had never landed there, and is now back in Egypt; while the writer said he was still very much alive and worth a lot of dead men. The writer also stated that at his home he had been reported killed, and at another time wounded and missing. He told his people that they would be cabled to if anything happened to him, and that if they did not receive a cable not to take any notice of rumors.

A recent issue of the London Daily Chronicle says: "On a certain farm in Aberdeenshire a noble-hearted cow came to the conclusion that it was up to her to do her little bit for King and country. A week ago her chance came, and she took it. In the same field a mare gave birth to a foal, only to find that she had not the wherewithal to nourish her long-legged baby. Without hesitation, the cow stepped into the breach and proffered her services as wet-nurse. The kind offer was gratefully accepted, and in the morning the farmer came round to find the foal having its first breakfast "straight from the cow." The cow with becoming modesty, is reported to have implied that she wasn't going to see a prospective cavalry remount spoilt for n lia"porth of milk.