LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The takings at the Red Cross Mart at New Plymouth on Saturday amounted to £l7. A sitting of the Arbitration Court will be held at New Plymouth next Monday, November 8. M.\ Justice Stringer will preside. The Borough Council of New Plymouth invites tenders for printing tram tickets and also for the right of advertising on back of tram tickets. A Press Association message from Wellington says that the commercial travellers raised £3OO on Saturday for the Shilling Christmas Gift Fund for the men at Gallipoli. A meeting of Greek residents at Wellington yesterday afternoon passed a resolution of sympathy with the Allies, and several of those present declared | their intention of enlisting at an early date with the New Zealand forces.— Press Association,

Mrs. Dockrill, secretary of the local branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, desires to acknowledge a donation of £5 from Mr. A. M. Thomson, Westown, toward the work of the Red Cross Society. The Countess of Liverpool (says a Press Association wire) desires to thank contributors to the Maori gift fund. Pour large cases have been dispatched this month, and further gifts will be appreciated.

The North Egmont Mountain House is now open, and all meals are now obtainable. Already booking for Christmas has commenced, and there is every prospect of a busy season. Parties requiring the services of a guide can make arrangement with Mr. Upson, the guide in charge. Speaking at the civic reception to the returned soldiers by the Willochra on Saturday, Hon. G. W. Eussell announced that the Mayor of Dunedin and Mr. John Roberts had been appointed the Otago members of the War Funds Council, which 13 to be set up by the Government.

made him go to the war; he wouldn't work for me or for his wife; he's in Trentham now," remarked a judgment debtor —a woman at the Magistrate's Court in Christchureh last week. The person referred to was her married son with a wife and two children. "You were very wise," said Mr. Bishop, S.M., "in sending him to the front. That's the best Dlace for him."

Says the Tauranga paper:—The departure of the batch of recruits for the Ninth Reinforcements was not without its pathetic incidents. One little child of two in its mother's arms was crying lustily for "daddy," who was seated in the brake ready to depart. He oarefully looked the other way. One wondered whether there was anyone in the crowd who felt prepared to pull "daddy" out of his seat and take his place. Mr. E. G. Bleakley, of Urenui, writes as follows:—There was a slight mistake in your account of the cattle which were sold at the gift auction on Monday last at Urenui. One bull (E. G. Topless) £4 5s sold to T. Lee should have read, "One bull (Cecil Bleakley)" sold to T. Lee. Two heifers (Cecil Bleakley) should have read, "Two heifers (Page and Newton Bleakley)" to W. Corcoran, £4. As the cattle were the property of the children, who willingly gave them to the fund, I will be glad if you will alteration. The general committee of the Egmont A. and P. Association met on Friday, and, after going thoroughly into their position, decided to devote the profits for the current year to the Patriotic Fund. They feel, as most of us do, that the present crisis calls for sacrifices from all, and although they hoped to recoup past losses from this year's show, they decided to hand over every sixpence they can make to the fund, and trust to the future to present a better financial aspect. It is hoped that the public will support the Association in their patriotic resolve. The sale of work held by the ladies of St. Andrew's Guild. was concluded on Friday night. The sum of £52 was realised, which is considered very satisfactory, The ladies committee desires to thank all who kindly helped with gifts, especially Messrs. Munro, Avery, Fraser, Brooker, and Mrs. Findlay, Mrs. Waugh, May and Arrowsmith Ltd., and Lealand Bros. A musical programme was given each evening and was greatly appreciated, especially the songs by Rev. E. Culliford and the recitations by Capt. Allen. The names of Mrs. McNeill and Mrs, Perkins were inadvertently omitted from the list of stallholders.

A common experience for newspaper reporters is to attend a meeting at which a speaker boldly coines out with unpalatable truths. ''Hear, hear," say the audience, and the speaker gets the credit of being a courageous critic who •'calls a spade a spade." And when the meeting is uver the bold speaker, courageous critic, quietly approaches the reporter and asks tliat his speech, in certain directions, be suppressed. This newspaper experience is more common than people would think.

At Thursday night's meeting of the Stratford A. ami P. Association, a letter was read from the Egmont Association regarding the meat that was commandeered by the Government for the Army, and which, when it reached England, was found to be unsuitable for the purpose intended and so was sold. The fanners now want to know what became of the profits from the sale of mt?at. The letter suggested that a conference be held during the Palmerston Show iveek, and the president (Mr. K. Masters was elected to represent the Stratford Association.—Post.

"Many of you," said Mr. 0. T. J. Alpers. of Christchurch, during a recent recruiting speech, "have made excuses to yourselves for not going. You have your prospects, your careers, or you have taken a wife, or you are about to take a wife. You want to be the fathers of a new generation without fighting for the old. But whatever your excuse is, see to it that it is honest, because if not yon will one day see the falsity of it. There will come a day in your life, perhaps twenty or thirty years hence, when your son will say to you, 'Father, why didn't you go?' and the falsity of your excuse will become real in the white light of the naked truth, and you will say. 'Mv boy, I funked it; I funked it.' But there are others here who would go and cannot. God forbid that anv worfl. of mine should add to the sorrow o? their incapacity or infirmity. We must not say, therefore, 'Why does he not go?' Jt must be a question between himself and his own conscience; and if you stand acquitted in your own conscience, then bear boldly the jeers of the seofl'er; there's plenty of work left behind. Put in every ounce of your energy to Red Cross work, making bandages, helping to raise money, as we old stagers have had to console ourselves with doing.' l