LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Yesterday was St. Andrew's day, and a holiday was observed in New Plymouth by the Banks and Government offices. At the Hawera S.M. Court on Monday, says the Star, Edward Scott was committed for trial on a charge of indecently assaulting a girl of eight years of age. Bail was allowed. Mr. H. Urett, of Auckland, has repurchased the organ built for the Auckland Exhibition, afterwards given to the Choral Society, and has presented the instrument to tlie Jubilee Institute for the Blind, together with £IOO to cover the cost of re-erection. Owing to unfavorable weather conditions, Airs. Walker bail to cancel the garden party arranged for yesterday in aid of St. Mary's Homes, Otahuhu. Mrs. Walker hopes that all who so kindly offered to help her will hand in their shilling or other donation to Mrs. C. T. Mills (secretary), or to herself, by Saturday evening next. The only thing, says the New Zealand Times, that Mr. Sam Le Bert, who takes the part of Perlmuttcr in the Opera House comedy.' bus not appreciated on his New Zealand trip was the journey from Onehunga to New Plymouth in the Rar&wa. Yet he had a line night for it! Poor Earawa! Mr. Le Bert is evidently in love with our "express' 1 trains. At a meeting of the Hawera Patriotic Society held on Monday, it was decided that the 'Society should become a member of the Taranaki Association, the district to include Hawera, AVhakamara, Mokoia, Norman by, Mere Mere. Ohangai, Ararata, Tokaora, and Fraser Road. Mr. L. A. Bone was appointed to act on the Taranaki Executive.—Star.

In view of the difficulties experienced by New Zealand applicants for passports in Australia on their way to Europe, Egypt, etc., the Prime Minister says that it is highly desirable that documents be obtained by them before leaving New Zealand. Action is being taken to ensure that as far as possible all bona fide passengers from this country shall be supplied with passports before departure.—Press Association. Councillor last informed the Petone Borough Council on Monday night that he knew a young man who had tried to enlist on three separate occasions and had been "turned down" on account of defective eyesight. Yet he could run 100 yard.« in Usee, and had eyesight as keen as the next man at his work. He added: "I know a manager of a cheese factory who has enlisted, and his place has been filled by an Austrian. This Austrian is in a position to do more harm than a dozen Germans on the battlefield."

Canon Curzon-Siggers had a startling experience the other night (says the Dunedin Star). He was sitting 'n hi* study about 5.20 when a pea rifle was fired from the pavement tile vicarage. The bullet passed thuiigh the-study window and embedded itse.lf in the wall opposite. Just as the rifle was fired the Canon happened to move his head slightly, and to this he probably owes his life, fer as it was the bullet missed his lead by a fraction of an inch only. This is a striking illustration of the danger of allswing yeuthful or inexperienced persons to handle firearms. The report of the Eltham Patriotic Committee, presented at a meeting held on Monday night, stated that under all headings the expenditure from patriotic funds had been £523 2s Id, the receipts being £707 14s 2d. For the Belgians there had been collected £1489 2s Id, which had been remitted to the Belgian Consul and Minister of Internal Affairs, except as to £2. 15s. For the wounded soldiers a Queen Carnival had been held resulting in a profit of £2948 13s 3d, the total for the fund being £3548 lis 3d, and the expenditure to date £3O 19s lOd. The following were elected as an executive: Messrs C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., G. Cooper, W. Carncross, M.L.C., L. Grimstone (treasurer), J. Campbell, E. Parrott, D. Syine (secretary), G. D. Gow, and T. B. Crump (chairman). —Star.

Members of the New Plymouth Fire Brigade assembled at the Central Station last night for the purpose of bidding good-bye to Fireman A. Bowie, who is shortly leaving for the front. Captain Bellringer, in making the presentation of a shaving outfit to Fireman Bowie, said that he carried with"nim the cordial wishes of all. They honored him for responding to the country's call, and hoped lie would return safe and sound to take up his place with them again. Fireman Bowie suitably acknowledged tho gift, and a couple of hours was spent in social enjoyment. Mr. W. Perry presided at the piano and songs and recitations were given by Messrs. Farmer, Lovell, Keys, Smith, Gray, Glenville, Courtney, and Moon. The French Press in those districts of France which are occupied by the Germans is represented by the Gazette des Ardennes (says the Fourth Estate). This newspaper appeared as a weekly since November Ist, 1914, in an edition of 400; twice a week in larger edition* after January Ist, 191o; and now haß reached a circulation of 39,000. Special editions are published at Christmas and Easter. No official list of prisoners being available in France, the Gazette des Ardennes has published since April Ist, 1915, the names of more than a quarter of a million of French soldiers interned in Germany, thus relieving many a family of the uncertainty as to the life of their dear ones.

A diverting incident occurred on the Queen's wharf at Wellington on Monday evening (says the Times), just as the ferry steamer Maori was leaving her berth for Lyttelton. The vessel was about two feet clear of the wharf when a young lady and a man bustled their way through tln> crowd, ami amidst the shouts of the passengers to "Come on." the lady made a spring for the rails. She was caught by willing hands, and dragged over the rails of the moving steamer in none too dignified a manner, For a time she tightly' grasped in one hand a handbag and her hat, but while being hauled on board, the headgear slipped through her fingers and disappeared into the dark waters. In the meantime, the late-comer's baggage was thrown aboard by several of those assembled on the wharf, while the man also scrambled over the side with the help of several passengers.

The Hails which left Auckland 01. October 18 and connected with the Sonoma at Sydney arrived in London on November 27, six days late. Two thousand combs for Sikh?, who are forbidden by their religion to cut their hair, are among the many gifts that have been sent by the Indian Soldiers' Fund to Indians in hospital. The Bluff Press reports, that some of the hailstones which recently fell in Bluff were tins size of sparrows' eggs. A number of samples measured Jin. Several promising gardens were practically destroyed—battered to pieces. Further ''baskets'' taken from the Waiwakailio River during the weekend are, Mr. E. S. Bayley, two S'/jlb trout and one smaller fish, and Air. Leo Humphries, four good trout. A Sydney cable says that the export of first grade butter has been prohibited from November 30. The shortage W such that it is necessary practically lo resume the restrictions of a few months ago. Heavy shipments recently left the State.

Slag hags and sugar bags are wanted by the Defence Department. At the meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee last night it was decided to appeal for bags, which may be left at the Westport Coal Company's. A Rotorua telegram says that on Monday afternoon Rangi ' Phillips, a Maori, sentenced to two years' reformative treatment for theft, escaped from Rotorua Police. Station. A later message ;eports the escapee's capture yesterday afternoon. "I have reliable authority for saying that an Austrian at Auckland, whose father is absolutely hostile to the British has been given a commission in the Expeditionary Force, Such a state of things is a scandal," declared Councillor Cox at Petone on Monday night. A little French girl of 14 who took her father's place as a baker when he was called to the ranks, and who baked bread for an entire village, lias just been decorated by the Government. It will be hard 'to overcome a country where even the children show such a spirit. The Wairarapa Age says it is estimated that up till the end of October a Bum of £121,000 in cash and kind had been subscribed in the Wairarapa to various patriotic funds. This does not include the efforts of the Lady Liverpool Committee. The district in which the money has been subscribed does not extend beyond Eketahuna, and has a population of less than 20,000. The contribution, therefore, represents between £0 and £7 per head for every man, woman and child.

At the statutory meeting of the Taranaki Farmers' Meat Co., Ltd., Mr. ,T. W. U, Martin, of Pukearuhe,' was a candidate for the directorate and was defeated, and he contended that the (act that on the voting papers bis address was incorrectly stated as Stratford, instead of Pukearuhe, contributed to his defeat. Mr Martin sought to have the election upset, but the secretary of the company states there is no power to hold another election. Mr. J. T. Quin, the chairman of directors, has now written to Mr. Martin offering to resign his seat in favor of Mr, Martin, but Mr. Martin does not intend to accept the offer, because he considers Mr. Quin's presence on the directorate of the utmost value and importance.

Am exceptionally fine line of men's Panama hats is being shown at the Melbourne Ltd's sale. These hats are now very fashionable among the ladies, and as the hats under offer are of very fine plait and well bleached anyone requiring these goods is urged to buy early. Tho prices are 19s fid and 255.