LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1915, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The exports from the port of New Plymouth for the week ended December 14 included butter valued at £4*2,753 and cheese valued at £28,078. Two members of the High School Board of Governors, Messrs W. N. Ewing and A. McHardy, have tendered their resignations. It is understood these gentlemen have taken this step as a protest against the scheme decided upon by the Board at its last meeting.

Local marine underwriters have received advice from their headquarters that war rates to the United Kingdom and the United States, via Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope, or Panama Canal, have been reduced 5s per cent., taking effect as from Tuesday. The Minister of Defence on Tuesday received the following cablegram from Chaplain-Captain Tobin in Egypt:— "Christmas message being circulated. Please convey to the people of New Zealand Christmas greetings from all New Zealanders at Malta. Signatures by mail." A Wellington telegram says that the Maori left for Lyttclton at 8.5 p.m. last evening carrying her full complement of 709 passengers. About fifty more who arrived after eight o'clock were unable to secure passage. At an adjourned meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council yesterday, a petition was received from Mr. H. S. Brookman and about sixty other people, asking that the chimes of the Post Office clock should be stopped between the t hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., or between ill p.m. and G a.m. It was decided to ascertain for what period the chimes wore stopped at Wanganui.

In the Standard VI. examinations at the Central School the following obtained certificates of proficiency:—E. Bedford, C. Butcher, C. Ennis, D. George, G. Harre, C. Horsup, L. Hughes, F. Huggard, C. Hill, E. Jury, J. Millar, J. Murphy, C. Noble, R. Pascoe, N. Waddle, S. White, B. Elliot, D. Gardiner, M. Gillespie, E. Honnor, C. Moverley, M. Monk, D. Nixon, M. Smith. The following obtained certificates of competency:—R. poldsworthy, W. Hughes, P. Lister, C. Stewart, G. Blanchett, Z. Braund, M. Boon, A. Cooke, P. Plilpps, U, Sole, E, Swinto, I: Trower. On Monday, Dee. 20, the reserved judgment of the Chief Justice in the case of the Public Trustee v. W. G. Kenrick S.M., and J. C. Montefiore, wasdelivered at New Plymouth. This was an application by tho Public Trustee for a writ of mandamus to compel the Stipendiary Magistrate *t Hawera to hear a case which had been brought by the Public Trustee as executor of tho will of J. W. Barleyman against the defendant Montefiore, for breaches of covenants under a lease. The Magistrate (Mr. Kenrick, S.M|.) had nonsuited the plaintiff at the tearing in the Magistrate's Court. The Chief Justice, in his decision, refused to grant a mandamus and awarded the defendant Montefiore £lO 10s costs, and disbursements. At the hearing before the Chief Justice, Mr. F. C. Spratt appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. P. o'l)ea for the defendant, J. C. Montefiore. There are often great and sudden changes in climate, conditions, and environment. These often call for change of apparel. A very hot day, followed immediately by a very cold night, often causes various' physical ailments, which frequently prove serious. Many of these may be obviated by the wise precaution of procuring at Ainbury's a , supply of everything to wear. Tjh' race for the Melbourne Cup will be depicted at the Emciie Theatre this /syaainjj.

Two huge cakes, each weighing 1 1 /* cwt., and GOOlb of Christmas pudding, .will 'be railed from Napier to the Tauherenikau camp for the Hawkc's Bay boys, one of the cakes bearing the inscription: "Your next Christmas at Constantinople." Quite a number of parties are already encamped on the Opunake beach. Each year sees the popularity of tliis pretty watering place increase and this popularity is not only due to the natural advantages that the bay possesses, but also to the fact that Opunake owns a (live Seaside Improvement Society.

A number of gifts were made to the Tunnelling Company of Kiifjineers at Auckland on iFriday last. The most important was a cheque for £342 13s (id, to be used as a regimental fund, forwarded by the former fellow-workers of the tunnellers throughout the Dominion. The Countess of Liverpool forwarded a gramaphone, and Mrs. H. B. Morton also sent a number of articles likely to be useful to the men.

We arc in receipt of the following urgent communication from the Hou. J. Allen, Minister for Defence: —"The Imperial authorities have asked that no information or suggestion as to the way in which the troops were moved from Gallipoii should be made public but that complete secrecy should be maintained. I should be glad if you will prevent any reference to the means by which troops were moved from Gallipoii, as any such publication will be regarded as a breach of the war regulations." How the deuce can we make public that which we don't know? A study in contrasts. Two men presented theihselvcs before a medico not a hundred miles from Waipawa the other day. One, apparently a strong, lusty specimen of manhood, complained of various ailments, and wanted, a certificate that he was unfit for active service. It transpired that he was interested in a land ballot, and there was no possibility of an application being considered without such a certificate. The other man was a farmer with excellent prospects, who had already been examined, but had lost his papers. He was, 'however, so keen on serving his country that he rode a considerable distance to undergo a second examination.

Some interesting disclosures were made the other day in the Police Court at South Melbourne, Victoria, in a case in which a woman, Mrs. Georgina McAuliffe, was charged with having resorted to false pretences to obtain the Commonwealth maternity bonus of £5 (writes the Sydney corespondent of the Post). Probably the most surprised person of all those i interested was the woman's husband. It was stated in evidence that the Maternity Bonus Department became suspicious, and sent an inspector out to interview Mrs. McAucliiTe. Under his skilful examination she admitted that the baby in her possession, and referred to in her bogus claim, was not hers. Her husband was very fond of children, but they had no child of their own. She did not like to disappoint him, so she adopted a baby. To make the deception successful the child was concealed from "father" until there had been enacted a bit of comedy, consisting of feigned indisposition on Mrs. McAncliffe's part, the engagement of a midwife and the provision of all the usual incidentals to the advent of a little stranger. "Father" was delighted, and his male friends did not omit to go through the alcoholic rite of "wetting the baby's head," Then the Government inspector came along, and "father" was very rudely undeceived. Mrs. McAuliffe has been committed for trial.

Out at the front., says a. visitor to. Prance, all aro living for duty. In fiv< hours from London one can be at tlie very heart of affairs, and yet you are in a different world. One thing, and one only, animates those brothers of ours, so close to us, and yet whose spiritual atmosphere seems so different. All the little things are relegated to their proper place; the really important questions absorbs every one from the Commander-in-Chief through the whole of the army. The drop, as it were, from the high standard of headquarters in France to the demeanour of the capital of the Empire depresses a good deal. If only one could make people understand that the whole position is intensely serious, and that the possibility of our Empire in the days to come being influential for the benefit of the world, nay the possibility of our being a free nation at all, rests upon our being at home isstinct with the same devotion as our people at the front, we should find that it would bo unnecessary to issue recruiting bills, and that all would be rushing to service in the cause of God and country crying, "Here am I, send me." The 1916 edition of the Star Almanack is just out of the printer's hands. All the useful information which has been a feature of the work since it was first published has been revised and brought thoroughly up-to-date. For the benefit of newcomers to the district, it may be stated that the publication is diary, account book and almanack in one, a most useful adjunct to every farmer's home. The almanack is a veritable vadc mecum into which valuable information of all kinds is gathered. There you will find postal, telegraphic and railway information, the results in detail of the last Parliamentary and licensing elections, farm and garden calendar, and many other points of interest and value to the farmer, the principal statutes, and a summary of recent legislation, political, agricultural, pastoral and dairy statistics, population according to last census, and land valuations. These and many other interesting features dealing with the Dominion are set out through the pages of the almanack. This handy little publication is to be procured at all booksellers and stores throughout Taranakl and Wanganui, or from the publishers, W. A. Parkinson and Co., Ltd., printers, Hawera. Christmas-time is coming on apace. What about those gift-goods that you simply must purchase before Christmas Eve? Why not turn to Horey's announcement elsewhere in these columns and make timely choice? Handkerchiefs are always acceptable gifts for everybody. The Melbourne. Ltd., are showing a splendid range at their usual moderate prices: Men's Irish lawn handkerchiefs, 4d and 6d; men's pure linen handkerchiefs, Is and Is 3d; men's Jap silk handkerchiefs, Is each; men's mercerised handkerchiefs, with colored borders, 6d; men's silk initial handkerchiefs, 2s lid; ladies' embroidered handkerchiefs, 4d, Gd, 9d, is and Is (id; all lovely new goods. TEAS AND DINNERS. Olio! my fine lady, So you are all frayed out again, Three teas in one afternoon, A dinner afterwards, | Possibly a theatre party, Not sick,, but just out of sorts. Stomach all upset, Try Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tabules, They will right your ,wrong 3. Is 6d and 2s Cd per tin. Obtainable everywhere. Johnson Bros., New Plymouth, and flMCflck. CUmist, SlUme, ' J

Writing about his visit to France, the, Bishop of Birmingham stated: "I did' not, in all my thousand miles of travel, discover a siugle able-bodied person ot military age out ef uniform. The whole nation is doing its utmost; can the sama be quite honestly said of England?" SV B might extend the query to every part of the Empire, including Xew Zealand. At the Christchurch Magistrate'! Court on Saturday, judgment was given in the adjourned cases of Max Adolph (Hartmont, formerly Hirchung, and Richard Charles Vernon, formerly Richard Carl Zimmerman, charged with a breach of the War Regulation Act, in that they, being for the purposes of the Act. alien enemies, did change their names, contrary to regulations. The Magistrate, Mr. Bishop, was assured that the cbango of name by defendants was not mad# with any ulterior motive. Each defend* ant was fined 40s and costs.

In connection with the postponement of the departure of the second contingent of the Volunteer Sisterhood, the position now is that the lion, sec., Miss E. A. Rout, will proceed to Egypt and possibly elsewhere, to make arrangements for the reception, and cable instructions from Alexandria. Miss Rout leaves on the 30th inst., and, possibly, the'contingent will go forward about a month later. The women chosen for the second contingent are: Mrs. W. S. Martin (Gisborne), Miss Jane McClure (Dannevirke), Mrs. M. Hogg (Midhirst), Miss Annie Mcßean (Tutu-Totara); Mrs. A. Long (Remuera), Miss Doro Phillips (Epsom), Mrs, Gladys Henning (Remuera), Miss Georgina ,Topp (Roslyn, Dunedin), Mrs. Crowther (Heme Bay, Auckland), and Nnrse Watson (Hawke'n Bay). Passengers by the Manuka, which arrived at Wellington from Sydney on Monday night, had an exciting experience on Saturday morning, when there was a fairly thick fog over that portion of the Tasman Sea through which the vessel was steaming. About 000 miles outward from Wellington, the Moeraki was sighted on the Manuka's bow, and whistles were sounded, giving the alarm to both ship's passengers. The two steamers passed uncomfortably close to each other. Manuka passengers declare that "You could have thrown a bißcuit on to her," but the captain estimated the distance between the ships as they passed at "something less than a quarter of a mile." But the passengers on the ships cheered one another, and the cheers and cries from the Moeraki could, the passengers state, be distinctly heard an the Manuka.

A fine specimen of young manhood, who enlisted a few days ago, returned his medical examination papers to the Oamaru Defence Office on Monday (says the North Otago Times). He had been rejected for that all too common complaint—"flat feet." The would-be recruit took his disappointment in the best possible spirit, but was not above giving the ■Defence staff, in moderately forcible language, his own opinion of the examination regulations. "Look here," he concluded, "I've mustered continually for the past eight years, over pretty rough country, too. I've gone with the team for days at a time, and never knocked up. Yet, when I come here, to put in for a jab that doesn't mean a twentieth of the marching and hard work I've had- to do, you tell me I'm no use," and with a look expressive of the greatest contempt for Departmental red-tape and its attendant inconsistencies he stamped no'sily out of the office.