LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be 110 issue of the Taranaki Daily News to-morrow (New Year's Day). The paper will be published as usual on Monday morning.

The Marathon swim by Mr. Christiansen has been timed by the East End Committee, so as to finish just after the arrival of the train from the country at the reserve platform. Complete arrangements have been made by the committees of the two seaside picnics for continuous motor bus service from the centre of the town throughout to-morrow.

A large number of visitors left for the Mountain House yesterday morning. The motor-bus carried its full complement of passengers and* motor-cars had to be requisitioned In addition. The Stratford Racing Club has patriotically decided to admit free all members of the New ealand Expeditionary Forces in uniform to the lawn and saddling paddock on both days of the race meeting —Saturday and Monday next.

"Don't have too many rules in a society," said Bishop Julius at the C.E.M.S, conference at Christehurch. "Many and many a society haß been killed By reason of its by-laws. Throw them overboard as rubbish."

A telegram received from Napier announces that unseasonable rain spoiled the remainder of the Mardi finis festivities on Wednesday. A portion has been postponed till New Year's Eve. Ths gross takings total £SOOO. The Taihape freezing works are to be opened next week for receiving stock for freezing purposes. Everything for a steady conduct of freezing operations is now in perfect order, and it is anticipated that facilities will &e taxed to the utmost.

At Wliiteley Memorial Church service on Sunday evening the Rev. 13. P. Blamires, of Auckland (Mount JEden) ; will preach, and Mrs. Blamires will sing the sacred solo, "Nearer my God, to Thee."

There will be three eclipses of the sun and two of the moon during the coining year. Of these only one, an annular eclipse of the sun on July 30, will be visible in New Zealand. The central line of annularity passes about 000 miles north of Perth, West A'lat.'A'.ia. We are asked to point out that the sacred concert in the Recreation Ground on Sunday next will not affect visitors to the remainder of the park, which may be visited as usual through either Gilbert street or Carrington road entrances. A cable message from Berne says that the Zurich Gazette states that the Aua-tro-Gerwan Government have confiscated eight million rabbit skins for war supplies, causing a crisis in the hat trade.

A member of a large retail grocery firm in Auckland stated last week that it was almost impossible to secure pro-perly-trained assistants for counterwork, on account of so many having gone to the war. He said that among his present employees he had a watohmaker, a sailor, an actor and an engineer. It is said that the action cf the Christchurch City Conned in lim'ting traffic to four miles an hour over certain intersections is even exceeded by the local authorities in a Marlborough County Council, where (says the Press) at a slight declivity motor e.v jiivers and motor cyclists ace gravely warned not to exceel the su-oj of two miles ;n hour.

Mr. J. M'Neill Adams, of Inglewood, lias written to the East End Committee stating that if is fine his troupe of Highland dancers will all be down at the East End picnic on New Year's Day. Mr. Adams woud be pleased to hear if there is a piper available in New Plymouth, as he has so far been unable to get one, owing to about Vi having gone to the front,

An an<>ler had a novel experience while fishing in the \shhurto.'i river, He was engaged in landing o small trout, when the line received a vigorous tug. It was soon apparent to tha fisherman that something had taken f>ossession of the small fish, and after a few minutes' careful manipulation he succeeded in landing two fish, the second one, a fine trout weighing about 51b, having endeavored to swallow its smaller relation. . ,

The joy of a wedding in Wanganui at Christmas time was somewhat marred by the nocturnal visit of an uninvited guest on the. evening preceding the happy event. As a souvenir of the occassion he went to the meat safe at the house of the bride's parents, and with discerning judgment selected from a tempting stock of edibles a t'ooked ham and a forequarter of lamb, likewise the plates they ware on. For several days the interested people thought they were the victims of a practical joke, but as the meat and crockery are still missing, they are now reluctantly forced to the conclusion that it was a case of. plain unadulterated theft.. . Picture matinees will be held at the Empire Picture Palace and Theatre 'Royal this afternoon, starting in each theatre at 2.30. The doors wii.l be openM ftt 2 D.1I). • I

At the patriotic sports held >a Mastei'ton ou ilomluy, O, Harvey established a New Zealand record in the pole vault event by jumping lilt Sin This Is one inch above the previous record, which was established by Teiupleton, the American athlete, while competing at Masterton two seasons back.

The grave-digger at the Greytown cemetery went on strike a Few days ago, and gave as his reason for refuting ta work that lie did not see why lie should have all the hard work and none-of the lighter task of keeping the graves clean and tidy. The tivic authorities (jaya the local paper) met in serious conclave to consider the matter, and finally apj pointed a new mau to the position. "See," said ond of the Kotorua Maoris who returned to Wellington with th# Tahiti's wounded on Wednesday, "my arm too short!" With that he held out huth his arms, and one showed fully four inches shorter than the other, "I got shot in the left elbow. Me diu nov smash the bone, but cut the sinew, and make my arm short—sec! At Rotorua I go to the hospital—perhaps they wake him long again, eh?"

"Wcre N Francc overwhelmed, Britain conquered, 1ta1,% reduced to vassalage and Russia made impotent, New Zealand would have as much chance of successfully combating Kaiserism as & child would have of defending itself against a P ac 'k of wolves." That this is true all will agree (says a writer in the Auckland Herald), and it proves that when the "shirker" is ,discussed there should "be no uncertain sound.

A deplorable case of misfortune befel a resident of Woolongong, New South Wales, last month, when John Wilson, it young married man, suddenly lost the sight of both eyes. IJe arose to go to his work and said lie felt a dizziness. A few minutes afterwards he was unable to see. His wife sought the advice of a specialist, and was informed that it was an almost hopeless case, a blood vessol had broken at the back of the eyes.

Bishop Julius, speaking lit the C.E.M.S. Conference at Christehurch qq Tuesday, stated that he llad bean staying, recently at a place where thirty-five returned Soldiers had been turned out. It was a very quiet place, and the returned soldiers had nothing to do, tud they did it. After staying there, lie had come to the conclusion that the return* '

Ed soldiers were very nice felldwa, but he feared lest the Dominion wotiltl be a more dangerous place than (iallipoli. They were very dear chaps, but tlicy wanted something to do.

At 11.30 o'clock on Tuesday night the screams of two young ladies in evident distress aroused a number of residents on the River 1 Bank road, who collective, ly and promptly investigated 'the causa of the disturbance. "Both the young ladies were very much frightened and gave a somewhat incoherent account of a man trying to assault them. As the result of their untoward adventure, arrangements were then made to see them safely Home, Incidents o! the above nature, remarks the Wanganui Chronicle, point to the fact that some of the less-frequented streets qt the town are not particularly safe in the late hours of the evening for ladles without an escort.

Santa Claus will say "farewell" to hi» friends in Waitara to-night. He wIH parade the streets in his motor-car with the family (you didn't know he waa married, sly old dog!) about 3, and wants to say good-bye to all the kiddle« at the Big Store about 8. Bring the children.