LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A YVellmgton message states that ammunition allowance to rifle clubs for the year 1915-10 ha ß been increased from fifty to one hundred rounds per man. The Hon. G. W. R UsS cll proposes to convene a conference of representatives of Patriotic Societies next month to discuss their responsibilities towards discharged soldiers.-p reSi . Association. "Mails despatched via Suez on November 10 arrived in Union on December 24 (two days late). Those despatched by the same route on November 18 arrived in London ou the 2nd inst. (four days late),

At the New iPlymouth Magistrate's Court during the last quarter of the year 78 criminal cases were dealt with—74 males and four females. Plaints entercd amounted to 170, the amount sued for being £1933 17 a Bd, Mr 'm l, *L Youu S< inspector of the Income Tax Department, arrived here yesterday for the purpose of meeting any farmers who have had difficulty in preparing their income-tax returns, Mr. Young may be consulted at the courthouse during the next few days

The Ninth Reinforcements will make their first public appearance in Wellington on Saturday afternoon (says a Wellington message), when they will engage in a route march through the city. The Governor will review the Oths at Trenlliam on Friday morning. During tho interval following the race for the County Cup at the Taratahi meeting, the club's president (Mr. H. R. Bunny) appealed to those present on the coune to give their field-glasses for the use of the soldiers at the front. He set.the example by handing in his own, and others among the crowd, subsequently followed with theirs. Tho Prime Minister lias received information that it was the No. 1 Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade which took part in the engagement against the Senussi on Christmas Day. The No. 2 Battalion had afneo received orders to proceed to the same destination, and probably ere this had joined the No. 1 Brigade. The Wellington office of the Board of Trade has been advised that the British Trade Fair held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London last May was so successful that it has been decided to havo a repetition next month, exhibiting samples of British manufactures in order to facilitate the placing of contracts.—Press Association.'

Here is a fine example to the young man who is still hesitating. A London paper says: "One of the wounded soldiers in the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Sapper Elijah Vaughan, is sixtveight years of age. He is a South Staffordshire miner,' and has been at the front' four months." This is surely a record.

Tho utility of the motorcar for travelling in New Zealand is exemplified by the trip taken by Mr. Walter Powdrell during the Christmas holidays to the Hawke's Bay and Bay of Plenty districts. Starting from Wairoii oil the homeward journey yesterday morning at 4 o'clock, Hawera was reached at 8.30 in tho evening, a distance of about 320 miles. In the ordinary way, this journey would take two or three days.— Star.

Private F. Sage, one of those who returned by the Maheno, was, says the Star, the only Hawera hoy to get off the train at Hawera on Tuesday evening, and he quietly walked away from the crowd. The" Mayor (Mr. - E. Dixon), however, delivered an address of welcome ami made appreciative remarks on the work of the men at Gallipoli. The Salvation Army's Silver Band played the National Anthem, and after an address by Brigadier Carmichael, cheers were given fo: the boys in the far-off land and for those going north by the train. During the course of a sitting of the Native Land Court on the coast near Gisborne recently the local storekeepers were suddenly met with a brisk demand for eggcups, and speedily quitted their entire stocks to their native customers. Curiosity was naturally aroused in the European mind as to the reason that had unexpectedly induced tho Maoris of the locality to adopt so civilised an idea as the use of eggcups. The explanation was simple, for the "walking lighthouse" had discovered that the pakeha eggcup made au admirable measure, and his numerous native clients were made to each produce his own. Hence the Maoris were all going about with the useful article in their pocket's.

There is now on view in Mr. J. B. Bennett's window, Devon Street, the gold medal which has been presented to Mr. W. Davies, by Mr. P. J. Flanagan, in recognition of his record swim from the Breakwater to the East End beach on New Year's Day. The medal which is a handsome one, suitably inscribed, is attracting general admiration. The feat, too, is all the more meritorious when it is remembered that the young swimmer underwent no special preparation for the task, but was following his usual avocation at the post office from midnight the previous day until 8 a.m.

Inglpwood is sometimes dubbed "a warm corner" in the lubricating lines, remarks the Inglpwood Record, but the police records by no mean 9 support this allegation, as the whole of the Christmas and New Year holidays only supplied one case for the Police Court, and in that case the man bailed himself oufc«aftcr spending an hour or two in the lock-up, the bail being fixed at ss, and as the man failed to appear when called on, lie was convicted and fined the, amount of his bail. Evidence of this sort docs not uphold the pleasant charge against this town, and the evidence in the opposite direction in further supported by the fact that the solitary holiday charge comprised the full inebriate list for the quarter, October Ist to December 31st.

With a view to encouraging recruiting arrangements are being made, the Minister for Defence stated yesterday, to bring the third and fourth battalions of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade to Auckland before they are despatched to the front. The training of this body of troops is now approaching completion, and by the end of this month' it will be able 'to demonstrate the degree of efficiency that is attained by the system of training in the Dominion. With the exception of small contingents that have been trained in the district, the people of Auckland have not had an opportunity to witness a parade of such a force'of men. If arrangements can be made the two battalions will visit the city about a month hence. The Ivo. 2 Field Ambulance, which has been in training at Awapuni, Palraerston North, will probably visit Auckland at the same time.

At the Melbourne, T.td.. boys' widebriiu washing hats, in white or khaki, are being sold at Is 3d; bland lints, for men and boys„ls 6d; bojp' washing ties, Od each j men's khaki handkerchiefs, fid each; men's Irish lawn handkerchiefs, three for Is; ladies' hemstitched handkerchiefs, eight for !l> .

"No soldier discharged from the Ex peditionary Force who has twen to thd front will be compelled to serve In th«Territorial Force during the present war.' except in case of national emergency, ot unless reason should arise rendering it necessary to revoke this ruling."—Extract from Returned Soldiers' Handbook At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Messrs F. C. J. Bellringer and J. S. S. Medley, J.P.'s, a first-offender was' convicted and discharged on a charge, of drunkenness. A second «barg* of wilfully breaking a window at the premises, of Jas. Cleave, Devon street, was dismissed upon accused promising to pay the damages, amounting to £5. Nominations close at noon to-morrow for candidates for the vacancy on the Borough Council, caused by the resignation of Mr. A. E. Sykes. Up to last night no nominations had been receivec*. Though no definite information Is yet available as to when the trams will bo running in New Plymouth, it ; s probable that they will not start until the beginning of March,