LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On Christmas Day (states the Whakatane Press), White Island gave an unusually flue display. Great banks oi white smoke could be seen spouting up for a considerable height. A Wellington telegram says that a married woman named Ethel Julia Hatson was found dead early yesterday in her residence, Owen Street," and that it is supposed death was due to poisoning. The Tikorangi Dairy Company is now turning out 31 boxes of butter daily. The highest dffy'.s output this season was :.i3 boxes, an increase of four boxes over [last year. The vital statistics for the Eltham district for the past three months are as follows: Births 40, deaths 1, marriages 7. For the preceding quarter the figures are: Births 29, deaths (J, marriages 14.

The' Hon. G. W. Russell has agreed to the request of the residents of German Bay, Akaroa, that the name oi the hay should be wiped off the map, and substituted with the name of Tikaniatua Bay, after the chief who once owned the land.

A visitor to New Plymouth from Australia, who has also spent considerable time in travelling through America, speaks in enthusiastic terms of the beauties of Pukekura Park. Never, he says, has he seen anything to eclipse this park.

The Hawkc's Bay Herald states that the Johanna Lohsc Scholarship Trustees have awarded scholarships for 11)1(1 as follows:—Miss A. JL Ueatrice "Uiitter(ield, Pukctapu; Hiss Kempthorne, Nelson; Hiss Ismene Christian, Cliristclrureh. The scholarships are of the value of £IOO per annum, and tenable for three years. They are awarded to the daughters of Xew Zealand clergymen who distinguished themselves !n art or education.

An enormous shark showed himself (says an exchange), and great preparations were instantly made to "run him to earth." An orthodox shark-hook of extra large dimensions was carefully and cunningly baited and temptingly offered to the marine monster, which promptly annexed the meat and left the hook-. The next effort was equally unsuccessful, being followed by the, immediate straightening out of the great hook—and the shark left abruptly. 'Die Melbourne, Ltd., stands pre-emi-nent for value in men's saddle trousers. For instance: Strong imported saddle trousers* 8s 6d; Roslyn saddle trousers, JSr 6d; Kaiapoi saddle trousers, 12s ftd; famous Oamaru saddle trousers, 14s 0d; special out-sizes in Oamaru saddletweed, 16s Od. Ratepayers in the Waitara West road district are reminded that 10 per cent, will he added to all unpaid rates after February 14 next.

A cable message says that Lord Brassoy has given lus famous yacht, the Sunbeam, to India, to be fitted as a hospital skip. The Chief Postmaster advises that the Pacific Cable Board announces that owing to the Atlantic cable system being deranged there will be. delay on ordinary, and heavy delay on deferred, traffic "via Pacific" for die United Kingdom. The following are the latest registrations at the Defence Office, Hawera: (!. P. B. Cttldcr, Mo-unia, farmer, mounted; D. (}. Bridge, Manaia, farmer, mounted j W. J. Shaw, Hawera, laborer, mounted; It. V. Quin, Hawera, farmer, mounted; A. C. Leith, Jvgutuwera. .(Waycrley j, contractor, infantry. The Bed Cross Market re-opens tomorrow in the Gofl'ce Palace buildings, The committee hopes ithnt the generous support which has,'becn accorded them in the past will be continued in aid of the worthy object for which the market is held.

Mrs. 11. B. Leppcr has received the Military Cross which was awarded to her son, Lieut. Harper JI. Lopper, for conspicuous gallantry at Hooge in July last. The medal is a .silver one, of very handsome design, and is suspended from a purplo and white ribbon. Mr. A. J. Ilolicyficld's son, William, was helping his father in the harvest field on Monday when he complained of feeling unwell and he vomited (says the Waitara Mail). Mr. Honeyfleld thought a rest in the shade would restore him, and he went a round with the machine, but on returning to the spot he found that the lad had expired. Dr. Campbell certified that heart disease was the cause of death.

A Wellington telegram says that on January 4th his Excellency the Governor sent the following telegraphic message for delivery to the Officer Commanding the N.Z. Rifle Brigade: "Best congratulations to N.Z. Rifle Brigade on their first action. Trust wounded are all doing well." On January <!th 'the following reply was received: "Many thanks for your Kxcelleney's congratulations, which have been conveyed to all ranks. Wounded are doing very well."

The Defence Minister informed a reporter to-day that the lodging allowance recently granted to returned soldiers undergoing medical treatment had been made retrospective. Invalided soldiers who had arrived in ths Dominion before the allowance was authorised, and who were otherwise qualified to receive it, would be paid the money as from the date of their landing In New Zealand, and a lodging allowance of 2s per day is paid to all soldiers undergoing treatment. The Minister mentioned that the allowance would be paid to men who applied for it. The Defence Department could not undertake to ascertain without application what men were entitled to payments.—Press Association.

The first meeting of the Recruiting Board is likely to be held on Saturday, says a Press Association message. Details of the recruiting scheme have been prepared by the Defence Department, but the preparation of alphabetical list»showing men of military age in the various districts will take several weeks. Many hundreds of reeruits will be wanted in the meantime, and the Defence Minister stated to-day that he wanted existing recruiting organisations and the public to realise the urgency of the call to complete the Eleventh and fill the Twelfth Reinforcements.

Three Boy Scouts had an adventure which, to them, was probably highly- enjoyable, on an island in the Waimakariri River on Sunday. They had left the Scout camp to explore the island, to which they waded without any difficulty, but when they went to return they found that a sudden flood had come down, and that they could not get off. One of the boys sliot a rabbit, which was cooked and eaten in the true Scout style. Tlie father of one of the lads arrived, and managed to throw Bome potatoes on to the island. The boys slept for the night in the scrub. About 6 o'clock next morning they were rescued by means of a line, and returned to camp to find themselves the heroes of tne hour.

Many good stories are told of men over-age keen to join the Expeditionary Force, but the story concerning a wellknown Rangitikei settler will take a lot 01 beating. His real age is 63, but anxious to do his little bit for the Empire, he registered at the local Defence office, giving his age as 39. He was passed by the doctor, who was apparently satisfied with 'his statement as to age.' Tn course of time the old-young soldier arrived at Suez with his company—the fittest man of them all. This ardent patriot has a soil in camp whose age is 38 years. In another ease a married soldier who looked as young as he said he was, and who of course gave his correct age when he enlisted, was applying for separation allowance for his wife. He was naturally armed with a copy of his marriage license, and the adjutant, comparing notes, suddenly remarked: "Why, man, you must have been married very early; according to these dates you must have been married when you were three years old!" Taranaki as a whole docs not realise how interesting are the- Ngaere Gardens. Whilst recently in Australia, Mr. Truelove, the proprietor, purchased and brought back Australian lizards of various kinds, laughing jackasses, maspies, pigeons and parrots. There is at present a parrot sitting on eggs in one of the cages. Amongst the monkeys, one was killed a few days ago as tho result of a fight. There is an uncommon sight in the shape of a tiny baby monkey clinging to its mother as they do in 'their natural state, and further on in the kangaroo enclosure, one of the animals has a little one carried in its pouch'. There are beautiful lemurs, Chinese pheasants, mandarin ducks and turtle in the pond (there were a dozen, but the rest have got away into the bush). An oil engine Mipplies water from a deep well to (he fountain, and to the paddling pool, n fascinating innovation where the little ones can build sand castles and wade just as if on the sea beach. Just below are the bathing reserve and a beautiful lake, in which are growing water lilies—yellow, white and red, and on which swim ducks and swans. Then there are the water-chute and maypole whirl, and the boating on the lake—all interesting amusements to young and old.

RHEUMO cures Rheumatism. When it has cleansed the blood of uric acid, improved and strengthened the circulation—then the nerves are quieted, the muscles become clastic, pain disappears. EHEUMO cures Rheumatism because it purifies the blood—the only way. It has cured thousands. Try RHEUMO. 2 HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. SPECIAL BAGGAGE NOTICE. During holidays, passengers are specially advised to check their baggage through the New Zealand Express Co., Ltd. By doing this, they avoid rush and waiting. The company calls for baggage, checks on, receives and delivers at far end, and charges cartage only. Advise the company etH" Ticket i»lso obtainable from them, ,

Many thousands of pounds' worth of wool are stored in the Wellington Harbor Board's abode a waiting ehlpmtnt. It is estimated that at least 40,000 bales, dumped and unduinpcd, are stacked in various store-? round the waterfront. The cheese stores are also filled with 21.000 crates of cheese, and it would be difficult to find room for another crate. The present accumulation is attributed to th absence of ships to take the goodß away. On Thursday last the Kia Ora arrived to load 1000 bales of wool and 700 crates of cheese, and the Star of India is now on the loading berth. There should be now several oversea steamers to take the cargo offering, and the congestion will be much relieved.

A Duncdin firm, having made enquiries in Japan with jespevt to a .supply of maohine-guiifi, has (anys the Otago Daily Times) received from a Japanese exporter a letter, from which the following is an extract:—"Regarding machine-guns, I regret to inform you that they are only manufactured by the Government arsenals, where orders" are placed by the Allied countries in such big quantities that they cannot meet the demand by working day and night. One large private enterprise has just been started, but is not yet in working order. Under these conditions, it will be impossible to meet other demands, unless offered through the respective Governments. The Japanese Government mobilised arsenals a long time ago to meet Russian and British orders, and war materials are shipped direct to the battlefields."

Mr. 1). E. Hutchins, who is inspecting Xew Zealand forests, in the course of an interview, gave some interesting figures relative to the waste of Xew Zealand timber resources. This country, he is reported to have said, was sending away £IOOO a day for imported timber, and Australia was sending away £IO,OOO a day. What was needed was the preservation of the forests, and yet at the same time to g< t the timber out of them. This could be done by proper afforestation and regulated cutting. It was a national misfortune that Xew Zealand's splendid forest had not been preserved. What was required wag systematic eon?ervutive lumbering as in the United States. The main thing was timber demarcation. Where forest is good and the soil i< bad it is set aside, but where the soil is too good for forests it is brought under cultivation. A loan would be re, quired, but the expenditure would ultimately pay better than the railways.