LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Jsew 'Plymouth just now is full of honeymooners. 1 The wages of all the employees of the Taranaki Comity Council have been increased by a shilling a, day. Shopkeepers throughout Taranaki report a better Christmas trade than last year. The prospects for the new year are unusually bright. Tt is the opinion of a Taranaki butter buyer that the prices which the season's cheese will realise will enable the factories which consigned to pay out i'rom Is 7d to Is Oil. Mails for London, despatched on Xoveniber :#), arrived at Vancouver on December 17 (one day late), and in London on the lith in-t. (seven days late). Those sent via Sue/, on November -■). which connected with H.M.S. Malwa, arrivet] in London on the lith inst. (one day late). A Battle of the (billion deputation will wait upon tho New Plymouth Patriotic Committee to-night, and the Taranaki' Patriotic Executive at Stratford on Friday morning relative to the forthcoming iiattle. The price of (lour in Auckland was raised yesterday from £l3 17s lid v pcr ton to £l4 us, less 2'/ ; per cent. Tho reason assigned is that farmers are holding back stocks of wheat, and the new season's crop will not be available until next month.

Messrs Sole Bros, have placed their beautiful grounds, "Aotca," at the disposal of the Salvation Army for tomorrow, when a Salvation Army meeting will lie held. Adjutant and Mrs, Home will lie pleased to welcome all, and refreshments will be obtainable oil. the grounds.

At a meeting of the East End Bathing) Reserve Committee last night it wail reported that the receipts from the New' Year's Day picnic amounted to £llj 13s, including £7O taken at the gatcj the dance £lO ISs, and refreshment!! £l3. Mr. A. C. Whcatley was appointed treasurer while Mr. F. T. Bellringer 'hi away. Messrs Richards and Morgan were added to tire"'committee. It was decided to put iu hand preparations for the Easter Monday picnic. Thanhs were extended to Mrs. Crocker for a monetary donation.

Those who hold tickets in the Southland Queen Carnival Art Union will be interested in the following paragraph from the Southland Times:—"lt is expected that the drawing of the Queen Carnival Art Union will shortly take place. The numbers are in the hands of Tattersalls, Hobart. but the task is made rut her complicated by the fact that the numbers, instead of being consecutive, as in tiie llobart drawings, are broken, many oikl tickets in books not having been sold. This means that the, marble corresponding to that ticket will have to be witliTTrawn. Some idea ,of the magnitude of the task of Tattersalls can %e gained when it is said that there were forty-seven sheets of foolscap with numbers, closely written sent to ITohart. The drawing, however, will be concluded as soon as it is possible for the machinery of Tattersalls to do it."

In April last a New Plymouth' tedy, whose husband left with the Third Heinl'oivements, forwarded to him ft parcel (registered), containing writing pads, onvelopes, a pocket pack of cards, small mirror, needles and thread, etc. In the course of letters home the soldier remarked that the parcel, which would have been very welcome, had not reached him, and had doubtless gone the way of many others. Judge of the sender's surprise yesterday when the parcel was returned to her with the information thai, the addressee was "reported missing"! As onl.v on Saturday last she had received u letter, dated late in X ovember, from her husband saying that, but for an attack of dysentery, lie was alive and well, the erroneous information did not disturb her. On opening the parcel she discovered that its oanvas-sewn cover had been ripped off. all the little nick-nacks appropriated, and only tho pad, envelopes, and cards remained, the package being, soeuiyly tied up again and returned with various pencilled directions. Grasping rather humorously at the incompetent, bungling that has been evident, the lady immediately re-made the parcel up, and has sent it off again in the hope that it will reach her soldier boy "Before next April, or within a year of its first despatch! But is it any wonder that our boys at the front have not received news or gifts from homo when such a glaring example as the above is quoted? A registered parcel .went to Egypt, to fiallipoli, back to Egypt, thence to New Zealand and the sender, who is informed that the addressee. from whom she has received letters every fortnight, is "reported miss. ing"l Ollic.ial "mussing" in the matter of mails has been deplorable.

A trooper who was seriously wounded or, (iiillipali in the first week's lighting, and who was subsequently in hospital in England, returned to his farm at. To Kuiti iust week, and the other (lay lie came on to New Plymouth. The Railway Department charged him full hire. It appears that 'before getting a special concession of three weeks' free railway travelling, a soldier has to go before the Health Board, which in thjs case meant proceeding to one of the main centre:?. Yesterday the soldier tool; out a steamer ticket,' On discover ing that he was a wounded soldiev the steamer agent offered him a SO per cent, rebate. Contrast this treatment with the Government's. The Government's concessions are tardy and hedged with all manner of restrictions and conditions. The Government ought to be glad to carry on the railways a soldier who has sulVered in buttle (for those who stay at home) for the rest of his life, and then still remain under an obligation to him! Red-tnpeism and niggardliness just now are the most conspicuous.features of the fJovernment's treatment of its soldier lad'. t\ strong man is needed at the head of nll'iiii's to alter a condition of tilings which is a scandal and a disgrace to every member of the Cabi-

-A Commercial, u Technical or a University education in youv own home—in your spare lime—at a moderate- cost, Such is what you can obtain' under Hemingway and Robertson's Correspondonce Schools of Melbourne and Auckland. Practical money-makinir courses in bookkeeping, accountancy, shorthand, architecture, and building construction, etc. \on can I>o snceossfnlly prepared for the law. the matriculation, the Publie Service or other examinations. Von can study electrical, eivi] or mechanical engineering bufojeets. special course on petrol motor and oil engines. fiver have succeeded by private home study under thps* school*. Till Tlfuraday evening Mr. Hemingway (who i* motoring through tho Dominion) may be interviewed at the roo.m taken in Clrifliths* Bniirtlnjra, Egmont Street—J. fiich, travel) s ""