LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The total amount to be paid to suppliers by the Stratford. Dairy Company this month is £12,896, while £2915 wiil be paid by the Lowgarth Company. The sale of a 50-acre farm in tlia Bunnythorpe district at £72 10s pet acre is reported by the Manawatu Standard. For another property, which was bought six years ago for £4O per acre, an advance of £2O per acre was refused, Maori shearers, Operating at Tiuanui station, Rangitikei, miring the season just completed have put up some highly creditable figures. Working from 5 n.ni to 5 p.m., fourteen machines turned out sixty bales on one day, showing an average of 230 sheep per man.

Mr. Ti. E. Mattie lias demonstrated that it is possible to grow wheat in tho Woodville district (says tlui Napier Telegraph). At the present time he is harvesting one of the finest wheat crops possible to imagine. It will certainly return him anything up to 50 to CO bushels to the acre.

The Kaikoura Star states that New Year's Day saw the finish of the Royal mail coach services between Kaikoura and the outside world, motors running on all the routes. With their exit the veteran vouch proprietor, Mr. T. Derrett, retirfc ' Old Tom,'' as he is familiarly called, lias preceded the railway right from the Waitaki to Kaikoura, but the slow progress of the South Island Main Trunk line has allowed the motor-car vo replace him before the line was linked up. Mr. Derrett has seen the roughest of the vouching days, and, although he is well advanced in years, lie was, during the latter part of his Kaikoura-l'anuis-sus contract, driving from Kaikoura to Parnassus and back each day—a task which many a young man would not care to undertake.

Thus the Wellington Dominion:— I) certainly docs seehi a foolish waste of energy and money at a time like tho present to hold the Territorial training camps when all our cfl'orts should be concentrated on the greater task which so vitally concerns us. The Territorial camps, of course, serve a useful purpose at ordinary times, but it is not the training of youths for service at some distant date that we have to consider now, but the training of men for immediate service in the present war. Moreover, there is (juite enough dislocation ill various branches of business and industry as the result of enlistments for active service without adding- to it by taking youths and young men away from their work all over New Zealand for the annual Territorial camps. What little might lie said in favor of adhering to this annual fixture is completely outweighed bv the very material objections to this course being adopted.

The Melbourne, Ltd., show the finest range of men's suits in tlie province, and lit the lowest prices—always. Read these prices: Men's colonial all-wool tweed suits, -20s (Id, 32s 6d, 355; Petonc Uveed suits, 355, 37s fid, 3!)s fid; Boalyn tweed suits, 35s and 4">s; imported West of England tweed suits. .IDs Gil and 49s CJ; indigo serge suits, 0os«

The road over Mt. Messenger is now in order, ami tbronpli trafii'.' from Awakino to Xnv Plymouth is increasing Uy leaps and bounds. '* The Mayoress (Mr*. C. 11'. Burgess), acknowledges receipt of &ti Ids from Hie North Taranaki Patriotic League, from Uruti for the No. 1 Stationary Hospital.

The Women's Patriotic Committee will hold an afternoon tea at Kawaroa Park on Thursday, January 27, particulars of which will be announces in a day or two. The annual balance-she# of the Patea School shows receipts as £OB 17s 4d and expenditure at a like total. The liabilities amount to £2O 12s Id, and tlie assets show n deficiency of £:J Ss 7d. During last week-end, Mr. Massey was motored over some of tho Timaru Downs country to look at the crops and pastures as affected by the drought. He said he had seen nothing' worse in anv part of the country. Mrs. C. H. Burgess, president of the local branch of the Victoria League, has received a card conveying Christmas and New Year greetings to the members of the, branch from the Xew Zealand soldiers -and nurses in Egypt. The card bears the signature of 'Nurse E. McAllum. 'A large section of Eltliam's population (the Argus reports), appears to be living in New Plymouth just now. The town is full of Eltham people who are holidaymaking, and in the breakers of the sad sea waves any - number or Eltham 1 people may be seen disporting them- ! selves.

At the Wellington Magistrate's Court yesterday, James Cook was committed for trial on charges of assault, arising out of a disturbance In a city boardinghouso on Christmas morning. The parties assaulted, according to the evidence, were Henry Wilkinson and two sons, all of whom suffered considerable injuries from a buckle on a belt wielded by Cook.—-Press Association. (Private Roy Fraser, son of Mr. Donald Eraser, of Urutij who is with the Seventh Reinforcements, whilst at Albany threw overboard on October 23 u. bottle containing a, message to bis sister. On November 11 the bottle was nicked up by Mr. D. Minor, Cape Leewin lighthouse, and forwarded on to Uruti. It is almost unbelievable that the bottle could have drifted to quickly to New Zealand, over two thousand* miles in less than three weeks.

A Wellington message says: "A telegram from Christchureh, published today, attributed to the Prime Minister a Statement that P«rliament might be summoned ''sooner Man many people thought." Mr. Massev informed a reporter that liis words ha'd not been intended to bear the construction placed upon them. He had not indicated, nor ever hinted, tfiat there would bo an early session. Any one of several events might bring about a session before the usual time, but there was nothing definite to be said on the subject at the present time. Hitherto it has been the custom for the Defence Department to notify next-of-kin by telegram of all instances of soldiers admitted to hospital from the various military training cumpa. It has now been decided that in future minor cases will be communicated to relatives by letter, instead of telegram, and thus obviate disquieting effects which the receipt of telegrams naturally produces on tho recipients. In urgent cases, where the condition of a patient is serious, an urgent wire will be despatched to the next-of-kin, as at present, when the attending medical, officer recommends such- a ( course of ■action.—Press Association.

A well-known coastal farmer, who is usually noted for his spick and span appearance, turned up at a recent sale unkempt and unshorn. He had been so busy, lie paid, owing to the shortage of labor through his men enlisting that he had no time to devote 'to hia personal appearance. He points with prido to tho fact that of the hands that lie has employed during the past fifteen years, no less than thirty are at the front, and that the one man that he has at present—ho usually keeps two — has also sent Ms name forward. Campers on the Opunake beach were given a little extra excitemeflj on Tuesday night, when a motor-bus which had ventured on to the beach got stuck in the sand closo to the water's edge. It was soon surrounded by tho tide, which was shortly after on the ebb. A team of horses thai) were available proved futile, and the owners of some bullocks asking what was considered an exorbitant price ( £10), all the spectators, to the number of forty, many of whom had been assisting with gratuitous advice took hold of a rope and essayed to tow the vehicle. Their first pull snapped the rope and they were precipitated on to the sands. A stronger rope, however, proved equal to the strain, and with the assistance of its own power the 'bus was soon hauled on to terra firms.

At the recent meeting of the Stratford School Committee, Mr. Ward's notice of motion, "That the resolution passed at last committee meeting, authorising tho chairman and secretary to make arrangements re the school picnic be rescinded," was allowed to lapse after a short discussion. Mr. Ward said he handed in his motion early in the morning after the last meeting, and as it was jsuch an urgent .matter, he thought that a special meeting should have been called. Mr. Fookos said'that after appointing a sub-committee to deal with a certain matter, the decision arrived at by it should be adhered to. Mr. Ward said it was the talk of the town that the "School Committee was run by one man—in fact, "a one-man show." The speaker said he disapproved of such matters being left in the hands of one man. The chairman had selected Fitzroy, and in nis opinion a change should be made, and the picnic held at the other beach, or Kawaroii Park. Sir. Sanderson also said tha.t tlve picnic should not always be held at the same place. The subject was then dropped.—Post.

A SUFFERER FROM DROPSY IIECOMMEXDS DR. SHELDON'S GIN PILLS, "For a very long time T have been a uifl'ercr from Dropsy in a very bad form Indeed. 1 might mention that I have been tupped, so yon can see my ease was vsry severe, hut, thanks to Dr. Sheldon's Of 11 Pills. I am now almost completely cured and with a little longer continuation of Dr. Sheldon's ft in Pills I fully expect to be in my normal state of health again," writes Mrs. M. Bartlett. 10 Charles-street, Ashburton. XX "All hope was given up for me before I started to take Dr. Sheldon's ("Jin Pills, ami niy ease lum been a wonderful recovery as my death was expected n lonpf time ago but thanks to Dr. Sheldon's Gin Pills I can see a new life ahead and all my worry has gone to the winds. Dj\ Sheldon's Gin Pills are always in the house and always will be with me wherever 1 go as • I hav* absolute faith in their virtues and recommend them to nil readins tliC'e few irrateful words," Dr Slielrf.-n's Nin Pills are sold at Is Qd and ad. OUainable everywhere

The Women's Patriotic Committee will hold an afternoon tea at Knwaroa Park on Thursday, January 27. Overheard at a meeting: "Jlist hear him calling n lady a woman! What a speaker, to be aurc!" . The price of bread in Wellington is to lie raised next week to 4Jd for 21b loaf.—Press Association.

A party of townsmen are going out to Egmont Road this morning to assist in the harvesting of Mr Ilarohl Street's crop. Mr. Street is, at Trcntham. The Stratford schools' excursion to New Plymouth will be celebrated at thp East End beach on Thursday, February "3rd. Tlir adjourned meeting of the Taranaki War Relief. Association that » - as to take place at Stratford on Friday lias been adjourned till the 2Sth inst. Mr. Herries has pent a hundred guineas /or the entertainment and. procuring comforts for convalescent soldiers at Rotnnia.—Prr-s Association. A proclamation has been issued ex'tending till .Tune .'iO the term during which the notes of the six banks doing business in the Dominion are legal tender.—.Press Association. The Wellington club for the use of returned soldiers, organised by Captain Siinsou, was formally opened Jiy the Hon. James Allen on Tuesday afternoon. Owing to shortage of steamer space the Wellington wool sales fixed for January 2o have been postponed until a date not yet decided upon.—Pr«« Association.

. The secretary of the Ride Association Will be at the Town Hall between T.SQ and 8.30 to-night for the purpose of receiving entries for the ensuing meeting. This course has been adopted because it is found that the Drill Hall is inconvenient The executive committee will meet at the same place at 8.30 p.m. Mr. J. S. Lyons, Stratford, writes: "1 wish to point out an erro* in yout issue of to-day. I am not the dental recruiting officer for Stratford district The position was offered to me, but I declined to accept it. It was then oll'orc I to both Mr. Hunter and myself, but we both declined to accept the appoint* ment.

W ritee our South Torantiki correspon (lent: Strong comments arc made re'the* number of able-bodied Swii-s men in thi« locality who are mopping up the land, while our native-born lads .ire going to the front and giving up tm-ir lives for the country. If compulsion eomosi ftlo;ig these Swiss men, whether naturalised or not, ought to be made to a ".ui and do their bit also.

Sir Joseph Ward said on Tuesdav that the excess of deposits over withdrawal* m the Post Office Savings Bank for the twelve months ended December 31 last was £2,411,083, the highest amount at the credit of depositors for twelve zuonthft in the history of the Dominion. The amount of deposits for the year was £13,706,037, and withdrawals £ll,. 2!H,97'1.

''Conscription should have bcf-n adopted at the start," said it settler who called in at the News office yestcrdav, "for then everyone would have done liis fair share. As it is, there are numbers of eligible men about who will not do their 'bit' and have no intention of doing go. One man up our way ha# four sons away, and the other day a neighbor, who has several strapping sons at home, asked him for a subscription towards file patriotic funds, He told him that when lie has done hi.: duty by sending his boys to the front he would consider subscribing, but not till then. To this the man with the •übscription list replied that liia sons were worth £l5O each to him, and therefore they could not be spared. 'Mv good man,' the other replied, 'if wc were all like you, the Germans would -be our masters by now. Go and t|ink ovtf it, be a little less selfish and tnore patriotic, and show your sons tho right way.' sfes, it is this sort of thing which makes one long for conscription. I "lave a couple of boys away and find It veiy hard indeed to keep things going without them, but the girls and the mother are helping us out. We don't mind a bit, because we believe it is our duty, but it makes you kind of mad to see eligibles shirking all along the line and their parents encouraging them in it. Conscription would alter this state of things."