LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlic rainfall at Hastings on Saturday ami Sunday refreshed the country. A further downpour would be welcomed. The Tramway Committee of the Borough Council last night accepted the tender of Messrs Smart Bros, for the supply of tramway ticket boxes. The South Taranaki' Winter Show dates for their next fixture are dime 28, 20. 30, and duly 1, which is the wcek following the Palmcrston '.Yorth Show. The Chief Postmaster advises that telegrams for Italy, addressed to a code address, are now permitted, provided the address was registered before July 1, HIH.

Some farms on the East Road (says our Stratford correspondent) seem to he well supplied with ragwort, which is in flower. If the nuisance is not quickly abated the weed will spread over the whole of the adjoining farms.

The Boy Scouts from the Frankley Ttoad ■cntnp raided and captured the To llemii troop, which is in camp near the Old Hospital Tioad. The camp was captured and all the scouts were taken prisoner.

Tlie manager of the Colonial Sugar Company, Auckland, advises that the present prices for sugar will be maintained until dune 30. There will be no increase meantime, but a fall in the world's markets may render necessary a reduction in the company's prices.

The election of a member of the Taranaki Education Board for the South Ward, to take the place of Mr. A. MeT. (Bradbury, who recently resigned, resulted:—Mr. James Young. Otionui (a former member of the Board), 60 votes; Mr. S. fi. Smith, New Plymouth, . r >7 votes, Four votes arrived too late to be recorded.

The following Taranaki candidates gained University National Scholarships at the entrance scholarship examinations held liy the Xew Zealand I'niversity in December last.—H. J. Mail, Stratford High School; Joyce H. Wilson and Eleanor A. Pope, Xew Plymouth Girls' High School. A fire occurred at Toko yesterday morning, says our Stratford correspondent. Mr. D. K. Beloe was awakened at 2 by the barking of doge and the noi»e of some pheasants he had in the yard, and found the bedroom lie was sleeping in lull of smoke. Xeighbors were quickly on hand, and with their assistance the (ire was got under, but not before the room was gutted. Insurances are in the Koyal office. The Fruitgrowers' Association at Bastings has decided to arrange free tor a constant supply of fruit in season to the various military camps, the troopships and the Philomel. The chairman stated that if the local orchardists contributed only one per cent, it would mean «00 cases. The association also appointed a committee to look after orchards belonging to men on active ser-vice.-—Press Association.

The Xgamotu Seaside Committee states that the first clue in connection with the picture-guessing competition is ''that the locality of the picture is situated in. a Xew Plymouth street alike to a combination of smoked pig and ammunition." This is certainly not very complimentary to the Xew Plymouth streets, but the committee states that it is a fact.

The usual meeting of the Eginont Lodge (Xo. 112) T.0.0.T. was opened last evening at 7.30 by Bro. V. K. Pepperoll. After the usual business had been transacted the programme was commenced, the following members and visitors contributing towards it:—Pianoforte solo, Sis. -Miss Callaghan; song, Sis. D. Blanchard; recitation, Miss JO. Murphy, violin solo, 'Bro. Bransgrove; song, Miss Martin; recitation, Sis. Mrs. Hall; song. Miss K. 'Martin; banjo solo. Bro. Reckitts. At the conclusion supper was partaken of, and the meeting was closed at 0.30 by Chief Templar -Bro. F. K. Pepperell. Kawaroa Park will, on Thursday next, be alive with joy-searching patrons. The morning train will bring the scholars of the Tariki School with their parents and friends, who intend to make the park, with its innumerable trees and shady nooks, a rendezvous for the day. The municipal baths in the park should be well patronised. The Kawaroa Park committee are, having hot water ready all day for the visitors. In addition to the school picnic, the afternoon tea and garden fete, under the control of the Women's Patriotic Committee will be in full swing.

■Mr. Hilaire. Belloc thinks that the talk of revolution in Germany is nonsense. Thp Xorth German neve: - has, never can, and never will rise against a master. He lives by the will of a master. He understands no other way of living. But though there will be. no rebellion from within against the small wealthy class that orders Germany, its actions may breed despair; and despair is more dangerous to a State at war than rebellion. The moral is, of course, that every kind of economic pressure we. can possibly bring to bear against the enemy must now be brought to bear in full force. Mad we brought that pressure to bear in good time with the wise disregard for the feelings of neutrals, the campaign would be more advanced than it is. Talking of German supplies, it is curious, says Mr. Belloe, that part of the vague fears produced by the new German move in the Balkans is that the enemy can now—by 4lie Danube route—import the things' he lacks. One paper has talked vaguely of his "tapping the resources of Asia,'' while another has said that the Balkan adventure is equivalent to the "raising of a siege.'' All that is great nonsense. The Turkish Empire can export a little corn and a little wool. Cotton the enemy unfortunately stands in no need of for bis propellant explosive for a long time to come. Oils and fats, which he is beginning to need very seriously, it exports far less than a million all told in normal years. Whatever else the junction with Constantinople effects, it will have no serious effect upon Germany's lack of raw material in the future.

Unfortunately the picture programme which was to have been shown at the Theatre Tioyal last night miscarried in transit, and consequently t\m Theatre had to be closed, and it will remain so until Friday next, 2Slh nit. Tt was found impossible to get a programme at such short notice, and the management were left with no other alternativ". The Empire \vill lie open as usual every night. Particulars of the films showing are to he found in our advertising columns.

The 'Melbourne, Ltd., report brisk business for the opening' days of the sale of Japanese ami "job" goods. Anyone requiring any of the sale items as advertised is advised to pay an early visit to the store.

Miss Retford, C'urrie Street, has opened up a big range of smart bloiues, skirts and costumes, which are being cleared at ridiculously low prices, Be "iarly.*

Information was received by the Strutford police, yesterday morning to the effect tlmt a boy of 11! yours was missin-- from Midhirst. Constable MeCowan is making inquiries in the immediate district.

A Mastcrton telegram says: A photograph of tlie late Captain Anthony Wilding, presented by tlie parents 'of tlie deceased athlete, was offered at auction at the Wairarapa lawn Tennis Tournament yesterday, in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, and realised the sum of £523.

Wm. Tiplady. n small farmer of Hilton, near (ieraldine, was charged yesterday with stealing four sheep from one neighbour, and fourteen from another, about the ">tli inst. The theft (says a Ti'maru telegram) appears to have been found out through accused having sold fat lambs, to he delivered with another neighbour's. When put into this man's yard a double branding was noticed, and others similarly treated were then found on accused's farm. He was committed for trial, bail being allowed.

One of the incidents on board the hospital ship Mnlieno, as narrated by Cor-poral-Dispenser Donaldson, who is visiting (Sore, was the spectacle of a ftluirka and a. Maori seated on deck endeavouring to teach each other their respective languages. The method adopted was to touch different parts of the body and pronounce the name thereof, the mispronunciations of (he Maori creating much amusement on the jmrt of the. Gurkhas, while similar slips of the ,Gurkha elicited equal merrrmenf, from tho Maoris. A striking similarity of' the language was noticeable. Botli mei'.| took keen interest in this self-imposed task, and were induced to leave it witli difficulty, even to partake of food. Some, interesting stories are told ol that prince of bounders, the Crown Prince of Germany. During his tour of India he was with a Maharajah in a howdah taking part in a tiger hunt when a beater started to enter a dense clump of jungle grass in which a wounded panther had taken refuge. A native officer shouted a warning to the man from the howdah of the next elephant, This annoyed Willie, who protested to the Maharajah. "Tell him to let the chap go on, your Highness. It is not every day that one can see a man mauled by a leopard." Telling the story afterwards, the Maharajah said: ''And the remarkable thing about it was tlie fact that the Prince really meant it. His eyes were as hard as stones." Tho Hawert Star says: Tlie Waingongoro is rapidly increasing in popularity as a seaside resort. On Sunday visitors came from llawera, Stratford, Eltham, Normanby, and Okaiawa. The opportunity for bathing on the beach and in the river was taken advantage of freely. Without in the least wisliing to cause alarm, we may say that bathers would be well advised to be cautious, and when possible to bathe when the tide is coming in. Excellent and safe, swimming can be obtained in the lagoon at almost any time. In the river at the bathing hole the bottom slopes down very suddenly, and those who cannot swim should be strongly advised not to bathe there. Last week a girl got into serious difficulty, and yesterday a young man, unable to swim, got out of his depth, and iiad to be. given assistance, Such eases are fortunately rare. They serve, however, to show that a warning is needed. The fact that three life-lines have been located at points along the river and beach should be widely known so that tiicy may be used in case of need. The 'thanks' of the community are due to the Swimming Club for their good work.

As many ladies were unable to be present at the Viavi "At Home" last Tuesday afternoon, Miss Sterling, the Kew Plymouth representative, has at the request of many persons interested consented to give a further address in St. Mary's Schoolroom to-morrow evening, and will take as her subject the important one of "Motherhood." All women are cordially invited to attend.