LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The troopship Willochra, with over 200 wounded and invalided, makes Dunedin her first port of call, arriving on Saturday next.

Fifteen wireless operators from tho Auckland and North Auckland districts have been called up to go immediately to 'i'rentham, The conference of the Federation of Labor to consider conscription opened this morning. The.press was excluded. Tim decisions will ho published in a manifesto at the conclusion.

A London cable says that Mr. Thomas a late member of Parliament, left personally estimated at £34,500. The residue goes to his son and daughter. If either marries out of the Roman Catholic Church the residue goes to the Pope for missionary work in the South Pacific Islands.

A Press Association message from Auckland states that Mr. W. G. Ashford, Minister of Lands and Agriculture of New South Wales, arrived by tho Makura on Monday. The principal object of his visit to the Dominion is to observe what the Government is doing in regard to afforestation. A Nelson soldier, writing from Lemnos, records a curious coincidence. He states that while Private William Rowlands was unpacking stores there, he came across a case of apples which he had packed while in the employ of Messrs E. Buxton and Co., Ltd., of'Nelson.—Colonist.

An inspection of the New Plymouth and Fitzroy Fire Brigades was made lust night by Inspector T. Hugo. Both brigades mustered at the Central •Station in strong force, and the men went through a series of drills. At the conclusion Inspector Hugo expressed himself as satisfied with the efficiency shown.

As a result of a disagreement with a man yesterday morning, Mr, Ben Tippens is now wearing bandages round his head. ''Ben" and his adversary appear to have had a somewhat heated argument, which led to moro persuasive means than words being employed. The matter is really sub judiee as "Ben" says more will be heard of the episode in the Police Court. An amendment to the award of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers has been filed. It provides for a minimum wage for stock catalogue workers of Is 3d per hour, but this slmll only apply to experienced workers who have been at least three years in the industry. The proportion of apprentices and journeymen shall not exceed two to one. The new award will be in force from January 27.

The chairman of the Associated Auctioneers has been advised that Mr. Newton King has kindly acceded to the request made that he will personally conduct the Farmers' Patriotic Gift Auction Sale, to be held in Stratford on Saturday, February sth (says the Post). Many of the older settlers who remember tlie stock sales of Taranaki in the earlier days will look forward with n great deal of pleasure to the chance of once again meeting Mr. Newton King in the active role of auctioneer.

The first prosecution of its kind under the Finance Act was taken in the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Monday, when J. Benson and Co. were charged with putting on a £2 10s receipt a one penny stamp instead of a twopenny stamp. Defendants said that they had acted in ignorance of the law, and the police saiii that the prosecution had been brought in order that the provisions of the measure nhould become more widely known, The Court did not fine the defendants, but ordered them to pay costs, 7s. The syndicate which purchased the ex-German steamer Walkure, which was sunk by German shell fire in Papeete Harbor, is making a, success of the salvage ell'orts. During the course of an interview Mr. E. J. Lamb, of Messrs Houlder Bros., and Co., Ltd., stated to a representative of the Sydney Shipping List that when he was at Papeete on the way back to Australia he inspected the coffer dam that had been built around the partially submerged vessel, and it was a remarkable piece of work. The operations were being carried out under the supervision of Captain Curtis, who had been sent out from San Francisco with a party and all appliances in the specially chartered auxiliary schooner Chehalis, and by this time the vessel should be afloat. It is understood that the AValkure is to be renamed Republic, when she is taken over bv the owners.

A question has arisen as to whether a case which may be termed "a matter of Is fid" shall be sent to the Supreme Court. The case was before the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Monday, Arthur Thompson being charged with having obtained credit by means of fraud in procuring a Is Gd meal from Denis Karantze, a Cuba street restaurantcr. "That is an indictable offence," remarked the Magistrate. '-Yes," said the defendant's solicitor, ''and it is over such a small matter that I suggest that the charge should be amended to avoid the necessity of going to the Supreme Court." The Magistrate said that he did not yet know the, circumstances of the case. It might be trivial from the defendant's point of view, and not otherwise. The solicitor added that the defendant's statement was that he was under the impression that he paid for the meal, and so refused when asked to pay again. The case was adjourned for n few days.

Tlie Keirosher Camp at Palmerston North lias been in full swing for over a week now, and plenty of hard \'ork has been done. A Stratford man who went down for a. week tells the local Post that great rivalry reigns between the various sijnad.s The majority of Mo. -1 squad are Taramiki boys, and :ira looked upon as the best of the five s'jiiads in camp. Visiting officers freely commented upon the smartnes; soul line marching of the men. The usual friendly horseplay prevailed and midnight raids upon one particular squad were a constant source of planning upon the part of the raiders. • hit fact ■wis plain— Taramiki was never raided. The mess ing was in the hands of a caterer nnrt, except for one day, tin- orderly officer had a sinecure duty. In the evenings, lectures were given and great interest was manifested by the. officers, future and prc-oi;t. The weather was very hot for the first few days, but rain set in about Tln.rsday. This, however, did not delay the work, as the line buildings on the A. and V. grounds were used, tonera 1 leave was granted every evening after lectures. During the week a visit was uaiil to Rangiotu, where many Taranaki "soldiers are ill training. The camp there is a fine healthy one, and everyone •looked well and in good heart. On Sunday last the Jledical Corps from Awapuni Camp paraded on the Showgrounds for Divine service. Jt is stated that a finer body of men would be hard -xo find, their movements being particularly jfell executed.

A Sydney cablegram reports iliat private advices received in Sydney stats that the Panama Canal will be open for traffic -again in March. A proud Chrislehareh father advertised thusly last week:—At 44, Stewart Street, City, the wife of Alf. Gwatkins—a son. nineteen). ''This is' the photograph of the man we want,'' runs the inscription over a mirror in the window of the Royal Naval Division office, Strand, London. A Now Plymouth Ladles' croquet team played a match against a Stratford team at Stratford yesterday, the visitors being victorious.

At the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, a proposal ■ of the' directors to establish a hostel for boys attending the Technical College was approved.

According to newspaper reports, Mt. Robson, the highest' peak in the Canadian Rockies, is to be constituted an eternal monument to Edith Cavcll, the martyred British nurse. Its name will bo changed to ''Mount Cavell."

Pourparlers for the repatriation of the French population taken as hostages by the Germans have ended in a most agreeable manner. Twenty thousand people have been sent across Switzerland from Seltafl'housen, via, Geneva, to Annemasse. Would the sender of envelope addressed to this office and containing thre* postal notes (bearing Inglewood date stamp of January 24) kindly furnish name, so that.the amount way be credited?

Five natives and two important chiefs have 'ueuii arrested in Portuguese ICast Africa on charges of conspiring with Germans to blow up a Portuguese fortress. Documents were found inciting to revolt, and also a quantity of dynamite which had been supplied by Germans.

Last Friday was the seventh anniversary of the appointment of Mr. T. Harle Giles as Conciliation Commissioner for the Auckland district (says the New Zealand Herald). By a happy coincidence it was signalised by a successful Instance of conciliation, a dispute in the blacksmiths' and farriers' trade being brought to a satisfactory conclusion by yie conciliation council appointed. The assessors who co-operated with Mr. Giles in the matter warmly congratulated him upon the effect of his good offices, and upon the valuable service that he rendered to :thc district generally in the interests of employers and employees alike.

The Ohura Advocate states that Mr. Sum E. Meredith has received information that Mr. Newton King, and other representatives of the Taranaki Farmers Meat Freezing Co., which is now being erected near New Plymouth, will visit Ohura about the 27th January, to try and get the farmers at that end to take an interest in the concern, which is purely a farmers' proposition. And further that some of Taranaki's most progressive farmers are expected to be amongst the visitors. "People who hold up their hands in horror at the amount of money that was passed through the totalisator at the. festive season often make mistakes," said Dr. Thacker, M.P., to an Auckland Star reporter last week. "For instance, it has been stated that no less than £850,000 was invested by the public at. the race meetings in the Dominion last holidays. It should be remembered that the sum actually in, circulation would be only about one-eighth of the sum recorded by tho 'totalisator, as the same money goes through over and over again. In addition to the ordinary tax on the, totalisator collected by the Government the sum of £SO on every £IOOO is deducted towards wat expenses," A musical genius, but 12 years old, is now in New Zealand. His name is Henri Lissack, son of a Russian Pole, and he is giving performances in the various towns of New Zealand in order to obtain the -wherewithal to complete his musical education. He gave several recitals in Hawera, and elicited warm praise, the Star stating: "Ho showed himself to be possessed of unusual powers, playing a number of difficult solos with perfect ease. His execution was remarkable. He swept with ease and precision from the lowest notes, where he drew a tone like that of a 'cello, and never faltered or blurred his intervals one whit." Southern papers speak of the lad's genius in a similar war. Arrangements have been made for him to give recitals at the Theatre Royal next week.

Tliß organiser of the National Service. League (Mr. V. Norris) visited New PlymoutU yesterday. Mr. Norris went to' the Boy Scouts' camp in the afternoon and'in the evening addressed a public meeting at the Town Hall. He explained that the intention of the League was to see that due regard was paid to the welfare of soldiers returning from the present war. Members of the League would be provided with a special badge. Every member was obliged to sign a pledge on joining to the effect that he or she would render any assistance possible to any wearer of a badge. Every member would also promise to give preference to goods manufactured in New Zealand, or the British Empire, the whole pledge to be kept for four years.

The East End Beach has been thronged with surfers of both sexes lately, the conveniences being greatly appreciated by visitors who have, without a doubt, the use of one of the best bathing pavillions in New Zealand, with shower baths, concrete lloov, separate boxes for ladies, hot water etc., all free of charge. The committee have now erected u spring broad in the river, and hope in the near future to hold diving competitions, etc. The committee of .this popular seaside resort of Taranaki is making arrangements to eclipse previous picnics on their annual Easter Monday function.

A special trip to the mountain house will be made by the Taranaki Transport Co.s nine-seatcr Cadillac on Sunday next, leaving town at fl a.m. and returning at 4.30 p.m. The Cadillac will also make a special trip in from Rahotu on Saturday night, leaving at fi.llO and returning on Sunday night from town at 8.15. The Melbourne, Ltd., announce that a further consignment of men's white handkerchiefs at eight for Is has been received for the sale of Japanese and ■''job" goods.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have purchased from Messrs Matthews, flamlin and Co, the hitter's Tarata iuul Matau saleyards, and intend conducting auction sales therein at regular periods. Dates will be advertised later. BE PREPARER

Nothing is more eilective for colic, diarrhoea and all bowet troubles than Chamberlain's Colic and Diarrhoea (lemedy. Every family should keep it at hand in case of emergency and thus save a fruitless journey to a closed chemist's shop or absent physician. You cannot procure a better remedy. Buy I it now and be prepared for an emcr«ncv. Sold everywhere,

A Wellington message says that advice has been received by the Salvation Army that it has been found impossible for General Booth to make his projected visit to New Zealand this year.

The island of Kawau, in the Hauraki Gulf, made historic by the fact that It was once the home of Sir George Grey, has lately been the. scene of a raid by Auckland police constables with a nose for sly-grog, and the great proConsul's one-time residence, the Mansion House, was the plaeo where it was alleged n quantity of liquor was seized. Kawau was granted to Sir George Grey on an Imperial charter, and it has the unique distinction of carrying a lowwater title, so that landowners there may take oysters at any time, and have sundry other privileges under the title. Rubber and other tropical treea grow on Kawau, and there are very many wallabies and opossums on the island. It was believed, at one time, that the ownership of the island carried freedom from the Now Zealand law, but that contention was upset in an interesting court case.

As instancing the absurdity of the voluminous and abstruse book of rules provided for the keeping of accounts by the method advocated by the Government for hospitals ai.ri similar bodies (with th? object of attaining uniformity, purely for the simplification of collating Government statistics) v'--en applied to small and independent hu*p,u... >li as our own (writes the Oamaru Mail), ihe chairman at the meeting of trustees stated that'one rule provided that the secretary, and not the matron, should prepare the daily bill of fare. Tt is pointed out that the secretary knows more, or should know more, about what there is most of in the larder than the matron. The probable consequence? of such a rash principle, were the scrotarv a young and irresponsible bachelor, dn not apparently trouble the eminent statistician responsible for the role*. What are pains and aches compared with the facilitation of meticulous exactitude?

Summed up in a few words the harvest will be about the worst recorded in the grain-growing history of North Otago, states the Oamaru Mail. Timii'.li tin' areas sown with wheat and oats wern both in advance of those of the picviou* year the yields will be much smaller. For not. only will the averages per acre b« lower, but a large part of the crops will not be cut for threshing. Those who may be accepted as speaking with som« degree of authority estimate Hint onethird of the wheat area has either been eaten off by stock or turned into hay for use as feed for stock ami that not more, but probably le*s than, one-third of the oats will be harvested for grain purposes. As to the area that was sown in wheat no definite information is nvai'ablc, but it ia estimated at about IS.OOO a 're*. Accepting the view that one-third of that area will not be threshed for grain wo have a itotal area of 12,000 seven for wheat production. It. would not hj? safe to take more than 15 bushels per acre as the average yield for the whole County, and that means that n't the outside not more than ISO,OOO bushels of wheat will be obtained in North Otago, where In «ome by-gone years a million bushels have been'recorded. The wheat production will be about the lowest in (lie history .if North Otago since grain growing became one of its industries. The Oamaru Mail tells (ho following: —More :tlian one "romance of a cake' 1 have appeared in print since the wnr commenced, but the following local instance may stir the residents of North Otago to a realisation of the shameful way in which the delivery of parcels is managed by the Government. .Mrs, Davey, of Chelmer street, and another lady of Oamaru, had prepared a cake, costing them 4s Bd, wlikU they ssnt to Private Davey for bin birthday, while in Egypt. Each lady wrote him a letter, which, with £2 in cash, they enclosed in a small tin, which was built into the cake. They also notified Private Davey of the advent of the cake. He got tlic notice, but not the cake. On the evening of his birthday several friends bought refreshments at the canteen, intending to give him a good time, Among these was a cake whleli eo«t the philanthropist 12s Od '(at the canteen). The little celebration in due course eauie off. The host, in cutting the cake, came across a tin, to his great flisgltsi. "What a fraud!" he exclaimed. ''This thing is full of empty tins." The tins, however proved to be not empty by a long way. After reading the address on (lie letters, the host turned in blank surpMe to Private Davey and said: "Why, tli'» cake was sent to you!" After this im stance of the selling of gifts in canteens, combined with this particular defect in the mail service, one wondcr.s whether the mail troubles are due to carelessness or Ho the undetected slim ness of somo "old soldier" whom the slack Governmental methods suit to a nicety.