LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Weather permitting, the Citizen's Band will render a programme of music in Devon Street this evening. The back country of Taranaki is looking well at present. A recent visitor informs the News that very good burns have been secured, and on the parts already cleared the grass is coming away splendidly.

Mrs. C. H. Burgess (Mayoress, and president of the Victoria League) decided a, short time ago to collect pence for posting papers to hospitals for the soldiers, and already she has received 300 pennies, which means the cost of postage for 308 papers.

Quite a sensation was caused at the | Kaupokonui general store one day last week, when an unexpected visitor in the shape of a bull made his appearance .at the counter (says the Star). He 7nade a tour of the store, but did no damage, and was finally coased out. The Pacific Cable Board announces that from 20th. inat. week-end cable messages have been accepted in the United Kingdom to be posted to Montreal for onward telegraphic transmission to N.cw Zealand. These messages will bear date of posting and 1 will be delivered by post immediately on receipt. Some difficulty is being experienced in feeding the native recruits from the Soutli Sea Islands, in the food being totally different from what they have been accustomed to in the islands. In one case a party of new arrivals, on being served with roast beef, potatoes and rice pudding, mixed the whole lot together and then poured their tea over the mixture. Very few of the islanders can speak Knglish. Few records can beat that of the Now Zealand Rugby football team which visited Australia in 1913. There' were eighteen in the party, including the manager, and fourteen are already at the front or on their way there. The manager proposes to make the full team—fifteen. The remaining three are said to be likely to be wearing khaki very soon. The manager of the team was Mr. W. Perry, a Wellington solicitor, who was a member of both the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Wellington Rugby Union, and is now a member of the Eastburne Borough Council. Enquiring into the effect of the war on the cocoa and chocolate trade, a representative of a Christchureh paper discovered that from the very outset of the war a certain brand of Austrian chocolates, which had got on the market, was tabooed, though perfectly got up and of good value. Swiss and Dutch chocolates suffered not at all. In regard to the British brands, a few people make it a point to ask for them on patriotic grounds, as they hold that every penny spent with a British or Dominion firm will assist the war finance and so provide the sinews for the struggle.

By the recent death in Alnwick j Workhouse (England) of Charles Richardson, one of the chief figures in the sensational Kdlinghab Vicarage burglary case of 36 years ago, has passed away. Two men, named Brannaghan and Murphy, were then convicted for this crime and attempt to murder, and were sentenced to penal servitude for life. Ten years later Richardson confessed that he and a man named Edgell were the perpetrators of the crime, and these two men were sentenced to five years' penal servitude. Brannaghan and Murphy were' released, each receiving £BOO as compensatibn. Tour policemen who were tried for'conspiracy against the wrongly convicted men were acquitted. It is said (writes the Daily Chronicle) that the ex-Emperor of China is about to marry one of Yuan-Shin-Kai's daughters. If so, he will gain a host of new relations, for the Chinese President has no fewer than 20 children. Yuan-Shili-Kai is described by an admirer as a reincarnation of Talleyrand. Certainly, at the game of diplomacy he can beat most contemporary statesmen as easily as Talleyrand could beat those of his own generation. Like Talleyrand, too, he is a mixture of resolution and suppleness, and has a knack of generally finding himself on the winning 6ide. There is, however, one wide divergence between them. The childless Tallyrand amassed vast wealth, mainly by ways that would not bear inspection.' Yuan-Shih : Kai has never become rich, as Chinese official life goes, although, before his accession to the Presidency, the upkeep of his family proved a heavy drain on his resources.

The multitude of the unfit stands startlingly revealed by the searchlight of conscription (writes the Paris corre-, spondent of the London Observer) They are thousands upon thousands. Some of this unfortunate army, deprived of the privilege of directly serving the country, is conducting its commerce) others fill non-combatant posts in the departments of the War Office. The distinction which marks them from their fellows is a sorry one, and generally they look sorry for themselves. A question of consequence ia how to diminish their numbers. Medical Boards may be as steel, but they cannot give a man lungs if he has none, or strong eyesight if it is hopelessly bad. But Swedish drill, taken in time, can give them general health, and this happy gospel is now being urged by enthusiastic advocates of physical culture. There is evidently scope for a Muler and Sandow in France. M. Barthou, promoter of the Three Years Law, is an admirable example of youthful vigor conserved by systematic exerciees before the open window.

Farmers, retired or retiring farmers, orchardists, nurserymen and market gardeners should peruse Messrs Grant and Campbell's replace advertisement on page 1 of this issue.

Parents and guardians requiring school outfits for their boys will find apparel oi strictly dependable quality at economy prices at the Melbourne, Ltd.'s great sale now on. A film of great educational value, and which will prove a great treat to lucky invitation holders is ■announced by Mr. 0. A. Wilkinson (Eltham), Those who have not seen the great hives of industry which have sprang up with mush-room-like growth, as represented in the huge factories devoted to the manufacture of motor-cars, should take this opportunity, which is equivalent to a walk through the largest and best-equipped motor-ear factory in the world. The Maxwell car, though not very well known in New Plymouth to-day, must by reason of its great strength, reliability, beauty or design and comfortable riding qualities, to say nothing of its extremely moderate price, come into immediate prominence. The film, which will be shown in the near future, should not bo missed, and those interested in cars are invited by Mr. Wilkinson to write for complimentary tickets without delay. Full particulars will be ad'vert'isod on Monday,

The Taranakl members of the Tenth Reiuforcements now on final leave will return to Wellington by the special train to-morrow (Sunday). Auckland City Council lias passed a resolution to genii a circular to all single men in its employment who have not enlisted or have not been rejected, calling upon them to seriously consider their duty to the Empire by offering themselves for active service,—Press message. Practically all bands have been dismissed from the'wool stores at Port AUuriri, Napier. The third sales were to Have been held yesterday, but there is no indication when the sales will be continued. All the sheds are filled with fleeces.—Press Association. The Government has commandeered a portion of Messrs Niven's works at Napier for overhauling freezing machinery and making ammonia coils, this firm being on the Admiralty and War Office list. They are working two shifts daily to get the work through.—Press Association. The Rev. ,J Ward, a son of 'the Rev. Robert Ward, a New Plymouth pioneer, will preach at Whitelcy Church tomorrow morning, and at Fitzroy in the evening. The' Rev. A. B. Chappell's sermon subject at Whitelcy Church tomorrow evening will be "Volunteers or Conscripts?" A particularly fine line of 1000 fat lambs was railed from Stratford yesterday (says the Post), to the Waitara Freezing Works, by Messrs Pitt Eros. These lambs were fattened on their Stanley Road property and are an excellent advertisement for that locality, as a fat lamb-raising distrlot. The Red Cross Mart will be opened as usual to-day at the Coffee Palace corner. The committee hope. tTTe people will remember our sick and wounded men and help by sending contributions to the mart. Among other things promised for to-day are a horse, clipper (which will be sold at the Hayraarket) and some guinea pigs.

A! meeting of the executive of the Taranaki War Belief Association was held at Stratford yesterday, Mr. J. E. Wilson (New Plymouth) presiding over a full attendance of delegates. Mr. Wilson was appointed to represent the Association at Ihe conference of patriotic societies to be held in Wellington on 'February 17. A good deal of formal business was transacted.

Dairy produce in large quantities was shipped to London by the Corinthic from Wellington on Thursday. Her consignment of butter consisted of 40,410 boxes, while 22.820 crates of cheese were also taken. The approximate value of the shipments were £101,004 and £130,(120 respectively. The Nerehana, which cleared Wellington for London the previous day, took 4409 crates of cheese, valued at, approximately, £20,814\

Trade generally continues remarkably good (says the Trade Review, in discussing the state of the import markot). On all hands an excellent Christmas trade was done, and generally* the turnover has been well maintained since then. In somo quarters it is reported that, though busy, the buying is on a somewhat smaller scale. The old difficulty of getting supplies still prevails, chiefly in metal goods. The freight question is becoming serious, both for imports and exports. There is considerable difficulty in getting sufficient space, and rates have been raised to an exorbitant figure. The rates from America are quoted at £8 per ton on lines that used to rule at 25s to 30s, while rates from England rule £3 to £4: Importers have been compelled to withhold their orders for many lines at present, owing to these high rates. There was only a small attendance last night at the public meeting in Stratford that was called to discuss -the "Battle of the Bullion" scheme. His Worship the Mayor presided, and Messrs Lints, McLcod, and Clarke were in attendance, and outlined the proposition. A motion by the Rev. Howard, seconded by Mr. Percy Thomson, "that 'the meeting disapproves of the "Battle of the Bullion" being taken up by the people of Stratford as a means of raising money for patriotic funds," led to muoh discussion. On a vote being taken the motion was lost by 15 votes to 16. Mr. Sangster then moved that the meeting adopt the scheme and that Stratfofd should enter an array. The voting on this proposition was equal (17,), and the Mayor gave his casting vote with the "Noes." Votes of thanks to Messrs Lints, Clarke, and McLcod, and to the- Mayor for presiding, closed a prolonged meeting. A prominent Canterbury grain merchant, who lias just made a tour of the wheat-growing districts, states: "I travelled by car between Christehurch and Timarn, via Upper Rangitata bridge and Geraldine, and.didn't see A bad wheat crop—certainly some are light, but all are very healthy and cleanlooking, and I hear from farmers in the Albury district that there are 40bushei crops on some of the 4s fid an acre Government land. Except at the back of Oamarti—in' places like the Ellesmere district—one Ji*ars very little of really bad crops of wheat, and I don't think j-ou will find one farmer in twenty in this district who will cry down his own wheat crop, although he will tell you his neighbors are not so lucky, but he doesn't mention his neighbor's name, and the peculiar thing is you don't find him. A good indication of the prospects is given by the want of rain. Although the paddocks are absolutely bare of feed, you hear very few wheat-growers lamenting the absence of rain. There are places in this island where the yield is going to bo large and over a considerable area, and that is lost sight of by many of the prophets."

The Xew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London house under date 27th inst.:—"Wool market active compared with December i'A. Price? higher. Merino, superior medium oto 7'a per cent., inferior faulty and lamba' 7-'/." to 10 per cent.; crossbred, line f> per cent., medium and coarse and lambs' 5 to 7% per cent.; slipes, fine medium 5 to 7y a per cent., coarse and lambs' V/» to 10 per cent."

If you are contemplating buying a new costume for summer wear, you would do well to make an inspection of Morey's line range of fashionable and exclusive costumes. In material and workmanship these costumes leave nothing to be desired and fastidious dressers will have no difficulty in selecting something to appeal to their individual tastes. Wp beg to draw our readers' attention to a replace land advertisement of the well-known firm of C. and E. Jackson, land and commission agents, Stratford, who are advertising some very choice dairy farms on exceptionally easy terms, and as the firm undertake to finance clients for stock at 6 per cent, this should be appreciated by those in search of good dairy land. IS YOUR TASTE FASTIDIOUS t Then drink CAMROC Dry Ginger Alfc, compounded from an original Belfast formula—most delicious and healthful of all drinks. We only ask a trial. At all hotels and ttores. 24