LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Albert Faultier, »f Eltham, milk vendor, was adjudged a bankrupt on March 1. On Sunday last Mr. and Mrs, W. D. Hamilton, formerly of Opunake and Hawera. who are. now living ab»ut 16 miles from Whangarei, had the bad luck to have their house burnt to the ground. The fire occurred on Sunday morning. At the time thev were staying for the week-end with friends in Whanjarei. The following men leave Inglewood this morning as member? of the Fourteenth Reinforcements: —Artillery; A. Miller (Kaimata), F. Rtimpson (Inglewood). Infantry: W. .larvis, R. Smith. Tj. Wilson, A. S. Heal, L. Brown, G. W. Kilsby. J5. E. Hamblvn, L. S. Inston, C. Randall, R. -Tones, all of Inglewood. and T. TV.trnz of Knimala. Mounted Rifles: A. Matthews, N.C.O. b. Butler, both of Ing'.ewood. The appeal for field-glasses made a 'little time back by the New South Wales Defence authorities has met with a splendid response. It was recently announced that 1000 pairs had been received, but in the week following 50 more came to hand. According to late papers glasses are still being received daily, and it is quite likely that comptratively few will be seen at coming race meetings. "That Taranaki has never looked better is the unanimous verdict of the settlers," said the' Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald in an interview in Wellington. "I heard this statement everywhere I went in the district last week. A magnificent season is anticipated. One butter factory manager told me that this time last year tliey were turning out 70 boxes of.butter a day, and this year, with practically the same number of suppliers, the output was 125 boxes." The Whakatane correspondent of the Auckland Star says that apparently the authorities are exhausting every effort tu bring Rua quietly in. The prophet remains buried in the depths of the Urewera forests, and has very little communication with the outside world. All the natives are very reticent, so that it is extremely difficult to pick up information. However, it appears not unlikely that another visit will be paid to Maungapohatu, Rua's stronghold, bv a n,an who carries considerable , weight both with Rua and his followers, to persuade him not to be foolish. Even if true, this attempt is not likely to succeed. The editor of the Canterbury Tisacs lias received a letter from Mr. Herbert A. Stewart, of "Bleakhead," Rcndlesham, South Australia, enclosing a "tiny note" found on the beach between Cape Banks lighthouse and Rivoli Bay, South-East Coast, South Australia The note was found just twelve months after the very (lav on which itfwas cast into the sea. It reads: "H.M.N.T. No. 20, February 21, 191 a. I am sending my best wishes and regards to any person who finds this tiny note of mine, and to let you know tint we are all well and that we are in the Australian Bight. So good-bye, from Wiremu te Korowhiti, N.Z. Maori Contingent. Time, 12.30 p.m." Through the kind offices of Captain S. McGee, of the Defence Department, the name of the next of kin was discovered, and the letter and enclosure have been forwarded to his address at Parihaka.

In commencing on the state of the local money market, the Trade Review says that any change (luring the pa9t month has only been in the direction of further increment to the already plentiful supply of funds held by the banks. ''Our exports for the year 1915 showed an excess over imports of £lO,412,102, and for the December quarter the banks had an excess of deposits over advances of £5,112,402, which is (says the Review) an exceptionally high figure for this time of the year. For the month of January our exports were more than double onr imports, the excess being £2,418,1011. During the current quarter returns from th« realisation of the season's produce will be flowing in freely, and it is highly probable that the banking returns for the quarter will show a record excess of deposits. In all probability, also, the excess of exports will be fully maintained, if not further Increased. There is ng doubt that importation litis been much restricted recently, but owing to the greatly increased cost of the majority of commodities the total value of our imports very nearly maintains the level of the last two or three years. Returns published by the Government Statistician sllow that during 1915 the Government opened up 1,306,958 acres of land for settlement, and the actual selections were in excess of that figure. It is very gratifying to see so much land taken up, and tiiis should have a material effect on the production of the country in the near future, thus assisting to increase our aaneral fcresperitji*

Mr. J. Lovell has donated ten gallons of milk far use at the East E«d picnic en Thursday next. Messrs Okey and Wilkinson have undertaken to look after the interests of Mr. J. B. Hine's constituents while he is absent en active service. The children of the Moturoa Sunday School held their annual picnic in Mr, W. J. Hsneytield's grounds on Saturday. A most enjoyable supply of "fodder" making the day a memorable one for the children. The harvest thanksgiving services 111 connection with St. Mary's Church were 1 held yesterday. The church which was well decorated with the "fruits of the harvest," was packed last night, when the vicar (Rev. A. H. Colvile), preached. For driving a motor car In a reckless manner in Broadway, Stratford, George Karalus, of Tariki, was last week fined £1 and costs. It was stated by a constable that defendant crossed the pathway to the garage at about 15 miles an hour.—Post. As the result of the "trapping" of motor-cars while passing through Lower Hutt during the last race meeting 26 cases of drivers, who are alleged to have exceeded the speed limit, will come before the next sitting of the Lower Hutt Court. The present prjee -of wire makes fencing a difficult proposition even to the small farmer. To the man 6n large rough sections in the backblockg the position must be considerably accentuated. A country storekeeper informed a representative of this paper that English barbeil wire is now unprocurable, its export having been prohibited Some stores may be holding small stocks for which they would be asking 40s per cwt. Before tlie war the retail price was £lO per t%n. Plain wire (English) was procurable now at £3l, as against £l2 10s before the war. American barbed wire was obtainable now at £3B, an increase of £22 since the war. There was every prospect of these prices increasing. Galvanised iron had also soared upwards. He did not think that these prices were owing, to the market being cornered, though he thought that might be the cause of the rise in benzine. A story of how the German defeat was actually brought about by the French and the English in th« battle of the Marne, when the city of Pari# apparently lay at the mercy of the Huns, is told by a British officer who took part in the great battle. He says that six German corps wire marching in echelon—that is, in parallel lines —on the city; that the French were making their stand on the south of the capital, and that the British were stationed on the north of Paris. The army corpj*commanded by the Crown Prince was the southernmost, all but one, and was faced by a French army, commanded by General Pau. It is related that the Cr»wn Prince's aimy became short of ammunition, and that a lack of ammunition was also beginning to be felt by General Pan's men. The Frenchmen, however, decided to fight on with the bayonets, and the Crown Prince decided that his army should fall back. The action of the Crown Prince caused each of the four German armies on his northern link in fill! hack in sympathy; then the British advanced and Smote them on the flank, and the French made a frontal attack, and also pushed in on the southern flank. The Imperial officer states that, whatever story may be told to the contrary, this is the true one, and that, but for the fact that the German ammunition supplies failed at a critical moment, it is highly probable thai Paris would have fallen. For sheer, downright, brainless dreadfulness the New Zealand Defence Department is without peer on the round earth (remarks the Auckland Observer). This paper has been shown a returned soldier's armlet, brought in by a dozen returned soldiers of all arms. It i 3 a hideous botch, made out of the dreadful stuff technically known aB "Turkey red," and on it appears an almost indistinguishable crown in faint yellow ink. Returned soldiers won't wear this rag. Said the corporal, showing a card eatitling him to wear this red abomination: "They insult us by making us look like walking- rag slit)*—look at this for a uniform. Then when we've done our bit, they issue us a sort of dog-license entitling us to wear this lump of red rag. They get a bit of the cheapest red rag they can buy, print it with a crown von can't see without a microscope, and give every policeman in the country power to stick a discharged soldier up and demand to see his license." The corporal showed the "dog-license." His name was hastily scratched on in in blue pencil—not ink. The whole thing is ,an outrage. The men would have been content to wear a small enamel button with any suitable device. A tiny wreath of laurel with the letters "N.Z." in the centre would have filled the bill. The men will refuse to wear the Turkey red abomination, and the insane female who stops them and asks him when he mtoada to go to the war is in f#r a bad time. The police espionage part of the business is absolutely typical of New Zealand. It gives a long-legged shirker in hiue, who has left Home to avoid military service, a chance to harass men who have fought across the Daisy Patch, "Look at this!" "Well, well!" "Can it be?" Yes, surely!" These and other similar exclamations were hoard at a refreshment bar im Devon Street on Saturday evening. There, sitting together, were the officials of the Foreshore Committee pleasantly talking over the patriotic gathering which will assemble at the East End on Thursday next. The writer is sure that such ail unusual sight will keep the weather fine till the Gala Day is over. Anyway the .sight was exhilarating. Next, please! The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., draw the attention of clients to their Tarata sale, which they are holding in their Tarata yards on Thursday, !)th inst. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns on page S of this issue. Never before were there such bargains as those offering at the Melbourne, Ltd.'s great annual reduction sale just commenced. Practically everything in stock has been radically Reduced so that huycvs are assured of substantial savings. THERE IS ONLY OXIS SANDER EXTRACT, and that is why thte people insist on getting it, and why they reject the many inferior substitutes and the cheap and frequently harmful "ffiunt as good." The. GENUINE SANDER EXTRACT is free from the objectionable qualities of the common Eucalyptus oils and so-called "extracts." SANDER'S EXTRACT is the most powerful antiseptic and healiifg remedy that can be used with safety; it prevents and cures all infectious diseases, influenza, colds, fevers, smallpox, diphtheria, flatulence, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentery and kidney troubles. SANDER'S EXTRACT, applied to ulcers, burns, sprains, cuts, inflamed skin, etc., : gives ; immediate relief and cures permanently. Reliab'lity. Efl'cctiveness and ' Safety are the great attributei of SANDER'S EXTRACT, ,

At the quarterly meeting of the Stratford Licensing Committee, held last Saturday, the transfer of the license of the Tariki Hotel from James Steel to F. J. Mills was sanctioned. Mr. K. P. Good, of the New Plymouth Customs office, received a presentation on Friday from the principal importers on the occasion of his approaciiing marriage. The gifts took the form of a set of fish knives and forks, and two eatret dishes. About 200 children took part in a very successful fancy dress ball held at the Town Hall, Stratford, on Friday last. The *en of the 14th Reinforcements, who go into cam]) to-day. were present and were addressed by the Mayor, Mr. \V. P. Kirkwood and Mr. C. D. Sole. Captain J. B. Hine was also present. In reply to a request by Mr. H. J. Okey, M.P., the Minister of .Railways has consented te allow the incoming morning train and outgoing evening train on Thursday nert (Patriotic Gala Day) to stop at the East End platferm for the convenience of visitors, but the Minister cannot reeemmend excursion fareß. Petty thefts (semewhat numerous of late), by the "small boy" seem to have reached the limit. A box for collections for postage for soldiers' papers, containing about eight shillings was taken from Mrs. Waugh's confectionery counter on Thursday evening or Friday .»erning. _ The Taranaki quota for the 14th Reinfercements, consisting of 148 men, will proceed to Trentham this morning. The men wi)l join the mail train at their stations along the line. The troops leaving New Plymeuth will be farewelled at the railway station at 0.45 a.m. , A "gift service" was held in St. Mary's I Church yesterday afternoon in connection with the Melanesian Mission by the Sunday School children. There was a very lai'ge congregation. The service was a most impressive one. The number of gifts was considerable and these are to be despatched, with anything else that may be offered, by the mission steamer Southern Cross which sails frem Auckland at the end of next month. Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (second group) are notified that subscriptions will be due and payable to-day (Monday, March 6), at the> Secretary's Office, Currie Street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. te 5 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.