LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. E. Lloyd's apiary on the Manaia road was broken into last week and most of his colonies were damaged, all his winter honey being stolen, The thieves also burned a number ot the hives. Mr. Lloyd estimates the damage at £2s.—Star.

As the import of pulp and paper is to lie limited, it will be necessary for all papers to come down iti size and economise space (says the London Daily Chronicle). The percentage by which the importation of pulp and paper will •be reduced has not yet been determined. The maximum mentioned is CO per cent., the percentage suggested by the paper trade is 25 per cent. It may be taken for granted that the reduction in the size of all newspapers will be approximately pro rata with the reduction of supplies. A factor which will add to newspaper economy is the limitation or abolition of returns, which now involve a waste of material as well as of labor. "A Soldier Girl" writes as follows to a Sydney paper: "When you write to the men at the front always enclose a piece of paper and envelope. A surprising number do not. They say, 'Oh, we gave him a lot when be left, and he would not half have, finished it yet." But the_ men generally leave it behind oi lose it in the bustle, and if they do bring it, how many other ehaps arc there who ask them for a bit'! I have' been thanked often for puttir" it in, and know how welcome it is. I'm sure why the i eople don't get letters half the time is because the men have nothing to write on."

It is announced, on the authority of Alberto Santos Dumont, the celebrated aviator, that an American lirm has under construction the greatest aeroplane ever yet conceived. The new machine is to be a triplane, specially armoured for use in warfare, and fitted with 1000 horse-power engines. It is calculated that this new aerial monster will be able to carry a crew of thirty persons and trav.'l at the rate of about 200 miles an hour. The planes are to be 133 ft from tip to tip, and the length of the machine is to be 09ft. The total weight of the hull and planes will be SOOOIb, and besides crew and oil It will have a carrying capacity for' bombs weighing SOOOIb. For armament it is to carry two or three 3-inch guns. According to a Canadian nurse, who writes from experience (the Nursing Mirror says), she did not find f.cmnos an ideal spot for a hospital, especially ?.i that hospital was In tents, which blew over in a tropical storm. Water was difficult to get, conditions in the autumn especially were not sanitary, and all stores had to come by ship, as nothing could be obtained on the island except figs and tomatoes. The nurses were obliged to wash their own linen; every drop of water for drinking had to be boiled, with very inadequate conveniences; the only light at night was a candle; and at meal times the flies covered everything, so that eating was a misery, to be got over as soon as possible. But she has nothing but praise alike for the gratitude and the bravery of the Australian, New Zealand, and British soldier when under her charge.

Wool next to the skin in winter means health, warmth and comfort. Morey's are displaying a perfect stock of woolien underwear, and the firm announce it elsewhere in these columns. Turn to it. When buying your Easter suit at the Melbourne don't forget to have a look at the new raincoats and warm tweed overcoats. ¥our outfit won't be complete without one. Raincats, 35/- and 4!)/G; warm topcoats, 35/-, 45/-, 49/0 to 70/0.

The weight-guessing competition on Soldiers' Day at Stratford on Easter Monday, promises to be a competition full of-interest 011 account of the mammoth propositions of the bullock secnr'ed for the competition. The bullock in question is a Holstein, in color all black, with the exception of a few white small patches. The animal stands over seventeen hands in height and is of such unusually large proportions that it is intended to exhibit the beast in a tent and make a charge of one shilling to view it. All who pay for admission to the tent will be entitled to a guess at its weight, and thus have a chance of securing the handsome prize offered to the ticket-holder guessing the correct deftd weight.

A leading business house of j£ltham has dismissed every single eligible man in its employ. Other Taianaki business men are doing the same. This kind of "moral suasion," if generally practised, may indefinitely postpone the bringing in of compulsion. The usual weekly meeting of the Egmont Lodge, No. 112, was held last evening. Competitions were held and were won by Bro. Maunder and Bro. Bransgrove. It was decided not to hold a meeting next Monday night (Easter Monday). The expressmen in New Plymouth recently waited on the Borough Council and asked that the stand now situated in Currie Street should be changed to Currie Lane. The matter was discussed at the meeting of the Works Committee of the Borough Council last night, when it was decided not to take any action.

A correspondent writes:—ln 1885, Guy Fawkes (by Bedouin), started first favorite for the Auckland Steeplechase, and in the following year his halfbrother Silvio, (by Izaak Walton), started first favorite. Guy Fawkes fell in his race, but Silvio won, ,Can you ;tell me who bred these two 'chasers ? [The question has been referred to our Bporting editor.—Ed,] It is reported that one of the Taranaki recruitiiig officers met with a warm reception at the hands of a family containing several eligible sons the other day. They turned on him and abused him up hill and down dale, and clearly 1 showed that they had no sympathy with the cause of the Allies. It this'is the case, would it not fee well for the Recruiting Committee to call upon the Government to place these disloyalists on Somes Island? We seem to be altogether too kid-gloved in the manner of our handling of open enemy subjects. A novsl guessing competition will be run in connection with Soldiers' Day, at Stratford. The purchaser of a shilling ticket in this competition will be entitled to a guess at the number of the crowd attending the Carnival, on the Show grounds. The correct number will be tho official tally at the gates. GivA a fine day the winning number should be a high one. The Carnival Committee are confident of putting up a record and when the big crowd that annually attend the Stratford A. and P. Show i& considered, the main set is, to use an Americanism ''some main."

At the meeting of householders at Fitzroy hist night, it was unanimously resolved: That this meeting strongly protests against .the closing of the Fitzroy post office,-and urges on the Post-master-General to have the post office re-opened immediately. A copy of the resolution is "to he sent to the member for the district with a request that he will forward same to the Postmaster General, and do all he can to further the granting of the request. . Several tributes of praise were paid to the courteous and zealous manner in which Miss Taylor had carried out her duties at the Fitzroy post office while in her charge.

A remarkable record in connection with the war has been established by the Christehurch Football Club, says the Press. The duo's membership for some years past has averaged close upon 200 a year, yet 110 fewer than 134 members and ek-members have enlisted and been accepted for service. With the club's ex-members so widely scattered, many in different parts of the world, it has been found impossible to securo a full tally and consequently only the membership lists for the past four or five years have been sennned.. Otherwise probably the total would prove to be mueli larger. Many of the members have been from the first at the front; some have returned invalided, others are in training, whilst thirteen have made the supreme sacrifice. , Three members— Lieutenants C. F. G. Humphries and R. Harper and Bombardier-Fitter I). C. IngHs—have won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the first in France, the other two at Gallipoli. A meeting of the New' Plymouth pansion and Tourist League was held last evening, there being present: Messrs. T. C. List (chairman), S. W. Shaw, A. McHardv, fS. Teed, J. Morey, J. R. Crnickshank, ,T. MeLeod, ,T. Clarke and Dr.' Leathnm. The financial report showed .hat the liabilities were £53. while, an additional liability of .£25 would be incurred before the end of the finnncail year. there was about £24 ii> hand, with ail 1 additional £3O 'in promises. It was decided to canvass the town for further funds. A discussion arose as to raising the money necessary for carrying on the work of the League in the future, and it was agreed that an effort should be made next year to enrol a large number of townsmen as members at an unfixed subscription, which would, provide a regular revenue and do away with the necessity for periodical canvassing of the town.

"During vhe past three months or so we have had something like fifty enquiries to attend to weekly," reported the secretary (Mr. W. A. Coliis) of the Tourist And Expansion League last evening. Enquiries were made by letter, telephone, and personal call. Accommodation was sought and the office iiukinoured to arrange for it. although at timi's. this was very difficult, increased H'ttomraodation being one of the greatest needs of the town. Then trips to tlie mountain, the Mokau, and other, places of interest had tc be arranged for. Large numbers of the League's booklet?, were applied for and sent all c.\ : - v the Dominion, and further afield. 'I he number of visitors to the town was unite as large as that of previous years, but there 'were fewer visitors fr.nn oversea#. Members testified to the usefulness of the ofiice, which was an indispensable adjunct to the town, and the unanimous opinion was expressed that whatever else happened, the town must continue to keep the central ofiice going for the convenience of visitors.

A newspaper proprietor wag soliciting an advertisement from a shopkeeper, but vas met somewhat rudely, and with an argument which ran somewhat like this: "Oh, what is the use of advertising in your newspaper! No one ever reads it." Time passed along when one day Hie aforesaid shopkeeper entered tho office 01 the aforesaid newspaper proprietor ar.d said, "I was summoned to-day for a small sum, and I don't want my name to', appear in the court report. 1 wish you would keep my name out of your paper." "Keep your name out? Why do you wish that?" "Well, you see, it might injure my credit if it appeared." "My dear fellow, it cannot possibly do you any harm for your name to appear." "Why can't it -do me any harm?" "Why, this is how it in. When I called upon you for an advertisement for my paper you refused, and assured me that nobody reads the paper. I accept your assurance, and as nobody reads my newspaper the publication of your name cannot possibly do you any harm—so it is going in." Never mind where this happened. It might have been in J2l- - it might have been in Hawera, or som'ewliere else—but tho story has the merit of being true.—Argus.

The Girls' High School , will close for the term term holidays ©n Rfay 4, and re-open on May 20. The Boys' School will dose on May Utli and resume on May 29.

Good progress is being made with the erection of the GirU' High School clawrooms, and it is expected that these will be ready for occupation by the end of June.

At a meeting of the Works Committee of the Borough Counoil last night the . borough engineer reported that he had inspected the tunnel at the heaij works and had found everything very satisfactory. A petition was received froin residents of Bulteel Street asking for repairs to be carried out to the street The engineer reported that this street was included in those upon whieh ho would shortly be reporting. After the drought that prevailed for the past six or eight weekß the raias of the past few days have been responsible for a wonderful growth of mushrooms in the district, and this delicious edible fungi has been much sought after. In some places fields may said, literally, to be white with them, and anyone w half-an-hour can get a large basketul. Mr. Wells, of Mangorel, brought usrin three "huge specimens last night. The largest measured 11 inches in diameter (or practically, a yard in circumference), and the others went OJ and 8J inches in diameter.

Private Prank Shirley,_ of New Ply. i mouth, who returned last .week, with * shattered aTm and shoulder, sustained the day after the landing af Anzac, cannot speak too highly of the kindness shown by the people of England to the wounded New Zealanders. "They couldnot do enough for us," he> says, "wo wanted for nothing. They had a soft spot in their hearts for ua New Zealanders. Our badge was a sufficient passport anywhere." Whilst at tho Walton-on-Thamcs Hospital, his Majesty King George and the Queen visited him, and chatted with him for quite a long time. Both were very kind. Private Shirley's wounds are still troublesome and necessitate further treatment at the local hospital. Notwithstanding his long touch-and-go illness he is very chirpy and hopeful of an early recovery, a hope that will be shared by'the whole community. < 4 Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, the war correspondent, said in a recent interview:— "There is a great work and 'a splendid chance for the new Australian and New Zealand formations, to carry through, • We have not given up Constantinople, we have merely abandoned the old and false route, and are waiting the turn of the tide to start on the new. The Dardanelles is not the only road to Dygantium. The Balkan States arc not our real enemies. Wo have to defeat the Central Powers. If you defeat tho Turk and the Bulgarian you- do little towards smashing up Germany and Austria. But if you smash up Germany you can dictate your own term» to the Balkans. We hold a gateway to (h« Balkans on our occupation of Salonika The time will come when this will prove of inestimable advantage to u*. Wo can push in and turn the Gallipoli puninsula, via Thraco. when we have driven back the Germans tn their own frontier. Wc have left the graves of our heroes in safe and honorable hands, hut only temporarily. Before this war is at an end I am certain we shall hold that h«b lowed ground."

The Kast End fete nn. Kfiiter Monday should be one of the niont siiceem. fnl ever held at this popular : nnliilav resort, and a'glance at'the fcAtuviM tint are announced for the dav should sntlsfv patrons that there will, he merrymaking more (han enough for youncr and old. The committee wish Veturnefl soldiers to understand that thev will be admitted free to the ground< during the day, and also to the danca > evening.