LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is 45 years to-day since the telegraph office at Opunake was first opened. The Chief Postmaster advises that the mails which left New Zealand, on April 13th arrived in London on June 4.

According to private advices received : n Wellington there has been another land slide in the Panama Canal. It is stated that there is keen inquiry 111 the Waikato for Taranaki dairy heifers, and a buyer from that district is at present in Taranaki. The total amount realised by the collections last Saturday for Pukekura Park was £I6G 18s 9d. In addition, there may be one or two small amounts yet to come in.

At a special meeting of the Taranaki County Council yesterday, the special order dissolving the Moa Road Board was passed, and will be confirmed at next meeting. piece of ambergris estimated to be worth £50,000, is floating somewhere on the Pacific Ocean, near the Queensland coast (siys an exchange). Plain-Clothes Constable Fitzgibbons and Constable Wroblenski arrested a man at Spotswood last night on a charge of stealing fowls to the value of £5 or £6. Accused will be brought before the Court this morning. The Telegraph Office advises that on and after Saturday, June 10, the following which remnin open on Saturdays until 0 pm, will in future close at 8 p.m.:—Ashburton, Blenheim, Dannevirke, Feilding, Hamilton, Hawera,, Marton, lieefton, liotoruti. and Thames. Mr. Pearce announced in tUp Federal House that the Commonweaith'nnd New Zealand Governments have offered to pay half the costs of an expedition to relieve Shackleton's party, on a population basis. This means that Australia will pay four-fifths of the contribution. At Auckland on Monday, Mr, Justice Cooper upheld a decision by Mr. Kettle, S.M., that the Takapuna Tramway Company was liable for £2OO rates on its street tramway tracks, the rateable value of which the local body assesses at .020,000. It is understood the case will be carried to the Appeal Court.

The Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, at the Napier! Supreme Court yesterday congratulated' the district that there were no serious offences. It was gratifying to find in such troublesome times that crime had not increased in New Zealand. ' In some districts it had almost disappeared.—Press Association. The sthenic arrived at Wellington yesterday bringing 04 returned soldiers and three officers—Major Waite, D.5.0., Lieutenants Cotton and Lee. The majority »f the men belonged to the main body and had been hospital cases in England. They had greatly benefited by the voyage. Several are cases of permanent disablement. The men were accorded a civic reception in the afternoon.— Press Association. Thorp was a fair attendance on Monday night in the Te Koti Hal!, when Mr. W, D. Ayson, under the auspices of the local branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, gtv« an address on the aims and objects of the New Zealand Farmers' Fertiliser Co., Ltd. The president of the branch was in the chair. Mr. Ayson's address was listened to most attentively. and a good deal of valuable information was elicited as to the manufacture and use of fertilisers and the dircet benefit that the shareholders would derive. At the close Mr. Ayson was a'corded a hearty vote of thanks. Last night a large gathering of friends assembled at the Solvation Army Hall to bid farewell to Adjutant anil Mrs. Home, who have been stationed in New Plymouth during the past eighteen months. A musical programme was carried out and short addresses were given, one and all expressing the hope that Adjutant and Mrs. Home would have a very useful and successful term in Palmerston North. Both the departing officers thanked eieryone for all the kindness shown to them during their very pleasant term in New Plymouth. 'At the close the ladies provided an abundance of refreshments. Adjutant and Mrs. Home leave by the express to-morrow morning, with the good wishes of a large circle of friends.

A Christchurch telegram says that the engineering establishments of the city have agreed to pay their employees a war bonus of three shillings a week. Tiiis decision has been reached as the result of a conference between representatives of the Ironmasters' Association and the Engineers Union. Over ftOO men are affected by the agreement, and they include fitters, turners, brass finishers, metal workers' assistants, inoulders, coach workers, machinists, and furnacemen. The new agreement will take effect as from June 1, continuing until November 30, when it will come U]* for revision. The bonus will bo paid to all employers of 21 years of age and over, Mit apprentices are not included in the arrangement.—Press Association. At the recent meeting of the Patea rlarbor Board a letter was read from Mr. \V P. Heskett, manager of the Iron Ore Smelting and Manufacturing Co., Ltd.. stating that it had been finally decided that the first instalment of the work's would be erected, at Moturoa. The company was discussing another instalment of works at Patea, but, so far, it had not been able to make satisfactory arrangenieAis for the supply of coal required owing to the shipping being chary of entering into contracts for the delivery of same. It was possible, however, that in the immediate future satisfactory arrangements may be made. To-night, Mr. Wragge will lecture on "The Majesty of Creation, and the Bomance of the Earth." He will explain how tropical vegetation once existed at the Poles, and will deal with the rockcarvings of the Pacific and the Easter Isl:>wl .Statues, and show how the Maori got the spiral. This lecture, magnificently pictured, will conclude with the =olar system, and the legend of the man who begged God to let him see the universe.

The Molbournc Ltd.'s displny of men's overcoats oifeis a fine selection at prices that can be truthfully described as "economical" because they compare more than favorably, value for value, with anything offered m'utnor stores. It is by such comparative tests that the Melbourne maintains its parainountey.

We draw attention to the Holstein sale advertised in this issue on account of Mr. William Cole, Jnr., of Waitnra. As Mr. Cole is going out of dairying he has instructed Mr. Newton King to sell the whole of his 'pedigree and grade cattle without reserve. A special note should be made of the fact that the whole of the pedigree heifers to be offered have been carefully kept so that, buyers could mate tliem with any particulars strain they desire. Catalogues can be obtained from Mr. Newton King. 'Progranda is a certain and permanent cure for both hard and soft corns. Try it Barraelough's Magic Nervine fj\res Tootlmchft,

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr. A. Crooke, S.Jf. presiding, the tollowing civil business was dealt with: Judgment was given for plantiff by default in the following undefended cases: —Hallcnstein Bros. (-Mr. Hntchen) v. A. E. Abbott, claim £1 lis (id (costs ss); 8. Ridgley (Mr. 11. R. Billing) v. R. Beckett, £~> (£1 fid); A. B. Waldic (Mr. A. H. Standish) v. Rangi Watson £1 (£1); Webster Bros. (Mr. A. It. Staniiisli) v. L. Babington 19s lOd (lis); Taranaki Oil Lands Acquisition and Development Co.. Ltd. (Mr. A. L. Lawrv) v. A. T. 0. tSymons £l-17 5s fid ( £■« 'l4s Gd); J. Mjinsor (Mr. A. H. Johnstone) v. Tim Murphy £5 13s !ld (£1 fla fid); and J. B. Ray (Mr. Bennett) v. Annie R. Matthews £ls 14s 4d (£1 16s (Id). A Woodville telegram says that at a meeting of the directors of five local cheese factories yesterday nfternoon. culled to consider the possibility of the Government commandeering next senson's output, resolutions were passed unanimously that: "We representative dairy companies of Woodville district demand the right to be consulted in the commandeering of produce for the coming season, each company to have the right of being represented individually or by proxy at any meeting for the disposal of such produce." Also, "That in the event of cheese being commandeered the delegates insist that it be paid for within fourteen days of reaching the grading store." "A railway line which must be built, and where all our difficulties are going to occur, is between Paekakiriki and Wellington," said Mr. R. W. McVilly, giving evidence before the Railway Deviation Commission,

A 'Palmerston hdy was stuck the other day a (lye. (Dyes could lie obtained in any quantity from Germany before the war). On the advice of a "hello" girl she tore the sides off ft telephone dtfectory and poured hot water on them. She set her best silk blouse afloat on the liquid with all her hopes, and the fabric when dried presented a beautiful salmon pink. Directories are not issued often enough to make telephone blouses the fashion. L'u'iff i' •• mt l ti-iiee nf liquor in a Xapier l>- .... r evening a soldier- .. ;iu 'vippeiied to be

a bugler. :inl ln><! !> . l iniment with him—sounded "the I.' u>.l. - ' The sound of the bugle had the desired effect. A policeman appeared, and after a few words retreated out of the bar in company with the bugler. The latter was only "detained" for about half-an-hour, which afforded the constable sufficient time to impress on him that "there is a time and place for everything." We must encourage our sports more than ever, particularly those of an aggressive nature which tend to develop fighters. These remarks come to mind (says a London correspondent) when thinking- of a few valiant sportsmen who have lately distinguished themselves or laid down theii lives. Alniost everyone ha? heard of the athletic and Rugby ability of the three brothers Mclcar, of Bedford. It is sad to reflect that the widowed mother of such great sons has to mourn their loss on the battlefield. Lieutenant-colonel Percy Mclear was killed in the Cameroon*, Captain Basil Mclear (the famous threequarter) made the great sacrifice a little later, and now comes news that Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Mclear, D.5.0., has been killed. After four months' treatment in ail American sanatorium, Sapper Frank Leyland, son of Mr. W. B. Lcaland, of the firm of Levland-O'Brien, timber merchants, returned to Auckland by the mail steamer Niagara last week. When Supper Leyland arrived at the sanatorium he was unable to speak a word, a result of nerve shock caused by a mine explosion, and the hardship he suffered,at Ciallipoli. He is now so much better that he is able to speak slowly but quite clearly, and under the treatment, which is to be continued at home, he will probably be quite all right before very long. Sapper Leyland was one of the New Zealand Engineers who landed at Anzac Cove on April 25 last year.

"I spent a part of my life in the East End of London, and from the facts which came under my observation there ii seemed impossible that some infants could live at all,'' said the Bishop of Auckland, Dr. W. Averill, at the annual meeting of the Roval Xew Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children in' Auckland. He went on to aav that he bad seen mothers feeding l>abics on just wl.at they themselves ate. The marvel was that the infants did not die. Mr. A. J. Entrican. De-puty-Mayor, declared that lie had hoard of a case of a London mother feeding her baby on tinned rabbit. When she was remonstrated with she rejoined, "What can I give him? He will not eat pork." It is that there is now no probability of salvaging the .€12.00(1 worth of wool which went down with the Richardson steamer Squall off East Cape a few months ago. A salvage party left Auckland some time ago. but after a month's search was unable to locate the wreck, and the expedition abandoned further quest. Since then the lighthouse keepers at East Cape located the wreck last week, having discovered the mast of the -Squall protruding several feet out of the water one mile to the northward of Kast Island. Richardson and Co., of Napier, despatched their coastal steamer Rum to the spot, and a diver wont down to make an examination. He found the hull of the Squall battered beyond recognition, and he gives it as his opinion, after a careful survey, that it is improbable that any of the 500 bales oE wool is left in the vessel. W. H. and A. McGarry of Eltham, advertise a complete dairy farm of 100 acres in exchange for town property. The importance of good table linen cannot be overlooked. Messrs. Morey and Son evidently appreciate that fact to the fullest extent judging by their advertisement for table daniask which appears in this issue. Turn to it. Sports who are indulging in any of the outdoor games this season—football, hockey or golf—should visit F. J. Boase and Co.'s and select their sporting needs, lioase and Co. advertise complete stocks from the best London makers, and the prices asked. in eacl;. instance are indicative of supreme value. Pay your visit early.

GREAT BOOT VALUES AT THE MELBOURNE, LTD. The Melbourne, Ltd., notify the arrival of fresh shipments of their famous men's welted boots, now 21s per pair. These boots are fully up to their usual high standard, and at the priee of one guinea' compare favorably with boots sold elsewhere up to 355, Materials used are finest box calf, willow calf and glace kid, and the boots are warranted all leather throughout. Special displays of these famous guinea boots are now being made at the firm's New Plymouth, Inglewood and Stratford blanches. Orders taken other, brauelws.

Canada has just appropriated a sum of £20,000,000 for the prosecution of the war. • This sum was voted by Parliament the other day without ,* murmur of dissent (says the Ottawa correspondent of the Otogo Daily Times). Special war taxes brought the public revenue up to £30,000,000 during the year ended March 31, and lor the year now current the tax of "25 per cent, on all business profits over 7 per cent, will "be operative. It will, in fact, be retrospective, and take in the past calendar year. It is expected that the ordinary Customs duties will be more productive than for the past two years, since imports are picking up Tapldlr. All this is necessary in view of the fact that interest on the public debt lms already risen from 14,000 dollars to 37,000 dollars. The cost of the war advances as enlisttnent proceeds, and the larger provision bv Parliament will not be in excess of the demands upon the Treasury during the year now under way.

The Belgians, although maintaining a correct attitude towards their oppressors, do not leave a Bingle stone unturned to make them appear ridiculous. A young woman entered a tram car, carrying on her corsage a cockade composed of the national colors or Belgium —black, yellow and red. A 'Prussian officer entered and sat opposite the yn'imj; woman. His gaze resting on the ■•d ribbon, he leaned over and told lif. that she would have to take it off. "I will do nothing of the sort, sir," was the lirm response. "Then I will take it off myself." "I defy you to do sO!" The officer, coloring, reached out and ripped off the cockade. The end of the ribbon still remained on the woman's blouse, and he tugged at it. The ribbon lengthened, but its end wai not in sight. With a gesture of annoyance, he tugged further, and another yard of ribbon appeared. Purple with rage, t.he officer went on yanking, and yard after yard of ribbon unrolled, while a chorus of laughter rose from (the otjier passengers. Finally, with a muttered envse, he dropped tiie ribbon and rushed put of the car.

To-night pictures will only be shown at the Empire Picture Palace owing to the Theatre Royal being otherwise engaged. • t

The New Zealand Society of Accountants has inaugurated a scheme to provide free clerical training for partially disabled returned soldiers. The scope of liie training will include the Bookkeepers' Examination of the Society and a general knowledge of office routine and systems. Instructors lmve been appointed in the four centres, and arrangements have been made for tuition by correspondence to those outside the centres. Forms of application and all information may be obtained from the local secretary, W. M. Falconer, Newton King's Buildings.