LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An Ottawa cable says that rain quenched the bush (ires, after 10ft square miles had been burned. Twelve truck loads of American mo-tor-cars ex Florence Luckcnbach, have been consigned to" the Taranaki district.

A local resident the other day received a letter from the Old Country addressed: ''Taranaki, New Plymouth, Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand." A public meeting will be held in Robe Street, in front of the Courthouse, on Friday afternoon, at 2.30 o'clock, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the outbreak of war. The Mayor requests business people to close their premises from 2 till " on that day.

It is anticipated that the "San Toy" conuii'ttee at Gisborne will be in a position to hand over to the Patriotic Society between £SOO and £OOO as a result of the production of that opera there last week. Mrs. J. Birch-Johnston, Gisborne files report, scored another overwhelming success in her delineation of the •vinsome -San Toy.

The decomposed bodv of a man was discovered on Sunday in the scrub about two miles from Avondale. The discovery was made by a shooting party, and was reported to the Avondale police, who advance the theory that the remains will probably prove to be those of Thos. Webb, nursery gardener, of Rosebank Road, Avondale, wdio disappeared about June, 1014. The suggestion of the Mayoress (Mrs. C. H. Burgess) that Saturday next be recognised in New Plymouth as "Flower Day" is. being enthusiastically taken up. Flowers will be sold in the streets, and the proceeds will be devoted to a fund on behall of Belgian children. Tie object is a most deserving one, and a liberal response will no doubt be made to the appeal. Mrs. Burgess asks all town and country people to contribute llowers, niyl to leave them at the depot on Friday afternoon. Ladies willing to assist in the movement arc also asked to call at the depot on Friday in order to facilitate the arrangements. A reminder is also given that a big jumble sale is to 'be held next week, and gifts of every description will be sratofuilv reserved.

Tho Chi,.; Postmaster advises tliat mails which left New Zealand on Juno 'i'i arrived i'n London on -Inly 31.

A Christcliurch message says that telephonic messages from the country districts report a fairly heavy fall of snow. In some parls siv inches were i"corded.

Messrs. Wilson and (jre\ notify that liV a codicil to her will the late Mrs. Ann llulke left £SO to be expended by the I'orongl l Council on the improvement of the Ksplainido between ihe town of New Plymouth and Moturoa.

Passengers by Mr. Smith's motor 'bus from inglcwoud to New l'lymoutii, ex- ] erienced a very rough passage, having (neoiii'.tered n very heavy snowstorm. The car was heavily encrusted with .-.,iow, whilst the strong southerly gale made the journey a memorable one. .Several motor-ear parties are held up at Inglewood, waiting for a break in the boistcrious elements.

On Thursday last the North Tarauaki Hunt were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. I. Connett of Bell Mock, and notwithstanding the boisterous weather a goodly following of enthusiasts turned up, but owing to the cold wind blowing hares were hard to find, and, eimseipieutly, hunting was slow. The master (Mr. A. ]1 Ilalcombe), rather than disappoint those who wished to qualify their horses, marked out a course, and some excellent jumping was witnessed. To-day the hounds will meet at .Mr. Sampson's, Sentry Hill, where huntsmen and spectators are sure of a hearty welcome. Mr. Sampson lias secured all the adjoining property to hunt over, ami it only remains for the weathei to clear for an excellent day's sport.

Thp appeal for hooks, magazine.?, etc., on behalf of the Airaic Club and for the hoys at the front, ha" met with an excellent response,'hut some diilieulty is being experienced iii collecting the gifts. Therefore the Uoy Scouts organisation has undertaken to collect all the boohs promised, and on .Saturday next the .Scouts will make a house-to-house collection. The committee will be grateful if residents who have books—especially those of '''pocket edition'' popular novels, for which they have no further use. will sort them out and have, them ready for the hoys when the latter make 'their rounds on Saturday. In addition to thus providing reading material for the clubrooms, the committee intends forwarding several eases of books to the lads now at the front. Thursday night's division in the Home cm the, ([lies',ion of nine o'clock closing was participated in by 71, out of a .House of SO members. Those who did nut participate in the division were the Speaker ami the Chairman of Committies Mr .1. P.. Iline. (Stratford), who is in ramp, the late Mr. .1. 11. Kseott (Pahiaina). who was king at death's door, Sir ,1. Carrol! (Cinborne!. MeWs C. .). Parr (Kdou) and K. P. Lee (Oamnral. win, are in l',iv;land, ;tnd Messrs T. K. V. Scddon (Wesilaml), ami \Y. 1). Stewart (Dunedin "West), who are on active service. The vote is one of the fullest recorded since the no-conlidence deletes of lill'2. There were no pairs, Ihe only absentee who possibly could have been in his place was Mr. Iline. It is stated that had he been present he would have voted for nine o'clock closing. In such case a tie would have resulted, and the Chairman of Commit tees would have had to exercise his casting vo;e. A? Mr. Malcolm is a prominent temperance advocate, the position would have been an c::ccciliii"ly intcreiting one.

The Swiss military critic, Colonel Feylo", recently estimated the German losses for the first six months of l'Jlfl as 1,000,01)0; the Hungarians themselves placed Aii'tvu-llmgarian losses during the Russian advance at 500,0(!0; on every front these appalling losses continue. Kvcry eii'ort is made by the German War Cilice to eoncal the fail extent of its losses and to keep up a pretence of illimitable reserves, but German losses to date cannot be less than f>.000,000, while Austro-llung;aian losses avc much over .",,000,000 npor. the most conservative estimate. Tims we have a reduction of enemy strength by over S.!>00,000 men, the casualties, it must be remembered, being ehieliy suffered by men ot the best military age;. Js it astonishing that the new no:i-annexation-ist policy finds increasing support in Germany', w'here it, is becoming impossible to conceal the fact that superior military strength lias passed, to the Allies?'

Owing to the bad weather last night the Fgmont Pictures did not show at Hahotu. They will lie shown on Saturday night instead. The programme will be submitted at Okato to-morrow (Friday) night. Particulars of the programme appear in our advertising columns.

lhiyei's of towels will please note that the Melbourne's sale positively ends on Saturday. The sale presents absolutely the last opportunity of securing extra large white towels at Is lid pair, and heavy striped towels at 2s Cd pair.

In the fine production of the London Film Company, "Mr. Lyndon at Liberty," the many thrilling scenes in the play are interspersed' with touches of the lighter side of life, which makes for an artistic blend of thrills and laughter. Those who have not embraced the opportunity of seeing this swiftly moving play should make up their mind to visit the Empire at the last screening to-night.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., wish to draw the attention of the public to the clearing sale tlicy are holding on account of F. .1. Curry. Esq., Manaia Road, Rowan, on Friday,' August 4th. Mr. Curry has decided to give up dairying and is selling the whole of his herd. The cows are mostly Jersey and with the exception of about six, are all third culvers. Their condition is good, and buyers still looking for cows, will do well to attend this sale. Cars will leave the Com--1 iiny's oflico up to 10 a.m. of morning of sale and seats can now he booked. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns on page S of this issue. The hostesses for Friday's afternoon tea in Kahotu Hall are the Misses Morrow, Mesdames T. Hughson, jr., W. L. Corlcin, and R. Newport. HER FIRST PIE. They bad not been married long, and it was her first pie. He helped himself to a second piece, and smiled sweetly into her anxious face. His health was precious to her, but such heroism stirred her very soul. AH doubts of his love vanished for ever. She did not know that deep in bis pocket nestled a little fin of Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tubules, which digest what you eat, and so the peace of one happy home remained unbroken. Pie has no terror when Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tabules are at hand. | Price, Is Cd and 2s 6d per tin. ObtainI able every where*