LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mails which left New Zealand on the Stii August arrived in London on Sept. 9th.

A Press Association message states that Alfred Gregory, draper, of Dargaville, was fined £5 at the Dargaville 'S.M. Court for refusing to place a placard containing a Military Service Act notice in his shop window. ' It was hoped in Auckland that a portion of the Seventeenth Reinforcements would be sent there for their final parade before embarking, but General Sir Alfred Robin has now notified the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) that it is impossible now for this to be done.

The Hawera Tradesmen's Association have resolved that from the first Wednesday in October the half-holiday shall he from mid-day. Previously the 'hour of closing was 1 o'clock. .Some shopkeepers thought trade would be affected by the early closing, but the fact that it was the hour accepted by New Plymouth and Wanganni carried the day. At the meeting of the S.P.C.A. committee on Tuesday, Mrs. A. Robertson announced that she was about to take up her residence in Hawera, and therefore she would not be able to attend any more meetings. A resolution expressing the committee's thanks for Mrs. Robertson's valuable services, and also regret at her departure, was unanimously carried. Legal expenses of New Zealand's boroughs during the financial year 191415 ranged from nil (in many cases) to £670 (Auckland city's cost). Napier was second to highest with £48.1; Wanganui a good third with £383; and Dunedin was fourth with £3OB. New Plymouth Council was modest and only spent £7. Several boroughs spent £1 each in the twelve months. The total given in the Municipal Handbook is £0303.

. On Wednesday evening the Manaia Town Hall was crowded with residents, the occasion being a farewell euchre party and dance to recruits. The departing soldiers, Messrs, C. Campbell, ,T. Shaw, W. Bairstow, T. Reillj, E. Bourke and R. Jones each received a sovereign belt, presented by Mrs. A. H. Christie. The euchre prizes were won by (ladies'), Mrs. J. Christie, (men's), Mr. A. Saba. The dance that followed was very enjoyable, Messrs. J. Daley and C. Davis were M.'sC. Several patriotic speeches were delivered during the evening by Messrs A. 0. Bennett, T. McPhillips (Waimate County Council), and J. Meldon (Town Bofcrd)v~ Star. - ~

At the monthly meeting, on Tuesday, of the local branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Mrs. A. Robertson occupied the chair, and Messrs. Sandford, Paton. and Pi. C. Hughes were present. Captain Waller wrote in appreciative terms of the various letters that had appeared in the press protesting against the Stratford pigeon shooting match, and a sympathetic letter on the same subject was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs. A ease of alleged cruelty to a horse was reported and dealt with. The Minister of the Agricultural Department's Live Stock Division wrote 'regretting that lie could not consent to the Department's veterinary surgeons tendering evidence in Court, tut such officers would willingly give the Society any advice they could in cases that may arise. It was decided to pay the actual travelling expenses of the Society's inspector, and that the annual meeting should be held on September 25.

The Dunedin Star Mates that the big rally on Friday in connection with tlie bottle-gathering scheme by school children was tremendously successful. Those controlling affairs at the depots werft quite unable on Saturday to tell the exact number gathered; they were simply inundated with bottles, 'bottles, bottles. The children entered into the tiling with great enthusiasm, and in the middle of the afternoon S.O.S. signals were sent out by several schools for lorries to clear away the accumulated bottles. Kaikorai, to name one, had at 4 o'clock 7000 waiting to be moved, wJiile Christian Brothers' tally was some 5000. Port Chalmers School announced that their contribution to the scheme is 17,000 bottles. At the depot is a collection of curios really worth viewing. Prominent amongst it is a huge green bottle with a holding capacity of twelve gallons, and this is surmounted by a thin little phial, with a pin-head stopper, that would \iot hold nearly so many drops. Another most interesting exhibit is a large gla»s retort ami a receiver. These have a history, for they were imported in the early days by a syndicate for the purpose of testing tie ground at Harbor Cone, whieli was considered to be gold-bearing.

. A BARGAIN HARVEST. REGULAR PRICES SMASHED.

THE MELBOURNE, LTD.

The last week of the Melbourne, Ltd.'s great reduction sale offers unlimited scope to the thrifty and others who should take full advantage of the savings which in a measure will go largely towards counter-acting the terribly high cost of living. The following reduced prices will not be available after the sale ends. Bouquet toilet soap 9d box of three tablets; mens' odd tweed vests, 3s lid; men's red spot handkerchiefs, 3 for Is; mens' mercerised bordered handkerchiefs, 3 for Is; Horrockses' pillow cases, Is 3d pair; stout white calico, 3(1 inches, Os lid dez.) ladies' navy costume skirts, 4s lid; three-quarter marcella quilts, 8s Od, full double-bed'size 12s fld; 72-in. unbleached sheeting, Is Cd; 72-in. Finlays' fine twill sheeting, 2s 3d yd; large whits towels, Is lid pair; heavy striped toweU, 2? 3d pair,

The storm on Wednesday, states the Star, appears to have, been specially severe towards tlie mountain. On the Finnerty Road, near J,owgarth, it is reported that a house occupied by Mr. A! Burke was unroofed and the verandah was blown clean away. The following men will leave Eltham on Monday, IHUi inst, to join the 21st Reinforcements: Infantry: 11. H. Espiner, Rowan, Eltham; S. Jenkins, care J. Coupe, Te Kiri, Eltham; C. Barker, Awatuna Dairy Factory, Eltham. Mounted Rifles: P. R. Brown, Manga luingi, Eltham.

Members of the A. and P. Society attended well at the working bees that were held on Wednesday and Thursday at the new Showgrounds at Waiwakaiho, and a great deal of useful work was accomplished. There is still, how ever, much remaining to be done, and the willing energy of members in this direction of gratuitous work at the grounds should be forthcoming. For the biennial 'election of the Opunake Town Board, there are eight candidates for the five seats, viz., Messrs. W. C. Dudley, 0. A. Mullon, C. A. Trotter (members of the present Board), W. Blythe, J. P. Burton, J. 1 Greenhii], E. I, Thorpe, and T. J. Mililenliall. D. Ross and C. Sorrenson are not seeking re-election.

The public patriotic meeting which is advertised in this issue to take place at Frankley Road School to-night is to see if tlie district is willing to hold some function in aid of local patriotic purposes. There is no doubt they will all be glad to do something, but the chief business will be to decide what fund this function will be devoted to, therefore it is necessary that everyone in the district .should attend. One of the direct benefits of the new licensing regulations (says the Auckland Herald) will be the disappearance from the precincts of licensed premises of the

"sponger," many of which chiefly subsist on beer purchased for them and on coun-ter-lunches. Publicans themselves state that they will be glad to find that the new regulations have banished this class of individual.

In connection with the boxes that have been placed around the town for the reception of packets of cigarettes as Christmas gifts to our men at the front it has been suggested that the public when making a contribution, should enclose in each packet a suitable message, it being felt that the recipients would greatly appreciate these messages, which would enhance the value of the gifts. Owing to the uncertain state of the weather, it has been decided that the Citizens' Band recital that was to have taken place at "Overdale" (Mr. R. Cock's grounds), last Sunday, and which was postponed until the following week date, has been 'further postponed. Mr. Cock informs us that as soon as Jupiter riuvius ordains the weather to be settled fine, his grounds will be thrown open to the public, and the band will be there.

A member of the 9th Reinforcements, writing from France, says: "The New Zealand papers are very amusing with their accounts of our doings over here. We get a bit sick of the soft soap they plaster us with. As a matter of fact the type of Tommy over here is every bit as good as we are, and most of the chaps consider he is better, as he takes less breaking in than we do. This 30ft trench game .that the papers talk of is also absurd, as we can't dig deepei than about 4ft on account of the water ind our friend over the way is just as badly off, so we both build up. These trenches here don't compare with those at Gallipoli for safety. Way down south the country is not so fiat and Ivet, and things there are different. During last season, the members of the New Plymouth Surf and Life Saving Club gave demonstrations at Moturoa, the East Knd, Waitnra, Lepperton School and Warea School, and it is hoped that this season the members of the Club, which is now merged into the Royal Life Saving Society, will be able to extend their sphere of usefulness and give demonstrations at many more schools and at other places. The officials of the Society will be very grateful if owners of motor oars, by conveying members to the scene of such demonstrations, will assist in this respeijt. One gentleman already offered the use of his car, but it is naturally unfair to expect that the swimmers should have a lieu upon it. The president's (Mr. D. J. Hughes) annual report to the New Plymouth Surf and Life-Saving Club was not delivered to the meeting on Wednesday night, as the members present were practically acquainted with it, and it ivas therefore taken as read. Intar alia, it stated: "Bronze medals hav; been issued to several of the young ladies attending Chetwode School. Thanks are due to the chairman and members of the Swimming Club for allowing Mr. Sehwarz to give his valuable help at all times, and this club wishes to record its thanks for the able manner in which Mr. Schwarz has officiated. The Club also desires to thank M.\ Healy for the use of his motor car to Warea, and it is hoped motor car owners will follow his example. Mersrs. Da vies and Christiansen have enlisted, and it is the sincere hope of members that they will return safely. The departure of the secretary, Mr. Ainsworth, disorganised things to a certain extent, but Mr. J. Elliot stepped into the breach and ably carried on his predecessor's duties."

The question of the name or designation of the Taranaki branch of the Royal Life Saving Society cropped up at the meeting in the Town Hall on Wednesday night. It was pointed out by one speaker that "North Taranaki" was too conservative, in that it conveyed the suggestion that North Taranaki alone was represented in the branch, and that such places as Hawera and Kltham were not. He considered that the word ''North" should be deleted. . However, as application had already been made for registration as the North Taranaki Centre it was agreed to let the designation stand in the meantime, on the understanding that it would be altered and made more embracing at the first opportunity. To eii'eet this, the motion by the president that the Wanganui and Auckland centres be asked to agree that the boundaries of each central district be those of the respective educational districts was resolved upon. ' Nine o'clock on Saturday night will see the finish of the Melbourne Ltd.'s great semi-annual reduction sale, a sale that has established new records for value-giving.' Opportunities to make real savings such as this sale affords should not be neglected.

I canna' leave the o'm iolks now, I'd better 'bide a wee, Dad's got a cold, and Mum's not well, And pipes the ither e'c. I'll gang doon to the corner store For Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, And Mum and Dtd will "greet" no more; Ajre—thejr'U be richr fo' sura.

The Xew Zealand and land Co. has declared, a final dividend of S .per cent, and a bonus of 5 per cent. A large cuttlefish was caught by the crew of the Auckland trawler Baroona while fishing oil - Cupe Colville, the eastern point of Hauraki Gulf, the other day. The iishermer had an exciting time when the cuttlefish was hauled from tlie net into the trawler, and its arms, with: theit rows of "suckers," caused not o little apprehension. It was soon killed, however. The tentacles were found to measure 10ft in length, so that with its body it 'was over 20ft across. The Auckland Herald sayp that it is one of the largest specimens of the kind oaug'b.6 near Auckland.

There is great interest in medical circles in Sydney in a case being treated at one of the city hospitals. A man named fieorge Frederick Cox, a railway employee, had the flesh burned off his 'lose under u locomotive, which passed over an ashpit in which foe was working, over a year ago. The flesh of one of his arms was also burned off. The surgeons cut a flap of flesh from the abdomen and raised it sufficiently to pass over the seared arm, which was tied' in position. After a month, flesh had grown on to the arm, and it was then cut free from the abdomen, leaving suffix cient to graft on to the nose. The .patient,' after haying the arm tied across his forehead, is now in a condition for the final operation, the flesh having grown on to the nose within a week. The doctors will commence to fashion it to sha.pe.

Disquieting figures were recently made available in America in connection with petrol supplies in the future. According to expert opinion in America there is only sufficient oil in that country to last another fifteen years at tha present rate of consumption. If this, be true, then there appears to 'be very little chance of American motor fuels being substantially reduced, even when the war is over. As there will be some three million cars on the roads in America at the end of the present year ,the home consumption is something enormous, and it looks as if the day is not very far distant when other countries will have to depend on other sources of supply for their requirements. Last year Amorica consumed nearly six times as much petrol as she exported, and this year it is anticipated that some 42,000,000 barrels of oil will be necessary to cope with Americans requirements.

Figures relating to marriages have * peculiar importance now that >\vc have to think of the human losses through war (writes a Sydney correspondent), A survey of returns issued by the Commonwealth Bureau of .Statistics shows that during 1915 there were 43,22-t marriages in Australia. The ipercentage of minors who were joined in wedlock was 11.27. Seven lads of 10 year.* were married to girl* of 18, 18 and 10 yearsThe youngest bride was only 13 years of age. She was a resident of Tasmatija. Her husband was -22. Looking at the other end of the scale, one notes that the oldest couple married were two residents of South Australia, which State lias always enjoyed a reputation for cautiousness, The man was 80 and the woman 75 years old. Other oddities are the marriage of a girl of 14 to a man 35 years old, and the union of a girl of 14 to a man of 52. Over 13,000 women were married in their 21st, 22nd and 23rd years, but among men the 24th and 23th years were most popular.

The war lias not had the effect of stemming town-planning enthusiasm in Groat Britain. During tho four years prior to 1014 the British' Government advanced £1,403,869 to municipal councils for housing purposes, and since the war an additional £0,000,000 Ims been appropriated, £2,000,000 for the building by municipal councils of homes for Government workers, and £4,000,000 for the purchase of land and the .planning of garden cities. In addition to this many municipal town-planning schemes are being pushed forward, in anticipation of the extension of towns and cities that may come with the development of industries after the war. In a review of the proposed town-planning legislation in South Australia, Mr. Oharles C. Beade, a town-planning expert, who recently visited Australasia, remarks Upon the close similarity in the conditions of town and city growth in Canada and Australia. His advice, therefore, U that in the development of ideal cities in Australia the experiences of Canada should be carefully observed.