LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wellington City quota for the 21st Kcinforcements was mobilised yestcrdav 72 short. In the Greyinouth libel case, Noel Peat v. Grey Evening Star, tho jury was not satisfied that the paragraph was intended for plaintiff, and judgment was for defendants, with costs. Tho kowhai frees in the Park are now in full bloom and present a very line sight, well repaying a visit to this (to the ordinary townsman) neglected part of the town. At a meeting of the New Plymouth I'xpansion an 1 Tourist League last even lug it was decided to hold the annual r.eetirg a fortnight hence. Business of a routine eliar.iteer was transacted. At their annual meeting on Monday night the High School Board decided to make a grant of £)() to the funds of the hire Brigades in recognition of their sen ice? at the recent lire, the (Jovernment auditor having advised that such a grant Could be legally made. Upon inquiry at the hospital yesterday it was ascertained that the young man, 11. Jnckn, of Ba,wera. who sustained a badly broken leg on Monday evening, as the result of a collision between his motor cycle and a gig, was progressing, very favorably. The Collector of Customs at Auckland has received the following' telegram: '•Large scow, bottom up, just out of Whaugiipara. Twin screw, both propellers unhurt: send strong tug at once, Bavo the lot." The Collector has approached the Hf.rbor Board to send a Mr. Joseph Brown, chairman of tho laramki County Council, met with ah accident yesterday whilst motoring in (he Okato district. The car came to yrief, and Mr. Brown was thrown out, sustaining a dislocated shoulder. He v:-as taken to the hospital, where he is progressing satisfactorily. A Taranaki officer who has seen service in South Africa, and also in tho i present war, writing to his relatives in Stratford at tho end of July, state? that the British supremacy in the air is absolute, and that the number of machine and Lewis gnns had been enormously increased. This bears out the cable news received lately regarding the aerial warfare. The local defence officers state that they can take as many men as possible to fill up shortages in tho infantry. They will he required to go into camp on Monday. It is also announced that the N.C.O. classes that are held every Friday evening are not exclusively for Teri'itorials, but are open to any man who may wish tg attend. The export of cheese in July last amounted to 44,181 cwt.. and the value to £100,482, as against 32,590 cwt. valued at £131,20!) exported in July. 1913. For the first seven months of this year 079,770 cwt., valued at £2,404,399, were exported, as compared with 5-14.2 M cwt,. valued at £1,754,183, for the first seven months of last year.

At a parade of the Boy Scouts at the Whiteley Hull last night—the first since the amalgamation of the Whitcley and Vogeltown corps—Major F. W. Sandford was in command. Thirty-three scouts paraded, and five others were accounted for. Good work was done, and a syllabus of parades was drawn up. A vote of thanks to the Wliitelev Hall authorities, who have generously allowed the Scouts the free use of the hall for parade purposes, was passed. The popularity of the euchre parties and dances held by the Kawaroa Park Society was again emphasised last night, when a large crowd assembled at the Good Templar' Hall. There were thirty tables of euchre, whilst a large number of others attended for the dance. The winners at euchre were:—Ladies: Mrs. A. Bnllot 1, Miss I. Tnrman i. Gentlemen: Mr. T. Boulton 1, Mr. B. Ballot 2. Messrs 0. George and W. McLean were capable M.C.'s. The Fitzroy Fire Brigade Ball Committee tenders its thanks to Dr. Fookes, Messrs P. J. Flanagan, Gnrnham, A. Russell, Friend, and Brooker, for prizes; the Mayoress (Mrs. C. H. Burgess), Miss Wade, Mrs. R. Cock, Mrs. Renaud, and Dr. Wade, for special prizes; Mr. Hay-dc-n, for loan of crockery; East Knd Committee, for use of pavilion for practices; Boon Bros., for stands and loan of express; Mesdames Cock, Balharry, Foote, and Glen, for flowers; Mr. L. Pepperell, for use of motor-car; Mr. G. Colson, for milk and loan of horse; Mr. I. Rocli, for lollies; and all others who in any way helped to contribute to the success of the function. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., wish to draw the attention of the public to their sale, which they are holding in their Tarata yards on Friday, December 22, 1910. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns on page 8 of this issue.

Cancer is increasing in New Zealand, and in .order to .combat it the Government provided a substantial grant last session for research work-.. The 'Minister of Public Health says that the matter is being prosecuted actively. Circulars have been issued to ever) branch of the British Medical Association in Xew Zealand, requesting them to prepare data and to confer for the purpose of providing the Public Health Department with any valuable information that will enable steps to be taken for dealing with the disease. "I think it is a monstrous shame that at such a period as this our market should be flooded with foreign motorcars," said the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. fl. Holland) at the annual meeting of the Employers' Association. "It is most unfair to the British manufacturer, who is forbidden to export his goods while munitions are making such a demand on material. We could do without such business during this strenuous time, After the war let there be fair competition, which there is not at present, when t!ie British manufacturer is out of the market." Mr. Holland's re*' marks met with general aprpoval (reports the Press). A steam roller and a crushing plant are profitable investments for any local authority that has any length of roadway to maintain. in one Taranaki borough, where the problem of road maintenance was at one time a veritable nightmare, the. roller and crushing plant have affected a transformation. The crusher is driven by the roller engine and besides crushing all the stone required has ben let out on hire to neighboring authorities, and in three years has earned a sum almost equal to its original cost. Tlie reading problem in this particular town can be claimed to have 'been completely solved.—l'atea Press. Writes a correspondent to the Auckland Herald:—Here is another case, a man from Stratford this time. We were lying on a bare end exposed ridge, part of the Gaba Tepe firing line, on the Monday following the landing, and were being subjected to a heavy frontal fire, as well as a severe enfilade one fiojn the left. Men fell everywhere, and this one from the western province was, early in action, wounded in the right leg and arm. He kept his busy rifle speaking, however, till another bullet' struck him in the left leg, followed almost immediately by one through the right lung. Luter, still one more caught him in the upper part of the right .'boulder—five wounds in all! He was suffering intense agony, but as his anxious comrades bound up tho injuries he bore the pain with a smile, and when they were finish, cd said briskly: "Anyone got a cigarette!" For nearly twelve hours lie lay there under the blazing sun, smoking cigarettes when he could get them, and never complaining of his condition, but suffering terrible bodily and mental agony when he could not get a "smoke." lie simply refused to die there, though the Black Angel claimed him later.

At the time of the Crimean war a boy was born anil was .given tbe baptismal names of Reginald Jnkerman. For the purpose of this story his surname does not matter, but we will say it was "Seott." In due time "Scott" married and hart a son born to him, anil the offspring wai christened Reginald Inkerman, who had. attained manhood when the present Kuropean conflict burst forth. Scott, junr., heard tbe call for men, enlisted, and was accepted, and left with the Dominion's Main Force. lie went through the Rallipoli campaign and then was invalided home. He applied for his war pension, as be is practically unable to do manual labor, but the pension has been refused on the "round that his surname lias not been filled in on his 'birth certificate! 7n the district (not far from TarSnaki) where ' : ' Scott" has lived nearly all his life he was known by his proper name of Reginald Inkerman , he was accepted for military service under that, name, he fought under it, and was known by it'to all bis comrades in the force. Now that he has returned invalided and maimed, the pusillanimous red-tapeism of a (iovernment body -who has been deputed to investigate and attend to the wants of our returned men or their dependents refuses the man his just due. He was good enough to send to fight, but on the score of an oversight by the person who filled in his registration of birth lie is deprived o? a smail measure of compensation from his country'. Members of Parliament are interesting themselves on the young man's behalf, and if the injustice is not speedily remedied some very pertinent questions are likely to be asked of responsible authorities. There is stimulating evidence in Dunedin warehouses that France has the liun by the throat, says the 'Dnnedin Star. A good 'supply of French brandy is now in local stores, and there is a steady shipment from the ports of France by way of. London. Soon after the outbreak of war, when the Germans were rushing over Francfe like a Hood, the French industries were practically paralysed. Labor was called to resist the ruthless invader, industry became the machinery of war, and a busy country's export trade collapsed. Merchant? all the world over found it almost impossible to obtain lines which formerly came regularly from France. There was still good liquor in France, but glass-bloweVs and coopers were at t'he front. It looked as though the oversea trade of France would fall to ruin. Tillies and circumstances have changed. France has kept her strength in the field, and has organised her industries. Not only is she now able to eater reasonably well for a universal demand of cognac, but she is re-establish-ing her commerce in other commodities, and is collaring tbe scent trade of Germany.

An auction sale of travelers' samples, bankrupt stocks, etc., salvaged goods ex the wrecked Tongariro, which is advertised to take place at Opunake on Friday and Saturday next, is said to have already created much interest among 'bargain hunters The goods came from the estate of C. P. Ross & Co., of Wellington, ami are being disposed of by public auction throughout the provinces without any reserve. The Melbourne, Ltd., have full stocks of men's working shirts as follows: Men's harvard and flax shirts, 2s lid, 3s (id, 3s lid and 4s lid; men's blue grandrill shirts, 2s lid, 3s Gd, 4s Cd, 5s (Id; men's indigo advance drill shirts, 4s lid; s.s.s. drill shirts, 5s (3d; tweed shirts, 4s lid; engincors' and firemen's black shirts, 3s lAi and 4s lid; flannel undershirts, all pure wool, 4s lid.