LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Sydney cable states that the Y.YV.C'.A. National Convention has opened, and that several Xew Zealand delegates are attending. In the Hawera Court yesterday, Athoi Eraser McLean, a let'tvmrrier, pleaded guilty to having secreted postal packets. He was committed for sentence. We understand that the Bell Block Dairy Factory has disposed of its season's output of cheese at the high figure of 10(1 per lb This price must almost constitute a record. The purchasers are reported to be an Otago firm. Shortly after noon yesterday, the firebells rang an alarm, the outbreak being in a wash-hou-c at :he ?csiden:; of .Mr. Roberta, Courtenay Street Kast. (t was promptly quenched, however without the services of the Brigade, which was soon in attendance. The High Commissioner for Xew Zea. land, Sir T. Mackenzie, says a London cablegram announces that the apples and pears from Nelson and Napier arrived in bnd condition.

It is not often that black swan are seen in Taranaki. Yesterday two ffne specimens were observed on the foreshore at New Plymouth. The visitors paddled and fished m the surf for several hours and then flew off in an easterly direction, inhnd.

There is an outcry in Te Kuiti over the action of the Patriotic Committee in recently having a function, a part of the proceedings of which was a patriotic tree. To the indignation of some who attended and purchased articles from the tree, they were found branded, "Made in Germany." The Hon. Mr. Hanan has written to Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., about various education matters which were represented to him. The question of a new school at Awakino and Matiere with other similar applications are being considered, by tile Department. Some delay has arisen owing to the change of educational boundaries. The Government 'has decided upon Te Kuiti being a centre for technical and manual instruction, and will subsidise the amount raised by the people of Te Kuiti. The figures of the Inaha toll-gate, between Hawera and Manaia, reveal the vast increase in motor traffic and the decrease in the use of the horse vehicle. In 1909-10 13,157 horse vehicles passed through the gates and 92 motors. Last year the horse vehicles had dropped to 51'51 and motof-car.s numbered 4787 and motor-cycles 2044. In 1912-13 2753 heavy waggons passed through, and no motor lorries. This year the former had dropped to 1309 and motor lorries numbered 1432.

It is rumored that a new morning paper is to be started in Auckland, and that already a very, largo sum has ! bei!n subscribed for the .purpose. The evening paper, the Star, is importing one of t'ho latest mid largest machines, capable of printing in any colors. People investing in a new paper in Auckland in these time of excessive cost of production, where the city is so excellently served by the present papers —two of the best south of the line — must have money to burn.

The new rates for the carriage of wool will mako a very big difference Indeed to the growers (writes our Wellington correspondent). The charge for conveying a bale of greasy wool from New Zealand to the United Kingdom before the war was slightly less than 20s. Last year's charge was about 42s 4d, and tlie charge this year, at the rates announced the other day, will be approximately 735. This means an increase of about £2 13s per bale. The extra charges, it may be noted, do not absorb all the increase in the value of 'wool due to the war.

Sergeant Alf. Jennings,' writing from Hm'ii'Cilum'h, England, on August iO, states that he went over to Athlone, Ireland, to see his brother's grave. Ho also sent out photos of the funeral procession through the main street, and the sounding of the "Last Post," as well as a plan of the monument to 'be erected, on which the following inscription appears: "In memory of Lieutenant Harold William Jennings, R.F.A., died at Athlone, February 29, 1910, aged 23 years. He came from Netf Zealand to serve his country and died from effects of wounds received in action at. Loos. Erected 'by his brother officers. E.1.P." Sergeant Jennings was in Dublin, and states that the ruins of the city reminded him of some of the shelled towns he saw in France. When he got back to England 'he was one of four New Zealand sergeants that acted as pall-bear-ers at the funeral ol ihe late Mrs. T. C. Williams who was well known in Wellington and was one of the pioneers of New Zealand.

At the request of a number of regular patrons the Empire management will screen the final episode of the "Stingaree" adventures, entitled "The Villain Worshipper," as an extra onthe change of programme at both matinee and night performances to-day,

At flic Wahva.Uailio bull fair on Monday 'Mr. Kewton King will be offering some nice-quality llolstein bull s Several two-year-old .pedigree bulls are entered 'by Mr. A. Harold Street from his Bell Block stud farm, and several other local breeders will be represented by grade Holatein bulla.

Tlie Melbourne, Ltd., notify an enoimous demand for their embroidered voile and white silk 'blouses. It is safe to say that no suoh values have ever been exhibited in up-to-the-moment fashions in this or any other town so early in the season. A barga n of this nature now is worth ten at the end of the season.

New Zealand mails arrived in London on the Ist and 2nd. These are probably mails which left New Zealand on the 10th and 17th August. "Did you 'hear anybody else use language or speak V" "No, only the bird." replied a witness in the New Plymouth ■S.M. the other day. "It's a bird 1 have in my house, your Worship.' 1 "Oh, well, 1 cannot take parrot's evidence,'' remarked .Mr. Crooke, and poor Poll's vocabulary does not, therefore, find printed publicity.

The new armoured motor-cars—the tanks—have been officially designated His Majesty's Landslips. The title "tanks" originated owing to the necessity of naming the department specially created for their secret construction. The names given them by the Tommies included "snark," "boojtim," "whale," "erenie <le menthe," "dreadnought," "slug,'' and "willie." It is believed that considerable, numbers of the new machine? have been built. Their principal utility is that of advancing before the infantry, causing the Germans to keep their heads down and preventing the foe from emerging from the trenches or dug-outs witli "his machine-guns. While proceeding over shell-holes or trenches, the enormous weight of the mammoth shatters all obstacles. The Paris newspaper La Liberte describes them as having ramming fronts, that crash through anything that stand in their way. They crawl over broken ground, leap across trenches, and burst through barb wire, spitting bullets all the time. ,

The recent warm weather and the heavy rains of the latter end of last week have, combined, made a wonderfully marked change in the already luxuriant growth in Xew Plymouth gardens. Not only is the foliage peeping out on many shrubs and trees that are, in an ordinary season, practically destitute of greenery, but in a number of cases the blossom is bursting forth. This is specially noticeable in many of the sheltered gullies and nooks that abound. In one garden yesterday, within five minutes' walk of the post office, wa,s seen a garden with ripe tomatoes in plenty, while cucumbers, green peas and other spring .gastronomic delights will be available for use within a week or two. Apples and plums are already formed on the trees, and show signs of 'early maturity. Blight .has, one regrets to say, already made its appearance among early potatoes, but this, so far a? the casual passer-by can calculate, is confined to two or three plots that were put down early, and have been practically neglected since. It is a pity that such neglect should be. If it is wortli while tilling the ground, and putting in the seed, surely it Is worth while caring for the crop. Further, one man*s neglect in this is more than likely to ruin his neighbor's well-cared-for garden patch, to say nothing of many others There is another matter: Why will people who possess n few fruit trees not prune and cultivate them properly? Almost everywhere is to be seen fruit trees that have never known pruningknife nor shear* since they were first delved in—many of them. 20 or 80 years ago. They exhibit wonderful blossom, but where and of what quality is the fruit? The attention and care required for a few fruit trees is so infinitesimal in comparison to the benefits that accrue that one wonders why it is that a thing (a tree, a shrub, be what it may) worth possessing is not worth a little bit of '"parental" care.

The Christmas "smokes" for soldiers' tin, specially prepared by the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee, will assuredly be one of the most popular gifts for the men at the front. The tin contains four plugs of Havelock tobacco and five packets of Three Castles cigarettes, and is put up in a specially designed colored label. Stamped ready for posting, it costs only 3s. Bought in the ordinary way it could not be got for less than (is Od. Orders- are. being taken by the Taranaki Daily News, J. Avery, Ltd., C. Carter, .1. Abbott, fiilmour and Clarke. Country readers may send to any of the above, with soldier's full address and a small card or note to be enclosed. The tin, like n letter, goes straight to the soldier, and will be posted in time to reach him for Christmas.—W. J. Chaney, hon. treasurer.

The great discovery, "Sanngen," t)\". British nerve food, has now taken the place of "Sanatagen," the flerman product of a German proprietary. "Sanagen" builds up tlie constitution in o marvellous manner and gives fresh life and vigor to the entire system. Start right away and take "Sanagen." Procurable from all chemists.

At the Waiwakaiho bull fair on Monday next Mr. Newton King will sell on account of Mr. Hugh Purdie three young Jersey bulla, the semi-official test of whoso dams should be interesting .information. "Snow Peak's' 1 dam made at two years over 4Qolbs butter-fat, ami her dam has a record of 171bs butter in seven days. "Enigma's" record is fAilbs butter-fat, and has a record of la'/slbs butter in seven days, this record being made when on her second calf.