LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Daily News will not bo published 011 Monday (New Year's Ifcy). Advice has been received by the Minister for Defence that the lSt'h Reinforcements have arrived at ilieir destination, and that all the men were well.

Notice of appeal against tin- sentence of 12 months' imprisonment imposed. 011 Fred. R. Cooke, Socialist and Laborite, for a breach of the War Herniations Act, was served upon Superintendent Dwyer at C.'hristchureh. Mr. Geo. Hutchison is acting for the appellant. Special thanksgiving and intercession services in connection with the war will be held in the local churches to-morrow. Members of the llth Regiment and New Plymouth senior cadets will attend church parade at St. Mary's.

The danger of attempting to alight, from a tram enr before it has stopped was forcibly brought home to a ladv at Belt Road corner last night. Tn performing this feat she measured her length on the road, and narrowly escaped getting under the wheels. Besides risking their life and iimbs, people are liable to prosecution for a breach of the by-laws. ,

\ The entries received for the group rifle meeting at the Rewa Kewa range 011 January 2 total IST. including 50 from territorials. 27 from members of rifle clubs, and 111) from senior cadeta. The Mayoress will present trophies to the successful competitors tit Everybody's Theatre in the evening following the meeting.

In the Park the other evening the curator was attracted by an unwonted commotion at the lily pond. Here 110 was surprised to find three youths throwing stones and endeavoring to kill some ducklings and the mother duck, and they had just about succeeded in their cruel and reprehensible task. As soon as they saw the curator they made tracks, but it is understood the identity of the culprits has been discovered-. They should be made an example of. One of the most enjoy;',ble pastimes engaged in during the holidays has been fishing, and each day hundreds of devotees of the piscatorial art have lined the breakwater, the wharf, and the foreshore at Moturoa. 111 many instances good catches were recorded, the hauls consisting chiefly of kawhai and schnappcr and an occasional gurnet. One evening a 101b schnapper was landed, while yesterday several 01b kawhai were caught. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke. S.M, Frank Ra'ttenbury (Mr. F. E. Wilson 1 was charged with breaking and entering the premises of A. Hatriek & Co. at Waltara, and stealing therefrom 22 cases of whisky. When an application for an adjournment was applied for. counsel asked for bail. Sergeant Bowden opposed the application. stating that if bail was granted, the ends of justice would probably be defeated. He said a small portion of the missing liquor had been recovered. and that the police had hopes of finding the bulk of it. Bail was refused, and accused was remanded to appear on ,1 miliary li. The accused was arrested at. Mokau 011 Tltursdac.

Further progress was made yesterday by the New Plymouth boy scouts, who are trekking to Opunake. where they purpose carrying out tieid operations with the Elthain and Stratford boy scouts. They tramped 14 miles yesterday and camped at Rahotu. The trek will be resumed this morning, and the troop expect to arrive at their destination before noon. On the way the boys have been splendidly treated by residents, and they are well and happy. At the bathing fatality inquest yesterday. the Fitzrov constable expressed the opinion that a rope for use in ease of an accident would not be allowed to remain at the Fitzroy sheds for two days, owing to the operations of vandals who wore also damaging the bathing sheds. It is incomprehensible that life-saving apparatus should he interfered with by anyone, but it is a fact that in the town is an element that has regard for nothing, exhibiting, a bent destructive, misehievious an-i criminal. This element is responsible for the theft of flowers and shrubs from the Park, the destruction of its gracious waterfowl; for cutting pieces from some of the seats in the trains when they started running; and disfiguring the walls of the beautiful Everybody's Theatre building the first night it was open. It is an element that anyone with a sense of public duty tliould assist the authorities in bringing to book and when convicted be dealt with without mercy.

Overheard at the races. Visitor, evidently from England,' to his friend, a colonial: ' What strikes me most looking around here is the nuinber of delicatelooking women. Only a small proportion is what you could call robust. But the children are all healthy, and the men —well, yon could not lind better specimens, taking them as a whole, anywhere in the British Empire. How do von account for it? 111 England the men are not as well developed, but the women, even the factory gills, are all healthy and well developed physically." His friend: ''Medical men tell me that the reason for tlio pastiness and illhealth of many- of our women is irregular and too frequent diet. They drink too much lea and too frequently, cat too many sloppy foods, and take insufficient exercise. The wonder with the medical fraternity is that, considering the way in which they live, their health is as good as it is. Life is easy in New Zealand compared with life in England, and neither they nor their men folk have to exercise themselves much to earn sufficient. to keep them comfortably. If the climate anil conditions were, harsher the people of New Zealand would be more virile and the women enjoy very much better health."

A reminder is given nf the grand saeml concert in the Town Hull. Eltham, to-morrow (Sunday) evening. The concert will be given ,by the Wanganui Harrison Band, the first item being timed for 8.15 p.m. Good musii Is not often brought to the doors, so a large attendance should be present. Proceeds arc in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' 1 Funds.

"The Receding Rainbow: a Meditation for the Close of the Your." will be the Rev. A. B. Cliappell's sermon subject at. the Whiteley Memorial Church tomorrow morniing. Die evening service will be conducted by the itev. E. 0. Blamires, of Hawera, and will be appropriate to the end of the year. The music for the service will include, a solo by Mrs.' E. P. Blamiros, of Auckland—"Love Not the World." A public watch-night service will be htld, beginning at 11.30 p.m.*

The Citineis' Band will render a ilratclass programme on New Year's Day at Ngamotu commencing at 11 a.m. under the baton of Mr. McLeoi >

A Sydney press message states that Hie Australian Jockey Club lias decided to send a commission to New Zealand to. report on tlio totalisator machines. : Five sons of Mr. and Mrs Robert Watson, of Washington Valley, Kelson, have joined the forces. Two "have been killed and one wounded.

No fewer than five clergymen were drawn in the recent conscription ballot, namely, the "Rev. C. Mortimer Jones, vicar .of Cambridge; Rev. C. W. Seton, of Raglan; and Rev. S. T. Robson, of Kolmkohu (nil Anglicans), and the Rev. Father Finn, of To Kuiti; and Rev. I'atlier Carran, of Cambridge. Says the Lyttelton Times;—"We take the liberty of repeating our opinion, for what it is worth, that no man should be permitted to make money out, of the war. Xo man or woman should have a chance to escape a share in the sacrifice that the community as a whole, is celled upon to make, to say nothing of the poignant sufferings that very many people have to endure." The news that two men had been fined £2O each in the North Island for "shouting.*' brought the following brief comment from the Westminster Gazette:— ''We know that the !renting instinct is deeply and firmly rooted, but if ridicule could kill, i!. could hardly survive this exposure of its folly. Two men encli want—or would like—a drink, and instead of each paying for his own, they contrive to ;r;t fined in all £lO, because each must needs want to pay for tiie other."

One of the strangest, little stories of the war in which a New Zeaiander has played the leading part has just been chronicled in the American press. The happening lias its setting in the citv of Austin in Texas. It seems that a Mrs. M. Hemslev, formerly of Xew Zealand, who is making her home comporarilv in Texas and residing at Austin, was looking through a magazine the other day, when she en me neross a picture showing an award for bravery and honor being made to an Anzac hero somewhere in the war zone of ;he British Army. She recognised the hero as being her son, whom she had not heard of for nearly I.went,y rears. ■

A Waivarapa resident, in conversation with a pressman, gave him inforinntion re flip rural conditions obtaining in flint district. Snmo years ago there were disastrous fires in the Wairarapa district which paused great. loss, and or there Ims been a phenomenal growth nf verdure in Hie early spring, chic to the iiliiiiide.nt rainfall, ,grave fears are entertained of the fire fiend ngain assuming sway. The growth of grass has been so abundant that stork had not been able to oat it down, and in fact were difficult lo procure, except at exceedingly high values. Tlie recent downnour had not taken place when the YVairarana man left home, but at that time, if a fire did start, it would prove a terrible disaster to the district, and would probably convert miles of country into a burntup desolate area.

The fine weather on Thursday accounted for :i large 'number of to the New riymouth Mountain House. r lie management were kept lmsv from early morn in/ till late attending the wants of i!r visitors. Everyone visiting the old bouse this season has remarked on M<e complete alteration there, everything cow 1 being quite new and riean. The manager supervised this dojvrtment. Visitors were thus assured of having everything in comfort and (leanliness. A party of six made the nseent. of tie? mountain from the hostel. The party' pi nsintcd of Mr. Tnnes, oi Wellington. Mr. Fair. Xew Plymouth, }iiss Pitts, i-iltham, Miss Dennis, •Wellington, and the Misses Rollo, Xew Plymouth. The party had to contend with a very cold southerly wind, which was freezing!?' col.l. hut n magnificent view was obtained and the summit was gainrd under serfcct conditions. Mr. Williams, the manager, accompanied the party.

A sensation was caused between 2.0 nnd 3.0 p.m. on Boxing Day. at Newtown, Wellington. As one of the cars was on its way down, at the lower end of Newtown, a soldier attempted to leave it, but missed his footing. He apparently either slipped on the footboard or held on to the ear too Ion?, with the result that he was thrown to the «ronnd. His legs were caught underneath the car, and the small trolley wheel wont over one leg just above the ankllc. The leg was then caught by the brake and he was dragged some distance. All the traffic was held up, and hundreds of passengers looked 011 while the ear was being jacked up to enable the sufferer to be release,!. First aid was rendered, and the soldier was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. He was there found to be suffering from a compound comminuted fracture of the leg, and his condition in the evening was reported as shewing no improvement. The soldier's name is Harry I-lerriek. a native of Gisborne. and a member of the 23rd platoon of F Company, 20th Reinforcements,

Two interesting addresses on the war were delivered by Mr. J.*T. 11. Hornsby, • M.P., and tiio Hon. W. Carncross, M.L.C., in the Opera Hoiiae, Hawera. on Thursday evening, under the auspices of the Patriotic Society. Mr. Hornsby dwelt on the importance 01 each individual exercising economy end doing his or her duty during the war. Mr. Carncross narrated his experiences during his recent visit to England and the front. At the conclusion of the meeting the following resolution, moved tyy Mr. Hornsby, was carried; ''That in view of the sacrifices made bv this and other countries of the Allied forces, and of the promise made to the British people and their allies by the Primo Minister of Britain, namely, that we would never lay down our arms until Prussian militarism was utterly destroyed, this meeting joins in the solemn demand for the prosecution of the war to u decisive and glorious end; and further, we demand, with others, the rehabilitation of Belgium and Serbia, mid reparation for the outrages committed against women and children in defiance of the laws of God and the nations."

Considerable interest is being taken in the threatened revolution in Germany. Considerable interest was taken in tiie revolution in low prices charged by 0. E. .Tames, Stratford. Business was pood during Christmas but he has still thousands of articles for New Year gifts.—Advt. The hidden treasure hunt this year at Ngnmotu promises to be ft stupendous success. Upwards of £.lO value in prizes has hten donated which should be a good rnvard for a few minutes gardening. This event commences at 2 o'clock share. ,

In the Ominako Methodist Churcli on Sunday evening, n united service will be held condiietel by the Revs. Russell and Gosncll. Nurse Te Au and the Rev. Papakurft will render solos and a duet. Ike, Rev. Ruwell will deliver * u - «w mon.—Advtj; * '

I Speaking at Wellington yesterday of the Imperial Conference, Mr. Allen said ! tliere was 110 doubt that .Mr. Massey would attend the Conferences and remain in England until it was concluded.— Press Association. Questioned as to the I'.roopccts of an early session of Parliament in New Zealand, Mr. Allen yesterday Enid; "At the present moment there is no intention of calling Parliament together until Mr. Massey returns."—Press Association. Prompt action on the part of a motorist w;i» all that averted a serious accident in Devon Street East yeßterday afternoon, when a trap was driven at a smart pace from an interacting street right in front of an approaching motorcar, the driver of which, fortunately, was able to swerve out and jrot round the horses; but it was a close shave, and one that could easily have been averted had the driver of the trap ilsed ordinary caution. A local taxi-driver was defrauded in a particularly mean manner on Thursday night. lie was engaged to drive a man from New Plymouth to Opunake. After passing Pungarehu, the "fare" asked the driver to pull up at a farm house while he visited somo friends. He left the car. and after an hour's waiting the driver went to look for , Jam, only to find the bird had flown, i

At Meremere Christmas was celebrated by a representative gathering of natives from Wanganui, Waitotara. Pa tea, the South Ts'.nnd, and from the settlements round Hawera. The Revs, T. G. Hammond. Haddon, Tupito, and To Iwi Ora (Anglican) were the ministers who ecnducted the usual 1 religious services, (in the Sunday before Christmas Day the Rev. R. Haddon, Te Wharcaitu, anil others unveiled two monuments erected —one to the memory of Wirernu Kanika and the other to the memory of Tuhitia : and his two children. After the Sabbath services the chiefs spoke- of the great change that had taken place in Taranaki in relation to the claims of the gospel, and (specially in the return the people to the observance of the Christinas feftival. On Monday the young girls of Meremere gave a very interesting poi performance'; and the chiefs delivered addresses urging the importance of religion and signifying their determination to remain firm in the fc.itli. A letter was received from I.ady 1 'verpool, Lady Carroll, Mrs. (Dr.) Pomare, and from other Maori ladies re-, ipiesting the Taranaki Maoris to assist iti the good work of sending comforts to the young soldiers at the front. There vns a warm expression of approvnl of this letter, and all agreed to assist to the best of their ability.—Star Messrs. Sole TCros. notify that they have nrranged for a supply of fresh meat for to-night's trade, so as to ensure an abundant supply over the holidays. Thirty-six boys are starting in the Marathon rare' at. Ngamotu on New Year's Day mid teams must report at I lie palladium not later than 1? a.m. The distance i-. approximately 2J miles