LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The First Wellington Military Service Hoard will sit. at Xew Plymouth tomorrow and Thursday. The Board will sit at Hawera on March 10, 17, ID and 2ft. The Board has* consented to meet the Taranaki Producers' Executive before its next sitting at New Plymouth.

From an old print that has been shown ns we learn that prices ruled as follows in New 'Plymouth in ' 1834: Wheat, per bushel 7'/-: flour, per ton £2O; "21b loaf of bread fid; potatoes, per ton £4: butter, per lb 1/-; bacon, per lb [ld; cheese, per lb, 1/3; eggs, per dozen, 1/-; poultry, .per pair - 2/". One of the features of the camp at Trcntham is the shower baths. Large bodies of mpn are able to indulge in a shower at the same time, and can take it at any temperature. The system is as ingenious as it is successful, am} it is pleasing to note that it is the product of Captain Boon, of New Plymouth, who is doing valuable work at the camp lis assistant 'quartermaster. t

The Taranaki War Belief Assom.i(ion's discharged soldiers' information depart-ment-reports: There are at present ten men on the register for the Taranaki district, three of whom have been recently placed thereon at the request of the association. In five cases the men have not, responded to communications from the Association, or the representatives in their district, and the reports to hand indicate that they are not requiring assistance at present. Three cases are retained on the register for the purpose of endeavouring to secure specific appointments, for which the men have been nominated; in the meantime these men are in for temporary employment. The two remaining cases represent men who are not in sufficiently good health to start work, or remain at it permanently.

On Monday last a party, consisting of Miss Harding, Mrs .!ohn Lyons, Mr John Lyons, Mr .lames Lyons, of Blenheim, Miss L. Burnett, of Wanganui, and Miss A. Wilson, of Nov 'Plymouth, made the ascent of Mount Egmont under fair «eather conditions, Mr Williams accompanying. On Friday Mr L. Goodacre and Miss C'avill (a cousin of the late Nurse Cavill) also made the ascent under perfect weather conditions, a magnificent view bc-iticr obtained. On both of the ab(h-e ''Ginger," the hostel kitten, accompanied the parties all the way to the summit, this making his fourth trip. A party oil Thursday week last made the a-cent to the summit without a guide, and while in the rater, were enveloped by a I'oc. Not ving too sure of the way out,, thev fol- ' wed the dog which had accompanied I hem from tho hostel, and he brought them to a place of safety, making the track quite easily. Perhaps the cat will be doing the same later. In the course of an interview yesterday, Colonel J. K. Hume, officer commanding the Wellington Military Disi.rict, said he had met many employers in the in connection Avitli the matter of 1 relieving the men, for the Territorial camps, and almost without exception he had found them anxious to assist the Defence Department in every way. Xo one realised more than he did (he inconvenience to which employers had been put this year on this account. As the training of the whole of the. Territorials of the district extended over a period of about four months, mutual arrangements had been made to get the men to attend one or other of the many camps held. Colonel 'flume added that (ho administrative stall's were first of all concerned with the Military Service Hoards, and their aims to get every eligible man to the front. The Territorial work had to be carried on as before the war. The administrative stall's were working at high pressure, first to ensure,, the successful working of the Military Service Act, and second to maintain the Territorial • system. Col. ilinne felt sure that before long results would prove that efficient work had been done. MELIiOUEX'E, LTD. Xew season's shipments of EnglMi and Colonial hosiery have opened out, and we have pleasure in quoting the following prices (dyes are guaranteed fast color in every instance) Ladies' plain cashmere hose 1/11; ribbed ditto plain cashmere soft Llama finish 2/11 i genuine Llama hose, extra good quality, ,1/(1; girls' ribbed cashmere hose with six fold knees, sizes five and six, 1/11 pair; Lisle thread hose with cashmere feet and tops, "Jason" make, 2/1 i pair; line ribbed cashmere hose, extra' quality, 3/3 pair; men's Mosgiel fine knitted socks, 1/(1 pair: men's "Flying (•'ox" cashmere socks 1/11 pair; men's "Melbourne'' cashmere socks, navv or black, good quality, 2/- pair; boys' school and college black golf hose, with r<td, blue or white bar turnover tops, size 4, 2/9; 5, 2/11; sizes 0 and 7 3/3; izH S. 3/0; size !) 3/0.

A piece of ambergris weighing 161b was picket', up on Wednesday last, by a Maori on the beach at Maunganui Bluff (says the Auckland Herald).

It is stated that in the Wairarafia area alone the addresses of 100 men drawn in the ballot are unascertaiuable (says the Age).

The total value oi exports from the port of -Patea for the 12 months ending January 31st last was £I,OBR,S9S. The total would have been far larger but for the lack of shipping consequent on the war.

At the usual weekly meeting of the Egmont Lodge, T.0.G.T., held last- night, O.T. Sis. Lcgg presided. Rev. T. 11. Olds gave an interesting report on temperance matters considered at the recent Methodist conference. A song by •Sis. lilanchanl and a recitation by the Rev. 'f. 11. Olds brought a pleasant evening to a close. At the Normanby Horticultural Show the stepplrig-the-rhain competition was ■ivon by a native (Ngaoru/, who was within a quarter of an inch of the correct. measurement. The weight of the three sheep aggregated 32711)3, the bearcat guess being SlifMbs, by Mr Swindlehurst. The weight of tlie pig was 292 lbs, Mr P. A. Mcßac'f. estimate of 292% ilbs securing first prize.

• A new bituminous coalfield has been discovered at Preservation Inlet, which is some -few hours' steam from the BlulT. Something like a thousand acres has been pegged out in the National Park by a syndicate in which Mr 0. B! Thotnp*on, who has been engaged in the district in the hunt after precious metals for the part 57 years, is prominent. Assa.vista have given a favorable verdict. The strata of the country are similar to those of the Black-ball Coal Co.'s fields in We-tlaml, and consist of sandstone and fireclay. The party drove on eight ■earns, opening, up several to the extent of 50 and (ill feet, and laving open seams of the finest bunkering coal. According to a correspondent of a Sydney paper the Australian sheepgrower is having an anxious time, as the blow-flv pest is raging. On many holdings the varigftted thistles have almost secured possesion. In these sheep get scattered about, and are at the mercy of the fly, as it is impossible to muster them. No sheep seem secure from this scourge, wethers, as well ns ewes, with a few weeks wool on, and lambs of three or four months' growth are all. attacked. Crutchiug has ceased to become effective, as the sheep are blown on the back and shoulders. Only by a daily overhaul of the, ilock can serious loss l>e prevented. A curious case of a man who was said by his brother to be mentally weak, but who was passed as fit by the Medical Hoard, was mentioned at the sitting of the First Auckland Military Service Board last week. It was stated that the man had been drawn in the. same ballot as his brother, who had been rejected, (iiving evidence, the rejected brother said lie did not say anything to the doetors, as he felt sure they would detect the trouble. Mr Elliot suggested that perhaps a mistake had been made and the wrong one accepted. Dr King. deposed to the man being of weak intellect and quite unfit- for the firing line. The case was adjourned, with a view to placing the facts before the Medical Board.

The Mayor (Mr C. H. Burgess) mentioned at Inst evening's meeting of the Boiough Council that the Hospital Board's levy this year was £I3OO. Last yea,- it was .£I2OO. CY F. E. Wilson said the Board had stated that it wanted extra, money last year for the purpose of erecting a nursing home. That building had not yet been started, Cr. A. K. VVatkins 'considered the board ?l.ouid give the council further information r.s to the reason for the 'ncrease in I'u: levy v Cr 11. A. Johnstone- moved and it was carried, "'That the Hospital Boiird be asked to furnish full details of the proposed expenditure.''

A recent visitor to England informed a Xews representative of three New Zealanders who have made names for themselves and their country. They are:— l'-ientenant-t'oloijcl "Vreyhurg* V.C., Whose wonderful exploits'at the Dardanelles and on the Western front evoryone at Home is acquainted with; Flightlieutenant Brandon, who bagged, 'the first Zeppelin; and Robert Burn, a mechanical genius whose father and brothers have an engineering establishment at IV tonc. Young Burn was at Home when war broke out, with a patent aeroplane engine. He joined the colonial forces for Egypt ami Gallipoli, but the authorities wisely brought him Home to utilise his inventive powers. The aeroplane engine proved a great success, and he has also produced a wonderful trench weapon, which the armies are now using to pulverise the enemy trenches, .(lis inventive faculties are also being employed in other important directions.

A letter just received hy an Auckland commercial man from a "firm' in Great Britain .gives a fair idea of the reason for the prohibition of the export of many lines of goods. That this was anticipated by the makers at Home is shown by the fact that in some cases the orders sent out were increased above the quantity asked for. The following in an extract from the letter:—"Considering the scarcity of ships, we are hughly surprised that it is still possible to send such large quantities. Consumers may sett le down to the hard fact of being compelled to pay until peace comes, and, notwithstanding all the American and German Notes, no one here expects peace within six months. Our railways are almost, but not quite, commandeered for Government work. Vast numbers of stations are closed—mostly small ssuo uisq.inqiis ?ut;}jodmt. auios i|nq'souo —ami in places where somewhat uncall-ed-for lines had been built, rails, sleopeis, and ballast are being lifted and sent to I'ranee. Flour and oatmeal cost £2B per ton. best fresh eggs 5s per dozen, a 21b loaf Cd, milk 2g per gallon, and beef, ham, cheese, and fish are at extravagant prices. This does not look like an early peace.''

Mr Lisle Joinings, who is organising the gymkhana on the Xgainotu beaeii on the 20th instant, has added two more events to the schedule, namely, a dispatch race for grass fed 'uns, carrying ft minimum weight of ten stone, and a pony dispatch race, with boy or airl rider.

At the Melbourne, Ltd., during Cue next few days and before final inventory of stock, ail oddments, "left overs" and mussed goods from the recent sale will be cleared out regardless of cost. Shoppers at this popular store may rely on being able tq pick up many odd useful bargains. DO YOU DREAD YOUR MEALS?

Your food does you little good wlicn you have no desire for it, when you dread menl time. What you need is Chamberlain's Tablets for the stomach and liver. They will sharpen your ap. petite, strengthen your digestion, and