LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the Supreme Court, Masterton, yesterday, Thomas Jones, motor agent, was awarded i 5750 damages against David Foreman, a farmer; for alleged malicious prosecution.—Press Association.

An unprecedented sensation (says the West Coast Times) was experienced recently by the holders of ordinary shares in the Westport-Stockton Coal Company, when they received a dividend of 5 per cent, on their holdings—the first since the formation of the company.

Burglaries have been frequent in Otaki of late, two hotels and three private houses having been broken into and articles stolen. A woman, said to have a long list of convictions, has been arrested. It is believed she has two male accomplices.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has initiated % pure-loving campaign. At a Queen's Hall (London) meeting the clergy was urged to encourage early matriges, and break down parents' objections. More babies were wanted to repair the wastage of war.

A splendid programme is showing at the Empire Theatre for this afternoon and to-night only, the star feature being a Triangle success, entitled "The Return of Draw Egan," featuring the popular favorites, William S. Hart and Louise Glaum. By request, the management will also include the comedy film, "The Surf Girls," a picture that is at present the talk of the town.

An accident, which terminated fatally, happened to Mr. H. Ward, a well-known resident of 'Patea, on Tuesday morning, whilst driving sheep on t'ho main road near the top of the hill on the east side of Patea. It is not yet known what happened, but Mr Ward was found lying on the road unconscious, having sustained severe injuries to the head. He was immediately removed to the hospital, where he subsequently died. A story to the following effect istold: A southern lawyer enlisted, and was rejected by the medical men. Later he was drawn in the ballot. When he was again examined, he was passed as fit, though he protested that that could hardly be the case. However, he was ordered to go into camp, so he sold his business, and did so. At the camp he was rejected as totally unfit for active service. He returned to his town and prosecuted ,the doctor who had declared him to be fit, aijd the matter was settled out of court through the payment of ft sum of money, v

The T&tea Harbor Board's new dredge Wallace is due to leave the Bluff to-day, and should arrive in about 10 days' time.

"Whatever you do watch Cambrai," was the advice given by Mr. Wilford in a lecture on the war some little time ago. "When Combrai falls," he added, "you may expect some startling developments." Mr. Wiltord's views on the war have in the past been singularly informing and accurate. How on earth the large 8, 10, and 18page cjaily papers have kept on so long, at a penny, is a mystery, as they can't buy the paper without touching it for less than double the money, and it is certainly only fair that the public should find part of it, says the Inglewood Record.

During next week a large quantity of butter and cheese will leave New Plymouth for Wellington. On Tuesday the Corinna will load 8000 boxes of butter and 8000 crates of cheese, and on the following day the Karamu will take SSOO crates of cheese.

The Taranaki County Council has received advice that a right hand drivingwheel, which had been ordered from England for one of the road rollers, was shipped by the Port Adelaide, which vessel was recently torpedoed and lost in the English Channel. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury A. and I'. Association, the president recommended that the incoming committee take into consideration the desirability of not holding the annual show this year. The proposal was agreed to.

The Southland A. & P. Association yesterday decided that In the opinion of the executive 110 summer show should bo 'held this year, and that other associations be informed of this decision. It was also resolved to ask what effect the abandonment of the shows would have in assisting the military authorities to secure reinforcements.—Press Association.

The new theatre at Waitara is to be called the "Theatre Royal,'' and will he opened on Wednesday evening next. Ik is a very line theatre, being excelled only 'by "Everybody's" 111 New Plymouth, acknowledged to be the .premier picture palace in the Dominion, and Waitara can well feel proud of a building which would be a credit to Auckland or Wellington.

The life-saving competitions given by pupils of the Elthani school took place on Thursday in the presence of a large number of spectators. There were a goodly number of competitions, and the exhibitions reflected credit on the trainer, Mr. H, .laratt. For the bronze medallion, Olive Streeter and Lilian Whiting competed. The competitions foi proficiency certificates were:—Roy Foster, Leslie White, Edward Guilloson, Dave Jones, Cyril Velvin, Jack Rogers, Adrian Rallautine, Victor Lorent, Gregor Yates, Fred Andrews, Fred Anderson, Hector Taylor, Nita Frethey, Connie White, Mabel Lash, Frances Burdetfcj/Rita Whiting, Olive Henn, Veda Streeter, and Marjorie Brokett. The Rev. E. Culliford was judge, and will give his awards in the course of a day or two.

At a public meeting, under th« auspices of the New Zealand National Association, held at Dunedin last week, Mr. 1 J. Craigie, M.P. for Timaru, advocated a heavy graduated levy upon wealth to provide for New Zealand's future war requirements. He said there were rich men in Zealand who had given large amounts already. There were other rich men who had given nothing. Two men in his district, worth from £OO,OOO to £IOO,OOO, had given nothing to the patriotic or any other fund. Another man, resident in the South Island, who was worth £OO,OOO or £70,000, promised, after a deal of pressing, to give £5. (Laughter). When the collector called for the money the man said it was a mistake, as lie meant as (Laughter). The man who had given his hundreds or thousands generously would, under the scheme lie (Mr. Craigie) proposed, be given a set-off and allowed credit for what he had paid, while the niggardly man, who was too' mean of soul to pay, would get the full measure of the conscription of his wealth. (Applause).

"If I were a statesman I should in these days seek the counsel of Abraham Lincoln more than that of any grew, figure in history," writes 'A.G.G.' in the Daily News. "I never take up a book about him or read any of Mb sayings or speeches without feeling, not only a deepened reverence for the man, but a new sense of the illumination which he throws upon the issues of these days. There was never a more perfect union of wisdom and firmness repealed on the earth. Failure never weakened hia purpose; success never inflated him with vanity or deflected him from his goal. His humility and his humor alike kept him clear of that dangerous breed who directly they taste power begin to posture as Napoleon. The pity and sorrow with which he entered war remained to the end, but they nevei modified-his iron will. He hated the dreadful furrow he had to plough, but he ploughed it ruthlessly, without a thought of revenge, with a passionate longing for the day when he would bind up the wound? of men. No price was too high t< pay" for the salvation of American democracy, but it was not a military victory/that lie sought, but the victory of humanity, of the common people from whom he came and whom he loved and whom, as lie quaintly said, God must love too, *or He would not have made so many of them.'"

The Melbourne, Ltd., notifies itrwfh shipments of men's navy flannels, Gs 11(1; all-wool Crimean shirts, 11a Od; striped grandrill shirts, 3s 6d. 4s fid and 4s 11a; boys' dark union shirts, 2s Od to 3s 9d; boys' tennis shirts, mercerised, 3s- Gd; boys' golf hose, 2s 6d to 5s 9d, sizes 4 to 9.

Tlie attention of our readers is drawn to the advertisement in this issue of the sale of Mr. T. V. Simons' Carrington road sawmill plant. Included in the list are nine cottages, ranging, from two to five rooms, and are suitable for reerection on the beach. These cottages can be inspected at the sawmill, about ten miles from Xew Plymouth.

A Waitara. resident who has resided In that district for the last 46 years, states tha. the Waitara river is lower new than he ha* ever seen it. "The greatest blot on our industrial system," said Mr W. 1). Hunt, of the National Efficiency Board, speaking at the Expansion League luncheon at Dunedin on Friday, ''is the position of the casual laborer. In many cases his outlook is uncertain from day to day, and lie has to spend much of his time in enforced idleness. To my mind,\ the man who can live in this position aiul not, go to the devil must be an angel from heaven."

An important point in connection with the calling up of the Second Division under the Military Service Act brought Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P. to Wellington. He wanted to see if an arrangement could be made for members who belonged to the Second Division being medically examined at once, so that if they weie pronounced medically fit tliey would know exactly how they stood in relation to their employers. In Christchurch, for instance there were in one firm no fewer than 10 men who were liable to be called up in the-Second Division. They were all willing to go, but it was quite likely that several of them would be pased out as unfit'. If the passing-out process could be got over now, or at as early a date as possible, serious dislocation of business might be avoided. Married soldiers in camp find an increasing difficulty" in securing suitable house-room for their wives and familiei in the vicinity of the camps (remarks a Wellington paper). So far from becoming easier, the situation is growing worse from the soldiers' point of view, and many officers, non-commissioned officers,' and men, who will only he in camp for a specified time, are paying" extraordin-1 ary prices for single rooms in cottages of tour or five rooms which, in ordinary times, would be let for le«s than a £1 a week for the whole cottage. As regards Feathcrston, inquiry shows that at the present time there are no cottages to let, a number of new houses are "being built, and since the camp was made near Feath°rston the town lias had a number of neat-looking cottages added to its buildings. For the greater part, however, tliese have been built by persons who have gone to live in Featherston, and whose work is in connection with the camp in a civilian way—taxi-drivers, shopkeepers, and others. Attention is drawn J:o the sale advertised in this issue on account or Messrs Aiistis Bros., Onia.ta. The farm has been sold, therefore the whole herd of SO cows will be submitted to the public 1 at. the hammer without reserve. Mr. Anstis, senr., has bred practically the whole of the herd, and they do him credit. Farmers who desire to add to their herd should attend this sale. On the motion of Mr. Quilliam (Messrs Ciovett and Quilliam), the Supreme Court has granted probate of the will of the late Mr. E. N, L. Okey to the executrix therin named; also probate of the will of the late Private Augustus Potroz, formerly of Midhirst, to the executoi therein named.