LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 April 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At Auckland yesterday, T. Phiney, president, and twenty members of the Freezing Workers' Union employed at Southdown Works, were charged with taking part in a strike without taking the steps required by the law. The president was fined £lO and the others £j each.

At a meeting of the Duhedin Watersiders' Union yesterday, the new, agreement entered into at the recent conference in Wellington was discussed, and a secret ballot taken on the proposals. As a result there were 115 votes for its acceptance, and 13 against. Mr. A. W. Ogle has refused nomination for the position of Mayor of Waitara, which remains vacant, Mr. Beckbessinger having retired. Seven councillors are required, and there are only six nominations. All the odl members of the Harbor Board havo been re elected.

The Taranaki teachers visiting New Plymouth spent a pleasant afternoon yesterday visiting the park, Mr. Xewton Kjng's magnificent Brooklands (Jardens, Mr. T. 0. List's "Maranui" and Messrs Sole Bros.' "'Aotea." Mr. R. TO. Brown, director of agricultural education, took I lie opportunity of giving observation lessons to the teachers in botany and horticulture, which proved very interesting and valuable. The fact that the popularity of -Any regular publication can be gauged by its circulation ' must place tho monthly issue of the "-Gazette'' containing the ballot names as a very popular publication (states the New Zealand Times). On Tuesday the ballot issue of the Gazette was eagerly sought after by the public. The Government Printing Office was besieged by prospective buyers of the Gazette. Immediately outside the printing office and along the front of the Government buildings, many people could be seen as deeply immersed in the contents of the Gazette as any juvenile could be in the most blood-curdling "penny dreadful." , A correspondent writes: —"To those who are interested in astronomy, please let me mention that a magnificent comet is plainly visible to the naked eye just above the eastern horizon. On Thursday morning it was visible at fl to 5.30 a.m." The following paragraph from the New Zealand Times (will throw some light on the phenomenon:— "Dr. Hector, of Lower Hutt. states that about 3.15 o'clock on Monday evening a beautiful comet rose o/ver the hills on tho eastern side of the' harbor, practically due east. It was, he stated, quite as bright as a star of the first magnitude, and had a long, curved tail. It was easily visible in the moonlight, and part daylight, and resembled the great comet of 1882." ,

Football behind Uid lines is one of the most popular pastimes of the New Zealand soldier in France. "Matches," says an Aueklander in writing to his friends, "are easily arranged. Very keen, good football it is too. If yon saw the fields they play in you "would understand, something of French mud. On New Year'- Day we marched several miles in the afternoon to see a match hctween New Zealand and a Welsh team from the Fifth Army Corps. Our fellows fairly made hay of the Welshmen, who were outclassed from the start, and were beaten by 40 points. Really one felt a pride in being a New Zealander on seeing the phyisque and play of our men. They play football of the strong and aggressive'type, with plenty of dash in it. It is also these characteristics that make them eood fighting mon. : ' Men's clothing specials at the Melbourne Ltd. Men's double-fronter grey denims 5/B, men's cord trousers 6/11, men's strong dark tweed trousers 11/(1. Splendid dark grey saddle tweed trousers 17/ li. Men's tweed ve«ts 5/0, men's warm tweed overcoats 35/- up to 09/0. Exceptional values. INTERESTING TO MOTHERS-HOW TO CURE COUGHS AND COLDS. There is one subject that always interests the mothers of young children, and that is how to treat their coughs and colds, or to ward off a threatened attack of croup. For this purpose we can recommend Chamberlain's Cough Remedy It always proves beneficial. In case of croup it should be given as soon as the croupy cough appears, so as to prevent the attack. Keep it at hand ready for instant use. Many mothers do so, and it saves them much uneasiness Sold everywhere.

"Thorp is otic tiling to be looked forward to while in France." said Lieutenant Morton to a Napier Telegraph" reporter. "That is the eight da'yV leave in England. To. get away from'the mud and slime of the trenches, even if only for a few days, is a.welcome rest, anil in England every New Zealander can .j certain of a warm reception. Victoria Station at 1 a.m. is one of the most remarkable sights of the war. 'i'his is ini time of the arrival of leave trains lioin France. Thousands of soldiers olad in sheep skins and carrying their rifles are borne through London by t many scores of motor buses ready waiting for them." An interesting account is given of the incident by which Captain Gordon Guthrie, of Ha'velock, Hawko's Bay, won for himself the much-coveted distinction of the Military Cross. His company had cleared 13 German trenches «i the' Western front, which they ioOH occupied by elderly men and quite young boys, and had returned to thoir own quarters, when Captain Guthrie, with an indefinable feeling that something rcmained I 'to be done, went back alone and found himself face to face with a big German officer wearing the most gorgeous uniform he had ever seen. Then ensued a combat worthy of Homeric days between these two big, powerful meji. Captain Guthrie is lift 2in., and weighs IB stone having developed wonderfully on active service), and his antagonist was of similar proportions. The German aimed a tremendous blow, which nearly crumpled his opponent's helmet'in *wo. Then they closed, and a terrific struggle for mastery began, each exerting all his strength. Finally, however, the superior strength of the New Zealander triumphed and ho was able to dispatch his dangerous opponent, who, from the richness of his accoutrements, was evidently an ollicer of rank. Captain Guthrie is at present engaged in France in training non-com-missioned officers for commissions; but he is" anxious to get back to the front, where, to use his own expression, he wants to "get mad" for a few minutes again.

Peculiarly pathetic and tragic are tin l circumstances connected with the death in Belgium of Mmo! Hcland, ttifc of the Hon. Dr. Henri S. Beland, former Post-master-General of Canada, news of which came to Sir Wilfred I.aurier a short time ago (states a London corre-' spondent on February 13). Dr Belaud was with his vrife in Belgium when the war broke out, in fact they were on their honeymoon, and he at once' offered his services to tend the wounded. He was wounded and taken prisoner when Antwerp was captured., being the first Canadianl M.P. to shed his blood, but, continued to minister to the. wounded, Germans as well as Belgians and British, while his bride volunteered her services as nurse. For months she served in Belgian hospitals, turning her villa in Belgium into a refuge for disabled soldiers, She was stricken down by an illness last autumn, and succumbed some weeks ago, but no official details have yet been given as to the character of her illness, its cause, or whether miy steps were taken by the German invaders to give her proper care and nourishment. Her husband was refused permission to !;e with her even in her dying hours, and he lias been kept a prisoner all the time since Antwerp was taken, every effort of the Canadian Government and other Parliamentarian friends to secure his release having failed, even exchange being irefused.