LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 April 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Timaru watersidcrs have decided to accept the employers' terms bv 85 votes to 4. An excellent view of the comet, in the eastern sky, was observed yesterday morning, just before daybreak. The Egmont County Council notify that the Koteoteo bridge, two miles on the New Plymouth side of Opunakc, will be closed for traffic on Wednesday, from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. A telegram from Wellington states that Caleb Anderson, employed as greaser on tho steamer Tarawera, fell off the wharf on Thursday night and war, drowned. He fell while attempting to step on board without using the gangway. ° The Harbor Board, at its meeting yesterday, decided to hold over the calling of tenders for the harbormaster's residence, which Is to be built in concrete, as it was considered that with the restrictions now placed on the railage of cement owing to the strike, no tenders would be received. Meanwhile stops will be taken' to prepare the site. To-day the Mart will bo run by the Omata and Motnroa ladies, who have arranged for a fine display of poultry, bain, lamb, etc., as well as a large variety of cakes and vegetables. Ladies of the above districts are asked to bring donations of flowers to the Mart, which will. not be open to the public until 10 a.m. At the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday, Mr. V. hi. Bellringer referred to the excellent dredging report that had been received that morning. It showed that in no place in the fairway was thero less ,thaji 25 feet, the majority of the soundings showing from 20 to 27 feet. This was very satisfactory, especially in view of the'fact that the dredge had been away during the past month. The annual meeting of the Taranaki Law Society was held on Thursday night, there being present: Messrs. *j. Hntchen, J. B. Roy, 0. Samuel, A. Bewley, J. E. Wilson, T. B. Anderson. G. D. Gow (Elthain), A. C. Lawrey, A. H. Johnstone, T. King (Stratford), and R. C. Hughes. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: —President, Mr. J. B. Roy; vice-presi-dent, Mr. A. G. Bennett (Manaia); lion, treasurer, Mr. T. P. Anderson (reelected); council, Messrs A. H. Johnstone, J. E. Wilson, D. Hutchen, H. R. Billing; hon. auditor, Mr. F. E. Wilson (re-elected). Mr. E. Lash is permanent secretary. Various matters were also discussed. To-morrow (Sunday) afternoon, in Pukekura Park, the recital postponed from last Sunday, on account of the inclement weather, will be given by the New Plymouth Citizens' Band, assisted by the Junior Band. The programme promises to be of an attractive character, as in' addition to some old favorites some new items will be submitted, including "The Royal Hussars," "Merry Musicians," a short overture entitled "Vanessa," and a cornet solo, "Austru lis," by Musician R. F. Taylor. The Junior Band will again be heard, and it will combine with the seniors in a Tendering of "Abide With Me." The collection is to bo devoted to 1 carrying out the band's obligations in connection with the installation of the electric light in tho park, and as this has proved of considerable advantage, and a decided acquisition, it is hoped that the result will prove satisfactory. Messrs J. P. Hughson, S. Campbell, S. Forsyth, S. M. Cornish, C. H. Hirst and M. Hickey have been elected unopposed as members of the Opunake Harbor Board. Messrs Hughson and Hirst are the only members of the previous board, the former being chairman. During the past few days several of the teachers attending the agricultural classes have been attending at the municipal baths, obtaining instruction from Mr. P. A. Schwartz in Royal Life-Sav-ing methods, with the object of introducing this subject into their schools next summer. Yesterday afternoon Messrs A. V. Sims (Ngacre), G, A. Lyall (Kaponga) and W. A. Dean (assistant agricultural instructor at Inglewood) attended the baths, and submitted themselves for 'examination. They went through the necessary tests to the satisfaction of the examiner, Mr. P. A. Schwartz, and qualified for elementary- and proficiency certificates. Master E. Golding (West End School) also qualified similarly. There was a good congregation at St. Mary's Church last nigttt, when the Rev. P. G. Harvie, vicar-elect, was in'ducted to the cure of St. Mary's parish, according to the ceremonial of the church. Ven. Archdeacon Evans, who was appointed by the bishop, instituted the new vicar, and there were also present the Revs. Harvie (Inglcwood), C. W. Howard (Stratford), and H. A. Favell (Henui). Mr. S. W. Shaw, clergyman's warden, and the members of the vestry were present, and took part in the ceremony. Archdeacon Evans gave an address appropriate to the occasion, whilst the beautiful singing of the choir, under t lie direction of the organist, Mr Rcnaud, added to the solemnity of the service. A special patriotic service and service of intercession, in connection with Annie Day, will be held in Whiteley Church, on Sunday evening. The Rc-v, W. A. Sinclair will deliver an address on "The Appeal to Men of the Difficult and the Dangerous." Mr. Gray will sing "Arm, Arm, Ye Bravo." Returned soldiers are specially Invited to attend. The Scouts of New, Plymouth are invited to attend the parade on Monday for tho service on Anznc Day, and will fall in at 'the elub with the veterans at 1.30 p.m. EVERYBODY'S DRINKING IT! What? GREEN GINGER. A pure, wholesome and refreshing drink for sensible people. A TRIAL WILL CONVINCE. A tablespoonful to a large tumbler of water 50 drinks to tho bottle. 1/fi per bottle; all grocers, Order to-day from your grocer I You "ill be satisfied- .

A good story is told of a New Zealand soldier who had passed the Dominion -lull bad:" and arrived at Sling Canif,. Tip company was paraded, and the New Zealandcr, who waa ;".« years of a?p, hah ami'hearty,'win-among the number. "How old are you?" he was if ked. "Forty-two/; was the reply. "I dMri't ask you how old you have been," sniiHhe CO., -I asked you hew eld you lire." The middle-aged patriot did not go to the front. Mid-winter on Salisbury Plains does not represent the best time to train, of course, write? an Auckland soldier. For the past fortnight, there has not been a day wher. less than six inches of snow lav on the ground. The cold has been intense. It's a common thing to find thi> ink frozen in one's fountain pen. But it is healthy. After training for a winter at Tientham, and a winter at Sling. I say without hesitation time 1 would rather spend six weeks here than one week at Trentlmm. Featherston is ar. ideal camp on an ideal site. Wow .would a whisky famine affect the residents of Otago? (asks a Dunodin paper). No one knows as yet, but wp may find out. Stock* are running shirt in Duncdin, and inquiries as to whether other centres can land or sell lead to the knowledge that Christehurch, Wellington and Auckland are in the same fix. Distillors in the. Old Country are refusing orders except for strictly limited quantities, and they will not quote at all otherwise than "the price on the day of shipment." Sugar is becoming scarce in Dunedin, says the Star. We are led to believe is an abundance at the mtnrks in Auckland, but it is a job to get room for it en tho coastal steamers. "It is a. surprising-fact that after two and a-iialf years of war the supply of London theatres is not equal to the demand," says the Times. "At present every playhouse is occupied, except the Little, which is being used as a Y.M.C.A hostel, and C'ovent Garden,,, now a Government furniture depository, and another half-dozen could be filled without difficulty.'' A man was rescued from a rather perilous position on Sunday week (states the Winton paper). He was caught by Hood waters between the Oreti bridge and the new bridge erected near the Awimia Dairy Factory. To attract attention, he lit a fire on a piece of high ground. The black, stormy night was not very inviting, yet Trooper Norman Cowio, at present on final leave, mounted on the steeplechaser Ghent, crossed and rescued the man who must otherwise have perished from ecld. An Aucklander writes from France as follows: In the old days it was the enemy fire only that the attackers were afraid of. Now there is our own as well. An attack is made under an are of our own fire. The attacking force must always keep within 50 yards of its own barrage. They move by the clock, All watches are synchronised, and you go so far, and no further, every minute. Every minute the barrage is lifted. If you anticipate the barrage you get in amongst the shells of your own batteries; of you hang back too long, thou the enemy lias time to come out of his dug-outs—for he knows where the barrage has passed over—and so you become an easy mark for his machine-gun ami rifle fire. Yes, it's reduced to a science, this war game. As little as possible is left to chance. There is method all tlie time, and no man is allowed to proceed to tho front until he has been instilled with a common sense understanding of those methods. The Upper Hutt Court presented an animated scene on Wednesday, says tlie Times. Usually the court proceedings there creote little or no interest, but yesterday was an exception to the rule, the little courthouse being packed to its utmost capacity to hear a case in which tho printer and publisher (a woman) of the local newspaper was the defendant, and two residents of the districtmother and daughter—were the plaintiffs. The defendant was alleged to have published articles in which provoking and insulting language was used towards the plaintiffs, in respect to which sureties of the peace was applied for. Mr. J. S. Barton), wunsel for the prosecution, read articles from a number of newspapers that were alleged to refer to his clients, and in putting the exhibits in as evidence, used almost every letter in the alphabet to distinguish one article from another. In an editorial article tho Wellington Post compares the action of the. Now Zealand miners who won tunnelling honours at Arras on the West Front, with that of the strikers on our West Coash, and adds: "These victors in subterranean France are New Zealand miners, and yet, while they strain their fierce energy in the Empire's cause, comrades and fellow-unionists in New Zealand deliver the easy stroke, and by restriction of coal output handicap the national war effort. The inconsistency, madness, and tragedy of it are pathetic. Is there not yet time for New Zealand workers to turn their attention from the words of the soap box to the deeds done in the galleries at Arras 1 At this stage of the' war no other sorb of! gallery work counts; and Labour's reward .will surely be proportioned to its loyalty to the national idea. We are glad that this inspiring news from Arra9 comes at a moment when the industrial tide on the West Coast appears to he on the turn." Judging by the reports received by the Federal Minister for Home and Territories from tho Lieutenant-Governor of Pspua (savs Melbourne Age) the task of civilising tho natives who are of a most barbaric type will be long and tedious. In a recent exploratory tonr Judge Murray discovered a ghastly example of native art consisting of a stuffed native head painted in red, yellowt and black stripes. The natives frequenting the upj per reaches of the Strickland River wcrs founj to be very wild and barbaric. AlI though armed with bows and arrows, they took fright at the approach of white men, and flew in terror into the jungle. Further on, however, at the mouth of the Herbert River, they were of a more hostile temperament, and fired at tho party. A few shots sufficed to put them to flight. In isolated cases friendly relations were established with tho blacks, but the absence of a common language in which to converse with them proved a handicap) and to avoid bloodshed the party continued on its journey. The natives arc constantly warring among themselves, and in consequence the population in tlie middle Strickland district is nomad in character. AT THE FRONT. At the front of all the carrying concerns in the Dominion is the New Zealand Express Co. The company is the only one of the kind, with offices of its own right through/ New Zealand. This indicates not only its size, but also its dependability in all work it specialises in—viz., customs, carrying, forwarding, Btoring, furniture-removing. It's this factor which accounts for its wonderful growth. -ft . '

The sequel to an affiliation case in VM City Police Court was the arrest of the parents cf tho complainant says tlie "Otngo Daily Times." It appears that ns the parties left the Court the girl's mother, who was somewhat irate at tho case being dismissed, attacked the dc« fendant, and a general melee took placd amid the shrieks of the girl. Tho Court crderly then appeared on tho scene, and was in the act of separating tho woman and the defendant when the husband took a hand in the proceedings. He -was promptly placed under arrest along with his wife. On tho Tuesday morning after Easter the foreman at the Waiwakaiho bridge contract left his waistcoat as usual,. while he attended to his work. At noon he discovered that his gold watch, whlcli lie valued at £l6, was missing. The matter waa at once placed in the hand* of tho police, and as the result of en< quirics by Plain Clothes Constable Fit*« gibbon, the theft ,wa« traced to a amalf boy aged 11 year.*, who, it appears, hatf kept it for a couple of days and then( "swopped" it away to another boy foe sonie rides on a pony. The boy appear-* ed before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., in th< Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Senior-Sergeant Bowden prosecuting, > and was charged with the theft of watch. The child, the spn of respecti I able parents, waa very severely; admor-' ished by.the magistrate. ' , ~ In discussing to-operativei kifafaens, such as Dr. Marion Phillips has beert appointed to superintend (says a writer in the Sydney Morning Herald), it wni be remembered by many that about tha beginning of the centary an energetic cally-worked and well-organised move* merit was started in Sydney, it» object! being to supply ready-cooked meals to* private families. The theory of a eon operative kitchen, which implies large, buying at wholesale rates, is a tempti ingly sound one, but, practically, the) movement here was doomed to failure. One of the chief reasons was the cost| per head per meal. It wag found by, housewives that the "co-operative" meat could not bo obtained as cheaply as tha; ordinary family meal. But those were pre-war days. The cost of food has, altered the problem somewhat. To Mrs. Bogue Luffmann belongs the credit of introducing the idea of the co-operative; kitchen to Australia. Attention is drawn in our advertising colmuns to an important announcement regarding the business of L. Berry autt Co. The partnership is being dissolved and the whole of the stock must ba realised. The premises will be oloied until the end of tho month when a clearing sale will commence. Bead these winter bargains on offer at the Melbourne, Ltd.: Chintz down quilt», full size 12s 9d;,bluo blankets, einglo bed size, 10s fld pair; idouble bed, all wool New Zealand blankets, 3Gs pair; boys' jerseys, fis fld to 7s lid; fleecy bloomers, 3s Od; natural combinations, ?s fld; heavy white flannelette, 32 inches wide, 8d and Od yard; ladies' ribbed alliVool cashmere hose, 2s 3d pair; boys' golf hose, all-wool, striped tops, 2e 114 to 3s 9d all sizes. A special Anzao service is to be held in the Opunake Methodist Church thia •evening at 7.30, conducted by the Rev, R. B. Gosnell.! A collection will be] taken up on behalf of the chaplain's] (work in camp. . .. - 3"