LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Public Service Commission notifies that the usual entrance examinations for shorthand writers and typists will be held on May 20, applications dosing on May 11, Buyers of woollen apparel, or, in fact, any other clothing, should not hesitate about their purchases, for as sure as the sun rises higher prices will soon prevail. Very soon, too, it will become more difficult to obtain regular shipments.

The pasture along the coast towards Ureniii is looking remarkably well a' present, the recent rains, following on the spell of warm weather, having caused the grass to come away nicely. A magnificent specimen of mushroom was yesterday brought to this office, having been gathered on the farm of Mrs. Pitch. Tho mushroom is fully eight inches in diameter, but is not remarkable jso much for its size as for its perfect L'orm and delicacy of coloring.

The Soldiers' Club Committee wishes to acknowledge with thanks the following donations: —Taranaki Amusement Co, Ltd., £9 18a; Mr. W. R. Wright, Rahotu, £5, and Mr. J. C. Smith 10s, from the sale of Anzac Hymn: veteran £l. At the Hamilton Magistrate's Court yesterday, J. Dean, P. Dakin, F. Skeats, G. Narby, T. Curtain, G. Watson,' J. Graham and M. Sullivan, omployees of the Horotiu freezing works, were lined £5 each, with costs 22s fld, for a breach of the Labor Disputes Investigation Act, 1913, in having taken part in a strike in February last.—Press Association.

We are indebted to the collector of customs at New Plymouth, Mr. R. B. 11. Kyre, for the following figures showing the revenue clbloeted at this port during last month, as compared with, in parenheses, the amounts received in April, 1910:—Customs, £4330 18s (£3225 9s 8d); beer duty, £l2l 14s Sd ( £135 0s Id). The First Wellington District Medical Board held a sitting at the Rrill Hall yesterday. The number of recruits examined was not ascertainable last night, brt it was understood that the medical officers were agreeably surprised at the proportion of fit men examined, as compared with other places where they had held sittings in connection with the same ballot.

A five-horse <lray that was being tow~ e<' through Urenui yesterday by Mr. C. H Johnston, in a motor car, gave a striking illustration of the way in which motor traction is driving horse-(}rawn vehicles off the good metalled roads. This bus, which had done good service in and around New Plymouth up till a few years ago, and formerly looked quite imposing drawn by five or six spirited steeds, was being taken to Awakino, where some settler had purchased it, and by the irony of fate was being towed there by one of the vehicles that had driven it out of business here.

Writing from Sling Camp on February 23, to his father at Urenui, Lieut. Geo. Bertrand states: "I have been discharged from hospital, and am back in camp again, quite well and fit. The cold here is not so severe now as it used to be. After coming out of hospital I was given u, fortnight's leaves before going back into camp. I intended going up to Scotland to have a look around, but it was so cold that I thought it better not to go travelling around, as it might put mo back into hospital again, so I hunted up ja quiet hotel in London, and stayed there. I had a good look, around everywhere, went to all the good plays, and j spent a very enjoyable time. Alf Jennings, son of Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., was with me for a week, and we had a day out on my birthday. I got your cablo yesterday about a fortnight late. Alf Jennings came out in the main body, Taranaki Company, with me, and was wounded on Gallipoli. He has now got a commission in the Northumberland Fusiliers, Imperial Army. I saw the .King's procession, the day the King opened Parliament, with a giiard of Colonials, It was a great sight. Thousands of people lined tho streets from Buckingham Palace to the House, and of course everyone cheered when the King and Queen went by in the Royal carriage. I eame acrosß a few of tne old main body in London out of hospitals, etc., and we had a yarn over old times. Our pay has been raised by 2s now, so that I get 15instead of 13s, or rather 12s instead of 10a. us 3a is not pay, but field allowance, which is not always paid. Wo have not had a mail from New Zealand for over' a month, as the last boat was sunk, but there is a mail just in, I believe. The colonel in charge here does not want me to go over to France yet awhile, as on account of my cold lie thinks I may not be able to stand it."

The Melbourne, Ltd., have already received cable advices regarding huge advances in hosiery and cottons. Buyers, therefore, would bo well advised to lay in a store of winter requiremuets as s"on as possible, before prices take, a jump. The following bargains at the Melbourne should be taken full advantage of:—Ladies" plain cashmere all-wool hose 1/11; ribbed ditto 2/3; Llama finish liose 2/11; men's flannels 4/G; men's natural wool and cotton singlets 8/8; pants to match winter weights 5/11; Kaiapoi knitted pa. is 0/0; Roslyn knitted sine lets 0/11; pants to match 7/6; men's famous Mosgiel knitted socks 1/0 pair; men's oily canvas coats, famous "Fish" brand 35/-; boys' oily canvas coats 23/0 to 27/0; men's Police braces, best working brace on the market, 1/9 pair. Housewives who buy tea at Is 9d per lb should get Desert Gold Family Blend at Is fld and notice its superior quality. 3 UP-RIVER PARA RiUBBER USED IN FIRESTONE TYRES.

Understand what this means. The Firestone casing is a hard stiff husk unyielding to the small irregularities of the road. Every layer of a FIRESTONE is ALlVE—every ounco of Firestone rubber compound is made from best resilient up-river Para, charged with buoyancy. Firestones therefore absorb the road-jars which are too small to affect the high air-pressure in the tube.. To this great resiliency, and tho advantages gained by extra quality in seven places—extra rubber and extra thickness. Try these "most miles for the money" tyres. If your garage can't supply you, get particulars from A. Hatrick and Co., Ltd., Wanganui and Wellington, New Zealand agents. 14 (

A' resident of Opun&kc, Mr. James Higgins, who was on a' visit to Auckland, was admitted to the hospital last Wednesday afternoon suffering from injury to both legs, it is alleged that Mr. Higgins was being shown a suitable Ashing spot by a Maori, at Takapuna Beach, when ha was struck and rendered unconscious. Upon regaining his senses he missed a purse containing £4.

The trustees of the Cawthron estate, Nelson, are purchasing a further £BOOO worth of war bonds, making £IO,OOO so invested. Under the late Mr. Cawthron's will a fine observatory is to be established at the southern end of Britannia Heights, Nelson. The site is 48 acres in extent, and commands a magnificent view. The trustees have purchased 20 acres as a site for the Cawthron Institute. The land acquired is at Anuesbrook, a few miles out of Nelson.

A remarkable instance of the homing instinct of the common linnet is reported by a resident of Wellington. About a year ago his son caught a linnet, which was put into a cage. The "bird was afterwurds given to a friend, but managed to escape after being several days away from home. It immediately returned to it 3 former owner, and perched on the top of the cage, which was after that left open and food and water placed inside. Every day the linnet used to visii the cage for food, and soon became quite Q;ame. Then about October last it disappeared, and the young owner despaired of eve:- seeing it again. However, yesterday, V was amazed to see the bird hop inside the cage as of yore. Whether it had been on a migration or had been captured and managed to escape is not known, but the fact remains that it was ttble to find its way back after an absence of over six months.

A most ingenious form of the Morse signalling lamp Ims been perfected for nHe in connection with the present war. The apparatus consists of a small fitting placed inside the barrel of a rifle, signalling being effected by means of »i switch attached to the trigger. When the signaller wishes fo communicate with some point he aims the rifle containing the lamp at the point at which the corresponding signaller is situated. The great advantage of this arrangement is that the enemy cannot possibly intercept the signal, for the dispersion of lig.it, jeven at considerable distances, is very small, and the flashes can be seen only directly along the line on which the barrel is aimed. Signals from this rifle Morse lamp have been read with the nak- ! Ed eye up to SOO yards at night, ami with a from twice this distance. At three-quarters of a mile tests have shown the lateral dispersion to be four yards, yards.

An advertisement from time to time appearing in the newspapers brings home with sudden shock the personal horror of the war (says Sir ITeiiry Lucy in his latest letter to the Sydney Herald). It runs tlnis: "Wanted, news of officer, captain, 10th April, 1015. Notified killed 21st April, 1015, on Hill CO. Age 35. Height, 6ft Bin. Now reported having been seen wounded and memory lost. Please send description any unidentified officer." The public have grown accustomed to daily reports of battles on the Somme and elsewhere wherein hundreds i.f lives are lost, and thousands of hale, hearty men are disabled for life. In respect of pitifulness these events are exceeded by thought of this haplesß officer in the prime of life, a giant in physical form, wuundpd and in prison under the brutal system established in German camps, his mind wandering, his memory gone, wondering through the long day and sleepless night what his name might be, where he once lived, where he now is, and how he got there.

All invention that, it is claimed, will revoluntionise road rolling, lias been patented by Mr. Thos. Child, of Adelaide road, Tlannevirke (sayß the Dannevirke News). It is claimed for this machine that it can do anything that n steam roller can do, the invention broadly consisting of making the frame of the roller in the form of a tank and the rollers hollow, both the rollers and the tank being adapted to be filled with water in order to increase the weight of the ma chine. The tank is divided into compartments, and when not filled with water for ballasting purposes is employed for containing sand, tar, or the like. A small company has been formed, and it is proposed to make these rollers in two classes —one with a water sprinkler attached, for the purpose of wetting the ordinary clay binding, and the other fitted with an automatic tar sprayer and sand sprinkler, the whole being worked by one man from a foot plate. The machine has been invented to tar and sand a surface 4ft 6in wide by 157 ft long in one minute.

Recently a paragraph was going the rounds to the effect that the celebrated Count Bemstorff, late German Ambassador in America, was at one time—some thirty-one years ago—a visitor to Dannevirke, where lie passed under the name of Baron Ernst. An Otaki lady informs the local paper that "the Baron" also visited Otaki. She writes us: "One day at dinner the Rev. J. McWilliam told hia family that he had had a visit from a German Count, who had called to see if Mr. McWilliam could lend him a sum of money, for ho had got to the end of his funds, and there was no bank here. Mr. McWilliam never turned anyone away, go he lent the 'Baron' some money, and accepted a very beautiful and valuable ting to keep uptil the money was returned. A good many months passed away, and all thought th? money would not be returned, but in Teply to our teasing, Mr. McWilliam used to say: Well, what is money for, but to bo able to help our fellow-men? He was a gentleman, I am positive, and will repay in time'. And in course of time the debt was repaid, and with it was sent a large book of lovely Scottish views—Mr. McWilliam had come from Scotland."

The Melbourne, Ltd., quote the following prices on Colonial all-wool ruga and blankets: White fleecy N.Z. made allwool blankets, three-quarter bed size, 24s fid pair; double-bed size, 35s pair; allwool fringed rugs, 18s fid; imported striped bush rugs, large size, 13s 8d; blue grey blankets, 18s Cd pair. Best values in the Dominion. EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD TOR GOLDS. Mr John W. Doyle, secretary of the Eight-Hour and Labor Demonstration Committee, Sydney, writes: "It gives me much pleasure to state I have found Mean's Essence an exceptionally good remedy for colds. Its moderate price and rapidity of action should make a special appeal to workers with large families. Hean's Essence supplies a long-felt want in the home." Hean's Essence is obtainable from chemists and stores, or post free to your address on receipt of -price, 2s, from Hean's Pharmacy, Wanganui. Two shillings' worth makes one pint of finest quality Cougli and Sore Throat remedy —as much as you can get of ordinary mixture# for 12s. I