LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tn connection with tho finding of a boat at Paraparaumu with the name. '■Eunice," the Secretary of Marine has advised that tho scow Eunice lost tho boat on June 11, when 100 miles northwest of Cape Egmont.—Press Association,

Anna Luther, the female star of the '< now Fox feature, "The Beast/' has cour~J ago as well as -looks. Her work lit battling the waters of the Colorado! River is sufficient proof of this. With Charlie Chaplin in "Dough and Dynamite" in support, "The Beast" will be screened at both matinee and night seaaions to-day. In the Xev Plymouth Hospital last evening wore 100 eases —a record since tho hospital was established. It would 6eem that it won't be long before the new hospital, which was designed for 100 cases, will require enlarging. It is stated there is a large number of infectious disease ca,ses in the isolation ward.

A young man named John Turchi, employed on Mr. C .E. Bellringcr's farm at Omata, while bringing in cattle yesterday about 1 p.m. met with a serious accident, owing to tho horse he was riding tripping and falling on Turchi. He was found in an unconscious state and removed to the hospital by the ambulance. On inquiry last night it 'was etatcd the sufferer had not regained consciousness.

Speaking at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Mangorei Dairy Co. the chairman, Mr. Arthur Morton, who is also president of the National Dairy Association, stated that the threefarthings hutter-fat levy had in actual practice proved sufficient for its purpose, in fact there was a possibility that there would he a refund of a substantial portion of the levy itself, irrespective of whether the 'whole amount paid was refunded out of the Consolidated Revenue.

Mr. R. A. Browne, director of agricultural education, waited on the suppliers \tl the Mangorei Dairy Company yesterday and suggested that, instead of three or four lectures per year held in tho hall, practical demonstrations 3hould bo given monthly on farms, on dates to be fixed by a committee set up by the suppliers. He also suggested that the levy should be increased from Is to 2s per ton. A resolution was passed leaving Hie whole question in the hands of the directors.

The work done by the Y.M.C.A. in the interests of the boys' at the front was highly spoken of by Mr. A. Morton, chairman of directors of the Mangorei Dairy Company, yesterday, in moving that the company vote £IOO to that organisation. An amendment was moved that £2OO be voted, it being pointed out that suppliers could then feel they had already done their share, when they were approached by Pierrots and other organisations for contributions at Inglewood and New Plymouth. This amendment 'Was lost, as was a further one to vote £IOO each to the Y.M.C.A. and the Red Cross, and another to vole £l5O to the Y.M.C.A., the latter on the casting vote of the chairman, who stated that he was tho mover of the original motion, which was then put and carried.

At Eltham S.M. Court on Wednesday, before, Mr. W. It. Haeclcdn, S.M. (president), Mr. J. B. Murdoch (assessor for the claimants), and Mr. J. B. Richards (assessor for the respondent)., two cases were heard in which' Philip Pitcher, of Kaponga, farmer, and the Piteher Trustees respectively chimed £SO and £2OO from the Kaponga Town Board for damages allegedly caused to the lands of the claimants by the flooding of the Kaupokomii river. The Town Board, under fl license issued under Order-in-Counoil, had entered upon the lands of the claimants, and for the purpose of installing an electric lighting system for the town district had dammed back the Kaupokonui river. The claimants -alleged that rortain damage was done during the erection of the works and later when the river Hooded. Mr. T. B. Crump appeared for the claimants, and Mr. P. O'Dea for the Kaponga Town 'Hoard. The assessors, after hearing opening addresses by counsel, adjourned to Kaponga to view the site. The evidence of Philip Pitcher, and of John Sturrock, borough engineer, Hawera, was taken in the afternoon, after which the Court adjourned till next Monday.

Deferred judgment was given at the Stratford Magistrate's Court veslerdav in the ease New Zealand Loan "and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., v. Walter Hardy Jones, in which the plaintiffs claimed to recover £IOO as commission on the sale of the defendant's property. The facts were that the defendants authorised the plaintiff company to sell his property in September, 191-5, at £55 per acre, with a cash deposit of £2OOO. Through the plaintiffs the defendant was introduced to Mr. Maxwell, who agreed to purchase at the terms' stated, but subsequently found difficulty in finding the £2OOO deposit. Negotiations took place between the principals until June, IDI fl, when Maxwell finally purchased the property at the price per acre agreed upon, but paying only £10(10 as a"cash deposit. The plaintiffs did not interfere in these negotiations, nor did they know of the actual sale til! they heard of it from outside sources, but Maxwell had stated in evidence that he had purchased i» conseiiuence of the plaintiffs' introduction of the matter to him, and that the plaintiffs' salesman had 'been the means of bringing him and the vendor into business relations over the land, On this evidence the court thought the I plaintiffs were entitled to recover, and gave judgment for the amount claimed with costs. Mr. Johnstone appeared for the plaintiff Co. and Mr. llutchen for the defendant.

At Whitelev Church on Sunday evening, the Bev. W. A. Sinclair will continue his series of addresses on "Some Questions Men are Asking," the question bein?-': "H God is all good and all powerful why does he permit so much suff"rin« and sorrow in the world f" °

Kain, snow, hail or blow don't trouble .von if vou fill your Hot Water Bottle before retiring; but see that it has the "Unique" Stopper. The bottle that won't Hurst because cf the properly viilKiuiißed Bfiniu*. '

The head of the railway construction department in France, Mr. J. W. Stewart, is a millionaire, and tho greatest builder of railways in the world. A Scotsman, and devoted to tho. land of his birth, he made up his mind to seek famo and .fortune in Canada, and landed ■in that country with only a few shillings Ho got work on a farm, and then finding employment on a railway, acquired a knowledge of engineering. Eventually ho became a partner in the great American firm of Foley and Walsh. From his quiet, unassuming ways it would never bo imagined that he'ia one of the mo!,t energetic and forceful personalities in the British Empire, and one of its greatest organisers.

The Highden estate, half-way between Palmerston North and Feilding, has been acquired by the Government for settlement by returned soldiers. The estate consists of about 500 acres, is described as comprising some of the finest land in New Zealand, and is capable of easy subdivision into small areas for dairying purposes. The price has not been stated™

A Home paper of March 9 reports Mr. Masscy as saying at Liverpool that there was no difficulty in obtaining men from New Zealand for the army] The difficulty was to prevent all the men in New Zfflfend from enlisting.

i A statement made in a recent issue of j&ty Otago Daily Times, to the effect jtfb&t the result of inquiries made, as to (Ac amount payable under the National Efficiency Board's scheme for compensation to those directly interested in the liquor trade in the event of national prohibition being carried, showed that it would be between £4i,000,000 and £4,500:000, was brought under the notice of Mr. J. A. Frostick, the Canterbury Commissioner on the board. Asked if he could confirm the (statement, Mr. Frosttick said that he had little doubt that it was approximately correct.

'■' Should not the Taranaki dairy factories own and work their own coal mine?" was a question asked by Mr. Corrigan at the last meeting of the Pateu Harbor Hoard. Tho thought mas prompted by a remark made by Mr. Grainger that both the North Cape and the Puponga coal mines had recently closed down because of insufficiency of capital. Excellent coal was obtainable from hot ii these minjw, and it was a pity that they were not producing as they should be. Mr. Corrigan thought that it might well pay the Taranaki dairy factories ts. buy one of these mines. But. be said, I'll admit that, whilst we might know something of how to make cheese and butter.' we don't know much about running coal mines or managing strikes, etc.

The kea. is generally held in such abhorrence that few people are aware that it is very much esteemed as a table bird o.n many of tho back country stations (says the Cliristchurch Sun). The kea is a first-class table delicacy, and in ta*te U not very dissimilar to pigeon. This is not altogether surprising, for it is of the pu-rrot family, and tho New jZealaud parrot, the kaka, is very much son-jht after by bushmcu and others as a moire of lcplenishing the larder. The diet of the kea, of course, is very simflar to that of a wild Fowl or duck. Its main subsistence is derived from berries, yrmng traShM. grubs, worms, etc.—only a very occasional kea ever attacks a sheep—-so that there is nothing really to offend the fastidious in tiiis respect. On a certain back station this winter, many kens have gone into the pot, as the result of night excursions with decoys and guns.

A correspondent of the Wellington Post writes: The new tariff on certain goods which may be classed more or less as luxuries will probably not ,be.looked upon by consumers as a hardship so fur as the additional cost of them represents money received by the Government. But in the case of cigarette.:, the Government by imposing an additional tax of fis per thousand, which'is (id per hundred on just over Ad per packet of tens is practically compelling the retailers to make a profit on the war tax It fa impossible for a shop-keeper to "pass on" (id per packet; he is not likely to call it a half-penny, even though, his loss would be trilling, lie. puts on a pomiy, out of which* he keeps *id i»r verj hundred cigarettes sold. The annua!! consuiiiption of cigarettes in New Zealand is apparently soim'thing like : 250,000,000. If this small profit is worked out on that basis it conies to over £•1(1,000 a year. On the same basis the 'government's additional tax gives about £OO,OOO. Now it comes to exactly the same ilrng to the buyer whether the extra penny he pays goes all to the winning of the .ivar or is split between the nation's work and the protit to the tobacconist. Would it not be reasonable if the Government in increasing tariffs did bo in such a way that there wonjd be no obstacle to passing it on exactly to the consumer? In respect of stocks, thi-1 writer adds: As it wits almost inevitable that the prices would go up at once, steps ought to have been taken to secure statements of the goods in stock, and the extra duty charged upon them. It would have been comparatively cheap for the return that would have resulted; and once again the public would have known that its money was going info the war funds, 7

The new dining-rooms built by the Government, to provide for the wants of the "inner man" of those travelling, were opened at Marton on Monday. Whether tho rooms are going to be a good proposition for the State remains to be seen, ft might turn out a financially sound scheme, provided the General Manager docs not ''over-run the constable with too many inspectors." 'One naturally expects to find an inspector of meat, an inspector of bread, an inspector of silverware, and an inspector of laundry, making their periodical visits of inspection to the meat house, to the State bakery, and to the laundry. Quite a large staff of girls iwero employed as waitresses. One man was in the ticket box selling tickets in the same manner as tickets are sold at the picture theatres, and another young man lifted the tickets and the money as the satisfied patrons made their exit, as well as being a kind of general overseer. Of course, there were also the cooks. The establishment is certainly a big one, and, providing the train is always up to time—which is doubtful—the people will be fed a little after S O'clock. The Main Trunkei's will have to go without dinner, as the express will arrive at Wellington some time after S o'clock. Whether "this now arrangement will suit travellers, time alone will tell. The majority of regular travellers consider that tho taking off of tho "diners" is a retrograde steii. It is quite certain that when the train comes along full, the new diningrooms will be found to be much too small, and many will cither have to go without, or be satisfied 'With a sandwich and a cup of tea.—Wanganui Chronicle.

Wha leer befalls when our country calls, Xot one inonioiil reluctant lag; F.ir better ba slain in the last wild null Thiiu survive 'nealh an alien flag. Such serfdom we could not endure; —Such freedom wo could not endurej For in sickness and pain, we'd beg in vaiii #«.■ Woods' Groat Peaiicruiint Cure,

Today Mr. Newtort King IIOM3 his first weekly auction sale at his Kaponga mart, derails of which aro advertised. These (ales should prove of the greatest service to settlers in the Kaponga district, and should grow in volume and favor as tin y meet a want that is felt in every district.

Applicants at the marriage licenso bureau in Pitt'sburg, U.S.A., on Anrll 12th were confronted by the following sign, printed in black on a yellow background: "A man who marries a glyj to shirk his duty to his country is"- U going to think very much of shi; liis duty to his wife. Girls/'bcvi '

Two Bmall boys, aged 11 years'and 14 years respectively, were brought before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., at the New Plymouth Juvenile Court yesterday charged with the theft of a tent fly, the property of Mr. Francis Grayling, from a shod J« Hobson street, near the Boys' High School. They pleaded guilty and were ordered to receive three strokes of tho birch each.

Violet day at Wellington "yesterday was a great success. Workers were busy selling flowers, produce and other goods, and a procession was held, headed by the Trentham Band. Much interest was taken in a party of Maoris from Manawatu who performed poi dances and sang tunefully. As the result of the day's efforts £1037 was banked, and there are still some box.es to come in from tho suburbs.—Press Association.

Speaking at the Woolston patriotic meeting on Saturday night, the Rev., F. Copeland, who was in German Samoa when the war broke out, said that the Germans there showed great elation over the advance through Belgium. When the German Governor heard of the fall of Liege, he "shouted'' champagne for the Samoa garrison, and when Namuv fell he distributed cigars. Lager beer was served out when the neut town fell, but as the Australian Navy arrived the following day, no further "shouting" took place. The first anniversary of the New Plymouth Soldiers' Club will be celebrated this afternoon in the club rooms, when members will give an "at home" to which all soldiers' mothers are invited to bo prcsi-iit. The committee wish it to be distinct! 1 understood that the, invitation applies to ail soldiers' mothers, whether the men are now at the front; sin camp, or. have been discharged from the service. The hour appointed for receiving the club's guests is 2.30 p.m., and the members will exert every effort to give them a pleasant afternoon'. The secretary of the New Plymouth branch of the British Red Cross Society, Mr. A. B. Gibson, has received the following letter from the Under Secretary for the Department of Internal Affairs:—"l have the honor to inform you that the General Officer commanding the New Zealand Division at the front has cabled a recommendation that gift parcels be confined to woollen articles, milk, and Havelock tobacco, which may be sent Home in bulk. If extra money is available by this arrangement it should be sent far distribution to units, to purchase extras, for which purpose two shillings per month per .man would bo ample."

In a message to the editor of tlio Duncdin Slur, in reference to the anniversary of the declaration of war, the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. <!. \V. Kusiseil) says: "Equally important is it for us to maintain our food supplies for the Mother Country and her armies. To do this it may and will be necessary to take power to conscript labor not medically (it for military service, aach man and woman being allotted that service he or she is best, able to perform in order to help the groat cause. Neither age nor sex can count in the ultimate, resource with which we as a nation may yet be faced. 'Every New ZeaiandeV to his or her job' in list be the slogan cry if the war is to he won."

One of New York's plutocrats has died in tii' person of Mr J. I). Fletcher, a brother of M* Horace Fletcher, the "chewing king." Mr J, D. who leaves several millions,*,-, made his fortune by the interesting process* of attracting chemicals from by-products. He was an art collector with a vengeance, and now leaves his vast treasures, garnered from the nooks and crannies of the earth, to the Metropolitan Museum of Ntw York. In hi* will he simply states that the 'committee may come into his Fifth Avenue palace nnd take what they please. Incidentally, Mr Fletcher spent a number of years collecting a pearl necklace for his wife. When the neckluce was completed it was valued at £250,000, and when Mrs Fletcher went to the opera she was accompanied not only by the necklace, but by a detective. t&tAt tlie New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday a man named William Thomas Finnemore was charged with having on July 2-0 in Devon street used nbusivc and insulting words to John Hartley Ainslie, namely, ''You are a b German, aren't you! Yes, you are, .you ——." A second information repeating the same words and charged the defendant with indecent language. The defendant pleaded guilty, statmg that he had no recollection of having used' the words to Mr. Ainslie, and if he had ho most humbly apologised to that gentleman. He was, he said, a discharged Royal Navy man, having served since he was a boy of 14J and was now a naval reservist. He had been all over the world in the service, but was never in such a plight before. Evidence was called by Senior Sergeant Bowden to show that the words complained of had been used, the defendant being some-' what under the influence of drink at the time. His Worship imposed a fine of £2, in default fourteen days' iinp'risonpien't, granting an application by the de- ; fondant for a month's time in which to pay the. money

The Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Ltd., draws attention to the clearing sale it is holding on account of Mr. William Hatcher, who is giving up dairying, at Monmouth road, Stratford, on Monday, August 13. Full partculars on page 8.

Weather permtting, flie Citizens' Band will journey to the Breakwater to-mor-row, (Sunday) afternoon, and give the recital which had to be postponed a fortnight ago owing to rain. A good programme will bo submitted, nnd the collection will be for the band funds, the recita'l commencing at 2.45 p.m.

A splendid chance of obtaining cheap boots, shoes and slippers is provided by the Melbourne, Ltd.'s final boot dispersal sale. The firm is going right out of boots and to expedite the complete disposal of the entire stock prices have been marked down to below pre-war cost.