LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The final list of the men of the First Division, called up in a body, is to be released at o p.m. on Monday next for publication in Tuesday's papers. The Wellington Gas Company has announced a considerable advance in tho price of gas consequent on the increased cost of manufacture and heavy taxation. —Press Association. The Citizens' Band will give a concert in Kawaroa 'Park on Sunday afternoon. A capital programme lias been arranged for the occasion. The Mayor has received an acknowledgment of the sum of £135 8s 3d collected in New Plymouth for the National Roumanian Relief Fund. A lad named Cecil Clark was granted two months' exemption from military drill by Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., at the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, on the ground of evening engagements during that period. Lieutenant Crutch consented on behalf of the Defence Department. A Press Association telegram states that Beath and Co., well-known Christchurch drapers, have issued a writ against the John Bull Newspaper Proprietary, Ltd., Frederick .T. Dawson (fruiterer), and Maurice Goldsborough (journalist), claiming £IOOO general damages for alleged libel. On Wednesday evening in Wellington detectives searched the lodgings occupied lay L. Glover, president of the Waterside Workers' Union, and the room of a man named Byrne, described as following the occupation of an electrician. The search was connected with the recent find of gelignite at the rear of a shop in Manners street. Nothing of a compromising character was discovered.

Owing to a request having been received from the Ladies' Patriotic Committee that the Methodists should control the mart, tho Rev. W. A. Sinclair convened a meeting, which was held at the Whiteley Hall, and was largely attended. The project was taken up very heartily, and the date was fixed for November 10. It was decided to run it as a rose day, this being the time when roses should be at their best. Strong committees were appointed, comprising both ladies and gentlemen, to organise both in the town and country. Mrs. Porter, organising secretary for the Wellington Military District of the New Zealand Natinal Reserve (women's branch), has been in communication for some time with the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. C. H. Burgess), relative to the formation of a Taranaki branch of the Women's Reserve. Arrangements have now been made for a conference olthe mayoresses (or their representatives) of Taranaki towns, and the meeting will take place at Stratford on Monday next, October 1. Mrs. Porter will tie present and explain the objects of the movement which are briefly to prepare women to take the places of men in offices and other occupations.

Reference was made at the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday to the increasing frequency of breaches ol the hy-laws regulating motor-cycle traffic, especially with regard to travelling after dark without lights and carrying passengers otherwise than in side cars. Chief Borough Inspector Day mentioned the matter in connection with some cases of the kind then before tho court, pointed out that people ought to know by this time the nature of the bylaws. and suggested that if the Magistrate notified that in future he would double the fines hitherto imposed it might have a deterrent effect. His Worship (Mr. A. Crooke, S.M.) said he had intended to refer to the frequency of these cases himself, even if the inspector had not brought it up. The practices must be stopped, and while not prepared to say that he would double the fines, he would certainly keep on increasing them until that object was attained.

June Caprice, bright and sparkling, with a sweet winsomeness all her own, and a smile liko a flash of sunlight on a wintry day, completely captivated a huge audience at the popular Everybody's Theatre last evening in the Fox feature, "The Mistehief Maker." This story, of the pranks of a high-spirited young bo.arding-sehool miss 'bubbles over with gaiety and sweet innocence and will no doubt attract another fuU house for the final screening to-night. Tomorrow the great AVorld-film success. "The Dancer's Peril," will commence at the matinee. This picture features Alice Brady, Montague Love and Alexis Kosloff of the Russian Imperial ballet, and has been classed as one of the finest motion pictures screened in the Dominion, certainly it has proved one of the biggest attractions and had onthusiast.lc receptions in all the centres.

On Wednesday morning an accident happened to the Awakino mail coach, but fortunately without serious consequences. Shortly after leaving Awakino, whilst descending a hill near Mr. Black's on a bad piece of road, the king-bolt of the coach broke, with the result that the coach capsized, the five passengers inside escaping without any injury. The driver, Mr. E. Jury, was not quite so fortunate. He hung on to the reins anti was dragged some distance by the five horses, which bolted with the forecarriage of the vehicle. He narrowly escaped being kicked, and, when he did let go. found that he had got off with bruised shoulder. One of the horses broke a leg, flnd had to be destroyed. The other four horses were then harnessed to a double buggy, in which the passengers and mails completed their journey to the metalled road, Mr. Delvers driving. The coach driver had his shoulder attended to, and \till- probably be able to handle the reins in a few days.

Ladies will be interested to learn that there has been a further rise in the price of Swiss embroidery amounting to 331-3 per cent. The Melbourne, Ltd., fortunately are holding large stocks of embroidery bought at Home over twelve months ago, and just recently landed. All widths in stock, and all made of fine longcloth. The mart will be open on Friday afternoon and evening to receive gifts of flowers, produce, cakes, ietc, Will town and countrv ohildreft remember the egft stall J'