LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

1 lie I'.ast End Committee acknowledges with UmnW'i a donation of ]()s 6d from ilr. l'"\v; nv.

Tlii: df.ioial opening of the West End Bowling Club green will take place tomorrow atternooii, Visiting bowlers and friends are invited to be present. Several New Plymouth residents with front three to six children were surprised to receive wires yesterday intimating (hat (hey had been fortunate in drawing marbles in the ballot of the first section of the Second Division. Two or three cripples, and a wooden-legged resident, were also drawn to go to Treiitham.

" A motor smash was very narrow]v averted nn .Saturday afternoon on the Carrington road. Mr. C. Carter's delivery van ran down Victoria road, and was taking the sharp turn into the Carrington road when a ear proceeding to town attempted to rush past. The two ears collided at the corner, One wheel of the van was badly knocked about, and the body slightly damaged. John Fran?, Eugene Bauckc. of Palriatua. who was drawn in the ballot some months ago; disappeared the day before he was warned to parade. He was arrested at midnight on Monday at the foot of Tararua Range, 011 the Palmerston side. It is believed he had been hiding in the bush. The police on both sides of the range had heen keeping a good look-out. The arrest was made by the Palmcrston 'Police. —Press Association.

The glorious spring weather wliich prevailed last wcek-onil was taken full advantage of by the boarders of the Girls' High School, who visited the Mountain under exceptionally good weather conditions. The party of 22 girls and several mistresses left by motor on Friday evening, arriving at the old hostel at 0.30. Dawson's Falls were visited on Saturday, and on Monday the girls visited Bell's Falls, being the largest party the guide had ever conducted there. The climb to the summit was not attempted, as the party wrts so large, but from 5000 feet a splendid view was obtained, arid interest centred round Ngauruhoc in the distance, surrounded by heavy smoke clouds. All the girls stood up to the strenuous week-end very well, and returned to town on Monday evening.

A peculiar case of appeal came before the First Auckland Military Board last week (says the Auckland Star), when John W. Wyml, a steward employed a.t sea, claimed exemption on the -ground that he belonged to the Second Division. He was married last year, at the age of 19 years, and became a Reservist on 3rd June this year, when he was a married man, and therefore in the Second Division. The Board admitted that the point raised was novel, but Major Conlan pointed out that if such an appeal were allowed every young man not old enough to be a reservist could escape the First Division by getting married. The Board held that the fact (hat the man married after May. IMS, outweighed 'in law other considerations, and therefore belonged to the First Division

Few families have such a fine record of military service to their credit as that disclosed at the last sitting of (h# Military Service Board at Queenstown, in the case of Hugh Ross, scheelite miner, Glenorchy. It was, stated that Ross's father and mother were 80 and 02 years of age respectively. Their family consisted of five sons and seven daughters. Four of the former haA answered the call of King and Country, one having made the supreme sacrifice Of the others one had been invalided, one was in hospital in France, and the other was still in the trenches. Of the seven daughters four were in the London Red Cross, two others were married, but their husbands were fighting in France, and the remaining one was at home in Scotland looking after the parents. to the supports of whom appellant was regularly contributing.

A new course of bayonet fighting instruction is being followed at Trentham Camp, wliicli will be introduced later in other camps. Bayonet fighting in regarded as one of the most important attributes of a soldier, and very full attention has always been paid to it it> the training of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. The new scheme will, however, be more comprehensive than that previously followed. It will be carried out under the direction of Captain Brocks, an Imperial officer, who has had experience in the field and in British training camps. In connection with the Imperial authorities' acceptance of the butter producers' offer to sell their output for the current season, the Prime Minister in? forms the Hawera Star correspondent that the total value of the butter thus sold will be about two and a half millions sterling. The cheese output similarly purchased is worth four and a half millions. A few details of the butter purchase, including the question of the amount to be advanced against the product in store, awaiting shipment, have yet to be determined. The correspondent understands that there is absolutely 110 likelihood of any butter being released for shipment to America. Local prices will remain at a maximum of Is 8d per pound without the necessity for any equalisation fund such as caused so much discontent last season.

Mr. Hay, ail Australian business man, who is at present in the United States, speaks highly of the men who are going on active service from that country to France. He says: "The men of the first draft—and I saw a lot of them in New York and other parts of America —were as fine a lot of men as you could see anywhere. They are very similar in physique and bearing to the Australians. The qualifications for officers in this draft was that they should have passed through a Stato university. More than double the number required applied for commissions, and the men who were successful were those with the highest qualifications. The others were given non-commissioned jolts or drafted into the ranks. All the men called up must do several months' training in America before they are sent on active service. There are now more than 680,000 (the first draft) in training. The second draft of about the same number are probably called up by this time, so that by next spring America should have 1,250,000 men in the field. Speaking generally, there is a greater admiration now for Great Britain than there ever had been previously," Mr. Hay went on. "This is because of the woi"; Britain has done in the war. America and Britain are, perhaps, more closely united to-day than they have ever been. America in the past felt that Britain showed a cold reserve j but now this is changed to a feeling ot the warmest friendship and an unbounded admiration for her great organising power. Hon. Sir James Allen will "arrive by the mail train this evening. Returned soldiers and soldiers on leave are requested by the Returned Soldiers' Association to meet him at their Club this evening at 5.30 o'clock.

! Thousands of pukeko are to be found j in the swamps in the neighbourhood of the Wairarapa lake at the present time.

A coincidence in the latest ballot is the fact that three Bisters' husbands in the Taranaki district are called up for service (says the Hawera Star), Oil inquiry at the hospital last night we learned that Mr. 0. J. Herrick, who Was injured in a bicycle accident, was progressing favorably. The condition of Mrs. ,1. Allen, Mr. E. A. Anderson aim Mr. T. Rattenburv was also reported to be favorable.

Rome years ago a section of (he road between iPnhiatun and Eketahtina. was put down in concrete as an experimentThe experiment shows no sign of wear, and the experiment is pronounced an undoubted success.

"Laying metal on a road will not grow grass in a paddock," said a member of a deputation which waited on the Taranaki County Council in reference to the ■need for metalling a bad stretch of road, "It will," retorted one of the councillors. "You can carry manure along that metalled road and so put the grass in your paddocks."

A reservist named W. X. A. McGill was arrested at Wharcroa on Monday by the civil police, upon a charge of desertion from Trentham camp. When apprehended, MeOill was working under an assumed name. He has been missing since January last. Mcfiill will he taken through to Wellington to-day under military escort, where he will be dealt with by the authorities. The next sitting of the district medical board in Hawera will be on November 2!) and 30, and December 1; the New Plymouth dates are November 20 and 27, and Stratford November 2S. All reservists of A and B classes of the Second Division, and men attaining the ages of 1!) and 20 will be permitted to volunteer and present themselves at these sittings, provided they first advise the Defence Office.

At last night's meeting of the 'Pukeiviira Park Board, a letter was read from Flight-Commander C. IT. Drew, of the Pioval Flying Corps, who was formerly to the board, in the course of which he suggests that an exhibition of (lying yould draw a. good gate for the park. Flight-Commander Drew stated that if possible he would bring a machine back to New Zealand, and would be ready to do anything he could on the lines suggested.

At a meeting of the New Plymouth Expansion and Tourist League last evening it was reported that many enquiries from outside places were being received for accommodation, and tluit the bureau' was being utilised by present visitors to the district. The Government Tourist Department applied for further printed matter relating to the mountain and other pleasure resorts. Tt»was decided to canvass for additional members, the town being divided amongst committeemen for that purpose. The Boys' High School sports commence to-morrow at 11 a.m., and during the morning most of the preliminary heats will be run off. The afternoon programme commences at 2 p.m., and a break is being made at 3 o'clock for the presentation of the Imperial Challenge Shields by Sir .Tames Allen. In the event of a wet afternoon, the presentation of shields will be made in the Coronation Hall.

"Washing hat bargains at the Melbourne, Ltd.; boys' khaki hats, with wide leaf, Is fld; white ditto, Is fld; children's white pique hats, Is lid; children's tussore poplin hats, Is lid; children's white and tussore silk hats, 2s (id; men's and women's large white linen hats, 2s 6d. The New Plymouth Boys' High School annual sports commence at 11 a.m. on Thursday next. This is looked upon as. the chief athletic event in N.P. during the year, and this year's sports promise to be even more attractive than usual. Mrs. Woods' orchestra has been engaged for the afternoon, and it is possible the newly instituted school band may play a few selections. The fields in the various events prove to be even larger than usual, and some interesting races should result. At 3 o'clock Sir James Allen jvill present the prizes won in the Imperial Challenge Shooting competition. A cordial invitation is extended to all.

On Saturday next at their mart Webster Bros, are selling a quantity of good useful house furniture and effects, on account of a gentleman leaving the district. The list contains several good articles of furniture, including a Brinsniead piano, and these are for sale entirely without reserve. Particulars in this issue.