LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-night is the .last Saturday night on which hotels will remain open after 6 p.m., as the early closing act comes into operation next Saturday. By consent of the Borough Council a special collection will be taken up at Sunday's Citizens' Band recital to be held in the Public Hall grounds at Fitzroy in aid of the Allen Fund.

The Chief Postmaster advises that a' large English, mail will arrive by the mail train to-night and a special delivery of correspondence will be made at the Chief Post Office between 8.30 and !) p.m.

A Blenheim message states that the first wool valuation has concluded. Record prices were fixed, up to 23d for merino and 21'/„d for half-bred. The wool was delivered in excellent condition.

Mr. R. L. Parkin lias been elected a member of the executive committee of the 'Pierrots to fill the vacancy caused l)y the resignation of Mr. J. Connell. The secretary of the Pierrots desires members to obtain their badges without delay.

A couple of mouths ago pigs were a drug on the market;' nobody wanted them, as there was no spare milk available for feeding them. To-day evcrvbidy appears to want pigs and 'they arcprepared to pay any price. A farmer recently paid 18s 'each for two tiny little weaners which six or eight weeks ago would have brought by auction three or four shillings.—Eltham Argus. A motor cyclist whilst riding into Opunake got a severe burn, says the local Times. The motor cycle caught alight and the flame shot up the leg of the rider's trousers,, and strange to say. .the trousers did not burn but the flesh oil the leg was severely scorched, and also the hands of the individual in staunching the flame. The bike also showed signs of being "licked" by the flame.

The twelfth ballot under the Military Service Act is to be held on Monday, November 20, when 5000 names will lie drawn from Class A of the Second Division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve (married men without children), leaving 5200 still in that class. Some 1000 men, accretions to the First Division through now coming of age, etc.. will be called up at the same time. The Gazette containing both lists of names is to be published on Tuesday, December

The value of the Mountain Hostel aa a health resort is attested by a visitor, who recently wrote to Mr. Collis, secretary of the Tourist and Expansion League as follows: "I feel twice the man I did and reckon that the short stay on the mountain has added ten years to my life; a fortnight there and I believe I should live to be a hundred. Please give my kind regards to all at the hostel who so kindly assisted in giving me, with my colleagues, a holiday that will always be remembered a3 one of the most pleasant ever spent." A few minutes after midday yesterday an alarm of fire was given from the signal box in Powderham street. A lady residing near the Convent had been burning some lawn trimmings and rubbish and, fanned by the rather high wind, the fire got out of control, there being a danger of an adjourning fence and outbuildings becoming ignited. The brigade was quickly on the scene and the fire was extinguished with a few buckets of water. No sooner had the brigade returned to the. station than the bell rang out again, a fire having broken out in an outbuilding at the rear of Mr. Greiner's house in Young street. A good deal of damage was done to the building and to a portion of the boundary fence, while the residence itself was endangered, but no difficulty was experienced in extinguishing the outbreak. As to-day is the closing day at The Mart until after the Christmas holidays, jams, pickles and goods of all kinds will be sold very cheaply, as everything must be cleared. Would those who have left baskets at the Mart kindly call for them during the day? The Raglan Co-operative Dairy Coy., Ltd., invites applications, to close on December sth, for the position of manager to their new up to date butter factory in the township of Raglan, with a manager's residence on the harbor front The output is about 100 tons of butter, and the salary, £225 per annum with house and allowances.

The Tikorangi Dairy Factory invites applications, closing on December 1, for a butter maker, and for a stage and separator hand, the latter being required to assist in the manufacture of casein. The salary in each case is £3 10s with cottage and usual allowances.

The Iwiiu* to public servants is now being paid, as it was lust year, to all (iovernnient o/licers whose salary dow not exceed .Olio pT annum.

('wing to I iu' ;-horf:igt! oi c:i rbide, Muluckit gas consumers are untitled that supplies from lite borough service lias been discontinued.

Mi. AitivJ Matthews lias been a member oi the (• ••ul.lieralon County Council for -H your; (1»1 years a.s chairman) Mr. W. J. Nix for -25 vears, Mr. A. d' M'l.cod for 2(1 years (13 years us chairman), and air. ,f. Martin for 1<) years and .Mr. Jolm M'Lcod for Hi years. "I liavc lived in C'hristchiirch all Mv hie.-' declared a middle-a:;ed judgment debtor at the Magistrate's Court oil Saturday, -and .1 have never had a penny in tlie bank in my u f,,. ] | m . ( , , yp ' r been in the Court before, eitlr-r." ''Then yon deserve the Victoria Cross," commonteil .Mr. Thomas.

Murphy Tore, a Nutive, aged 21, who had been leading a stallion While riding anothei horse at Otoroeanga, on Alonday was picked up dead by Mr. Clarke, v.d.,! was passing' in a motor-car. Deceased had been kicked over the heart by one of the horses. No one witnessed the iatalitv.

A mother and three children were toupped in the top storey of a burning house at Liverpool on November ti. The mother dropped her infant child. It was killed on the railings, missing the bystanders who were waiting to catch it with an outspread shawl. The mother then seized the other two children, and jumped from the burning building. None of Die three were, seriously hurt. A sow, the property of Mrs. Oalvin, of Milltown, Southbridge, produced n litter of no fewer than 10 pigs the other day. They were an even, healthy•ooldng lot. This (says the Christchurch Press) must surely be a record in point of number. Another remarkable happening occurred at Oak Farm, the property of Mr. Tf. .T. fireenwood, Southbridge, when Clyd»sdale mare gave, birth to two splendid filly foals, both of which are living and doing well. The unique Metro play "The Haunted Pjyamas" in which Harold I.ockwood features, will be screened at both matinee and night sessions at the Empire theatre to-day. It is the most delightfully original subject seen for some time and a real treat for picture goers. On the same programme there is another instalment of the interesting "Ke.v Beach Travel Series," a Topical Gazette, and the seventh episode of "J ho Secret of the Submarine." In reference to the case of one Betcke, whose sentence of two months' imprison' rnont for having posed as a general, was mentioned in a Sydney cablegram recently. the Eltham Argus states that tie Betcke therein referred to was at one time a resident of Kit ham. lie had then not long returned from the African war. where the Chinese laundry new is, and was in business as a picture framc'maker, He afterwards removed to Bridge street,' ajul occupied the premises in which Mr'. Nuttall at present carries on business' l.eteke was slightly laino, and used to talk a good deal about his own exploits m Africa,

there arc numberless sad results of tlie war in far off New Zealand, but we doubt whether there is ono more pathetic than that of an erstwhile fanner in the Aivhbnrtoii district (says the Feilding Star). Left a widower with two boys he battled along oil the farm alone with them .brought them up, had them educated, and they grew to be a pride and a credit to him. Intensely loyal hiiwtelf it was only natural that'when war broke out both tiie lads should go. One was killed in action, and the other is reported "missing, but believed killed." The father sold his farm, and is now just a lone wanderer on. the face of the 'earth. One of the difficulties connected with the acquisition, of the Government of hind for settlement was referred to by the Auckland Commissioner of Crown bands, Mr. H. M. Skeet, at an interview on -Saturday) between the Prime Minisfcr and a deputation from the Auckland Iteturnod Soldiers 1 Association. It. was suggested bv Mr. 15. hider that certain laud should be acquired for the purpose of increasing soldiers' holdings in the Awakino district. '-Ob, we are always beaten in regard to prices," said Mr. Skeet. "When we go to Court and call two or three expert valuers to give evidence the other side always brings three or four more experts, and, as I say. they beat us every time." Reno is the great divorce metropolis for the United Slates and that is where Muriel Ostriehe as the heroine of "Moral Courage" goes to get her divorce cheaply. This is an astute move on her part, as she does it to collect 300,COO dollars which the millowner has offered her to divorce his son. He did not mention anything, however, about her future, and having collected the money, she promptly remarries the boy. "Moral Courage" is showing at both sessions at Everybody's to-day,

Speaking on the occasion of a presentation made to celebrate his jubilee with the corporation, Mr. .Tas. Ames. Wellington city valuer, remarked that one of the greatest mistakes lie had made was remaining so long in the corporation service. If lie had made a move 23 years ago he was sure that in private business he would have done very well. Some people thought lie was a rich man. but as a matter of fact all he had done wns to earn -a living. At the end of 35 years, for the important work he had been doing, lie only got £250 a year. lie considered that the majority of corporation officers were not nearly so well recompensed as they ought to he, and he advised young members of the stuff to "make a move" at the first favorable opportunity. The Christcluircli Press, referring to the incipient fire at Cokers Hotel, Christchurch, says the alarm was given hv a porter named Kimberley Wilson, who went shouting through the premises, greatly alarming the hoarders, one of whom fainted. The porter became quite unnerved over the affair, and, in fact, lost his reason. He was discovered yelling at the top of his voice about "two men in grey suits." who lie averred were setting fire, to the whole town, while numerous wild references to his mother and to the man Eggers, who has been arrested in connection with the recent West Coast murder, brought the attention of the firemen to bear upon him. TTe was placed in an ante-room, and Inter in the custody of Senior-Sergeant Wolilman, Sergeant Hvlnnd, and a constable, was escorted out of the hotel, still yelling wildly, placed on one of tV fire engines, and taken to the police station. Here he continued his ravings, and had to be placed in a padded cell.

There is only one SANDER EXTRACT, and that- is why the people reject the many inferior and hiinn fill substitutes and .just as goods. SANDER'S EXTRACT is free from the objectionable qualities of the common eucalyptus. Sander's Extract cures all infectious diseases, all winter ailments, ulcerß, burns, sprains, eczema, etc. Insist on the GENUINE SANDER'S EXTRACT.

-Some returned soldiers who have lakcii up sections in Ihe Awakino district, according to n statement iiijidi! |i, the l'l-iiuu Minister at, Aueklmid last Saiiir d:iy, are experiencing a full share of the hardships of hack-Mucks sc-tilers. "What are these men doing nmv!' 1 asked Mr. -Mnssey. The reply was that thev ale milking cows and carting the civ.im to tl)e nearest factory—a distance of eighteen miles. The cost of cartage, it was staled, amounted to nearly as much as the value of the cream.

A start is being made at the Taraiiaki l-armers' Meat Freezing Works, .Smart Road, with the preparation of the ionizations for the additional stora"e accommodation which the directors are providing to cope with the congestion of shipping during the coming season. It is understood that provision is beiii"" made for storing an additional -?T) freight carcases, and if this can be got ready for the .coming season it will "lean that the company will have available about the same storage space as last year, after allowing for the quantity now in store.

The completion of the Australian I rails-continental line brings Perth within four days of Sydney. As it is now only partly ballasted, 'the speed of the trams will-he kept down to about i !'i »•" 'wi-, but when the ballasting is complete the average speed will be increased to 44 miles an hour so flint the time for the 1052 miles of llcw will 'be reduced to 24 hours, and the time from Melbourne to . erth to about 02 hours. A passenger leaving Sydney on Sunday night for Melbourne would catch the Adelaide express at 4.30 p.m. on Monday and reach Perth on Thursday. The firstclass fare from Sydnev to Perth is £]•> *•< fid. exclusive of sleeping berth < mrges which will be 10s a night firstclass and 5s a night second-class. Heals will be served at rates varying from K ■«i to 4s As an experiment there will bo oven bathrooms.

If hotel and restaurant charges are a air indication of food prices in Canada aw the United States, by comparison the people of Australia are indeed fortunately situated (says the Melbourne Age). A Vancouver hotel menu forwarded by an Australian in America to a mend in Melbourne seta out that in order to comply with an Order-in-Coun-fill bacon and beef cannot be served on inesdays and Fridays, while on the remaining days bacon is permitted at breakfast, and beef at dinner only I'.vervtliing is paid for separately; for example. Pea soup, Is; sirloin of beef :ts: Potatoes, 7'/;d; cauliflower, iavegetable marrow, lOd; stewed apriofs, Is; tea, lOd. Thus an ordinary dinner comprising the courses mention;;i would cost, 8s 3%d. In New York the price of food is said to bo almost rummtive. Cofi'ee and toast costs 2a :d, while for the cheapest lunch at any restaurant the charge is 3s fid. At tlio Wtcr class hotels and restaurants a nree-conrse dinner, procurable in Melbourne at Is Od to 2s, costs from Gs to 10s.

The name of Armour's, the Chicago '•■■.-■al firm, is apparently anathema to i\ew Zeaknders, and in the minds !>i many others has not been associated '■villi the idea of self-sacrifice. But Mr. OQden Armour, the head of the firm', made a statement not long ago of which America might be jiroud. 'and ■truck the keynote for the whole county. Asked what he thought of the war situation, he said: 'Til tell you \vhrit I think. The Government of the united States can have any man or any group of men of Armour and Co. There will be no requests for exemptions. When man is irrcplac;ible the Government be so notified, and it can take its choice of where it wants him to serve. We may not all realise it, but as a nation and as free men we have staked all, and shall win or lose all. That's what I think about the 'situation."'

The Melbourne Ltd., have opened up tlic following new g„ o ds. Ladies white embroidered voile blouses, 5/11 to 10/(1; white lisle hose I/(i pair; llama hose :i /l 1 pair; assorted white tape, (id bundle; Fuji silk blouses 15/0; men's odd tweed vesta 5/11; bnya' mercerised cotton tussore tennis shirts 3/0; men's dark grey Llama and Bnnnockburn suits /•V-.