LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The chief postmaster advises that a Home mail will arrive in New Plymouth this evening, and there will be a 'general delivery over the counter from 8 p.m. till 0 p.m. In connection with two £SO fines imposed on barmen at Gisborne for breaches of the anti-shouting law, subscription lists were circulated among the public there yesterday, and close on £9O was subscribed.—Press Association. A collision took place at Inglewood yesterday morning between a goods train and a motor car, as a result of which the motor car, a Ford, was lifted from tlio centre of the road by the cowcatcher and deposited On the cattle stop by the engine. The car was considerably damaged, but the driver, who was the pnly occupant, escaped injury. The downpour of rain which was pretty general throughout Tarariaki yesterday will be of incalculable value to farmers, and will have the effect of keeping up the milk supply at dairy factories. The recent spell of dry weather has paused pastures, particularly along the coast, to dry up considerably, and tlie milk supply was rapidly falling. A ease of mistaken identity came to light at the Supreme Court yesterday during the hearing of the claim against the Taranaki Amusements, Ltd. A witness for plaintiff stated that the secretary of the Amusements Company had been one of the gentlemen who had given instructions for certain work to be done. When the secretary of the company was giving evidence, however, the former witness discovered his mistake, and said that the gentleman who had given him the instruction to do fhe work wa<s the "gentleman in court with the red tie," The gentleman with the red tie proved to be a director of the company, and the likeness of the two gentlemen to each other was sufficiently striking to account for the mistake. The business at the meeting of the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce was dispatched iit a short tiiitb last night. When the chairman asked if there was any further business, and .no member of the meeting had anything further to suggest, one member pointed out that it would be an excellent idea if members were impressed at any time with a subject which it was considered merited discussion, they would make a recommendation to the executive that the matter should be tabled for consideration. A greater interest in the meetings of the, chamber would be created, and members would come with a more definite idea of what was to be done.

The tune-guessing competition organised in connection with Thursday's band recital, in addition to being a novelty, proved very interesting. As is well known, the band played a selection containing 30 tunes of a decidedly varied nature, and the public were invited to submit their judgment in writing as to the correct titles of these tunes. Thirtythree lists were handed in, but an outstanding feature was the aCsence of tho names of some of the best known melodies; for instance, it is difficult to account for nine-tenths of the entrants missing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and similar tunes, However, the idea is new, and is sure to be entered into with enthusiasm if adopted l again, with or without a change of music. 'The results are as follow: Mrs. J. D. Crooke, IS correct tunes; A. Elliott, 16; Miss K. ITamerton, 10; Mrs. D. Thomson, 14; Miss Ford, 14; Thelma Land (aged 14), 13; G. L. Manners, 13; Mrs. E. Fuller, 12. The Citizens' Band is announced by the town clerk to give the final concert for this year on tKe council progranime. This will ibe at Kawa.roa Park to-morrow, weather permitting, and the programme will be up to the usual standard. Some of the Christmas music submitted on Thursday night will be repeated, in addition to other appropriate number?. The collection will be for the general fund of the band.

Sunday Schooil anniversary services will "be held at Whiteley Church tomorrow morning, afternoon, and evening. The preachers will bo the Rev. H. L. Richards, Missioner Souster, and Rev. W. A. Sinclair. Special 'hymns will be sung by a large children's choir. Come and hear the children sing. To-morrow (Sunday) the Salvation Army will hold their junior annual, or Sunday school anniversary, the children taking part both in the afternoon and evening'. Special vocal items will be given by the children at the afternoon meeting. There will also he an enrolment of young soldiers. In the evening t'herc will be a special service entitled "The Wreathing of the Cross," in which the young women of the Y.P. Corps will take special part. On Monday evening the children will give a special programme. MEN'S SHIRTS, MELBOURNE COMPANY, LTD. The Melbourne, Ltd,, and their various branches have opened out a beautiful new lot of men's ready-to-wear suits in all wool fabrics for the forthcoming Christmas trade. Every suit is faultlessly tailored and will compare favorably with to-measure goods at double the price. Here are a few examples of what we are offering: Men's all-wool Roslyn tweed suits, boxed, good fitting and well cut, 455; indigo serge suits, fine weave, good dye, Ms fid; fine grey llama suits, very popular and distinctly dressy, 7iis; real Bannockhurn suits, splendid for- fanners and others who handle cattle, 7fls fid: fine navy striped suits, very smart, fifts fid • brown worsted suits, medium Weight, 7!)s fid. Drop in and examine the above lines and scores of other suits. No one asked to buy. OVERHEARD. Watson: "T think, mv dear, we should try tliis ARCADIA TEA ye hear so much ahout. altlin' what, we use is delicious!" Mrs. Watson: "Bless the man! Whv. we've been using ARCADIA ever since w# came here and I'll have no other!"

An increased inclination for work by Maoris in the Auckland district is one of tile results of tlie conditions arising out of the war. It is stated tlmt in all parts of the province natives who hitherto have done little or no work are now busily engaged in carting, ploughing, bushfelling, shearing, and other agricultural activities. The high wages now ruling are largely responsible i for this marked accession of industry.

Tlie second cargo of the large parcel of wheat purchased from the Australian Government by tlje New Zealand Government has arrived at nunedin. threefifths of the shipment being allocated to nunedin and .Southland millers. The Otago Daily Times slates that the cargo is about 50,000 sacks, and is Victorian wheat. The previous shipment was N'ew South Wales grown wheat. Tlie wheat in the present cargo is of particularly good quality—much better than the New South Wales cereal—and it has been better graded.

A rather peculiar slate of affairs was disclosed at the Third Military Service uoarcl at \\ ollington on Mondny, stateß the Post. Some time ago the board granted a farm hand exemption sine die on the appeal of his employer, who said the man was absolutely 'essential on the farm. On Monday morning the employer again appeared before the board for an extension of time for the farm hand, and said that the latter, whom he had previously described as essential, had for some months been working as a wool-sorter, having been lent to a neighbor by his employer. Iseedless to say, the case of the "essential" one was dismissed.

W rites the Sydney correspondent of The Post:—New Zealand, which sends young men each year to the Australian ■ Military College at Dnntroon, will be interested in the wonderful record made by that institution in the few years of its existence. Although at the outset of the war the first batch of students had barely reached the graduation stage, no fewer than 140 of the cadets have" since teen released to play their part in the operation. The distinctions that have been won by men of the college now includes 15 Military Crosses, 1 Croix de Guerre, 1 D.5.0.. and the Servian Order of the White Eagle. But. the toll of war has been heavy. ..Of the 140. up to the end of June, 31 had been killed and 42 wounded. This college costs about £50,000 a year to maintain. According to proclamation issued recently the first draft of men under the Canadian Military Service Act will be mobilised on Monday next. The Act authorises the conscription of 100,000 men, and it is believed that the full number will be obtained from class 1, which comprises men ■jvlio were single or widowers without children on July (i. 1017, and who had attained their twentieth birthday on October 13 and will be under 34 years on December 31. Exemption is granted for importance of continued employment in regular occupation; importance ot special qualifications; importance of continuing education or training; serious hardships owing to financial or business obligations, or domestic conditions; illhealth or infirmity; or conscientious objeetion bv a member of any organised religious denomination which prohibited by its tenets and articles of faith participation in war and was a recognised, organised religious body on July 0, 1917. Over 1250 exemption tribunals have been organised throughout Canada. Each board comprises two members, ono appointed by the county judge and one by a joint committee of Parliament.

It is understood that e.vtra special precautions were taken at Featherston by the military authorities on Saturday evening to avert any disturbance or demonstration in connection with the closing nf the hotels at six o'clock.

A mystery in connection with a missing £SO note was cleared up the other day (says the' Wanganui Chronicle). Nearly a year ago, the principal of a certain educational institution not one hundred miles from Wanganui had forwarded to him, under registered post, a £SO note, and after the letter had be«n signed for by one of the attendants at tha school, it was placed in a letter rack, whence it disappeared, The matter was reported to the police, and though enquiries were made, there was no result, and as time wci.: on the money was regarded as a dead loss. Last week some [boys were bird-nesting near the school, when they discovered a small tin with a £SO note inside, and it was duly returned to the principal of the -institution. It is surmised that one of the pupils stole the registered letter, and on finding a £SO note inside, was frightened to endeavour to cash it, and therefore hid it in the spot where it was accidentally fovtnd.

Lecturing in Auckland on the subject of "Unpreparedness for Motherhood and the Best Age for Marriage," Dr. Truby King said lie thoroughly understood the responsibility in giving advice 011 the ago at which a woman should marry. Looking at the matter from all standpoints he could only think that early marriage was best, and in his opinion eighteen for the women and twenty-two for the men were the most suitable ages, both from the point of view of health, morals, and the nation. Judge Chapman some fifteen years ago pointed out to the speaker the difference between the birth-rate in France and in Germany. The latter was increasing at the rate of one million a year, while France almost stood still, from a mistaken sense of thrift. To show how desperately the French nntion were striving to combat this at the present time, the speaker mentioned that the Government was paying £2O for the lirat child, £2O for the second, £3O for the third, and £4O for the production of four perfectly healthy children belonging to one man and his wife. The most ardent objector to 'Wild West" stories will' find it difficult not to like "The Captain of the Grey Horse Troop" which contains many scenes drawn from this phase of American life. This picture which commences a local season at Everybody's this afternoon is by the Greater Vitagraph company, and features Antonio Moreno and Edith Storey. MAKE THE MOST OP YOUR HOLIDAY. CHECK BAGGAGE. A vacation is a. good investment; but I to get full value free yourself of baggage worries when travelling by checking through us. Splendid, reliable system. We collect, then deliver 011 arrival. Produce your ticket, or let 11s issue one. Early please. The New Zealand Express Co., Ltd. THROUGH THE 'PHONE. "Hnlloa Brown, Tompkins here. Big row at home about tea. Wife insists '.n ARCADIA, which I haven't tried. I niggestcd we use that brand you had 011 Sunday when we came to tea; what was ~t, Brown?" "You're caught napping old (hap—we use ARCADIA TEA always.".