LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Masters Golding and McMardv, 1'! years and 14 years of age respectively, arc the first New Plymouth pupils to gain the elementary and proficiency certificates for life-saving this season. Their sufceess entitles them to wear the badge of the Royal Life-Saving Society on their bathing costumes. In addition to those previously mentioned in connection with the picnic, the Ngamotu Beach Committee desire to thank Mrs. A. K. Walker for the use of flags; Mrs. Coad, Miss l>nliam, Messrs Siucock, Coad, XV. .1. Ling and W. T. Hookham. The services of the Citizen's Rand, which played a. programme of music, under the coiuluctorship of Mr. T. Hughes, of Waitara, also added greatyl to the general enjoyment of the day.

Farmers in the Awamoka district have, states the North Otago Times, taken advantage of the fine weather to secure the earlv-sown oats, and large areas have already been cut. Most of what is down will yield well on seventy, if not over, bushels to the acre. The weight of straw will be abnormal, for in some places in paddocks it is close on 7ft. high. As tthe reaper passes along it is a ..-light to see a. straight wall of grain for nearly a mile in length. There will be a large demand for twine, seeing that it has taken a little over a ball per acre for what has been cut. The appearances of tlie wheat paddocks also promise excellent returns.

Replying to a question on the subject, yesterday, the Prime Minister said it should be clearly understood that the new arrangement for the supply of meat from the cold stores was of general application. Any centre that was within reach of stores where meat was being held for the .Imperial authorities could receive supplies at scheduled prices, subject to the Board of Trade approving of the prices that were to be charged the consumers by retail butchers. Mr. Massey mentioned that one of the applications he had received was from a southcm township, where the only butcher had been called up for military service. He had told the people concerned that they could get the meat on the terms already announced.

A remarkable collision occurred at lleatherlea, Manawatu, last week, between a, motor-car driven l>y Mr. Annabell, who is in charge of the Koputaroa railway station, and a horse ridden by a boy named G. Gay. The horse bolted und galloped along until it struck the motor and actually fell right on top of the ear body. The car had a full load, the other occupants besides the driver were a friend of his, Mr. Annabcll's two children, and Mr. H. Jones' two daughters. None of these was seriously hurt, although-'Mr. Annabell suffered some painful abrasions about the head, and one of the children sustained severe cuts upon the hands and arms. The boy riding the horfie also escaped with minor injuries. The horse, however, was so seriously injured that it had to be destroyed. The car was also badly damaged. Men on/ our fighting front, says a writer in the Pall Mall Gazette, are said to be greatly amused at the statements in some papers that the war has practically killed sport, and that space formerly given in newspapers to football and other games will later on be occupied by articles on education and other I improving things. "There will be more sport than ever when the boys come home," says one who is in an excellent position to judge. "Thousands of chaps who never played a game of any sort before going into training are now athletes. Sporting fixtures behind the line are extraordinary in number, boxing being particularly popular. Next to letters from home, there is nothing our soldiers are so interested in as spoiling news."

Glassware of the cheaper kinds is scarcer than ever (says a London paper of October 9). Very little is now imported, and only a tithe of the pre-war quantity is made in this quantity. "We shall soon have to give up supplying customers with tumblers," said the manageress of a large city restaurant. "We simply ennnot get the glasses." The representative of one of the largest glass manufacturers in the country said: "Our own men are now chiefly engaged on medicine glasses, electric bulbs, and bottles for hospitals. We used to turn out many thousands of tumblers a week, but now we are making .l!i,000 electric bulbs weekly for the Government. Orders for cheap glasses of all kinds, both for drinking and for flowers, roll in upon us, but we simply cannot execute them. The Government ofiicials jealously guard against labor being turned in any other direction than their own."

CLINCHER CROSS TYRES - the motorist's delight. Users on Dominion roads lmve PROVED them the best lonffdistance tyre obtainable. Buy service by insisting on Clinch*" Cross. Leading ijara^ts

Wellington customs returns for J!) 17 mounted i.o .ll,ow/).S], a;; against, £l,in 10.1 li. During December the receipts v.ere ;ts compared with :C8!»,074 in December, llilC.—Press Association.

The actions of a man in Ihe streets of New i'iymouth yesterday created mispieions as to his mental balance, The notice of the police was drawn to his behaviour, with the result, that he wis taken into custody, and it is likely he will be subjected to medical examination. The united service of solemn intercession ami prayer, arranged for Sunday afternoon in the People's Picture Theatre. promises to he a. most inspiring gathering. The service has been arranged bv the local Protestant elergv, acting in conjunction with the Borough Council, and every effort has heen made to ensure its success. The president of the Methodic Conference (Rev.. \V. A. Sinclair) will preside, and the address will be delivered by Archdeacon Kvans, while other ministers of the town will assist in the service.

Mrs. D. J. Hughes. oT Omata, has received the following letter from Sergeant. Hayinim, of (lie wireless troop, Mesopotamia. It was dated October 25. 'We found your note in a can of butter, and you want to know the condition in which it arrived, firi very pleased to tell, yon that it was in splendid condition, and appreciated by all much more than I can tell you. We are thirty strong here just now, and if you could have seen the rush for bread and butter, J'm sure you would have taken that as the best indication of our thanks. We have stations at present on manoeuvres and in outlying parts, so their share is being forwarded on to them as soon as possible."

The Ministers, who have been scattered widely during the holidays, will be re-assembling in Wellington at the utd of this week. One of the questions to be considered by Cabinet at an early date is that of New Zealand's representation at the next meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet. The date of this conference lias not yet been fixed. It is likely to be advanced rather than delayed by the turn of events in Europe. The Dominion Ministers have been promised definitely that they will be consulted when terms of peace, particularly those affecting the German colonies, are being formulated, and there appears to be a tendency 011 the part of the Allies just now to lay down more specifically than they have hitherto done the terms that Germany has got to accept. Ihe best season we have had since the war began," was the unanimous reply of the various retailers interviewed by a Christchureh Press representative, and they included drapers, toy dealers, booksellers, art dealers, jewellers, and chinaware merchants, all those, in fact, who deal not so much in the necessities for tiie festive season as in the luxuries. A gentleman who makes a speciality of high-class china, besides selling ' the cheaper >varc, stated that lie had been so rushed with orders that he could not give delivery in time for Christmas. It was confidently anticipated that jewellers would iii partcnlar be hard hit by the continuation of the war, but this Christinas they have done a roaring trade, in some cases better than the sea" sons they experienced in the years before the war. The booksellers had the same tale to tdl, and so had the other tradespeople interviewed. The rush to spend was not confined to the <<>untry people, who are alleged by disgruntled city folk to be coining money, but thousands of townspeople who complain bitterly of the ever-itUTscasiiig cost of living appeared to be vieing with one another in purchasing articles which by no stretch, of imagination could be termed necessities.

A leading colonial shipping man lias confidence in the future of the New Plymouth harbor. Speaking lately to a New- representative, he said that no port outside the four big ones had a richer or more extensive, .stretch of good country it. Tnraiiaki was to-day producing more per acre than any" other province, thanks to its climate and rich soil, and it was as yet only half developed, over a million acres still having to be won from nature. All the produce would be shipped through New Plymouth, which was now regarded as a coming port by those who knew the district it served and the success the harbor had already attained. "You can back your port absolutely," he concluded, "even if the improvements in contemplation entail an expenditure of a million sterling, don't be afraid to sanction the necessary loan. It will pay you handsomely. Ihe port is a proved one, if- is show n by the number of deep-sea ships that have already berthed there, and I look to it becoming one of the most important in the Dominion." Unfortunately the War Regulations prevent reference being made to the visits of the ocean liners, but as instancing the benefit the harbor already is to the province, it may be mentioned that the value of produce (butter and meat) shipped by one of the vessels ran into nearly .■£200,000. A sitting of the Juvenile Court was held yesterday morning, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., to deal with four children, who had been placed in the hands of the police by their mother, who stated that she was unable to maintain them. From the evidence given by Sergeant Trehey, it appeared that tlie children—2 boys, aged 4 and r> years respectively, and a girl aged ;i—were brought to the police station on Wednesday by their mother, who asked that they should be taken charge of by the police. The first difficulty was the immediate needs of the little folks, but on the police communicating with him, a very well known and highly respected citizen of the town undertook the responsibility of their first needs. J.he woman's story disclosed that she was separated from her husband, a former resident, of Puiigarehu, against whom an order for maintenance had been made by the Court at Opunake. Some monies were said to have been paid, but there was no documentary evidence to that effect. The woman was in bad health, and had been ordered into the public hospital. She had a baby aged ;> months, which she agreed to keep with her until suitable arrangements for its care could be made. Hvidence was given by Mr. E. X. Holden (secretary of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board). The magistrate decided to commit the three children to the Industrial School at Auckland DRINK HABIT CURED. BEAD THE EVIDENCE. An Auckland woman writes:—"My friends will hardly believe the difference in Mr. li. since taking Drinko powders. Please send two more packets." A patient at Trentham savs:—"l have now no desire for liquor. "Three boxes of Drinko cured me." DRINKO is a tasteless and odourless powder which can he given secretly if desired. Will not harm the most delicate constitution. Treatment is inexpensive. Write for free particulars. Sent in plain sealed envelope. Address me in confidence, stating if Mr., Mrs. or Miss. Lady Manager,' Drinko Proprietary, 212 A.C., Lambton Quay. 'Wellingtap.