LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Melbourne Press Association message states that owing to the slackness of recruiting the Seymour military camp has been closed. On account of the death of Mr. Hal Goodacre, the Baptist Junior Endeavor Society's picnic, which was to have taken place to-day, has been (postponed. The members of the local police force will undertake the collection of agricultural statistics this year, and will commence their work next month. Fanners are asked to be ready to supply the information required as to particulars of stock, etc. The Land Board yesterday iiad under review the case of a Crown tenant who is ported as a deserter from one of the military camps. As the selector in question has hitherto been enjoying a rental concession by virtue of his military service, the board are promptly closing down on him, and, after the Crown Lands Ranger has inspected the holding, will declare the holding forfeited for non-residence. Captain 11. L. Spratt, of Thiwern, president of the Returned Soldiers' Club there, who has been in New Plymouth, and lectured on the question of soldier settlement at the local Soldiers' Club last night, interviewed the Land Board at their meeting yesterday. There was u round-table conference on the subject generally, lasting about an hour, resulting in a mutual interchange of ideas between Captain Spratt, the Commissioner, and the non-official members of the board, who are at the same time practical farmers. A good deal of" time at yesterday's Land meeting was taken up with the consideration of matters arising out of soldier settlement in the district. Both Crown' Land Rangers attended the meeting, and several applications for advances or further advances for stock, improvements, or buildings were recommended for approval after receiving the reports of the rangers. The Commissioner and Mr. Heslop, who Kiet the soldier settlers on Parkes Settlement at Kaponga during the month, referred to the' result ofvthe, interview with the men concerning their needs and progress. The Women's Christian Temperance Onion holds its monthly meeting on Friday afternoon, February 1, at 2.30 in the Lodge Room. Good Templar Hall.— Advfc.

The Tied Cross serving rooms, Queen SI., wiil re-opin on Monday afternoon. I'cbniary 4th, when all workers will be cordially welcomed. The chairman of a journalist' dinner the other day tohl the following story: "I met a new-paper man to-day who came to Fleet „lrcel twenty years ago Willi evaetly 2r>s in his pocket. He is now worth £40,000. He owes that entirely to his own ability and energy, combined with good 'health and a high code of ethics, and to the fact that a relative recently died and ieft him £3(l- -

Speaking at Ihe nurserymen's conference. .Air. Frank ,Sissons,'a well-known Papanni fruitgrower, urged nursery me i. when planting waste areas, to plant pinus insignia. He said that he used between 20.000 and :10,000 eases yearly for packing fruit. He had tried poplar, willow, pines, ldrcb, and white pine, and had found that eases made of pinus in. signis were the best. He had been told that cases made from that timber would contaminate or taste, the fruit, but experience had falsified this prediction. Cases made from poplar, when left in the sun, twisted in all sorts of ways.

At Xapier last week, when an apparently healthy man presented himself to the Medical Board for examination, he got a shock on being rejected on account of having a very bad heart. He was told he had leaking valves, and was advised to consult an independent doctor at once. This he did next day, and received another shock on being told that there was absolutely nothing wrong with him. Another man who went up for the same ex; niinationj armed with a' sheaf of medical certificates, was one of the only two of the married men who were passed for the Expeditionary Force!

Says the New York Tribune:—"We are informed that England has enlisted seven thousand convicts in her armies, and that, these, are reported to have made good. The record of these malefactors showed some little time ago that ."i.'lO had been killed in action, 49 had died of wounds. 13 succumbed to sickness, and no fewer than 1530 of the remainder had been returned, wounded Twenty of the criminals were mentioned in dispatches; 25 others received disinguished service medals, and the most highly prized war medal in the British service, the one that is harder to win than any other in the world, the Victoria Cross, was bestowed on three of the erstwhile derelicts. Surely a brave showing, and one of which any seven thousand men in the world might bo proud.

A well-known Now Zealand business man, wlio lias returned from an Australian tour, states that lie found matters political there in a state of drift. Everybody seems to he awaiting events The consensus of opinion is that Mr. Hughes is not the right man in the right place. At the same time the solution of the political tangle seems to he beyond the resources of Australian statesmen. Recruiting', however, after the recent lull, is improving. Australia is showing every sign of prosperity, and there is no slackening in (lie pursuit of sport and pleasure, or the spending of money. Everywhere indications point to a splendid season, and if the Commonwealth could solve her political problems, its future would be assured.

A certain firm had advertised a nonnicotine, smoking mixture, made outside London, as a substitute for tobacco (writes a London correspondent). Six tons of the material used were seized at the factory, and analysis proved it to consist of ordinary forest leaves, darkened by some process and cut. It was reckoned to be the finest imitation tobacco ever seen, and if 50 per cent, of it could be mixed with genuine tobacco, the adulteration would remain undetected. Had the amount seized been converted into substitute, the loss to revenue would have reached £3840. The company concerned was charged with an alleged offence against the Tobacco Act and had to pay a fine of £2O.

An entirely new method of treating decayed teeth is described in the "Dental Cosmos" by Dr. Percy R. Howe, of Boston. This, which is the result of many experiments in the research laboratory of the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children, consists in injecting into the tooth a solution of nitrate of silver in water and ammonia, and following this with an injection of a :2ii per cent solution of formalin in water. The effect of these injections is to impregnate all the diseased tissue with metallic silver in a very finely divided state. The silver perfectly sterilises whatever it penetrates, and it does not affect the healthy, live part of the tooth at all. When injected in the root canal it sterilises this, desensitises whatever may be left of the pulp, and, if it goes out through the apex of the tooth, makes Hie tissues so sterile that there is no danger of the formation of an abscess. Examination of teeth extracted after being thus treated shows that the silver has impregnated every part of the diseased tissue, turning it absolutely black. The new treatment is advocated especially for the preservation of six-yea l ' molars, the first permanent teeth to be cut. and generally the first to go.

Messrs Lewis and Co., Land Agent". Wanganni, want a farm of about 100 acres for client. Must be in good dis trict, and not infested with weeds. Will sellers read advertisement on page one';

A fine new range of English made, linre fur fell. hats, is being shown by the Melbourne Ltd., at the moderate price of 12/0. The shapes are the very latest from London, and the shades comprise black, Kink brown, Nutria sk'/ I .' and grey. Purchase now before prices are advanced. Taranaki Motors, Ltd., announce that they have opened a depot in the building opposite the Terminus Hotel, and will henceforth rim daily lorries from New Plymouth to Opunake, and are prepared to undertake shifting cf furniture throughout Taranaki. The company have an up-to-date and well-equipped motor works at Elt ham, and can do all classes of engineering' work, motor and otherwise, specialising in electric work. They are also agents for the celebrated lleo ear. NO DESIRE FOR LIQUOR. "I have now no desire for liquor. I was cured with three boxes of Drinko and will recommend it to my friends." Thus writes a grntr"' l patient from Troiithnm. We have hundreds of similar letters on file. Head the c\idence for yourself in booklet which will be posted on request in plain sealed envelope. Write to-day for full particulars of this remarkable cure for the drink habit. Drinko is a tasteless and harmless powder which can he given secretly if desired in anv liquid or food. Address me in confidence, stating if Mr.. Mrs., or Miss. Lady Manager, Drinko Proprietary, 212 A.C.. Laiubton Quay, Wellington. 4 XAZOL relieves cold in the head and Nasal Catarrh.

Mr. A. N. Poison, who has i.lic temerity to contest tlie Wellington North seat against tint Hon. Air llenhnaii, is, by the way, an old Stratford School boy "(says the Strafford Post), aiiiJ it will 'interest many in this district to know ilistL for sumo time In; resided heir, \\ln-ii liis I'iitlii'i', Mr. D. M. Poison, wns on the school Blilir.

For several weeks past the Kltham branch of (he Farmers' Co-operative Bacon and Meat .Tacking Company have experienced a very busy time, especially 'in the slaughtering of large cattle. The present average is P2O head per week.— Argus. The hay harvest in the district (says the Waimato Witness; has been all got in in good order, the fine weather favoring operations. Any scarcity of labor that was anticipated was obviated by the settlers co-operating in carrying through the work of each farm in turn.

A correspondent, writing to the Hawera (Star, referred to the .small percentage of passes in the senior free place list from Hawera, as compared with Stratford and New Plymouth. He stated that there were eight from Hawera, while Stratford supplied 2!l and New Plymouth 10. The editor of the Star says that the comparison was certainly not favorable to Hawera, and, while not suggesting that the matter did not need attention, pointed out that the conditions in Stratford and New Plymouh were not the same as in Hawera.

A good little joke at his own expense was related by iDr. G. Morrison in the course of his remarks at a civic reception recently. "I have a boy of my own,'' he said, "and my wife, is continually saying how much like me the hoy is. Ono day she was trying to impress the fact upon some lady friends, when one of them remarked most sympathetically: 'Well, what does it matter so long as the boy is healthy?'" When a wife, who, after thirty-two wears of married life, was the mother of seventeen children, applied for a separation, with custody of the children and maintenance against Iter husband, at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, on the grounds of cruelty, the defendant was asked if he denied the charge. "Do as you like," 'he replied: "I am not at all particular." Mr S. K. McCarthy, S.M., said he would accept the plea as one of not guilty.

There are some pretty slick patriots patrolling about this countryside just now. A day or two ago a local farmer returning home after having been ordered into camp by the Military Service Board, found two enterprising persons clamant for a "first refusal" of his property sitting on the front verandah. Others followed shortly afterward.;. (They had relied on the last edition). The fanner told bis visitors precisely what he thought about them. A neighbor in the know eamc to the rescue am. a.srrwl to run the farm for the reservist during his absence, free, gratis, and for nothing. The offer was gratefully accepted.—Palmerston Times.

Amongst the conscripts called by ballot are convicts and others under sentence (says the Auckland Star). Tlu? Military Service Boards have had some rather ironical communications on the subject from such persons. In sending in an appeal to the local board the other day, one prisoner said lie was at present serving a sentence, and he gave details of dates. He added: "I had been in gaol many times, and I have a very bad recoul indeed." Anothei"prisoner was even more matter of fact, for. to prove his contention that he was living at "His Majesty's" expense, he sent along the Police Gazette containing his photograph. With such frank and ample evidence and official particulars, the boards are enabled to grant exemption, and to strike such men off the list of the reserve.