LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In Victoria £20,000 a year is paid by Labor as salaries and honorariums to trade union officers Levies and other expenses probably bring the total cost of unionism up to £IOO,OOO a year. A Patea boy, of only twelve years of age, was brought before the magistrate at the Eltham Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon, on account of his persistent refusal to submit to any kmd of control or discipline, and the magistrate made an order for his removal to the Boys' Training Farm, Nelson.—Argus. It is understood that the friends of Mr. P. C. Webb, M.P., are making an effort to have him exempted from active service. Under present arrangements Mr. Webb must go into camp in March, and it is stated that there is not the remotest chance that he will be excused from this obligation except for a military reason. Owing to the very enthusiastic reception accorded "The Ne'er Do Well" by a crowded house at the Empire last evening, it has been arranged to show this picture again to-night at Everybody's, in place of "The Moral Fabric" programme. The new programme for the Empire to-night is headed by a Metro feature, "Destiny," starring Emily Stevens.

Motor traffic, as usual, was very busy in the town during race days, but its regulation was particularly good, and reflects great credit on the officials concerned. A decided improvement was the alteration of the route, compelling cars returning from the racecourse to drive up Powderham street, round by the post office into Devon street, along which they travelled on their outward trip. This "round the block" drive did away with any confusion in turning, and the inspector was stationed at Egmont street corner; to see that the cars drew up in rotation. The risk of accident was minimised.

A concert was held in the Fitzroy Hall last night in connection with the celebration of the anniversary of the Fitzroy Methodist Church. The Rev. H. L. Richards presided. The hall was well filled, and the audience proved most appreciative. The programme was of a high order, and practically every item was encored. Songs were given by Mrs Thomson, Miss E. White, Mr. Fredric and Mr. R. L. Cooper; recitations by Miss Bishop and the Rev. H. L. Richards; vocal quartettes by Mesdames White and Johnstone and Messrs White and Johnston; pianoforte solos by Mrs. P. Fredric, Mrs. R. L. Cooper and Mr. Arnold O, Sturrock. All the pianists assisted with the accompaniments. The Rev. H. L. Richards expressed the thanks for those present to the visitors who had contributed the programme, and the proceedings concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

The Efficiency Trustees are doing excellent work throughout the country. Their, aim is to assist in maintaining the essential industries and at the same time to see that the military requirements are adequately met. There are many little matters to adjust, and they | bring to their work a good deal of tact and commonsense Xew Plymouth has an excellent Board in Messrs T. Furlong F. J. Hill and E. Whittle, who have a good deal to do every day in investigating the various cases eoming before them and in obtaining financial relief and extension of leave for men called up. Nothing is too much for them, and the community is under a real debt of gratitude to them for tho time they give to their work, always conscientiously done, and with no hope of reward other than Hie consciousness of doing "their bit" for the great cause. Gifts _ for tho Whiteley Harvest Thanksgiving' services will be received at Whiteley Church on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. The committee will be in attendance and will collect any gifts friends may be unable to send if they kindly notify either stewards or members of the committee early. It was proved at the Supreme Court if Victoria, ,at Melbourne, that (1), EXTRACT is much more powerfully healing and antiseptic than onlinarv • eucalypti!? "reparations; (2) SAXDI-T.'S EXTRACT docs not de■iross tho heart like the so-called "extract*" and crude oils; (HI SANDER'- 1 KXTRACT is highly commended by •i-.iiiv authorities ns a safe, reliable and ■HWivc household remedy. Get the genuine —insist if you have' to—and be

A sitting of the No. 1 Wellington District Military Service Board is to be held in New Plymouth at 10 a.m. to-day. Yesterday a young man in Pickering, Sagar and Leece's garage, at Hawera, W. Garden, had the misfortune to break a small bone in his right forearm when cranking a motor car. •An interesting story is circulated as having its origin in Hokitika (says the Grey Ever Argus). A secondhand dealer the other day disposed of a mattress for ss. The purchaser, on beating and cleaning the article, noticed a lump in it, and on Investigation came across £75 in notes. "Following the precedent set by this Court in motor car cases, defendant will be fined £5, with 35s costs, or, in default, 14 days' imprisonment," said Mr. .7 Piper, J.P., at the Petone Court, when David Kilminster was convicted of driving a motor car on the wrong side of the road to the danger of the public. The fascination of wireless telegraphy for young people was referred to by Sir Joseph Ward in Auckland when speaking at the official opening of the extensions at the Dominion College of Radiotelegraphy. Sir Joseph said that since the entry of the United States into the war the Courts had suspended from operation about 300,000 amateur instalations of various kinds. Many of the owners of plants regarded that action as a hardship, and in order to detect the clandestine use of wireless the Government had found it necessary i« mount wireless apparatus on vehicles so as to patrol certain areas with the object of discovering unauthorised installations.

A lapse of memory censed a well known Napier business man considerable worry a few days ago-(states the Telegraph).', He is the prone' possessor of a ear and on returning from a country run lie as usual put the car in its shed. In the afternoon after doing business in the town he went with a friend to where he was accustomed to stand his car while about the city. No ear was there, however, and inquiries round the town could not place it. Visions of motor thieves loomed up and the was beside himself wit'u worry. It. was only after considerable time that a visit to the garage found the motor safe and sound. The war has completely isolated the Falkland Islands from the rest of the world, as far as commercial intercourse is concerned, in spite of the fact that the islands are the naval base of the British fleet for the South Atlantic and South- Pacific. Since March 10, 1917, up till the beginning of November not a single ship stopped at the Falklands on its journey to England./ The British Government has bought all the wool Of the Falklands, giving the owners 5o per cent, above pre-war prices. Som.. 1 of the wool realised 2s Cdla lb. Flour has risen to 50s a sack and bread In selling at Is a loaf weighing less than four pounds. Sugar is selling at eightpence a pound. The islands have become so overrun with rats that the GovI eminent has offered a penny a head for | all those killed. 1 Why are there more people wearing [glasses to-day than in any age in the history of the world? Simply because we are deviating further from nature than ever before, taxing the eyes more and more, and as the result we are having to pay the penalty of weak, strained eyes, blurred vision, headaches, reflexes and glasses. A glass to the eye may be classed as a brace to a sprained ankle, to relieve the strain. Our forefathers never worked over small, close figures, under strong artificial illumination fov hours, days and years as we do. They knew nothing of the constant strain of the moving picture show, nor the bright glare of sunshine and sand from an automobile, as well as many, many strenuous tasks we impose on our eyes every day and think nothing about It.

If the world were not at war, humanity would deem the tragedy of the Yellow River the greatest disaster of the times (says a writer in the Daily Chronicle). China's Sorrow 1 So they call this mighty devastating torrent, which periodically ravages the landEarthquakes and volcanoes claim their thousands and scores of thousands, but the Hoang-Ho drowns millions. The Chinese had the cantilever bridges ages before we applied the principle, and they could have spanned this raging monster if it could be kept within its bed. But it cannot. With its tremendous volume of water it brings down and slowly deposit? such volumes of detritus that it raises its bed. The Chinese embank and embank to keep it within bounds, but still the river rises. The race between river and engineers goes on from age to age, till boats sail upon a broad expanse of water up in the - " air, while men walk far below. Then the breach ■comes, and the far-flung flood, and .the devastation and drownings, The remarkable Metro wonderplay "Destiny" or "The Soul of a Woman," will be presented .at The Empire tonight and to-morrow night. The Government censor hesitated -before approving of this picture, feeling thai it touched too strongly on the deeper things of life, but after a second review he felt that the picture was one calculated to teach wisdom by showing the temptations to evil and therefore would not be justified in refusing to allow its screening. It is not a picture for children, of course, but it is presented in such a manner that no one could be harmed, and to those who understand its meaning it conveys its message of life. "Destiny" will not be shown at the matinee to-morrow, but the popular Fatty Arbuckle will appear in "Sea Nymphs" with other comedies.

The Melbourne Clothing Company have full stocks of boys' tweed and serge college "shorts" knickers with belt loops at the following prices: 'Dark tweed, 3s lid and 4s 1 Id ; navy serge, 5s lid; Colonial tweed knickers, 4s lid to Cs lid; saddle tweed knickers, 5s lid to 8s lid; best quality indigo serge shorts 9s Od to 10s 9d. Another big advance in cotton ia announced, and soon the prices of cotton dress goods will be almost prohibitive. Mothers of girls arc advised for the last time thta at Rennie's sale you can still buy washing prints, voiles, and muslin at less than London prices. See page four, left top corner. Tn spite of the difficulties in obtaining supplies of tobacco, the Ardath Tobacco Co.. Ltd., are still able to place their well known brand of State Express 333 cigarettes on the New Zealand market and they ar 1 being sold by all retailers for 10 for 7d and 20 for ,1/2. This will be maintained whilst conditions will allow. KILL. ALL INSECT PESTS., The greatest disease carriers in the world are flies. Protect your children from infection by killincr the flies in vour home. "FLI-KF.ELO" acts quickly iind surely. P.i'ru it, or blow it into Ihe !>ir. and nil the Hies in the room will drop dead in a few minute". Same with mosqu'tos. Ask for "FLI-K^FTA"