LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The outbreak of measles at the military camps seems to have subsided, fresh ca.-es 'having practically ceased to come forward.—Press Association. A wadding took place on Thursday in Waverley in which considerable interest •vas taken, when a widow with a family of eight children wa» married to a returned soldier, says the Press. Not a little excitement was caused in Waitotara this week when oflici/ls arrived for the purpose of compiling a register of native men from "20 to 40 years of age, with a view to enrolling them for active service later on. The recitals by the Citizens' Band* will be resumed after the Christmas vacation to-morrow, when the band will give a recital at the East End Reserve, commencing at 3 p.m. A collection will be taken up in aid of the bandroom buildin;; fund. It looks as if dairymen are going back to ten years ago —for big stock, the same class that produced the big leaders in the yoke team that drew the timber out of the bush for the "old man's" wlhare. Ten years ago and more the big cows were noticeable in the dairy herds, then the smaller breeds became popular, Now the big animal is again to the fore in prices at the sale yards.—Opunake Times. Oil-boring operations at Waipatiki are steadily proceeding by a company which some months ago took over the venture. The bore is now down 2600 feet. Slight indications of the presence of oil in the bore were witnessed yesterday. Similar indications were struck by the Kotuku Company, the original promoters of the enterprise, at 1000 feet. Boring is being continued. Albert. E. Magon, who had previously been given a good deal of consideration in the matter of leave from camp, \\s.s arrested at the New Plymouth racecourse on Thursday afternoon, under military warrant, for failing to parade on Wednesday last as a member of the 36th Reinforcements and proceeding to '■amp with the local draft of men. The reservist will be handed over to the military authorities, and it is expected he will be taken to Hawera this morning.

Although reservists lhave been more than once warned in the press to produce certificates of marriage, also of the birth of children, when they appeal'on the ground of being wrongly classified, an appellant yesterday, who claimed to have two children, produced the birth certificate of the younger one (a ibabj r ), but had neither his marriage certificate nor the birth certificate of the elder child. In reply to a question from the chairman as to the date of the elder child's birth he stated that he had forgotten it, adding: "I don't take much notice of those things." Captain Walker remarked that lie would later on when he had to buy birthday presents-

A meeting of the Ngamotu Seaside committee was held on Wednesday last. It was resolved to try to secure the services of Mr. Kendall, health inspector, to assist in planning a proper drainage system; also to ask the borough council for the service of the refuse cart once a week on the same terms as other parts of the horough. It was decided to advertise the lease of the tea-rooms for the ensuing year i n the dailv papers. The arrangements for the sports meeting to be held in the recreation grounds on March 14 were reported to be well in hand. It. was decided to put a coating of cinders on the road in front of the pottages. A busy month free from accidents was reported bv the caretaker. Accounts amounting to £205 were passed for payment

The unparalleled mini her of -lhbils to be seen 011 our country highways and byways has occasioned much comment recently, both verbally and in the Press (says the Mstaura Ensign). The pest is not confined to the country districts only. The other day 011 1. Gore res.dent going home for tea lie was somewhat astonished to find live ''bunnies" disporting themselves on his lawn. .Remarkable "nerve" was displayed by Herbert Eagles, aged eleven, 111 the distressing accident which befell him at Lowgarth recently, when his right hand was cut, off through the palm (says the Stratford Post). He coolly picked up the severed member and held it firmly against the bleeding stump for someminutes —innocently imagining that it would stick—before he reported that he had been injured. The surgeon who at tended the Ind states that the act probably saved him from bleeding to death. Brigadier-General C. G. Johnston, lecturing at the United Service Institute in Melbourne recently on the capabilities and limitations of modern artillery, said that siege artillery had to be drawn by tractors, and conhl not travel oil' the road. Owng to the difficulty of moving the heavy guns he did not think that any sensational "break through" would be made by the British on the Western front. The Geimans had from time to time been driven back for a, distance of several miles, but they had always made a fresh stand as soon as they reached strong positions. But when the nature of the country was taken into consideration an advance of even a few miles represented a big victory, and every advance brought the end of the war nearer,

The small bird pest, which seems to be doing so much damage in other districts, according to reports, is giving less trouble in Ellesmere year by year. The Christcliureh Press state? that, a fewyears ago the birds consumed an enorin. ous quantity of grain, but owing to the vigorous campaign of destruction waged by the Ellesmere County Council, in the free distribution of phosphorus-poisoned grain, the birds have been greatly re duced in numbers. It was a common experience a few years ago to see flocks of hundreds of sparrows rising from fields of corn, but nowadays one sees only a few dozen occasionally, even in places where there are trees affording plenty of shelter. The amount of money savefl must run into some of pounds. .Tust at present the farmers are all looking forward anxiously to the early wheat threshing returns. These should prove unusually interesting.

Tim Auckland Herald says editorially: The exhaustion of the Dominion's man power is not being approached as rapiillv as might be suggested from the rising figures of the Dominion's forces. Though SS.OOO men have been despatched, 14,000 have returned to the Dominion; in the last five months 18.000 reinforcements, have left the Dominion and 3000 soldiers have returned, and are being absorbed into the civilian community. For the time being the actual reduction - of the Dominion's man power does not exceed 74,000. Tt is probable that the whole subject will be reconsidered during the special session of Parliament which the Government is expected to convene. Tt should be approached, not as it was last session by an effort to put an arbitrary limit to enlistments, but with a view to our whole strength being put. forward in the direction in which we can be most helpful, whether by an increase in reinforcements or by a greater production of food. The matter is, indeed, of such pressing importance that the country is entitled to some guidance from the Government without, the delay of several months before Parliament meets.

To those who have not visited the West Coast of the South Island, and who regard it as purely a district of sawmills and coal mines, the following figures (taken from the Christehurch Press) will be of interest. They were quoted by the Mayor of Greymouth in a speech at the inspection of the Otira tunnel works on Wednesday last: In 190G-7 the Coast imported 2440 head of fat cattle, 5760 fat sheep, in addition to about 18,000 fat sheep driven from Nelson and Canterbury. Tu 1!)17 the Coast had no importations of stock, but sent to Canterbury 2973 cattle and 16,304 sheep and lambs, record prices being received for Coast fat lambs, namely, 25s Od, 265, and 26s 6d. The area under cultivation on the Coast in 1906-7 was 72,937 acres; in 1917, .132,115 acres. The butter export in 1906-7 was practically nil, and they were importing it, but in'l9l7 they exported 7913 boxes of butter and 2102 crates of cheese, in addition to supplying local requirements. The timber exported in 1906-7 was 40,283,142 ft., in 1917 40,780,901 ft., and this year he predicted an export of timber greater than at any previous period and new markets were being developed. As regards coal, in 1906-7 the exports were 272,132 tons, and in 1917 481,531 tons. This was gratifying, notwithstanding the shortage of labor and other war conditions. He described the loss experienced at present under conditions necessitating several handlings of coal, and showed the saving to be effected by transporting coal by rail. West Coasters hoped the completion of ihc railway would result in a great rush of visitors to the Coast. Under present condition), according to railway figures, about 360 persons travelled between the East and West Coast weekly

The season of Lent begins on February 13 (Ash Wednesday), on which day there will be special services at St. Mary's Church at 7.30 a.m. (H.C.). 8 a.m. (Mnttins), 11 a.m. (Litany and 110.), and 7.30 p.m. (Evensong, Commination, and address). There will be series of special sermons and addresses as follow: —Sundays in Lent: Mornings, on "False Ideals in Religion"; evenings, on "The City of God." Wednesdays in Lent. (7-30 p.m.), "Steps hack to God " Thursdays in Lent (7.30 p.m.), lectures on "The Message of the Old Testament." A notably strong cast, including C'arlyle Blackwell, Juno Elvidge, and Muriel Ostriche, appear at Everybody's this afternoon and to-night, in the latest World film feature. "Youth.'' The new programme also includes the fourteenth episode of "The Iron Claw."

Mr. A. Da Bavay, the eminent analytical chemist of Melbourne, testified affile Supreme Court of Victoria that SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT compares with other eucalyptus products like .well-refined and matured brandy compares with raw spirit, Bv insisting on the GENUINE SANDER EXTRACT you will get the advantage of quality and will be safe from harni- ■ SANDER'S EXTRACT. 4 THE TEA TAX. , Mike—"Kelly says the prices of teas have gone up while the quality has gone down. Phat brand do you use, Pat?" Pat-—"Oh, we always .drink ARCADTA TEA; unlike others we think the quality has gone up, but be jabers it goes down lot in our house,"