LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-morrow morning the sixth draft of men for the CI camp will leave New Plymouth by the mail train. On this occasion only three men are due to go forward, and they are: L. R. Richardson, V. H. Vickers and B. 0. Wildermoth.

The Hon. W. H. Homes, Minister of Railways, has notified Mr. H. J. Okey, M.P., that he is uncertain whether he will be able to visit New Plymouth on the 18th, or whether it will not be a week later. He will advise him definitely as soon as possible.

After final checking, it has been found that the gate receipts at the Pukekiira Park fete on Thursday afternoon last amounted to £4B, whilst the concert realised £ls. The takings for afternoon tea, etc., amounted to £65, entrance fees for the different events to £4 as, and donations to £l6 13s, making a total of £l4B 18s. From that amount, of course, expenses have to be met.

An unrehearsed incident in which comedy and slander figured was witnessed .by a local resident in Wellington recently. A big individual whose libations had not been tempered with wisdom strolled down Liunbton Quay, casting right and left aspersions on Britain's ruling sovereign. An unlooked-for check came from an under-sized person who was also "three sheets in the wind." With an agility hardly recognisable in one in such a condition, he sprang forward and seized the big man by the nose, holding it firmly in a vice-like grip, tflie while ho hollowed lustily. Finally shaking himself free of his tormentor, the big man made more hurlied progress on his way, the lookerson smiling their pleasure' at his discomfiture and chastisement.

I During the early hours of Friday [night a smart capture of what at first [sight appeared to be a "cave man" was iefl'eeted by a Taihape hairdresser (savs [the Times). At a quiet time in the afternoon the "cave man" had titkcu himself to the top branches of a large tree and there divested himself of his clothing. Dressed only i n a pair of boots, he dropped from" his lofty porch when darkness overspread the landscape, and, armed with a piece of fencing post, he proceeded to run amok in the vicinity of Kaka Road. It was .then that the tonsorial artist appeared on the scene and saw trouble ahead. Quick to think, he picked up a heavy wsc for purposes of self-defence, and | went out to meet the invader. In no time he was fortunate enough to catch his' quarry "napping," and secured a good kohl from behind, by which he completely 'overpowered his vlietim until) reinforcements arrived. The "cave man" proved to be a Maori who had imbibed so freely that he suspected himself of living in the "shadow land."

"Since the outbreak of war it has lieen learned that commercial success depends upon efficiency," said Mr. Hemingway, in his address at the Auckland university last week. ''Efficiency merely denotes the proper accomplishment of the task assigned in the quickest time with the least expenditure of effort and expense. Efficiency means profit to the efficient with prosperity to the nation. Tiie nation has recently learnsd that, even men of middle age can be made satisfactory 'new' employees. The old saying that one is 'too old at forty' no longer holds. It has also been shown that women are splendid workers in many fields that formerly were closed to them- Business men have learned in innumerable cases that more 'clerks' or 'subordinates' need but a touch of responsibility to'develop into capable and talented business men. The nation has tho material—it requires bringing out by sound and systematic 'education.*

A Gazette Extraordinary summons Parliament to assemble on April 0. Press Association, A Wellington message states that Mr. P. C Webb, M.P., is reported to have entered Trentham camp yesterday afternoon. The Eltham r.aeon Company is now killing K0 head of cattle per week. A consignment of frozen meat was sent away yesterday. Mi: W. T. Jennings, M.P., has been asked to open tho Aukopae school, on the Wanganni river. It will make tho sixty-eighth school tho member has assisted the settlers in obtaining since ho has represented Oho King Country in Parliament. A party from Stratford and district had a day's pig-hunting o n Sunday, and report the slaughter of seventeen on Mr. North's property beyond Makahu. Pigs were seen in large numbers. The-'sport wa<j exciting ami very strenuous, as some of the country "stands on its end."—Post One Eltham reservist has had a remarkable experience with the Military Medical Boards. He lias been up for examination on no less than eight occasions- In the first seven instances he was turned down, but on the eighth and last went through with "flying colors."— Argu 8.

The popular Fox 9tar Valeska Suratt, is featured in the latest production from the William Fox studios, "The Straight Way" at Everybody's to-night. At the Eltham County Council's meetling on Saturday last, reference was made to the danger to the public of overloading the mail niotor car that ran 'between Kltham and Kaponga. One councillor remarked that a-s many as seventeen passengers 'had been carried on this car —a five-seater Cadillac—and he contended that this constituted a grave danger to the travelling public as well as to the passengers. A recent visitor to Eltham, who had at one time been in business in that iown, called at the Argus office and with .1 grave air expressed the opinion that "business'is very dull in Eltham." Tho Argus holds this is a very erroneous opinion. As a matter of fact, it says, business holds up 'wonderfully well in town. Tradesmen make no complaints. Their average monthly volume of trade keeps steadily up to—and in some cases beyond—the usual, and complaints are few.

Memliers will no doubt have plenty to talk about when they meet for the short sessions early next month, but the Government intends to provide as little pabulum as possible, for no Bills are to bo circulated. The business is to be confined to Supply. As for the , main session of the year, I have it on good authority that this will take rvace in October, as the leaders quite anticipate being; al-'e to get back to \ew Zealand iby the beginning of that month 'says the Wellington correspondent of the Manawatu Times). Owing to this arrangement, Parliament will not be asked at the short session to deal with tiie delicate, question of prolonging its life or otherwise,

An interesting development in which most of the churches are represented, has lately matured in Wellington- The organisation known as the Ministers' Association ceased to exist some months ago, but when it resolved to disband it set up a committee charged with the task of bringiug into existence if possible a council of the churches. After prolonged deliberation a council has been formed, in which Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, and Baptist churches and the Salvation Army are represented toy four delegates each, two of tbem clerical and two laymen. The constitution of the new body defines the object of the council as "co-operative effort in the promotion of civic, national, and international righteousness, and the furtherance of the ideal of church reunion, and mutual encouragement in the work of the Lord." Membership is open to all bodies than (confess the historic Christian faith.

The straying cattle nuisance was again the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Moa Road Board on Saturday. Mr. P. M. Staudish, a settler at Tarata, complained of the inunbei- of horses straying on the Motu-kav.-a Road which had just ibeen regraded. At certain times of the year lie did not object to horned cattle because they kept down ferns etc., but he objected to horses at all times as they damaged the road and he considered the Board should do something to protect the roads- Mr. Simpson said he was pleased that a ratepayer had brought the matter up. It was hard for settlers on a road when those lower down consistently grazed the roads and the cattle and horses smashed down gates, with • the result that when one got up one found his paddocks over-run with other people's cattle. He himself had had throe gates smashed in four years, a-nd he knew of a case where a young lady school teacher had to soil her motor Mike owing to nerve strain in continually dodging cattle, and another enso whcro a motor ear narrowly missed capsizing through running into a horse. If the car had capsized he thought that the Board, if not legally liable would be morally liable. Some people argued that cattle did a lot of good on the roads but the Durham Road was well grazed. The rubbish was still there. He would move in the direction of appointing a ranger. The chairman considered that the Board could not afford to appoint a ranger on its own. Some time ago a proposal had been madft that the Moa Road Board, the County Council, Inglewood Borough, should appoint a ranger jointly, hut this had fallen through. Mr. Lawrence thought the betcr plan would be for ratepayers to at once inform the Board of any casps of wandering cattle. If evidence were, forthcoming the Board could prosecute. The chairman doubted whether ratepayers would give evidence. Mr. Hunter thought rattle did good on the roads. He would like to see KM) head of bullocks on his road, and Mr. Henwood also agreed. He had had his fences burned three times through fern growing on roads not grazed. It was finally decided that the overseer ishould warn owners of wandering stock that a second offence would ibe followed by jprcsecution. The Loan and Mercantile draw attention to their Tarata sale on Friday next, at 1 p.m. At the commencement of the sale 88 acres of freehold will he offered on account of Mr. W. L. Carey. Full particulars on page 8 of this issue. The Loan and Mercantile draw attention to the clearing sale they are holding on account, of A. W. Blennerhassett on Friday next, at his homestead, Junction Road, at 11 a.m., and his stock at 1 p.m. at Tarata saleyards. Full particulars on pagtf 6 of tMa *.&vlb.

During a discussion at the meeting of the Moa Road .Board on Saturday regarding the appointment of a ranger. Mr. J. W Kenwood, himself a fanner, remarked that if a 'ranger was appointed it would probably be a farmer who would have rights and privileges that they would not have. The ranger would have to mal-e a living, and gates and things would be left open so that the cattle could get on the roads. He instanced an experience some years ngo when a ranger was appointed and gates were being opened 'at nights so often that finally, indignation was ex-pressed in all parts of the district, and a meeting was held at Inglewood on the subiect.

A mother who appealed for her son's exemption, (before t'he Second Canterbury Military Service Board last week, said that she had live sons on active service, and she would like +o keep the one she was appealing for at home. The chairman, Mr 11. W. Bishop, waiinly commended h> >: oji her fine family record, but she won the admiration of all present, when she quietly added as an after thought that she was the mother of nineteen, children. "What, you have nineteen children?" exclaimed the chairman, in surprise. "Yea, but they are not all boys," the mother replied half apologetically. "There are eight hoys and eleven girls."

A scathing condemnation of certain war measures was made by the Hon. G. Fowlds in the course of an address to the Congregational Union. "Much of the war taxation in New Zealand and the Homeland," he said, "is a ilagrant violation of the principles of justice. In some cases it has increased the already high cost of living, and has facilitated the operations of those who are amassing riches by the exploitation of the masses. Then again. I consider that the greatest financial crime of all ages has been the issuiug of war loans free of income tax, which means that the men who receive the largest incomes, havo the largest exemptions, and that is manifestly unjust. To conscript men and exempt wealth is the acme of undemocratic injustice."

A wounded Nelson soldier, who was in London during a recent air raid writes as follows: —"There was one on the night before we left London. The warning came at 7 o'clock. I put on my coat and hat and went out to sec the fun. Talk about a fire alarm in Xelson; it is nothing to it- The folks run about all over the place. Everybody out to try*to get home, instead of taking shelter where they are. Some pull the kids out of bed and rush down into the suffocating underground tubes, which are packed full for hours when a raid is expected. Except for the unfortunate few who are killed, I think it is a good thing there i.s a raid now and again. . It lets some of these headed 'peace at any price people' in the House of Commons see that there is really a war on and it would do ibotli Australia and New Zealand a lot of good too, to get either a good raid or a bombardment on to some of their main cities. It might shake some of those blighters up who are hanging back, and probably—- ■ having had a taste of what the gentle Hun is really capable of doing—they would perhaps have a little more real fellow-feeling for the maimed and j wounded viho are lucky enough to get back to their native shores, after being under the iron flail for months —perhaps for years."

A Taranaki Second Division reservist, on learning last year of the increased separation allowance and the assistance given by the Financial Assistance Board for rent, insurance, etc., volunteered for service. He lias two children, and going into camp in November he received Ws pay of 5s a day, Is a day separation allowance for his wife, and 9d each for the children. He was able to leave his wife in all £2 a week, and from the Financial Assistance Board he received an allowance for rent of 12/6 a week, making in all £2 12s Cd, which he thought to improve by another 17/G a week when the new separation scale came into force in January. His wife, however, has now received advice that the 12/G for house rent has been stopped because, in the words of the Depart- ! mental circular, "in your present circumstances you can meet the obligation without any undue hardship." The wife now finds herself in practically no better position than before, though anticipating relief when the new scale of allowances came into force. This is not an isolated case. It is going on (everywhere. The Financial Assistance Board is certainly saving money for the Government, but its action is not likely to cause contentment amongst the married soldier or reservist who had been looking forward to the relief the increased allowances would afford or to lessen the anxiety of the already i'orely tried wife in sier tussle with the increasing cost of living problem.

When the full story of the lost steamers of the Pacific comes to be written, some romance will 'bo centred round a bottle picked up on the high seas (says the 'Melbourne Argus, in referring to the vessels sunk by the German raider Wolf). Just when relations and friends of those on the «Matunga had reconciled themselves to the belief that there could be no (hope, and even the naval authorities took the gloomiest view, a mysterious message came from the deep. At first it wan regarded as a hoax, but when dates and names camo to foe examined by experts it was realised that most im portant information had been miraculously made available. Tn the bottle, it is "understood, was 'briefly set out the story that the Matunga's company had been made prisoners of war, and survivors from other destroyed steamers were with them. Beyond the most meagre facte, all wajs mystery. It puzzled navigators that the bottle should have been found so far from the probable scene of any raider's activities, but the sea has strange ways, and even the doubters came to believe in the end that there was still hope for passengers and crew. What additional information the Admiralty possessed will probably be disclosed later, but about, a month ago the Australian Navy Department informed thoße concerned that news which was considered reliable suggested that the Matunga [had been captured, and that there, was !no reason to suppose the deaths of passengers and crew-

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