LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Red Triangle campaign conducted during the past week in Gisborne has closed with subscriptions of over £ll,000, which, Mr. Varney remarked, was a record for the Dominion, being equal to 10s per head of the population of the district.

A particularly unpleasant experience was the lot of a boy aged twelve years at the Wellington Zoo on Saturday. The boy, George Kensington, of Palmerston North, was visiting Wellington in company with his father. While sight-seeing at the "Zoo" the lad poked his right hand through the bars into the black bear's cage. The animal seized hold of the hand with his mouth and badly chewed it before the boy was able to release himself. The boy was taken to the hospital, whore it was found necessary to amputate some of the fingers,

There seems to be an impression that the katipo is the only poisonous spider in New Zealand. It may be the most poisonous, but many other species of spiders can give a painful bite. This is demonstrated by a letter to the Auckland Herald by Dr. Campbell, of Waitara, who states that on April 6 lie saw a man who had been bitten on the tip of one of his forefingers. The finger was swollen and numb, and the pain was passing up the back of the hand to the wrist. The pain was very severe where the bite was made. The man held his hand in very hot water, and in an hour's time the pain was easier. Dr. Campbell has Bent the nest ana three spiders, one of which apparently did the mischief. One spider was dead on arrival, but the others were alive. They are brownish-black in color, and about twice as large as a katipo.

Mr. W. W. Smith, curator of Pukekura Park, lias had marked success with weka'g kept by him in captivity. "My tame wekas," iic wrote on April 9 to Mr. Drummond, "have continued' to lay at intervals since October 23. During the five months one female has laid more than three dozen eggs. The birds have been well fed oil the best egg-produciiig food, in order to test their laying qualities. I have.one that follows me about the house, but, on account of fear of dogß, Ido not let it out often. The male weka, to its mates, is one of the most attentive and faithful birds known to Nature. Although this male during the summer months is supplied with ample meat and boiled eels, unless I am present to secire the newly-laid eggs he eats them with great gusto. The pair I am referring to were hatched on October 2, 1914. They were well-grown and handsome birds, and are very tame." Mr. Smith also has been successful in keeping kiwis in captivity. Of these, he writes: "They did not lay any eggs this season or season. Owing to t)ie high price of meat, I liberated tliree of the five in a large area of native bush, where they will find plenty of Imhus and other good natural food. In the bush they usually frequent the sides of creeks, where they probe the moist soil for large worms. Tliey undoubtedly are the greatest ornithological problem known to scientists." ..

In connection with the general meeting if the New Plymouth Returned Soldiers' Association to-night, an important circular regarding mufti allowance has been 'received discussion. Several matters regarding Sfe forthcoming conference fit Auckland /ill be discussed, and all members Particularly requested to attend.

The genera.l order forbidding commissioned officers lo drink" in public bars of hotels lias been amended, and the following substituted: '•Drinking by commissioned officers in hotel burs, being (iofrimi'iila! to discipline, in strictly forbidden."'

One of the French aviators at Salonika was recently attacked by two envies, but; he. was lucky enough io bring tliein both down with lii.s maI chine gun. It will be remembered that Vedrincs. in crossing l.lie Pyrenees, on liis tlight from Paris to Madrid, was also attacked by an eagle, and had considerable difficulty in escaping. A mesmeric or hypnotic influence has been attributed to many 1 spectacular figures in history, but to none more so than Rasputin, the weird imposter who ruled Russia for many rears. The sensational power of this man's evil life is revealed in the World film, "Rasputin, the Black Monk," which is showing for the last time at Everybody's to-night. To-morrow a remarkable child actress, Zoe Ray, will be introduced to local picture goers in the Butiterfiy feature, "The Circus of Life." Cheese made in November and December at the Cape Egmont factory and privately stored in New Plymouth, Ms just "been sent into the Moturoa works and graded "firsts." The flv had not got into any of it, for which ilie suppliers should he well-pleased. This factory has come out second on the .grading list, being only lieaten by Eltham for top place by .05, and as Ettham has its own cold storage into which its cheese went every day, while Cape Egmont stuff lay as much as four months in "hot" store (temp. 701, ,it will be seen that some energy and not a little ability on the part of the manager (Mr. W. Guild) were necessary to produce a sound fly-free cheese. In responding to the toast of the farming industry at the Tarata Sheep Dog Trial Club's smoke concert, the need for increased production was stressed by all the speakers, and Mr. JO. Johnson, of Kiore, strongly advocated the claims of lucerne in this direction. "Not only did lucerne possess splendid feeding qualities, hut it also stored up nitrogen in the ground. He stated that he had sown down ten acres of lucerne, and after two months fed 500 lambs off it for three weeks. Tjater he grazed the paddock for ten days and would have got a third grazing oil' it., hut for selling the property. He considered that a farm which was worth £4O per acre if sown in the best grasses, would be worth £IOO per acre if laid down in lucerne.

Rays the Palmersion Times:—A well-known resident of Russell street, I'almerston, liail a distressing homecoming one night last week. His house, was in a turmoil, and furniture was thrown hither and thither. The householder and his \vife had been out for the evening, and on arrival home were told by their maul that she had gone to bed early in the evening, and had been disturbed by a noise in the hall, 1 She got out of bed to investigate, and found a man in the hall. She attacked him, and Ito knocked her senseless. When she regained consciousness she found that a gaa jet had been turned on, and that the baby of the house was in danger of suffocation. She rescued him, and rang up a doctor. The police have, so far, made no arrest.

A Wanganui officer, writing from .'/somewhere in France," says:—"This morning I went to Church, and Communion. after. The parson, a ChaplainMajdr from Sling, preached a very good sermon, on the lines that we were in a country steeped in venerable traditions and associations, and would be alongside regiments which have inherit-

ixl grand traditions. We, however, were doing a greater thing, for we were building up traditions for New Zealand, not only as fighters, but also both in England and France as quiet, orderly people. This seems to be true, and it is a very flue thing to know. The ( New Zealand Division is now also set flown with British Regular divisions in the first five divisions as the best soldiers. No other colonials are included./ This means not only fighting qualities, but dress, behaviour, smartness of action, etc."

Mr. George A. Highland, now in Wellington, who was in New York as late as February last, says that the American soldier is paid 30 dollars (£fi) per calendar month, and there is 110 Government pension scheme for him to fall back upon. Instead of that Congress lias made it mandatory on all life insurance companies to accept a soldier as a "good life" once he has been passed as fit by the military medical authorities, and that on payment of six dollars a month (out of liis thirty) his next of kin will receive 10,000 'dollars £2000) on his death, 10 dollars ( £2) -a week for total disablement. In this manner Congress has side-stepped a pensions scheme and placed the onus on the soldier himself. Up to the time Mr. Highland left the States the insurance companies were currying over 300,000,000 dollars in war risks, and the amount was increasing by leaps and bounds.

Replying, on Friday, to a question as ,to whether any steps liad been taken to import wheat to mak'e up for the shortage n the New Zealand harvest, the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) stated that a deputation of millers was to visit Wellington shortly, and the whole matter would be discussed. Shipping to transport the wheat would not be easy to obtain at the present time, added the Minister, as Australian tonnage was now very busily engaged in trade with other countries. According to the summary of the position recently given by the Minister for Agriculture, New Zealand requires some 7,100,000 bushels annually for milling purposes, *1,000,000 for poultry, and from .100,000 to 500,000 for seed. This season's harvest is now estimated to yield (5.000,-1 000 bushels, the bad weather having quite tippet the original calculation. 'Mr. MaeDonald stated that the threshing retur\jg for the Dominion were not yet complete, but so far the indications were that it would be necessary to import a quantity of wheat. Last year the only two ships that could be chartered for the work took 11 months to bring over the 1,200,000 bushels from the Commonwealth. No great shortage was feared; but, in any case, a Certain 1 quantity of Australian wheat was usually imported to mix with New Zealand wbeat for milling.

Stage successes are usually happily transferred to the screen, ancl there has seldom been a more sensational fstage triumph than "Shall We Forgive Her?" the play by Charles Sarper now picturised by the World Film Company and screening at the Empire. The leading role is taken by June Elvidge, who is ably supported by Arthur Ashley. The first instalment of the big topical film, "History of the War," is also showing oil this programme.

The new valuations just made in the borough of New Plymouth, have resulted .in increasing the values in the old areas of the borough by about 7 per cent., and in the newly-merged areas the increase amounts to approximately 15 per cent. The higher increase in the new areas is accounted for partly by the fact of the tramway service having been inaugurated, and partly by the fact that it is longer since the previous valuation was made in the FiUroy district than in the otjivr areas.

A meeting of the School Committees' Association was held last night, Mr. S. G. Smith presiding. It was decided to h'ojci the annual conference of school committees at New Plymouth on June 13, the place of meeting being left to the chairman to arrange.

A first, offender for drunkenness, who was charged at the Magistrate's Court, New Plymouth, yesterday, before Mr. A Crooke, S.H., failed, to appear "when '.ailed. Sub-inspector Hutton said the man had been admitted t« Bail in his own bond of 10s, and as he was a seafaring man he would probably never r-c seen again. A fine of 10s was imposed.

The annual meetin g> qf the Fitzroy Kiiv I'-'sadc was held* on Friday last. Captain (irifiiths, in presenting the annual report, referred to the fact that the district had been free from fires for the whole year. Nine members of the brigade liad gone away on active ser« vice, one of them, Fireman Frank Harvey, having paid the supreme sacrifice. Officers for the year-were elected as follows:—Captain, W. Ti. Griffiths; lieu, tenant, I. Aroa; foreman, R. H. Bellringer; secretary and treasurer, R. H. Bellringer. ■ In connection with the disturbance whicfh took .place at Rahotu on March 28, sixteen Natives will appear in the Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth tomorrow, to answer a number of charges arising out of the occurrence. All the men have been charged with taking part" in the riot, thirteen have been charged also with assaulting and resisting the police, three with using obscene lanRuage, two with assault, one with resisting tho police, and one with committing a grossly indecent act- It is understood that Messrs. A. H. Johnntone and P. B. Fitzherbsrt liave been retained for the defence.

Between closing time of Saturday night and Monday morning, ?\fr. 0.. 0. Hawke's shop in Egmont street, New Plymouth, was- burglariously entered from the rear of the premises. A padlock at the back door was forced, and is entirely missing. A quantity of silver in a loose drawer in the ofllco (about .€3) was taken. The thief, or thieves, then turned attention to a valuable east, register- The drawer of this was forced open, but, fortunately, Saturday's takings had been removed ifey Mr. previously. Damage to the extent of about £25 was done to t>,e caoh register. So far it is no\ known that any goods were stolen, hut in a miscellaneous stock sucli as Mr. Hawke carries it would he' difficult to traes loss of stock. The police are investigating the matter.