LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pol L, T ereiC i C ° f tlle Protestant Po eal Association has concluded. It, unanimously approved the proposal to !*a»e ±IOO,OOO for propagandl pu%oses —fleas Association. At ihe gathering of Veterans and retuned soldiers held at the Soldiers' Unl. last night, tlie Mayor, in responding to the toast of "The Ladies," paid a great tribute to the war work bein" done by the women of the Empire He said that in New Zealand it had not been necessary for women to take up men's work to the extent that had been done m the Old Land, but it might vet he needed, and if it came to 'such a crisis he was .satisfied that the women of this country would not be found wanting. Information regarding the religion of members of the police' force was "iven to members of the Protestant Political Association on Wednesday by the Minister for Justice. The classification is as follows: Church of England 270, Koman Catholics 270, Presbyterian 230. Methodist IS, Wesleyans 20, Baptists .7, various 10. The Minister mentioned that of two police superintendents, one is a Catholic, of seven inspectors three are Catholics, and of nine sub-inspec-tors two are Catholics. A wonderful dream and what came of it is the corner stone of the charming Metro picture "Aladdin's Other Lamp," in which dainty little Viola Dana is'at present starring, at the Empire. The story is full of appeal and Miss Dana performs with a sweetness nnd unassuming manner that is most realistic. This picture is showing again to-night, at the matinee to-morrow, and finally to-morrow night. When you feel a cold coming on, don't wait until it has gripped you, but take XAZOL at once.

Since the war tin; liniisli 'lovernhas purchased pro.'tnee to a value of ;Ci!l,l-22,M1:1 and lie would make a guess (hat wliru the purchases for .January, I'chruary, and March were added Ihc. amount would be increased by UHMiIUMJO, said the Prime Minister (lion. \V. I<\ Massey) at Wellington on Wednesday at the annual luncheon of the Chamber of Commerce.

In a local in yesterday morning's I issue relating to to-morrow's lied Cross.] Mart, it vus made to appear that the Bell Block and Tarnrutaugi ladies liacl been working in view of a special effort on behalf of the fund for blind soldiers itnd .sailors. The day at the mart will lie for the ordinary Red Cross funds, for which tlio country ladies have been preparing. They regret that the two special cil'orts should have fallen on the same day.

The Minister of Defence was asked by Mr- vVilkinson during the recent session whether he will take steps to put on record the valuable services of William i/alkner, late of Eltliam, now deceased, who, while acting as assistant wireless operator on the troopship Arawa, conveying- troops, by his strict attention to duty, was instrumental in receiving wireless messages from Cocos Island which led up to the destruction of the German warship Emrlen. The Hon! Sir J.Allen (Minister of Defence) replied: The actions of the wireless operator ori the Arawa are recorded in the official log, which will be consulted in writing Jfew Zealand's History of the. War.

A good story is told by the Dean of Carlisle. It concerns a clergyman who, taking occasional duty for a friend in one of the moorland elmrches In a remote corner of Cumber'.and, was one dny greatly scandalised on observing the old verger, who had been collecting the offertory, quietly abstract a halfcrown before presenting the plate at the altar-rails. After service he called the old man into the vestry and told him, with emotion, that his crime had been discovered. The verger looked puzzled. Then a sudden light dawned on him, ''Why, sir, you doan't mean that ould half-crown of mine!, Why, I've led ofil with lie this last fifteen year."

On February 27t1i last tlic Vancouver (8.C.) Sun published a .'Japanese supplement. Nearly the whole of the front page, called a "Japanese Roll of ITonor," contained a photograph of an illuminated list of Japanese names, with the following explanatory note: "Japanese residents of the city of Vancouver and district have been doing their bit in fighting the battles of the Allies. Shortly after the beginning of the war the local Japanese commenced the formation of a Japanese battalion. More than 200 of these men were drafted into the various units which have left, for overseas from this city. One Japanese was awarded the Victoria Cross, and shortly after was killed inaction. : Others have been awarded various decorations on the field of battle. At least 45 of these brave men have been killed iin action, while a number of others have since been returned home, incapacitated from further duty." An example of how soon a soldier can become passive, and even callous, to the slaughter around him at the front was given to a Times reporter recently by a Wellington soldier just hack from the front. This soldier relates that when he reached the trenches he was "frightened to death," as, he put it, at the first sight of a dead soldier. It was only, after a stern order was repeated io hi-rn that he tremblingly lifted the corpse on to a stretcher. A few months later and his feelings were very different. He was standing in the trenches talking to a mate some distance away when a shell came along. He kept on talking, but received no reply. When he looked for his mate, all he could find was a head and a leg. He gathered together what scattered remains lie could and placed them in a sand-bag. Ho was carrying his gruesome burden along the trenches, when another soldier jokingly asked what he had in the sand-bag. "Oh, poor old was just blown to bits," he replied. "This is all I could find." The questioner merely laughed, and went on whistling "It's a Long Way to Tipperary."

Representations as to the inadequacy of tlie. goods shed accommodation at Nek Plymouth nnd also the insufficiency of stall to handle goods promptly were made to the Minister of Railways by a deputation which waited on him recently from the Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Herries has now informed Mr. H. J. Okey, M.P., that "tiie necessity for increasing the goods shed accommodation at New Plymouth when conditions return to normal and foreign steamers regularly make ii, a, port of cali. is recognised ]>y the Department. The matter will not be lost sight of, and the necessary provision will he made, at a later date. Under existing condition!*, however, tfic expenditure is not warranted at the present juncture" The Minister also states that the conditions as to insufficiency of staff for dealing promptly with despatch, of goods are due, to tile depletion of labor owing to the war, and he nddi that Xew Plymouth is no worse off in this regard than many other centres thioughout the Dominion.

Mr. John Lewis. M.L.C., a grazier and squatter in South Australia, Queensland, and Xew Bout.li Wales, in giving evidence before the Inter-State Commis" sion, recommended that the public should substitute horseflesh for ordinary meat. Mr. Lewis said that as the price of meat was so high he would suggest the slaughtering in Australia of a great many horses that were useless, and might well be got rid of. In France and (Icnnany, lie explained, horseflesh had been eaten for many years. ".Do yon think there is any reason for it in Australia*'' inquired Mr. Pidddington (the commissioner). "There is no reason why Ave should not," Mr. Lewis said. "they are eating it in America. T know there is a great deal of sentiment about the matter in Australia, but it is like the eating of frogs' legs, which, once tasted, are always wanted. Horseflesh would 'be in many respects superior to a lot of the bovine meat obtainable. Ido not like to .see good meat wasted." A story of a self-made millionaire and his fight against the snobs bom to wealth, is one of the big features of the Triangle drama, "The Conqueror." in which Willard Mack and Enid Markey finally appear at Everybody's to-night. The programme also includes the third series of the remarkable f'Bairnsfather's CJartooirs.''

Tho Loan and .Mercantile at Stratford are holding a clearing sale on account of A. W. Guilford, at his homestead. Junction road. Tarata, to-day at VI noon, and not on 25th as stated in error yesterday.