LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A sitting of a special Medical Board, comprising Drs. Wade and Fookes, was held in New Plymouth yesterday. (Six returned soldiers were dealt with, one; being discharged, and another ordered to Rotorua for treatment. Two were given further leave, arid two others will be treated at the local hospital. In sentencing two married men to reformative treatment at the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday, the Chief Justice said he always regretted that in sending married men to gaol the punishment fell also upon their wives and children. He did not know that he was right in considering thaE, hut he was afraid his feelings for others made him look at that aspect sometimes. The following members of the 42nd draft proceeding to camp on May 22 will entrain at New Plymouth:—F. J. Aldous, J. Bethel, T. Bourke, D. C. Chessman, IT. E. Oorbett, N. Fulton, D. Grant, C. Johnston, K. F. Kirk, A. M. Wayenberg, F. Morsehead, L. S. Mark, A. G. Mitchell, J. Madie, A. C. Nixon, R. Pearn, C. Peach, G. E- Pearce, W. W. Pickles. L. A. Still, A. T. Styles, J. ,T. C. Sims, J. G. Wilson, P. G. Yates, P. Raill, A. A. Newell.

The wax was flesh of her flesh, it seemed, to the poor little refugee of a Belgian village, hugging to her bosom a doll, battered and broken by some brutal German soldier. "The .Maid of Belgium," starring Alice Brady at the Empire finally to-night. At last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, a letter was received from the acting-secretary of the Waimarino Fire Relief Association (MrJ. W. H. Griffin), acknowledging receipt from the Mayor of a further remittance of £OO Is Gd, bringing the district's total up to the magnificent sum of £OB9 odd. The secretary stated that .the executive of the fund desired the Mayor to convey to the citizens their deep appreciation oi the nractical sympathy shown with the sufferers. The gifts would be used towards reinstating the homes swept away. The Maori mat, formerly worn by Ti Tokowaru, which formed,the subject of a competition at Hillsborough Day at the Mart on Saturday, was won by Mr. J. B. Gibson, of Kaimiro,. who computed the correct number of beans in the bottle—ooo. Mr. Giibson has generously donated the mat to the Hillsborough Red Cross Committee, who, 'it is understood, intend passing it on to the Museum. The string of onions donated by Mr. G. V. Tate weighed 351b. Seven guessed the exact weight, and in a further competition Miss Vivienne Welwter proved the winner. The name of Mr. T. Howkings was omitted from file list of workers published in yesterday's paper. When some laughter interrupted the proceedings at the Supreme Court yesterday, his Honor the Chief Justice remonstrated sharply, and said if the Court was interrupted in that way he would have the person arrested and sent to gaol, and clear everyone else out of the court- It was the duty of the police to keep silence, and he intended that it should be done- If anyone interrupted, it was their duty to arrest such a person and bring him before the Court. A little later a similar outfburst caused his Honor to say that he was not going to have the Court turned into a theatre. He said only once had he committed a man to gaol for such an offence, but he would not hesitate to do it again if the proceeedings were interrupted in that way and anyone was brought before him.

For tho year ending Marcii 31 last tlie Dairy Produce Graders' return for the West Coast Refrigerating Co.'s stores at Patea shows that PihamaCen tral Factory came first with an average grade of 91.965. Mr. A. F. Neilson, the general manager of the company, must he congratulated on this highly successful result, which carries the blue ribbon for a.ll Taranaki factories. He also takes first place for whey butter with .in average grade of 88.993. Waiteika branch factory of the Pihama Co came fourth with an average grade of 91346. Mr. George Laurenson was manager of this branch, but has just gone into camp. The Patiki branch factory of the same company, of which Mr H. Segar is manager, tied for sixth place with an average of 91.223.—Qpunakc Times. Scottish farm laborers are riot likely to emigrate if they continue to receive their present rate of wages. The Scottish Farm Servants' Union is demanding a minimum of £2 5s a week. There are usually allowances over and. above tho wages, according to local custom. In North Ayrshire the men's wages are £2 Is per week. In South Ayrshire wages are 38s to 40s a week. Last November an agreement was made for Lanark, Renfrew, and Dumbarton for paying ordinary ploughmen £2 per week, with 10 stones of meal and 6cwt of potatoes in six months. In West Fife, Stirling and Clackmannan the rate may be stated at 3Ss to 40s a week, with potatoes, the general allowance being 12cwt to 16cwt in the year. In Forfar, Fife, and Perth ploughmen were engaged at £7B per year, with 05 stones of meal, half a gallon of milk daily, and one load of potatoes (in Fife, two loads). All married ploughmen get their cottages rent free. The Awakino Collie Club has just paid £9O to the secretary of the Nortli Taranaki Patriotic League, representing 75 per cent, of the proceeds of their twelfth annual meeting, and desires to tender its thanka to the public for their support. A useful book to the housekeeper is to hand, entitled, "Common Sense Hints on Plain Cookery." It is not a recipe book —it is really a cook's companion, and tells how to select the best ingredients, how to compound tfiem, and how to get the best results in cooking, both from a wealth and economic point of view. Altogether, it is a valuable guide on all cookery problems, and is a necessary companion to every book of cookery recipes. We are indebted to Mr. Brooker, of the "8.K.," New Plymouth, for a copy of this useful little book. The Melbourne, Ltd., for men's odd tweed vests, all sizes up to 8, 5s lid; Men's Tweed Trousers, Ss 6d, 8s lid, 9s 6d, 13s Gd .to 21s; Men's Heavyribbed wool pants, colonial make, 5s lid; Men's Fawn Mosgiel Singlets and Pants, 13s 6d ; Men's Mosgiel Socks, pure wool, Is 9d; Men's All-wool Cashmere Socks, 2s lid pair. Messrs Gilmour and Clarke are advertising several good farms on page one of this issue. For Influenza take Wooda' Great Peppermint Cure. Never fafls. 1/6, 2/6.

Tho syndicate connected with the boiling down of the blubber from the 25 whales recently washed ashore at Bayly's Reserve (Dargaville) has already succeeded in securing 1500 gallons of oil, and also ambergris valued at several thousand pounds. At the Supreme Court yesterday, counsel stated that a boy of 14 years of age, who was in the dock on a, serious charge, and who was subsequently granted probation by His Honor, had been earning twelve shillings a day at Patea. He had now tho offer of a job nearer honie at Hawera at six shillings a day. "It is perfectly disgraceful the amount of drunkenness in New Zealand in this time of stress. The other day from one troopship alone sixty young soldiers were seen in an inebriated con" dition." Thus the Chief Justice at New (Plymouth yesterday, Sir Robert Stout, denounced in strong terms the apathy of the public towards an evil which was playing such havoc in the country, and was responsible for at least one third of the crime in New Zealand, and he was speaking from a knowledge gained in his position as chairman of the Prisons Board.

"This man is evidently a German," said Mr W. G. K. Kenrick, S.M., at Feilding on Wednesday, referring to the defendant in a maintenance case who had permitted his payments to get into arrears. "He forgets that this sort of thing would not be allowed in Germany for two seconds. When these Germans come out here they are very respectful at first—they take off their hats to you. But when they have been here six months they swear at you." Counsel for defendant was asked to inform his client that he was liable to a term of imprisonment. An ex Eltham resident, but now of Patea, drew a winning ticket in the Palmerston North art union. He was not fortunate enough to win the muchcoveted motor car, but he won a racehorse, a prize which had been advertised as being worth £2OO, For a prize of such value, the winner thought he could stand the expense of going to Palmerston to look after it, although lie would be losing his wages—los per day—by doing so. He accordingly went to Palmerston North, and when there the best offer he could get for the steed was £lO, and an attempt was made to charge him for grazing.—Argus,

It's just as' well at this juncture to know what to expect—in case. General von 'Liebert in January laat at a congress at Halle spoke candidly thus:— "For us there is only one principle to be followed, and we must recognise no other. We hold that Might is Right. We must know neither sentiment, humanity, consideration nor compassion. We must have Belgium and the north of France. The curse of God is on the French people. Let us consider ourselves fortunate that He has separated us from that nation, which is as ungodly as it is infamous. The Portuguese possessions must disappear. France must pay until she is bled white. As for Australia, it has been already informed that its men ai - e not worth preserving, but that some of its women may serve a purpose." A people who talk like this have no right to live. Vexed with the recruiting slackness in Australia, a "Mother of three sons in France" writes to the Melbourne Argus:—As the slackers are still apathetic and do not even now respond to the call of our no.tion, I now offer my services to the military authorities as a transport driver. I am physically fit, and can drive and harness a team of four as well as any man. I will go and assist in any capacity, and scores of my women friends are prepared to do likewise. Give us a chance. What is life to many of us now? We cannot even tend our wounded or help at this vital moment. Let us show that Australian women can do as well as our British sisters behind the lines in France.

There is a politician who, though of a rather cynical turn, tries hard to refrain from the expression of his pessimistic sentiments while at home or with his friends. Now and then, however, his cynicism gets the better of him. One day his twelve-year-old son, who had been reading, suddenly put down his book and, looking up at his father, asked, "Dad, is it really true that there is honour among thieves?" 'TSfo, my son," said dad; "thieves are just as bad as other people.' The cable news has frequently referred to the effectiveness of "depth bombs" in the destruction of the Üboats. An American writer in explaining the precise results which follow the explosion under the water of these bombs, says that all explosives generate an enormous amount of gas. High explosives generate an extra volume of gas; a cubic inch of water expands into a cubic foot of steam at atmospheric pressure. Tiiis is 1728 times the volume of the water. When a depth bomb is exploded under water, the gas causes enormous pressure in all directions. What gives way? The water between the bomb and the surface is pushed upward, is thrown into the air until the gas can escape. But if a submarine is nearer to the exploding bomb than the surface, it is the shell of the boat which has to stand the fearful and sudden pressure. It yields; it may crush like an eggshell, or perhaps the plates ■start, and the air in the U-boat escapes, water fills it, and it sinks. George Walsh, the famous William Fox star, appears to-night at Everybody's in his latest comedy-romance, "The Book Agent." This 'is "Handsome George's" best effort to date.