LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Minister of Defence yesterday received advice that the 35th Reinforcements had arrived safely at thir destin ation. —Press Association.

The first business at the Supreme Court to-day is the divorce action, Ernest Harvey (petitioner) v. Clarice v. Harvey (respondent) and Patrick Deegan (corespondent) before a judge and common jury of twelve. It was agreed at the animal conference of* the Agricultural and Pastoral Workers' Union, held in Wellington yesterday, that the secretary write to the Rabbit Trappers' Association asking for further information as to the association's position, also as to the prospects of successful organisation and as to whether the rabbiters were prepared to abide by the A.W.U. constitution.—Press Association.

The date of sitting of the Medical Board for the examination of reservists drawn in the last ballot has not been definitely fixed. The group headquarters expect the board about the end of the month, but no advice has been received as to dates at present.

When the civil business was commenced at ttie Supreme Court yesterday, it was announced that settlements had been effected in the following cases: Taranaki Amusements, Ltd., v. S. K. Chappell, A. R Woolley and A. Trenwith: H. F. Russell v. Henry Weston; T Hikaka Takirau v. John Stevenson; and S Crabtree v. H. W. Brown and C. V. Lindegreen. The registrar also stated he had been advised that the appeal in the case of N. W. Hastings v. Joseph Scoon against the decision of Mr. W. K. Haselden, S.M., at Kltham, was not to be gone on with, and the case was therefore struck out. The cases set down for hearing in the Compensation Court on Tuesday next wero also reported settled. The case of H. Brown and Co. v. J. H Kobsou, for breach of agreement, war. adjourned till next session. Daily News motor car services from New Plymouth to Hawera: Leaves 4.30 a.m., returning from Hawera (L. 0. Hooker's) 0.30 a.m., Eltham 0.50, Stratford 7.20, lnglewood 7.50, Egmont Village 8. Coach fares. G. Beere, proprietor, 525 Devon Street East, New Plymouth. Phone 253.—Advt. J

A section of half an acre adjoining tin* school at Whenuakura has been given by Mrs Honeyfield as a site for a church. "It is not every man who will eat porridge," remarked Colonel iPottor before the Defence Commission recently, while discussing the matter of rations. "But we had one good man for porridge recently. He was in the habit of consuming the porridge rations of the six men in his tent. His comrades were not porridge eaters, and he took their share very comfortably." The "Manawatu Times" says: Mr John Kebbell has sold his farming property, the well-known "Te Rauawa" Estate, Ohau, to Mr P. S. Easton, of Foxtou, for £42,000 cash. Mr. Kaston will probably take over the stock also, at valuation. This is probably the largest cash land deal on. this Coast of recent vears.

When British soldiers in France desire to marry French women, the French authorities require some assurance to safeguard the woman againsf fraud or bigamy (states the London Daily Mail). As the proclamation of banns in the intending bridegroom's English parish would satisfy the French authorities, the Bishop of Bath and Wells has authorised incumbents in his diocese to proclaim the banns in such circumstances.

The appropriate settings and the beauty of the presentation of the Metro picture "The Voice of Conscience" (Bushman-Bayne), now displayed under the "Empire" banner, make it one of the films of the week.

Addressing Berkshire farmers at Beading in March last, Mr Prothero (British Minister for Agriculture) gave the following particulars of the food value of 100 acres of land: Under grass, enough for fifteen people; under mangolds, enough for thirty-five people; under wheat, enough for two hundred people; under potatoes, enough for four hundred and twenty people. If half the potatoes were used for pigs, the 100 acres would yield food value for 210 people, and in the form of pig-meat food for forty-five. One acre of grass land, he said, gave 120 gallons of milk, or 12001b of food; one acre of potatoes, 11,2001b of food as good as milk. Yet, it is stated, nearly half of England, which is capable of cultivation, is at present under pasture, sown down in permanent grass.

Tlie general committee in Auckland set up to deal with the question of the erection of a suitable memorial to Licut.-Commander Sanders , V.C., discussed at some length, on Friday afternoon, the recommendations brought down by the executive committee. The recommendations that the memorial take the form of a suitable statue of obelisk of approved design, and also a scholarship, open to New Zealaud boys desirous of entering the merchant service, were adopted. Recommendations regarding the conditions of the scholarsi! Ip were referred back to the executive, as a number of those present expressed the opinion that under the conditions as they stood, the boy who went to sea early in life and bad to work for his living would find a great difficulty in obtaining the necessary instruction. A recommendation that the appeal be confined to the Auckland Province, but that other centres be afforded an opportunity of contributing to the fund, should they desire to do so, was adopted. Owing to a recent change in the system of separation allowances at. Home, a mistake was made as to the British allowance in the recent statement, furnished by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. Sir James Allenl comparing the rates of pay and Hie separation allow 1 - ances throughout the Empire. At one time the British soldier was required to make a compulsory allotment of sixpence a day (3s Cd a week) to his wife, and this was considered part of the separation allowance, the remainder paid direct by the State being only 9s a week, as stated. .Recently, however, the compulsory allotment of 3s Cd a week lias been discontinued, and the separation allowance paid by the State has been increased to 12s Od a week. The British separation allowance, therefore, now work out as under: Wife only, 12s (id; wife and one child, 19s Od; wife and two children, 24s 6d; wife and three children, 28s; wife and four children, 3ls; wife and five children, 345-. The soldier's pay at Home is 10s Cd a week, as against the New Zealand soldier's 3oa a week. For purposes of comparison it may be stated that the New Zealand separation allowances are as follow: — Wife only, 21s; wife and one child, 31s 6d; wife and two children, 41s; wife and three children, G2s Gd; wife and four children, C3s; wife and five children, 73s Cd. Reference was made by Miss Palling, headmistress of the Diocesan High School, at the annual prize-giving at Auckland, to a movement which she stated was afoot throughout the Empire, for using a pupil's school record, rather than examination successes, as the test of fitness for various posts. The proposal, said Miss Pulling, was to form a central register, on which girls, as they left school, could enrol and be classified according to their whole school record. It was interesting that in New Zealand this was to a great extent already informally done. The latter was discussed at a meeting of headmistresses she attended in January, and she hoped next year to be able to state that some practical steps had been taken towards making the school record a recognised thing in New Zealand, and a practical asset for girls who had to earn their living. Miss iPulling added that for nurses, clerks, post office girls, and others, headmistresses were constantly required to give, not examination results, but certificates as to practical efficiency during a girl's school career. Neither in Germany nor in Austria are leather boots obtainable. The shortage of leather is so groat that leather boots can no longer bo supplied to the army. Ti is estimated that 40 per cent of the soldiers have boots with wooden soles. The "standard" boots made under Government supervision for the civilian population liave only 10 per cent of leather. In many ticrman towns it has become a common thing for women and girls to be held up in the streets at night, and robbed of their boots. The uppers of all boots now being turned out in Germany are made of old canvas or paper. Concerning the standard boots, the "Vorwaerts" says— l; Heavy, clumsy boots, made out of all sorts of substitute materials, with paper uppers and wooden soles, several centimetres in thickness; the weight and bulk of them increased by the huge nails and protectors with which they are studded. The price for these monstrosities is extraordinarily high. Whereas in peace time good durable leather boots could be purchased at about 12s, this war footwear cost 245. Whether the paper uppers will keep out the cold and wet is extremely doubtful."

For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, 1/6, 2/6

On th-j troopship whioh just recently readied Auckland were the English ••vivos of 00 ~Si\v Zealand loldicrsOf the 45,000 United States soldiers training in one cantonment, andpreparing to go to France, only S3 have been court-marUailcd, of whom only ten were accused of criminal offences. Hundreds of households of wealthy New York families will soon be placed on voluntary "war rations," mapped out by the United States Administration at the request of move than '3OO of the leading women of the city. "If a quarter of. what Germany has done in Fraiiej and Belgium was known Hie women of England would see that no conscientious objector Jared to show his face," said Lord Denbigh, at Winchester. The Oamaru Mail says that a thunderstorm on Sunday did its worst in the neighborhood of Glenavy. Hailstones, the size of damsons —seme even larger—fell to a depth of from Gin. to lOin. '-„ the paddocks. A tea kettle left ov jj£& one of fishermen's huts was cfaU99» ed over the handle, while in several places the roofing iron was dented. "Jt's charges like this that make a solicitor's hill of costs a scandal," said Mr Justice 'iHosking at the Auckland Supreme Court On Tuesday, when a lawyer's hill was ibefore him for taxation. The item that brought the remark from his Honour was a charge of five- shillings which the solicitor had charged for serving a summon? on himself!

'■' For me, life has been severe," said the dainty heroine of "The Fettered Woman," to the lover who implored her in vain to agree to become his wife. Alice Joyce and Webster Campbell finally at Everybody's to-night. There has been a goal deal of difference of opinion in the Kaponga district regarding separation allowances for soldiers' dependents, and in order to arrive at a full understanding of matters affecting married soldiers, the local branch of the league has invited a New Plymouth delegation to deliver addresses at Kaponga next Saturday evening. Wives of Second Division men are especially invited to attend.

At the Supreme Court yesterday counsel, in the ease, Taranaki Amusements, Ltd., versus contractors and A. Trenwith, Auckland, intimated that a settlement had been arrived at, and on their application the case was accordingly withdrawn. This was a claim by the company to recover from the building contractors and their guarantor (Trenwith), a sum of £Cfi6 which it had been obliged to pay under the Workmen's and Contractors' Protection Act, at the last session of the Supreme Court to various sub-con-tractors and which amount was in excess of the contract price. Mr. A. H. Johnstone and Messrs Roy and Nicholson appeared for plaintiff company, and Mr. M'Toagh, of Auckland, for defendant Trenwith, and Mr. D- Hutchen for Chappe,!! and Woolley. At Wanganui on Monday, Mr J. 6. L. Hewitt, S.M., was occupied for some time hearing a case in which D. H. McIvor (licensee of the Albion Hotel), 6. j Cutelli (taxi proprietor); and Tim Cutfield, of Westmere, were charged with poaching on Westmere Lake. Evidence was given that Mr T. H. James, secretary and ranger for the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society, discovered the three men in question in pursuit of game on the Westmere lake, on the morning of Sunday, April 28. He ordered them to come ashore, but they refused. He thereupon telephoned to the police station, and Constable Johnston motored to the lake. In the meantime the men had rowed from the clear side of the lake to the farther shore, where there is much undergrowth, and where they become hidden. Constable Johnston made a detour and caught the men in Cutfield's yard, about to board a tasA. Information was laid against the men, who came before the Court. Their defence was an absolute denial of having been on the lake,, or having been in pursuit of game. The- Magistrate, in fining each of the defendants £2O and costs, strongly condemned the violation of a bird sanctuary, especially out of season.—Wanga nui Chronicle.

A recital is to be given by the Citizens' Band at Pukekura Park next Sunday afternoon, at 3 o'clock, when a collection will be taken up in aid of the Soldiers' Comforts Fund. Donations are solicited from those unable to be present, and these will be thankfully received by any of the band officials.

The public do not generally know the advantageous offer made by the National Mutual Life iu connection with taking up war loan, nor the obligation upon everyone paying income tax to take up his or her share. Mr. J. R. M. Stewart, district manager, Eltham, will give full particulars of the National Mutual Life offer.

Messrs. Moffitt and Goodwin, Pungarehu offer a reward of £2O for the recovery of 80 lambs strayed or stolen from their property on I'uniho Road.

Everybody realises the shortage there is in woollen and cotton goods. Ladies should buy winter underwear now, and buy at Morey's while stocks are full and before further rises in price. See advertisement.

A farmer, thinking of coming to New Plymouth to live, with a turn for a bit of gardening, should be interested in an advertisement on account of Nolan and Co. It contains particulars of a handily situated little property at Fitzroy.

The farmer who, when retiring to town to live, buys a quarter of an acre of ground, is happy enough for a week. At the end of that time he gets irritable and wishes lie had a bit more room. At the end of a month he usually feels he has to hunt for work or suffer from indigestion. A property with a full acre which affords plenty of scope for profitable, as well as artistic, gardening is advertised by Nolan and Co., and should be of interest to many of the clas3 above mentioned.