LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A sitting of the Military Pensions Board is to be held at New Plymouth shortly.

The Waitotara River is at present very low for this time of the year ; in fact, settlers up the river who have been there for many years, state that they have not previously seen it so low at this season-

The victory of Satan is greeted with applause in "They're Off," but it is explained when it is found that Satan was a big black horse which the heroine rode, and whose victory gave her love and happiness. Showing to-night at the Empire.

A motor-car, 3nven by Mr. Hicketts, jim., while returning lo Ka.puni from Manaia on Wednesday night, skidded and turned right over on the Manaia road. The driver was thrown clear of the ear, but Miss Cana, the other occupant, was imprisoned underneath it, and the car had to be lifted in order to liberate her. She was found to have been bsdlv knocked about, and received [<in ugly wound on the leg, which received surgical treatment.—Witness.

The New Plymouth draft of reservists for the 42nd Reinforcements will leave for camp by to-morrow morning's mail train.

AVhen the Supreme Court resumed yesterday morning settlements were announced in the cases of Adams v. Corrigan and Thompson v. Laurent. The ease of Ivura Kitoro v. Ngatata and others was adjourned till the next sessions.

Jn connection with the fatality at the Inglewood railway station on Saturday, a traveller states that the crowding of the platform at Stratford and Inglewood when the mail trains arrive makes it decidedly inconvenient to passengers alighting from or going by the train, and he suggests that a small charge should be made so as to keeip the idle and curious away.

The High School Old Girls' Association is organising a great patriotic effort at the Coronation Hall, Nt}W T*i\ mouth, on July 11, 12, and 13, the pro ceeds of which will be handed to the Women's Patriotic Committee. .A large number of stalls, containing a variety of articles, will form part of the function, and there will be a meeting of ladies at the Soldiers' Club this afternoon to arrange for afternoon teas.

The Omata Hall Committee find their bank overdraft mounting up, owing to very little revenue coming in. They have decided to hold a fancy fair, sale of produce, etc-, next Thursday, followed by a social and dance at night. Conveyances will leave Johnston's store, ifofuroa in the afternoon and from the Post Office in the evening. An extraordinary operation was performed upon Private W. Rock, a returned soldier, of Tenterfleld, by a Sydney surgeon. Rock was severely wounded in the head and leg and invalided home. The injury to his head was so severe that a sivler plate was placed over th& bullet-liole, but proved altogether unsatisfactory. In the operation, which was performed in Sydney, the plate was removed from his head, and the whole of one rib and a portion of another taken out and grafted on to the head. Tho operation was an unqualified success.

The Hawera A. and P. Society has decided to hold the next show in the autumn again. Last year's autumn fixture resulted in a profit of £360- The following officers were elected at a meeting on Saturday:—President, Mr. A. LCampbell; vice-president, Mr. E. Washer; treasurer, Mr. F. Gillanders; committee, Messrs A. Hunter, H. Middleton, E. A. Nixon, A. Larcom, G. W. Williams, J. G. Niehol, W. A. Guy, M. J. Lyns'key, F. Besley, P. E. Cressey, 0. J. Hawkins, J. M'L. Blair, J. Grant, B. C. Lysaght, A. Mitchell, N. Morrin, W. M'L'Dowie, C. R. Stannard, S- C. Tonka, T. Tait, C. H. Washer, E. «T. Linn, I l '. Mills, H. Hodge, Mr. G. A. Holder was re-appointed auditor.

The first work of Madame Olga Petrova, who appears to-night at Everybody's in her own film story, "Bridges Burned," was as a writer. On the London Times she wrote clever reviews of the new books and plays, and in attending tho latter decided that her real forte lay In acting. However, she has never ceasetf to be interested in the world of letters, and still M-rites not only screen stories, but poems which are models of cleverness and wit. Her poem, "To a Child Who Inquires," has been taught in public schools, and this and other poems have been spoken by the star into 'a phonograph.

Mr. W. Cooper, of Rahotu, has received word from the front giving particulars of the death of his son in France. Gunner Cooper was with his battery at St. Julien, in front of Ypres. The battery was to support the infantry attack. When it started, the enemy discovered the position, and raked the battery with a harrassing fire, 'but, in apite of this, the gunners stuck to their work, until a shell landed squarely in the pit of the gun. Of the team of six four were killed, including Gunner Cooper, and they were buried subsequently alongside the gun. The writer says:—"Sergeant Cooper had not been long with us, but he showed the utmost contempt for danger, and upheld the finest traditions of fße soldier. He was greatly loved by his comrades because of his great spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice, and his loss was a great blow to the battery."

A very enjoyalble social evening was spent at the Soldiers' Club last night, when the clulb committee entertained the returned soldiers and soldiers on leave and their lady friends. It is the intention of the committee to provide a series of such gatherings, to be held at short intervals, at any rate throughout the winter months. The proceedings were entirely informal. Progressive euchre formed part "of the evening's enjoyment, the prize-winners being iMr. J. R Hill and Miss Lealand. Songs were given by Miss Young and Mr. Cooper, recitations by Miss Ewing, monologues by Mr. Goldsworthy, and a pianoforte solo by Mr. Frederic, who also played the accompaniments. Supper was served by tho ladies. Mr. W. P. Okey, vicepresident of the Returned Soldiers' Association, thanked those who had provided the evening's entertainment, and the proceedings terminated with the singing of the National Anthem.

Probably on no previous occasion could a poet boast that his poems had saved his son's life. Yet Mr Robert Hogg, of Wellington, can make such a claim, and produce the soundest of evidence in support thereof, viz., a copy of the poems pierced with three bullet holes during the great German push early in March of this year. Mr Hogg, under the pen name of "Robin Blochairn," recently had a collection of his poems, entitled "Singin' to the Weans," published by Mr Alexander Gardner, of iPaialey, -Scotland. Copies of the first edition were forwarded to Wellington, and one of them was sent on to his son in France, Gunner Robert Hogg, of the stli Battery, New Zealand Artillery, formerly a linotype operator in the "Dominion" office. He was carrying a little book of poems in his right breast pocket on the day he was hit, and he would certainly have been killed had the book not stopped the bullets. Mr Hogg declares if one copy had not been sold liia ierses have proved their worth in saving the life of his son. As a matter of fact, the poem 3 have been reviewed most enthusiastically by the papers in England and Scotland.

A very successful clearing sale -was held at Tikorangi yesterday by Mr. Newton King, when Mr. E. Ca(Tick's live and dead stock were submitted at the hammer. Buyers were present in good numbers from all parts of the province. South Taranaki men being much in P'-' dence. The herd averaged about sa, the top price being £2B, for a giv Jersey cow, bred by Mr. Carrick, ,:f by Mr. G. Cowling, of Manaiiv