LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The latest bulletin as to the Copper Trail shows that from the Wellington end it has reached Waikanae (37 miles), and from the- Auckland end Te Kawa (107 miles) has been reached. ■ The two nautical assessors to sit on the Wmrmcra inquiry will be Captain McArtliur, of Wellington, and Captain E. E. Smith, of Auckland. Mr. AVilford stated that the choice of a chairman had not yet been made and no date had been fixed.—Press Assoc. A general meeting of the New Plymouth Pierrots is to be held to-night at the Soldiers' Club to complete arrangemerits for the forthcoming functions. Members are asked to bring in all raffle

'"I consider that if I had retained won who were fit to go to the front in order to run trains for non-essential services, I should have been a traitor to my country, and would have deserved to he shot like Bolo," stated the Minister for Railways (the Hon. W. 11. Herrics), in defence of the ''cuts" in the services, particularly race trains. During Winter Show week at Hawera, a ear belonging to a well-known Taranaki firm was spirited away. On Sunday last it was discovered in Wellington, and is now safe in the hands of the police. It is comforting (says tha 'Stratford Post) to know that the removal of the car was not the work of au organised gang, but the freakish act of a young man.

At Hawera on Tueseday evening, Constable • Willetts met with a painful experience. He had occasion to arrest a young man, who resisted, and m the scuffle which followed the constable received a kick above the right eye, inflicting a nasty cut, which necessitated six stitches being put in. More prob-. ably will be heard of the affair in the Court.—Star.

There is no more popular artist on the screen at the present day than little Madge Evans, the diminutive World film star, and her latest picture, "The Volunteer" gives this little lady the greatest chance of her career, which, needless to say, she accepts m no uncertain manner. "The Volunteer" shows at Everybody's next Saturday.

When the great German offensive began the Church Army had more than 200 huts and recreation centres in the firing zone. About half of these were wiped out in the rush towards Amiens and Venant. Many were not abandoned until long after the evacuation of adjacent camps. The heroism of those in charge has been commented upon. Some of the helpers refused to leave while there were any wounded or stragglers waiting to be helped. In one Church Army hut the superintendent and his helpers were all blown to pieces by a shell while preparing hot drinks for the men. As the Church Army, which supplies so many essential comforts for our 'men, has no Government resources to fall back on it depends entirely on the real patriotism of those at home. Money is urgently needed. Referring to the hanking returns for the past quarter, the Mercantile .Review iays:—"The position revealed by the figures is disappointing, and one effect will be to mate difficult the flotation of the next War Loan, unless, of course, there is a magical change in the situation by the close of the September quarter. Such a hope cannot be reasonably entertained under present conditions, and it will therefore be necessaary to pay due regard to the prevailing circumstances and endeavor to meet the situationThose who would subscribe to the loan will not be able to do so, because their money will bo tied up in produce on which, advances have been obtained, and for this reason the Treasury must try and tap other resources. Much more can be dono in respect to the sale of war certificates, and, with regard to bonds, the currency of these could be reduced to two, three, or four years to meet the requirements of those who must have short-dated securities."

"Tlie valuable library built up by the late Mr. A H. Turabull over a peridß of many years, which contains an enormous number of books and inanuscriptß, and documents dealing with New Zealand by his will," stated the Hon. G. W. Russell, at Wellington on Tuesday, "was offered to the Government of New Zealand to be maintained as a separate institution in the City of Wellington- The donor orders that the management of the institution is to be on the lines of the British Museum and the Mitchell Library in Sydney. The value of the library is estimated at £60,000, but many of the things contained in it probably will be regurded as priceless, there being no duplicates of them. The gift has been accepted by the Government, and it has been determined to purchase the building in which the library is now housed, a portion of which has been specially made" fireproof for the purpose of keeping the library in safety, the remainder being residential quarters. The library portion of the building is in four storeys, and it contains not only a very large number of books, but" a great number of bound newspapers dealing witlt the early history of the Dominion."

The Ashburton Guardian states that some workmen, while engaged in cutting firewood in the Asliburton County Council's large plantation at Tinwald last week, discovered a neatly-construct-ed dug-out. They are of opinion that tliis had been used by a deserter, but the sound of the woodman's axe evidently became too familiar, and the inhafbitant decamped for more secluded quarters. A reservist has teen wanted for some time for deserting from camp. It was reported that he wa3 in seclusion in the vicinity of the Rangitata River, but, a sea rob proved fruitless. Another reservist is also mnwbered amongst the missing, and exhaustive inquiries on the part of the police have failed to locot* him. Viola Dana, the Metro star, comes into her own as the greatest of modern screen artists in the part of "June" in "Blue Jeans." While Miss Dana is known and her work is appreciated by hundreds of thousands of motion picture theatre patrons none of the vehicles in which she has appeared heretofore have given her the opportunity to show her real class as does "Blue Jeans." This fine picture drama commences a threenight season at the Empire to-night. Sergeant D'arcy Penwarden is to receive a welcome home, and a 'Euchre Party aad Dance will be held on Friday, the 19th inst., in the Rahotu Hall. In view of the serious advances shortly to tako effect on all kinds of men's clothing, the present special suit offerings by the Melbourne Clothing Company should not be ignored. Particular attention is directed to the all-wool colonial-made suits, in tweeds and worsteds, at 52/6. 09/8, 79/6, and 99/6. It was proved at the Supreme Court of Victoria, at Melbourne, that (1) SANDER'S EXTRACT is much more powerfully healing and antiseptic than ordinary eucalyptus preparations; (2) SANDER'S EXTRACT does not depress the heart like the so-called "extracts" and crude oils; (3) SANDER'S EXTRACT is highly commended by many authorities as a safe, reliable and effective household remedy. Get the genuine—insist if you have to—and be Dairymen, builders, and others should be interested in the offer of Dominion Cement contained in an advertisement on the leader page of this issue, from Messrs Speddigg; and PJy-

It is estimated that the new arrangement by which returned soldiers receive 'the equivalent of £5 5 3 as mufti allowance and retain one uniform (instead of ■ilie old 30s, with two uniforms and a ffreatcoat) means a saving of £4 a man for the Government and £25,000 a year for War Relief Associations.

A Wairarapa paper says: The operation, of the Military Service Act have •brought to light "some unexpected information, and celebrities have been located where leant expected. The latest celebrity to come to light is Tod 'Sloan, the famous jockey, who has produced documentary proof of his identity to the authorities in Wellington. Tod (Sloan ia still of military age, and has lieen classed as fit for service.

"The Germans," said LieutenantColonel Gray, of the British army, "are undoubtedly calling now for another offensive, but they won't get very far with it. We have been killing or nutting an end to approximately JUU.OOO Germans a month, but with the entry ■d£ America into the war we will raise this to 250,000. This means, in my opinion, that tho war will be over in a year or so for the very good reason that the enemy is losing his men almost as j fast as he puts them into action,'' I Mr Massey at New Zealand Headquarters in France: "After the war I was over he felt sure New Zealand I (vould be proud not only of what had been done by her soldiers, but also of what had been done for her soldiers," News item, July 6: "Several reinforcements of mounted men, numA bering approximately 1000, are given eleven weeks' leave without pay." Two curious circumstances are mentioned by a relative of one of the passengers in connection with the late fatal accident in the Manawatu Gorge. The direct cause of the accident was that the chassis of the car, which was very low set, actually picked up a boulder as big as a man's head, this jammed the steering rods, causing the car to go straight into the river. The other curious thing was that the spare wheel which became detached in the fall, drifted ashore within a mile of the home of the identical car owner near Shannon.—Palmerston Times. The death of Dr. Brittin, formerly of Te Puke, is reported from Brisbane. Dr. Brittin, who was 74 years of age at the time of his death, was a very old resident of Christehurch, being one of its earliest doctors, and was a member of the well-known Brittin family of that city. »The deceased was compelled to leave Christehurch for health Teasons, and n moved to Te Puke, where he practised I lis profession to seek a wanner jclinu- He went to Queensland, and | set up a practice at Murgon, but his health failing, he removed to Brisbane, ! where he died on June 26. Dr Brittin was an extremely generous and large- , hearted man, and on the occasion of his [departure from Christehurch received a send-off and presentation at the hands |of a large number of the citizens. The A Section of the Red Cross Committee was in charge of the Mart on Saturday, and the takings amounted to about £23. Special attention is drawn to a furniture sale advertised by L. A. sfolan and Co. Most of the furniture is practically new, having been in we only a few weeks. ' . ! Magnificent dresses are a feature ol the screen-story "Convict 993," showing to-night at Everybody's. Phis is, perhaps, needless to say, since fascinating Irene Castles takes the leading part.