LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wo have heard of several acts of interference with tlic property of certain well-known farmers in the district who have conscientious objections to bearing; arms, says the Lyttelton Times. A girl from Taranaki, only ten .years of age, who was lately spending a holiday with relative?, in Auckland, admitted that she and her father often milked 35 cows night and morning, on account of the shortage of labor. "The richest land in Xew Zealand is going to bo cut tip into 10-aere blocks some day, like Denmark." said Cr J. J. Bryce. at. the Kiv.-itea County Council meeting on .Saturday. A soldier, who recently landed in Wellington from active service had ;CIOO in hi;; possession. On "Monday he fell into the hands of the police, when it was found that all his money had gone as the result of a drinking bout.

An unusual visitor to the shores of New Zealand is to he seen at Mauku, near Pukekohe- A large albatross, evidently sheltering from the recent gales, is niakiii'.:' its temporary homo on a farm in conmanv with a lame' 'lock of seagulls. The committee of the Whiteley spring flower show met last night, when there was a large attendance, to make further arrangements f.ir their show, which is to be held un September 12, 13, and 14. Rules for the public schools' competitions were submitted and approved- Sub-committees reported that an orchestra was beipg arranged to enliven the proceedings during the afternoon and evening of the show. The ladies' Guild reported that their arrangements for stalls were well in hand, as did also the "Whiteley Club, which is taking charge of a stall this year. Country friends are to he asked to provide a provision stall to take charge of same during the show, dodging.and advertising committees were appointed. Numerous exhibitors notified their intention of showing. Country friends will appreciate the action of the committee in thus arranging for the show to he open on Saturday this year. Morey.'i advertise soma' e.vcellc-ut values in dress materials to-day. Turn to their announcement.

During the snowballing operations in Masterton on Monday the glass screens of several motor oars were smashed£ihop windows were also cracked- The police were appealed to bv some whoEe property was damaged, but they, too, were subiecteu to a sustained and well (lireeled fire

"A singing army is a winning arniv. Singing soldiers need little watching and little discipline;'' S'n savs one of the foremost American fienerak And the War 'Department at Washington has made instructions in singing a part of flie drill in tiie U.S.A. army- Every en nip in the country has. it=i own spceial sons; leader, and every man is taught his notes.

At the annual meeting of the Ivahui Road dairy factory yesterday, Mr; E. Maxwell briefly outlined to the suppliers tiie Harbor Board's proposals in regard to the harbor improvement schema Considerable interest was shown by those present, and at the conclusion it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Messrs' T. AVillcox and Byrnes, that the suppliers of the Kabul Cooperative Dairy Company, being ratepayers in the third area, congratulate the ■Harbor Board.on its forward .policy and proposals for harbor improvements, and wish to express approval and support of ■the scheme outlined by the plan and put lief ore them by Mr. Maxwell.

Some pointed remarks on the alien question were indulged in by the Wellington city councillors' on Thursday evening. The matter was introduced by a letter from the GLsfborne Borough Council soliciting support for a resolution proposing that all. enemy aliens should be interned, and their services utUised in essential work. The Mayor said lie would welcome some more definite action with regard to the alien question. He could not see why .people interned on Somes Island should ibe allowed to idle away their time when the State might be utilising their services in some useful manner He was sure there was plenty for these men to do, and the cost of supervision would be nothing extraordinary. Or. Barber fully agreed with the Mayor. He could not see why the country should conscript its manhood and send men away to risk their lives for 5s a day when aliens were allowed to remain behind and take over the farms and businesses. They should be made to work for the State at the same rate as the soldiers at the front. Cr. Wright said he knew of a ease where two Austrians were trying to buy up farms belonging to men in the Seoond Division. Cr. Barber: Hear, hear; I know of such a case myself. Cr. Wright t We are too prone to talk of British fairplay. t have lost the British fairplay idea in this war. All enemy aliens should he interned. Other councillors expressed similar ide,as, but exception was taken to the fiis'borno Council's definition of enemy aliens. It was eventually decided to refer the matter to the Finance Committee, to frame a suitable motion.

Two strangers from Taranaki who arrived in Wanganui on Tuesday midday for a holiday soon found themselves in trouble, bohifi lodged in the police cells before 5 o'clock, whence they were afterwards bailed. The next morning, the pair appeared before Mi'. Wyvcrn Wilson, S.M., one to answer a charge of drunkenness and the other a charge of drunkenness and using Obscene laguage. Mr. A. A. Barton appeared for the accused. George Thompson denied that he was drunk on the previous afternoon. Two constables gave evidence that he was, and that he was also in a highlyexcited condition. The defendant said he had come in from Taranaki, where he had just sold his farm. He had only had two drinks of schnapps and peppermint. He was suffering from influenza, and had consulted a doctor, who prescribed him gome medicine. He was with his mate in the tramcar, going to meet his brother-in-law. His mate was a little hard of hearing, so lie had to talk loud in order to make him hear. The conductor thought they were arguing the point, ami told them to he quiet or they would be put off the car. They got" off the car at fluyton Street, where they were arrested by a constable. Defendant declared indignantly that it was one of the worst acts he had heard of in his natural. The police stated that during the night the defendant took ill, and was treated l>y £ doctor, who ordered him to the hospital. Upon recovering, lie pleaded not to he sent to the institution, but to be sent to where he was staying, and this was accordingly done. His Worship said ho was not * satisfied with the explanation, so he convicted the defendant and ordered him to pay Ms fkl medical expenses. His companion was not sure whether he was or was not drunk the previous afternoon. This was accepted hy the Magistrate as a plea of guilty. The defendant was equally uncertain whether he haxl used obscene language to the tram conductor, first pleading guilty and then not guilty. The evidence of the constable and the tram conductor wa« to the effect that he had used the language. He was convicted and fined 40s on this charge, and fined,J»,.on the charge of insobriety, and also ordered to pay Zs cab hire-

Mr. W. A. Low, the'well known theatrical and picture manager, arrived from Auckland yesterday to make arrangements for the screening of the seven-reel super-picture, "The Enemy Within." It is not entirely a war drama, but a thrilling story of internal plotting with a dramatic vein of absorbing love and heart interest featuring Reg. ("Snowy") Baker, Australia's champion all-round athlete who won the middle-weight championship of England a few years ago, He plays the part of a special agent who fought and defeated the spies that placed the mines off Gaba and the New Zealand coast, which were responsible for the sinking of the Cumberland, Port Kinmbla ana probably the Wimmera. The picture has been a great success in Australia, and will be shown in New Plymouth at Everybody's in a few weeks' time.

The third Government war film, "The Battle of Arras," will be serened at Everybody's on Monday and Tuesday next,' with a special matinee on Tuesday adfternoon. This official picture is being screened under special permission from the New Zealand Oovernment, and a. considerable part of the gross receipts will be returned for distribution amongst Ihe various patriotic movements. The picture will be screened at the. usual rates of admission, and everybody who attends will have the pleasure of knowing that they are assisting in the patriotic movement by their attendance. The monthly meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union will be held in the Good Templar Lodge Room on Wednesday next, July 31, at 2.30 pjn.— Aivt.

Anions: the humors of tlie snowstorm at Chrialehureh on Sunday was a snowfight among the. members of ,a suburban church congregation. At the conclusion of the service, the conares-ation -divided it=elf into two divisions, which for a considerable time bombarded each other, the pastor assisting, and the ladies prov; ing that their endurance was equal to that of the men. The battle went on until well after the usual hour for lunch, when the combatants faded away in a much 'bedraggled condition: Something akin to hostility to New Zealand was encountered by Mr R. A: Wright, M.P., of Wellington, during his stay in Australia; The people whose opinion was worth having, Mr Wright told a Post reporter, were decidely friendly to; the ■Dominion; but anions others there was the hostility he mentioned. It was based, he judged, upon New Zealand's adaption of conscription. The people referred to were accustomed to say that New Zealand, while fighting Prussianism, was adopting Prussian methods; thai there was lawlessness and so on all over' thecountry, Tbey Would not listen when told that-thisJwas 'meof rsct. Mr Wright considered that the unlimited license allowed to speakers in public places, who said almost anything they pleased, was mainly responsible for this feeling arising.

"Tlie dovernment acted very unwisely, in my judgment, wfoenrjtflmato it public that .the last man on th|'farmfrould not be taken for military service," said Mr D. McLaren. Chairman of the First Wellington Military Service Board,.at the sitting of tlie Board at Palmertson the other day. "We have hundreds of people straining to be the last man on the farm, and many fictitious pleas are made." The Board, said Mr McUaren, was not going to be misled by any abstract statements about beina the "last man on the farm*" but would want .full details. Mr Considine. another member of the Board, said that there should not be much trouble in getting men to manaere farms, as he had advertised for a man to manage a place of 600 acres and had received 40 applications from men in all parts of the country. Waste of labor is just as, disastrous as waste of material, said Mr W. ft. Hemingway, in a lecture on "Compulsory Loans," at the University College at Auckland on Tuesday] He expressed [the opinion that while the people might be willing that money should 'be raised, they did not, wish to see it wasted by an army of officials far removed from the theatre of war. It was discouraging, he said, to the patriotic citizen who had lent money to the State to see officers and non-commissioned officers walking about and apparently doing little more than drawing their salaries. One extraordinary fact revealed by the war was that whilst the smaller farmer woulJ not allow, a man to look after his stock unless he had some training for the work, the Government seemed to think that anyone, if dressed in a uniform, could look after other human beings. An Otago farmer.'s father, talking about the shortage of wheat in New Zealand, said: 'lf all the farmers who an yet abled-hodicd men were to start in and work themselves, instead of spending so much time in going about attending conferences to argue the question and rake up politics, much could be done to raise our own supply. My ton has a small farm which ha has to work ■himself, because labor e«nnot he and, though he ha* a stiff leg. he did all the ploughing and harrowing and sowing necessary to raise 2000 bushels of wheat last season and also, the season before. :S"ot a hand's turn did he cet by way of help, except'at harvesting, when a schoolboy came along and gave assistance. If -New - Zealand were blockaded, and it came to a question of bucking- in or going hungry, wo should find that our land is capable enough. It is only a mattor of pulling off tar coats."

The reason why H. Cocker.'s tailoring business prospers in this era of soaring prices will be found in the column in front of the leading article. ,• Summer certainly seems to sing its way through the motion picture tale "The Suraemr .Girl," which is-now being shown at Everybody's, and the passing clouds of trail and doubt but serve to accentuate .the sunlit story. It is really a delightful fantasy. Owing to the arrival of the Government war film "The Battle of Arras," "The Summer Girl" • will bo screened to-day and tonight only. The special matinee programme showing at the Empire this afternoon includes the big. Triangle super-comedy ''The Submarine . Pirate," with Syd. Chaplin in the lead, also several other comedy, topical, and educational subjects. It is splendid programme for both chiidrcn and adults with laughable comedy occupying the chief place, Tonight Harold Lockwood will finally appear in "The Avenging Trail," a big powerful story of strenuous life in the Canadian lumber camps.

PRODUCE MORE FOODSTUFFS,

AN IMPORTANT MATTER, Yes, it is of the utmost importance to the Empire just how. Upon .this, may (and probably will) turn the whole outcome of the war. Foreseeing this many'months ago, we had the pleasure and privilege of offering a donation of One Hundred Guineas' worth of Copper's (mostly grown by us <in New Zealand), for Use to increase the.*, [supplies 'of vegetables and cool salads' for "our boys" in England, France, and' (or) by French peasants to help Acre-.. i sow their torn and bleeding country. A little help is better than a lot of pity. The Hon. the Minister of Defence, Sir James Allen, kindly wrote us under date December 1, 1910, saying: "I am very grateful indeed to you, and shall be only too pleased to accept your generous offer." We deemed it a privilege to be able to help. The seeds were forwarded the next week, and now thousands of packets of Cooper's "Seeds of Success" are being sown in France and England. . Now, to come nearer "home." It is time for us to prepare the ground for the coming spring. Dig it up and allow the earth to sweeten. Make up your mind now what you are to sow, and that you intend to have one of the very best little gardens about this year; write for our catalogue. It will save your monejvand improve your health, as well as that of your family. You'll want the seed 3 of the strongest germination, and the finest quality, so that you must be sure to insist upon having Cooper's Seeds—"The Seeds of Success." Practioally all the leading Seedsmen, Merchants and Stores in New Zealand stock them.—F. COOPER, LTD., Wholesale Seed Growers, Wellington. GlO If your throat is sore ana irritable take NAZOL, it will give, you relief.

Pensions current in the Dominion now total 38,072, costing £1,763,884 annually, made up as follows:—Old age pensions 10,1)60, costing £740,849} widow! 2H92, at £75,872; military 11(53, al £53,208; miners 270, at £13,572; wa;, pensions 14.4-97, at £904,388.

The Medical Board continued its sitting, for the examination of Class C men called in the June ballot, at tiie Drill Hall yesterday. Approximately, 02 men were dealt with, of whom 30, were classed fit, cne CI, one 81, and the balance CS.

At the Magistrate's Court, New Plymouth, yesterday morning, before Mr. A. Orooke, S.M., a young man named Norman Henry Ward was charged witdi indecently assaulting a little girl, of the age of 5 years-and 11 months, at New Plymouth, on July 24. Sub-Inspector Hivtton appeared for tbe police, and on his application a remand was granted till Wednesday next

A somewhat, interesting position ias arisen in connection with tbe ereotio* of a. dwelling-house on the borders of the Borough of New Plymouth. It is stated that a settler, eoid to be of alien origin, who owns .property on either side of the borough boundary-line, has commenced the erection of * hawse on thai* part of hi s property Which' lieu outeids the municipal area, !but with the evident intention of availing himself of all tiu* ad vantages for which ,the -.ratepayer* pay, for he has, apparently, purposed toi place his buildSng a? near to the bow»« dary-line as possible and yet k<tep with* in the county rating area. There hag been a slight miscarriage in some way, however, and_the house at one of the front corners actually encroaches on the section which lies within the boroughi The question of the adjustment of rates will doubtless form the subject of some interesting negotiations.

An industry that is steadily making good progress in New Zealand is the culture and curing of tobacco,, and as the proportion of smokers in our population is large, the industry deserve? the support and encouragement of ail lovers of "My Lady Nicotine." Just now a particularly fine window display of tobaccos manufactured by the New Zealand Tobacco Co.. Ltd., is on view at Mr. W. H. Preeco's shop in Devon street, Now Plymouth. The tobacco is shown in the leaf stage and also in plug and pouch form ready for the smokers' consumption. Both cigarette and pipe smokers are catered for. The outstanding feature of this tobacco is its guaranteed purity, and the smoker also secures a liberal supply for his money.

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile draw attention to the clearing sale wMeh they are holding on account, of Mr, James Baker, at his farm, Mountain Road, Mid-hirst, on Monday next, at 1 p.ra, Particulars on page S. ■ t

In this issue will be noticed an iadvertisement of a dealing sale to be hold on account of Mr. C. Topliss, of Motunui,. oh Monday next. Included in the list to be sold is a lino of 300 tip top breeding ewes which, vre. are informed, arc one of the b;-st lines yet offered in taranaki. Inspection U.w vited.