LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Settlers in some part of the Wairarapa arc complaining that red deer have hecome so numerous that they are a pest.

The six sons of the Kaiser are the safest insurance risks in the workl.— Former Ambassador Gerard.

Since September, 1916, the Kaimata Dairy Company has donated for Patriotic purposes 13 cheeses, totalling in all 1000 lbs. On Monday night the shareholders decided to vote £SO towards the fluids for British seamen and their dependents.

Mr F. J. Nathan, of Palmerston North, who has just returned from Australia, says that the price of practically everything is controlled even down to petrol and kerosene tins. One man wa9 heavily fined for merely asking more for petrol tins than the price fixed. iMr Daniels, United States' Secretary of the Navy, says: "Before another summer we shall have enough ships to cany, not a million, but millions ar troops to France, and enough destroyers to see them there jn safety." Mr Combs stated \n an address at Palmers tern North recently, that in Japan SOOO doctors were employed in medical inspection ox schools and on a population basis, New Zealand should have 200 to be her equal.

An aerial mail—race daily—la now running between Washington and New York- It has proved so successful that arrangements are now ibeing made for an extension of the service.

The largest artesian basin in the world is in Australia. It extends for 3715.000 square miles in Queensland, 99,000 in South Australia, 53,000 in New South Wales, and 20,000 in the Northern Territory.

"There are no Teligious distinctions at the front. A man is appreciated for the work he does, not for the cloth he weajrs. When one comes home and finds the little petty grievances in the following of Jesus Christ, one wishes that the same spirit- prevailed at home that there is at the front."—Padre Bladin at Palmerston North.

Illustrating the elieeriness of the wounded, Chaplin Bladin, at Dunedin, cited the ca3e of two New Zealanders, each of whom had lost a hand. Both attended all the concerts together, the reason being given bv one, who explained: ''You see, whenever we want to applaud, Pill holds out his hand and I smack it." The speaker also made a fine acknowledgment of the wonderful achievements of the British Navy.

The Efficiency Board would doubtless find a way out of some of its difficulties if it could induce every man to carry two or three Decimations. For versatility Rakaiii can lioffl. its own (writes a correspondent). The one tradesman is a bootmaker, 'barber, tobacconist and photographer, and besides selling school requisites lias launched out a moving picture enterprise. If a butchering business could only be addes as a side-line, he would earn the lasting gratitude of the I people, of Kakaia.

Slv-grogging and "dropping" so far a? Masteiton is concerned, appears to have died a natural death (says tlie Age). There has not been a police prosecution for a breach of the (Licensing A<7tin this connection for many months. Whether this is due to the increased price of the liquid or the vigilance of the police is not known. Tlie Golden Bay Cement Works at Trirakohe were partially destroyed by fire a few days ago. As far as could he gathered, the fire occurred in the dryingroom, the cause being apparently belt friction. The fire was confined to the one room, hut did considerable damage before it was put out. The amount of damage is variously estimated at from £IOOO to £4OOO, but profoaibly this is over-esti-mated, though considerable damage has undoubtedly been done to the machinery : ,n the room affected.

The National Efficiency Board states that world-wide experience shows that where Prohibition is in operation increased national thrift has followed, and the diversion of the money to productive trade channels will "more than counteract the loss of public revenue now received from this service." The money now spent on liquor will be spent in some other direction, and hence directly or indirectly will produce increased revenue to the State. This provides the answer to those who ask how the revenue now derived from the liquor traffic will be made up. Surely the electors should have an opportunity of voting on so important a proposal. The Alliance iVfcsater Petition wiU,«ive us tligJßglL Sigi» f .

Mr John Tait Bolt, a member of the Wellington Oity Solicitor's staff and at one time in practice in Feildin<?, died at Wellington last week, aged 47.'

Sir James Alien states that Cabinet's full proposals regarding the contseriration of soldiers' businesses will be made known in the course of a few days.— Press Assoc.

Following upon tiie alleged rupture between Turkey and Germany, it is reported by a Wairarapa lady that her son cabled from Palestine:—"Leaving for England; hostilities suspended." It is, to say the least, curious that the censors passed this.

Generally speaking, the rabbit was exI pected to get a bit of a. set-back through the snowstorm, but according to reports '.bunny" got instead a 'bit of a lift over the fence, literally and metaphorically-, in some parts of the district where* the snow fell to a good depth, s <a ys the Wakatipu Mail. We have been informed that at ICawarau iPaills station and at the Avrburn orchard, where the snow was almost level with the wire-netting encircling the gardens, the rabbits gained easy access to the fruit trees, and wrought considerable havoc to a number of apples, hacking them as high up as the laterals. In the case-of the latter orchards a continuous watch had to be kept in order to check their depredations. Mr Bryan, the famous American Secretary for War, illustrates the happy knack of crisp, cogent phrasing so characteristic of Americans generally. Early in the war he was so strong a pacifist as to resign from the Wilson Government. He has now come to see the necessity of fighting to a finish and quaintly says: "The only way out is straight through." Mr W. D. Bayley, an eminent Canadian, typifies this crisp cogent American style, as he tells of the great clean sweep campaign in Canada last year when it went bone dry on the liquor question. An interesting tale he narrates with pathos and anecdote whilst his treatment of the economic aspect is particularly effective and convincing. Mrs Don, the Dominion's most eloquent platform speaker, will be associated with Mr Bayley at the great opening meeting in the Good Templar' Hall. Admission is to be free witli a collection only. Questions are invited and every body invited.

"We want more population; that is a primary necessity of this country," stated the Minister of Public Health thej other day. As one result of the war, he said, the public debt would be increased by probably about £i00,000,000, and ths annual payment of war pensions might lie aJlxniit £2,000,000. The (Dominion would not ha able to carry on successfully without an increased) population—and the best possible increase wro.ld be in a better birth-rate- It was estimated that if the rate'of the year 1886 had been maintained there would have been MO,• 000 more people in New Zealand now—and, of course, many of those would have been of an age now to be fathers and l mothers, lumbers of persons committed a sin against (rod and the race by the methods adopted to limit the birth-rats. Prom the economic viewpoint, the State must recognise that that population had its vainer It was the duty of the 'State to stand by the fathers. and mothers who Receipted the responsibility of having children, and to assist them bv direct ca°.h payments in •bringing up their families.

Before the war (says the London Daily Mail) a familiar typo of 'well-dressed, tiglit-waisted, silk-socked,"and 'brogueshod man was popularly known as a "knut." The name was given half in admiration, half in derision. The summer of 1914 was the very heyday of the <s knuts." They ripened to fuil glory in that year, when "every 'knut" drove his own motor-ear or rode a' high-velocity motorcycle. Then, out of that summer sky, the tocsin 'boomed, and, like a mirage, the pageant of the "kmits" faded a monotone of khaki. We know where the 'taints" liare been since- then, and what they have done, on the land, on the water, under the water, and in the air. Thousands of them, in the sweet of youth, lave given their lives for us as gaily as ever they drove down the Portsmouth roaid, and far more casually than ever they gave their tailors an order. Thousands of calm young men, whose chiefpst preoccupation was believed to be the set of a necktie, have proved themselves more glorious than the iPstladins could not have imagined in a nightmare. We liava missed the "knut," and in his absence we have forgiven him, with a smile or a sigh, for all his gay and carets extravagances, which he has redeemed with so much quiet heroism. Now the number of silver-h'adged young men Is increasing and the "knut" is reappearing. ■ N'o one smiles now at the careful color scheme of his hadk<erchicfs. his socks, and his tie, or resents his dandyisms. Tor in the lapel of his coat shines his guerdon and he lights up our world again.

That charming little screen favorite, Mae Marsh, is the leading character at the Empire to-night, for she is the heroine of "Sunshine Alley," a Goldwyn picture that is very enjoyable. With a plot light as thistledown this story runs through its several parts, and the incidents often whimsically sweet, change occasionally to a dramatic tensity. Miss Marsh makes a delightful character study in "Sunshine Alley," and she is ably supported by "Bobby" Harron. There will be a special matinee at 3.30 to-morrow and parents should be certain the kiddies see this picture as its kindness, gentleness and beauty must have a beneficial effect on fhe young mind.

Mrs. Don, president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, -wishes to meet the ladies of Sfew Plymouth in the Good Templar Hall to-morrow afternoon, as advertised. She is a favorite speaker, and all who possibly can should hear her.

Will worker? and sympathisers in connection with the W.C.T.U. Mart Day, meet in the lodge-room, Good Templar Hall, on Wednesday aA 3 p.m- ?—Advt.