LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A youthful drover, 17 years of age, giving evidence before the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court, said that he earned from ,C 4 10s to £5 a week.

"What is to happen to people who are paving .Col) and .-fcfiO to £IOO per acre for land if there should come a sudden drop in prices, I don't know," said Sir ■Robert Stout, when hearing a motion for tho discharge of a bankrupt at the Supremo t'onrfc yesterday. '"Half of them wili lie bankrupt; it's perfectly mad," commented his Honor.

A returned soldier, Mr. L. C Button, lias adopted an idTeetive way of "getting back on the Government." He has had a dispute with the Government in regard to his pay, the 'Department at length forwarding him a cheque, for £:>o. As a protest, against the action of the Government, Mr. Hutton forwarded the amount as a donation to the Hospital Board,, and now the Government will have to pav a subsidy of 20s in the £ on it.

At the, meeting of the West Coast Refrigerating Company on Wednesday, reference was made to an article which appeared recently in a Wellington paper, and which was considered as giving a rather optimistic view of the shipping position. In order to gain a better knowledge of the position, inquiry was made of the National Dairy Association, whose reply is as follows: —"No serious notice can be taken of article referred to. Whilst very difficult to forecast, it is unlikely that the past season's cheese will all ibe shipped until at least the end of l©18."-> Star,

An inquest concerning the death of Jamos Bruce Forbes, a youth of 19 years, who lost his life in the Marokopa river, on Sunday, was held on Tuesday before Mr. W- J. .Shaw, district coroner. It was stated in evidence that the deceased was driving a horse and. dray across the stream when tlie- animal got into difficulties. He crawled along the horse's hack, releasing it from the harness, but both were carried into deep water by the current, where the youth was thrown and probaWy kicked ; by the iplunging horse. The settlers improvised a drag of 'fishhooks, and recovered the body that night. An examination revealed a scar over the forehead, the evident cause of unconsciousness. A verdict of accidental death by drowning was returned. 'The nightshirts referred to by an Australian correspondent as having been found in an abandoned German field hospital at Lihons are by no means the only garments made of paper that the shortage of textiles has forced the Germans to wear. There was very nearly a huge strike of war workers in Germany in May owing to the men being compelled to wear paper clothes ot -rrretehed quality. Officials talked bombastically of the wonders wrought by German science in making good wearing apparel out of paper, but as they probably did not wear it their enconiums did not carry much weight with the multitude who found it hardly capable of covering their nakedness. The trouble which threatened at one time to assume serious proportions, was averted by an official order to the nation that any civilian who had more than one real suit of clothes should give lii's spare garments to the Government. Evening dress and smoking jackets were exempted, but many scores of thousands of suits of ordinary every-day wear were collected, and sent in. hot haste to the angry munitionworkers. Apparently something was paid for them, but persons who did not surrender their spare clothes voluntary had them taken away by Government agents. A soldier who has fought on three fronts thinks we'do not hear enough of Salonika, to which he is cheerfully returning (says the London Daily Chronicle |. We have a wonderful medical system out there, he says, in the next worst theatre to Mesopotamia. Men ai'o kept fit in spite of a temperature of 120 in the shade, and blizzards which might shave a hairy Ainu; in sprte of black water fever, typhoid, and malaria. Whatever the influence of Salonika oil the whole war, he says, there will be a great story to tell some day from the soldier's point of view. It was surprising to hear him report well of the Buigars. "Of course they are terrors against the Serbs and Greeks, but speak as you find. They are big men. and we think I hem better fighters, individually, than the Germans. And I will say this: If you go over the top with the Red Cross against; them, you're safe; they will let you wander where you like for your wounded." The Russians are doing well, he declared, as volunteers with the French, ''but," he added, "we think out there Serbs are the best fighters in the world—next, to ourselves!" All villains are artists, but not all artists are villains. Montagu Love is a glittering exception- Superstitious, sensitive, and possessed of an imagination soaring above the ordinary, he found it verv easy to lay down the work he'was following in real life and assume the villain's cigarette in ''reel" civilisation. T-lis reformation came in "Bought and Paid For" iuul "The Awakening," Whero we find him a full-fledged star, with Dorothy Kelly as leading, lady. "The Awakening" commences at Fvervbodv's today.'"

Headers arc reminded of the Rod Cross l hand recital at Kawnroa Park to-mor-row (Sunday) afternoon. A goodmusieal programme is to be submitted, g,nd, given fine weather, a record attendance should result- Tile recital commences at.2.45 p.m.. and tram* ran regularly to the Park pate;-. Twenty pounds is being aimed at by means of the colcction A NEW POTATO.

Tilt; AUUAN CHIEF. fTtiblished by Arrangement.) We have pleasure dn bringing under (he notice of those interested in this new potato which has been responsible for some great records in Scotland, and has already achieved great success in the Dominion. It is claimed that the Arran Chief is the finest mid to late season potato grown. A big statement to make, but facts bear this out. Head what The Glasgow Evening Citizen of December 9, llll.'i, says: "Never in the history of potato growing in Scotland has a new variety established at so early a period such a remarkable series of triumphs. Among its many records are: (1) The highest price by the acre when green in July, viz., £lOl per acre; (2) the highest price per acre of potatoes still to dig during October, of £lO2 per acre; and (3) the championship for the heaviest five acres of any variety in Dundee district, with 16J tons per acre of grand quality." In the Dominion this season it has alreadygiven great results, and the importers only last week received an order from one firm for 48 tons for next season's supply.

A limited quantity of seed, guaranteed true, is available at Webster 8r03.. price Cd per lb.

The members of the Auckland Grammar School football team arrived from the north by the Rarawa yesterday. Auckland still holds its long lead in the "copper trail" contest with Wellington in the interest of the Red Cross movement. Both competitors advanced last week by 14 -miles—Auckland's position being now at Ohakune-, 203 miles from the City, and Wellington having reached Bunnythorpe, !)4 miles out from the starting point.

A few weeks ago a Wanganui firm quoted for certain articles of furniture. The quotation was mislaid, and the firm was again approached the other day. "The old figure doesn't-stand now," was the reply. "Timber has gone up 4s since then, labor has gone up ten per cent, and the firm who used to make the furniture has gone West!" Truly we live in a period of change. The Wanganui Chronicle understands that instructions have been issued prohibiting overseas vessels from visiting the Wanganui roadstead, the reason being that some enemy mines may possibly have drifted in this direction. This (says the paper) is obviously a matter of .grave ceneern to the local freezing works, especially in view of the serious shortage of insulated trucks. The severe frost experienced in Dunedin last Friday night must be regarded as something of a record {says the Otago Daily Times). It is reported that the water used in connection with 1 the "lifts" at the gas-holder in the old Caversham works froze on that • night, a circumstance never previously known. In Eng4 land, where the frost are very much sb-* verer than in Otago, steam-pipes are used to prevent the water cushions holding up the "lifts" from freezing, otherwise there 19 a risk of one cylinder being held up by the frozen water until such time as the gas is well withdrawn, and then finally crashing down by virtue of its own weight into the under cylinder.

Rather unique in the history of we Maori race are the experiences of Mr. William K, Wade, of Rangiriri, Waikato. Before the war he was serving on the barque Peru, in which he made at least one trip to England. He left New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force, was wounded at Gallipoli, and returned to his home. Turning once more to the sea, he joined an S.S. and A. Co's. steamer going to London. There he signed off and joined a Holt liner. On this he went to New York and back. He then entered the King Edward VII. Navigation School, in East London, to study for his ticket, but, being anxious to rejoin his comrades, he enlisted again m the Pioneers in England. He has now been transferred to the Navy, and is joining a ship as junior officer.

Hundreds of happy kiddies will assemble at The Empire this afternoon, to see Charlie Chaplin in "Easy Street," and as it is one of Charlie's most amusing comedies there will be many joyful moments for all present. The supports include "Crooked to the End," another two-reel comedy, featuring Ford Sterling; the third episode of "A Lass of the Lumberlanda," and several other highly enjoyable pictures. Parents should note that the management arranges a special programme for the matinee each Saturday, when children are admitted for threepence. Ham, tongue, hrawn, mince pies, many kinds of bread, biscuits and cakes, eggs, jam, honey, lemons, etc., wEI be found at the Red Cross Mart to-day. The flowers are in great profusion and very beautiful. Many useful articles will he found on the jumble stall, from a good iron to articles of children's wear, and dolls' furniture and dolls for the children. Help the hoys at the front!