LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Post Office advises that the mails which left New Zealand for the United Kingdom on September 3 and 4 arrived at their destination safely, to thank everybody for their kindness. The Red Cross Mart was controlled last Saturday by Section C of the committee, and the takings amounted to £24 Cs. A Dunedin message reports that three men from Christclmrch, who had been in hiding in the hinterland of Lake Wakatipu for the past 10 months, were caplured at 4.30 yesterday morning near Eliin Bay by Constable Rowe. They are described as the worst type of anticonscriptionists. They state they have experienced very hard times during the winter.—Press Assoc. The Napier branch of the Associated Society of Railway Servants passed a resolution condemning the Minister of Education limiting the number of pupils entering for Junior National Scholarships, and also supported the enginedrivers', firemen's, and cleaners' demands for better wages and conditions.—-Press Assoc. The London Times correspondent at The Hague says that the Berlin Tageblatt learns that the Bolsheviks have planned, if their ascendancy is seriously menaced, not to budge before they exterminate the bourgeoisie, and reduce to ruins everything that can he destroyed. Moscow is especially marked for total destruction. The, Wanganui Chronicle says: A correspondent has written us, asking if it is possible to give fuller particulars of the recent loading of an overseas vessel at New Plymouth. We regret this is impossible, but the most we can say is that we understand the loading of frozen meat at New Plymouth and Waitara equalled six times that in respect of Wanganui. In reply to an inquiry by a representative of journalists Sir Jas. Allen states that no editor has yet been appointed for the production of a popular history of the war. No names have yet been ;nbmitted to Cabinet. The Minister says that he will be pleased to receive applications from members of the profession, and gives an assurance that they will receive every consideration. The Salvation Army have made a record with their self-denial appeal this year. The total is £774 4s sd, being £l7O 4s od over last year. On Saturday the novelty table did well, having over £22 placed on it. The amount collected by Mr- S. Buick in Waitara and the north coast of Taranaki was £550, being £SOO for New Plymouth'and £SO divided between Stratford and Inglewood. There are a few donations to come in, Lively films are not so frequent as they might be- But no i>avon or the Empire to-night will have cause to complain of the vivacity shown in "Heiress For a Day," the film featured there with pretty Miss Olive Thomas as the first and foremost star. There is a complete change at this theatre to-morrow night, when a special entertainment is being given m aid of the New Plymouth Citizens' Band building fund. Cheap jokes about "soap box oratory" have no application to Canada's greatest labor leader, Mr James Simpson, who is advertised to speak on "Labor v. ■Liquor" in the Good Templar Hall tonight. While it is true that Mr. Simpson has spoken times without number on street corners receiving his baptism of stale eggs years ago, yet to-day men of letters and business leaders are dolishted to act as his chairman. Hear .Simpson to-night. It is probably your onlv chance, for when peace is declared this great Canadian must hurry hack to advise as to peace terms on behalf of the Trades Unionists and LaborDelesatea of Canada

The number of children's races run at the Band Carnival yesterday reached over CO Tiio Park Tennis Club commences its season this week, the official opeu'wj being set down for Thursday. A special wire has been received in New Plymouth stating that Mr. James Simpson's meeting in Wanganui on Sunday was an immense success. The snmo popular speaker will be in the Good Templar Hall this evening." Everyone should hear him. An interesting return was quoted by Mr. Moss at the annual meeting of the Newman Dairy Company, when he gave the following butter-fat averages per cow in each provincial district:—Auckland, IGOUtj Taranaki, 1881b; Wellington, .1381b; Canterbury, 1271b; Otago, 1081b; Southland, 1811b; average for Dominion, l(i01t> A remarkable feature of one of the children's races at the Park yesterday was the-inclusion, amongst the* competitors, of two little girls and a boy belonging to the same family, aU of equal age (7 years) and the children, of;'a man who is returning from active' ser* vice. Their names are Queeme, Elsie, and Willie Worn. The committee awarded each of them a special prize. The rqal "wonder" of yesterday's procession in connection with the Band Carnival was the motor-car in charge of some of the Technical College students. The car was one which had recently been consigned to the scrap-heap and had lain out in the open for two years. Its erstwhile owner (Mr. Mullon, Opunake) conceived the idea of handing it over to the Technical Colllege, for use by the engineering class, to acquaint them with the working parts' of the motor, and he very generously brought the machine to the college. Many parts were missing, and it says a great deal for the students of tho class that they were able to put it into commission again- The car will probably prove a useful adjunct to the colllege equipment. According to a Frankfurt telegram, a libel suit and counter-suit between Houston Stewart Chamberlain and the Frankfurter Zeitung began on August 9 before .olie Frankfurt Court. Eighteen members of the Frankfurter Zeitung's editorial staff complained of having been insulted by Chamberlain's inference in his book, entitled "Foundations of the Nineteenth Century," that the Frankfurter Zeitung must be enemy property Thoy instituted proceedings for libel, but published at the same time a violent article, saying, inter aila, "This man is unable to impugn a German's honor." A munition worker near London, one of a family which, though earning about £l4 a week, lived m a couple of rooms, bonjrht a grand piano, for which she paid £lso—the carving on the woodwork and fine exterior its chief attraction in her eyes. Three weeks later she said she wis tired of the piano. "It got in her way," and she wanted to sell it back. The dealer went to the house, and was amazed at the strte of the once beautiful instrument. Its chief use seemed to be for holding food. The woodwork was greasy, the inside damaged from spilt liquid, and the keys sticky with jnm! "I can only offer you £23. Thatis all the piano is worth now," said the 'lonle.v Tl'.c munition worker was quite .-■ont.-mt to get rid of her encumbrance at the price. Frank Morton writes of a visitor to Australia: General Pau and the French mission are over in Australia. You will see tihem in New Zealand. Pau—the man who in 1912 modestly declined the position of generalissimo of the French army—certainly one of the best respected Frenchmen in the world—is a glad boy of seventy. He delights most openly in finding Anstralia such a happy place. He loves the theatre, the social rout, everything that is going. He' holds that charming women are dearest gifts of God. , When as a boy he wrote to his beloved sister with his left hand, lie made fun of his right wrist, then a raw stump. But he wouldn't have chloroform for that amputation, because there was a shortage of the drug and he said the soldiers need it more than he did- If this man holds that sanity is best served by gladness in the teeth of this terrible time of testing, don't you think that his view merits respectful consideration ? "I thought you were dead," was the remark addressed to a returned soldier who had recently returned from tat front by a Palmerston North Times reporter tho other day. "Yes, I have been that way for two years now, and I find that although reported killed in action at the Somme, battle I am still alive in the flesh. " You remember I used to be called 'Curly'' Well, people whom I used to know in Taranaki have actually stopped.me and removed my hat ta satisfy themselves that it is none other than me." "Yes, I returned a month ago. after having been three and a-li'alf years with the New Zealand Division. I was gassed, but did not realise the fact until some • time after. However, the doctor in England, thought a trip home.,, would fix me, so here I am." "Arc you likely to be discharged?" inquired the reporter. "Discharged! Why. the authorities actually gave me seven, days' leave when- I disembarked hv Wellington, but I had this extended-.owing to the very inCilTerent health of my fathev I had to wire for the extension, and this was only granted conditionally that I produced a medical certificate as to my father's condition. I have to report back to camp to-day. Not bad treat merit''for a chap-who left New Zealand with the. Mam Body, eh?" Such was the trend, -pf conversation between the soldier, a member of the'N.Z.M-C. from Elthani, who returned to New Zealand on the Hospital ship .Marama, and a Times' representative. Y.M.C.A-Huts are . wciiußriuJ. institutions. They bring cheeriness and comfort to our fighting men in the very midst of desolation on the battle fronts; equally good work is achieved in London. The,latest innovation is the opening of the King Tea House in Hyde Park as an afternoon sports club for men ' from overseas. The attractions include billiards, bagatelle, clock-golf, and a piano; and it is hoped that the enclosure of enough ground will be pcrmited for the men to have hockey, football and cricket. Another tea house in Kensington Gardens is to be run on similar lines. Margarita, Fischer stars at Everybody's* to-niqht '" a Mutual comedydrama "Miss Jacky of the Army" companion picture to her previous great success "Miss Jacy of the Navy." Every patron who saw Miss Fischer in the previous picture will be certain to sec her in this second "Jackv" picture- The supports include one of the famous Vox comedies, mis Final Blowout" with Hank Matin in the lead.

The-anniversary of the Vogeltown Methodist Sunday Svhov>i whs v«!ebrated on Sunday last, a special service being conducted by the Rev. <i, jj. Hin ton, of Waitara. There was n good congregation, and special hymns were rendered by tho scholars, solos being sung by Miss Noble and Miss Blnnchett. During the - service a tablet was unveiled to the memory of Victor Clinton Griffiths, a former scholar who died from injuries received through being knocked down by a motor-cycle. The unveiling was performed by the sister of the deceased child. At a representative meeting of the New Plymouth branch of the New Zealand Locomotive Engineers', Firemen, and Cleaners'- Association, held on the •27th inst. 'tho following resolution was unanimously carried:—"This branch of the L.E F. and C.A. demands that the Government give immediate effect to our claims, put forward for the last Ave years, for increased wages and for overtime for nightwork between 9 p.m. and 9 * a.m., and the branch pledges itself to support the executive in whatever action it takes or deems" necessary to have these claims adjusted. Says an Australian writer:— A friend , of mine was one of the Anzacs recently ' in New York. He complained that foe couuln't get a chance .to pay for anything. "At last," he -wrote, "I weifi into wh»t they call "a drug-store to get some tooth-paste. I told them there* must be no nonsense about it; I was going to pay, and I passed over a five dollar bill. They were nice about it, and gave me my change. When, having left America, I opened the parcel, I found my five-dollar bill in it. Xtey iiad got one over on me."