LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

.— •»• The wholesale price of mutton in' Sydney is now Sd per lb, and beef 5%d per ]l>"as against the proclaimed maximum prices or 5y 2 d and <Sd The Sydnqv Morning Herald states that indications point to lower prices. At the annual conference of the Australian Country Press, the secretary stated that'the Government . was experimenting in the production of newspaper from Australian timbers. If it proved satisfactory, it was proposed to subsidise the industry by a quarter of a million and establish mills to produce thirty thousand tons of wood fibre annually. A Christchurch firm last week advertised for a hundred cats, to be sent to the country for rabbiting. Exception was taken by many people to this request, one reason being that boys would be induced to steal household pets, and another tiiat cruelty was involved in sending cats into the country, where thev might starve. As a result of these representations, the inspector of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals interviewed the firm concerned, and it has ceased receiving cats. Last year was the most successful in tlie history of the State Fire Insurance Office. The gross surplus for the year amounted to £40,610, of which £13,923 had to be paid in income tax on the iuilS proiits, leaving a net surplus of £20,086. The assets at the end of 1917 amounted to £20,223, as compared with £16,680 at the end of 1918. The total sum assured was £2,000,000, and the ratio of loss to premium income was 32 per cent. The income of the office from all sources in 1917 was £91,350- The premium income was £85,321 and the net losses were £27,320,' The ratio of working expenses to premium income in 1016 was 27.7 and in 1917 27-5. Au Auckland doctor told a Herald reporter that it seemed to him a scandalous thing that the serious influenza cases on the Niagara should have been bent to the public hospital, and that '•carriers" from the vessel should have been allowed to go to their homes in the city. This action undoubtedly caused a greater spread of the disease, and mor2 serious complications, he said. Laboratory tests made by himself showed that the germ of the prevailing disease was the samo old-fashioned bacillus influenza, but in a very much more virulent form. In his" opinion Australia was doing the right thing, indeed, the only sensible thing, in making influenza in its present form a disease requiring the quarantining of all vessels having it aboard. New Zealanders ought to do the same, and furthermore it should be made notifiable under the Act. Probably the most unpopular departmeut of the whole military machine is the medical side, and if members keep to their words, there will be some very free comment upon the military doctors (writes the Eltham Argus Parliamentary reporter). In lobby gossip extraordinary stories are related of erratic actions on the part of medical men. They are said to have passed as "fit" men whose own medical men had assured them that there was no possibility of their being passed, and they have rejected as unfit men who after examination by their own medical adviser were pronounced to be sound a3 a bell in every particular, Some of these unexpected results are described a3 being the outcome of partiality, some of incompetence, and in some instances blame is cast upon John Barleycorn. Some of the stories are very interesting, most of them libellous, and could only be repeated mider the privileged protection that is accorded to free speech in Parliaemnt. Of course there ia ! not wholesale condemnation of the doc- | tors. Many of them ave referred to with the utmost respect and confidence, but others—well, let us see what criticism in debate calls forth. Charlie Chaplin in "Police" the new comedy film showing finally at Every- ■ body's to-night. Edith Story also stars on tins programme in "The Claim," one of those forceful dramas of American western life. The change for to-morrow stars that world-wide favorite Alice Brady, in a World film-drama "Betsy Ross," a story of' the American war of independence. The Melbourne Ltd.s stock of 32in striped flannelette at Is yard is creating considerable interest among shoppers. The goods are English make and are portion of a very old contract placed two years ago. To give some idea of the extraordinary value, similar flannelette is being sold by the wholesale houses at Is 3d vard. Don't delay making your purchases as stock is limited. "NAZOL" for Influenza and Catarrh. An A.SC. captain has sent to the Church Army Recreation Huts Fund from a West Country port a donation "as a small token of my appreciation of the excellent work done by the Church Army both at home and'over-sr-ns, but more especially in France, where I have so ofter personally been the recipient of so many kindnesses from this institution." LADIES, "CLINCHER TYRES" as used in the GREAT WAR are sold by all Cycle Dealers and are guaranteed six, nine, twelve and fifteen months. 18 "NAZOL" for Influenza and Catarrh.

During the thunderstorm last Tuesday morning Mr. C J. Hare, of Omata, had the misfortune to have a two and a-haJf year old Shorthorn heifer killed by the lightning. This is a loss now. considering the high price of such stock. Owing to the unfavorable weather conditions yesterday the .New Plymouth Defence Rifle Club decided to postpone the opening of the rifle-shooting season. Due notice will be given when the altered date lias been iixed. The New Plymouth Expansion and Tourist League wish to gratefully acknowledge receipt of £5 donation from the Mayoress (Mrs Burgess), and particularly for the accompanying note of appreciation of the League's work on behalf of the town. Boring for petroleum at Chertsey, Canterbury, have been stoppod during the last few weeks, owing to a bar 10ft long, with a hard steel drill attached, becoming unscrewed, and left embedded in the gravel at the bottom of the well. This has now been removed, and boring will be resumed in a day or two. The well is now down to 170 ft. The well-deserved popularity of the Ngaere Gardens as a pleasure resort was in evidence on Labor Day, when in spite of the threatening appearance of the weather in the morning, there was a large attendance. Apart from the beauty of the native and imported fauna, the grounds are an ideal playground for young people, besides being all that can be desired by picnicing parties, whose comfort is a feature in the management of tiho proprietors.' On Friday last at the show grounds the agriculture class of the local Boys' High School, under the supervision of Mr. J. W. ConnelL, agricultural instructor, spent a most interesting day, when instruction in shearing was givrm, followed by practical work, the sheep being provided, through the courtesy of the manager (Mr. Milne), by the freezing works. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the work, and, although no record scores were registered, the instruction should prove of decided value to the prospective young farmers. Mrs Burgess wishes to thank Mr Hoffmann for kindly lending piano, and Mrs George for music provided at the Band Carnival. In connection with the ball supper, the Mayoress wishes to tibank Mr C. E. Baker for receipted account of £1 2s Od for hire of crockery; also Messrs Cock and Co., for sugar, Messrs Butler, W. Hooker (Vogeltown), and Mrs Courtney Kyngdon, for milk; Collett and Co„- Me Stronex (Rahotu), Hygienic for butter, and Messrs P. Lealand, Haw-es, Wooller, for bread; also the many friends for donations of cakes and pastry. . Captain Persius, the naval correspondent of the Tageblatt, writes:—"ln the German colonies officers and officials regarded themselves as a matter' of course as something quite different from the ordinary settler, Some of the younger men, even in the tropics, were in, the habit of appearing in uniform with swords clanking. The natives, soldiers and police alike, are impressed by shining buttons and uniforms, and a result think nothing of the civilian in white ducks. How different from the English colonies, where every whito may is a sahib, and where officers are always in mufti when not on duty." The subject of the Chinese in New Zealand was dealt with at sgnje length by ..the Rev. 0- G. Mutter at last sitting of the Anglican Synod in Christchurcii The attitude of the Government towards the Chinese, he said, was not logicaL The Government had legalised the 'totahsator, but it imposed heavy fines upon Chinese found playing fan-tan or pak-a-poo. The Chinese mind could not grasp the logic of this behaviour: Again, the Government allowed Chinese in, on the payment of a very considerable pol-tax, but denied admission to their wives. The speaker stated that it was his positive belief that people of no other race would behave so, well under such conditions. One of tho stories told by Sir Joseph Ward at the Navy League gathering related to a certain titled lady, whose war work consisted of driving an official car used by a very dignified and important member of the British Ministry. On one occasion the lady had a dinner engagement, and the Minister was late in leaving his office. She waited as long as her impatience would permit. Then sbe handed the porter, a shilling, and told him to give it to ,the Minister, with a suggestion that he should take a taxi home, since she herself had to hurry i away to dress. Sir Joseph Ward said he thought it was very considerate of her under the circumstances, to leave the shilling . The Feilding Star is righteously indignant over an incident which came to light at a meeting o'f the Feilding Patriotic Association on Friday last. Says the Star': It-appears that if a woman, has two sons, and one of these goes to the war,'while the other stays at home and helps mother, the latter is allowed an allowance for the absent one. But if the two sons go to the war, then the mother is not allowed any helo—she loses sons and support. It was actually recorded at the meeting that whereas a woman in Feilding who'is so well off that she has to pay nearly £<SO per annum in rates, has those rates readily and promptly paid by the F.A.8., whilst her one son'is at the war; yet another woman of our town who has tha rare and glorious record of having had all her eligible five- sons volunteer for the war, is "denied any assistance whatever by the F-A.B. The latter ease is all the harder in that the heroic mother who has given all her sons but a lad of 14 to the service of saving - their riches for the rich and the privileges of freedom and home comforts for those who have made no,,.sacrifices, is-a poor woman, so that she is forced repeatedly to appeal to, the 'Patriotic. Cninmittee for help.. Is it any wonder that there is a bitter feeling against the ridiculous, illogical, heartless and unpatriotic administrations of the Financial Assistance Board? George Walsh excells all previous efforts in his latest picture "The 'Yankee Way" now showing at the Empire. The Athletic George is ( jievur idle for a minute and keeps the audience in « simmer of excitement and amusement.. At the •matinee to-morrow the ChuvUf Chaplin picture "Police" will bo added to the'programme. Another special attraction comes to the Empire next Monday, when Norma TalmftdjW *hiM in the big Seknick feature "Tim Missing Bank Notes-" "NAZOL" for Influenza and Catarrh. The New Zealand Lonn and Moivau tile draws attention to its supplementary bull fair in its Stratford yards, U" morrow (Saturday, Nov. 2"), at 1 pl». Full particulars will be found on pnjiv This is of interest to all ladle*—**; pecially the November bride. Mowy"* have a very fine selection of dainty lm» gene in a wide assortment of ohoiee materials in all the latest shades- Read advertisement elsewhere in this issue,