LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Pihama bowling green was opened on Wednesday afternoon.

The New Plymouth High Schools will not re-open till furtiher notice.

Last Wednesday's Auckland Star contained 93 death notices, nearly all from pneumonic influenza.

The Public Health Committee ask that people, with influenza will not themselves call at the chemists' shops for their medicine.

The shipping difficulties in Wellington are dislocating everybody's arrangements. People desirous of leaving the Empire City for the south have been unable to get away.

It is understood that the Military Service Boards are concluding their work. The much-reduced business that might come within the scope of one of these boards will .be done by the Defence Department in Wellington. It is not yet known whether the municipal band recital will take place at the East End on Thursday or not. The band officials will make an announcement tomorrow, after interviewing the authorities.

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church advises that tie General Assembly and the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union, which were to have been (held at Christchurch this week, have now been postponed until the new year. Our newspaper runs in town have been somewhat disorganised of late owing to tihe illness of the boys, and we have to apologise for any irregularity in delivery.. The boys are doing their best to carry on. Any papers missed may be obtained at the office or from jmy of our agents.

Of the numerous fags which were flown over Auckland on Wednesday to celebrate the German surrender, the flag over the Harbor Board building was of unusual interest. It was tihe same flag that floated over the British camp at the Delhi Durbar, and was lent by Mrs. Davy, wife of the Rev. Palgrave Davy.

When the Citizens' Health Committee were on their inspection tour of New Pljlmouth on Friday, tihey intimated they would inspect the backyards on the following day. When they did so they found the backyards, almost without exception, in a spic and span condition and thoroughly sanitary. The town never had such a clean up or such disinfection. The Hon. G. W. Russell has stopped the university examinations on account of one student dying and others catching influenza. Sir Uobert Stout takes exception to the action as annecessary. Uh-e Senate held a meeting and decided to ask the Minister for Education to pass a Bill this session giving the Senate authority to grant -partial passes in tho subjects done, and allow students to sit later for other subjects. On Friday niglht last (reports the Manaia Witness) a car driven by Mr. J. McCarty came to grief on the road to Kaupokonui, owing to a tyre blowing out. As a result Mr. J. T. Everitt. assitant at Auroa Dairy Factory, had his jaw broken, besides other injuries, and Mr. Norman Lelnnann was severely cut about, necessitating nine stitches being put in one leg. The sufferers are progressing as well as can be expected. On Saturday morning the butchers were just about run off their legs, the public evidently being anxious to get t'lieir shopping done'early, probably expecting tho shops to close. So great a lush was there that it was necessary to have men to keep the crowd out. A reminder is therefore given that the butchers' shops will be open from 6 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. Tho post office reports that restrictions are completely removed from cablegrame confirming the publication in the press or elsewhere of sailing dates and tho itinerary of merchant ships, also all restrictions on commercial cablegrams dealing witflu dates, movements, and itinerary of all merchant ships wherever proceeding. The existing restrictions on information concerning the movements and position of troopships and war vessels are to be continued.

The Education Department, Wellington, notifies candidates for the Public Service Entrance, Intermediate and Junior National Scholarship Examinations that tlhey are postponed in the iuciUitime.

The other day a little lad walked into the records office at Auckland. He was only a little fellow, and lie told the lady he wanted to make arrangements about a funeral. The lady did not quite grasp the tragedy in the little fellow's eyes. She asked him why his father did not come along. "Father's dead." the little fellow said. '"And your mother?" "She's dead, too." And the boy. with his father and mother gone before, his sisters and brothers in trouble, too, had sturdily set about doing whatever was necessary. The influenza epidemic is having its effect on the musical activities of the town, in keeping with other organisations, and the bandmaster has decided to dispense with the evening practices and classes this week, although it is just possible the band may be called together towards the end of the week, by which time the bandroom will be thoroughly disinfected with sulplimr and Jeyes' fluid. The ball at the East End Pavilion will be postponed accordingly. Similarly, the male choir will take a further holiday this week, but the members are asked to make the most of the extra time at home, and work up tiheir various parts, so as to make up for the break in the work of preparation for the next concert in December. Tha former director of Krupp's work, Dr. Muchlon, known already by his striking revelations about German war preparations in the summer of 1915, publishes another very significant article in the German paper Friendenswarte. He says: "On Germany lies the greatest blame, not only for starting this war, but also for the way it is conducted. There can be no two opinions about that, and only by admitting her guilt can Germany again bring order into the present chaos, which threatens to lead to her destruction." The writer maintains throughout this article that this can only be brought about by a general awakening of the nation, and the finding of new leaders. "Are we downhearted " and tihe obvious answer, "NoI" was shouted in guttural German voices on Somes Island on Tuesday, as well as by hundreds in English in the streets of Wellington, for the interned prisoners in most cases refused point blank to believe the neWs that Germany had at last been whipped and beaten into capitulation. As the authorities were Slaving rather an anxious time with the outbreak of influenza on the Island, they did not argue with the prisoners, but let them celebrate right cheerfully over the idea that peace lhad been won, not by the Allied armieß, but by the hordes of the Vaterland. Yesterday they were still happy, but not quite AO sure that the cables lied, though some stated that they would only believe that Germany lhad been beaten alter they had been told so in Berlin. Japanese manufacturers forged their way into the world's market by their cheapness, and sjince the war they have* come more to the fore by reason of their ousting German manufacturers, mainly fancy goods. But they are now losing their reputation for cheapness, at any rate. 4. large New Zealand importing house has been advised by representatives in Japan, under date 17th July, as follows:—"Glassware is very firm at 20 per cent advance; tumblers the same; porcelain has advanced 15 per cent; slate pencils 100 per cent. All china and earthenware contracts are very much behind in consequence of a big American demand. Buyers for the States are taking lines at very high prices. It is extremely difficult to get deliveries of any contracts, and some of these were made some few months back. Owing to the great increase in the cost of rice and its scarcity, the cost of nearly all manufactured goods has increased, sad prices are accordingly advanced." A clergyman was working very hard, making ceaseless visits to the stricken ones in a certain district in Auckland (says the Star).. He was doing great work, but he was doing it all by himself. He realised that some of his people must have assistance. He could not get it for them from the organisation, for everybody there seemed to be much overworked. ,So Ihe went to a certain home where health was paramount. He saw a great strapping fellow, a workman, with a healthy family and a healthy wife. Ho saw them in their own kitchen, and he put tihe position plainly. He asked them to help the people next door. Their faces felL "I reckon." said the man, '1 reckon you're the parson; you should do your dirty work yourself." The clergyman urged them, he implored them in tihe name of humanity, to go down and assist. They would not. They were frightened for their own miserable skins, though they tried to deceive even themselves by saying they feared to infect their own' healtihy children. So the people next door did not get assistance till the next day, when a fine, clean woman from a clean home came and visited them, washed the dishes, cleaned the house, left food, and waited till the fatlher had been shifted to the hospital That gentle, lady is still calling at that house and others, and the people next door are still trying to think up more excuses. ' Oh. yes, trial shows the temper of the people all right. London advises tihat deferred cable mesages to the United Kingdom are temporarily being posted from Gibraltar. The average delay is about eight days. The schools in New Plymouth will not re-open until further notice. "When opening a packet of toasted Gold Pouch tobacco," said an enthusiastic smoker of the New Zealand weed the other day, "I found it rather dry, po I decided to experiment a little after my own style. I added an ounce of water (about an egg cup full), and allowed the tobacco to soak. It became quite soft and pliable after a while, just the condition I like my tobacco in. And when I tried it in the pipe I fancied that the aroma had improved, but, what was more interesting to me, the tobacco did not burn away so quickly. By adding one ounce of water I had increased the weight to 3 ounces, which cost mo Is only, and besides, the tobacco now lasts twice as long in the pipe." This hint will most likely induce many smokera to try the experiment.