LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A press cable states tliat New South Wales is now free from influenza.

A Sydney message reports that severe earthquakes were, recorded in Sydney on January 1. New Zealand State-managed butcher shops cannot be said to have been a success. In Australia, however, considerable benefit has been derived from similar establishments, and the Queensland Government accumulated profits amounting to £58,000 by these businesses.

During a brief discussion at the meeting of the Moa Road Bojird on the advantages to be derived from a hydroelectric scheme in improving the conditions on the farm and so tending to check the drift from the country to town, a mem lier stated that a good deal of this drift was due to the fact that the average farmer was so far behind aud his implements were so ancient. His sons • recognised this, and as the old man would not give a lead, they went to the towns.

The Department of Agriculture is sending to America, where "the dry milk industry is established, an expert to make thorough investigation of the business. The officer will make inquiry as to the plants now in existence for the malong of dried milk products, tTie prospective developments of those plants or the erection of new plants, and the possible future demand in the markets of the world for dried milk. The puroose of the Department is to obtain all possible information in order to be in a position to t>;i"e correct advice to farmers iand others interested as to the wisdom or otherwise of producing dried milk products in preference to butter and cheese.—Dominion.

The inoculation of New Zealand soldiers against influenza is mentioned by tho British Australasian. "VVe have heard a good deal about inoculation against influenza lately," says the journal, "and a striking example of its value is furnished by the authorities at the New Zealand Military Hospital at VVaiton-on-Thames, where Colonel O'Neill, thecoramandont, informs U3 that all the Btafl of the hospital, together with many hundreds of the patients, had been inoculated against influenza, with the result that the epidemic had little effect upon the hospital- The. New Zealand Army medical authorities are arranging to inoculate every New Zealand soldier in Great Britain."

A New Plymouth soldier boy in France writes thus to his late Sunday •School teacher:—"Thank you very muefi for the Y.M.C.A. coupons. It was very good of you inaeed to send them. While i am on the subject, I may as. well say a few words as to what the rest of the Ijoys and myEelf think of the Y-M.C.A. It is the finest institution for the boys that there is. I have heard many a man say that if ever there is an appeal for the Y.M. they will always answer the cail Many a time have I had causa to oless it. When we came out of the line fit Ilessines last year, after we had. advanced our line, we hadn't had' a hot drink for three days and nights, and we, were stumbling along in the dark just* about our old front lino when a call came from the darkness to bear over to the right- There we found one of the Y.M. workers in a bit of a shelter with hoi cofiee, a packet of biscuits, and a piece of chocolate for each man. He was right up in front of most of <Jur guns, and told 113 liq had served hundreds and hundreds of our boys."

Referring to the legislation introduced, by tho Minister f or Public Health en-' abling local bodies to rate.for the purpose of providing medical assistance in the backblocks, Mr, J. H,: Lyon, speaking at the meeting 0 f the Moa Road Board on Saturday, said that unless care was taken this would be liable 1 to'abuse. It had been said that it -was introduced because men -with motor-cars who were able to get in for medical assistance would not subscribe to medical assoeiations. From inside knowledge, he knew that some of these societies were liable to be made a kind of benefit socity. He knew cases where as ra uch as £75 had been paid for «, secretary, whereas in the Ohura their society had been well run for £O, until the doctor had to go into camp. Again, there was tiie probability of settlers in a county who were rated for a hospital and who could get into that hospital, bei nE j a ] go rated to provide medical assistance for the settlers in the interior, which assistance they would never use.

Toys almost given away at The Big Store,iWaitara. Rennie's are clearing ou t the left-overs of their Christmas Pair toys, and have reduced them by a quarter to nearly half price.; Bring- the kiddies to see our windows and have a lucky dif' . ' '■■■' '

■During a discussion at the Moa Road •Board on Saturday, reference was maae to the fact that settlers on some of the roads had helped themselves, by carting_ out metal, etc. Among other roads mentioned were the Dudley and Durham roads- A member asked whether all the settlers had turned out on these roads, drawing the prompt reply from Cr. Todd that on the Dudley Road all hut on® or two of the settlers assisted, and "They did not matter, anyhow." On the Durham Road, Cr. Todd said, all the settlers had assisted. Mr- Hamilton Holt, editor of the New York Independent, who arrived at Liverpool towards the end ,of March, writes thus of our boys in his journal of November 30:—-"We found a regiment of New Zealand boys waiting' to be taken to their camp. What a magnificent set of fellows they were—tall, lithe, bronzed, and each with a red-banded sombrero hat which looked very much like the one our American hoys love so well, but which have now had to be discarded for the more unbecoming caps. I have since seen the English, Canadian, Australian, South African, Italian, French, Belgian, .Russian, Portuguese, and American Armies in rest and in action, and I have no hesitation in saying that the New Zealand boys are the finest appearing troops of ail." The following paragraph from an English exchange will be of interest to readers: —New Zealand men who formed part of the Aldershot Command XV. which defeated R.M.C. Sandhurst by 23 points (1 goal and 8 tries) to 6 (1 penalty goal and 1 try) were:—Sergeant Holmeo, Gunners Walley, Boswell, Cameron, Wittner, Hay, Dalton, MoCarlie (N.Z. F A.), Corporal Stohr, and Private Sykes (N.Z.M.C.). A fine bout of passing was witnessed between Stohr, Sykes, and Holmes, enabling the latter to get in. Command led at half-time by 11 to 6. Afterwards the winners dominated the ptyy, Sykes quickly scoring two tries. Walley getting the ball from Sykes, completed a fine run by crossing the Sandhurst line. Just before the * finish Holmes put on another try for the Command. Corporal Stohr is the Taranpki representative Jack Stohr, and Private Sykes is Dave Sykes, son of Mr. A. E. Sykes, of 'New Plymouth. The unique but trying experience of being lacked in a freezing chamber all night fell to the lot of Mr. Andrew •Blake, a freezing chamber hand employed in the .Gisborne Freezing Work's (reports the Poverty Bay Herald on Wednesday). The men were engaged the previous day in loading operations in connection with the Port Sydney in the harbor, and about 0.30, p.m. the chamber door wag closed, Mr. Blake having, by some oversight, been locked in the freezing chamber- Nothing whatever was known of the matter until about 5.30 a.mi, when the chamber was again opened to continue wfork, and the unfortunate man was- found in a state of collapse. He was assisted home in a weak state,, the ordeal of being nine hours enclosed in a freezing chamber having reduced him to a low state of vitality. By the use of hot-water bottles and stimulants, his condition was reported to be greatly improved. Once the door of the sham bjr is closed no sound whatever therein can reach anyone outside. The unfortunate man hammered the door in the hopes of someone outside hearing the noise and also to try to keep him?elf warm. Finding himself becoming weak, he was obliged to keep hitting himself to maintain the blood circulation, and when rescued his condition was extremeIv low.

A lovely display of beautiful new blouses is being made at the Melbourne, Limited- The goods comprise white Japanese silk, cream and white Fuji silks, crepe de chine in 10 and 12 moraine

v. eights, and embroidered voiles. Prices, as usual, are extremely moderate, while the wear is guaranteed. The Manganui bridge, on the Junction Road, cast of Inglewood, will be closed against all traffic to-morrow (Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to G p.m.

Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (Second Group) are notified that subscriptions will be due and payable to-day, Monday, January 6, at the Secretary's Office, Currie street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. to a p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.—Advt.