LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Council of tile Taranaki Chamber of Commerce on I'ridav appointed the president, Mr V. 8. Johns, the. Chamber's representative on the Peace Celebration Committee. The Hon. G. YV. Enssell states that Cabinet cannot approve of sending 50 nurses to Australia, but 25 are to leave Viv the Moeraki on Tuesday to assist in the epidemic fight—Press Assoc. 'Plie Mokoia settlers propose to present each returned soldier of that district with the sum of £lO. On Friday cheques for that amount we're handed to L'euts. J. Catchpole and A. 0. Williams, who received a warm welcome home. A prisoner named Robert Pomeroy, employed in the reclamation works at Tnvercaritill, attempted to escape on Thursday, and was shot by a warder. The injured man was removed to the hospital, where ho was operated on, and is now doing well. The prisoner was sentenced to five years' reformative treatment at Tnvercargill in September last. No. 2 bore, of the Taranaki (New Zealand) Oil Wells, Ltd., was again very active on Friday night, there being a big blow out at about 10.3 C. when water and nuid with traces of oil were thrown over the derrick and surrounding land. Simultaneously Xo. 3, which (lows intermittently, showed greater activity than usual. Xo. 2 subsided on Saturday morning, but Xo 3 continued to flow with a certain amount of oil. A native riding a motor-cycle came to grief at the corner of Devon and Eliot street on Saturday afternoon. Ho was proceeding at a moderate pace when u motor car came down Eliot strict, and both keeping to the left the native had the alternative either to charge the car or the gutter. He chose he latter, and rame down heavily, the asphalt cutting his hands and arms, whilst the cycle was also knocked about. The car ownev pulled np and rendered what assistance he- could and was relieved to find the native had e?.caped with minor injuries. The recruiting branch of the Defence Department is expected to complete its work next month, and Captain Oossgrove, who created the organisation of the branch on the passing of he Military Service Act, will leave the Service when the branch is closed. Ultimately every man handled under the Act will he represented by a single file containing his complete military history.—Press Assoc. Jn reply to a deputation from tho New Zealand Allianoo at Dunedin on Friday, Sir James Allen said that while tho regulations under the Licensing Act dealing with the supply of wine for eecmental purposes. He would inform Sir he thought no difficulty would be experienced in obtaining reasonable quantities of wine for religious and Baeramental purposes. Hft would iform Sir Francis Bell, by whom the regulation would be drawn up, that the deputation had waited on him, and in the meantime he gave an assurance that the regulations would give full protection to all religious bodies concernedA boy aged 12 years and 7 months was committed to the Nelson Training Farm by Mr A. Crooke, S.M., at a sit- , ting of the Juvenile Court on Saturday morning. He admitted having on February 3 stolen from a back room of pieniives in the town a ladies' bag containing 30s, a gold ring and other articles. The same boy was given three strokes of the birch for an offence last year, and he is known to have on at least three occasions removed traps and horses from churchyards and other j places and proceeded to have a joy ride. Tt was stated that the parents, thoroughly respectable people, had no control over the boy. A "Welcome Home" social was extended to Private E. James by members ot the committee of the New Plymouth Poultry Society on Wednesday last. The health of the guest was proposed by Mr W. Scott, who expressed pleasure at the safe reurn of Private James, who, though one of tho youngest was one of the most enthusiastic local fanciers, and had always taken a keen and active interest in the shows. Private James suitably responded. During the evening items were contributed by Messrs W. P. Okey, E. G. Johnson, and Captain Allan. The Loan and Mercantile draw attention to their usual fortnightly sale at Stratford yards to-morrow at 12 noon. V'll! particulars on page S. Mails which left New Zealand on the 23rd December last arrived in London on the 11th inst. SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT, the unequalled remedy for colds, inl'uenza, chest troubles. headache, indigestion. SANDER'S EX. TRACT, the surest protection from infections, fever, diphtheria, meningitis. SANDER'S EXTRACT proved at tho Supreme Court of Victoria to have healing powers not possessed by other eucalyptus preparations. Insist on the Genuine SANDER'S EXTRACf, i There is no "just as voq&?

I Pheasants are reported to lie very numerous in the country districts in fie | neighborhood of Tauranga, and have j worked havoc amongst many of the | crops of maize, pulling the young plants j right out of the ground for the purpose Jof getting at the grain. In some in- | stances pheasants' depredations have compelled farmers to plant their maize crops three times,

A sensational struggle with a shark occurred off the Newcastle beach on January 17, when one of the monsters measuring between 12ft and 14ft swam to within twenty yards of the dry sand on Newcastle beach, and in three feet of water, among a crowd of about four hundred surfers, attacked and seriously injured a bather, Douglas Arkell, aged Ifl years. As Arkell was entering the surf one of his companions pointed to an object lying in the water just in front of them and said, "Look out, there's a shark." Arkell and the others laughed, and then dived. A second later Arkell rose to the surface struggling violently and calling out for held. Thinking he was joking his mates paid no heed, but later, seeing that he was plunging in bloodstained wtater, they rushed to his assistance. The first to reach him was Harold Bay, a returned soldier and the holder of the Military Medal. With three others he fought the shark, and after a struggle succeeded in tearing the unfortunate swimmer from the monster's jaws. It made another snap and then swam away. Arkell was at once removed to the Newcastle Hospital, whore on admission it was found that his left leg was practically torn away from the knee. His left arm was deeply lacerated, the flesh being laid bare to the bone, and upon his body were inflicted deep lacerations. Arkell is the captain of the Newcastle Surf Club and holder of its championship. He was a strong and fearless swimmer, and has the record of having performed the greatest number of rescues on the lieacli during the season.

An early colonist of the Dominion, Mr George Turner Croft, late of Lower Hntt, died recently in Auckland. Mr Croft arrived from London in tlie ship Hereford, in 1875,.and was for a number of years engaged as a builder and contractor at Christchurch. Removing later to Wellington, he continued bin business there for a number of years. At the outbreak of the Boer War he was on his return from a holiday to England, and as the vessel called nt Capetown he disembarked and joined the Light Horse, with which he served for over a year. He was then o."> years of age. He then returned to New Zcnland, and seven years ago went to Auckland to live in retirement with his sou, Mr George Croft. Mr Croft was 73 years of age, and is survived by four sons and two daughters.

"Unequalled bargains" is the slogan at the Melbourne's great stocktaking sol* now on- Pedal straws 2s lid. Boys and youths' panamas 7. Cd Tape in bundles 9d. Dome fasteners 3d dozen. Boys tweed knickers 29 lid. Boys serge knickers 3s lid.

Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (Second Group) are notified that subscriptions will be due and payable to-day, Monday, February 17, at the Secretary's Ollice, Currie street, from !) a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to S p.m.—AUvt.