LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is claimed by the Opunake Times that .the Farihaka Road District, which has just been merged into Egmont County, was the second largest (in area) in the Dominion, with a capital value of £1,140,257. The man Donald McDonald, who disappeared from liia hut on Saturday night and was later found on the beach near Kawaroa Park, and was locked up on a charge of drunkenness, appeared before the Magistrate yesterday morning and pleaded guilty. He was convicted and discharged. A Maori named William Rcna waß charged, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., yesterday morning, with stealing £7 10s on April 3, from a man with whom he shared a room at the Imperial Hotel. Accused, who pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily, was fined £5, iu default one month's imprisonment. The fiancee of a soldier who landed recently (says the Auckland Herald) received a rude shock when she saw him descending the gangway with a baby in his arms. Her first thought was that he had brought home a war bride, but his 'beaming smile reassured her somewhat, and her dismay vanished when she saw him hand the baby over to the wife of another soldier.

A London correspondent states that the old light cruiser Pyramus is now on duty at Constantinople, with the captain of the Base on board. She had a very varied experience during the war, having seen service in Samoa, East Africa, the Persian Gulf and the Suez Canal. Reference was made' recently in the Ashburton Guardian to a record established by a local firm which had in one Week disposed of an average of one farm per day. Last week the same firm did better by selling five farms in two days. The total value of the properties waa over £50,000. In connection with the forthcoming poll to be taken on Thursday on the prohibition issue, it is pointed out that electors whose names may have been inadvertently removed from the roll may vote by declaration. If such should be the case, an elector may, by making a declaration to the returning officer at any booth, record his or her vote, the onus in the matter being entirely on the elector. It may also be pointed out that employers of labor are required bj the Act to give their employers time off, not exceeding one hour, for the purpose of recording their votes. At yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki County Council a letter was received from the Puniho tollgate keeper stating that, on March 31st, at about 4.30 p.m., a motor-car (No. F34) passed the gate going in the direction of New Plymouth. The driver tendered what he evidently took to be a £1 note in payment of the toll, and the keeper, who did not observe the mistake, r ave change as for a £1 note, and later <'.'?■ covered that the note was for £5. The balance (£4) was being forwarded to the office of the County Council. On his way home per motor bike, with good headlight, Eric, son of Mr A Drake, of Durham Road, lad a narrow escape from a serious accident a flier t distance north of ,the Maketawa bridge on the Mountain road (writes a correspondent). A stray horse suddenly started to cross the road right in front of liim, and though he had presence of mind sufficient to swerve far enough to miss charging right into the creature, he got a severe blow on the head, he thinks from the animal's jaw, which nearly stunned liim and caused him to capsize, into fairly level grass at the roadside.

Annie Elizabeth Harvie, licensee of the Manutahi Hotel, was charged in the Magistrate's Court, Hawera, on Friday, with exposing and selling liquor during prohibited hours, with selling to boys under the age of 21 years, and with employing an unregistered barmaid. The charges all related to occurrences on January 13 last. Sergeant Till, in opening the case, said that three brothers Scanlon, with a man named Johnson, went to the hotel on the date mentioned, mid were served with liquor after hours. Mr. Powell submitted for the defence that liquor was served by the barmaid without the authority of the licensee, and that there was no connivance on the part of the licensee. The Magistrate convicted accused, who was fined £5 and costs on the first charge and £1 without costs on each of the other charges arising out of the first. At Mangatoki on Friday, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., warmly commended the work Sir James Allen had performed as Minister of Defence throughout the war. He had been criticised more or less throughout New Zealand at various times, and he (the speaker) had probably criticised him as much as others, but notwithstanding this he could now say that the people should accord him their heartiest thanks and deepest gratitude, and New Zealand should be proud of the fact that it had a man of Sir James Allen's calibre to fill so important a position during the greatest crisis the country had ever known. The Hon. Mr. Carncross spoke in similar terms, anil pointed out that the time was not yet to view the Minister's action in true perspective. In the days to come judgment will be passed upon his administration, and when that time came the verdict would rebound to his credit, and (lie memory of his great work would not quickly die. A Wanganui resident has discovered, and proved, he says, a sure cure for influenza (says the Chronicle). The euro is remarkably simple, the ingredients being in almost common use in every household and yet it is so effective that a change in the worst of cases can be. effected in less than 20 minutes. The gentleman has offered his cure to the Government for the consideration of £SOOO. So sure is he of its efficacy that he welcomes the most stringent tests. I

Thc all-wool knitted cont sweaters at the Melbourne, Ltd., are proving extremely popular. Although these goods were prirAarily intended for men's wear (liev are being keenly sought after by ladies on account of the very low price compared with women's knitted sports coats. Colors in stock are grey, heather unci khaki. Price 19s Gd. Many electors so far have not made up their minds on which side to vote next Thursday. All should read the advertisement on page 6 of this issue.

The Colocist states that when parcels of literature were delivered from the Post Office to the organiser of the Nelson Prohibition League it was found that a large portion of it was soaked with whisky. Waimate intends erecting a fullslzed marble statue to the memory of the late Dr. Margaret Cruickshank, who died during the influenza epidemic through her exertions on behalf of other sufferers The demand for New Zealand tinned jam is keen in England and France at the present time, and a Dunedin firm recently secured an order for 3000 cases, representing 180,000 pounds of jam. from the disease.

Sub-Inspector 'Hutton and a party of police raided a house on the South Koad last night and succeeded in arresting four of the men who deserted from the Thrasher. One of the men attempted to make a bolt, but the arrangements for surrounding the house were so complete that he merely ran into tire arms of a constable. The men will be brought before the court this morning.

According to the Oamaru Mail it is a considerable time since fat cattle were so scarce in North Otago as they are at present. This is probably- due to the country having been swept by buyers for export. The shortage of fat bullocks and heifers is so pronounced that local butchers are under the necessity of buying outside the district. A meeting of the New. Plymouth ■branch ol' the Veterans' Association was held on Saturday afternoon. Mr G. F. Sobinson wrote resigning his position as vice-president. The resignation was accepted with regret, and Archdeacon Evans was elected to fill the vacancy. A letter was received from the Returned Soldiers' Association inviting veterans to attend a social at the Soldiers' Club on the evening of Anzae Day. The invitation was accepted with thanks- A sub-committee was appointed to make arrangements for veterans to inspect H.M.S. New Zealand when she visits the Dominion. ,

In a case before the Hawera Magistrate's Court on Friday for possession of a house, the Magistrate (Mr. Wilson), in making an order, said the position was that plaintiff had bought a house and could not get into it because defendant could not get another. He said that the latter might to-morrow be in the position of the plaintiff. He added that they seemed to be no nearer the solution of the housing problem. It was acute' everywhere. Owners desiring to occupy houses could not get tenants to vacate them.

"The value of land has been steadily depreciating since the war began," said a valuer at the sitting of the Mount Eden Assessment court last week. The reason was that there had been practically no building owing ,to the high cost of material and labor. Before the war 2000 building permits were issued annually in the city and suburbs, but the average number of permits during the last four years was 147, and most of them were for repairs.

The custom of convicting and discharging those who, being charged with drunkenness, as "first offenders," was referred to by iMr A. Crooke, S.M., in tlie Magistrate's Court yesterday morning His Worship said he did not know why a man should be let off because it was his first offence or, more especially., because ho was a "statutory first offender," through not having been convicted in the preceding six months. The Magistrate said that in future he. did not intend not to fine an inebriate merely because he did not happen to have been convicted within the previous six months. If a man could afford to get drunk, he could afford to pay a fine.

In a cable message from Rome, published in the News on Tuesday, it was stated that "the Pope has authorised the reading of the Gospel during Mass In the Italian churches, and that similar concessions are to be made in other countries." The matter was referred to the Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., of Wellington, who states that there can be no authorisation or concession about the matter, as the reading of the Gospel is an integral part of the Mass, the principal form of worship. Probably what was referred to is a Pastoral lately issued by the Pope on the question of Catechetical Instruction, in which he takes occasion to remind the clergy of their duty to read the Gospel to tha people in the vernacular. The abridgement of this has evidently given a curious and misleading message.

A trooper who has seen service in the Holy Land (according to the New Zealand Times) states that the Bedouins were allowed to move almost without restriction amongst the British lines, and to come and go unhindered. It apparently did not dawn upon the officers that this was the source of Turkish information, for they frequently wondered at the almost uncanny knowledge the enemy possessed of British dispositions. Towards the finish of operations, however, it was abundantly evident, even to the most unsuspicious officer, that the Arab was "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds," and prompt? and effective steps were taken to remove the Bedouins to the rear, and place them under guard. Had action i" this direction been taken earlier, the trooper is satisfied many a valuable life would have been saved. The attention of returned members of the Kvpcditionary Forces is drawn to an official advertisement in ' this issue relative to voting at the licensing poll. The public are reminded that the ■Plunkot Society's annual meeting will be held this evening at 8 p.m. in the Soldiers' Club- The committee urge all subscribers and those interested in thj work of the society to attend.

A very successful long night d&nee was held at the Good Templar Hall last night by the Waireka Sports Out, about 30 couples being on the floor. Tlhe music was supplied by Miss George, and Mr Yardley officiated as MX3. Altogether a very enjoyable evening waa spent.

Speaking at Stratford last night, Mr C. J. Belclier, chairman of Elth&m County Council, said if prohibition did not hftppen to be carried there would be £4/>OO,OOO to spare- This he suggested might be divided between the Strat-ford-Main Trunk railway, the hydroelectric scheme and the Opunake railway.

Responding to the toast of the Parliament of New Zealand, proposed by Mr. D. L. A. Astbury at the Normanby function on Friday, Mr. Pearce twitted Mr. Astbury with posing as a prophet. Ho said he had done so on previous occasions, and had proved to be a false prophet, and might be so again. "Threatened men live long," said Mr. Pearce. "I have contested three elections, and have had as much as 20 to 1 laid against my chances of winning, but I managed to get out on top and hope to do so again."—Star.

Some time ago two young men engaged in contracting decided that in the case of either pasting for military service the other should carry on and credit -his partner with a shilling a yard on a metal contract. One went to the war, and his mate carried on, but the shilling a yard has nqt yet been placed to the credit of the soldier. A neighbor related these facts to the New Plymouth Repatriation Committee, and uked if it could assist in enforcing the carrying out of the bargain, adding: "There will be hr—l to pay when he comes backl" But th< committee felt it cottld not interfere in a matter like this, only regretting that the arrangement had not been put in writing.

A New Plymouth resident, tired of being .pushed out of rested houses, recently purchased a aaves-roomed house of his own, and promptly gave notice to his tenant to quit. But the tenant was aji ex-soldier, and would not budge. The owner suggested that the tenant could stay on and occupy three of the rooms, he using the other four. But the ex-soldier, secure in hia position, was adamant. The owner approached the Repatriation Committee wiUi a view to securing its good offices, but as the committee exists to help returned soldiers, it could Only suggest to the irate owner that he persevere in the exercise of moral suasion, the only force which he could legally use. * At a meeting of the New Plymouth Repatriation Committee last evening, Lieut.-Colonel Weston presiding, furniture grants of £3O each were made to two ex-soldiers, a sustenance allowance to another, and a trainee's allowwqe to a young ex-soldier who wished to learn a new trade, whilst facilities for technical training were granted to a lad who ran away to the war when he was 15 years of age. The secretary reported having secured employment for three men, and two applicants had been given information and referred to the Department of Agriculture. An application for the purchase of a CQuntry fcntchery business was referred to the executive, which was authorised in future to investigate! and report upon all applications for fmanoial assistance. The committee endorsed the protest of the Bawera Repatriation Committee against the regulations under which the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act ii administered, suggesting that more power be given local repatriation committees to examine and recommend applications and that the option required at present (three months) in connection with the buying of properties is too long l and hampers the settlement of the ex-sol-diers.

National Efficiency meetings will tx held to-night at Tariki, Ratapiko, Piliama, Opunake and Hawera. Full details aic given in our advertising columns.

Mrs Rankin, the lady speaker on prohibition, will address a meeting in the Inglewood Town Hall at 8 p.m. to-night. She also speaks in the Octagon, Manaia, this afternoon at 2.30 o'clock.

In view of tlie Prohibition Poll, every supporter of the Moderate League should read the announcement on page ft of thia issue.