LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Twenty-six soldiers arrived from Sydney by the Port Sydney to-day. The draft comprises men who were sick in Australia, natives from "the Islands, and several New Zealanders from South Africa.—Press Assn.

A vote taken by New Zealand bank clerks on the question of the formation of an association shows 1009 for, 76 against, and 248 votes unrecorded.—Press Assn.

The fall in the stock market was fully demonstrated at the Gore sale a few days ago, when a line of 15-months steers and heifers was sold for £3 is. The vendor stated that he paid £4 10s for |hem as calves.

The new Dominion award in the clothing trade will result in an increase in the cost of both men's and women's clothing. According to several wholebale clothing merchants who were questioned at Auckland the increases are expected to take place at an early date, but as to exactly what they will be has not yet been determined.

The Mayoress acknowledges receipt of £l2 from Miss Bead, being the proceeds of the sale of Indian goods, The amount is to be forwarded to Sir Arthur Peari son for the blind soldiers and sailors. Mrs. Burgess also acknowledges with thanks, from the Ilrenui Red Cross Guild workers, the sum of £7, for the benefit of the New Plymouth Soldiers' Club and soldiers in hospital; also £8 17a 6d from the Tikorangi ladies for returned men in the public hospital. A statement received by the Acting Postmaster-General (Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald) shows that the total sales of war loan certificates to March 31, 1919, amount to £4,017,031 2s. Sales during May, 1918, amounted to £161,995. The greatness of this amount was, no doubt, the result of the interest created by the flotation of the loan in the previous month.

The following remits for the Provincial Conference in Wellington on May 27 have been adopted by the Feilding branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union: (1) That a local committee of practical fanners be appointed in each district from time to time to act with the Land Purchase Board in selecting laud for returned soldiers; (2) that, in view of the serious menace aggregation of land is becoming to the welfare of the country, the Government be urged to take more effective measure to prevent same.

In reply to a deputation at Kawhia last week, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald promised to have a geological report prepared concerning the coal deposits in that district. The Minister also agreed to take steps to preserve the old historic pohutukawa tree at Kawhia, where it is said the original Tainui canoe landed. The tree in question is known to all who have been in the distrct, and many interesting stories are told concerning it. Amongst others, it is said that, in the days when tribal fights were frequent and cannibalism held sway in New Zealand, the tree was utilised for hanging bodies prior to a feast.

The French Government has issued invitations to experienced sheepmen who have been serving in the A.I.F. and New Zealand Forces to take part in a tour cf Morocco, and the military authorities are making the necessary arrangements for granting leave to qualified applicants for the trip (says a London paper of ; February 10). The object of the tour ■is to inquire into the sheep-raising possibilities of the French colony. The tourists are to be the guests of the French Government, which probably anticipates a possibility of securing Borne useful colonists. A few of the men who have made a name for themselves in the big war would be a valuable asset to the country which owns the troublesome African possession.

For Chronic Chest Complaints - Wood'&.Great.Sflnnfiißunt Que.

The Eltham Argus is advising the local Borough Council to go in for a loan of £IO,OOO to erect homes.

The exports from Taranaki ports during the March quarter totalled £1,520,263, towards which total New Plymouth contributed £815,903, Waitara £126,199, and Patea £578,161. The imports (passed through the local customs offices) for the quarter were valued at £74,772, New Plymouth's share being £60,520 and Patea's £14,252.

At the Hawera Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Messrs. Clarke and McNeill, J.P., a Maori named Hui Kai Thompson, alias Hui Kai Rehu, was charged on ten informations with issuing valueless cheques, and obtaining goods by means of the same. The total sum involved was £66. Accused, who was represented by Mr. P. O'Dea, pleaded guilty to all the charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. A medical board sat at the New Plymouth Hospital yesterday for the purpose of examining and classifying the returned soldiers who are patients and out-patients of the hospital. The members of the board were Captain Reid, of the headquarters of the N.Z.M.C, and Captain W. R. Wade, N.ZM.C, the local doctor. The scheme at present in operation provides for a board to sit once a month, consisting of a staff doctor and a local doctor.

A farmer residing not one hundred miles from Eltham recently sold his property at what he considered a handsome price—a big advance on the price he gave for it. He then commenced to look around the country for another property for himself. In this, however, he did not prove so successful, and eventually he returned and repurchased the property he had disposed of—not at the same price, but at an advance of £1 13s per acre.—Argus. An unusual sight was witnessed by passengers on the mail train on Saturday afternoon near Waitotara. A hawk was seen tearing at the throat of a sheep that was lying on its side. The blood was pouring from the animal's throat, and it appeared as if the bird had attacked it whilst it was lying down. The passing of the train within a few yards did not disturb the hawk in the least, as it continued feeding on the carcase.— Press.

Some of the more nonchalant spectators of the Stratford fire (says the Post) derived a keen sense of delight from what they termed an "act of Providence" in settling to their satisfaction the question of the site for a new Post Office. Here, they said, we now have a site cleared practically for nothing in the centre of the town, and the authorities are "big mugs" if they don't get in right away and snap the opportunity. Tear up the old petitions and let us combine in a huge request to the Department and help it to make up its mind. In effect, these are the sentiments of the supporters of the central site for the building. The postal and telegraph revenue in the New Plymouth postal district for the quarter ended March 31, was £21,160, as compared with £19,129 in the March quarter of last year. Steadily the district is improving its position, being now eighth in importance, and very little behind Invercargill, whose revenue last quarter was £21,618. Wanganui's revenue was £27,399. The post office savings bank deposits amounted to £260,319 as against £215,184 in the Maroh quarter iast year, the withdrawals being £170,023 and £138,806 respectively. In this respect New Plymouth district was ahead of Invercargill, where the deposits were £211,444 and withdrawals £168,065. Many cases of mutilation of British soldiers while prisoners of war have been reported, but a case examined by the Medical Board at New Plymouth yesterday shows that our men did not altogether escape attention at the hands of the German brutes. This young chap had had the sinews of his trigger finger severed, and an Iron Cross cut on the back of his neck. In other cases where the incisions have been made to mark the cross the eyesight of the victims has been affected, but fortunately in this case the eyesight is unimpaired. Still, the disfigurement is there for life, evidence of the callous brutality of the execrable human beings who had lost all Bense of decency and humanity.

In response to its appeal for workers to get into training in case of a recurrence of the influenza epidemic, the Taranaki Hospital Board has had quite a large number of names sent in of those willing to take up work, should the necessity arise, and to undergo the training in nursing which the board, through its hospital staff, has offered to give. Instead of forming classes, it is proposed to take in two-ladies to the hospital each week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and place them in the wards on the same footing, so far as work is concerned, as probationer nurseß. Each lady will receive in this way a week's training, and it is understood that the scheme is to be put. into operation on Monday next. At the conclusion of the formal business transacted by the New Plymouth Borough Council last night, the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) entertained the councillors, retired councillors, the heads of the various borough departments, the borough solicitors, and representatives of the press to supper in his private room in the council chambers. The proceedings were pleasantly informal, and the toasts honored were proposed in fitting and complimentary references to the work and worth of those concerned. The health of the Mayoress, which was proposed by Mr. J. H. Quilliani, was very enthusiastically drunk, to the accompaniment of musical honors.

The Chinese delegates at the Peace Conference are claiming the return of the astronomical instruments taken from Peking by German troops at the time of i lie Boxer rebellion 19 years ago, according to a writer in the Westminster Gazette. These instruments, which were made in the seventeenth century by a lieigian missionary, and are at present in a Berlin Museum, were removed from the Peking Observatory by the orders of Count von Waldersee, who was in command of the German troops. General Chaffee, the American commander, personally protested to the Count against this action, which he stigmatised as "vandalism" of the worst kind. It is an old story that the Kaiser was guilty of a somewhat similar action. During his famous tour of Syria Jhe was shown a very ancient Bible at a mosque in Hazireh, and on his return he instructed the German Ambassador at Constantinople to secure the loan of it from the Sultan. The book was sent to Berlin on the understanding that it would be returned in a few weeks. It is, however, still in Berlin—or was when the war broke out—notwithstanding repeated repeated requests for its return by the monks at the mosque. In our advertising columns the Melbourne Clothing Company advertise a special line of men's pure wool black and navy cashmere socks post free at 3s lid per pair. The dye in these socks is guaranteed to be absolutely fast color. Wearers of cashmere socks will* recognise a tremendous bargain in the above offering,- - - ~

Dr. A. S. Herbert, formerly in charge of the Kotorua. Sanatorium, has been presented with a case of greenstone Bpoons and silver by the soldiers in the Orthopaedic Hospital, in recognition of his work among them. Dr. Herbert will leave for England by the lonic. It is reported that the owner of a large area of land near Taihape intends to sub-divide 10,000 acres and place eight returned soldiers on 2000 acres each, and will hand over the areas fully stocked.

An indication of the great increase in trade between Canada and New Zealand, notwithstanding the war, is contained in the returns for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1919, showing the year's total imports from Canada to have been £1,085,224, an increase of £207,071 ovet the previous year. The exports from New Zealand were well over £1,000,000. In 1910, when the Trade Commissioner's Office was first opened, New Zealand's total imports from Canada amounted to £231,402.

The new British light cruisers, Effingham, Frobisher, etc. now completing, are much larger ships than the general impression concerning them conveys, says an English writer. They are not light oruisera at all, being at least 10,000 tons displacement, and carrying nn armament of about eight 7.5 in. guns. They will, it is anticipated, make 35 knots on trial. Theße vessels were built specially to run down hostile raiders of Rreat speed and powerful armament, for which reason they have a' very large fuel capacity, and could remain at sea for three or four months at a time. They are reputed to be as near proof against torpedo attack as can be produced.

Tbe work of the navy in connection with the surrender of the German fleet is referred to in a letter dated February 18, 1919, from Captain Gerald Wells, of H.M.S. Comus, received by the Auckland branch of the Navy League in acknowledgment of Christmas greetings forwarded to officers in the navy. The writer says: "The British men-of-war, Comus, Danai, Vesper, and the American man-of-war Wickesj, are at this moment lying in Kiel Harbor seeing that the work of surrendering and rendering unfit for service of German men-of-war is proceeding in accordance with the terms of the armistice—a very evident proof of the victorious peace you hoped for on your Christmas card. . . No finer record exists in tho war than that of the New Zealand forcea, and we have all been deeply impressed with their splendid physique and bearing. It makes one very proud to belong to the same Empire as such men."

An interesting example of the incidence of influenza was given by Sir St. Clair Thomson, according to the London Daily News. In a sanatorium for sonsumptlves seven miles from the nearest town there was an outbreak of influenza. There were 100 consumptives and about 100 domestic staff. Among those of the consumptives who caught the disease none had any complications and none died; several of the cases among the staff proved fatal. Sir St. Clair Thomson said thjat. the consumptives probably escaped because their systems were already organised to fight disease, as they could be considered in the same position as vaccinated people. Late on Saturday afternoon (an exchange reports) Messrs Thomson Bros., of Kairanga, were out shooting on their property, when they discovered the body of a man hanging from the limb of a tree on the bank of the Oroua River. The police were informed, and, on searching the body, found a soldier's pay book containing the name Thomas Parker, together with a letter to a relative in Manaia. Medical papers found on the deceased showed that he had served for over four years in the Medical Corps, and was discharged on January 3, 1919, as no longer physically fit on account of wounds received. He was formerly a cabinetmaker by trade, and was 34' years of age. From its appearance, the body had been hanging about a week before it was discovered, and, so far, has not been identified by friends or relatives.

The ladies' committee in charge of the arrangements for the halls which take place in connection with the peace celebrations have decided to give prize? as follows: Adults (ladies) Ist and 2nd for best representation of Peace, Ist and 2nd for best Allied dress, Ist for most original, Ist for best national dress, ,Ist for best fancy dress, Ist for best poster; (men's) Ist for best comic, Ist for most original, and Ist for best fancy dress. Children (girls) 3 to 8 years, Ist and 2nd for best representation of Peace; 8 years to 14 years, Ist and 2nd for best representation of Peace, Ist and 2nd best national dress, Ist and 2nd best Allied dress, Ist for most original, Ist for best fancy dress, Ist for best poster. Ist for best'comic; (boys) Ist for best poster, Ist for best comic. In addition, several special prizes will be competed for. The children's practice held on Saturday last was a huge success, 488 children, or 244 couples, taking part in the grand march. It is really surprising to see how quickly the children arc picking up the fancy dances taught by Mr. J. Hoßkin.

The extraordinary demand for steerage passages to England which is reported from Melbourne is noticeable also in New Zealand, says a northern paper. All steerage accommodation in steamers leaving New Zealand for England between now and August has been fully taken' up, and that on vessels leaving later is rapidly filling. The situation is rendered worse by the fact that all the Shaw, Savill, and Albion steamers will have been dispatched from New Zealand by next month, and after that the company will not have a passenger steamer on the sailing berth in New Zealand before September. This leaves only the New Zealand Shipping Company's vessels available for travellers during that period. There are still vacancies for first and second-class passengers in both companies' steamers, and a number of travellers to England have paid the extra fare instead of waiting until steerage accommodation is available. Some indignation has been expressed at first and second-class fares being reduced, but not' the steerage. The explanation given is that in May, 1918, the British Government imposed a war tax on paseqgers travelling to England, of £4O on first and secondclass fares, and of £2O on steerage fares, When a readjustment of fares took place last month the tax on first and second-class passengers was reduced by £2O, while that on those travelling steerage was left as before. This means that all passenger rates from New Zealand to England are carrying a £2O war tax, irrespective of class.

The Commissioner of Taxes draws attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in to-day's issue that returns of income must be furnished not later than the 2nd June. Forms of return may be obtained at any postal moneyorder office; they will not be sent to •taxpayers from the office of the Commissioner of Taxes unless written application is mad» for theak

A Manawatu mptlico, who lias been spending n few days in Xew* Plymouth, called in at the Tourist League's office, and thanked the secretary for the faeili ties provided, which he praised, nnd left a cheque towards the league's lunds.

Mr. S. (i. Smith, M.P., lias received a letter from Sir W. Fruscr, Minister of Public Works, that it is proposed to refer the application of the Now Plymouth Borough Council re the one-man car system to the consideration of the stipendiary magistrate.

Mr. Edison, the American inventor, celebrated his 72nd birthday on Tuesday, and expressed the hope that hewould live to be a hundred, and f<> maintain the family average of the past three generations. His great-grandfath-er lived to be 104; his grandfather died at 102; his father lived to be 94. The oldest French poilu has been demobilised. He is an engineer named Surugue, formerly mayor of Auxerre, nged 80 years. He joined up in 1914 as a private, and rose step by step to lieutenant. He fought at Sailly-Saillisel as corporal, later got his officer's stripe, and retires with the Croix de Guerre and three bars. Hesidents of Paris from his district gave a reception in his honor, at which M. Pruneau, father of the youngest French general, presided.

A rich asbestos mine has been diKcovered at Lake Frontier, Montntagny County, in the province of Quebec. Asbestos recently reached record ' figures, both in value and tonnage, the average price per ton being no les9 than 52.4;> dollars, against 35.87d015. in the previous year. The total quantity of asbestosbearing rock mined and hoisted was 2,034,410 tons. The value of asbestos extracted from it, counting slocks on hand at the end of the year, was 8,120,409d015. This represents a value of 3.08 dols. of asbestos extracted from each ton of rock.

The discovery of a grave of considerable historic interest was made recently by Miss E. M. Statham, Inspector of Soldiers' and Historical Graves, in the course of a tour of inspection of cemeteries in the South Island. In the Invercargill cemetery she found the grave, dated 1863, "William Augustus Gordon, son of Lieutenant-General Gordon, R.A." That was the sole inscription. Upon making inquiry, Miss Statham was informed by the Mayor of Invercargill that it was the grave of a brother of General Gordon, of Khartoum. Arrangements for its renovation are now being made.

That psychology is one of the most important factors to be considered in connection with the repatriation of soldiers, is the opinion held by Major J. C. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, who, after three years on active service, was delegated by General Sir A. Russell to return to the Dominion in connection with the repatriation of soldiers. He arrived by the Remuera. The men had been out of touch with ordinary life for such a length of time, he eaid, and had been treated differently and had been brought into touch with such conditions as to completely alter their •perspective. Propaganda and education were going td be necessary, as also would be unlimited patience, but ultimately the soldier would be a better man than ever before.

The attitude of farmers to politic* was briefly discussed by the committee' of the Auckland branch of the Farmers' Union. A remit from the Taneatui, branch to the annual provincial confer- 1 enco which was received, favors the deleJ tion of the rule of the union debarring political action. Another from the Huntly West branch advocates that the farmers should form a political party to protect their interests. Major D. H. Lusk said the Farmers' Union should flake a great deal more interest in politics than it did at present. He hoped that at the next election every farmer would see that he supported men, independent of party, who would further the producers' interests and tho prosperity of the country. The committee decided to support both remits. The high prices being paid for tea in the Home markets are affecting the position locally, and, while a number of retailers have notified customers of a probable rise in prices, wholesale merchants say that, from the information they have, they can only regard the position generally as one of great uncertainty, remarks the Auckland Herald. Latest advices show that London is exporting tea to the Continent under restrictions, the prices being paid ranging from Is fid to 2s fld per pound. It is considered that if the whole embargo is lifted and Europe is supplied with her full requirements the market will harden considerably, Despite restrictions on shipping, a great deal of tea is held in England, but the finer and fresher tea" of the ligiv crops is needed for blending with this tea, and the crops of India, at least, will not be ready until this month. Russia is said to be operating to a small extent in tlio East, shipping through Yiladivostoak, *oniie eredft appjarently having been found. Should she come into the market to any extent her vast requirements would ensure a continuance of high prices. Local stocjks of finer quality Ceylon teas are low, owing to there having been no ships from Ceylon for the last six weeks, and shipments now on the water are anxiously awaited. An experience in the lives of Captain J. A. Wilson, comamnder of the transport Bhamo, which was berthed at Auckland on Friday, and of his brother (Lieutenant ,T. H. Wilson, M.C. and M.M.. with bar, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force) is probably as unusual as it is romantic. Born in Dum ediii, Captain Wilson joined the mercantile marine as a youth, and in 1899 ha left the Dominion before the mast. In the years that have elapsed since then lie gradually won promotion, until he obtained his master's certificate, and was given command of some of the large liners. During that time he did not visit the Dominion, neither did he see las brothers. Hi s younger brother (Lieutenant J. H. Wilsonjleft the DoInlnion with the sth Reinforcement as a private, and after service at Gallipoli mid m France, was nominated for a commission and withdrawn to Cambridge (England) for training. Knowing the name of the steamship company i>y which his brother was employed, he made inquiries as to the ship he was ••ommanding. Thus, after a lapse of 184 years, he met his brother. With the cessation of hostilities, the two brothers deeded to try to return to the Dominion together. Captain Wilson succeeded In obtaining £ transfer, to the Bhamo as commander, and the miliy„f U w°, ntieß *& eei t0 » Uow Lieutenant Wilson to travel by the same steamer.

An opportunity for any dairy farmer wl7? re ■?«» P*to*e feolgteins is afforded by Mr. Albert Carter, of Ngaere, who has for private sale two 2-year heifera m calf, and a twentymontha buU. S: a s. ped,g^caab - i »^-

At the Kawaroa Park picnic on Easter Monday last a special feature wis the fine dmplay of sweete, <m the lollie stall whiclrwere made by Mr. Sidgsdale, of the hn ms x Cssfeettonwy Qjmpu^