LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Federal Government has invited General Birdwood to visit Australia. The directors of the 9pk of Australasia have decided* to increase the bonus on the salaries of its staff from 10 to 25 per cent. The use of H. M. S. Philomel, as she lies partly dismantled at the Clyde Quay Wharf, Wellington, has been granted to Captain Cliudley, R.N.R., for the training of his Sea Scouts. "1 feel confident that if the people of New Zealand knew that they authorised the expenditure of £BO,OOO on a State Fire lusurance Office, and begrudged the necessary buildings to safeguard the Siealth and education of our children, tliey would soon receive an ultimatum that tyould put a Stop to that sort of thing."—Mr. F. Pirani, chairman of the Wanganui Education Board. The euchre party held at the Kawaroa Park pavilion on Tuesday evening was very largely attended, 29 tables being engaged in play. Mrs. Wood secured first prize for the ladies with 15J games, winning a 51b box of tea. Mesdames Warren, 8. Stewart, Lendrum, and Miss Wells tied for second prize (a 251b bag of flour), Mrs. Warren winning the playoff, For the men's first prize (51b box of tea), Mr. Crocker proved the winner with 14 gameß, Mr. C. Hampton being second With 13J games, taking a 251b bag of flour- After the cards supper was served by the ladies' committee. A twelve and a-half-year-old boy, with the love for adventure, entered the Kaupokonui store last week, and got away with a view to seeing if. it is possible to He later came into Hawera, and forged a note on a local mercer, where he obtained goods to the value of £3 6s. The boy subsequently forged another note for a night's lodging at one of the hotels. He was about, to leave for the south by the Wanganui train on Saturday, when he was arrested by Constable Willets- He was taken to Manaia, where he will be dealt with for the Kaupokonui affair.—Star. Returned soldiers ate anxiously awaltj ing the announcement of the Defence Minister and the Government as to the gratuities to be paid in respect of service in the war. It was expected that the scheme would be complete long before this, but it has been held up from time to time by delays in the obtaining of information from other parts of the Empire. Now that it has been delayed so long, it is probable that it will bo held over until the political leaders arrive. This gratuity is generally regarded by the soldiers as "blood money" and they are strongly of opinion that all ranks should the same amount, as it was the m%n who did the work and the officers who got the pay. Nothing less than a shilling for each day's service will satisfy tho returned men. Some of the back-block settlers have been hard hit by the restricted train services. Mr W. T. Jennings, M.P., recently submitted some of the oases to the Minister for Kail ways, and, in reply, the Hon. W. H.Herries says he is consulting the General Manager of Railways B'ith a view to seeing if it is possible to enlarge the scope of the regulations to enable building material to be conveyed on the railways. The Minister adds: "The coal position is still acute, but should the stocks in sight for early delivery materialise it is hoped to bo able to undertake the railing of a number of classes of goods which it has been found impossible to handle under present conditions. The trains that are now being run are primarily for the carrying ot foodßtuffs and' perishable goods." In connection with the ereotion of the fifteen workers' dwellings which have been allotted to New Plymouth out of the 200 that the Government has decided to erect throughout the' Dominion, Mr. J. C. Yorke, official in charge of the New Plymouth office of the Labor Department, is busy this week inspecting the sites that have been offered, and'it f s expected that officials will be up from Wellington shortly to make the final selection. As far as possible, the dwellings will be erected at Fitzroy and the southern and western suburbs. In calling for applications for sections, which closed last week, i{ was understood that preference would be given to those so situated that gas or electric light, drainage, and water would be available, and that the sections should be ready for building on at once. This will slightly rolieve the acute position of the shortage of houses, but a considerably larger number would be required to enable each applicant to obtain a house. The allocation was made by the Government on the basis of the number of applications from each place, and it is understood that the applications from New Plymouth were greater, in proportion to population, the..-, from any other centre. Soldiers who returned by the Kuapehu are loud in their praise of the hospitality bestowed on'them during 4he four days' stay of the Ruapehu at Newport News, and particularly on the bounty they experienced at Richmond,. the capital of the old Dominion of Virginia. Most of them had heard Or read of the Hospitality of the South (as known to northerners), but they hardly expected that it had endured the changeful years. The American Red Cross branch at Richjnond entertained them lavishly at the Army and Navy Club, and they were even abie to sleep there gratis. There were dozens of motor cars placed at their disposal, and hundreds of gallons of petrol must have been consumed in whisking them round the beautiful country, so rich in. memories of two wars. Some of the men simply lived in motor cars, and bring back something that will make Virginia n great deal.more than a mere name to them for the rest of their lives. They drove through miles of tobacco plantations, whore the "beat Virginia" scents the air, and many of them were privileged to inspect some of the big tobacco factories, the names of which figure in most of tho tobacconists', throughout the world. A reminder is gfv.un of the social and dance which is to belickl in the Rolland Hall this evening, has been the case with previous functions of this kind, the social promises to be a great (success. A committee, on behalf of the citizens of Hawera, has purchased the property in Manse Street known as NurßC Keith's private hospital, for the purposes of a women's,hostel. The institution will be conducted by a ladies' committee to be appointed. The secretary of the N.P.H.S.O.G.A. wishes to acknowledge the following subscriptions towards the Nuraes* Memorial Hall:—Tataraimaka, £1 7s M; Oakura, Us, Waihi. £8 8s fid: Waitui, £8 2s Bd. Owners of properties who wish to make an exchange should read W. Hand A. McGarry's advertisement oik page •M. ~ .. . ■