LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

T!ie height of the Prince of Wales ]ms been much discussed, and he is believed by many to be inclined to shortness. As a matter of fact he is about sft. B}in. in height. The Tutanaekai lef.t Wellington at 4 p.m. yesterday for Picton with Government officials concerned in the Prince's touv. The Renown will leave at daybreak to-day-—Press Association. As instancing the great shortage of labor the chairman of the Eltlmm County Council mentioned at Saturday's meeting that four, tenders had been called for work in connection with the county work, but not a single tender had been received. A Masterton resident suffered a heavy loss in Wellington one day last week. He left his room in a hotel to go for his morning's bath. On his return a few minutes later he discovered that his room had been entered and a gold presentation watch, guard, and medal had been removed.

A Wanganui business man who was in Botorua during the railway strike said the cessation of the train services wis a windfall to taxi-car proprietors. £ls was demanded to motor one passenger to Auckland, and £45 was asked to convey four passengers from Botorua to Napier. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Harbor Board a profit of £21),C00 on the year's workings was disclosed. New 'works of considerable magnitude are to be undertaken during the next year. A protest was. entered by one member against heavy writing down for depreciation, nearly half a million having been so treated since 1884.

Responding to a welcome from the Did Boys' Association, Mr. J P.-Firth, iiiadmaster of Wellington College, explained the ' reason for his impending retirement ' It was not, H« said, that he was borne down "by a burden of responsibility; but it was the way of nature in dealing; with individuals to use one, and then drop it. "I have always made tip my mind that I would not linger superfluous on the stage; I would not be a cumberer of the ground. I would not stay.until a time should come when people would say 'poor old tfirth. K is »• P'ty about llim - but he should be o.it of flint.' Tearing out fonts that have grown deep in the ground U not a pleasant thing; but it has to be done, if not now, then at some future time, when it might be less pleasant. It is well to recollect a stern, fact in life, that you get rid of one factor in work and you find a better one."

Describing the old-time ceremonial in connection with the Prince visit to Botorua. the Auckland Star's special correspondent stated:—Sir James Carroll, in kiwF mat, face daubed with black in true Maori fashion, and brandishing a valuable tewbatiwha, was fugleman or master of ceremonies. As the Prince reached the steps, Timi Kara gave a warning shout, "Ka rrfate, Ka mate." In a second the rousing old song was in a thousand throats, and the ground trembled as though a mild earthquake wns happening. Somewhat bewildering to the young Prince—it made his eyes sparkle'and a flush came to his face. Just at this exciting juncture there was a great crash across in the Maori camp; the roof of one of the temporary sheds findin" the load of people who had climbed up to get a better'view too much for its rapidly-built back, incontinently collapsed, hurling humans in all directions. Luckily they hadn't, far to fall.

Members of the Kquitable Building Society of Now Plymouth (Second Group) are notified that subscriptions due and payable to-day (Monday, M.iy 10 th), at the Secretary's oflice, Currie Street, ! from 3 a.m. .to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.—Advt Messrs. Fairbrother and Pickering advertise a fresh list of properties in this issue. There are five farms which arc within reasonable distance of New Plymouth, a good grazing farm, and a dairy and sheep farm combined. Land seekers should call on this firm.

Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, lor Coughs and Colds, never fails, 1/9, 2/9,

''Paints to-day are short-lived in usefulness ami inadequate in regard to protection," Mr. 1. V. Symes said in a leelure on fats to the Canterbury Philosophical Institute, ''and we may see a development from plastic materials that will be pleasing to the eye, be more useful, and give delinitcly more protection than the paints we are now using. —Lyttelton Times.

"We must get back to the lost art of nursing, or in a few generations the race will be extinct," said Dr J. S. Reekie at tlu- Leys Institute in the course of a lecture on food values. The point cropped up at question time (says the Auckland Star), when someone wanted to know whether milk and butter were necessary in what is generally called a vegetarian diet. He said that for the young 01 each animal the mother's milk was the food which could give the best results. If the prevalent system of artificial feeding was persisted in, there would be no need for wars or pestilences to eradicate the human race. When the question of alcohol was broached the lecturer said that the daughters of drunkards were very rarely capable of lactation, and in one or two generations a drunkard's progeny would die out.

A party of three-well-known sports will not forget the opening of the 1920 duek shooting season (says the Clutha. Leaden. With wonderful patience they waited for May 1, and had everything well in trim for a splendid day's shooting. The guns were well oiled and all equipment was in fine condition. An early visit was made to Finegand and a quiet nook selected, where ducks were 'bound to be seen. Two boats were commandeered and were well laden. The men were evidently (better sportsmen than boatmen, for the frail crafts hnd not gone far when the boats began to till and then sink, leaving the occupants in about Sft of cold water. They were weighted with gum boots and other gear, and had to struggle to regain the shore. They lost about ISO carcI'idges, but after much dragging and fishing the guns ivterc recovered, but some of the accessories were beyond recovery. Thev secured no ducks.

The following clause appears ii\ the annual report of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, which was adopted by /the Dominion executive on Thursday: "On' March 31 all patients in hospital were demobilised, consequently their military pay stopped, and they received a pension in lieu. By tins an injustice was done, as totally incapacitated patients received £2 instead of £3 3s per week. The following resolution was sent to the Prime Minister, the chairman of the Repatriation Board, and the Commissioner of Pensions: 'That the executive sub-committee is of the opinion that the War Pensions Department should grant a full pension and a supplementary pension to all ex-soldier outpatients, except those for whom the Repatriation Department is prepared to accept responsibility.' As the result of the above all totally incapacitated men will receive tlieiv pension, plus the supplementary pension, and their case will be examined quarterly." Says the Auckland Star:—Food is a subject winch has a morbid.fascination for the unfortunate city dweller, who, owing to modern conditions, is robbed of the privilege of earning his daily bread by the sweat of his 'brow, as his forbears did when they lived nearer Mother Earth. The man. who use<= his body as nature intended can generally eat anything and does not suffer from those qualms which beset the mortals doomed In paved streets and sedentary toil. At the close of his lecture at the Levs Institute Dr. ,1. S. Reekie had to answer a pretty stiff examination paper at the hands of the audience. On the question of salt, which has as many ndherants and opponents as free-trade, the doctor pointed to the craving of certain animals and savage races for it, and gave it as his opinion that it was an essential to human diet under the present day conditions. The essential hydrochloric acid in the gastric juices was derived from common salt. '-No, 1 don't think a diet of entirely raw food would make the race stronger than it is," was his answer in regard to another fad. He explained that some foods could he ndvantageov.sly caten in the raw state, 'but man as at present, constituted required the use of fire in preparing the meals. The doctor mentioned that he had seen photographs of some children in Mesopotamia driven to the diet of Nebuchadnezzar owing to the privations of wartime, and they "had actually exploded. Their stomachs extended to-bursting point. Before man could live entirely on raw food lie would have to bo provided with a new interior.

Tlie Rev, C. F. Askew, the honorary organising secretary of the fund for the erection of a military memorial chapel as an annexe to the Memorial Cathedral in Wellington, lias written to the London Times stating that the appeal to the British public for the ,-21500 which the chapel will cost, issued over the name of Lord Islington, the late Lord Plunket, Bishop Wallis, Sir lan Hamilton and Sir Alexander Godley, has only brought in a small proportion of the sum asked for. The Times, in a leading «rtiole, appeals to its readers to subscribe to the fund. The-plethora of subscription lists for British war memorials is admitted, but the New Zealand memorial is a very special case- "The debt which we owe to our New Zealand fellow-subjects is so far greater than anything we can do to discharge it that we cannot shut our ears to the appeal. The chape! m to be a standing memorial, not only of the 17,000 New Zealanders who gave their lives in the Great War, but of the. way in which the inhabitants of the islands stood by us in Hie South African and Maori campaigns." The Times adds that the chapel will be a museum of flags and trophies, that Marshal Foeh has given for the rhapel the standard that was his in the last year of the war, and that FieldMarshal Haig, General Pershing and other leaders of note have shown by gifta their appreciation of the splendid part that the men of New Zealand played from beginning to end of the war.

,A house in New Plymouth is wanted in exchange for a Hawera property. See GJriint- and Campbell's advertisement in this issue. A dairy farm is also offered for lease.

In eonneetion with the borough loan polls on Wednesday next those entitled to vote are properly owners and ratepayers and their wives. Tf the wife is the owner or ratepayer then the same rule applies and the husband as well as the wife is entitled to vote. The right to vote, of course, is subject to each voter's name beine; upon the ratepayers' roll. THE TYRE THAT CARRIES TONS. Clincher Solid Band Tyres are British made- They mean more certain service from commercial motors. The heaviest lorries will rim better and longer on Clincher Solid Band Tyres, and save .your tyre bills. 48

According to Dr. Birks, medical• superintendent of the Broken Hill Hospital, Ave years' continuous work in the mines would weaken the strongest constitution. Dr. Stevens examined a large number of miners and found that 80 per cent of tlie men examined were suffering from one or the other occupational diseases traceable to the lead mines of Broken Hill.

A bachelor of 72 years and a spinster of BO years were married at Young, New South Wales, a few days ago. The bridegroom contentedly declared that this was the culminating bliss, of f>o years of friendship and courting Both parties were required to make solemn declarations that they were above the age of 21 years, and'that parental eonRent to the marriage was not necessary, With a lusty peal of laughter the bridegroom concluded ' the- declaration: "I am above the age of 21, though I may not look it,"

The housing shortage in the' Mother Country was emphasised at the hearing of a possession claim in the Clerkenwell County ' Court a few weeks ago. A sub-tenant whom it was desired to get rid of told the Court that he had tried in vain to secure rooms. At last he wrote to the King on the subject- He received from his Majesty a courteous reply, referring him to the Ministry of Health. The Ministry, in turn, forwarded a courteous reply, but as the man did not tell the Court it 3 nature the Judge said:—"l suppose the Ministry referred you- to the County Court •Judge." The difficulty in the case was overcome by the plaintiff agreeing to allow the defendant the use of one room over a shop.

That modern man is no more intelligent than the primitive being of 40,000 years ago is the contention of Professor Osborne, who addressed a large audience at the Socialists' Hall, Melbourne, last week, on Landmarks in Modern Evolution (says the Melbourne Age). He said that though man made wonderful progress in various branches of science, it was doubtful if we could show any improvement in intelligence. We must also that every advance in man's evolution has been dearly bought. Although one of the greatest changes effected wa> the assuming of the upright position, it was quite evident that the organs of our own bodies were built for action of the quadruped. The main reason fat this stage of evolution was to put the hands of human beings at the exclusive use of the brain, without the interference which would be necessary had we not advanced from the state of using the hands as a means of locomotion. The only great hopes for future evolution in man, if we. desired to assist humanity, was the combating of four great enemies of mankind —war. superstition, narcotism (which included alcoholism), which could all be suppressed by man; and disease, which could, with the aid of modem hygienic methods be kept in check for the benefit of humanity.