LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Two Wairarnpa young men who have been medically rejected for service abroad because (hey have "flat feet." declare that they will walk any man in the district, in camp or out of it, for a wager.

Already feed has started to come awav nicely on some of the farms in-'South Taranaki, As one farmer put it: "Yon can see the grass growing." But no doubt the continuous rainfall makes it soft, and "mushy."—Star. The exports from Taranaki ports during the quarter ended June 30 were as follow: New Plymouth £420,432, Waitara ,€133,200, Pa tea £350,602. In the corresponding period last year the figures were £2f10„450, £137,754, and £284,550 respectively. The record of two Australian brothers is unique. Mr. W. If. Morton is chief municipal engineer of Wellington, and his younger brother. Mr. H. E. Morton, is chief city engineer of Melbourne, getting £1250 per annum as a salary. Another brother is Dr. Reginald Morton, of St. Kilda, near Melbourne.

Yesterday Sub-Tnsncctnr McTlvenev received information from Constable La Pouple, of Waitara, that it was reported a Maori had been shot at Pukoarnhe, and he was proceeding at once to the district named. At the time of going to press no further particulars had been received.

At the Magistrate's Court, before Mr A. Crooke, S.M.. the following Senior Cadets were fined 5s ench for having failed to attend parade. Sergeant-Major Williamson representing the Defence Department:—P. Drinkwafer. J. P. Wiley. 11. E. Bullol. Arthur Williams. Percy Trueman, N. Y. Lobb, V. Pepperell and D. Lobb.

It is understood that Sir .Limes Allen, Minister of Defence, will visit Xew Plymouth at as early a date as possible to present ihe Xew Plymouth High School boys with the replicas of the challenge shekls and the medals won by them in the Schools of the Empire shooting competition.

A youth named Richard Beltis was charged before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M.. at: the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court, with having, at Waitara, on July 10, forged and uttered a cheque for £2, purporting to be signed by G. V. Tate. SubInspector Mellveney said the lad had been in the employment of Mr. Tate, at Waitara West, between four and five months. Mr. Tate had left his cheque hook in the kitchen, to which accused had access. A cheque had been taken out of the hook, filled up for £2, and cashed at a shop in Waitara, where accused made a smal' purchase. After the ease for the prosecution had been partly heard it was adjourned on the application of the police, till Thursday next.

The meat and produce which the bovs of the High School have collected will be disposed of on Saturday. The housewife is reminded that the meat is of the best quality, most, of it having been specially selected. It has been killed and dressed under Government inspection.

Thev wear out slowlv—The North British Hot Water Uotties. with the patent "Unique" Stopper— the sign of satisfaction. Their merit gives pleasure tu hotl: dealer and buv<w-

Another up-to-date building wili be erected in Patea shortly in the shape of new premise/, for the Bank of Australasia. These are to be rebuilt (says the Patea Press) in I'erro concrete.

It is stated in Wellington shipping circles that a steamship company is instituting proceedings in the Admiralty Court to recover iS.OOO for salving a vessel that recently rati ashore on the New Zealand coast. The Ford Company, in its last financial year, produced 533,920 ears, which means a car for every minute, or rather less than u minute. The profit on each car was over £22, net profit of the year's operations being slightly under twelve millions sterling.

''Host extraordinary," said Mr D. G. A. Cooper, at the Palmerston Appeal Court, during the hearing of a creamery managers appeal, 'That new dairy factories are being built, while employees from the old ones continue io appeal." Mr. Perry: "It's, the high prices." Many naturalised Americans of German birth are affected by a recent decision of the French courts which turn the famous Delbruck law directly against the Fatherland by repeating that' Germany never permits any person born in that country-to renounce his citizenship entirely.

At the sitting of No. 11 Medical Board in Hawera last week 142 balloted men were examined. Of these 50 were classified as fit for active service, 80 for home service, and six: unfit for any military service. Ten volunteers were also examined, eight of whom were passed for sen ice abroad and two for home duties.

A large body of reinforcements, were in Palmerston on Monday, the men being on their way back to camp from final leave. The police, at the request of the military authorities, ordered the local hotels to be closed from noon to 2 o'clock, the period of the men's stay in town. The action thus taken by the military authorities caused considerable indignation in Palmerston (says the Standard) the opinion being expressed in many quarters that it was pushing the regulations to an unnecessary extreme.

"Fabrieius," a writer in the Fortnightly Review, says it is estimated that the wealth of the United States is approximately 50 per cent larger than that of the whole British Empire, and the latent resources and the industrial strength of America are boundless. It is probably no exaggeration to say that by the accession of the United States the financial and industrial power of the Entente has at least been doubled.

A special strong matinee programme has been arranged for the children at the Empire to-morrow afternoon. The first attraction is a splendidly colored picture, entitled, "A Trip to the Pole," a remarkable trick picture in .which the

audience is taken for a remarkable and humorous journey. The 'comedy element is very strong, with two pictures each of over two thousand feet, one by the Fox Films, entitled "Her Father's Station." and another by 'Keystone, "Black Eyes and Blue." Other pictures include "Winter Sports in Europe" and the "Gaumont Graphic."

An unfortunate accident occurred in Bridge street, Eltham, on Wednesday evening. A motorist was vainly endeavoring to erank a car, and Master Epsin, a son of Mr. J. Epsin, of MangamingL observing the man's futile efforts, offered to assist him. Having adjusted the mechanism, the lad went to the front of the car, and commenced to crank it up. This he succeeded in doing, but as the motor started it backfired and the handle hitting the lad's wrist broke it. The boy gave no sign of the injurv, and the motorist drove away unaware of the accident. Master Espiu, realising that his arm was severely injured, walked to the nursing home, where 1> Cooper was immediately summoned and attended to the injury. The boy displayed remarkable fortitude for the accident must have been a painful one.—Argus. Much interest is being aroused by the. announcement that Kinemacolor is again visiting this town, and will appear next Tuesday and Wednesday at Everybody's Theatre. The subject' this time is "John Bull's Empire," and introduces some wonderful scenes and places. Some particularly beautiful views are shown _of Canada, the "Lady of the Snows," all in nature's beautiful picturesque colors. Another exquisite picture is that of Niagara Falls, with all nature's tints and rainbow effects as the pun strikes the spray. Then there are Mm Xew Zealand Government pictures. "New Zealand's 'Wonderland," some beautiful views (all in natural colors) of the North and South Island beauty spots.

A trip to Awakino in the summer time, when the mail is taken through by motor car from Waitara, always proves a. pleasant journey for the traveller, with its interesting and varying scenery, comfortable cars and courteous drivers, but to thoroughly appreciate the disabilities that settlers in the baekbloeks suffer, and [he urgent need for road improvements, a trip should be taken in the winter. This is not a side track to two or three isolated settlers, but is the main thoroughfare between Taranaki and Auckland, yet owing to the c.onl inuous wet weather evperienced during the past few weeks, the road is in such a terrible state that it takes the mail coach about S hours to make the trip from the l end of the metal beyond Uruti (to which point the cars still run) to Awakino. a distance of about 27 miles. Mr. O. IT. Johnston, fhe mail coach proprietor, who has had a very strenuous time in keeping open the daily mail service during the last few weeks, has now been notified by the postal authorities that he may run the mail tri-wecklv between Uruti and Awakino during the next couple of months. Mr. Johnston, however, intends to endeavor to run a daily service as far as Tongaporutu, as long as the state of the roads will permit, and a tri-weekly service from Tongaporutu to Awakino. To-day's paper contains good news. Mercy's pleasant little windfall sale begins this morning. Elsewhere is published a list of sale bargains. Turn to Morey and Son's advertisement.

Don't forget to purchase your prime lamb, mutton, pork, sucking pig, turkevs, a-ecse, fowls, ducks and hares for Sunday's dinner at the Bovs' nisrli School meat mart. Prices are reasonable, and modern meat mart ip in the charge of skilled butchers.

Further consignments of men's knitted socks have been received at tlio Melbourne, T.ttl. The most popular of these tire fho black, prey and heather Mosgiel fine all-wool floods retailing at Is Od per pair for prey and heather, and Is !td per pair for black. These socks are in great demand for soldiers' use, as they are warm and good wearing, without being too heavy or bulky. Six o'clock dosing will not affect (he diseriminatinfr people whoso favorite beverage is Desert ft old Tea—The Cup that Cheers. Unequalled for qualitv, '••*W *'' i waaoiuy. Order the 2s grade.