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Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 14, 16 January 1918, Page 2

Shortly before 9 o'clock last evening there was an earthquake shopkV 'It appears to have been felt more-in the suburbs than in the city. ■ ■ ■

• Travellers upon the West-end Railway during the week-end, on the way-front .Western Australia to Melbourne, had apparently grounds for envying their brethren who prefer, the sea breezes of the Bight and the slower progress of the steamer (says the Melbourne* Age of 28th December). Passengers who left the Western State on. Friday last were compelled to face the trials of a journey in blazing tropical heat, reminiscent of the Sahara Desert, while confined within the narrow- limits of the railway train, and the experience, to judge from reports, was not pleasant. Among other things, it is stated that the extreme heat in the kitchen seriously affected the catering arrangements, causing some amount of inconvenience,: When;, questioned with regard to the .matter,,. Mr. Bell, Commonwealth Commissioner . of Railways, stated that he had received unofficial reports regarding the discomforts created by the extreme heat on the journey, and he had called for a full* report on the matter from tho officials. He had heard that members of the train crew of the kitchen quarters had suffered especially, but he added tlia.t * this was the only specially hot trip that had been reported so far. Mr. (Bell is having thermometers installed "in kitchen ;quarters of the train for future record. ■ - The report thatGpl. A. J. Shoebridge' has been released as a prisoner of war and has, left Constantinople en route for England will "be received with pleasure by a number of his • friends in this district (says the . ManavVatu Standard). Cpl. Shpebridge is a native of Tunbridge Wells, England, 'and 'emigrated to New Zealand several years ago. When war broke out he was working in" the Feilding district, but enlisted at once with the Main Body, and sailed for Egypt. Subsequently in the operations on Gallipoli he was reported' wounded and missing, but later was advised by tho Turks at Constantinople as a prisoner of war. Hiß wound resulted in the loss of an arm. Cpl. Shoebridge has been for two years and a-half in the hands of the) Turks. ,'.,.-. The highest price obtained for merino wool, this season by , a Nelson sheep farmerwas 21d per lb. The grower was Mr. H. G. Berrymari, of Stanley Downs, Kohatu. ' The highest price which he got last season for his fine half bred and merino wool was 18£ d and 17d per lb respectively.