LOCAL AND GENERAL

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4550, 27 March 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

THE NEW THEATRE. Mr Tom Coll.ns made a start with his staff this morning upon the work of completing the new theatre just off Manchester Square. PRIDE AND POVERTY. Apart from music, Italy lived for its art. “A man said to me.” remarked Mr John Prouse, who has just returned to Wellington, “ ‘You know, we Italians are very, very poor. Everything lias been so bad in Italy since the war.’ I suggested that if they sold half their art treasures they would be one of the richest nations in the world. ‘Oil,’ lie solemly replied, with his peculiar Italian gesticulation, ‘we would never sell our art.’ That is the spirit of the whole people. To the Italian his art is the most sacred of all things.” , HARVEST FESTIVAL. Amongst the gifts at the harvest festival celebrated in St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church yesterday were two sacks of coal. Much produce was sent by farmers and other gifts came from townsfolk. It all goes to Die Presbyterian Orphanage at Wellington, which now lias 106 inmates. The preachers yesterday were Iho Rev. Mr Stockwell in tlie morning and the Rev. T. Miller in the evening. The choir rendered enjoyable assistance, with Mrs James at the organ. THEIR VERY OWN STAR. An extraordinary spectacle was witnessed at To Puke the other evening (says the Auckland Herald). To Puke is the home town of the big Maori who acted a prominent part in tlie filming of “My Lady of the Cave,” and fully an hour before tlie advertised time of screening the film, hundreds of Maoris unable to gain admission, thronged the vestibule and vicinity of Hie theatre, demanding another screening the following evening. Despite clear explanations that the film was promised elsewhere, the Maoris loudly proclaimed their “rights.” and were not appeased until a second screening was arranged for on the same evening, with the result that the operator was kept at his work until long after midnight. Spectators describe the excitement of t'lie Maoris as very amusing, for many of them look upon t'lieir “Ran” not as a screen character, but as a hero in very real life. REVALUATION OF LAND. “That n, substantial reduction be made in (lie valuation of all agricultural and pastoral land in New Zealand, or that a reduction of the war tax be made.” —This remit from the Marlborough Provincial Executive came before the Dominion Executive of the Farmers’ Union on Thursday. The members had nothing to sav about it. Nobody moved it. and after a very brief pause the executive passed on to other business. FELON FRENZY.

The man who lays lustily about him with abuse of his nation, and lias no regard for tlie feelings and rights of others, is no hotter than a felon. He elects to be an outlaw ; and outlaws, by the way, are a little out of date (says “Malanga” in the Auckland Herald). This disloyalist forgets the first duty of citizenship --fait hITil and hearty service in all that affects the public good. He owes to his fellowcitizens the service of obedience to law. He owes them his best endeavours to preserve peace. He owes, of course, the exercise of criticism upon the general conduct of the commonwealth by those appointed lo care for it; hut he is under obligation to criticise in the most rational and considerate way possible. The greater loyalty he lias, tlie deeper he will feel his country’s errors and the more tenderly he will seek to reveal and right them.

CORONEL AND FALKLANDS. The common assumption that Lord Fisher lured von Spec to the Folklands to destroy him in revenge for the Coronel has been challenged by eVice-Admiral Robert 11. A nstruther, who was in command of the British naval forces at Hongkong. He says the preesnee of the British battlecruisers was undoubtedly a complete surprise for von Spec, he lie is convinced that the German was there with deliberate intentions and Lord Fisher knew perfectly well what was at stake. “Of course, no one can say definitely what von. Spec had in his mind, but I am of opinion that the Fnlklands was von Spec’s original objective after lie had disposed of Craddock. Ue wanted lo capture tlie Falklands and cut off our nitrate supplies from Chili. I say that we at Hongkong stopped von Spec’s suplilies, and thus caused delay and prevented him achieving tho object he had in view. All his supplies were at .Manila, which was then a neutral port. Wo sent ships down to prevent the 19 steamers there getting out. AYe showed the Hag outside that port and they never did get out.”

The Methodist Centenary Fund now stands at £36,050. A pear weighing a pound and a quarter has been grown at Levin this season. The Manawatu Egg Circle is receiving 2s 8d per dozen for eggs sold in Wellington. John Henry Excell, farmer of Aorangi, was adjudicated bankrupt on Saturday last.—M.D. Times. The ballot amongst tlie Post and Telegraph officers on the question of affiliation with the Alliance of Labour, is now being taken. The poll is expected to be a heavy one. The result will not he known for some lime. A deputation of Kairanga settlers, consisting of Messrs P. J. Smith, D. Collis, B. Thompson, L. Wall, and A. Matheson waited upon the ActingMinister of Internal Affairs at Wellington on Friday, and objected to their properties being included in the Manawutu-Oroun river district. The Minister promised to send an officer of his department to the district to report. Quite a number of farms in the Wairarapa have recently been taken over by the mortgagees, who were the original owners (says an exchange). In some cases the properties have gone hack so much during the last year or two that it will take more than the amount received on account of the purchase to restore them to order. “As an illustration of the hurry in which tlie will was made, neither I nor the typiste who took it down took any record of it,” said a solicitor when giving evidence in a case at the Christchurch Supreme Court. “There is no record of it in our office.” Did you charge for it?” asked Mr Justice Sim. “No, sir,” was the reply. “Indeed, a very serious omission,” commented his Honour. A party of motorists who left Thames for Auckland early in the week experienced a rather trying time owing to the state of the roads (says tho Auckland Herald). At one place they were delayed, and are stated to lmv’c spent the night in the car. The party included a woman and child. Communication between Thames and otlier outlying parts is said to he suspended, as the loads are impassable. Two cars which were to have left Thames on Tucsdav for Auckland had to abandon the trip Tho Mayor of Graafl'-Reiiiet, Cape Province, South Africa, has received a letter from New Zealand written by a man who served in the Boer War. He states that on Sunday, August 18tli, 1901, lie-took a Bible Horn tho house of a Mr W. J. Loots, of Blonwater. Having now come to the conclusion that the hook should he returned to its rightful owner, lie lias forwarded it to the Mayor of GraaffReinet with tho request to hand the hook over to Mr Loots. Blonwater is in the Graaff-Rcinet. In SH Alt LA NIPS FLUID MAGNESIA you always get the highest strength, purest quality and best value. Year after year brings increasing proof of the 'superiority of SHARLAND’S Baking Powder. Costs less than others—Wfii'tji morjH