Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4031, 10 September 1915, Page 4

Local and General.

The Women’s Patriotic Committee will hold is weekly sewing meeting this afternoon.

“The amount of lying which goes on in this Court is shocking, simply shocking,” remarked Mr W. A. Barton, S.M.. while presiding over a civil case at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon.

The current programme at the Opera House will be finally screened this ©veiling. “Gussie’s Dav of Rest” is the chief attraction and is tho best two-reel Kevstone comedy to date.

“Our Troops in Egypt.” an inspiring subject showing the .New Zealanders and' Australians training under the shadow of tho Pyramids, will be introduced by Pa tho Pictures at His Majesty’s Theatre to-night. It is just as good as an actual visit to the camp, because hundreds of your friends are shown, cheerfully performing everything that falls to their daily lot.

A meeting will bo hold at Makaraka to-morrow night to arrange .for a big patriotic shoot during carnival week in aid of tho Wounded Soldiers’ Fund. Tho intention is to give a' substantial prize of about £3O and devote all the entrance and nomination foes to the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund. Tho Makaraka Grim Club will continue the competition for Mr S. Woottou’s modal to-morrow afternoon.

It would appear that an addit ion should he made to the recognised listof professions. A little lull put hi by a blacksmith at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday contained the entries: “To professional services rendered, 1 set of shoes, 65.” “Is blaeksmithing a profession?” smilingly asked Mr \V. A. Barton, S.M. “I'ho plaintiff apparently considers it is,” replied counsel.

Tho Women’s' branch of the National Reserve hope soon to commence fcjfc. John ambulance and sick nursing inspection classes. Dr. Reeve has kindly consented to arrange for these lectures. A number of people have already expressed their willingness to join the Reserves, and if others intending to do so will send a- postcard t-o tho acting-secretary'(Mrs J. 11. Kirk) before September lb a definite date can be announced for the firstmeeting. Members are at liberty to join either the active or the honorary branch, or both if they prefer it.

The result of a meeting of farmers held in Blenheim on Saturday was the appointment of an influential committee to consider the. question of establishing co-operative freezing works locally (says the Marlborough “Express”). - While tho committee was being nominated the suggestion was made than it should not include men engaged in commercial circles, Tmt should bo restricted to. sheepfarmors.' One man replied that he did.not sympathise with thin idea. Ho considered that the situation, involving, as it did, the'vital, interests oL one of tho staple industries on which the district ancl town depended for . their prosperity, -concerned all classes of the community. This view found general favor,'and a number of business, xqeil wove ackted to tho committee-.

* There wore five convictions in Masterton for drunkenness during August. The) price of bread in Ashburton has been reduced to 9d per 41b loaf.

It is reported that thefts of young trees planted on tho Marine parade at Napier liavo recently taken place.

Tho Hastings baker# claim that they have given the lead to the Dominion by reducing the price of bread to 4d per 21b. loaf.

B. Power, of Napier, arrived home on Monday night after motor cycling to Wellington and back in 23 hours 20 minutes, which lowers the previous record by 38 minutes.

It is now fairly certain (says tho correspondent of the Wanganui “Chronicle”) that tho Marton Carnival will produce over £IO,OOO.

•Mr John Hopkins, who originated the scheme of electing a carnival queen by popular vote, and first introduced tho idea at tho Napier Mardi Gras, has been engaged to organise an election for a queen of Allies’ Day, shortly to be held in Sydney.

An unusual accident occurred at Hataitai the other afternoon, when a woman, a visitor to Wellington from Hawera, was blown by the force of the wind against a tramcar. She was knocked down, and sustained severe injuries to iicr head and face. She was removed to the hospital (says the "‘Dominion”), and the report from that institution in the evening was that her injuries are not serious.

Substantial evidence of the prosperity of Ashburton is shown by a return prepared by the town clerk of the building operations in the borough during the period from August l, 1914, to August 31, 191 b. No less than 28 new residences, figure on the list, most of them of a' very substantial character, and new shops, offices, additions to residences’ and other buildings bring the total number ot works completed or in hand to 54. J be aggregate cost (says the “Guardian.' j is set down at £21,043.

A P.A. message from Auckland says the Industrial Association resolved today to inform the Hon. A. M. Myers that it lias noted with pleasure his action in regard to the manufacture of munitions and suggesting that a subsidy be offered for the establishment of the iron industry in the Dominion. Tho Industrial Association decided, alter lengthy discussion, to inform the Industrial Corporation that it viewed with alarm the move which had been made to reduce iiie number of apprentices in a.vards of the Arbitration Court. Jc was also decided to suggest to in ■> Corporation that a deputation wait upon the Government in connection with the matter.

■The reorganisation of a considerable numb', r of the Taranaki picture theatres is now taking place (says the Jlawera ■•Star''). A company, to lie known as the South Taranaki Amusement Company (Ltd.), is now in the ad van' ; d stages oi flotation. The object of the company is, among other details, to work Hawera, Paten, EJtkam, Kuponga, Opunake. and Manaw as civ complete picture circuit. Ihe freehold or the Hawera premise:-, known as the Theatre Royal, and also the Princess Theatre at Elthain. are to be secured, and the present- built.incs to be converted into the very latest picture palaces. _ The capital o ft-lie company will be in the vi'.mnv of £17,090. arid it is understood that a cousiderabe .number of shares have already been taken up.

Tn view of the fact that there is considerable anxiety amongst farmers as to whether there will be sufficient labor available to gather the next harvest (says the ••Farmers’ Union Advocate”), it may be worth wnile to consider a- proposal to commandeer the services of a considerable number or Germans who are “kicking their heels about” doing nothing in various camps in the Dominion, a burden to themselves and an expense to the country. Speaking at the j-ieicester Show, an June 1, the Duke of Rutland submitted a -suggestion which contains a hint also for our Dominion. He proposed, the use of interned Germans for harvest work. Ho said that- English piisoners were compelled, to work in__Germanv. and on bad food, so why snotnd not- Germans be required to do something for their living. So long as vigilant- supervision was exercised over tho movements of the men, the scheme might be recommended ror adoptior iri-this Dominion.

•V verv interesting experiment is being carried out at ' the' Christchurch Corporation’s ek'-ii rival showrooms (says tho “Sun"). Sixty hens' eggs are' beino- incubated by electricity. The beat is applied by a high-tension current, and the temperature is regulated by a thermostat, which cuts off the current immediately the temperature rises above t-lie proper degree', and switches it on again when the temperature of the eggs drops again to the required degree. The chickens are due to make tilieir bow to the expectant- officers of the department- on Mondav. If the experiment- is successful the chicks, it- is believed, . will be the first- incubated! by electricity in the dominion. They 'will be sold byauction at- the showrooms, and the proceeds will bo given to the Lady Liverpool Fund.

While giving judgment in ail assault ease" at Mangawe'ka, Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M., stated that complainant was responsible for the injuries he had received, as he was the aggressor. His Worship also stated""that- he made it a rule never t-o fine a person for retaliating if ho was first, struck. His Worship made some noteworthy remarks in giving judgment in a case in Which a mother applied for a maintenance order against her son. The evidence showed that- the applicant was entitled to the widows’ pension,hut- from a sense of pride, would not apply for it. His Worship considered it was no more discreditable for a person to take advantage of the pension than it was for a civil servant to contribute 10 per cent, of his income to enable him to get- superannuation allowance.