LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 11 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

The championship tournament £1 the. Dominion of New Zealand Bowling -Association opened at Christchurch yesterday in fine weather. The rinks competition was started, ana three rounds were played. Seventy rinks are engaged, Taranaki being represented by one rink from Stratford.

A start has been made in connection with the building of a new railway station at Ashburton. It is over thirty years since plans were prepared and approved for a new station at Ashburton, but, of course, the present proposals are nob to be carried out on those antique plans.

Gisborne is suffering from a dearth of hotel porters. It is another effect of the war on local industry, for, according to an hotel proprietor, porters cannot be kept. They all want to enlist, and are encouraged in this. No fewer than three hotels advertised on one morning for suitable men.

A practice of the Glee Choir in connection with the; forthcoming Serbian Relief Concert will be held at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday next at Mr J. Higham's iroisic rooms, Union street.

Horses seem to be going a-begging in Clutha nowadays (says the Leader). At a recent horse sale there appeared to be more sellers than buyers 3 and most of the animals offered were "passed in." One seller, who did not get a bid for his hack, told a small boy he could have the horse for nothing if he took it away. The boy had no hesitation about accepting the gift.

The promoters of the carnival proposed to be held at New Plymouth in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund intend to place proposals before a meeting of the Taranaki War Relief executive at Stratford on Friday with the, object of obtaining the support of all Patriotic Committees in Taranaki % and thus . making the scheme a provincial effort.

It is the aim of the-Salvation Army in-New Zealand (says the. New Zealand Times) to gather in during tho coming year 1000 new "soldiers" and recruits, 250 new local officers, 100 new bandsmen, 200 new corps cadets, 200 young people's "locals"; also to open four, additional children's homes, four new rescue homes for classification purposes,, and one prison gate industrial home in Wellington.

Seated in a corner of the railway carriage there '.was a small boy of about twelve,years of age, who was knitting" for all he was worth., Opposite to him lounged a long, lazy gawk of a youth, who stared at the knitting boy. Finally he spokei: "Sonny," he said, "you oughter been born a girl." Like a flash came the reply from the small boy^ "Daddy Longleigs." said he, "you oughter been born a man, and then you would have been away at Gallipoli fighting with our boys."

Recently complaints were made that New Zealanders in Egyptian hospitals were poorly provided with New Zealand newspapers. The Minister for Defence cabled last week for information, and has been advised that supplies of newspapers are ample. After each mail arrives they are delivered as soon as possible to each hospital in proportion to the number of New Zealand patients therein. —Press Association.

The spectacle of a man hacking at a live electric wire with an axe and jumping back to avoid electrocution as the severed wire writhed in a short circuit lent an additional thrill at a fire in Gisborne the other day. Considerable risk was run by the firemen and other workers on account of the jnaay live:-electric wires among which "had to push their way; but it was $ ilo-ng time before it occurred to th© *«jsbsritie©. to switch off the current in the area/ affected. -

A pepnfgtF -y#fl&§ actress, on returning to Lpnd©» from a< tour of the provinces, told ,a good story about her efforts at recruiting in- some of the towns Ihe visited. Her eloquence always proved so irresistible that almost Wore the last words of a speech had left ier lip§" ?t least-. Wo would-be recruits invariably rushed vfo_rw« : r<i. with dramatic effect. True, they were only the baggage man of her company and his assistant, both medically unfit, but as their example was often followed by several eligibles, the fair"'" conspirator insisted that the ruse was more than justified.

On his return from the East, Mr T. C. Daw-son; who came back to New Zealand on December 27, called at Port Darwin, and there saw Dr. Gilruth, now Administrator af the Northern Territory. "Dr. Gilruth is doing good work there under manyjdisadvantages," said Mr Dawson to an interviewer. "His secretary i s Mr Carey, late of the commercial staff of the Dominion, who also holds several Government positions, including that of Public Trustee. Mr Carey informed me that a New Zealander, who came to the territory from Tokomaru Bay with his wife and nine children, was given land by the Government for one shilling per square mile, the land to be his for life, after which his wife was to have 21 years in which to realise on the property. The Government built him a homestead and stocked his holding with--cattle/-" aiid all he had. to pay was 4J per cent, on the money so spent."

! _The Halcombe correspondent of the j Marton paper narrates" the following anent the lack of provision for sleeping accomodation when hundreds of soldier® visited Wellington on Christmas Eve and were unable to obtain shelter anywhere: "One of our Halcombe lads managed to get inside a private hotel ui °". taaned tn« use of two chairs and a blanket, for which the patriotic proprietor charged him 6/6. " Others who got into more fashionable ' quarters were charged 12/6 for a 'shake-down.' Une crood woman housed six of our bunkless boys, but would, not listen to any ° - + eiT £ f V^yraent quite satisfied with the grateful appreciation of those whom she had thus befriended " :

With our warmest weather yet to come, the following Melbourne Ltd prices on men's and boys' hats should be of interest: Boys' khaki and white linen bats, Is 3d; men's and boys' fine plait Niue Island hats, ls 6d; men's and youths' felt hate, 5s 6d, 7s 6d , men s Bl>azilian hats, 4s lld, 7s 6d, and 10s 6d; boys' boaters, 2s lld, men s boaters, 6s 6d and 7s 6d; men's fane white Panamas, 19s 6d and 255.— Advt.

. All the best cooks say SHARLAND'S is the best Baking Powder. It is cheapest, too. Ask your .grocer.—Advt.

PHERE IS ONLY ONE SANDER EXTRACT, and that is why the people insist on it, and why they reject the 'many inferior and frequently harmful substitutes and "just as goods." The GENUINE SANPFR EXTRACT is free from the objectionable qualities of the common eucalyptus oils and. the so-called "extracts." SANDER'S EXTRACT is the most powerful antiseptic and healing remedy that can be used with safety; it prevents and cures all infectious diseases —•influenza, colds, fevers, smallpox, diphtheria, flatulence, diarrhoea and kidney troubles. SANDER'S EXTRACT applied to ulcers, burns, sprains, cuts, inflamed iskin,: gives instant relief and cures permanently. Reliability, effectiveness, and- safety are-the great'attributes of SANDER'S EXTRACT.— Advt, ' - i

A new auxiliary schooner, building at Portland (O.) to the order of C. K. McCormick, of San Francisco, will not be ready tor sea for some time- yet. Still so early is tonnage sought after that arrangements have already been made for her to take up a charter to load for Australia at 90s Sydney, or 110s Fremantle. The new vessel has not yet been named, but it is believed that she will be called City of Portland. At the rate the vessel is fixed at, it is estimated that her earnings on the first trip alone will total £7000.

Among the prisoners taken during the recent- Krerjeh advance in the Champagne district there are a great many Poles. For aU the Polish contingents of Germany are now fighting on the Western front. The French authorities have interned them in separate camps and accord them preferential treatment. They are at once divested of their Prussian uniforms and dressed in blouses of grey wool, their caps are decorated with a band of red and white ribbon, the national colors of Poland, and nearly all the men wear a rosette of these colors on their tunics. Their delight at being taken prisoners is evident. For, in these camps, the Polish language is exclusively nsed and the men, or rather boys, for many are very young, are treated as considerately as possible. Every man has expressed his satisfaction at being freed from the Prussian yoke.

The New South W Tales Minister of Lands (Mr Ashford) has m hand a scheme for . providing farms for returned soldiers. The dettails of the proposal have not yet been decided .upon, but. it is uncle*, stood that the Minister will follow somewhat the lines of the Bill recently adopted by the South Australian.- Parliament.. Tbe South Australian measure provides for the establishment of practical training camps, so that the men may gain experience, and-, so that it may be decided whether or not they are capable of going on the land. Suitable applicants are to he, settled upon reclaimed irrigation areas, and assistance is '.to be afforded by equipping, fencing, and generally improving the holding, and erecting buildings. It is probable that inrplements, seed, and plant lucerne will also be provided. '

Tiers is at least one person who has not lost faith in human nature (says the Sydney Sun). Fully three months ago a* boy of about- 19 years of age asked a Darling Point resident for work. He declared that he had come from New Zealand to enlist in the Expeditionary Forces, but had been turned down on account of bad teeth. The woman to whom thei lad applied had no employment to offer, but she (gave him two shillings. The incident was forgotten as far as she was concerned. On a recent Friday afternoon a sturdy young fellow in the uniform of the Light Horse called at the house, and, handing the woman two shillings, told her how thankful he was for her assistance. His story was one showing the determination possessed by many to get- away to the front. He stated'that he had walked to Orange, working for his food .on he way. On arriving at the western town he secured a position on a farm at 20s per waek, which he kept until he had made enough money to "have his teeth attended to. Then he again presented himself to" the military auhorities and his services were accepted. As a result of his action the young soldier has made some lifelong friends, who will see that he is not forgotten while in the trenches.

An illustration of the result of the famine in ships is, Mr Archibald Hurd writes in the Daily Telegraph, furnished ~ first, by the action of; the Government in forbidding transfers of British ve'ssels to foreign flags, and, secondly, by the priced which vessels- are' now fetching. One steamship of 2823 tons, which was "built in 1894, and sold early in 1912 for £14,500, has just changed hands at about £48,500. Another, of 3828. tons, built in 19(51, which was purchased in 1909 for less than £22,000, has now been sold for" £60,000. In the summer of 1910 a ship of 2868 -tons, completed 15,years ago, changed owners at £14,000; 'she has recently fetched £55,000. A much older ship—launched in 189(5—and of only 1345 tons, which was as recently as May last for £18 ; o00, has now been purchased for £31,000. These statements illustrate, not a British; but a world-wide appreciation of ship tonnage. British owners are actually reaping less advantage than neutrals, because they have had to .meet .tlie large demands of the Admiralty, the requisitions of the Board, of Trade for meat ships, and tho requirements of Mr McKenna's Commission for vessels to carry sugar. Moreover, they will have to hand over 60 per cent, of their additional profits to the Treasury by way of taxation. It is neutral shipowners who are reaping the biggest harvest; they can force up freights and invade traditional British markets.

; The Marlborough Express says that an incident, which occurred locally the other day shows that it is unsafe for a man to insult the British flag even ia the presence of his hired servant. A party of harvester^ employed»by a farmer of German blood and German symr pathies, which he had never troubled very much to disguise), was engaged in carting in and -stacking a crop. One of the drivers took it into his loyal head to decorate his dray with some small Union Jacks, and when he drove up for his next load he looked down at his employer as from the superior height of a patriot who had, so to speak, well and truly nailed his colors to the mast. "What's this?" exclaimed the farmer, angrily. "Oh, to h with the British flag; pull those things down." That was enough to rouse the British lion. Jumping down from the dray, the harvester made the farmer pay dearly for the insult ? punishing him severely, and dealing with him so energetically, it is said, that, but'for the interference of the other men in thei field, the results would have been serious. Needless to say, "those things" were not pulled down—not while the driveir of the dray remained on the scene, at anyrate.

"Pay an earnest attention to another's words."—Marcus Aurelius.

When so many people say out of their own experience that Baxter's Lung Preserver is an effective remedy for coughs, colds and sore throats, you can safely trust their opinion. Use "Baxter's" in your home and you will find that it possesses wonderful powers .in healing throat and bronchial affections, and.in building up strength and vitality. It preserves the health of the lungs, and thus prevents colds, sore throats, and other distressing ailments. Get a big Is lOd bottle to-day.—Advt.

CURE FOR RHEUMATISM

This is not a patent medicine, it is a prescription of an eminent English specialist. For years I had been a sufferer from chronic rheumatism. One year ago I consulted one of the leading specialists of the Dominion (now de^ ceased). On receipt of postage stamps, monev order, or postal notes for 4s fid, I n-ill post twelve dosese of the remedy, which this specialist declared to he the only thins known to science as a cure for this painful disease. F. Greville, Editor N.Z. Dairyman, Box 502, Wellington.—Advt.

Ladies' 2-decker frocks at sample prices.:—30 only manufacturers' samples in white, black and white, and floral, all beautifully embroidered and every one different. * Usual prices, 255, 355, 455, 57s 6d; sample prices, 12s 6d, 19s 6d, 29s 6d, 355. Come early and get your' pick. J. C. Gillett. See window.—Advt.

At a recruiting meeting in Newcastle, New South Wales, the Mayor said he was not in favor of conscript tion. There was, however, he said, a number of young fellows who, he w;as prepared to say, ought to be "shanghaied," because they were no use here. Fellows who would not work should be made to go and fight for their country. (Applause.) Only the other day he was travelling in a tram, when one of those shirkers got in and sat opposite a "pal." The latter remarked, "Where are you working now?" The other said nothing for a while, but grinned, and then said, "Working? 1 don't work while the old man's got his job." "That's the sort of fellows" said the Mayor, amidst applause, "who should be drummed out and made to fight."

Mr A. C. Benson, in an article in the Church Family Newspaper, holds that this is not a time for panic or despondency. "I believe that circumstances point indisputably to the fact that Germany is not making any real progress, but is struggling like a great fish caught in a net, and makings desperate efforts to escape. The real danger is that anxiety and faintheartedness may lead Europe to desire at any cost a cessation of the hideous carnage and loss, and this, I believe, is the game which Germany is now playing. She has no longer hopes to dictate her terms to Europe. The most she hopes for is to get terms which may allow her to recuperate her shattered fortunes, and to begin preparing for a like struggle in the future. It cannot be in the near future, for her population and her wealth alike have suffered tO6: heavily for that."

Thousands of pounds are said to he going to waste every year in New Zea-r land in the cocllsfoot and other grass seeds growing along the railway lines, country roads, and other open grassgrown places. It is proposed that this waste should be turned to profitable account by children gathering the grass seed, and being paid for. it at the rate of 3d per 10, the proceeds from the ealei of. the cleaned seed to be devoted to some approved patriotic fund. It has been estimated that some thousands of pounds' .worth of cocksfoot seed is growing to waste around the hills of Wellington alone (says the Post>. The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, Minister for Agriculture, has consented that the services of the Field Inspectors of the Department of Agriculture shall be available in connection with the scheme. Mr A. H. Cockayne, Biologist to the Department, has furnished notes on the gathering of cocksfoot, which, supplemented by local farmers' advice, should be of great assistance* to the children.

An exhortation against impatience at the slow progress of the war, and despondency over reverses, was given by Dr Averill, Anglican Bishop of; Auckland, in an address at an intercession service held at St. Matthew's Church. People were naturally inclined to look upon the dark side of things, said the Bishop. They were too ant to forget the many blessings the Allies had received in the war, aha to be thankful that things were going so well as they were Kvary Englishman had cause to be thankful for the wonderful loyalty of the Allied nations, and the new revelation of their character that the war had made. Our ideas about the French nation had been greatly altered, and there was every reason to believe that the present crisis would be a turning point in the religious life of France. Russia had proved herself to be the most religious nation in the_ world, and the war had revealed possibilities vndreamed of in the British character. The Empire was realising its unity in the great struggle. All the Allies must go forward iii a, spirit of thankfulness, prayer, service and sacrifice if they were to come out of the war victorious and yet humble—as they ought to be.

A Washington newspaper states that Secretary Lane has made public a rrocess whereby the Department can produce radium for less than onethird of its present selling price. The cost of the radium at the Denver station of the Bureau of Mines, including the expense of experimental work, was £7400 for each gram of radium meta 1. The market price of radium for the last two or three years, according to the Bureau cf Mines, has been from £24,000 to £32,----000 pisS* gram. "The result of the ability „ of,the Bureau' 6'f Mines to produce radium for £7400 a gram," said Secretary Lane, "has at least made.it possible for two great hospitals in the country to obtain a good supply of -vadium for the treatment of cancer, the disease that is costing the Jves of 75.000 human beings every year in the United States. .... Up to the present time fifty grams of radium have *-een extracted from the carnotite ores, l'he Bureau cf Mines produced this radium in cooperation with what is known as the National Radium Institute, which was organised for the purpose of studying the curative properties of indium and not for private gain."

Professional jealousy to a fight between two notable actresses behind the scenes and subsequently on the stage of the Romeo Theatre. Madrid, on the night of November 6. "La Argentinita," an artist who has distinguished herself in imitations of other well-known performers, was giving an imitation of -Raquel Meller, another favorite actress, who happened at thai moment to= be among the audience, pairing umbrage at the imitation, Senorita Meller left her seat, went behind the scenes, and dealt "La Argentinita" a violent blow in the face. The actress returned blow for blow, and the curtain being raised at that moment the unusual spectacle of two famous artists buffeting each other on the stage was witnessed by the astonished audience, who, at first imagining the scene formed part of the performance, applauded vociferously. When, however, "La Argentinita" fell heavily to the stage and blood was seen to be trickling down her cheeks, the enthuiasm gave place to loud cries of indignation. The next moment the curtain was lowered, and the theatre cleared forcibly by the police. "La Argentinita," wno had fainted, was-car-ried off the stage, and her aggressor was arrested. Both had suffered considerable personal injury.