LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 10 July 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A Wellington telegram states that the Hon. C. J. Johnston, Speaker of the Legislative Council, has received a cable intimating that nis son, Captain O. R. F. Johnston, was killed in action on July 2. He was serving with the Middlesex Regiment. A meeting of the Otakeho branch of the Farmers' Union will be held on Tuesday evening, at which an address will be delivered by Mr Ayson on the aims and objects of the N.Z. Farmers' Fertiliser Co. The infantile paralysis epidemic, which caused something of a scare last summer, has now subsided. Folowing are the totals, of the cases notified during the months of this year: January 77 ; February, 297; March, 322 ; April 190; May, 58; June, 16. The cases for June were distributed as follows: Wellington, 11 ■ Canterbury, 2; Otago, 3. Auckland had a clean bill of health." Other times, other manners. A few years ago the funeral of a Chinaman i was rendered spectacular by the explosion of thousands of crackers, al--1 legedly calculated to drive off the spirits of evil ones, who otherwise would molest the soul of the departed. But nowadays crackers have apparently lost their potency. A Chinese funeral at Sydney the other day was headed by a brassi band playing the "Dead March in Saul.' During the discussion in the Ho\ise I on Friday on the siibject of afforesta- ; tion, Mr G. V. Peaice (Patea) advocated that a part of inferior land on the West Coast between the Wanganui and Waitotara rivers should be planted with trees. It would make a splendid plantation, and would help to protect the coast. The good land in the Taranaki district was too valuable for the purpose. The following new books have been received at Public Library: Tnese Lynnekers, by J. D. Beresford; Moonbeams from the Larger Lunacy, Leacock A Girl of the Blue Ridge, Payne Erskine; Because of Misella, Marchniont; Number 17, L. Tracy, The Son of the Otter, George Van Schaick; 'i he Green Orchardj A. Soular; Tommy, J. Hocking; Love's Highway, J. M. Foreman ; Sixes and Sevens, D. Henry; The Code of the Mountains, Neville Buck.

Dr Grenfell, of Labrador, who has had three months' hard work in the hospitals at the front, says it is amusing to notice what a ridiculously small thing will sometimes stop a bullet. He i tells of a man who was shot at when he I was standing with his hand on his hip.

The bullet went right through higkhand, making a clean and easilyJiealed wound. The difficulty was to discover what happened to it after it passed through the man's hand, until someone dived into his trousers pocket. There the bullet was found loose, having been stopped by twopence halfpenny in coppers. The following letter, signed by Mr R. Fletcher and fifty-one others, has been sent to the Minister for Internal Affairs: "We, the undersigned members of the House of Representatives and Legislative Council, desire to impress, upon you the urgent necessity that exists for action in the matter of the local branches of the British Medical Association. We respectfully sug-1 gest that legislation be introduced at once, giving power to the Government similar to that taken in Australia. All that is asked for is that where a reputable and. duly registered medical practitioner is concerned, members ot the 8.M.A,. shall not have power to refuse to consult with such practitioners, especially where human life is at stake." According to a return made by Mr Kmbbs, Federal Statistician and presented to Senator Pearce, the ActingPrime Minister, there are 452,618 fit men between the ages of eighteen and forty-four resident in the Commonwealth who have not enlisted, or having enlisted have not yet gone into camp. Mr Knibbs says that from a careful review of the data it appears probable that this total is fairly accurate, but that the distribution into 152,910 single men, 4849 widowers/and 294,859 married men is less securely based. The number of single men available, Mr Knibbs said, may possibly be understated and the number of married men may be overstated. These figures are now under consideration by the Federal Cabinet.

- "To receive news from Belgium is very difficult, but sometimes a letter reaches the frontier and is posted in Holland," .writes a Belgian in London to a, Sydney paper. "From Antwerp the news is very sad; all the shops are closed for want of patronage; the provision shops and cafes only remain open, but, like in Brussels, all is extremely dear —butter costs lOgls (8s) the kilo (21b), a ham has been sold at 90gls (£3 12s). You can judge the other articles.. The shooting of civilians is not finished yet. Mr Ceugils, the patron of the Hotel de l'lndustrie, has been shot; cause unknown. In Malines, Antwerp, Brussels, and other towns the Germans took away all the copper out of the breweries, and obliged them to close, and in this way a quantity os honest workers are obliged to live on! the public charity." Daring a brief conversation at the close of the Vice-Regal reception in' the Manaia Octagon on Tuesday ; his Excellency the Governor mentioned (says the Waimate Witness) that he had that morning visited Parihaka, and immediately added, not without some degree of pride, that he was the first Governor of New Zealand who had visited the once-famous Maori stronghold. Mr John Hunt remarked that one of his predecessors had been there. Earl Onslow, he was certain, had at one time come through and visited Parihaka. The Governor smiled and shook his head incredulously. Mr Hunt, however, was unconvinced. "Well," said the Governor, with affable good humor, "I asked Lord Onslow before he died if he Had beeii there, and he said he had not." That settled the gentle controversy.

We recognise the public need for quality at reasonable prices. Look where you may, our prices warrant the quality of the articles. Morris, watchmaker and jeweller. Hawera;—Advt. All _pure wool Saddle Trousers are becoming a rarity these days. The Melbourne announces that they have a few Roslyn make in stock at 12/9. Intending buyers are advised to get in early, as these goods are almost unprocurable at anything like a reasonable price.—Advt. "BUY A 1916 OVERLAND. The 1916 Overland—the car of no regrets—Model 83 is absolutely the biggest moneys worth you can get. It is priced less than last year*. Among the big features which distinguish it are high-tension magneto,...' thermo-syphon cooling system, electric light and starter, under-slung rear springs, headlight dimmers, one man top (with cover), speedometer, rain vision ventilating wind-shield—every invention which makes for comfort, efficiency, safety, economy. "We want you \§ see one of these big five-paesenger tewiring models. We want to demonstrate the honest manufacture—the efficiency of 1916 comfort-car. For fre^e catalogue and further particulars "apply Mr B. Byrn, New Plymouth; Fiatrick and Co.. Wanganui, distributors for North Is-1 land.—Advt.

The Mahoe Sunday School concert will be Held in the Mahoe Hall on. luesday evening. The proceeds will be m -ii v of tne nall tunds- Occasion ' will be taken of the gathering to unveil Mahoe's roll of honor

Four statutory first offenders (drunkenness) were before the Magistrate's Court this morning. Three of them were fined 5s each, while the other a. woman, was convicted and discharged.

This morning's southward-bound ex-' press train was crowded with visitors l a-? t s w PeoPle returning from' the show. There were also many passengers for the Wellington races. j "I think the town of Hawera deserves great commendation for the conduct of its people during the past week," observed Mr W. H. Haselden, S.M., this morning, when dealing with a statutory nrst offender for drunkenness. i

One hundred and fou r deaths were recorded in Ohnstchurch last month, compared with 77 in the corresponding month of last year. This constitutes a record for June for the past 14 years, lhe births last month were 192, against 130 in June of 1915, and the marriages 80, against 109.

A rather grim relic of the days *>f Iraralgar is obtained in a case of surgical instruments which occupies a prominent place among the recent acquisitions at the Canterbury Museum (says the Christchurch. Sun.) They were the property of a naval surgeon, Dr. Morris, and a loiter, written by him under date of May 14th, 1834, states that they had been used in upwards of 100 cases beginning with the Battle of Trafalgar' in 1805. Subsequently they came into the possession ««f Dr. Redman, of Picton who presented them to the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of New Zealand with instructions that they were to find a final resting place in the Christchurch. Museum. The lodge disposed of th«m for £558, as the result ol an art. union in aid of the War Fund for wounded members of the fraternity. The instruments are as keen and bright as they were in the days when they were wielded m the cockpit of one of the old English "wooden walla." The Museum authorities intend to make full inquiries and endeavor to ascertain on what ship the instruments rendered their service. *

Mr W. A. Holman, Premier of New South Wales, enjoys the distinction of being the first Australian Premier to rereoeive a decoration from a foreign nation. With the special approval of his Majesty King George, h e has just had conferred uuon him the Cross of the Legion of Honor of France, with leava to wear the cross. This decoration (.writes the Post's Sdyney correspondent) has been given to Mr Holman in recognition of the sympathy and interest he has displayed for years in the welfare and concerns of French people, not only those settled in New South Wales, but also visitors and those in the colony of New Caledonia, where his name is well known on account of various acts of aid and courtesy. The success of the appeal fo r funds to help French people afflicted with distress on account of the war owed a good deal to his- cordial efforts. Mr Holman speaks French fluently, and of course does a lot of reading in that language.