LOCAL AND GENERAL HEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 9 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL HEWS.

The New Zealand Tunes "tips" Mr Wilford for the vacant position in the Cabinet. Notwithstanding the bad weather, the takings at the door in connection \yith the Winter Show exceeded those of last year by £75. In another column the Government Statistician inserts a notice under the Military Service Act regarding the Classification of the Second Division. In 'connection with the Y.M.O.A. fund guessing competition it is announc ©d that the weight of the bullock was 7551b5. Mrs F. C. Babbage, of Rotokare, Eltham, has received cable advice sta/fcing that her brother. Rifleman J. A. Rankin, has been admitted to Brockenhurst Hospital, having been severely wounded in the left side. A reminder to people of Kapuni district is given of the bazaar being arranged by the ladies' committee for Xuesday and Wednesday. The proceeds will be in aid of the Soldiers' Comforts' Fund, which object should ensure a liberal response. A small shipment of Otago apples has arrived in London for exhibition at the Horticultural Show (says a cable mesage). The fruit is in excellent condition, though a few are pitted. Mr Duncan, the grower, has presented to the King and to Queen Alexandra samples of the different varieties. If the price of the hitherto comparatively despised cotton gets much higher, housewives will soon estimate their wealth by the number of reels ••of cotton they own, rather than by their jewellery supplies, it was stated at Christehureh recently that cotton now costs 6d a reel at' shops, and in London the price over the counter was one shilling. The prospects are that the price will further increase. The farm near Kanonga, sold to the Government by Mr Parkes on particularly favorable terms, for the settlement of returned soldiers, is now being surveyed into sections of 50 acres; and the' land will be open to ballot as soon as possible, with the view of the farms being worked at the commencement of the dairying season, though the time still available for getting ready is short. The Government, it is understood, propose to allocate to each man £500 for buildings and for the purchase of cows, but at present prices for building material and stock this sum will be inadequate. In connection with the recently published list of Taranaki men gazetted as deserters under the Military Service Act, the Eltham Argus says:' "The list contained the name of ~E. Dickson, motor engineer, of Eltham. The inclusion of this name is evidently a mistake on the part of the Department. Mr Dickson, who was in the employ of Mr W. Thorpe, went to the Old Country, and joined the Royal Flying Corps, in which body he is now a lieutenant. We can vouch for this, having seen ! letters from Lieut. Dickson. It is most unfortunate that such a man should be i gazetted a deserter, and we hope that this contradiction will be widely circulated. A sentence of 11 months' imprisonment, without hard labor, was imposed on William John Bell, who was charged at Auckland with publishing statements which indicated disaffection and disloyalty. The prosecution stated that accused circulated between 900 and 1000 copies of two pamphlets. The statements on which the charge was based contained a sweeping condemnation of the British nation. The prosecution also produced a letter written by accused advocating sabotage and fire raising. The magistrate paid Bell was a danger to the community. Colds fly before "NAZOL." Sore Throats are soothed by thic nroved and popular remedy. Get "VAZOL" to-day Is M Vnv* 60 rlo<wi—Aflvt "Sister Susie's Socks for Soldiers" can be made with a fraction of the time and labor handwork entails if a knitting machine is u.ued.

j The labor conference at "Wellington I favors a universal Saturday half-holi- | day, and shorter hours in offices and ; > shops. j The Taiporoheuui Red Cross Fund so- : cial, held at the pa, was well attended, I The natives gavo several items, which ; were much appreciated by all present. ; Also the social held at the residence of j Mr Appleyard was a great success, 90 ; being present. Dancing, cards and competitions occupied the evening. As instancing the fertility of South- ! land land, it was stated to a Southland ( j Times reporter that off one acre and alialf at Myross Bush Mr Craig last year took 50 tons of turnips. This year he ' cut from it 116 bags of chaff, equal to { four tons, and three bags of oats-. As indicating the mildness of the season, Mr Craig states that he had a splendid second crop of oats, and has had horses feeding on it for the past three months. The section was treated with five tons of lime, last year. A lady walking along Lambton quay j yesterday asked to be directed to an l "optimists"." "Optimists are very plentiful," said the i>erson addressed, "but what kind of an optimist do you want?" "Well. I want a good pair of glasses," the lady responded. She was directed to a neighboring optician, but j on looking into the window of the shop she observed, "But 1 want colored glasses." The lady, perhaps, was not mistaken in her substantive. Optimists frequently use rose-colored glasses. On Friday afternoon an alarming rumor gained currency in Wellington that the Earl of Liverpool's Own (the New Zealand Rifle Brfgade) had been ! very badly cut uv> on the Western j front. The Prime Minister, when asked by a Times representative whether j there was any foundation for the rumor, said, "No! Why, my son is in i the brigade. They have had their share ! of losses, but nothing of the sort you mention. We have no information i whatever of the kind." Latest advices received from England (says the Otago Daily Times) regarding | the boot market state that everybody ! qualified to judge considers that after i the war no immediate substantial drop \in prices can be expected. Sole leather ! is not likely to go down at all for some ; time. It is stated that the present in- j flated prices of glace and some similar J ; npper materials may fall below to-day's j ' market leather prices, but that even so | it is perhaps hardly likely that they ; would go below, or even as low as. the prices on which English makers are basing their selling shote- prices to-day.,, The position in America as regards sup- | plies of boots appears to be even worse j than in England. Home prices for ; glace kid and other light leathers show j an advance of over 40 per cent, for • women's wear, and over 50 per cent, for women's calf and all heavy leathers, and of 60 per' cent, for the similar \ quality in men's boots. Wood is }>eing j used for heels, as this departure means j a considerable saving in leather, and it is anticipated that in the near future the use of wood and other satisfactory substitutes for leather will become almost compulsory. Mat kid, willow and box calf leathers are unobtainable in 'England. • ' The name of Sir John Kirk is familiar to those acquainted with ©the great Earl Shaftesbury, who from 1844 to his death wns president of the i Ragged School Union. ■ That valuable ! organisation is npw known as the Shaftesbury Society, with headquarters at 32 John street', • W.C.1., London, England. In 1907, after 40 years' service, its secretary, Mr John Kirk, was knighted by King Edward, a popular and well-earned distinction. This year. 1917. marks his jubilee of 50 ] years' service, and his .70th birthday falls on June 10. A "Shaftesbury i Lectureship" is being established, the ' sum of £1000 bein,cr desired for a biennial discussion of problems affecting child life. Not least of these is the I child cripple, whose London register ! now numbers 7800. due to the foster- ' ing care of Sir John Kirk. His visit to New Zealand five years ago is still fresh in the memory of those who met | him, and some of our readers may be glad to mark his jubilee by a gift to enable the Shaftesbury Society to sustain and enlarge its useful operations. We may mention that in the Society's acknowledgments is included 12s 6d j.from one little helper, seven years of [ age, in Hawera. Over 100 callers visited the office of Mr A. A. Winslow (United States Con-sul-General in New Zealand) on July 4, and paid their formal respects to the representative of the Republic. Many j took advantage $ the opportunity of ' congratulating Mr Winslow upon the ' decision of America to enter the war on the side of the Allies. Mr Winslow , was asked by a reporter if he had a : message for the people- of New Zealand. Mr Winslow said: "On behalf of the I United States, will you convey to the ; people of New Zealand my grateful j thanks for their many cheering and ' cordial messages containing sentiments ; which all democratic peoples cherish. I ' consider the present commemoration of I America's declaration of independence ! one of the most memorable in the history of the country I have the honor I to represent. To the people of the j United States the commemoration of July 4, 1776, is the symbol of a declaration for independence, liberty, peace, and justice in the world. America entered the war on the side of Great Britain and her Allies to preserve those ideals, and I am quite certain that the peoples of the two great Eng-lish-speaking races will stand firm and united until the object for which they entered the struggle is achieved and a victory won that will free the world of a hideous menace. From the news that is now coming to hand, it looks as if Russia is with us, not only for democracy, but for a fpeedy victory. If the Russian offensive continues, and if Russia puts forth the great efforts of which she, as a nation, is capable of doing, it is my opinion that the final victory will be achieved before the close of 1917." The Melbourne Ltd., has opened out a new line of ladies' good quality white silk shirt blouses ex Athenic. which are being offered at 10/6 each. The blouses are tucked and have a turn-down peak collar attached. A great bargain at the price.—Advt. Don't forsret to get your share of the bargains this week at Gillett's Midwinter sale. 25 small boys' warm tweed reefer coats, navy, grey and fawn. Out they go at 13s 6d " worth 18s Gd. 19s 6d. 21s, 24s 6d. Boys' tweed sport suits, from 15s 6d; men's felt hats, 4s lid ; men's heavy ribbed singlets and undernants, 4s 6d, men's Shetland heavy plain singlets and underpants, 4s 6d • men's pyjamas, 6s lid. Special discount during Show week. One coupon for the window dressing competition given away to every purchaser of os worth of drapery.—Advt. For Chrome- Tne?t Complaints, Woods 1 Great Peppermint Curp Is 6d, 2c fid —AH* t PATLNT IT. AND BE SAFE. Don't leave .yourself open to the chances of having your invention copied, after all your hard work. Patent your article, and so be sure of securing the reward you are entitled to. Csnsnlt Henry * Huprhes, Ltd., Patent Attorneys, " 157 Featherston Street. Wellington.—Advt. Six o'clock closing will not affect the discriminating; people whose favorite beverage J s Desert 'Gold Tea—the Cup that cheers. Unequalled for quality, flavor ami economy. Order the 2/grade.—Advt.

In a letter to an Ashburton resident \ (says the Guardian), a Manawatn far- I nier states that a few dairy companies in the North Island, in order not to risk storing, had sold small consignments of butter at prices well under the standard rate, and, in consequence, the retailers who had purchased it were now i selling it to their customers at Is 6d i per Ib, instead of Is Sd, the maximum fixed 133' the Government. I Whether, in an appeai to Mars, for- | tune should favor the monarchists or \ . the republicans will hardly affect the central fact, observes the "Wellington Post, which is that China has been a i republic in name only. In essence, j China will not be any more republican, or any less republican, whichever side temporarily holds the reins in Pekin. To find the cause of the failure of the Republic of China, as a republic, one must look outsidp the military facts and must note the mental attitude of the Chinese people, who are notb only unversed in Western political thinking, but also, as a general rule, have no desire to be so versed. There is no magic m a name that is not understood, and a republic without a republican motive force is like the shell without the kernel. This limitation is discernible not only in Oriental- China. In semi-Ori-ental Russia, by no means destitute of good democratic material, the belief that the name Republic is a cure-all for political evils has led to a hot haste and to a fals.e emotionalism that endanger the whole fabric. Such new republics as the war may foster will succeed in proportion to the self-governing and law-abiding capacity of their peot j pies; neither more nor less. Revolution can supply a people with opportunity j but not with character. On the Chinese character the impression made by the Republic has been faint and circumscribed.