LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 29 August 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Flags are being flown at half-ma<st on Government buildings throughout NewZealand, out of respect for the late General Botha. A public meeting will be held at the Borough Chambers at 8 o'clock to--1 night to consider finally the nature of the memorial to be erected and proposals therewith. It is hoped that there will be a good and representative attendance, and that the meeting will arrive at a final decision on the important questions to be discussed. A large buoy was seen drifting along with the current some distance out at sea off Patea on Tuesday (tke Press reports). The buoy had a couple of ' masts, each bearing a flag, one white and the other a color that could not be distinguished owing to the distance. "If human life is not to be held as sacred our civilisation is doomed," reI marked Sir Robert Stout at the Napier Supreme Court when speaking to the Grand Jury of motor accidents. | The Waikato Times states that it is said that both the "ins" and the "outs" of the Whitiora Bowling Club are holding lengthy interviews with their respective solicitors in connection with the position which has arisen. Smoke coming from under the floor of the office at the Masonic Hotel, Na^pier, on Monday morning caused some alarm for a short time. It appears' (the' Herald reports) that the chimney had! been built on a concrete floor of only one inch in thickness. The heat from the ashpan had penetrated this and burned through the heavy joist below. Fortunately the fire was discovered before getting a strong hold. Coal is very scarce at the present time. That is bad enough, in all truth, says the Greymouth. Star, but when the coal contains foreign substances in the shape of Remington cartridges (unexploded) it makes matters more interesting still. A. local resident had occasion to fill his coal bucket, and was surprised to find a cartridge in it. If it had. found its way into the stove there would have been something doing.

Hovtf the cartridge found its way into the coal is a mystery. Householders should carefully scrutinise their coal before placing it on the fire.

"I want to be tried by the Supreme Court," said a Maori through his interpreter at the Gisborne Magistrate's Court, when asked if he had anything to -say in answer to a charge of entering licensed premises while prohibited. "No doubt you would," said the Magistrate (Mr J. S. Barton) "and have a Maori jury, too." Mr Barton added to the interpreter: "Tell him that this Court will deal with him, and ask him if he has anything to say." "He >,ays he'll make a statement when he knows how much you are going to fine him," said the interpreter, amidst laughter.

A startling mishap, happily without serious consequences to those concerned, befell Mr and Mrs 0. E. Tatton and three of their children recently (says thw Nelson Mail), while motoring. On the Matai road the attention of Mr Tatton, who was driving, was momentarily diverted by a noise from one of the wheels of the car. He leaned over the door to find out what was the mati ter. when the, door flew open, and ! threw him off his balance. In recovering himself Mr Tatton lost control of the steering wheel, and the car shot over the bank into the river, and the occupants floated out. Mr Tatton, with the, assistance of Mr Boyes, who hap-] pened to be in the vicinity, rescued Mrs Tatton and family, who nere swept down some distance, the river being in fresh at the time. The river, foi-tu-nately ? is narrow at this particular point, otherwise the work of rescuing would have been much more difficult. The car did not overturn, but settled down in water deep enongh to just cover it. The sudden plunge was, of course, a shock to the occupan.ts of the car, especially to the infant child; but be-1 yond this no ill-effects are anticipated. The car was subsequently dragged from the river, and with the exception of j the effects of the water, was un- j damaged, not even the windscreen be- j i»g broken. . »

The Sydney Morning "Herald and the Daily Telegraph, are increasing their price to lsd from September 1. Lake Takapuna hag fallen a foot dur- , One past few months, and, as a water famine Js threatened, house-holders in tko district are being urged to obtain tanks before the summer sets in. A Levin telegram states that the Hr.-rowfa.enua Racing Club and the A. and P. Association jointly raised £4500 by debeaturea during the past few days for tie purchase of 70 acres at Levin ior racing and show purposes. Among other places of interest to new on board H.M.S. New Zealand is a very up-to-date laundry, and it is said tnat-she is the only warship at present > which can boast such an institution I lbere are boilers and tubs, a hot steel | roller for table and bed Hnen, and the j latest in electee irons for the smaller i washing articles. It is a very complete ■ little establishment, and judging from , the -'finished goods" those employed in • it are quite experts. "You might have been able to"get them off even though they were guilty," said Sir Robert Stout to defending counsel at the Napier Supreme Court during the hearing of a case in which two youths pleaded guilty to stealing a motor car (reports the Hawke' s Bay Herald). Counsel: "If they had had a conference with me I might have persuaded them they were not as guilty as they thought they were." That the Germans and Austrians are f not losing any time in getting to work to recapture trade in the British Empire is shown by the fact that by the last mail an Auckland stamp collector received a philatelic journal with quotations for all the recent issues, during the war. The recipient, however, was not much pleased at being addressed as "Herr." Four of the Liberal ex-Ministers have -qualified, according to the customary requirement, to retain the title of "•Honorable," Permission to retain this title is usually granted by the Governor-General after three; yearscontinuous service as a Minister of the Crown. The Hons. W. D. S MacDonald, A. M. Myers, G. W. Russell, and J A Hanan have been members of the National Ministry since its foundation in 1915. iSir Joseph Ward, as a Privy Councillor, is Bight Honorable. An unfortunate dog had a paiijful experience a tew days ago (reports the i Waikato Times). Lv.dently while hunting some quarry on the northern side I of the railway bridge, it lost its foot- ! ing and fell over the bank. It obtainj ed a footing o na ledge on the water's j brink, but was unable to get up. After it had been there for three day s its pitiful cries attracted the attention of Mr James Reid and a companion, and they determined to rescue it. Procuring ropes they descended td> the spot at considerable personal risk and succeeded in raising the animal to a place of safety. -The rescuers state that the gratitude of the dog amply rewarded them for any trouble and risk they underwent.

While a mob of cattle was being driven along the Main South road at the Taieri recently (reports a Dunedin paper), a car belonging to an Invercaigill firm ran into them, breaking a leg of one animal and injuring two others, but not so seriously. The bullock with the broken leg had to be destroyed!. Drovers of stock complain very bitterly of the carelessness of motorists in passmg cattle on the roads. While not excusing such action, it might be added that the majority of drovers make no attempt to help motorists. Often it is found necessary for some on e to get out and clear a way through, whereas the drover could quite easily send his dbgs to keep the stock to one side of the road. 'During the railway isistrictions when communication with the country districts is far from easy, solicitors should use a great deal of discretion in issuing summonses," saM €he InvercargiU Magistrate, Mr G. Cruickshank. recently. If they did not do this," ho said, "it would probablv lead to injustice being dene, especially if the claim was a small one. It would be found that in some cases witnesses would lose three or four days from-their employment and the expenses might amount to more than the claim." He felt that until the means af-iconimuuieation, became less difficult they should, as far as possible, refrain from issuing summonses m such cases, and'before doing so it would be a good idea for solicitor* to consult the Magistrate and the clerk of the court. One of the results of the seamen's strike and its consequent hold-up of coastal and interstate shipping has been the large number of oversea vessels which have put into Newcastle for coal (says the Sydney Morning Herald). But for the strike these vessels would have bunkered elsewhere. Now they have come to Newcastle. During the last few weeks some large shipments of coal have been made, but all records were beaten when the ex-German steamer Furst Bulow cleared with 11,314 tons of coal for Guam. When the Furst Bulow is completely loaded it is expected that her cargo will be! about 11,400 tons. The previous record ' for the Commonwealth was held by the i steamer Luxor, which, five years ago, j carried away 11,317 tons of coal from this port. While on privilege leave in Christohuroh after having been on active service for three years and three months, a Wellington returned soldier received a rude shock in the form of a notice calling upon him to resume his Territorial training and parade with a company of the Wellington Garrison Artillery Division on a date at the end of July. Previous to enlisting in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force the soldier had been on duty'at the forts, having been mobilised at the outbreak of war in. 1914, and sine© 36 years of age ho has been serving continuously with the Senior Cadets and Territorials. His record in the Territorials and the Expeditionary Force having been a good one, the soldier not unnaturally feels •aggrieved at being summoned to attend drill again, ■especially as ne has passed the ag^ of 25 years, when service in the "first line" of the Dominion's defence system is supposed to cAase After reaching the age of 25, the Defence Act provides that a Territorial shall be posted to the, reserve, in which h e shall perform a certain number of drills each year. In conversation v.*:th a Dominion reporter the soldier explained that he had no great objection to being placed on the reserve, but he tailed to see why h© should be called to drill with the Territorials again jvhen by virtue of his war sendee he was already a trained man. The date of, his discharge from the Expeditionar 7 Force was fixed as July 25, 1919, and the notice summoning him "to reS jme T?ri"itorial training was forwarded to him from Group Headquarters on July 22. An intimation was made that ranhire to attend the parade as ordered *-ould bo followed by prosecution without, iurther warning. Mr C. E. Hollard, land agent, Onion street, announces a complete change advertisement of farms and'sections for sale. As soon as you feel the slightest symptom of Influenza, take "NAZOL"! o.n sugar and also inhale through a Nabol Inhaler, and you'r« safe.—Advt. Ladies , do not wear out your beautiful clothes on the old-fashioned washboard—let "No Rul/hiijg" Laundry Help an.} the pure "Golden Rnl*» M Soaijj il« the work for yon.—R. T. Bullock. w '