LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the recent High School Board election there were 13 -informal votes recorded, and sixty-six parents on the roll failed to record their votes.

On three charges of making bets :is a bookmaker, an Auckland man named Gilbert Parker has been fined £200

•1 together—one fine of £100 and two of £50 each. According to the evidence he was trapped by a constable in plain clothes from whom he accepted money for "doubles."

Two tragic incidents in the Palmerston North district are recorded by Press Association telegram. A man whose name is supposed to be John James 'Graham, aged 35, committed suicide by hanging at Tiritea. He is said to have suffered from insomnia. William Lane, aged 76, was found dead in his whare near the Bridge. H e had .no relations in New Zealand. The annual general meeting of. the Whangarei branch of the Land Agents' Association was held on Thursday evening, when Mr E. G. W. Tibbits was elected to the position of chairman for the ensuing year, also as representative on the Auckland Association, Mr W. A. M. Bain was elected secretary: Messrs Crane, Hutt, and Williams, with the chairman and secretary, to constitute the executive."

Both the accused persons in the Christchurch chloroforming case have been committed for trial. The position as presented in the Magistrate's Court was that William Kinnaird, aged 30, and Eobert Irwin Meachlem, aged 24, were charged that with intent to facilitate the commission of crime they attempted to cause Andrew Rolo Guild and Enid Guild to be affected by chloroform. Guild, a farmer, of Temuka, said his wife awakened him at 5-25 a.m., on the sth inst, when he noticed a very strong smell which ho put down to chloroform. His wife was very much excited, alarmed, and partly dazed. He felt affected in the lungs. He found a large handkerchief soaked mth a solution lying between the pillows. A warehouse assistant named John Oakley testified to having sold some chloroform to Kinnaird, who at the time represented himself as a student.

Replying to an Auckland contemporary to the criticism of an Auckland roH.dent regarding the destruction of the limestone rocks at W aro , Mr A Carter, of Whangarei writes: -Instead of making the discourteous statement that owners of these rocks are "stoop»>S to use them for j ime , would it not be better if he headed a Bn tion hst to purchase a portion of these wonderful rocks? Dom <, Reside[ , f ,, know what lime means to the soil? Tf '»ot let him ask any North Auckland iarmer who has used it. After doing so I don't think he Mil] again sug° gest that anyone is stooping to anything mean by transforming the rocks »>to Jime for the soil. Tt seems to me Preposterous to talk o f -disgraceful devastation." Who shall say that those rocks are not like coal and many other minerals scattered throughout the world for the pleasure and econo- »"'«' l>enefit of man? We .should thank the Creator for these great gifts of "iituro I.V making use of them to make the earth more fruitful and beautiful."

The satisfaction arising from the gazetted notice that flax may now be exported from New Zealand to the United States is iargely discounted by tho fact that no vessels are available for the purpose of despatching either flax or kauri gum in considerable quantities. Though the benefit of the decision come td by the Minister of Customs will no duobt be felt throughout the Dominion when transport facilities

get back to normal, there are for the time being very large stores of flax held up, while awaiting shipment at distributing ports.

A letter received by a, Hastings resident from a friend in Scotland gives some idea of the high (price df foodstuffs iii 'Engiaiid. Tlie writer says: —"You have no idea how itiuch trouble we have in getting some provisions which are at famine prices. Potatoes are i4s per cwt; sugar; 6d per Tb; bread, Is the 41b loaf. These lines are difficult to procure at the prices mentioned: Beef steak is Is 9d per ilb; best mutton, Is (3d; oatmeal, ss; iflour, 3s 6d. Flour by law must be adulterated with not less than 15 per cent, of either barley, rice or Indian flour. Paper has got to such a price that the daily paper has been raised 50 per cent. Boots and clothing are double their usual price.

Before the First Military Service Board, sitting in Auckland yesterday, Joseph J. L. King, butter.maker, and first assistant in the factdry near Helensville of the Kaipara Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, was appealed for by the Company, as lie Was an essential man in an essential industry. Charles P. Thompson, managing director of the Company, said the industrywas an essential one. The new season would begin in August, when it would be very hard to get a man. King was a skilled 'butter-maker. He had been in the employ of the company two years, and had been twice rejected, on which understanding he got the position. The factory had 300' suppliers. King wae next to the manager, and here was .no ,maii iti. the factory who could take his place. He was an expert. The appeal was 'adjourned sine die. "NO RUBBING" Laundry Help and thrifty wives inseparable. Free "Thinker" Note Book with every shilling pacfoet. Always in stock.— J. Harriso- and Sons.