Northern Advocate Daily With which is incorporated the Northern Mail Daily. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1917, LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 13 October 1917, Page 2

Northern Advocate Daily With which is incorporated the Northern Mail Daily.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1917, LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.

The "boat train" leaving Whangarei to-day was crowded with maiiy passengers for Auckland and southern centres, including a large number of soldiers whose leave had expired. A meeting of the promoters of the anuual Whangarei Hospital Social was held in Mr Carruth's office yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock, when final arrangements were made for the function. The date has been fixed and a nominal admisison fee! "will be made. The returned soldiers 1 tell some amusing stores. If,half are true it plainly illustrates the brighter side of war; if most; of them are fictitious it shows, beyond a doubt, how the imagination is stimulated by travel.. ■• Among those incidents related is one concerning the Australians. A notice was posted on the door of a hut occupied by the "Cornstalks,'' bearing the words: "No cold feet admitted here.'-' A wag, possibly a New Zealander, happening across this one day, added: "Hut full already." It is believed that it was not long before the first part of the message was deleted. Before the First Military Service Board in Auckland yesterday, Angus G. Stewart, a Kaiwaka farmer, said that his circumstances had not changed since last before the Board. He had a brother of 20 years, another of 17, and two younger attending school. Besides his father's farm and uncle's farm, on which a brother helped, appellant had a farm of 240 acres of his own, worked in conjunction with his father's property. The brother of 17 years was in very delicate health. In reply to a question by Major Conlan, appellant said his chief objection was not religious scruples. He would be satisfied if given a reasonable time. Exemption till January 10 was granted. In view of the development of cerebrospinal meningitis cases, strict precautions are being taken in the Reinforcement Camps against the spread of the disease. At Featherston, the whole of the Reinforcement in which the fatal c.s.m. case occurred on Sunday was re-inoculated against c.s.m., and put through the inhalation chambers. In addition, swabs were taken of the throats of the entire Reinforcement, and two doubtful carriers were found. The contacts were sent into isolation, and disinfecting steps were taken in regard to the institutions. There being only two admissions to hospital for influenza at Featherston, the trouble there is regarded as having practically ceased. At Trentham on Sunday similar precautions were taken. The man who succumbed arrived on October 2nd from Featherston Camp, where he had been for a month. Tuesday night witnessed an attendance of fifty at the Whangarei LifeSaving Scouts parade, and the weather being fine a route inarch was indulged in. Adjutant E. de F. Wain, who was the commander at the initiation of the troop several months ago, and who is now attached to the Auckland Divisional Staff, was present and gave an address to the Scouts. His appreciation of the Troop's growth and all.round improvement was well received. The Adjutant paid a very high tribute to the efficiency and earnestness of Scout-leader Fairburn and his assistants, and also conveyed the greetings of several troops he had visited -recently, including Opotiki, Paeroa, Waihi, Pukekohe, Auckland, Devonport, Newon, and Eden. The address was highly appreciated and a rousing volley was accorded the Adjutant at its close. The instructional work was then entered into and the boys made good progress in the studies arranged by their respective patrol leaders. Commander Lamond and Chaplain Foster were also present. Mr H. R. Holman, curator of tho Whangarei Acclimatisation Society, gives a most encouraging outlook for the season. He states that the pheasants have just commenced to lay and 50 or 60 eggs are already in the incubators. He anticipates that before very long there will be this number available daily. Mr W. Parkin, of Maunu, has undertaken the hatching and rearing of the birds while Mr lloJman will confine himself to the supply of eggs. This arrangement has been arrived at ti allow Mr Holman to devote more time to the fish hatcheries, which have lately been given much more importance in the Society's plan of operations. The ponds have all been cleaned and repaired and the curator estimates that they are now capable of turning out one million fry per annum. Tin* total already hatched runs into 200,000 and at least 220,000 will be liberated this year. Some of the fish are now ready for distribution and they will be placed in the Mangahura and Cork's Creek; a. pood stock will also bep rovided for the Ruakaka and Heads lakes.