LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 9 April 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A committee meeting of the Nelson Poultry<. Association will he held in Mercer's rooms this evening. The price paid for butter fat 'by the Richmond Butter Factory will be ll£d until further notice. For the Harbour Board election Henry Philip Washbourn has been nominated by Thomas Neale and Harrv Vincent Gully. - The usual fortnightly meeting of the Nelson City Council will 'be held at the Council Chambers - this evening. .•Furs at .Trathen's, this season our assortment and yalues are better : than ever. Our buyers took advantage of the fall'in Fur prices, and :we pass on.- the benefit;.ls in each £ cash discount.— Trathen and Co., the Special House for Ladiesand Household Drapery.*

An attractive programme lias been arranged for to-night's entertainment in the Presbyterian Church Hall, when interesting items will foe rendered by ,the scholars, and the annual-distribution of prizes-will take place, Mrs W. Widdowson having kindly consented to present, the prizes.

Two well-known priests in the Auckland district, namely, Dean Mahoney, of Onehunga, and vDean Hackett, of Paeroa, will 'in future be officially known as Monsignor, that dignity having been conferred upon them by the Holy See. Monsignor Mahoney is a native of Auckland. • .

- According to the "Southland Times" Mr G-. B. Marsh, who has 'been on the staff of the Ocean Beach freezing works for the past fifteen years, has •been appointed to a highly-salaried position in Bussia. The position will entail the supervision 6f the construction of similar works to those at Ocean-Beach, and the ma&agemeht of them, when they are constructed, for an influential London firm. The engagement is: for five years with'full expenses paid from/New Zealand. Mr Marsh will pro%ably leave for' Moscow via* Sydney, Japan, and the Siberian railway, on 'Saturday next.

Sir Hiram' Maxim has presented the Canadian troops at Salisbury With five tons of pork and 'beans prepared in lib. tin rations under his own direction and. in his own laboratory. Old experience has taught him, he says, the nutritive value and .the. excellence of this particii*. lar. dish for winter campaigning, and the sample he sends after,the simple;heating treatment he prescribes assuredly deserves all he says as tq>j)alatability- and . appropriateness for oonimissariat"' tisS.:' Thero has been, a considerable amount of black sanding operations on the.sea beach of late, northward of Park-street, Hokitika,..the recent "sea erosions having: apparently uncovered a- ■ considerable amount :of; black ysand layers, : that has proved payable to "those washing it. During the washing of the sand quite a .number of silver coins.have been found, and in- one .or two instarfbes gold coins and articles of jewellery hae been picked

- Two very old established. \/brewing ffirras, Messrs 'Gamp bell and '-.: Ehrenfried, f aud tlie Crreat; Noi'tbern "Brewery, have amalgamated: under the title of the, liioit Brewery, limited.' The newrdirectorat© includes Messrs A. . M. Myers, M.P/; Philip' Imckie,; and A. S. Baiikart. : THe .firm of Campbell aud Ehrenfried was estaJblished by. Sir John : . /Logan- 'Campbell as far back as 1840.—Press'Associatipfl>

The exports of -New Zealand pi-oducts during the week ended; April 6th were valued as. under:—Butter £81,215, cheese . £13,691,, frozen' lamb £37,015, frozen . rmitton £14,093, frozen ; beef, etc.,- £l3jS43, gold £IO,OOO, grain arid pulse £7746, .hides., and skins £24,969, kauri gum £1266, flax and tow £18.179, tallow £18,594, timber £11,252, wool £169,999.f--Press Association.- •

, To the functions of the Auckland Belgian 'Relief iCommittee has been added that of debt-collector (says the "Herald"). A few days ago the Acting-con-sul for Belgium {Mr Robert Burns) received a letter from a country (resident enclosing an order to collect a debt of £■2. "The money was _due to one for wages," the resident explained. "I don't mind losing it, but I should not like that man to get ths "benefit of it. It you can collect the debt, or part of it, ] you may keep it for the Belgian Fund. ' JPlease let- me know how you, succeed." The writer will be informed, that\"the man who owed him the money is at present serving a term of *, imprisonment!, and the debt will, therefore,' - probably remain uncollected. ' ' " -'

The penny stamp machines at ithe"T?bst Office have an independent -way' of" discriminating in • favour of certain customers that cannot foe expected to enhance their popularity, except with the favoured few, says the "iGisbqrne Times." Occasionally they deal out even-handed justice, in spite of themselves. The other day a young man Approached'one of the machines and inserted his penny. He was so to receive "two penny stamps in return that he threw discretion to the winds and plunged again, hoping to receive a similar dividend. When, as "might have*been'exjpected, the second pemiy "brought no return, 'his disappointment at having'got nomore than he-paid for'was very marked; Quite another type of -person/who "had surely been "brought up to high ideals of honesty, had a "similar, success with his'genny, but he immediately took the extra stamp to the office and returned it over the counter.

, Remarkable success in sinking for water has been attained, close to. the site of the new- hotel to be erected at Warenga-o-kuri (&ays the "Poverty Bay Herald"). Hitherto the lack of a copious supply of water in dry seasons has been a .considerable drawback I .' The help of,a'waterdiviner was sought, and on a spot recommended by him "a well; was sunk. A depth of J 2oft was reached- without any sign to indicate' success, there "being an entire absence" of moisture at the time. A 2in pipe was then inserted, and, afterit had 'been driven'about 6ft, a stream of water, accompanied by gravel,-"shot up with great'force.' The man at work had to make a hurried exit., During" ,the night tlie -well filled up, ' and, there is every indication of an inexhaustible supply, . providing ample, for the hotel, and • also for.'trayelling stock. The well is excavated in flat, country, a' few chains" from the site of the old hotel. It is possible, r from .the force .of ' the water that guslied from the- pipe, that an artesian supply lias been "struck. A test in that direction is to 'be made.

Aii old Native tohunga i living at Waihi, beyond WaitaTa-i, had a dream, tho other night, and, as a' consequence of this dream, three car loads of Natives i arrived at daylight a morning or two- ago l at Mr George Hoby's farm at Bell Block, and, proceeding straight to an. old karaka tree standing near the boundary line between. Mr \Hoby's and Mr ,D. "Bishop's farms, commenced to dig in the latter's land. • About two feet be_k>w the surface they came upon a stone, the object of their search, which they took possession of and took back home .with th'em, together with other stories (found on Mr Hoby's' land. These stories have, of course, a history, and great value in the Natives'; eyes. They are ,said to he charmed fish stones, stolen very many years ago from rivers in the Patea district from the Native owners and 'brought up by another tribe. They were believed by the Natives to have the power of attracting fish in the rivers where they were placed. The spot where the first stone was found on Mr Bishop's land is the site of an old pa, and the ground did not appear to have been disturbed for many years. That the Natives valued it highly is evident from the fact that they afterwards sent . Mr Bishop a present of two handsome mats. Whether the tohunga was possessed in his sleep of a. sort of second or whether he had known at some time, and suddenly remembered, the spot -where the stones were buried, is hard to say; but tho "Taranaki 'Herald" gives the, story as it was received. '. i The Turkey didn't know she -was being ' made game "of "until the German Eagle' had her'bagged. iDdn't let John Hop'bag you TV hen you, can get ■ a lamp from Manks; 52 .Hardy-street, from 2s 6d. We have just landed a grand assortment 'of cycle arid,'motor lamp's, tyres, cycles, and sundries; all British. Repairs a speciality. Fifteen year./ experience at the trade'. *

A curious coincidence occurs, in the mayoral election for Duriedin this year —three candidates offering, and each of the three having two initials of the same letter repeated: S. £L [Myers, X J. J. Clark, and J. J. Marlow.

The Wellington-Brindisi despatch of 19th February ariived in London on 4th April.

The private dancing cldss he\A on Monday evenings in the Masonic Hall last winter, will recommence this winter season with a long night, starting on Monday, 12th inst. Proceeds are to be given to the Red -Cross Fund. Egyptian and Samoan curio's Will be on exhibition at the small charge of threepence.

Two mascots are being handed ovef to the sth Platoon, A Company, now ill camp at Trentham, one being a puppy of a terrier breed, and the other a black cat. Both belong to Private Clarke, of Auckland. A peculiarity with which the canine p«t is credited is, among other tricks, a capacity for smoking cigarettes.

The rifext cruise of the Melanesian Mission steairicr, the Southern Cross, will be commenced on April 16, when she will leave Auckland to follow her Usual itinerary : —Norfolk, New Hebrides, and Solomon Islands.

After leaving the theatre on. Saturday evening a Manurewa resident had some time to spend before catching his train home, says the "N.Z. Herald." He went into a city restaurant, and ordered some roast chicken. "When he had placed before him a plate containing chiefly potatoes and liam, he told the proprietor that when he ordered and paid for chicken he expected to 1 have more than two moathfuls" of that delicacy. An. argument followed, with heated words on both sides, culminating in the arrest of the theatregoer for the alleged use of obbCene language. < When the charge was heard i*i the Police Court thei'e was some uncertainty amongst the witnesses as to the exact words used, with the result that the charge was dismissed.- During the episode, the 'restaurant-keeper had' hiscoat torn, whilst the defendant's thumb J was injured, and these were held to . counterbalance each other.

The Telegraph Office advises that tfie Halifax-Bermuda ca'ble is interrupted: During- interruption Pacific traffic for the West Indies and British Guiana will ■be forwarded via Now York, Havana, or Key "West, at the following rates per word : —Antigua 5s Sd, Barbadoes 5s lOd, 'Bermuda 4s lQ£d, Domica 5s 3d, Grenada 5s 9d, Guadaloupe'tfs 2Jld, Jamaica 4s ±*orto Rico~ss 2d, St. Croix 6s 3£d, St. Ivitts 6s 9d, St. Lucia 5s 7d/ St. Thomas 6s o£d, St. Vincent 5s 7£d, Trinidad 6s lid,- Turk's Island 4s 4£d, British Guiana 8s 'For places in the "West Indies not 'mentioned above the rates remain unaltered.

Tenders have been accepted by the Defence Department for supplies for the reinforcement drafts to join the Expeditionary Force. In spite of the "reported activity of agents acting on behalf of the Commonwealth Government, or of Austialian contractors, ample supplies were offered at prices little if anything above those hitherto paid. Even for the woollen goods the prices have not advanced materially, although, as is well known, raw material has v risen considerably in price. The boot contracts went to Robert Hannah and Co., of Wellington, 1000 pairs .per month for 12 months, and to O'Brien and Co., ChTist-, church, 1250 pairs per month.

New Goods, -ex lonic: Wool- Shawlfe, -Clocked Hosiery, Table-top .Umbrellas, 'new Millinery, Millinery .Mounts. All smart," new goods, and marked at "old .prices.'—Trathen and Co. for best value. Is in-each £ Cash Discount.* ,

. A "Wellington ' Press Association, telegram jstates ,that Henry, Francis Smith, who .escaped from the prison: camp at Rotoairo in -February, was sentenced to 12 months', imprisonment to-day.

Arrived to-day! Another >lot of those Ladies' Tailored CostumesI—<lll 1 —<111 • samples —no two alike in the lot. All exclusive in cut, style,: and finish, 355, ,425, 60s, sps,5 p s, 655, and 76s each!— Auckland Clothing apd Drapery Co.* Costumes, Coats, Skirts! Another lot opened, ex s.s. lonic, to-day, at Trathen and Co.'s, the Special House for Ladies' Apparel. ~_'■_

A .Saturday, Splash- 'To-morrow 'we'll offer a whole lot more Ladies' Very Stylish Warm arrived ~ to-day. These are ail- samples—no "two alike, "17s 6d, 21s, 255, 355, 455,- and' 55s.—Auckland "Clothing and {Drapery Co.* . ~ ,

The half-yearly dividends of the. South British ' Insurance CoV ' afo now payable at the Co. '& office, -Traf algar-st. i. Just for 'Saturday! Boys' real 'dandy Jersey Suits —Cap, .and" 1 , Pants—in Brown, Navy, Grey," and CreanrjnEor 5s lid, 6s lid,' 7s lid; and 8s lid each. —Auckland Clothing and Drapery ut Co.*, ''' - , - ' ' '- .'","'"< Blankets, Eiderdown, Quilts; Sheetings, and Table Covers opened to-day. Come and inspect,'and you will stay'to buy.' Our values are .supreme. Is each jfi cash .' discount.—Trathen and Co., The Busy Drapers.* ■ > .

The correspondent of an .exchange states that delivery of the Union 'Steam Ship' Company's new vessel, Ao-te-roa, which is intended for the Canadian, mail service, is ' indefinitely postponed owing io the -war. The Admiralty arid the War Office have commandeered so, many "of the great engineering and shipbuilding works in the United Kingdom that many contracts for new merchant ships have been; suspended. The Union Company's new cargo ships, the Leitrim and Armagh, are also delayed. The Limerick, which was" commandeered by .the, Ge 7 vernment for transport early in'tjhe war, has now been released, and she is - almost* ready to leave for New Zealand, where she will shortly* be available as a meatcarrier." The Westmeath, which -was also taken tip early in the war, was released some' time ago.

To-morrow! We'll offer tho smartest and warmest Tweed Overcoats for Boys you ever saw, .mostly Double-breasted styles, with strap at back—for 8s lid, 9s Hd, 10s 6d, 12s 6d, 15s; and 17s 6d.—, Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.*

Sheetings at Trathen's! We sell goods of quality; that give satisfaction, and at prices that are surprisingly, low, Is in each £, cash discount.*