LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 4 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'Uie Helping Hand Shop will be open on Wednesday 'until 8 p.m. for receiving only. Donations of small jam jars will be welcome.

Lady Jellicoe at Manchester said the notion that the Fleet was twiddling its fingers was wrong. A lady -who sent .Sir John Jellicoe a ton of wool in order that the sailors could knit their own mufflers had tho wool returned witTi the intimation that the men were far too busy.

\\_nile motor cycling into town from the Maitai, on iSunday evening, .Mr W. W. Squires was thrown to the ground owing to his cycle skidding, breaking a small bone in an ankle. Mr Squires remounted his machine, and after going some distance, met a young man, who assisted him to town.

Fruit is cheap in Bunedin, and probably will be cheap right _ through the holidays (says the '"Star' ). In some .shops good bananas can be- bought for 40 per shilling. Too many were imported in t-ho last shipment, so the auctioneers stored them and they ripened all at once, and had to be sold at- low prices. The shipment of Calii'ornian apples also exceeded the demand. Buyers already had their stocks for Christmas, and tlie latter lot had to be sold at from 6s to 8s pet case wholesale, though a few cases of very choice brought as much as 14s. Other fruits are also plentiful, and very soon the apricots will be coming to hand from Central Otago. The licensee of the Murchison Hotel {Mr E. Snowdeii) has reported to the police that during the night of 25th December a hat box containing notes, cheques, gold and silver to the amount of £B9 17s was stolen from his . bedroom. A lady's handbag containing 17s was also taken from the same room.

A letter has been' received by Mr W. W. Snodgrass from Trooper Schapp, written from the New Zealand Mounted Brigade Headquarters, Lemnos Rest Camp, on 3rd November, from which the following extracts are taken: —"Oil behalf of the Nelson 'boys here I wish to express heartfelt thanks for the nice useful gifts we have been receiving from the people of Nelson and district. The money came in very useful for buying little extra stores. We are not living like soldiers as yet, but more like a- picnic party on Taliuna beach. . . W® are all in good spirits and keen to have a dig at old John Turk or anything in the way of poultry or German, sausages. I feel sure we will keep tip the goodname of the New Zealanders "who have gone before. We have been undergoing rigorous training since we landed, and are well fit now for the Huns."

A risky attempt to swdm from Eastbourne to Ward Island, in Wellington Harbour, on Christmas came very close to ending disastrously to the swimmer. As far as can be ascertained, says the "Post," -an Eastbourne resident set out early on Saturday morning on the long swim from the Bay to Ward Island, and after a considerable time arrived at his destination. After a rest on t-h© island he commenced the return journey, but when midway bet-ween the island and the shore he apparently got into difficulties. Noticing has plight a- number of Eastmourne residents' gave the alarm, and the ferry steamer Duchess l immediately proceeded to .the respne. However her services were not required, as tho exhausted swimmer had been taken aboard a rowing boat-, the occupants :cf which had noticed his predica- 1 ment.

An interesting st6rv comes from oft'e of -the military camps in the North; Island. The representative of the Salvation Army in the camp in question* had so endeared himself to the men. chiefly through 'his unselfishness and fraternal interest in them, that the attendance at his daily services increased fromabout 30 to some 400 to 500. Some little time before t-he< due date for embarkation a- rumour spread through the camp that the officer in question would npit accompany the battalion abroad, as the attested- number of men of his denomination therein was, insufficient , to justify his appointment as a chaplain. For some few' days following men of the various platoons were asking for it.tecviews with their commanding officers, and in nearly every case the same story was told : —"Sir, I find that I made a mistake in stating my religious denomination, I said that I belonged to 1 such and such a body, 'but I am really a Salvationist." When the various 'officers compared- notes it was found' that a'bout 400 rank and- file had made -the same mistake.

' Prior to his departure for London by the R.M.S. Omrah, on the 22n c j, inst., Mr Andrew Fisher, High Commissionerdesignato for Australia, was accorded; a farewell by a representative gathering of citizens in the Melbourne Town Hall. Both sides of politics were\ represented, and in responding to a toast in his honour, Mr Fisher said that before leaving Australia he -wished to say-that he 'was disappointed in -that country -in one respect. Over 30 years ago., when he had first arrived in Australia, he had- .travelled from' State to State, and at all the borders he had been bundled out of. one train, and all hii' luggage had been searched. In 30 years great progress had been made. Passengers were still bundled out of their trains—but their luggage was no longer searched (Laughter.) He hoped that, in another 30 years, passengers would be able to run straight through.

The purchase of Native lands by the Crown is being steadily proceeded with, sadd the Hon,. W. H: Hemes, Minister of Native Affairs,, at Auckland on Saturday. The Government has to inake purchases of _ land in the. Tailmarunui township, and. had completed 'negotiations for a block owned by the Bell family. After the holidays it was intended to call meetings of the owners to ascertain whether they are willing to sell further blocks of land. The purchase had also been recently completed, continued the Minister, of one section of the Kaarae Block, near Hoicianga, and offers had been made to the Native owners to purchase the remainder. This land was all leased to Europeans, who, if it was purchased, would be able to obtain the freehold of their sections at the cost of the land to the Crown. Pnrchasps of v the interests of Natives in theITreera Country were being steadily proceeded with, added, the Minister, and several blocks •which were being purchased in the King Country would, when the negotiations were completed, 'be declared Crown lands.

! A scheme is at present being developed in' Australia for the organiSatioiii of members of the Pharmaceutical Society for patriotic service on similar lines to the organisation of dentists and, masseurs, with establishments of officers and staff-sergeant-majors. Comimissioned officers will' be given positions ;in the large- hospitals, while staff-ser-geant rank will >be given to those in 'the field, where the dispensing -work" is not so heavy. Each stationary hosoital, both in- the Commonwealth and in Egypt will have one pharmacist, with the rank iof lieutenant, assisted by staff-sergeant-•majors as dispensers. In addition, there Hvil.l be a senior .pharmacist in each 'distract, with the .rank of captain, who "will be by the Pharmaceutical Go■cie£y of the district.- His .duties will include the supervision of the appointments of the members of his corps within his own military , district. Approval has been given< to the scheme"" by the Minister of Defence (Senator Peaice),

The year 1915 may be classed as one of the dry years in Wellington. April was the driest month. but in ten j months the rainfall recorded was below the average for those months over a period of sixty years. The total rainfall for the year was 27.83 in., while the average for Wellington Ls 49.60. — Press Association .

The "Windsor Magazine" for December received from Messrs J. K. Hounsell and Co.'s is a very readable number. Notable contributions are :—"ln the Balkans," by Sir Alfred- Sharpe, K.C.M.G. ; "The Australian Force in Egypt." by N. Hadden ; "Tobacco and Cigarettes for the Men at the Front," by William Henry Beable.

Has the much-lamented Pelorus .Jack been superseded? asks the "Post.'' There may be considerable doubt on this point, though the fact remains that travellers across the Strait of late have been attracted by the friendliness of five—.not "Pelorus Jacks"—bub apparently ordinary porpoises. To-day a gentleman, who was a -passenger by the Ivaitpa on her last run across front Nelson, called at this office and made an interesting statement regarding the strange fish. The' ICaitoa left Nelson at 8 o'clock on Tuesday night, and at 9.30 the passengers noticed three porpoises at the bow of the ship. The number w r as later increased to five, and) it is stated they were just like Pelorus Jack in appearance. The strangers kept pace with the Kaitoai for a considerable distance, and were the cause of no little comment and speculation.

A charming trip overland is from Christ church to Nelson. This was a journey thatw as made by bicycle in the holidays by an ex-Wellington College boy, now living in -Christchurch, says the "Post." His account of the trip makes interesting reading. He startedfrom. C-hristchurch at 9. p.m., intending to push, on and overtake a frietnd at Waiau, and with the aid of a friendly motorist, he reached Woodend, and camped in. the fields for* the first night. Next morning the journey was continued through the W«ka Pass, down hill through Waikari, past the flooded Huruhui and on to Waiau. Rain 'by this time had ipade the roads very hard going, and it was a tiring trip on to Conway. Better progress was made next day on the. good roads, to s Kailcoura, and glimpses were obtained of tha beautiful bush in the neighbourhood of Clareiice Bridge. Kainui was the next stage in the journey. Blenheim to Havelock was accomplished without discomfort, and- the;next day the cyclist, despite tyre troubles, had a most delightful trip through country which is mostly bush-clad. . Altogether the . experiences of the trip were worth while. Great hospitality was met with on the road, and the traveller's only regret was that he had- no camera with him to make a permanent record- of the 'beauties of •the route.

Our premise will b& open for busines.. all day . 'to-morrow :( Wednesday).— Tratlieii and Co.*