LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 14 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The rvelson City Council will meet this evening, when it will have <i month's business to deal with.

..An invitation to attend the picture-, entertainment ■at the Empire Theatre on Wednesday next lias ibeen extended by Mr. H. Saunders to all returned soldiers. As there will be a gathering of the returned men on that day, the kind otter will, doubtless be widely accepted.

A number of cyclists who had ridden at night without lights were before th» Court tins morning. The Magistrate, Mr J. S. Evans, repeated his warning that offenders would be heavily fined, and imposed an all-round penalty of £2. the' only exception being a lad of 15, in whose case the fine was' made £l.

"This firm, dees not employ single men eligible for service who have not enlisted." (Placards bearing these words have been distributed by the Nelson .Recruiting Committee, and are , now appearing in shop windows.

The estates of 301 deceased persons wore assessed for stamp duty during the month of December, the- largest being that of John Speedy (Hawke's Bay), £62,417. The Nelso'h estates were:— George Lines £6798; Edward Fry £3005 ; William Christian £2lo4.—Press Association. N '

In connection with the periodical changes in the Salvation Army field staff, the following appointments are officially announced : —Wellington city, Adjutant Bear and Captain Podmore (assist); Christehurch, "Adjutant Avenell; Newton), Adjutant Middlemiss : Sydenham, Adjutant Lord; Gisborne, Adjutant Sansom; Ashburton, Adjutant Wain; Hastings, Adjutant. Armstrong; Invercargill, Adjutant , Marshall; Wellington South, Adjutant Walker; Fe'ilding, Adjutant Rimmer; Petone, Adjutant Parsons; Wanganui, Adjutant Hughson; Dannevirke, Adjutant Simpson; Rangiora, Adjutant Buttimore; Thames. > Adjutant Rudd ; Whangarei, Adjutant O'Hara; Onehunga, Ensign Bfodie; Waimate, Ensign Larsen ; Blenheim, Captain Charker; Nelson, Cap-' tain Ransom; Eden, Adjutant Atkinson; Brooklyn, Captain Lee. Further promotions are announced as follow: — Ensign Seaman , and Herring to adjutant; Captain 'Wheeler,, to ensign;, and the following lieutenants to be captains: —Thos. Mattingley, Bessie/ . Harford. Robt. Pullin, Jessie Rennie, Mabel Marshall, Ruby Brown, and Isabella Cunningham .

An instance of rapid promotion of a New Zealander is mentioned in a letter received from a correspondent in England (says the 'Otago Daily. Times"'). The New Zealander is? Major F. R. M'Mahon, R.E., who hails from Wellington, but is well-known in .Cromwell; and was a, student in the 'Otago School of Mines some' years ago. He enlisted as a trooper in King Edward's Horse, but in January last, before that regiment went to the- front,' he obtained a commission in an infantry regiment, this was followed in May last by a transfer, with a captaincy, to ■ the Royal Engineers, in which corps he secured his majority in' October.

"The munition factories in Canada are working at very high-pressure, just now," said- ;Mr, Adam 'Watson, a passenger from Canada, who arrived4n Auckland by* the Makura the other day. "Factories which before the war were manufacturing, agricultural implements, ..are now turning out munitions as fast as they can be made. Most of these factories are being operated 24 hours a day, and some of the expert mechanics employed in them are earning tip to 100 dollars a week. The ■factories were originally making empty shell-cases only, but they are now turning'out huge quantities of loaded shells, ready in every respect for the guns."

Ladies' Knitted Silk Sports Coats, usually 23s 6d and 53s 6d. Sacrifice price/all 9s lid, at Tvathen's Sale tomorrow.* , Japanese Dressing Gowns in Oriental and plain colours. Sale prices from 5s 6d. —Trathen's Sal?, to-morrow.*

Speaking .before a ci-Swded congregation in 'the Caversham Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening on. the' subject of "The Bed Cross .hi War -Time." Chaplain-Major JDutton naturally made reference to the splendid work; .of the Maheno. He stated that the vessel was a very fast one, and .in the-cohve'jance of men to Malta or. Alexandria, she could accomplish three trips, as against two by almost any other vessel. It was thus possible to transfer the men very "quickly to one or other, of the base hospitals, and, 'in the meantime, -their patients were under the very best auspices that could be conceived. If ; the people of New Zealand ;could only realise what the Maheno had done for the lads of Anzac. they would -feel proud that they had helped to send the ship on such a mission of mercy and., helpfulness. What had 'been done, was .really wonderful, and it "was: not surprising .to hear a }ad fervently- exclaim, when brought on board :--"Oh, , this is heaven!" The gratitude of the- men,"to the whole staff of the) ship'knew no bounds, and everyone ' who left the vessel for' a has©' hospital did -so with great, regret. Regarding his .own. duties and. activities, the speaker ,was silent >(says the VOtago Daily. Times"), but more than once his voice- took on a deeper'tone of- emotion, and- a look appeared, on '• his ' face that gave a momentary glimpse of the kindly, and sympathetic yean in'his'nature that must have comforted many a sick and ; wounded soldier.

There' w'iJl be some startling bargains at Tratheh's Sale, to-morrow. White Pique: Costumes at half-prices. Ladies' Dresses, ready to put .on, from 4s 3 Id.*

Ladies' White Piqtie -Costumes,' perfectly new .fresh goods, originally 32s 6d ; now half-price, 16s 3d.—Trathen's Sale.*

Statistics regarding ,the population of Oamaru are puzzling .(says the Oamaru I "Mail"). Every year, on. the .average ,of the 'past eight years, 25 houses are built. None remain empty. Those 'in search of a house to let know' how true tlrfs'is. ; Yet the census returns and the official .estimates, upon which the percentage of births, death, etc., • is reckoned,' remain officially stationary. If any variation is'made, to preserve &\\ air of verisimilitude' 'for' appearance's sake, it is retrograde. The figures for 1909 are 5257. The census returns for 1911 show the be 5152. The estimated population in 1913 (for purposes of percentage returns, ibased on the number «f houses inhabited) was 5560. It will be interesting to compare the figures for the next census with these. Certainly it."seems that in the oast the census returns have been scarcely accurate.' , A large - proportion' of. young men maV leave- Oamaru yearly for the North/Island and further afield,, but most-of them ■ return, and, inany case, -their ■ numbers are offset Iby' the increase through' the number of .those who annually marry and' settle' in the town . An anomaly certainly exists between official estimates and thei census..

It's Bargain Day & Trathen's Sale tomorrow. Many oddments will be sold at absurdly low prices. "Just fancy a-White Pique Costume; finished 'in the {latest style for 16s 3d !* At Half J P'rice"to-mon l o\v'onlv. Trathen and Co. -will offer their whole stock of charming new Voile .D'resses at exactly half-price.* , - ,

There has been a boom in recruiting in the Nelson military district during the ■past few days, •40 enlistments having been made since Tuesday. Thirteen of this numher were received on Tuesday morning. Attention is called to the notice vb Telephone Exchange connections for which subscriptions are unpaid at noon on : January. 15th. .' A Canterbury -firm has, and has had since last winter, 30.000 sheep grazing in .Southland. Having spent the whok* of last winter there, their owner was expecting to send, them. North in the spring, but they have been shorn there, and from all appearances will be killed there. L'ast week a- Waimatc grazier sent 100 headr of cattle., described as genuine stores, by road from Waima-te to Southland. ' Tliese desperate measures tell better than any number of words the dearth of feed' in Canterbury and North Otago. Mr J. E. Koimsell, Treasurer of the Nelson Volunteer Fire Brigade, has received a letter' from .Mr C. B. Harley conveying his sincere thanks to tho members of the Brigade for their valuable services rendered on the occasion of the late- fire at his stables, and; enclosing a cheque for '£s towards their Recreation Fund. Recruiting canvassers may be advised to obtain a full view of thoso upon •whom they are exerting their persuasive powers.' The other day a canvasser talked to a youth in a Glasgow office across a hroad hijjh counter. JVfter five minutes he decided the youth was a shirker whose case demanded a frank rebuke. At the end of another five minutes the youth was apparently brought to reason. "Very -well," he said reluctantly, "you ■have put straight to tme. I'll offer myself this very night if you' really think they will "takei a strong healthy man of 28 with a wooden log."

"I want to urge the young- men who are still in New- Zealand, and who aro able to '.fight; to come._alon£ and show that they are not going to be cowaTds all their lives," writes a trooper of the Ota.go Mounted Rifles, who left with the main 'body. ''After thp boys who are •fighting here now return the shirkers will not- get a look-in. livery able-bodied single man ought to be in the trencher, and at is <a disgrace to th 4 young- fellows to see so many married men enlisting and coming to the front- When one looks into the trenches, and sees so manji married men it makes one wonder where all the single men are. When in hospital E met an Australian about 48 years of age, who was doubled up with rheumatism and grey in the hair. He was a married man, and told me that he only joined the colours' to shame some of the young fellows! in - the district he comes from"When a man of his age has to enlist to shame single men. it- is time that conscription came in "

I Soft deposits of carbonate of lime have been discovered at Flax bourne, .principally on Mr A. Thompson's property, and there is a probability of their provJ I ing a valuable source of supply for the farmers of" "Marlborough. The question of developing them.. was discussed with, 'much' interest at the meeting of the 'Farmers' Union held at Blenheim onSaturdayv iMr Aston and Mr M'Taggart, of the Agricultural Department, and Mr Morgan, of the Geological [Department, have interested themselves in tlie matter, and the result,is that soft deposits were found underground. A sample was taken, and on a rough test it showed a' quality of 80 per cent. A more exact analysis is being madej and will be published in the "Agricultural Journal." Acting on the advice of the Department, Mr Thompson cancelled his oi'der for a rockcrusher; and Qie is now opening up the soft deposits in the hope that they will prove to be'of sufficient extent and valueto serve the requirements of the general body of farmers. ' The matter of approaching the Railway Department in regard to the -carriage.of lime and otherwise assisting Mr Thompson in connection with the development of the lime deposits has 'been left to the chairman, of the union. . - ' , •. " ', ■

In-replying to the Toast of Parliament at the Wellington Tramways' -farewell to departing members - for the front, the Hon. James Allen'(Minister for Defence) said that inlits National Parliament' NW Zealand, had something that was unique in the history of the -world. The National Cabinet had fgot on well, arid he hoped it was giving-satisfaction to the people of New .Zealand. Its task' was not a-n easy one, -and no doubt it had. made mistakes, and, it .-was "possible the Government would -rectify them. It was a time for forbearance, for we-all had" in view the .same object—to bring the war to a successful issue.' (Applance) It was not a*time to make comparisons, but the 'task we had to set ourselves was to do the,best we could in regard to our - resources, brains, and money, and he was confident that when, the history of .the war came to bo writtln it .would be a proud one for New Zealand to read. (Applause.) It was .not for him -to say.whether the men were well trained, but every- communication he, had received- from - the*- front went to show that, they were. In fact, he ; had received one message from the lofFicer commanding, in which it had-been stat-' ed that the New' Zealanders were wanted straight at the front, so that their training would not "be spoiled iaJEgypt., (Laughter and- applause.) ,- Britain was out to win. It was like the British people to be unready at a critical moI ment, but it was like .them to pxit their (shoulders to the wheel with a strong determination to win. - A i*elic of the past in tho form of a .sheep*'.washing battery has just been added, "to the Invercargill s .museum by the-" Hon. DDt. iMiNflib. This was the invention" of Mr John M'Queen, a- prominejit member of the- Farmers' Union jjsay.s the "Southland Times"). In the early days-it, appeal's to have been the custom -.with' the larger .runholders io scour tlie -wool on the sheep's 'back. The water was t heated in- huge '4OO-gallon boilers, soap was mixed with it, and when it Vas about 100 degrees a platform containing, about eight sheep was lowered' into the liquid, and the animals thoroughly, /soaked' in the soapy liquid. They' were then hoisted out of one receptacle into another, and 'finally each sheep was- lowered through the rinsing battery,'and received the -final washing ,frpm a double circular jet which played 1 all round the animal as he was lowered through it. The sheep were then turned out- into a clean paddock for three days and then shorn. In order to keep down the dust ouised by the trampling feet of so many thousands of sheep a man ' waskept busy, all» day watering the gateways and around! the yards. Mr M'Queen 'tells ,of one clip that was disposed of for 2s 6d per lb, which is enough to make present-day sheep farmers turn green, with envy.

Don't forget "to-morrow only, beautiful ready-to-wear Voile perfectly' fresh, new goods, all at half-.nrice. — Trathen's.Sale.* . Extra Special reductions at Trathen's Sale to-morrow. Ladies' readyi-to-wear Dresses, clearing prices 4s lid, 7s lid. 9s IW, 12s lid.* Tested in thonsa.nds of kitchens.— SHARTjAND'S Baking Powder has neyev failed to rise. Costs less than ja tliers—worth more^.