LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, 1 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A roll of men returning to New Zealand by the Corihthic has been received. There have been live deaths en route, those of Peni, Pineki. P-uh.i. Tineatama and Vaihola. Forty Nine Inlanders are returning.

With the possibility of a large deficit. and about £75,000 added to tiie working expenses, the railway authorities in Victoria (according to Australian papers to hand) have had to retrench, and it is stated that well over 2000 men have been discharged.

A. witness at the Shannon flax fire case at iPalmerston North Supreme Court estimated that it would cost- £l2 10s per acre to plant a- flax swamp, and from six to nine years would elapse before it had sufficiently matured to allow of a cut. being taken.

As a result of "trying out" a -whale, recently found on the Otaki beach, 11 56-gallou barrels- of oil have been secured, while much of the frame has been sold at a good price.

The Oamaru Egg Circle reports forwarding this week"767 dozen eggs, which is a record for this time of the year (says the, Mail). 'Last week's return was Is 9d per dozen, the highest price yet realised for a, July consignment.

According to a statement made to a reporter by a- leading settler in the Takapau district, there is every indication that the returned soldiers who recently took up landl there will "make a do of it." So far. he said, the season favours their efforts, and good lambing will ensure success.

From July 1. the Wellington Education Board has decided (says the Times) to add a -war bonus, amounting to per cent., to the Salaries of the office and building staffs, excluding that of the secretary of the board. The bonus is to remain "in operation until six months after the termination of the war.

Further contributions to the Belgian Day Finnfcl are 'acknowledged :—Westport D.'lL School (additional) £sl 13s. Jvaramea £7 Is 9d. Technical School (additional) 4s 6:1; total to date, £567 0s sd.

Shortlv before 7 o'clock on Saturday evening Mr J. Hardman, bootmaker, of Hardv"street, was savagely assaulted in a- right-of-wav off Collingwood street. Someone came no behind him. gripped him Tound the throat, and hit him several times in the fac:-. The assailant ripped out one of Mr Hard man's pockets. The object, of the assault evidently was robberm. but apparently the thief was unable'to carrv out his intention, as Mr Hardman afterwards found most of his inonev safe in another pocket. Mr Hardman was eonsiderablv knocked about and kst a great deal of' blood. _ The matter is in the hands of the police.

Captain , E-. Bower, of the steamer paparoa. which arrived in Melbourne recentlv from New York, by way of the Panama -Sanal, received a surpwse when he found, shortly after leaving Balboa, that he had on board 40 negro stowaways, for whom the Panama zone apparently had lost its charm. The Paparoa returned to port, and 40 crestfallen negroes, whose vision of a kinder country" bevond the sea had been sadly shattered, "were handed over to the authorities. ' Apparently the negroes had succeeded in stowing themselves away while the vessel was bunkering- Despite the search, it was found, after the vessel had left Balboa, that two negroes remained on board, and these were employed for the rest of the voyage. On account, of the dcarness of commodities and the low rate of wages to negroes, which is said to be an hour, the common desire is to leave the locality, and manv vessels have had similar experiences", though, as a sailor aptly commented, ''Forty was making it a bit too willing."

The orange ajv:l lemon trees in Mr Wilton's garden, Otaki (says the Otaki Mail) are just now a sight well worth seeing. There are several beautiful lemon trees" in full bearing, one having pome hundreds of fruit. in all stages of growth. The orange trees, though comparatively young-, are yielding a splendid crop, three or four tree having a good show of fruit, while one, planted only a few years ago, must have quite 100" oranges on. The oranges when quite ripe are of faia- size. and. though a little thick in the rind:, are sweet and of good flavour. These trees prove conclusively that oranges and' lemons can be grown successfully in "semi-tropical Otaki,' and. judging by Mr Wilton's orchard, should also 'prove remunerative.

Speaking to the Orphans' Club at -a very pleasant korero held in the Masonic "Mall, Wellington, on Saturday, says the New Zealand Times, the Governor, who is patron of the club, ventured to suggest that the New Zealand soldiers at the front were getting perhaps too much laudation —a sentiment that was echoed by his hearers. This tendency to lay too much stress on the deeds of the New Zealanders did not come from the soldiers themselves. He was sorroy Anzac Day had not been called Oailipoli Day, because the latter name would have embraced the British and French troops. (Hear, hear, and cheers. 1 The president (Rev. A. E. Hunt) said the praises of the New Zealanders did not. come from the trooos. Like the British Tommy, the New Zenland soldier was a. modest man. He hd-1 a letter from an Anzac who hadbwn motored round London by two ladies m high life, and afterwards entertained ;>t dinner. The soldier said it was wonderful the way they were being treatel; one would think they had done sornathing.

The organisation of the Army on the Western "front is just wonderful," writes Private H. G. Freeman, of the 9th Reinforcements, to his people in Wellington, says the Post. "Jt seems remarkable that men should receive, while in the front line of trenches, the same as they would receive anywhere in the world! The food is excellent. Move than: that, as soon as we come flown for our rest we are given a beautiful hot bath and a clean outfit of clothing." Private Freeman relates n queer and unpleasant experience which happened to himself and some members of his company. The town in which they were quartered was within reach of the Hun artillery, and one night they weve seated in a restaurant when "Fritz" "began to send over some "explosive, beggars." At first they did not take much notice, until one landed in the street outside. The proprietor was about to show the New Zealanders the <:pilar when the building was hit by a high explosive and the whole "caiboosh" came down on their heads. They tried to get outside, but found the door blocked. Accordingly the window was broken, and thev all'found their way, in rlonble.-nnick time, to a comparatively *afe cellar. "From what I have seen of this part of the world," he concludes, "the safest place to be in is the frontline trench."

The quantity of butter at the various Gazetted grading stores in the Dominion on 31st July Was 26,903 boxes. The total lust vear was 11.291 and the previous vear 22.644.—Pre5s Association.

At the Magistrate's Court thfs morning, before Mr J. S. Kv.-vi---. S.'M., judgment for plaiiibtf by :. was given i.s the following . . ' '"■ Sears iMr Harlev) v. JiLuirv L.....,>. . . ,aim £4 12s fad. costs' 10* : Eileen Hilda Jiogers (Mr Harlev) v. Yranei.- Robertson, claim £23 12s 6d. costs £1 lis.

■'The general public have a very wi'oncr impression of the infectious nature of tuberculosis." said Dr. Blackmore. superintendent of the Cashmere Consumption .Sanatorium, to a Christchureh News reporter. -'lt is, of course, infectious in a certain degree, but one would have to live with an infected person or be otherwise very closely associated with him to catch the disease. Some people treat an. inmate of this hospital as a sort of pariah, and this very mistaken idea has done our campaign much injury.*'