LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, 7 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It has been decided that the Postal Department will accept War Loan Certificates from holders for safe custody until' the date of maturity. Arrangements can now be made c|y> the public at the Post Office Savings Bank, Nelson, and 1 at the country- money-order and savings banks in a few days' time.

'The coastal steamer Tasman, which ran on the rocks near the entrance to Whakatane last week, says the Auckland Herald','- returned to Auckland on Sunday last. The vessel was placed on the slip yesterday/ morning (September 4th), and on an examination being imade it was ascertained that she has suffered very littl'e damage as the result of the mishap. A portion of the keel is stripped and splintered, -but practically no harm lias been done to the hull.

and vigour in the crowd have mighty little sympathy with the frailty of age (says the Sun). Last Saturday night week an old and crippled woman stood for hours on the Lyttelton wharf, lost amid the turmoil of the hurried departure of holiday-makers. She wanted to go to Wellington, but couldn't get on board the Maori, and in all the crowd there wasn't one who would risk his chance of getting away by giving a little help to this old woman. Her occasional appeals merely seemed to keep her struggling under her burden of parcels from one "gangway to another. Finally the Maori sailed, and the old lady was still waiting despairingly on the wharf. _ She endeavoured to get" on the Monowai, but was unsuccessful until Captain Drewette became aware of her plight. Then the captain on the Monowai saw to it that all the race-followers in the world were not going to stop a neglected old woman from getting a passage on his ship.

A shipping 1 arrival at Auckland the other morning, says the Herald, was> the Union Company's large cargo steamer Waikawa, which came from Sari Francisco direct after an uneventful* voyacre of 21 days 17 hours. The Waikawa is making her second visit to this port in the Pacific Silope trade. The vessel was formerly known as the Schlesien, Was owned by the North German Lloyd Steams-hip Company,, and' before the war was engaged in the cargo trade between Hamburg and Australian -ports. It is understood that the Waikawa was one of the first, enemy merchant ships captured by the Allies a few -weekls after the outbreak of the war. The vessel was then steamirag up the English Channel bound to Hamburg -with a valuable cargo of merchandiscTfrom' Australian and Eastern ports. She was escorted to Falmouth, and,, after being employed by a British shipping firm for some time, was subsequently acquired bj*- the Union Steamship 'Company.

"We had a fair number of Expeditionary Force Reserve enrolment cards in our mail this morning!,''' said Mr Malcolm Fraser (the Government Statistician) to a Times representative yesterday. "There were also a- large number of notifications of changes of address, and some 15,000 to 20,000 applications for certificates of enrolment. "Strangely enough the'first enrolment card) I opened this morning contained neither, address nor signature, though the remainder of the card 1 had ■been°duly 'filled up. 'The absent-minded beggar*—as Rudyard Kapling would doubtless -call him—who forgot to state his name and address -was a seaman by ■calling; and, though ashore when he filled \ip the card was, evidently, somewhat 'at sea.' Although we printed 250.000 forms of amplication for certificates of ' enrolment! <cc-n.tiiitied Mr Fraser) we have had to order another 75,000. There cannot be more than about 200.030 wanted, but already 250,000 have been absorbed'. Of course it is impossible to tell what the demand for these forms may ibc at .the various post offices, andi it is necessary to "have a sufficient quantity on hand at each."

Sydney ' doctors are showing interest in the progress of a case which is under the control of one of the foremost surgeons of that city. His task involves the restoration of the hose of a railwayman, George Cox, who, over twelve months ago, was the victim of a burning accident. The first operation necessitate ed a long flap of skin being cut, and raised from the front of the abdomen, and with the two ends still joined to the body, the patient's arm was placed under the flap, and the skin allowed to grow on to his arm. After the arm had been kept in this position for a month, the skin flap was cut from the abdomen, and the arm was attached to the forehead on a spot which had been prepared by the surgeon's knife. The flap on the arm soon secured a good grip on to the forehead, the purpose of the second operation- being to allow the skin and flesh, which is now of some size, to contract and become more dense. The flap has had a further 18 weeks to continue its growth, "but the patient, always with his arm drawn tightly to his forehead, has now reached a stage which will decide the success for which all this preparation has been made. Within the next week or so the flap of skin will be cut from the forehead, and will be fashioned over the nose. Only the surgeon knows how the nose is to be given shape, but the result of the operation is awaited with interest by the public, as well as by the medical profession.

The Returned' Soldiers' Association will hold a diance on Monday, the 11th inst., in add of Princess Bluebell.

A dance will-be held in the Oddfellows' '/Halll, Wakefield, on) Friday, the 15th inst., in aid of the Tobacco Fund.

Dv Weeks will give a special address in the Holy Trinity Church, Richmond to-nisrht at! 7.30 o'clock, his subject being "The Life Victorious."

A final reminder- is given of the school concert to bo held in the Stoke Public Halll at 8 p.m. sharp this evening.. A very fine programme has 'been prepared, and an enjoyaiblc evening is assured.

The third term at the Nelson Colleges will commence next ■week), as advertised.

Owing to the war great difficulty is being experienced' in securing supplies of vßmtislu China, but we have 'been fortunate in securing delivery of "a good supply, and have now bper.ed ur> a fine range ex. s.s. Devon. See advertisement.—iß. Snodigrass and 'Sons, Staffordshire House.

A fire occurred at Richmond early on Mondav; morning, in a building detached from the residence of Mrs H. Sutton, in Hill street. The Fire Brigade promptly turned out, and by their efforts succeeded in confining the fire to the detached rooms. There was no insurance on t'he building destroyed no; .n r. large quantity of furniture, etc., 'therein.

In connection with the Bev. Val. Trigge's mission an open-air demonstration "will! take place to-night, to be followed bv an evangelistic address in t'he •Oburch." An "Old Folks at Home" will :be held in the School Hall to-morrow afternoon. This will be of an especially interesting nature. On Sunday afternoon a 'patriotic ineetiing will be held: in the Theatre Roval at 3 o'clock, when the Rev. Val. Trigge will speak, on "'The Religious Aspect of the War." Musical item" will be rendered 1 , and the chair wi.J be taken bv Mr T. ,A; H. Field, M.P. A collection in aid of the local Patriotic Funds will !be taken up.

At the invitation of the members of the Nelson Baptist Church Choir, a large number of friends assembled in the schoolroom last evening. The Pev. W. Lambert presided, and on behalf of the Choir welcomed the guests. A well arranged musical and elocutionary programme was rendered, and was appreciatively received by the audience. The following ladies aiid men contributed items-.—Misses Pitt (2), Brads-haw, R'owe, Cheal, Chapman, Mesdames Edmondson, Emmett, W. Hockey, Messrs Emmett and Newton. The Choir also contributed several items. At the close of the programme refreshments were partaken of. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Choir for having provided a pleasant evening, and the wish was generally expressed that the Choir would again' entertain their friends at an' early date.

News was received from Blenheim this morning' of the death of Mrs L. Collier, formerk of Nelson. As Miss Jennie "Smith, "the late Mirs CoMier was wellknown 'in Nelson, where, for many years sQie'was a verv popular and active worker in.•'connection ■with St. John's Church and choir. Mrs Collier leaves two young children, the youngest being ten days' old.-' 'Sincere sympathy will) be extended to'/"Mr Collier and to *he bereaved relatives in Nelson.

The Seaward Downs correspondent of the Wyndham Farmer gives particulars of a terrific electrical storm which recently passed over a short compass of soa.ee in that locality. After the lightning and thunder, the storm rushed with great force between two posts of a fence situated about three chains from the homestead of Mrs M'Kenzie. Both posts were shattered, iust as though a charge of blasting powder had been fired into them, and chips of wood were found fully two chains away—all in one direction' proving that the force had been in a S.W. to N.E. direction. The severed wires (five) of the fence gave the appearance of having passed through a furnace,, the top barb especially so, nine feet of it having absolutely disappeared ; and from the appearance of what remained it would appear that that particular piece had been completely melted. A co\vple of calves sheltering about two chains along the fence were killed. The lightning appeared to have travelled along the fence in both directions,* and was easily traceable by the burned appearance of the wire. Mr Robert M'Call had a valuable cow killed. The animal's neck and both forelegs seemed to have I been broken, but no marks were discerm-j-ble." '

Interviewed bv a New Zealand Herald reporter on his return by the Arawa, Dr Marshall Macdonald, who spent twelve months on the staff of a "French military hospital at the front, stated that the French medical service was not well organised at the beginning of the war. Since then, however, the service has become highly efficient. All the doctors in France have been mobilised, and a large number of public I buildings; colleges, and schools have Been transformed into hospitals. Every : facility is provided for the proper and careful treatment of the wounded. Severe cases can be attended to within easy reach of the firing line. The hospital trains carry medical officers, and are fully equipped with operating theatres and surgical appliances.. Every railVay station is a Red Cross depot, and well-stocked- canteens supply the need of tfye men passing through. France was divided into 20 military districts, and the chief of each district had special medical services, including surgery, bacteriology, neurology, infectious diseases, and eye, ear, and throat work. Little trouble was being experienced with infectious diseases. The French medical service was conducted efficiently and economically.

A Napier resident, who was bbr.n elsewhere than dn the land of where Burns, heather, kilts, haggis, and other things hail from., 'patronised' <the Red 'Cross shop on Scotch, Day (says the Hawke's Bay Herald). There 'he foundi many pounds o-f. haggis for sale, and l , heing in a venturesome frame of mind, purchased a pound or two. He proudly conveyed the unusual edible to has wife, and next day 'it occupied a prominent place on the 'dinner table. When the haggis had; been 'served round , and the fh"st mouthful •taken,: the assembled' faces' assumed a very disappointed look. No one took a second mouthful, andl later the haggis was placed at 'the drisposal of -the feathered < occupants of the fowlhouse. Next day the disappointed' haggis buyer inform ed a Scotch friend! that he did not ! think onuch of haggis as a dish. The fi'iend madle a few inquiries', in which he learnt that the haggis 'buyer had thought cookSng was not necessary, and had placed it on the table, raw. He had looked on it as another species of 'black pudding or Germain sausage.

At first believed to 'be a new minor planet, a faint object discovered by the director of the Heidelberg Observatory in the constellation of Virgo in April turns out to be a comet, and one with a very promising future (says the London Daily Chronicle). For a provisional computation of its orbit shows that it is now more than 400,000,000 miles from the earth, and not due to make its nearest approach to the sun until June next. In all probability, therefore, it will later on become quite a conspicuous object in the sky as it nears both the earth and sun, and—as is the habit of all wellbehaved comets—develops the tail, which is the essential characteristic of comets when they approach the perihelion of their orbits. It is rarely that a comet is located so far from the sun, and most of those discovered so long before perihelion have come "within naked-eye visibiliboth 'before and after their perihelaft. The news of the discovers- of this comet has been circulated to the -world's astronomers from the Danish Roval Observatory at Copenhagen, which is now the recognised headquarters of international astronomy. Before, the Avar the German naval observatory at Kiel, was the international astronomical "clearing-house," but the effective isolation of Germany N by the allied blockade made its continuance at Kiel impossible, and it was taken over by Denmark, in which country it originated nearly a century ago .

Nelson is renowned far and near for its orchards, 'but travellers to Nelson last week were amazed l to find one right in the ""Centre of Hardy-street. It is a, fact. In Messrs Johanson and Cb.'s window at the present time is an orchard in. full bearintr with a, spring croo of StrawHats for Men and Boys. Visitors and others would do well to inspect this fine display. The crop can be 'sampled' for a- consideration..*

The Lady Liverpool Fund gifts "will be packed to-morrow (Friday) from 10 a.m. to 12 and. 2 p.m. to 5.

Mr J, B. Finlay, secretary of the St. John Amulance Association, Wellington Centre, will deliver an address at. the Citv Council Chambers this evening, his subject being' "The Story of St. John Ambulance and Red Cross "Work on all the Fronts." The Mayor (Mr C. J. Harlcy) will preside. Admission will he free.

There will be a dance and social atthe Mental Hospital on Tuesday, the 12th inst., in aid of Princess Rose (Miss Betty Humphries), one of the candidates for the Flower Queen election in aid of Christmas gifts for our solGiers.

There are to be harbour excursions on Saturday, the Qth inst., at the Port, and they promise to .be a great success. The proceeds will go to augment the Christmas Gifts for Soldiers' Fund, in conjunction with the Daffodil Day effort. A large number of motor launches have been kindly placed at the disposal of the committee for the 'purpose of harbour excursions. Afternoon tea wiill ibe dispensed in the Rowing Club's shedi. Peanuts, cordials, lollies, etc., will he on sale for the children. The. whole of the harbour arrangements are under the supervision of Captain Collins and staff.

The Germans have assumed control of the areas planted -with early potatoes in Belgium, which, says the Gardeners' Chronicle, was considered to be a preparatory measure to tihe confiscation of the crop. We now learn tlhat German agents have been endeavouring to' buy the whole crop of earlyi potatoes in Holland. The growers were summoned) to a meeting, where they were asked! to accept the German proposal, .but unanithey refused to do so., Great i satisfaction is shown iby the leading m •Butch market gardeners, audi D© Tuinbouw, the official organ of the Netherlands Horticultural Council, congratulates the growers on the action they have taken. According to this paper, any, other decision was inconceivable, and would lhave been a distinct 'broach of neutrality.

Owing to the increased cost of winea, spirits, and imported ales, the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association _ hasmade an alteration in the retail prices, | and on Saturday a new price-list was I issued. The beverages principally af- ! fected (states the New Zealand Herald) are liqueurs, three star brandy, brandy and'port wine, and stout and port wine, the prices of which have been increased from 6d to 9d per glass. Bottled whisky and brandy show an all-round increase of 6d per bottle, but whisky sold over the counter is still retailed at~6d per glass, the publican reserving the right to measure the liquor, a quarter gill to be supplied, in sucli case. Customers vhaving dry ginger ale or any kind of mineral water with the whisky will he charged 3d extra. No increase has been made in the price of colonial bottled beer, but the price of the imported-bot-•tled ales has been raised from Is 6d to 2s. It is expected that there will be a further rise in prices in about a-month's time.

The Dunedin correspondent of the Christchurch Press telegraphs:— Japan : is rapidly building up an export trade with New Zealand, and is supplying many lines hitherto "Made in Germany." One softgoods firm in Dunedin recently imported no fewer than 100 cases of goods from Japan, whose agents are particularly eager to secure business m New Zealand. Merchants say, however, that the extent of Japan's trade is not at all alarming ; dndi : certainly>not detrir. mental to the Mother Country. Tapan is hitting Germany. America .is also doing great business" with .New Zealand, but not quite to -the enormous extent that she enjoyed in the first year of the war. ■' '■

lii ■announcing that during, the last five years the Auckland City Council •had spent no less than £225,000 in the provision of permanent street paving, Mr J- H. Gunson remarked at the meeting of Epsomi .ratepayers, held, on Monday that some people were hard to satisfy. If they looked hack and considered the state of our main- city streets a few years ago, they might realise what had been done. These people were d:s 3 posed to compilain now if. they had to step off asphalt, wood hlocks or concrete on to ordinary roads. " It would; be obvious to those present:that to treat long stretches of roadhvifch these preparations was not a working business _ proposition. Despite what had been said to the contrary, the city hadl progressed during the 'last five years along nent lines', spending" its money wisely and well. (Applause.)

Probably one of the most cheerful men aboard the steamer , Arawa, winch arrived at Auckland, with returned . soldiers on Sunday (says the Auckland. Herald), was Sergeant W. Woods, of the 10th North Otago Infantry, who was blinded in both eyes by a bullet man engagement at Gallipoli aibout 10th May, 1915. His spirit was undaunted by the terrible injury'he received. He proceeded to Great 'Britain and entered the home for blinded soldiers at St. Dunstan's, Regent's Park, which is under the management of Sir Arthur Pearson. Sergeant Woods here became-an expert masseur,, and now holds the certificate of- the Incorporated 1 Society of 'Trained Masseurs, the highest distinction obtainable in the profession. He later spent six months in the Middlesex Hospital, and is now a qualified masseur. "Woodsey," as he is affectionately called by his returned comrades, won the hearts of all on hoard by his cheerful spirits, and his work as a masseur was specially , commended by Dr Marshall Macdonald, the medical officer in charge. Throughout tho voyage he had 12 patients, who are •now well on the road/ 'back to healthy as a result of his ministrations. Sergeant Woods is escorted by his sister, who has been employed at Home as a nurse among the wounded. In her capacity as to her blind brother she holds the; official rank of sergeant.