Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 75, 29 March 1919, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Mayor (Mr VV, VV. Snodgrass) and City Engineer (Mr J. G. Littlejohn) returned to Nelson late last night, after a visfr to Westport and Greymouth in . connection with coal supplies for the Gasworks, Good results are expected 'for the visit and interviews wi-h the managers of. the coal companies,,

j Concerning the Government's policy ih regard lo forestry, the following new regulations are gazetted It shall hot be lawful for any person to sell any timber standing on any public or private land of any tenure, or io grant a license to cut any timber standing on any* such land, except pursuant to a li--1 cense Issued on that behalf by the Goi cense issued by the Governor-General-In-Conncil under these regulations may be m like mkrmev revoked. (3) Every person who sells any standing timber, pr who. grants a license , to., cut any standing limber, contrary to the’ provisions of . those regulations commitg an offence against these regulations, and shall be liable for each offence to a fine of £SO. Good news for those who eat food; not «o good, perhaps, for those who grow it. Owing to the long spell of fine weather throughout New Zealand (says the Dunedin Star) the harvests of cereals and potatoes are exceeding expectations, and in consequence of the big yields our trader*, anticipate having to handle a much larger volume of field produce than seemed possible two njonfhs ago. / Trices are, therefore, on the down grime, and at present’ merchants seem to be holding off, in the expectation that- when the full harvests j eome on to the market the values will approximate ’ normal or pre-war , rates. This hesitation on the part of the merchants, is making the marts very dull, for. they ,do not know , wfiat the . drop wil{,amount to, The compensaTon is that ,the, position is such as to, indicate a possibility that the cost of living will be reduced, to- the -general public. As an example the Star mentions that oats have fallen from 6s 3d to. 3s 9d,f.0.b. In the matter of widows’ pensions, the .Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, ,says . the Post,; decided to concur with , the suggestion, made bv the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid. Board to the effect that; the attention of the Ministers of .Public Healh,, Education, and Pensions be drawn to the difference 'between .the ordinary widows pension,and that proposed for inffuetea widows, ■ and their earnest Itonsidera/riop and \support be 'sought ! for a suggestion that at the next sit- • ting- of' Parliament the Act be amended to .bring both into line by, say, ; dlcmbling ' the present widow’s pehsion, including war bonus, or granting such sum a's the House may, deem j sufficient for a widow to bring up her family without applying to a Hospital and -Charitable Aid Board, to supplement the sum. ' There is l a desire to establish a branch of the British and Foreign Bible gociety'at Wakefield. For this purpose a meeting is to be held to-morrow afternoon, when Dr. Weeks, of Nelson, will explain the great work' being done by the Society and its; need of help. The Telegraph Department advises:— “The following vessels should be within wireless range to-night: ■ _ Mararoa, Pateena, Farmworth, Argylshr-’e, Leitrim, Port Melbourne, Moeraki, Westrnlia, Westland, Maori, Kurow. For Sunday; Westralia, Farmworth, Leitrim, Argylshire, Mamarj.” A notification regarding the Wakatu playing teams appears in this issue. The Referendum to be taken on Thursday, April 10, on the liquor ones 4 ion ia the topic of the hour. On page 2 of thi* issue appear an interesting announcement regarding this question. Every voter, who is in favour of continuance will be interested in the big advertisement which appears on page 2 of this issue. ’ it gives some Interesting facts regarding the question.

j Buyers of chocolate would do well to take warning from .the experience of some Nelson resident.?. Some bar chocolate was purchased, and on being broken was found to be a mass of maggots. Needless to say, chocolate is “off” so far as these particular citizens are concerned. We may state that it was not the locally-manufactured article that was purchased. Much adverse comment has been aroused as the result of a bogus “public warning, ” purporting io Tie a proclamatiorf, winch was exhibited m various parts of the city yesterday, says the Wellington Post. The placard, which was primed over the name of the 'Chief Health 'Officer, was obviously intended for propaganda purposes. But it*, design and arrangement were calculated to needlessly alarm and excite the public, ii sought to take advantage of a possible recrudescence of the influenza epidemic, In order to warn the public “not to jeopardise their individual lives by acquiescing in, the demands of Prohibition to prevent the use of alcoholic stimulants.” The heat and bitterness engendered by the present licensing fighv have led to much extravagant and exaggerated emphasis, but m the interests of public decency there is a limit which should' not be exceeded. In the case under review, we cer‘-airily think the authors ot the misleading “public warning” acted not only unfairly but foolishly. “What impressed u g greatly on our way south wa« the genuine welcome that we met.with all along the line to Invercargill.” said Major it. H. Hogg, N.Z.M.U., in the south. Major _ Hogg has served over three years with the Medical 'Corps, and returned to New Zealand by the Athenic. “The men now have got past appreciating the 'Rule Britannia’ business,” he stated, ‘"and i; is the warm handshake and smiling face of friends or even strangers that makes them feel at home.” The major and his wife had rather an amusing experience at uamaru. When the tram was waiting at the station a lady went to the carnage window, snook Mrs Hogg warmly by the hand, and expressed the hope that she would be happy in Ne weZaland, *T think 1 shall.” replied Mrs Hogg, "because, you see, I was born and brought up in Dominion.” Evidently imported wives are not anathematised in Oamaru. It was only . on. Saturday (writes the Akaroa correspondent of the Christchurch Tress) that many people heard of a unique experience tha: had befallen some Wainui folk some ten days before. It happened on the afternoon when the heavy thunderstorm struck, the end of Banks Peninsula, Some men were on the mountain side, towards Bossu, when there came hurtling through the air above them what one described as “a lurid shell, about the size of an oil-drum, with a kind of triamrolar fiery -ail behind it.” This aerial visitant shot above Mr Hooker’*- woolshedy m’ssed Mr Dave Wright’s house by, apparently, a few ieet, and then disappeared from view in T o the bush below, whence came the sound of a tremendous concussion. Subsequent investigation showed that it had struck a sturdy manuka free a mighty glancing blow, ploughed a furrow over a foot deep along a clav path, hit another tree, cannoned off on to a third, left another furrow lower down, and ihen had gone over the edge of a low cjdf into the sea. All the windows in Mr Wright’s house were cracked or broken fey the passing of the meteorite, which, by the wav, left two fragment*, near the tree it first struck. These pieces, now in the possession of the Rev, A. H. Julius, Akaroa, wTI be forwarded to Mr Robert Speight for examination.

Air. George Piper, the chief steward on board the Ajana, now at Auckland, who has been attached to; the vessel ever eince the commencement of the war, has seen continuous war service while engaged in the mercantile marine. Mr Piper has taken part in the TiircoGrecian war. the Spanish-American war,: the South African war, and* the present great European war. SfUunng the time that he has been on vessels, only one lit© has beeii lost on any of them, ami that,,was jiunng the present trip of the Ajana, He* f has been at sea for 2d years, and was w Atanches'er at the time of the., ,-comxnencement ot, hostilities. ■ , Mis yessel, the Ajana, was , in .- the canal at ...that time, and was immediately requisitioned bv the Imperial Government, who dispatched'' her to Australia to lift troops. He states that he ha« carried during the war all classes and manner of men and things from New Zealanders, Australians, South Africans, and Germans, to chickens, which was a cargo lifted to feed the troops in hospital at Lemnos during the Dardanelles campaign. Every elector should l make dp his mind on which side his vote will be cast on April 10. Those still undecided should read advertisement on page 2. Importation of tungsten and its alloys and compounds, also tungsten ores, into the Dominion is prohibited, it is understood that , step has been taken in the interests of British producers of tungsten,, the British Government confining its purchases from source,, within the Empire. In view af the Prohibition Poll, i every supporter of the Moderate. League j should , read the interesting announce- 1 ment appearing oh page 2 ot this issim The art of washing clothes clean with out rubbing I ..Slice into copper 6 pzs, of the pure “Golden -Rule" Soap,, 1 add small packet of ‘•No, Rubbing"; Laundrji Help; boil briskly for AO minutes, then rinse thoroughly >bluq and hang out. Result will delight you.—Nelson Grocers.?* The electors of Richmond and Wakefield are asked, to read the advertisement in thij,, issue regarding the antiliquor campaign. Everyone should seek to he well-informed op this subject.*' McKay’s have just received another shipment of the famous Burberry Uats for Ladies and Gentlemen. This name s-andg for the highest grade of Rainproof Glothmg and coat buyers should inspect.* - The three.main things that men want in their suits to-day, are Appearance, Style, and Reliability. For five years now we have proved that the “Clyde" Suits contain all these' important essentials, and the largely, increasing number of n Clyde" buyers assure us of their satisfaction. Returned men, particularly, are asked to call at McKay’s (the sole agents) afid see these Ready to Wear Halts,*. You hear on the Men’s Clothes ,qnes : Hon, the high and increasing costs, that everybody’s suits be’ter than others, and again Dee & Rons come on the scene and say why their Box Suits are the best on the market because they're the real tailord. .style, shaped shoulders, nonhreakable , fronts, in ,4(1 different sizes. Ours have all the style of our Bespoke Suits, but we’re not bold enough to say I they're just a* pood, for on® thing they j are only half the price. »hnt, we do say| they’re useful suits,; i^They , re.-.a;. real. good' I go-between suit, snd, we are rcommending them because we know we have the! ?ight suit to fit every man.—Dee and j Sons, the big Sait and Boot Store.* j

Word was received in Motueka on Thursday (states the Star) of the death of Mr Thomas Pattie which occurred at Darlinghurst Hospital, Sydney. Mr Pattie, who was well known i» this district where he resided for a great number of years, removed to Auckland in 1916 and left some few months ago for Australia on a health trip with one of his daughters, who is seriously ill at the present time in Australia. The news of Mr Pattie’s death will be received with regret by his many friends in this district. There are two daughters and one son (on active service) left to mourn their Mrs Pattie having predeceased her husband by about twelve months.

A New Plymouth Press Association message announces the dedth of Mr J. o, Connett, formerly a member of the Taranaki Provincial lUonncii and for many years Chairman of the Harbour Board. He occupied many other public positions; aged 76.

The national lecturer of the Protestant Political Association (Rev; Howard Elliott) will deliver an address to the Protestants of Nelson in the School of Music on Friday, th© 4th of April.

A rubbish fire started at Mr Piper’s, in Waimea-road, this morning, got out of hand, and spread to Mr A. C.. Magmnity’g property in Kawai-streei*. A number of helpers appeared on the scene, and succeeded in beating out the flames before they reached Mr Magmmty’s house. A telephone message was sen'/ to Captain Dee, who, with another member of the Fire Brigade, proceeded to the fire, which, however,, well under control by the time they arrived. While assisting to put oul the fire Mrs Piper's dress caught alight, and in combating this persona] danger Mrs _ Piper sustained painful bums, the injuries being attended to by Dr Washbourn.

Under the above heading (Discreditable Tactics) will be found in our news Columns to-day a copy of a bogus proclamation which was to be seen posted oh certain hotels yesterday, says the Wellington Dominion. The author of this document would appear to be strangely ignorant of the feelings and sense of decency of the average man and woman if be imagines that such tactics as these are likely to help tae liquor trade in its fight against prohibition. The menace of a fresh outbreak of influenza is a serious enough matter for the public without being thrust into prominence in this “scare” fashion, and the manner in which the name of a high public official is used aggravates th„ offence bev’ond excuse. Many peopl„ who did not read the placard closely appear to have t»nen it as an official notification, and were needlessly alarmed. They will be relieved to learn that it was nothing more than an ill-conceived and discreditable attempt on the part of someone ‘to win votes for the liquor trade. Who was responsible for it we do not pretend to know.

We are informed that the Nelson College Old Boys’ Football Club and the Nelson Football Club have decided, now that the war is over, to enter separate teams for the Rugby competitions, instead of the members playing in a combined team under the name of “Wakatu,” and, as notified by advertisement, both clubs are holding meetings on Monday evening. The combined team was merely a war measure, necessitated by heavy enlistments from both clubs, and as a large number of members have returned from the war and intend playing, the clubs should take the field again with strong teams.

Miss Robinson, hair specialist, has an announcement in another column.

This morning Mr G. F. Newport and a party which included a. special photographer for the Auckland Weekly News, left on a trip to'take Rotoroa and the surrounding district.