GENERAL NEWS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 6081, 1 July 1918, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

A number of New Plymouth business firms received somewhat of a ! shock when cheques which had been paid into their accounts were returned to them by the Bank of New Zealand. The cheques winch so far have come to light are for various sums up to £2O, and purport to bear the signature of a well-known resident of I Stratford. In many cases the tradespeople who were duped not only gave goods in return for the cheques, but also change as well. A German resrvist, who has enjoyed his freedom in the Danuevirke district since the war started, and who was pointedly indicted by Cr. H Graham at a meeting of the Danuevirke Borough Council, when a resolution was being discussed, was apprehend- ! ed by the local police, acting on instructions, and is to bo handed over to the military authorities for internment on Somes Island (states the Danuevirke News). The man's name is George Dibbern, commonly known by the sobriquet of “German George’* and recent enquiries officially and diligently prosecuted showed, we understand, that Dibbern held a commission in the German army. Kev. T Boseby, a Minister at Orange (N.S.W.), who had been addressing crowds in his church on “Peace and War.’’ had a rough time on the evening of June 6th, when bis meeting terminated in a riot The church was jsicked by a number of | returned soldiers, who occupied the J front benches just under the pulpit Mr Rosebv was asked if it were true | that at the previous meeting he had j refused to sing “God Save the I King.’’ He replied that he would ' not sing it. That was the signal for \ a. rush at the platform hv a. number I of soldiers, who hurst through the. palisading and pullenl Mr Boseby out of the pulpit. A free fight took place in tlie church, and women sol earned and rushed out. The fighting was lx-ing continued outside between Mr Boxeby’s supporters and the supporters of the soldiers when J the police stepped in. i Evidently some country municipal- . ities don’t believe in letting business worry them. Recently a theatrical company was touring New Zealand, I and the advance agent, after making satisfateorv arrangements for appearances in the large centres, eoninienc- j ed Ixxiking dates for theatres in the j country districts. All went well until he reached a town lx-tween Palm- j erston and Wanganui. The then tie ! was not engaged for the dates requir- i ed hy the advance agent. Applic.c- | turn was made- to the local Cou> cil office as the Ik.us< of catei ’ainment 1 was owned hy the local body. The Town C’lerk was away, and in c■ e’er 1 to discuss so momentous a question. ! as the lotting of the hall, a special meeting of the Council was called. Tile advance agent could not wait, ! hat lie would be informed hy letto. of tln* Council's decision. Tile letter duly reached him, and the reply of j the Council was that as the Town Clerk had not returned from his holiday, would it lie inconvenient to hold

the company for a week or two, as the* Council had been unable to decide tile' question. Needless to say, the' hall was not engaged.