TOWN EDITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14283, 27 April 1917, Page 6

TOWN EDITION.

The. s.s. Tcingaroa, from Napier, arrived .shortly after 4 o'clock this afternoon. The l«c;il -(Salvation Army Band -intend holding their annual band festival on Tuesday, May 15, when Commissioner Huddeir will preside.

Five Maori weddings were celebrated on Thursday last m, Mr Hari Hemera's grounds at Qtorohaaiga. About 500 natives assembled and a. similar number of Europeans. After the- ceremony the guests were invited to the wedding feast m a large, marquee. The menu included pork, shark, and eels, cooked m Maori fashion.

The West-port News says : From coalminer to brigadier-general ! Charlie Brown, Avho formerly worked m the Wastport Coal Company's mines at Denui ■•/.on, later developed his military genius m various grades of military services, took part m the campaign at Gallipoli, and m France is now a brigadiergeneral. This is a striking illustration of, the democracy of the British, army.

A Wa-ihi miner named F. L. Groshinski, who 'Appealed for exemption before the Second Auckland Military Service Board, stated that he objected to taking up arms against his blood relations. Both of his parents, he said, had betMi born m Prussia, and had settled m tlte Dominion over forty years ago. 1 1 "s father was now dead. In reply to questions, 3ie said he was wiM- " ing to serve within the Dominion, but not abroad. "* Further examined, he declared that he would not fight against the Tuilcs, Austrians, or Bulgarians. The rni'ilarv representative said that the fiiiiy _ coarse open to the Board- was to 1 dismiss the appeal, and leave the auI Ihoi'ities to deal with the appellant, this i being done.

Peculiar circumstances attached to a case heard m. the Wellington Magistrate's Court, m which ai man was charged under the Military Service Act with failing to make application to be enrolled m the 'reserve. The .allegation was tli.it defendant, though a> single man at the time he made hi'.s application, represented himself to be a married man with one child. Counsel for the defericftint stinted that his client was unable to either read or write. When he received the customary form of application for enrolment he obtained the assistance of a lady friend, who it was staged falsely entered him as a married man. Counsel submitted that the charge fdiould be dismissed, but the Magistrate, Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., held that a conviction should be recorded. No penalty, however,, was imposed.