LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 594, 5 January 1916, Page 11

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The rainfall at Mctliven up to ft.oO a.m. to-day was 7 points. Our Wellington correspondent wires that the first meeting of the Recruiting Board will be held at the end of this week. It is stated that the youth Rowe, who was the victim of a shooting accident near Rangiora, is making good progress in the Hospital. A conference of nurserymen will be held in Wellington on January 19 and 20. The Prime Minister will address the conference at 10 a.m. The Hon. G. W. Russell has had invitations issued to all members of Parliament, North Island Mayors, and patriotic committees to attend the opening function of the Convalescent Home for soldiers, at Rotorua, on January 12.

A Melbourne writer gives a sketch of a stirring address by Dr Lawrence Rentoul, a leading Presbyterian clergyman, in the Town Hall, Melbourne, at a meeting of the Australasian League of Honour for Women and Girls. She says: — The following is only one of the delightful stories Dr Rentoul told during his talk. He was travelling one day lately in a train, and seated in a corner of the carriage was a small boy of about 12 years of age, knitting for all he was worth. Opposite to him lounged a long, lazy gawk of a young man, who stared at the knitting boy. Finally he spoke. "Sonny," he said, ''you oughter been born a girl." Like \ flash came the reply of the small boy. '' Daddy Longlegs," said he, "you oughter been born a man, and then you would have been away at Gallipoli righting with our boys for your country." No time is being lost in elaborating the details of the new recruiting scheme which the Government recently adopted (says the "Post"). The Dominion has been divided up into districts, mai)s of which have already been prepared, and in pursuance of the system decided upon, each district will be under responsible and direct control, which control will, in turn, have its different ramifications. There will be nothing haphazard about the method of getting into touch with "eligibles," for the whole tiling has been gone into most systematically and thoroughly. The board, which consists of the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. James Allen, will meet shortly, when the two latter return to Wellington. Meanwhile, the authorities are preparing the organisation details and the machinery of the scheme.

The half-yearly meeting of Court Thistle of the Forest, A.0.F., No. 6494, was held in the Friendly Societies' Hall, Hazeldean Road, Sydenham, on Tuesday, C.R. Bro. James presiding over a large attendance of members. The election of officers for ensuing term:— S.C.R., Bro. Cameron; S.W., Bro. T. Woods; J.W., Bro. Blunt; 5.8., Bro. W. Turner, P.C.R.; J. 8., Bro. E. C. Paul, P.C.R.; minute secretary, Bro. H. Ward; Management Committee, Bros. H. Ward, W. Turner, A. K. Marks, and Blunt; auditors, Bros. Proctor and Henry; provisional auditor, Bro. F. Jacobson; dispensary delegates, Bros. C. Oliver and W. D. Marks; district delegates, Bros. F. Jacobson and W. Millar; provisional delegate, Bro. E. C. Paul; Arbitration Committee, Bros. Odgen, De Athro, Howie, Benfell, Field, Hoddinott, Brown, G. Lyes, Jefferes, Attwood, J. A. Savage, and IT. Samuels; delegate to Friendly Societies' Council, Bro. W. Turner, P.C.R., and Bro. E. C. Paul, P.C.R. Sydney housekeepers are accustomed to high prices, but were fairly staggered by the prices demanded for poultry for the Christmas just over (writes the "Post's" Sydney correspondent). As much as half a guinea and more had to be paid for a pair of scraggy elderly hens, which promised nothing more than jawache and indigestion. At the poultry the Sydney markets, turkey gobblers brought up to £2 a head. Forty-one shillings was given for • a prime gobbler. This was 12/- above the record i>rice realised in Sydney five years ago. Even at famine prices the supply of Christmas poultry proved much short of the demand. The caterer for the big A. J. C. races at Randwick had regrettably to announce that he was unable to put poultry on the tables, and he was consequently obliged to cut down his regulation tariff. The explanation for the dearth ami the high prices lies in the late drought, which made poultry foods so dear, if not altogether unobtainable, that poultry farmers sacrificed thousands of their birds at whatever they could get for them, and it was mighty little indeed.