NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13595, 9 October 1914, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The collections made on Sunday in Anglican churches in Canterbury for the Poor of Britain and Belgiunr Fund totalled over £1260.—Press Association.

Cr. Macmahon at yesterday's meeting of the Waimea County Council voiced a complaint from the owners of stud horses of the danger of horses being allowed to stray on the roads. It was decided to call the attention of the ranger to the matter.

The habit of the Kaiser of appearing in the barracks at Coblenz without warning and silently watching his men at night in the attitude of Napoleon, led to his being mistaken for a ghost.

With regard to work in connection with the new Hospital and Nurses' Home, it was shown at the Board's meeting that there had been no delay in preparing the plan for the Nurses' Home, and what delay had occurred in connection with the Hospital building arose out of the outbreak of. the war. It_ is only fair to t Mr Griffin, tli© architect, to make this plain.

s Germany at present possesses, next to Great Britain, the largest and most perfect sea fighting organisation iii the world. According to the latest information, she has fully manned in the Baltic six Dreadnoughts which constitute the Third Squadron of the High Sea Fleet, together with six pre-Dread-noughts. Theso are well supported with cruisers and torpedo craft. In a word, Germany possesses already the command of the Baltic, and it is impossible to see how Russia can contest the position.

The Thermometer. —At'three o'clock this morning the thermometer outside this offi-.'e registered 43 degrees.

■ It is interesting to ?earn that the Government has just ordered a supply of "Fluenzol" for the Expeditionary Force. No doubt this is due to the fact that at the Takapau Camp many Territorials gargled "Fluenzol''' with .satisfactory results.' Only thirty-eight reported sick, as against'over 1100 at the previous encampment.-- As a specific for influenza, sore throats, and nasal oatarrli, the value of "Fluenzol" is undoubted.*

A large motor car will leave Nelson to-morrow in connection with the opening of the bowling season at Wakefield. Mr. Meredith Atkinson, of . Sydney University, with his co-secretary (Mr. D. Stewart), will visit New Zealand as representative of the Workers' Educational Association of Australasia. The .visitors will arrive in Auckland about the middle of January, and will tour the Dominion from north to south. Maxim Gorky, the famous Russian revolutionary and writer, has taken part in several fights in Galicia. The wreck of the ill-fated Norwegian barque-Anglo-Norman on the North Soft, ,Kai^ ra ' lvii1 viing a squall on batmdoy, September 2(5, has K«en ..old by tender to ALesws. Brown and Sons Ie Kopuru. for the sum of £15. Seren Natives from the Marlborouah district are to be selected to join the Maon Expeditionary Force, says the l Jicton paper. • urn F™n<!i l. m ] an at the front writes:— The British fight superbly. The general commanding is installed in a farm connected by telephone with the battle hne, and he works there like a business .man in his office." A party of Invercargill sportsmen, ™ /«*ntly paid a visit to the hills »w™*-Kingston, shot 107 goats (says the "Southland News"). They state that the animals abound in large numbers, and that owners of runs in the Lakes district welcome visits from shootists . A wounded English officer, who was struck on the arm and leg vby fragments of a big shell, describes the sen- ■ sation ol being hit. He says:—"lt was like standing behind a gun and being knocked fiat. The feeling was exactly as if one had been battered all ovei with enormous red-hot sledgehammers." A farmer attending the Palmerston North sales last week states that there is a keen-demand for labour on the dairy farms at present, which was not so evident daring the corresponding month last year. Nearly all the small farmers in his locality are using all then* ; spare ground for potato growing and other root crops. ■i M. Camille Blanc, the well-known ■ French sportsman, is giving a free hand , to the Commission for Purchasing Re- ( mounts in France (says the London "Sportsman"). Many of his horsed ' valued at thousands of pounds have • been claimed for £40, which is the limit . the Commission is allowed to pay, and > whon l regret was expressed that he , should be called upon to make so great a sacrifice, M. Blanc is reported to nave ' said: "What does it matter so long as > our officers are well mounted?" J Watson's No. 10 Whisky engenders a fine geniality.* t An infantryman writes from tho . front: —"We are,chasing the Germans to blazes now. We have all our work L cut out taking prisoners to the railway J- station. It was amusing to see them [ trying to drop a British aeroplane yesr terday with big guns. You would , fancy it was a fireworks display but for ' the danger."

A British dragoon has written the following letter from the front:—"l am writing this while the Germans are shelling our position. Naturally cavalry cannot do much under shellfire. The shells are making holes deep enough to bury a horse and cart-in, but we are driving them out of France. The Germans are cruel devils. They smashed. the toes of some of the Frenchmen they captured and tlien set them adrift."

French newspapers, show how lightheartedly Frenchmen went to the war. Thus, a hairdresser summoned to the colours put up tlie following notice on his shop: "The business is transferred to the 79th Regiment # at Nancy." On the first day of mobilisation two writers of revues, Rip and Bousquet, met on the boulevard. "You're not going to Deauville this year," says Rip. "No, I'm going eastward. It seems that Vcrdum (the French fortress on the German frontier) is all the rage this summer." Dranem, the Wilkie Bard of Paris, is guarding a bridge at Eneheim at a halfpenny a.day. Pierre Mortier, editor of "Gil Bias," is driving an omnibus.

Drink the patriotic spirit, Wat&on'e No. 10.*

Mr Clement Wragge informs the Auckland "Star" that in the course of a few days further eruptions in the sun may be expected. When these appear, lower atmospheric pressure will become a feature, the weather will probably change, and rain become likely. The abnormal conditions in New Zealand and Australia are mainly due to the last "kick" of the solar minimum. As pressure relaxes after the spell of high barometers those engaged in coal mining must be especially careful to guard against explosions. As already intimated a return of good seasons is expected, and such should be especially manifest over the Commonwealth, and spread from coastal districts inland, yet modified by decrease of latitude and physical features.

Men who appreciate a whisky that has been carefully distilled/ fully blended, and-» patiently aged, drink Watson s No. 10.*

A few days ago a busy Wellington man rushed into the Telegraph Office and cabled away to his brother in Melbourne: "Congratulations isecuring dynasty." After some ten hours had elapsed the sender was called up > over the 'phone and informed that the censor had stuck the message up and it could not be sent forward until its meaning was made quite clear. Such a hokJ-Tip had never been anticipated, when it was considered that the words used were "good plain English." Still the explanation had to be given in case the mysterious message was some vitally important communication to the enemy. It will be sufficient to state the message was sent in reply too"6] received which read, "Boy, both well. —"Dominion." - -

Ab truly as thero are many who write poetry, but few poets, so truly is it that there are many who make furniture, but a dearth of those who make the kind that lasts.. We supply furniture of the latest designs and furniture that lasts and will give satisfaction and its tastefulnesp would do credit to anyone. At Lock's you will find no uncertain qualities, there is nothing sham or jimcrack in our large warehouse . Lock's have been recognised for miles around to be first in everything that pertains to furniture, and we credit this to the fact that we have always made our special appeal to those who can appreciate things good and substantial. If you want furniture that looks good, furniture that time and service will prove good, then you should buy at Lock'i Big Warehouse. # Ourfurniture not only appeals to the judgment of the most intelligent and cultured for quality and design—but Lock's values are unique, and unapproachable by any other firm. We: believe strongly in a policy of honesty! in our business, and it is because all our furniture is honest in quality and sold at honest prices that our customers and all who know us have such confidence in us.

In connection with the equipment of the Expeditionary Force a suggestion is made by Mrs. W. F. Massey that knitted gloves will be exceedingly useful gifts for the men who are leaving New Zealand. Major Godley has ex-px-essed his approval of them.

Serious trouble is threatened in connection with St. Paul's Church at Ihmedin as a result of which the build-" ing of the new-cathedral is likely to be seriously delayed. Not only has the Cathedral chapter passed a strongly worded resolution, but the St. Paul's Ladies' Guild have- resigned en bloc to emphasise their entire concurrtuiffwith the lato Veil. Archdeacon Gould's action on parish matters generally, hi his differences with the Primate, which .culminated in his being, called, on to resign his charge shortly before iris death. The sub-chapter's motion read::—"That the sab-chapter., after reading correspondence between the Primate and the late Archdeacon Go\ild, unanimously "resolve to resign office^ and resolve not to accept any position in'or undertake any work whatsoever for the Cathedral so long as the present Bishop and Dean remai-i in their "present respective positions'."

* "I admire the superiority of his individuality," said O. Hoult at yesterday's meeting of the Waimea County Council, in- referring to the chairman HCr. ■■ H. Everett).

"I left England in March, so I did not see the country under-war conditions," said Sir William Vestey, a pro. minent riierchant of London, in conversation with an Auckland reporter, "but I do not think tb.at.tßer© will be much distress there. It will be a long and costly war," added Sir William, "but there is no doubt about its ultimate re>sult. The Germans will not be easily beaten. They have lines of fortifications in.their own country of a stronger and more permanent character than those out of which the Allies are now driving them."

R-ecently at Malta a-German resident was caught in tho act of releasing oil from a huge oil tank, the stream, which he was about to ignite, being directed to the harbour. A portion of the French fleet was lying at anchor, and had the enemy eucceeded in his purpose the consequences might have b<vn rer.v serious. However, he was cai^ht and lodged in the fortress as a prisoner.

A hors<e attached to a liufcchej-'s cart, belonging to Mr C. Horto.-, which was bringing in a load of mr.-t from the abattoir, 3'esterday ;v <moon; took fright at a motor cyclist, uho was mending a ,punctuie on W'akefield Quay opposite the Anchor Foundry, and backed over the breastwork on to tho _-foreshore. Tlie driver ai^l a comp:inion were in the cart, and n hen the l.urso ht'gan to back the second man ; -uii}jiird out and endeavoured to get h«i animal's head. However, the atujmpt to avert the accident was unsuccessful, and just before- tho horse backed over the driver jumped clear. Th© tide was out at the time, and the contents of the cart, one wheel of which was slightly damaged, were spilled in all directions. The horse, although considerably shaken, was apparently unhurt. Many willing hands got the cart up on to the quay.

The effects of the war upon the country homes of England are described in interesting style in a letter received by an Auckland resident from a lady correspondent who had been staying in Essex. Writing on August 14th, she states that some farmhouses and the towers of two churches had hoen blown up a,s they might have served as landmarks for the enerav. "Spies are everywhere." the letter states. "A German spy was caught in the grounds-here the other day, and we are twelve nule> fjom Colchester or Ipswich, _q'.i;<■-.;. in--the qountry. In Devon spies have been caught in-; remote villages. Prices went up enormousiy when the war began, but have gone down. Petrol i> dear, but a substitute is being provided—a great mercy. . . Before the war I went to see an old lady at Felixstowo, who had a nice house and superb gardens on tho cliff and terrace walks out in the cliffs. Now I fear they are occupied by guns, and her house blown up, as it was a landmark."

Strong fieldworks on an extended scale are being- constructed in th*> vicinity of Brussels, and not without a shrewd conviction that they will require to be held by the armies of three allies. France, England, and Belgium. The Germans see themselves already on the move backwards, a vision never present to their gaze'hitherto Such positions cannot be recklessly rushed by the Allies, but if .the Russian pressure on the east continues they will be earned in due time. In these days of lonsc-range artillery there will be no stalemate in warfare, auch as once happened when Gustavus Adolphus, after long confronting the securely posted army of Wallensteiri, had finally to withdraw worsted without a blow.— "Australasian."

Japanese papers contain a number ...of declarations by prominent public men on the question of Japan's declaration of war on Germany. Mr Oishi, the leader of the Doshi-kai, at a councillors* meeting of the party on Thursday, August 20, declared:—"l doubt the wisdom of deciding our action in the Far, East only through the request of i Great Britain. We ought to act simply under, the principle that our ally's enemy is our enemy. Had Great Britain not declared war wo might have remained neutral. But now that .Great Britain is in war her enemy is Japan's enemy. That enemy naturally will consider Japan as her enemy, and might endanger us at any tim£. .It is in accordance with the ethics of war that Japan should forestall the enemy and make war first. It is desirable that-wo should make our position clear as soon as possible, and sweep^away the enemy's influence from the1 Par East." • : ' * !

People ask "What is No. 10?"*