LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Patea Press reports that timber and joinery works at Waverley, belonging to Mr. T. Wall, were destroyed by Are about one o'clock on Friday morning. The owner was not insured, and will be a heavy loser. While- Great Britain is still largely governed by lawyers, France is governed to an almost similar extent by journalists. M. Clemenceau edited the dairy paper "L'Homme Enelmino'' until the day before lie became the Prime Minister. M. Pichon, now Foreign Minister, wrote for many months a dally article in "Le 'Petit Journal." M. Albert Thomas, the Socialist leader, who was so great a success as the- Minister for Munitions, now that he is no longer in the Cabinet, has once more joined the staff of "HumanHe." An Eltliam resident of some year*' standing, whose business takes him at regular intervals along the road to Kaponga, contrasts the present with the past. In the past days—say fifteen years ago—the whole of the journey was permeated with the smell of cow and cow yards. The perfume screamed at people as they drove along the road, and seemed to remain in one's nostrils for hours after getting back to TCltham. In those days many of the cow'yards were filthy beyond present-day belief. Now there are clean, concrete yards, byres nicely whitewashed, manure systematically used, and filth has given way to cleanliness. But the attempt' to bring about the present reform threw the Liberals out of office.—Argus. Mies and invalids will find SHARLANIyS MAGNESIA a valuable corrective for sick headache, and a mild l&xa-

"My heart is with Mr. Ilavelock Wilson -wlicn he siiid that no seaman could take Germany's blood-stained hand. 1 am in favor of 21 years' ostracism,"' said Mr. .'lolin Hodge, the Pensions Minister at a luncheon of the llritis'i Empire Producers' Organisation in London.

'■l have long known that Mr. Hughes is a man whose pledged word is absolutely worthless," said the Premier of \W South Wales (Mr. Holman) the other day; "hut t confess I am amazed and depressed to find that .the whole of his colleagues have joined him in this exploit. , 1 can only attribute it in certain cases as due to a sense of mistaken loyalty to a man who has.never been loyal to anybody or anything." It is well for Tauranga that tang's are few and far between The New Zealand Herald reports that cargo, operations .on the wharf at 'fiaiirang.i have been disorganised owing to the Maoris, who comprise the majority, of the wharf laborers, having gone inland to attend a tangi. Efforts will be mule to work the vessels with the crews and.volunteer labor until the Maoris return to work. The tangi is expected to last a week,

The warm welcome that New Zealanders in Fnvnee invariably receive in the homes of the French peasants k referred to in a letter from an Auckland soldier. He write.*:—"Our boys are ever welcome.' in the peasants' homes. We gather in front of the stove and' the kiddies flock around us with books and slates. I amuse them by sketching on their slatesWe talk with the old folk in our crude French about the war and other things. . . , I have visited French people who, perhaps, I have not seen for over a year, but they always remember me and give me a great welcome." Strawberry growing in l'alinerston has not been a payable proposition this year, according to one grower, who has over S(iOI) plants under cultivation. "The season opened with splendid prospects," said this gardener to a Manawatu (Standard reporter, "the plants being loaded with fine quality berries, hut owing to the ravages of slugs, I lost the greater part of my first crop, while the second crop did not come on at all, owing to the unfavorable season. Tomatoes are also likely to be a failure, as blight has now set in, and from present appearances, if*l gather a tenth of my crop I shall be lucky." "Nearly every second or third man in Palestine has a camera," remarked a returned soldier to a Poverty Bay Herald representative, when questioned regarding the liberty in this respect. The men, he said, were allowed to use their cameras freely as long as they did not photograph military work*} warships, # etc. There has been trouble however, at times owing to the boys not observing or not understandng the regulatons. Now the military authorities had men in Cairo who went round the various places that developed the films for the men, and a censorship was Urns evsreised over the photos taken. The Kumara. correspondent ot the Greymoiith Evening Star states that from general appearances the sawmillers on the Coast were, going to find it somewhat diiljcult to resume operations after the holidays, owing to .the shortage of mc'ii, caused by the exodus to the Fast Coast of so.many of their former employees, who, lured by the good wage* offering by the farming community for harvesting operations, journcyec 1 over the hill. As harvesting generally takes three months to complete, the mills in question will be placed at a di6advant r age, and it is questionable, if some of them will not have to close dov/n meanwhile.

Sunshine is needed- ior the crops, which arc not ripening as they '.should So (states Agricola, South Island correspondent of the Farmers' Union Advocate). A month ago there was a promise'of an early harvest; but nov.' the grain is hanging, waiting for suitable ripening weather. The straw and the chad Is turning a bad color, beiiii'.'Very dark in appeiirance. (Rust, mildew, and blight is in evidence in many of the paddocks, and the sample in "a great many instancss cannot be as good aa it has been during the past few years when the weather was drier and the crops smaller. On the heavy lands it is almost heartbreaking to 'see the stuff that is badly lodged. Hundreds of acres will never be reaped; at all owing to the impossibility of -picking the straw up with machines. In any case most of it would not be worth'the reaping as the grain will be shrivelled and discolored, lit only for seconds and for pig and fowl feed. Even where the crops are standing up the color of the stuff is not good, and it is just a chalice if the sample will 'be bright and clean. However it is too early to say much about that as yet. If the weather would only come out hot and sunny the position would still bo saved in the districts w.hero the crops are a bit late.

A remarkable downpour ot rain was experienced in Australia a few days ago. The Sydney Morning Herald of 14t)i inst. says that the intensity of the rain storm along the coast was much greater than inland, but the most powerful influences' of the disturbance were concentrated over Sydney and the suburbs. In the low-lying areas considerable portions were inundated, whilst the roads seemed to act as ehnnnels for the How of rain water. The damage thus caused was great, the binding metal in many places being washed away. The rain recorded during 02 hours in Sydney amounts to OllSpoints. The fall of 053 points which occurred during the 24 hours, ended at 0 a.m. on Saturday, has only 'been exceeded at the Weather Bureau on six occasions during the past 51) years! Some interesting figures regarding the intensity of the rain were obtained from the. graph of the self-recording rain gauge. The rain was heaviest between 1.40 and 1.4 i p.m., when 15 points fell in two minutes, or at the rate of 4% inches per 'hour. Other heavy showers were 2-5 points in four mimes, 15 points in three minutes (on two occasion), and 21)J points in r;i>: minutes. The disturbance apparently reached its maximum intensity in the metropolitan area, where the rain was appreciably heavier than in any other portion of the State. i DR. SHELDON'S DIGESTIVE TABULES. Is the remedy that everyone should tak* when there is anything'wrong with fh*> stomach. Poor Appetite, Loss of Strength ■Nervousness, Headache, Bad Breath, Heartburn, Indigestion and Dyspepsia are quickly banished by the use of Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tabules. These Talmlfls represent the natural juices of digestion, combined with the greatest known tonic and reconstructive agents. They simply do the work of the stomach, relieving that weakened organ, and permitting it to rest and recuperate. When you take Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tabules, everything you eat tastes good, and every bit of the, nutriment that the food contains is assimilated and appropriated by the blood and tissues. They are the only safe, reliable, certain remedy for all stomach troubles. Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tabules, 1/6 and 2/6. Obtjuiu.bla everywhere.

Adjutant and Mrs. Rowlands, who have arrived from Mastcrtou to take charge of the work of the Salvatiou Army in New Plymouth, were given a very cordial reception at a social in the army hall on Kriday evening. .Speakers representing the various departments of the army's work gave welcoming addresses, and Missioner F. Sousler (Methodist) spoke on behalf of the Ministers' Association. Yesterday, welcome meetings were held throughout, the day. Special addresses were given by local officers, and two vjv iting officers—Captain Suger, who is about to take charge of the Island Bay Boys' Home, and Captain Sutton,, who takes a similar position at Kltham—also spoke. The meetings were all largely attended. I

While in New Plymouth, Messrs. Murdoch and Hooker,'the delegates from the Hawera Technical Advisory Committee, were taken over the Technical College here by Mr. Gray. , Roth gentlemen were much impressed by the work of the college, especially the engineering section. Mr. Murdoch, speaking as a practical farmer, told a Star representative that he was much struck by the immense possibilities of usefulness opened out to a farmer student, and that the knowledge gained by the course would make the student, when at his farming work, independent to a large extent of dutside help. Supposing, for instance, he said, that he broke a small part of a farm implement or machine, he would, if possessed of even a moderate outfit, be able to make and fit the part required. In the same way would carpentry and other subjects be of use in after life.

A boy about twelve years of age appeared in the Juvenile Court at New Plymouth, on Saturday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., charged with stealing £0 !)s 3Jd, in various sums, from F. S. Butler, Sub-Inspector Ilutton said the boy had been employed' by. Butler on a milk run, and had received money from his customers in September last. The boy had later been in the hospital, on account of liaving broken his leg, and that accounted for the delay in the prosecution. The boy admitted getting portions of the money, which had been spent mostly on sweets and fruit, while some had been lost, and some could not be accounted for. The boy was convicted, and'ordered to repay the money by monthly instalments of £\. He also received an admonition from the magistrate. A New Plymouth business man recently sent an account to a native, requesting payment, and, in reply, received the following letter, which was neatly typed on business note-paper: "I would not come and see yon till our sale paid by the Native Land Board. Our sale his conflr<n. .Soon we get purchase money pay in. Will come and see you." An interesting military record lies to the credit of the late Captain Oscar K. Gallic, D.5.0., M.C., who was killed ,in action on 'December 8 last. The fourth son of Mr. and Mrs J. Gallic, of Stoke street, Wellington, he was aged 28 years. He was born in Dunedin, educated at Martinboroiigh school and Wellington College, and in ISO" joined the Masterton branch of Dalgcty and Co., of which firm he was a valued and popular officer. In the various branches of sport the late Captain Gallic was an adept. He joined D batteiy as a gunner on the outbreak of war, and went later to Samoa, where he remained' eight month?'. On returning to New Zealand he obtained his discharge and then he went to England, where he obtained his commission in the Tt.F.A. ;He took part in all the big battles in 179W-1917, and on September 15 gained the Military Cross—a month later earning ,the distinction of 'the D.S.O. On October 20 he was promoted to his full lieutenancy, and gained his captain'?, rank on October 31. 'His death in action has removed one of the most promising of our Now Zealand officers. Two brothers arc still at the front—Captain V. G. Gallie, MX'., R.F.A.. and Private C. S. Gillie, of the Auckland Infantry. N.Z.K.F.