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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144777, 6 September 1915, Page 2

Very welcome rain has fallen in Canterbury. At Amberley it was the heaviest for over twelve years. Inspector T. T. Hugo will visit New Plymouth this week, and will inspect the New Plymouth and Fitzroy brigades on Tuesday evening. ’ About thirty members of the local branch of the New Zealand Veterans’ Association were entertained on Saturday by one of their' comrades, Mr. J. Andrews, who has just celebrated his golden wedding. Colonel Mis presided. A number of toasts were honoured. In returning thanks for the presentation made to him by the railway staff on Saturday night, Captain Horsnell made a feeling speech, in which he said it was the women who had to bear the brunt—it was the women who suffered most. Those who had let their sons, their husbands and their sweethearts go to the war were undoubtedly even braver than those men who had gone. It was easy for those staying at home to 6ay it was easily done, but those actually going knew it was a difficult matter to part. “AH honour to them, then,” said the captain. “They are working hard,, and are sacrificing more than many people realise, but I know they have the sympathy of all.” Extraordinary bargains in men’s apparel still continue to attract thrifty buyers to the Melbourne’s semi-annual reduction sale. Read these remarkable bargains: Men’s 10s 6d saddle trousers 7s od, grey denims 2s lid, doublefronter denims 3s lid, cord trousers 5s 6d, Roslyu boxed suits 31s 6d, Oamaru saddle tweed trousers 13a.6d, worsted trousers 7s fid.*

The Huiroa oil bore is down to a depth of 4167 feet, in sandstone formation with a good showing of oil. Owing tp an accident to the casing operations are temporarily held up. The members of the New Plymouth Pire Brigade wish to thank Mrs. Croots and Mrs. Ching for refreshments kindly supplied after the fire at Hobson St. early on Saturday morning. Messrs. Duncan and Davies, of the Exotic Nurseries, 'Westown, have donated 250 choice shrubs to the cemetery, and Mr. L. A. Nolan has donated a number of rose trees. An Auckland telegram says that a double record was put up at Glanfield on Saturday, when the Methodist Mission Church, a neat and commodious structure, 55ft. by 24ft,, was erected in one day, not only free of debt, but with a small credit balance. As a result of correspondence about certain scenic reserves, it has been decided to vest the control of the Ratapihipibi reserve beyond Westown and the reserve' adjacent to the cemetery in a board composed as follows:—Two members nominated by the Borough Council and two members nominated by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the Commissioner to be chairman. The following bulletin of patients in military hospitals was issued on Sunday ;—Trentham racecourse; Admissions 27, discharges 15, remaining 125, serious cases 12 (8 of which are improving). Izard’s; Measles admissions 2, discharges 1, remaining 8 (none serious). Tauhercnikau: Admissions 6, discharges 7, remaining 19 (none serious). Greytown : Admissions nil, discharges nil, remaining 9 (none serious). Masterton: 1 only (not serious). Palmerston North: Admissions 4, discharges nil, remaining 45 (one case serious ; but improving). Auckland: Admissions ml, discharges 3, remaining 11 (no serious cases). Wellington: 20. The railwaymen of the Dominion have not been slow to respond to the call of the war drum. Dp to date 1375 employees in .this department of the public service have either gone to the front, are in camp, or have enlisted and are waiting to rbe called up. This comprises, approximately, 10 per cent, of the I!,®)!) railway employees of New Zealand. All branches of the service are represented, and nearly all the .recruits are single men. The railway roll of honour is steadily growing as the casualty lists come through. The first name on the roll is that of Sapper Hislop, who, by the irony of fate, met bis death before he saw active service. Just after the war. broke _ out he was patrolling the railway line in the Auckland district, and was killed by falling through a. bridge. Mr. A. Binnie proposes to offer the Defence authorities permission to make use during the period of the war, without payment pf royally, of, his patents for life-saving mattrdsses and waistcoats. The mattress which was left in the water at the Municipal Salt Water Baths on Thursday last is still there and carrying 2401 b. weight of ■ bricks, and shows no sign of losing its buoyancy. With-respect to the patent vest, or vest and hood in one, this is an article whoili- might well take the place of the sheepskin vests, os being probably cheaper and superior in other respects. It is not only warm, but it will keep a man afloat. About eleven ounces of kapok was used in the vest and hood tested last Thursday and it was found impossible for the wearer to dive while wearing if, nor did it become saturated by immersion. Mr. Binnie proposes to proceed to Wellington to explain personally to the Defence Minister and staff the advantages possessed by his patents. At the send-off on Saturday night to the railway men who left for Trentham Camp this morning. Sergeant G. E. Roper (A.S.C., Eighth Reinforcements), who is home on sick leave, told an amusing story in connection with the visit of H.M.S. New, Zealand to these shores two years ago. The battleship was coming up Cook Strait on her way to Wellington, and Captain Halsey paid a visit to the various stations, with the object of smartening the men up before reaching the Capital City. It was the midnight watch, and of the man at the wheel he asked: “How’s her head, my man?” “Two points to the south’ard,” came the answer. “Why, you don't know how to address your officers,” remonstrated the captain. The upshot of it was that for the purpose of showing the man how "it should .be done they exchanged places. The sailor then asked: “How’s her head, my man?” and received the reply, “Two points to the south’ard, sir.” “Right, ,my man,” commanded the Jack Tar, “just keep it there while X go up forrard and have a smoke.” "I don’t go to Trentham with any misgivings,” said Captain Horsnell at the farewell tendered him on Saturday night; “I visited the camp only a fortnight ago and was agreeably surprised.” He added that he spent a week there last March,. :when tents were in use. Now there are huts, and every man has a stretcher, with a straw mattress. The accommodation is good, the huts are clean, and the camp is well roaded—a metalled road a chain and a. half wide running right down. Thera are big channels at the side of the road, and troughs alongside, which are supplied with running water which overflows into the channels. The troughs are for the men to wash in, and are a great advantage in place of the old tins. Then there are shower-baths, and the sanitary ■ conveniences could not be improved upon —in fact all the arrangements at Trentham leave little to be desired. Captain Horsnell thought it would be a good thing for peonle to know the true state of affairs at Trentham Camp, because a wrong impression had got abroad that it was “a pestilent hole.” When the authorities demand to know of an accepted recruit his nert-of-kiu for record purposes, it is accepted in the majority or cases as meaning the person to be communicated with should injury or death ensue. A case that has occurred in Wellington appears to indicate that there are some recruits who interpret the matter somewhat differently. and believe that in naming their next-of-kin to the authorities they are' willing then' estate to the person named. The case mentioned was that of a man who was wounded, land not even his brothers or sisters knew of it until it was pointed out to them in the paper. Then they saw that the man had named his seven-year-old son as his next-of-kin in the strict meaning of the phrase, but one imagines that the Defence Department require to know the next-of-kin of responsible years—in fact the person whom the recruit would desire to be the first to be advised of any trouble that might befall him. With respect to the case mentioned above, the boy happened to be living with a stranger away from W-ellingtou, so that the soldier’s immediate relatives in Wellington did not receive advice ahead of the papers, as is the custom. Rehearsals of “The Mikado” are proceeding .on lines which indicate that the prodnetion (pencilled for October) will reach high-water mark for amateur work. At the practice to-night the dialogue will be taken, and all members are asked to reipember that “curtain” is 7.30 sharp. Advice given free on aii photographic work -at. ths-Davies Pharmacy.

Farther annual subscriptions to the Pukekura Park Board are as follow; Mr. S. Percy Smith, £1; Mrs. Martin, 10s; Miss Godfrey, 10s; Mr. G. T. Murray, £l. At the conference of engineers at Wellington to consider the possibility of manufacturing munitions in New Zealand, the following telegram, from the attorneys of the Waihi Gold Mining Company was read by the Hon. Mr. Myers, and was received by the conference with applause;—“Waihi Company can offer six lathes, also drilling and planing machines, available sixteen, hours per day, for munition work; also brass and iron foundry.” In saying good-bye to his company at the farewell tendered him on Saturday night, Captain Horsnell expressed the hope that they would continue to take a keen interest in their drill. He recommended them to devote some time to signalling, which they wonld find very useful to them. Lieutenant Clark also urged . them to make themselves proficient iu signalling, which they would find was one of the most interesting branches of the service. The “Jack Johnson” exploded with a deafening roar, and Murphy, ' after spitting out a peck of dust and wiping his eyes clear with his respirator, looked round, to see Clancy lying very still. “Spake to me, Terenoe,” he whimpered. “Are ye alive or dead?” “Dead,” faintly murmured Clancy. “What a liar the man is!” soliloquised Murphy, much relieved. Then Ciauoy sat up. “Ye know I must be dead, Murphy,” he said, “or it isn’t the likes o’ you would be calling me a liar.” ] The Rangitikei Queen Carnival, which extended over eight weeks, was concluded on Saturday night. There wore seven candidates. Miss Joyce M'Kelvie, daughter of Mr. J. F. Al’Kelvie, Carnarvon, was • elected Queen (£5825), Hiss Bull £4262), Mrs. S. J. Gibbons (£2275). The total realised was £15,563 13s 2d, representing 1,867,639 votes. Miss Bull led from the start till 6 o’clock on Saturday, when she was passed byAliss MTxenvie. The contest created great excitement.— Press Association.