Untitled

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145999, 4 December 1917, Page 2

The clean-up week will be in full swing this week. It is intended to do the business area of Devon Street on Thursday at 12 noon, and Devon Street, from Belt Road to Henui River on Friday morning at S. The Minister of Customs states that the Customs revenue collected in November amounted to £281,750, and excise beer duty to £21,797. The figures for 1916 were £327,004 and £14,384 respectively. The writing desk upon which President Wilson does his correspondence has an interesting origin. It is made of oak from the British ship Resolute, which many years ago was rescued in the Arctic Ocean, thoroughly rebuilt by the TJ.S.A. Government, and sent to England. The British Government took out some of the oak in the original framework of the ship and had a superb desk made ,of it. It was sent to the American Government as a souvenir; and it has been used since by all the Presidents of the, United States*

The new programme at the People's-to-night presents the two popular artists, Wallace Reid and Anita King in a vigorous, play of the North West entitled ‘The Golden Fetter.” The latest Australian and American Gazettes are also on the bill.

Writing from Te Aroha, Mr. E. Dockrill, in forwarding £5 towards the Allen Fund, says: “1 am pleased you are raising a fund for tiro family of-the late Mr. Allen, who has been so long an employee of the Harbour Board. I hope your efforts will meet with every success.”

Lecturing in Auckland on the subfeet of “Unproparedness for .Motherhood and the Best Ago for Marriage,” Dr. Truby King said ho thoroughly understood the responsibility in giving advice on tho age at which a woman should marry. Looking at tho matter from all standpoints he could only think that early marriage was best, and in his opinion eighteen for the women and twenty-two for tho men were the most suitable ages, both from the point of view of health, morals, and tho nation.

During a. discussion at the Borough Council meeting on Monday night with reference to “clean up week,” Councillor Dcare said ho understood some of tho rubbish was to bo dumped on a low-lying section in Devon Street West, and bo protested against any such proposal, remarking that It would ho very unsightly, especially in view of tho fact that tho section was alongside the tram track. Mr. Day said he did not propose dumping any of the rubbish on this section, which was private property. He intended, unless otherwise directed, to dump it on tho council's tips in Hobson Street and Vealo’s Estate.

In conversation with a Guardian reported on Tuesday, an Ashburton grain-grower. when discussing the prospects of receiving an early supply of grain-sacks, said ho had been informed by merchants that sacks could not be obtained before late in February or early in March. Ho considered farmers would have a difficult problem to face if they had to find labour to stack their wheat instead of being able to thresh out of stool?. He said ho thought farmers were as much to hlamo in the matter of sacks ns the Government was; through an oversight both parties had neglected to secure supplies, and only discovered that the sacks would not bo forthcoming when the harvest was practically upon them. The. Auckland Herald’s Hamilton correspondent on Tuesday wrote: —When a. religious objector named Thomas Pallcson, carrier, Cambridge, appeared before the Second Military Service Board to-day ho refused to take the oath, or make a declaration. , He said ho belonged to the Lord Jesus, and would not take the oath. The Chairman : If you object to the oatli will you make a declaration that what you are about to say is tho truth? Appellant: My objection to service is based on Timothy 11. 2-4. The Chairman: Ob, ba.ng Timotbv 11. Will you make a declaration? The appellant stood silently until the chairman iost patience, and exclaimed: “Oh get out of tho box! Your appeal is dismissed.” The inauguration of six o’eloek hotelclosing was ushered in by one tragic occurrence in Fltham, the Argus says. About live, minutes before six a customer with a live-gallon jar entered a local pub. and bad the jar filled with beer. On tho stroke of six he left the hotel carrying bis jar in triumph, having insured against thirst until nine o’clock on Monday morning. But, alas! There is many a slip between the jar and the lip. The triumphant beer carrier madt? rno slip, or trip, just as he left tho pub. door Down came the jar, which was immediately smashed into many pieces, and the foaming amber liquid watered tho thirsty soil, instead of some thirsty souls. It was too late to obtain a fresh jar and a re-fill, because the fatal hour of six had struck.

A paragraph was published several days ago stating that an Auckland lad had crowded 24,930 words on to a card 3£ inches by 5 inches. Lieut.-Colonel A. Morrow, a well-known resident of Auckland, called at the Star office with a. visiting card, on tho back of which the “Lord's .Prayer” had been inscribed eleven times in a circle tho size of a threepenny piece. As there are 71 words in the prayer, this would work out at 28,236 words on a card tho size of the one previously mentioned, and this gives Colonel Morrow 3306 words to tho good in the matter of microscopic inscription. As an absolutely futilo waste of energy microscopic writing may compare with tho efforts to break tho record for dub-swinging and piano-play-ing.

Discussing the comparative rarity of actual bayonet wounds in this war, Ur. Woods Hutchinson says that in most of tho raiding and bombing parties into tho enemy's trenches the men have got quite into the habit of starting out equipped with bombs, trench knife, and murderous-looking clubs. They found the bayonet too clumsy for the confused fighting in tho trenches. So addicted had the men become to this style of fighting that in tho hot work following tlie taking of the Vimy Ridge about Bullccourt and Fresnoy, it was reported that a special order had to ho issued to tho officers to see that tho men took their rifles with them when they -went forward to attack the enemy’s positions. Clubs are not officially recognised or provided in tho regulation army kit, but have to be improvised by tho men themselves, and you can see them lying about everywhere in tho camps, alongside of their haversacks and ammunition belts. They are of no fixed pattern, but extremely business-like looking weapons l , a favourite “make” being a two or three-pound cogwheel out of a broken gnn carriage or any other scrapped machinery that may be available set on a stout ash handle about 18 inches long. President Wilson in a recent spech said tho greatest forces in tho woild, and the only permanent forces, are the moral forces; consequently the American President favours the famous “Golden Rule” Soap. Sold by New Plymouth grocers at Is 3d large bar. 2

Buyers of ladies’ stockings are strongly advised to make their purchases for present or future requirements at once, as it will not be long before heavy advances on all lines will take effect. The Melbourne, Ltd., fortunately hold fair stocks, and notify that they are willing to fill all retail orders at old prices, but no shopkeepers will bo supplied.* Euchro party to-night at. the Kawaroa Park bungalow. Good prizes are again offered. Come and win quarter ton of coal for a shilling. All proceeds for tho ground improvements. Supper provided by the ladies’ committee. Th’ lodies 6’ St. Andra’s Kirk Guild ken weel boo tao gang aboot their wark. an’ th’ Scotch Fair the’fe haudin i’ th’ kirk ha’ on Wednesday at 2.30 p.m., wull be mucklo tao their credit. There’ll be a’ kinds o’ gear for sale baith bonnie an’ gnid, an’ aebody’ll dae richt weel tae gang there and tae tak’ plenty o’ siller i’ their pooches, for ilka ano is sure tae want tao pairt wi’ some o’t i’ exchange for yin or mair o’ th’ fine trokes.

“With regard to the balance of theAnsfcralian wheat,” said the Hon. W. JJ. S. MacDonald on Monday, “a cargo-, of wheat recently arrived for Dunedin and Oamaru. Wo have arrangements made whereby I hope to have throe shipments delivered in New Zealand by the end of December, and this, I think, will relieve any anxiety with regard to the position as to wheat and flour. The further question of the purchase of the coining harvest is now being dealt with by tiro Board of Trade. At Palmerston North on Saturday Louis Clark was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for giving wrong information in respect to the Expeditionary Force Reserve. He gave three different names to the police—Lamb, Olark, M’Kay and said that he had walked from Wellington. Ho had no registration papers. Later on he -said he had five fathers. _ It was impossible to find out anything definite about him. The accused said ho had registered in Wellington as Louis Mac Kay.

An Australian woman tells an amusing incident about tho Queen’s recent visit to the front. Tt appears that not far from where Highland regiments are stationed a number 'of drivers of the Women’s Ambulance Convoy serve. The women were inspected- by her Majesty, Tho story -goes on that they had intended to salute in military style, but Highlanders are jealous of their privilege of being the only individuals in petticoats to give the usual salute, and threatened that if the women saluted they would curtsey. It ended in the women curtseying.

A strange case at present under notice of the Wellington police is that of Hamilton Perry, a young man who is being detained on a charge of attempted suicide at Island Bay. On Friday Perry jumped over tho cliffs at Island Bay, a distance of about 70 feet, and miraculous to relate escaped with merely minor injuries. Perry admitted to a constable that he had jumped over tho cliff and, moreover, his hat was found jon tho edge of tho cliff. It appears ibat. Perry did the same thing some six weeks ago when, as the result of his injuries, he was taken to the hospital. Perry persistently speaks of “the miraculous intervention of God when I go over thrao places,” and is thought to bo a victim of religious mania. When Perry jumped off the cliff on Friday his arm was still bandaged as tho result of his former jump.

Tho iron industry in New Zealand has been considerably affected 1 by tho war. The price of material used m tho trade has greatly increased, as was shown by a witness before tho Arbitration Court at Dunedin. Bar iron, ho said, had increased 188 per cent., steel bars 275 per cent., boiler plates /II per cent, pig iron 185 nor cent., copper sheets 119 per cent., tin plates 207 per cent., zinc 200 per cent., aluminium 122 per cent., too! steel 733 per cent., twist drills 251 per cent; bolts 119 per cent., wire rone 769 per cent., lubricating oil 147 per cent,, petrol 92 per cent., coal 45 per cent., railway rates 22j per cent., coke 54 per cent., steam coal 37 per cent., white lead 233 per cent., and freights 800 per cent. In one case the invoice cost of goods in F.ngland wa.s £73. while tho landed cost in Now Zealand was £154. Firms have had to advance the nrieo of their goods to the public by about 54 nor cent., but the increase they have themselves had to nay to tho Home merchants is something like 100 por cent. Tho second of tho services of sacred music will take place in St, Mary’s Church to-night. Tho service will bo Lloyd in K flat. The anthems will bo Stainer’s “What are These!” and Purcell’s little known anthem “Rejoice in the Lord Alway.” commonly called “Tho 801 l Anthem.” The organ solo will bo tho majestic Fantasia and Fugue in A minor (Bach), and the Allegretto from tlio sth Symphony by AVidor. Tho offertory will bo devoted towards tho extinction of the church debt.

The quarterly -meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce will he held in the Soldiers’ Chib on Friday next at 8 p.m.

“Tho Song of tho Bell” practices for the Technical College concert to-morrow night arc proceeding satisfactorily. The frill programme as published in this issue gives an idea of the scope of the and suggests the quality of the voices which are capable of producing such a high class cantata. In addition to the singing items, two very fine dances will be staged, while as an introduction to the famous “Peace” trio, the spirit of tho theme will bo illustrated in dance by two students from the Hawora Technical College. Taken altogether this performance promises to be something quite above the average, and already an extra supply of tickets has had to bo printed. Fat. chubby boy, did you say? But just wait till you see the chubby girls taking part in the poi dance, and wearing mats, many of them of historic interest, too! Then again, wait till you see the healthy rosk-cheeked children at the exercises that hay© contributed, in no small degree, to this healthy appearance ! And I say, afternoon ,tea—such tea as- tho Fitzroy ladies know how to provide—-ice-creams, made in a magic machine—at least tho kiddies think so .—in fact, lots of good things at the Fitzrov fete in tho schoolgronnds on Thursday afternoon. By-tho-hye, did you know that the chubby boy is an oracle? "Watch to-morrow’s paper for one of the questions to he set in the forthcoming matriculation examination.