LOCAL AND GENERAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11215, 22 October 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

With the exception of the Rangitata (fisbable), all the Canterbury trout streams were reported clear this morning.

There was no sitting of the Police Court this morning, the* list, of offenders, for the first time for many months, being blank.

Each day's river reports may be obtained by anglers on application, after 10 a.m., to the secretary of the Acclimatisation Society (Mr C.W. Hervey). Says New York "Life": "War News.—' Life' supplies every week only reliablo news of great war in Europe. We run no risks. Wo manufacture it right on the spot. No war correspondents. No connection with any European army staff. No cables or wireless. Our Imitators depend on Europe. We depend only on ourselves- Every Tuesday."

Sitting in Chambers at Wellington veste'rday, Mr Justice Donniston granted probate in the following estates:— Helena Marsh (Mr Salter), Ann Pearce (Mr 'Flesber), Margaret Lambie (Mr Cuningham), Francis Machin (Mr Weston), Alfred A. Ransley (Mr Hunt), Jain'es Hoban (Mr Hoban), William Reed (Mr Wilding), Andrew M'Gill (Mr Hunt), George Easterbrook (Mr Hunt), Thomas George King (Mr Hunt) and William Henry French.(Mr Hunt).

Tho Lands Department has a limited number of war maps for sale. the proceeds will go to tho Patriotic Jiind. Groat preparations have been made in connection with the; monster _ patriotic procession and sports meeting to take place at Kaiapoi on Labour Day. The procession, which will start'at 10.30 n.ni , will proceed through tho borough on its wav to the Parle, and practically all the local bodies and societies will be represented. A correspondent of tho " Lyttelton Times" writes stating that the planet Venus is now at her brightest, and is plainly visible to the naked eye all day. She is due east about 10.30 a.m.. a little more than a third of the distance between the horizon and the pniut overhead, and she is duo north very high up about o p.m. She will be close to the moon all to-day. and should therefore be easily picked up.

The water of the Eyre water races, under the control of the Oxford County Council, will bo shut off for the vinual. race cleaning on Monday and Tnc\day, November 2 and.3, and also on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, if necessary. A similar procedure will be adopted with reeard to the Cooper's Creek races on Wednesday and Thursday, November 4 and o. and also on tho following Monday and Tuesday, November 9 and 10, if necesary.

"Our wounded are among the best recruiters we possess " (says a London paper), "for, while they do not i n tne least minimise the perils of war, they long to get back to the fighting line again as soon as possible. This is the spirit that lias "animated our men in all of our battles. At Talana Hill, at Belmont, at Enslin, to take only a few examples from the Boer war, we saw officers and men wounded, falling, and yet rising again to struggle on up the bullet-swept hillside. This is the unconquerable spirit of the English race asserting itself." According to a Wellington paper, Sir Montague Nelson (head of the firm of Nelson Bros.) said to Mr W. H. Tripe, of Wellington, on the eve of his departure from London: "If you see my .brother William when you get back to New Zealand, tell him there is no need to be the least bit apprehensive about this war. Britain is going to : win through at all costs, and Germany is going to be put down. It's going to be done, and will be done, even though it may take three years to do it, and even though wo may have to fire bullets of silver and of gold before, we reach the end." Advice has been received that at the examination for junior typists, held at Gilby's College, on July 10, under the auspices of the National Shorthand Association, Incorporated (typists' section), all the candidates were successful in obtaining passes. The examination was conducted t>y Mr F. Burdett Sapsford, the Association's examiner, . the supervisors being Messrs Maxwell and W. S. Wauchop, M.A. Tho names of the successful candidates are as follow:—Mona Cassin, Olive Clucas, Ngaire Dewsbury, Clara Diamond, Victoria Ferrar, C. Ford, Hessie Gordon, E. Lumsden, Christina M'Robb, L. Nolan, May Poarce, Isa Prentice, Alice Stone, Marion Strutters, Lily Wark, C. F. Cannon, H. Knight, R. Wyatt, Katie Shaw. • Advice has also been received that Miss Mary Russell, of Gilby's College, has successfully passed the examination for tho teacher's diploma of the National Shorthand Association (typists' section). The examination was also conducted by Mr* F. Burdett Sapsford, the supervisors being Messrs Maxwell and W. S. Wauchop, M.A. —ln some " Notes and Reflections," which General Booth has just written, the head of tho Salvation Army speaks forcibly of the observance of international arrangements and international law. His remarks will be of' interest to the general public as well as to the members of the Army. The General says: "We recognise that all peace mint rest on law. We see that peace with God must rest on the observance of* divine law; that when men break the law God must fight against them, in order to maintain it for the benefit of their fellows. So also peace between the nations must rest on international law. And it seems to us there has just been witnessed a positive breach, if not a trampling down, of international law, and that it ought not to go unchallenged. Moreover, we feel there can be no peace among the nations unless the Government keep faith with one another. We have just seen that tho promise of some of the greater Powers to protect the safety and freedom of Belgium has been challenged, and it seems to us that the countries which, through their Governments, made that promise, ought to keep their word."

A submarine recently took into Harwich as prisoners of war two German aviators belonging to the naval branch of the enemy's flying corps. The story of their capture, as told in papers just to hand, is an interesting one. The submarine was engaged on patrol duty, and was steaming on the surface about thirty miles off the island of Borkum when an object was discerned floating on the sea. Tt was soon recognised to be a large seaplane of the German pattern, and as on the approach of the submarine the aviators made no attempt to ascend, it was concluded that their machine was not in a condition to fly. The submarine drew ,up alongside the aircraft and took aboard the two aviators in a rather exhausted condition. Tho bombs which they carried were thrown into the sea, and afterwards the machine itself was sent to the bottom. The seaplane was manned bjr a naval sub-lieutenant and a pilot, who is also believed to be a sailor. . Thev were scorning over the sea on the lookout for British warships, the encine i broke down, and the machine descended quickly. They both talked quite freely abotu their adventures. The of- j fleer dived into tho sea just before the ! machine dropped to the water, and then | swam back and climbed upon it. On | tho other hand, the pilot 6tuck to the machine. Probably he was strapped in, and could not release himself. His face was cut wken tho machine struck the water, »but that was the only injury he sustained. The floats kept the seaplane from sinking, and tho two men made attempts to repair tho engine without sucess. For about twenty hours thev remained on the machine, and both have declared that they welcomed with joy the appearance of the submarine, tt meant rescue from certain death, and the fact that f they would become prisoners of war did not count in face of this.

Recent donations received in Wellington towards the Boy Scouts' Dominion Fund include £SO from the Bank of New Zealand, £SO from r.n anonymous donor, £26 os from Mr Moorhouse (Wellington) and £25 from Messrs Levin and Co. The current in connection with the Heathcote County Council's installation of electric lighting at Cashmere Hills will be switched on at the Heathcote pumping station at 7.30 p.m. to-morrow. The ceremony will be performed by Mrs Mulcock.

The following is a copy of a cablegram of Oct. 18, received by the New Zealand Department of Agriculture • from the Governor-General of Soudan, Egypt (Sir Reginald Wingate), and is quoted for general information : " Owing to the outbreak of war. Soudan exporters need now markets for ivory, ostrich feathers, palm shells (used extensively in making buttons), cotton and seed, sesame, earthnuts, gum arable, and senna leaves and pods. I venture to request that publicity may be given to the above statement, and will gladly facilitate inquiries from New Zealand merchants.". At the next meeting of the executive of the Now Zealand Farmers' Union, to be held on Wednesday, the president (Mr C. H. Ensor) will bring forward a proposal that the Canterbury 'Saley'ards Company should be approached with a view to the installation of an automatic machine at the Addington Yards for the weighing of all classes of live stock. Mr Ensor explains that the system of weighing live stock previous to selling is in vogue in various parts of the Commonwealth, and has worked admirably. The weights are al-1 ways affixed to the pens and serve as ■ a guide to buyers,_ and with this data available it is_ possible to .calculate fclie i weight to a nicety. I

On and after Monday next registered code indicators will be allowed as addresses in telegrams exchanged (1) between any two places in British territory, including Egypt; and (2) between British territory, including Egypt and territory of allied ■ countries and United States of America. The name and address of the addressee must be written *at the foot of the telegram by the sender, but not telegraphed. No telegram for an address registered since June 30 last will be accepted. The censor at the office of destination may require the delivery office to furnish the address at which a telegram is to be delivered. Code indicator will not be accepted as the signature of a telegram. " Drinking with the flies " is an expression ■ sometimes heard in publichouse vernacular, but, judging by the letter of a fly-tormented member of the New Zealand Garrison in Samoa, received in Wellington, it is a case there of " eating with the'flies." Evidently a "swat that fly!" campaign in Stevenson's "island home" would prove a stupendous undertaking if it were to be carried to a successful conclusion, for the insect abounds in niyriads. " They are the most persistent, daring, and annoying flies on earth," comments the writer of the letter. "You wake up with the flies clustered your face and covering your blanket 1 And they chase you round all day. But at meal-time it is torture. You have to share your food with tho billions of the fiends, and it won't .go round. They get into the jam tin almost before it is opened. If you put down a piece of bread and jam you will lose sight of it altogether, for there is not a portion of it that will not be covered by flies. To eat the bread and jam you have to wave your hand wildly round your head, and then make a sudden snap at the food before tboy return."

A Mohammedan was sworn at the Auckland Magistrate's Court tne other morning on the Koran. He veiled his eyes as he pressed his head oh the sacred volume, and kept it there whilst the oath was administered, nodding his assent that he would .speak the truth. He then frankly admitted that he owed the debt ? and produced £lO in noteb with which the case was promptly settled by the Magistrate handing over tho cash and getting receipts for the money. Mr Kettle remarked that the man could have been saved about £5 had the solicitors met and settled it out of Court instead of bringing people long distances at great expense. "Hall the cases which occupy the Court, ' added the Magistrate, "could easily be settled by the solicitors if they chose."

A young man of dissipated and dishevelled appearance presented himself at a Wellington Police Station on Monday evening and begged the police to place hiuj under lock and key as he had been drinking heavily, and " was not responsible lor himself." His request was complied with, and at Tuesday's sitting of the Magistrate's Court he stood in the dock trembling as with an ague, as tht chargo of helpless drunkenness was read to him. Then, nervously clasping and unclasping his hands, he begged and pleaded, as earnestly as he had on the previous night asked to Le locked up, to bo let off as he had work to go to in Wanganui. The Magistrate remarked that he did not look at all fit to be out of custody. In spite of his pitiful protestations, the young man was remanded for medical treatment. _ There was a loot of despair on his face as he nervously crept out of the dock. A good deal of mystery (says the Wanganui "Chronicle") surrounds the death by drowning of Mr Frank Jefferson,' of Upper Tutaenui, whose body was found in the Wanganui river a few days ago, and investigations aro being made by the police. The deceased was well off, and only recently disposed of the lease of h:s property. He took a trip to the Islands, and had just got back a day before the Wanganui races. He then left Marton for Wanganui, and had not been seen since until his body was recovered in tho river. It is believed that he had a big roll of notes in his pocket when he left Martoii, but there was no sign of any in his purse when the body was searched. A gold watch and chain were also missing, and the only money found on him was a couple of pennies. Tlra deceased was of splendid physique; in fact, he was regarded as bcing_ one of the bestmade men in the district. _Ho was very popular, and his death is deeply regretted by a large circle of- friends.

The story of how the Germans first ficquired their commercial on Yap, the capital of the Western Carolines, lately captured and occupied by a Japanese naval expedition, is one of the romances of the Pacific. In the early 'seventies a sailor of Hamburg was wrecked in the vicinty of Yap, where he was well treated by the native people. The natives took him to Palaos, to which place they traded by sea, and from there he reached* the Moluccas, where ho joined a ship that at last landed him in Europe after his adventurous enrismgs. Ho related his story to Ckosar Goddefroy, the great Hamburg merchant, who was then engaged in building up a South Sea trading Irasinos with Samoa as headquarters. Herr Goddefroy gave • him charge of a vessel and supplied him with means to purchase a tract of land from the chiefs of Yap to form '••a settlement there. This he d:d, and fer two years he traded between the Carolines and China, chiefly in beche-de-mer. At the end of that time he was accidenfcly wounded by the discharge of a needle gun, and_ he went to Europe, where he remained. He came distitute into the service of the Goddefrdys, from whom, with tho exception of his percentage on trading profits, he received small pay, and yet he retired a rich man, so great was the business he opened up. The Goddefroy firm failed, but the big Gorman firm whose lonp title is popularly abbreviated HI over the South Seas to " D.H. and P. 0.," took its place, and the flag soon followed the trade, reversing the proverbial saying. German commercial interests iu the Carolines quickly secured German government, which the Japanese have just displaced.