LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12068, 25 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Military Medical Board continued its sitting at Rangiora yesterday and examined about another sixty reservists. The percentage of passes was said to bo a very fair one.

A meeting of creditors in tho estate of William War nock Allender, land agent, of Christchurch, will bo held in the Official Assignee's rooms on A'ugust 2, at 2.30 p.m.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr W. A. Skinner, informed a" Star'' reporter to-<l»y that the surveying of the Homebrooke Estate, which was purchased recently, will be commenced in a day or two.

It was reported at to-day's meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board that there were eighty-five treatments in the venereal out-patients' department during June, representing forty-two patients. Eight new patients had commenced treatment.

One of the results of the continued wet) weather has betn to render many country roads in the Auckland district almost impassable at the present time. As a result goods siheds at some country stations are stated to be crammed full of stuff that it is impossible to cart away under existing conditions.

An indication that the high cost of living is pressing upon householders, says it-he Auckland "Star," may bo gathered from the fact that a firm which advertised sewing machine work to be done at home received one hundred and forty-three replies, and another sixty-nine on the/ following day.

At a special meeting of the Board of Governors of the Rangiora High School, held last evening, "thirty-seven applications for the appointment- to the position of principal of the rcbool were considered, and eventually the number was reduced to four, of which a selection will h-> made at another meeting, to be held on Saturday. The high prices charged for cases in which goods are shipped from England to New Zealand shows how short is the supply of timber in the Old Country at the present time. Wherever goods can be packed in bales it is being done, but in instances where that procedure is impracticable importers at their end, says the Auckland " Star," are astonished at the cost of cases, which is fully treble what it was formerly.

A funny story is related, says the Auckland "Star," regarding a man who enlisted for aatdve service, giving his age as forty-four years. He passed the training tests successfully in camp, and had boon up on final leave. His wifo went to "Wellington to see her husband before he left for the front; and when chatting witih one of the officers she chanced to mention her son at the front. Being asked her husband's ago, sho replied, "fifty-five years," and as a result of her frankness took her husband home again for being over age.

Unless the Auckland district has a few weeks' hno weather very shortly, there is a danger that the farmers will have a, bad time, as it is practically impossible to work the land in many places. It is time the ground was prepared for potato planting and the sowing of oats. In some cases small lot's of early planted poitatocs have come up, hut are not making progress to the ground being waterlogged. Even the pasturo is showing the want of a. little sunshine., and already there has been a, big demand for bran and sharps for cattle feeding purposes. Bolth these lines are now getting in short supply. Experimental work on the pumice lands in the central district of the* North Island was one of the subjects discussed by the Board of Agriculture at its last meeting in Wellington. The board considered a lengthy report from Mr Brown, Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, which had been referred to it by the Minister of Agriculture in connection with the experimental wqrk carried out by the Department on some of the pumice areas in the North Island. Mr Brown suggested that in order to arrive at satisfactory conclusions as to the economic potentialities of this class of country, important operations would have to he conducted on a considerable scale. Tiro hoard agreed that those experiments would he of great assistance to the. settlers already on those lands, but taking all the circumstances into consideration, thought that it would be better to await tho end of the war before commencing them. The prevalence of cattle-stealing in the Auckland province is, according to the " New Zealand Herald," being taken up by the National Efficiency Board. In one case reported to Mr Arthur Gillies, expert adviser to the board, 30 fat bullocks, valued at £SOO or £6OO, were stolen, and in another 200 wethers were picked out by the thief from a flock. In connection with one of the board's farm trusts, the soldier asked for a guarantee that his stock would not be stolen in his absence. No such guarantee could be given. The cases reported by settlers have led the board to conclude that with so many men leaving tho country districts a rare opportunity is offered to cattle stealers. This being so, Mr Gillies has written to the Farmers' Union, the various trustee boards, and to the police, asking all to co-operate in keeping a watch on stock in the daytime and especially on cattle driven after dark. Auctioneers are also to be asked to be watchful in stockowners' interests.

A doctor (A.H.8., CM.) writes—"l may snv I am pleased with the results 'obta'ined from_ VITAFER, and shall be pleased to order this preparation in any suitable cases in future." VITAFER is an all-British tonic food which permanently benefits brain, body, nerves. Chemists sell it. Sample, 3s 6d, post free from J. A. Coltart, Chemist, Christchurch. 22

Startling tests of "Coal Ore" wer<i by Melbourne, analyst: Untreated coal burns 5 hours 20 minutes, treated coal 7 hours 40 minutes. Are you making this saving? Hastie, Bull and Pickering, agents. X 136