LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7919, 16 August 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On page four of this issue will be found the prospectus of the “Liberty Loan,” of £12,000,000, which will close on Monday, September 3rd. The loan is a prime necessity—the army must be fed, clothed, and liberally supplied with munitions, and to that end it. is the bounden duty of every New Zealander to support the loan to the full extent of his or her ability. The terms on which scrip may be acquired are fully set out in the prospectus, and should be carefully digested.

It is interesting to learn that the Rev. Mr Bates forecasts a “prospect of fair weather soon.” Mr Clement Wragge has evidently worked his way out of the district.

“There are greater scoundrels off Somes Island than on it,” declared Mr Hornsby, seriously, shaking his fist at the House, when talking about food profiteers. It is officially stated that owing to the labor trouble in Australia the in-ter-colonial steamer sailings from Wellington are suspended in the meantime.

A cheque for £l3O 12s Gd has been forwarded to Mr G. Mackay, Napier, by the Ladies’ Patriotic Committee as Waipawa and district’s contribution to the Y.M.C.A. Trench Comforts Fund.

After a storm of protest had been raised against the suggestion to lower the age of military' service to 19 it is announced that the Government never contemplated any change in the direction indicated.

Whether the Defence Minister will consider the advisability of granting financial assistance to soldiers on active service in connection with the war risk life insurance premiums they are called upon to pay? This question has been asked by Mr Harris (Waitemata) in the Houso. In supporting a motion that the Government should take over the control of the food supply, Councillor Churchhouse, at the meeting of the Petone Council, said that there were many persons in New Zealand whose patriotism went to the extent of waving a flag, while at the same time they were robbing their fellow-citizens’ pockets.

In the House on Tuesday Sir Joseph Ward introduced an amendment of the Trades and Commerce Act to prevent holders of tea prior to the imposition of the new duty raising the price to consumers. If any such increase had taken place the consumer would be entitled to a refund. The bill was treated as a matter of urgency and passed all stages. In the House of Representatives the Defence Minister read a cable from General Godley relative to the statement that Captain Ross had acted as censor at the front. General Godley stated that Captain Ross had acted as censor only on one occasion, and that was in the unavoidable absence of another censor. He had never acted as censor before.

In spite of the fact that every man will go into camp when his time arrives, the “white feather” fiend still plies her nefarious practices. A member of the Second Division in Masterton recently received a disgusting letter through the Post Office attached to which were three white feathers, and the words: “To men we send one, to cads three.”

Mr Parr (Eden) has asked Sir James Allen the following question:— Whether he is aware that experienced, capable, and deserving Main Body men are being passed over at the front for non-commissioned promotions and new and inexperienced men placed over the old units; and, if so, will he indicate what steps he proposed to take to allay discontent under the present system?

A Charlie Chaplin comedy is the “star” feature of the bill to be presented at. the Pictures to-night. It is said to display the versatile Charlie in one of his best humors, and has proved a popular draw wherever it has been shown. A fine Vitagraph drama, “The Making Over of Geoffrey Manning,” show's how one of the idle rich “made good” in his determination to earn his own living. Other supports are the “Pathe Gazette” and “Valley of Chalvagne” (sceSic).

A cable to the ‘ ‘ Sydney Sun ” from London last week says:—The grip of Kitchener’s name and personality upon the masses of the public is shown by the simmer of excitement to-day throughout the East End over the' statement of his sister, Mrs Parker, that she believes he is alive. Newsvendors Were besieged, and the subject was discussed in thousands of homes. The legend that Kitchener is pot dead has a large hold upon the Tommies, amongst whom stories that Kitchener was rescued by a German submarine and taken prisoner enjoy popularity. A large section of the French public has not been satisfied with the meagre details of the Hampshire tragedy. It is merely one of the strangest canards of the war, yet the popular belief in Great Britain and France, that Kitchener will return, is unshakable. Mrs Parker says that she accepted his death for three months, then began to doubt and inquire. She has heard stories which have convinced her that her brother is alive.

The Patangata County i wants a surfaceman for the district.

The Napier Harbor Board L cided to invite applications ( position of resident enginee.'” salary of £SOO, increasing t 0 It is understood that the 0 ment bill dealing with hotel bn! propose to limit the hours f tott , to 8 p.m.

R. Staines and Sons, the wellx. house furnishers, Waipukurau an advertisement of intei the public generally in this ,«!

Tho next ballot is due to b e i in two weeks’ time. It will a two months since there was a ft, and the ballot will be a double A man in Timaru who was * bis garden the other day recei, unexpected reward. The spade, something solid, and investigate to the discovery of two kegs' s, ing liquid, which proved to 1* lent wine. How it came int), e ' no one knows, but it is surrnii it was buried there “a very W ago,” even possibly for f ort . Whether- that be so or not, ti( has absolutely no Chance of, ing for another forty year,* An allegation as to hardiU posed on a soldier going to ft, was made by Sir John Findlavi House of Representatives, i, quoted from a letter he had* giving it out that seven yeq the owner of a Hawke’s Bap had been granted a reducti® rent on the land. When it *„ that the man who owned the \ going to the front the Hawk Land Board had demanded I remitted. The matter was urgency, so he would like at from the Prime Minister. }[,| replied that it was quite ig. to answer the question right He would advise Sir John t, the question on the order pap, Voluntary recruiting for ft and 35th Reinforcements r closed down on Saturday, andi will bo taken from among j maining members of the Firr sion of the Expeditionary Reserve next week to (111* vacancies as exist. As no hi] taken last month and two di quire to be filled, the ballot *i be a double onq, and it is ti that between 14,000 and 15,# will be called up under it. 11 leave some 7000 men still left First Division, who will a Is;, g up by ballot a month lata, taking of the tenth ballot will ably be commenced on Tucsdi] The possibility of a vote! electors on the licensing issue dicated by the Hon. W. D, S Donald at Gisborne last week the Second Division League! view. The League submitted «i tion to the proposed tax on tea course of his reply on the subj Minister pointed out that the! ment had hoped to have been i avoid interfering with the tail Wauehop suggested the tax du on luxuries, not necessities, ui what about taxing spirituous! making it, for instance, Is pa The Minister replied that iu s secure a stable revenue them to apply the tax to something one used, whereas if they appht luxuries they might be left I deficit. In any case the k issue might be submitted to ft tors, and no doubt an effort n made in this direction duny present session.