LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16892, 8 February 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Britain is snowbound, the weather being the coldest for 20 years, from *10 to 20 degrees of frost being registered. : Grass fires have been prevalent in the VELalcombe district, and last evening near Kakariki the fine was sweeping over a large area. ,

According to a Ohristiania cable, Captain Amundsen expects to be absent for five years, • finally aero-planing to the North Pols.

The Borough Council >ar,e supporting the action of the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society in having the Matipo Park made a sanctuary for game. During the pony jumping competition at Jb cilding yesterday a boy named Willie Baker was thrown from his mount when negotiating a hurdle, and sustained a fracture of the skull. He was taken to the Palinerston Hospital.

At the Magistrates'' Court yesterday the Inspector of Factories (Mr E. W. F. Gohns) proceeded against S. J! Sullivan, manager of the Dominion furniture Co., of Wanganui, for failing to notify within the required period an accident which occurred: to an employee. A tine of 10s. and costs was imposed. T

Our travelling reporter writes that the recent fall of rain in the Feilding district came just in time to save the rape and turnip crops. It was thought it would come too late, but it is wonderful how^the crops have revived during the past few days. The pastures have also showed great improvement, to the relief of farmers,, who lately have been rushing their stock along to the freezers without topping them off. . Complaint was made by Mr. J. C. Martin to the Gonvilie Town Board last night in regard to the accommodation paddocks in Smithfield Read. "The whole thing is a disgrace to any civilised community, ?{ he said. " .Last week the paddocks were occupied by mobs ot sheep, and during the recent gale clouds of pulverised manure were floating all over the neighbourhood." The Chairman said .that ■the abandonment of the paddocks for stock purposes had be,en notinsd.

It does not appear to be generally known that the Gonville Baths are the finest-in the district. The average pcr r son appears to bslteve that the water is changed only once a week, which is the usual custom with fresh-water baths. This niss, not the case, as the water is changed every 36 hours, and the baths cleaned and limed every waek. The water, which is artesian, is beautifully clear and soft, and enters the batyis at a temperature of 60 degrees, which is v,ery^acceptable to those abou^ to learn swimming, especially ladies and children.

..Last night the GonviKe Town Board enthusiastically approved of the movement by the Wanganui Chamber of Comerce to hold a "conference to disucss a hydro-electrical power scheme for Wanganui. Commissioner Bullock, who visited North Auckland on the occasion of tlie recent Parliamentary said it was an eye-opener to see the hydro-electrical power supply derived from the Wairua Falls, near Whanaarei. It was possible that a satisfactory source could b,o obtained near Wamcanui. v '

In a circular letter. .written at the front, Bishop Oleary, of Auckland, says: "Throughout the war the bayonet has been a great Allied weapon which the Hun simply cannot and will not face. Our men,' of all the Dominions and the British Isles, simply long to get at the Huns with the bayonet, but. at the sight of the levelled blades and the fierce, yelling faces of the men, the enemy either beats a retreat cr throws up-his .lianas and shrieks out ' Kamerad! Kamerad!' Out of a group of 22 dead Germans counted by an informant of mine in a place not far ifrom here, .18 were killed with bayonetthrusts, mostly ghastly wounds in the neck. And quite a number of ambulance and hospital doctors have assured mo that, in a long- experience, they have met with no British fighter showing bayonet wounds. The feeling everywhere prevalent lamong the army (so far as I have come in contact with it during thepast few months) is that, despite occasional local reverses, such as that in Roumania, the Allied 'armies can quite surely win the war, and lay the evil spirit of Prussian militarism, if only the party politicians give the fighting men a fighting chance. lam here recording facts and feelings as I find them."

fi Yesterday morning's "Manawatu Times" says: "'The-political prophets are issuing. portents in regard to the successor to the late lamented Dr. McJNab. it has been whispered that Mr. Sidey, of Dunedin, or !Mr Forbes, tho representative of Huruuui, are entitled to first consideration. For our part we know of one man who stands out as pre-eminently fitted for a seat in the war-time Cabinet. We r,efer to Mr. Veitch, the member for Wanganui. Mr Veitch is a hard-headed, practical man, reared in the school of experience, and with ability enough to make a success of any department placed under his control. He" knows when to speak and when to keep silent and he invariably talks sense. Over and abovs that, he is bred on staying lines, which is a very great asset in these strenuous days. Several of the Cabinet Ministers at present in office in this country are what the racing folk dosigt nato as ' roarers. 1 They are not sound in wind and limb; and one or two of them have palpably grown weary of well-doing. Mr Sidey is delicate and dilletante; Mr Forbes, is robust and vigorous, and is a man"of promise. But nobody in sight has the immediate qualification of the member for Wanganui for filling the niche so untimely vacated by Dr McNab."

The military ballot finished yesterday, an.l the result will probably be made known on Monday.-

The Board of Traders going to Gisborne and Auckland to inquire into tiie meat position.—Press Association.

Last night the Gonville Town Board wer,e informed by the Valuer-General that owing to war conditions the revaluation of'the Gonville distriot K couid not be undertaken at present. Only a limited amount of revision work could be done, and there were other districts where the work was more urgent.