LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17067, 21 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is rather interesting to note that Miss Enid Bennett, the Australian actress, who is starring in "- The Little Brother," now being shown at His Majesty's Theatre, appeared in person on the same stage some two years ago, when she was a member of the Niblo Comedy Company, which played "The Fortune Hunter," and "Officer 666."

The lighter "Dorset," which foundered recently, is evidently breaking up. The beach from the Kiosk and up towards Kai.lwi is becoming strewn with quarters of prime " corned" beef. A portion of the hull has also come ashore.

On the occasion of the final production of ■ Get a Move On," at the Opera House this evening, children will i- e admitted at half-price to all parts of the house. Owing to the demand for seats, it has been impossible to admit children to the performances durinothe past two nights.

That some sneak thieves are about was evidenced on Saturday night, when a party of motorists from Wangaehu iiad a valuable rug and two Hadies' hats stolen ffcom a motor car, which had been left outside the Opera House. The matter is now in the hands of the police.

There has been another addition to the riverine stationary flotilla, the steamer Kiripaka having been towed m yesterday from Patea to end her declining days as a coal lmlk. The fine lines of the visitor were much ad midland the vessel should add considerably to the attractiveness of the waWfoont.

A writ has boen issued from the Supreme Court in Masterton claiming £2,000 for alleged seduction. The plaintiff is well known in Masterton, and the defendant is a settler in the Eketahuna district. The case will probably be heard at the sittings ot the Supreme Court that open at Masterton on September 3rd.—"Times."

The local draft of the 33rd Reinforcements are leaving for Trentham to-morrow (Wednesday) morning. They will assemble at the Drill Hall at sis o'clock, and will be accompanied to the train by the Queen Alexandra Band, and members of the National Reserve who will fall in at 6.30. The Lady Liverpool committee will distribute parcels to the men.

The final linking up of the Eastern Company's cable with Titahi Bayis now going on. Part of the company's staff will reach Wellington this week, the remainder staying on and working from Cable Bay until Saturday night, when that station will be abandoned. If no hitch has occurred the men will leave on .Saturday night and take up work at the new office in Wellington on Sunday.

A representative meeting of ratepayers on St. John's Hill was held last evening, to protest against the proposal of the Borough Council to cut up for building sites the frontage of St. John's Hill reserve. On the motion of Mr. Hutton, seconded by Mr. Green, it was unanimously resolved:" That this meeting of St. John's Hill ratepayers. emphatically protests against any proposal to divert from use as a public recreation reserve any part of the municipal reserve lying between the Main North Road, Parsons St., and Mosston Road." The tone of the meeting was decidedly vigorous, and'the resolution was strongly supported by the various speakers.

In reply to a letter of inquiry addressed by him to the Minister of Defence, the Rev. G. W. Blair, of Wanganui/East, has received the following reply:-"Dear sir,—ln answer to your letter of the 14th instant, I have to say that no proposal has been brought before Parliament to reduce the age at which young men are to be called up for service, from 20 to 19 years. It is quite true the Government has had the matter under consideration, but no definite conclusion has been arrived at. You may rest assured that before anything is doh 6 the gravest consideration will be *given to the subject. I might remind you that in all other parts of the Empire the age at which boys are called up for service is eighteen years, whereas in New Zealand it is twenty.—Yours faithfully,J. Allen, Minister of Defence."

Miss Joan Macgregor, one of Raraabai's assistants in th© Mukti Mission, Central India, is at present in'Wahganui. Miss Macgregor, who is the guest of Miss Parsons, 55 Bell St., will speak at St. Andrew's Church on Wednesday evening at 7.30, and give a lantern lecture in the Trinity Methodist School Hall at 8 p.m. on Thursday. The Mukti Mission is an undenominational, evangelical Christian mission, designed to reach and help high-caste Hindu widows, dc^ ■ • . ■ \ves, and orphan children fror.' • v.fts of India. It aims at training tiie young women and girls sheltered in the home, mentally, morally and . spiritually. Everything is done to enlighten the women and girls who come to this home. After receiving a thorough training for some years they go out a<* teachers or Bible-women to work in different missions. At the present time some 1100 child widows are being cared for and brought up to lives of Christian usefulness.