LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17393, 2 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A slight earthquake was experienced last evening at 11.17.

It is proposed to erect wool storaige at the Taihape Freezing Works, the capital to be raised by the issue of £5 preference shares.

A thanksgiving service in connection with the war is to be held in St Paul's Presbyterian Church at 7.30 this evening. A cordial invitation is extended to all.

Heavy snow fell in Masterton and surrounding districts last week, and snowballing was indulged in by the Masterton residents. This experience is unique in tha history of Wairarapa.

At a. Patriotic Drovers' Race Meeting, held at Katherine, Darwin, Australia, the totalisator returned all the money on the first race, as no one knew the winner. Fights took place every five minutes, until the people lest all interest in the races, preferring to watch the unofficial events.

The broccoli at Kowhai Park is now about finished, and the last of it will be cut on Friday afternoon. The whole park w Till be ploughed and replanted with potatoes, peas, and broccoli. Small trees are being planted this year following out Mr D, Tarmock's suggested pl^.n of laying out the park

The importance of Wanganui as a distributing; centre was well demonstrated on the occasion of the visit of the Ngatoro to this port. Of the 10,000 sacks of chaff, etc., which the steamer discharged here, the majority was sent by rail to various parts of the district, and a fair proportion as far as New Plymouth. Such distribution has been frequent of late, and seems now to be an established' principle.

During the hearing of an action against an auctioneer in the S.M. Court on Monday, Detective-Sergt. Hollis uttered ii word of warning to all auctioneering firms who illegally advertise themselves as such when only one member of the firm is licensed to pursue that calling. He raid it was a legrJ. point, but if was Vv>rt.h noting, and the attention of surh firms should be called to it.

For the purpose of educating the boys in matters pertaining to military life, the Wanganui Collegiate School has for four days betm converted into ai barracks. Col. J. 'L. Sleeman, Director of Military Training, is in command. Associated with him> are: Staff Officer and 2nd in command, Captain S. Dixon; Adjutant and Quarter-master, Captain McGrath. Instructional Staff: Lieut. A. J. King, District Musketry Instructor, assisted by Staff SergeantMajors J. T. R. Bell, Wilson, Allen and D. Braik.

A resident in Disraeli street, Addington, who has been called up in. the ballot, arranged to auction his furniture and otner belongings on Tuesday (says the Lyttelton Times). He prepared them on Monday, and as everything was upsidei 'down, did not occupy the house on Monday evening. On Tuesday inorning he found that burglars had entered, had ransacked all the rooms, and had carried off everything that could be lifted. Whoelmarks on the grass showed that a vehicle had been used to take the booty away.

The Mathieson Street Church of Christ L.T.L., again met on September 30th, Master Reg. Wright in the chair. After the opening prayer, the Secretary read the minutes. The responsive temperance reading was good. Several good choruses were sung and Mrs A. Duxfield taught a new one. Three new members were admitted. The recitation by Miss Elaine Gill was appreciated, also the short address from Pastor Noble, who strongly urged the children to say of a glass of water (not alcohol) what David said of Goliath's sword, "Give it me, for there is none like it."

! At the special meeting of the Charn- ! her of Commerce yesterday, the proi posed extension of tbe franchise of the i Harbour Board was again considered. ( Information concerning other ports was ■ to hand and the, Chamber decided that i it would not send a romit to the con- ; ference on the subject, it not being a | matter which affected all Boards, but I a subject for legislation. Further con- ! sideration was deferred until the ship- ' pins committee, in whoso hands the i subject was loft, has brought down a j report as to bow wider and more speei- | fie representation can be secured. AVith ; regard to the discussion on the subject ! the previous evening and Mr. Harris' | assertion that there was not a member '■on the Board who knew anything about I harbour matters, Mr. Harris wishes it ; to bo clear that this referred only to i their knowledge so far as navigation i was concerned.

j At a contest for the Bradley Ritual I Shield between the local Druid Lod- ! ges. held on Monday evening in the ! Druids' Hall, after a close and keeni j fight Aramoho Lodge were declared

; the winners by the narrow margin |of ?> % points. Both teams put in ! good work, and the judges had no ; easy task in adjudicating. Points ! were awardod as follows: Araimoho, i- r>SBM>; Bishop Lodge, 5854. The ! iudges were P.D.P. Bro. E. R. Morjgan and P.D.P. Bro. W. Bolt (Bishop I Lodge), and P.A. Bro. H. J. Egan i ( Aramoho Lodge). At the conclusion ;ox the contest, the Bishop Lodge enI tertained the visitors to supper. { Bros. J. McCarthy, Gordon, and Sharpe gave songs, and A.D Bro. Gordon (Bishop Lodge) proposed the "Winning Team," responded to by A.D. Bro. F. Phillips (Aramoho). {and "The Judges," was proposed by | P.A. Bro. W. F. Hanton (Secretary

;of Aramoho Lodge). A pleasant I evening concluded with the singing jof the .National Anthem.

A thanksgiving service will be held at Christ Church this evening at 7.30 o'clock.

The evening train from Taihape to Marton Junction last evening failed to make a crossing at the right place, and was detained until thte -Main Trunk exnress got through. The train, therefore did not reach Marton Junction until 7 o'clock. The Wanganui and Palmerston trains were held back accordingly. Passengers for our town were agreeably surprised at the efforts of those in control of the train to prevent the slow passage home. The old weariness had completely disappeared, and the train ran home a good winner against lost time, being only a fenmi nutes late.

The following paragraph is taken from the Sydney Sun: "In regard to the demand of the Wellington (N.Z.) Freezing Workers' Union that Australian slaughtermen should be excluded trom New Zealand during the coming season so that they should not occupy positions rendered vacant by the calling up of New Zealanders, Mr Furse (secretary of the Australasian Meat Employees' Union) stated that it had, until late ly, been the practice for slaughtermen to visit New Zealand, but that it had now been decided by the union that no more men should be sent. The majority of the men who had been to New Zealand, he said, were not eligible for active ser-

vice."

A blade on one of the propellors of the inter-island steamier Maori snapped off when the vessel was about an hour and a half's steam from Lyttelton on Saturday night. The suddenness of the mishap caused the ship to shudder until the speed was reduced. but no other damage resulted. Some of the* passengers were, however, startled and left their cabins to make inquiries. Steaming at slower speed,, to avoid any undue vibration, the Maori lost time, and consequently was ever an hour .late in arriving at Wellington. In all probability she will be docked at Lyttelton to-morrow to have a new propellor fitted, A similar accident happened to the Maori a few months back.

Lieutenant-Colonel E. E. Porritt has joined the Special C 2 Medical Board as president, in place of Lieu-tenant-Colonel Burnan. tUsice h;s return from duty on a hospital ship Lieutenant-Colonel Porritt has recently been acting as president of the Special Re-examination Medical Board attached to the branch of i.he Director of Recruiting. This board reviews all the papers of the First Divisioa men who have volunteered or been drawn in the ballot and have been classed C 2, and decides whether they shall be called up for roexamination by the Special C 2 Board The personnel of the C 2 Board'is now as follows: Lieutenant Colonel E. E. Porritt, president; Captain W, B. Mercer, and Captain A. G. Harvoy. The position of military approving officer has been aboljished, and Major Blackett, M.C., j who acted in . that capacity, has I gone to Nelson as group commander in place of Captain Burn, now in camp.

Some weeks ago a "gentleman" of military bearing arrived in Masterton (says the "Age"), aoid introduced himself as a "Major," who had returned from the front, after rendering service on Gallipoli, and at the Somme. He had, he said, been wounded in the chest. His story was accepted without the slightest suspicion. He made himself a jolly good fellow, and succeed_ ed in raising loans here and there" He was taken to the homes of settlers, where* he recounted thrilling stories of his exploits, and was entertained to wine and cigars in a regal fashion. x\t length he announced that he was returning to the front as a "lieutenant-colonel" But somehow or another, he overdid the business, and inquiries were set on foot. These revealed the fact that he was a reservist who had never been out of the Dominion and was on the list of men "wanted." He suddenly disappeared, and is still at large. It is not safe to refer to the "Major" in certain quarters.

Already there are ninety-six American women in France wearing the blue-grey of the Young Women's Christian Association uniform. It is worn with a long blue cape and black hat faced with French blue, and an arm chevron with Y.W.C.A. embroidered on a black ground. A big bare room, with board tables and benches, possibly clothes drying about the walls, and in an adjoining dormitory a bed and a common wash basin —these were often the only provision for nurses at base hospitals in France, until the Y.W.C.A. opened nurses' clubs. Tired, sick, in trouble, or' entertaining a friend there was not a corner where one could be alone day or night. Since the clubs were opened, all this is changed. At sixteen base hospitals now there are attractively furnished social rooms where the nurses may spend the few hours they are off duty. Six more hospitals have asked for these privileges. In many places the nurses' club room occupies one end of the Red Cross hut. At the others the Y.W.C.A. and the V.M C.A. share the same building.

Mysterious shortages, in the tallies of sheep yarded at the Aldington sa.leyards, according to stock agents, have been occurring during the past year or two. Such losses (reports the Sun) have lately reached a size when only one explanation would appear possible. Thus not long ago 100 shoep were missing, deficits of twenties have been common, a,nd on Wednesday week one line which was counted in at the yards left SO short The matter, needless to say, is causing general concern, and at Wednesday's sale, Mr Leicester Matson, the well-known stock agent, addressing a section of the attendance from the rails, made a. statement of the position. Mr Matson said that shortages, not in ones or twos, but in truckloads, were occurring, and that from all indications it would look as though it was the work of a> well organised band that must be directly associated with the work at the market. So long as it lasted it was the duty of every stockman at the Addington yards to clear the stigma that at present was hanging over that centre. In fact, it would be necessary, until the whole matter had been cleared up, to view with suspicion even one another. Tt was an inexplicable state of affairs, but there was no evading the facts.

The Eastern Extension Cable Co. advise delay to inward deferred telegrams, owiag to congestion of cable traffic. An improvement is expected shortly.

Mr. Hugh N. Wilson, representative for "My Four Years in Germany," ibv Ambassador James W. Gerard, will arrive in town to-day to make final arrangements for the screening of the picture at His Majesty's.

All members of the Wanganui branch of the National Council of Women will doubtless make a point of attending the meeting convened for Friday afternoon next, In the social hall of the V.M.C.A. A short business programme, from 3 to 3.30, will be followed by an address by Mrs Kinton Parkes, one of England's foremost patriotic women workers and a gifted speaker.

In our issue of Wednesday last our travelling reporter commented upon the apparent apathy of'-jYiarton Borough Councillors, as evidenced by irregularity and unpunetuality in attendance, the last ordinary meeting having to be adjourned owing to tho want of a quorum. On Thursday a report appeared in the Rangitikei " Advocate," commenting on the fact that certain correspondence was on the file, but the meeting could not be held in the absence of a sufficient number of councillors to forma quorum, only the Mayor and Councillors Hunter and" Sutcliffe attending. A report was also given of a discussion which took place between the Mayor and the managar of the gas works in respect to the at, titude the Council would adopt in connection with the calling up of Mr. Sayers, of the gas works. It was stated that the Mayor had expressed an opinion that the town should revert to candles rather than appeal. An added comment was made in the report that apparently Crs. »Sutcliffe and Hunter were of the same opinion. It may re mentioned,, incidentally, that tlie "Chronicle" reporter was the oniv pressman present at the meeting. On Thursday evening, when at Martpn Junction, our travelling reporter was informed by a well-known l'esident that the Mayor had written a letter to die local paper the previous evening in lespect to the Council's inability to hold a meeting on the Monday night, giving the names of the councillors present, also the names of the councillors who were absent. He had evidently mistaken the report above referred to as a. letter, and that impression being conveyed to our re-porter, tho latter unwittingly fell into the same error. He stated so in our columns on Thursday, and w.as pleased to make a few further comments on the need of councillors fulfilling their election pledges. The Mayor (Mr. Wilson) takes exception to the statement that he wrote a .letter to the local paper commenting on the topic in question. As obviously tm eror was made, quite unintentionally, we now make the correction, being quite- satisfied that no letter to the editor of <fcbe "Advocate" was written by the^ Mayor.