LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13754, 5 February 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho attention of tho Masterton Racing Club having been drawn to tho fact that the day selected for their autumn meeting, April 10th, is the day on which the licensing poll is to be taken, it is probable that the Club will apply to the Conference for March 20th.

The Feilding Show opened yesterday, in fine weather. Tho principal prizewinners were: —Dairy cattle, H. J. Lan caster; fat sheep and lambs, J. McKlvie; stud Romneys, G. E. Allen; other Ronineys, W. Gibson; Stud Southdowns, J. Knight.

At tho Hamilton Police Court, Eileen Lena Casey was charged with bigamy. It is alleged that accused went through the marriage ceremony with a man named Wallace while her husband was alive. She was remanded till the 13th inst. —Press Association.

Commissioner llodder has decided that the Salvation Army Hostel, Featherston, recently'so serviceable for accommodating the relatives '.uid friends of soldiers, shall now be utilised for disabled soldiers ,and as an ''Eventide Home"'' for tbe aged poor, or for old folk, whether widows, widowers, or married couples. Major Stone, who has been in charge of the hostel, will remain.

The annual meeting of shareholders of the Masterton Friendly Societies' Dispensary was held in the Foresters' Hall last evening. There was a good attendance, and Bro. Church occupied th chair. The report and balance sheet were adopted as read. It was decided to continue the present levy, and a sum of £100 was voted, to the reserve fund. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to tho manager. Mr If. Bishop, the staff, aud the Board of .Management for the excellent year's work.

At the Wellington Supreme Court yesterday, Arthur Barnes and William Donald Henderson, convicted of having wilfully damaged a plate glass window and plate glass door to the extent of &ol> ."'s Sd, were both! remanded til! Friday for sentence. Alfred William Donaldson, charged with stealing a, bicycle, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, to be followed by three years' reformative treatment. William G-arth-gate White pleaded guilty to a. charge of bigamy. He is to be sentenced on Friday. $

The net public, debt of New Zealand ou March olst last was ..145,868,450 (.t'K'2 per head of European population) against .-01,689,.5:-55 at -March. 1914, and £7.".,:;87,4_0 at March, 1910. Our net indebtedness shows 'i.i increase of £54,----178,015, or 50 per cent since 1914, and has practically doubled since .1910. As the ..9,500,000 loan of last year was raised between the middle of March and the middle of April, probably only :>, small part of that would be included in the above figures, and with another Joan to be raised this year we may look for further increase in our already heavy debt.

Our Whakataki correspondent writes: —A pleasant dance was held, in the hall, last Friday night. The night was fine and the floor in excellent order. At the commencement of the dance there was only a very small attendance, but later a number of people arrived and made the gathering quite a success. The hall was nicely decorated Avith flowers and native shrubs . Mrs C. llawea and Mr Isaiah supplied the music, extras being played by Mr .1. O'Connor, the Misses O'Connor, and. Miss K. Te Tau, of Masterton. Light refreshments were handed round at midnight. Miss Te Tau sang a. couple of songs in a pleasing manner. The gathering concluded at about, 4. a.m.

Speaking at Ngaio last evening, Mr }'. Eraser, M.1."'., referred to the efforts of the Queensland .Labour Government to reduce the cost of living. The Queensland Government had tackled the meat question with much benefit to the consumer. It controlled the meat from the pasture to the consumer's table, and was aide to sell sirloin of beef at o_d a pound. Mr Eraser twitted the New Zealand Government with its experiments in State meat shops in Auckland, and said that a Government that could not run successfully a few meat shops should not be allowed to control the destinies of the country. His charge against the. Government was that where human life was concerned scarcely any consideration was given, but where wealth was concerned every consideration was given.

The annual election of officers of the Women's Christian Temperance Union wa_) held in Knox Hall, Masterton, yesterday afternoon, there being a good attendaneo of members. The president, Mrs L. Devonport, occupied the chair. Tho election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: —President, Mrs L. Devonport (re-elected); vice-presidents, Mesdames Whitehead, Ross, F. I'rutte; recording secretary, Mrs M. J. 11. Jackson -corresponding secretary, Miss M. Wingate; treasurer, Mrs R. Sutherland (re-elected). Miss M. Wingate was elected as delegate to represent the Union at tho annual Convention, which will be held at Napier after the forthcoming Prohibition poll. It was unanimously decided to provide luncheon, afternoon tea, etc., for the Prohibition workers on the coming polling day. Reference was made to the recent death of the Rev. J. W. Russell, late minister of the Congregational Church, and a motion of sympathy was passed with the members of the church in tho loss they have sustained. Votes of sympahty were also passed with Mrs T. Moor, Mrs W. Judd and Mrs G. Morris, who have recently lost, relatives.

"The right-of-way belongs to the pedestrian, and I intend to claim it at all times from these motor (scorchers." "Good for you! By the way, do you carry a good insurance for your familvl'»

At a meeting of the Hawera Eeturned Soldiers' Association, a land bureau department /was formed to assist returned men to settle on tho land. A land agent's license has been granted to the Association.

Chappel, near Colchester (England), with a population of 400, has had only two, deaths during the past year. Last December a man died aged 91, and now another man has died aged 88. There have been no births in the parish for two years.

The Telegraph Department advises that inland telegrams may be signed with a Christian name, or surname only, or with a pen-name or familiar name, provided the telegram is endorsed with tho full name and address of the sender. Telegrams without a signature are not accepted.

An English newspaper, in recording the fact that Mr W. M. Hughes, the Federal Premier, is about a year younger than his fellow-Welshman, Mr Lloyd George, adds: "They have much in common. Neither has the capacity to make himself really trusted by his political associates and party."

The project to eliminate the year 1919 from the Calendar, and replace it by tho designation "Year One of the World';-* New Life," has attracted a great deal of interest in the Italian .Press, and it is seriously suggested that the proposal should be put before the Peace Conference by the Italian delegates. Times are changing in Germany. In the "Situations Wanted" columns of the papers it is already common to find "military officers of noble origin" advertising for positions in civil life. One "cavalry officer" proclaims his readiness to accept practically any post for which he may be found suitable.

As showing the contempt of the German troops for their former War Lord, they decorated his statue at Cologne with a. dunce's cap, a travelling bag, and a cane soon after his night became known. On the back of the statue was affixed the following sign: "Here goes the great scoundrel."

An Auckland telegram states that a man named W. Anderson, a soldier, was admitted to the hospital to-night suffering from a fracture of the base of the skull. Anderson is apparently dying. The injury is believed to have been caused by a blow, and the police have arrested the alleged assailant oiiacharge of assault and causing actual bodily harm. Before women, could take reasonable exercise they would have to give up their absurd high-heeled boots, said Dr. Truby King to the National Health Society, in London. In the mental hospital to which he was attached, the first thing done ou the arrival of a new woman patient was to guillotine her heels.

What might have been a most serious accident occurred in the Makuri Gorge. Mr Russell, driving in his gig from his

place at Coonoor, met a waggoner in the Gorge and waited for a short time talking to the waggoner. Without any warning the horse started edging to one. side, and gradually went over the edge and the horse, gig and occupants plunged down about. .'iOft. Luckily there was a. good deal of scrub growing on the side, which evidently steadied their downward plunge, otherwise it must have been a serious accident. The horse was killed, but the occupants raid also the gig got off scatheless —a marvellous escape. '

Warrant-Officer Berry, who was the ship's sergeant-major, in giving evidence in Sydney at the enquiry in regard to gambling and discipline on the transport. Sardinia., stated that among--}, the responsible officers on the ship there was an absolute disregard for the welfare of the men. They did not care whether the men lived or died, or .slept or starved. Major Crespin: What was tho discipline like. "Bad, Sir," an-

swered the warrant officer. He went, on to say thati a man who had been detailed for fatigue duty threatened to smash him (witness) up. He overlooked the matter, as, after examining his record, he concluded that his treatment in. Knglish gaols had affected his brain.

"When gambling was carried on." said a warrant officer at the Sardinia, enquiry at Sydney, "things aboard wore much better. The school carried on outside the O.C.s office was very orderly. When the men were gambling they had something else to occupy their minds than throwing lifebelts, potatoes, and other missiles at the ship's orderly officers or at me. The average Australian will gamble, and likes his littie game . Referring to the throwing of

things, I remember one occasion when a deck warrant officer was struck on the jaw by a hard potato and had several of his teeth knocked out. The troopship's boatswain complained to me also that he could not get his Lascars to work because of the annoyance caused by things being shot at them."

A well known Sydney medical man discussed an aspect of the influenza epidemic. "A friend of mine," he said, '•' not a medical man, has suggested to me the theory that all the talk that appeared in the morning papers, in particular, at the opening of the campaign, regarding the vaccine being a great cure-all of every ill, was started and kept up because the people of Sydney were not taking too kindly to the process of inoculation. "I entirely agree," he went on, "with your other medical man when he says that the vaccine will help to prevent only those diseases which it is manufactured for, and no others. In one of the papers, for instance, it was said that inoculation would cure corns. That claim is simply laughable. And so with most- of the other stories. No, the fact of the matter is that people had to be suborned into taking inoculation.

A Buiek car ia advertised for sale.* An experienced general is required.Two furnished rooms are advertised ta lot.j A second-hand piano is advertised for sale. An advertiser has a vacancy for a gentleman boarder. Mrs MeKain elsewhere inserts a thanks notice. Board in private family is required by tradesman. An advertiser wants washing or cleaning work by the day. A black and tan sheep dog is advertised as found at Weraiti. A dining-room suite and bedroom. suite are advertised for sale. A small aviary, with goldfinches and canaries, is advertised for sale. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., require a good man for a few weeks to assist with grain. The premises of Messrs J. L. Murray, Ltd., will bo closed all day on Friday, February 7th- in order to make final preparations for their Safe and Sane Saving Sale, which commences on. Saturday, February Bth, at 9 a.m. No matter how dirty tho clothes are"NO EUBBING'- Laundry Help works like magic iii clearing out the dirt and germs. >s packet sufficient for seven weekly family washings.—Watson and Co. •

The finest FLUID MAGNESIA i_ SHARLAND'S. More freshly made than imported kinds. Guaranteed highest strength and purest quality. Larger bottle —lower price. *

Wood's Corn Solvent, a very valuable remedy for removal of corns, warts and bunions. Price, Is. H. T. Wood, Pharmacist and Chemist (by exam.), Masterton. *

On the best appointed tables you invariably find the best Malt Vinegar— SHARLAND'S. Pure, piquant, palatable. In bulk and bottle at all grocers. *