LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13333, 23 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Those who desire to have a vote at the municipal elections next month might take notice that the roll will close next Wednesday, and applications must therefore he put in without loss of lime. Those who are indifferent on the matter will probably not bother their heads about it. Then* are almost 2000 who have so far not troubled, showing a very regrettable amount of apathy. The ferry steamer Kalndah caught fire at. Her moorings in the Parramatta River early yesterday morning. The steamer broke loose and drifted inshore, whore she was burned to the water’s edge, andsank^' Eorsayth, the last of the British trader** in German New Guinea, has disposed of his property of 60,000 acres to a Hamburg company. The whole of the copra in German New Guinea is now in German hands. An Australian farmer has been sueeesstul in growing potatoes in poor sandy soil, hut witli a fairly good clay sub-soil. It is interesting to note that out of two lots of seed planted, one having been obtained locally and the other from New Zealand, the latter yielded the best returns. I he additional subscriptions to the Neville Thornton fund are acknowledged;—A. G. Bignell £1 Is. Veteran ss, Mrs H. M. Payne ss, A.B.C. 2s 6d, C., F„ and V. Bolton 2s (id, O.S. 2s; previously acknowledged A'lß 12s Total to date, A2O 10s. In a Taranaki town payment of dog tax was claimed on account of a dog whicb had been destroyed.' The owner of the deceased animal denies liability on the ground that he owns no dog, his former canine having ceased to exist. The collector claims that a license fee is payable On any dog living on January Ist. Some time ago, Mr Mark Cohen, editor of the Dunedin Star, had a gold presentation watch stolen from a cabin in the Mooraki, whilst that boat was in Wellington Harbour. A description and the number of the watch were given to the police at the time, and last week Mr Cohen Was pleased to receive advice to the effect that bis watch had been discovered by a Sydney detective in a pawnshop in that city. The timepiece has since been received by its owner after an absence of over two years. The drawing up of Hie platform for the Fanners' Political Protection Party was advanced a stage yesterday, when the committee of the North Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union, which has been dealing with matters connected with the organisation of the party, together with Mr D. Jones (organiser of the party), met and discussed matters and drew up the proposed platform, which will be submitted for further discussion to the meoetiug of the Advisory Board of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Wellington next Tuesday. Mr D. Blair, formerly of Rapanui, Wanganui, is at present on a short visit here, after an absence of about five years, most of which has been spent in California. Mr Blair returned to the Dominion a few weeks ago to lukc upan appointment in the Defence Forces. He attended the training camp near Fcatherston, and passing his examination successfully, has been appointed adjutant of the Ist Regiment of Mounted Rifles Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry), with the rank of lieutenant. Mr Blair saw service in South Africa with the 2nd and Bth New Zealand Regiments. Residents of Conville and Castlecliff should take notice that their voting qualifications are the same as residents of boroughs, that is, all over 21 are entitled to a vote, provided that they take the trouble to apply to have their names placed, on the roll. The rolls of the above two town districts close on April 12tH next, and forms of enrolment can be obtained from Mr F. Bourne (clerk to the two Town Boards), Norfolk Chambers, Hidgway Street. In view of the approaching Harbour Board election, it behoves alt those entitled to a vote to see that their names are placed on the rolls without delay. Sir William Russell, writing from England to a member of Hie staff of the Lyttelton Times, after describing some of tho, public work ho is doing at Home, aayg that ho is in no danger of forgetting New Zealand. “I hare spoken on the Dominion generally," he says, 'and have been interviewed by numbers of people who have been delighted by my account of the conn- " try, so I hope I am not altogether useless. I am not ‘the world forgetting,' and I do not wish to be ‘by the world forgotten.*" At the lime of writing (January 27) Sir 'William was just off -o the South of France, and expected to be back in London for the season. In view of tho apathy shown by Wanganui voters in having their names placed on the municipal rolls, it is interesting to notice what is being done in Wellington. The plan of campaign initiated by the Labour party in Wellington in connection with “Enrolment Saturday,” to get people on the roll in view of the ensuing municipal elections, worked very successfully las.. Saturday. Ten prominent members of the party selected corners at the principal streets from 2 p.m. until dusk. Seated there with enrolment forms, and with pen and paper, they were kept busy throughout the afternoon filling in the names of those qualified and desirous of being enrolled. It is astonishing the number of eligible people who have not bothered at all about the rolls. Fully 1000 names were signed to forms, and these will he duly forwarded to the City Council officers for enrolment. At the same time signatures were taken (o the petitions in favour of the Saturday half-holiday, the petitions being signed simultaneously with the application for enrolment. The promoters of “Enrolment Saturday" arc well satisfied with’ the result of their labonhs, which they are convinced will strengthen the condidaturo of tho “Labour Eight”.at the elections.