LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14218, 16 February 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to foot and month disease ul Birkenhead, nearly all Irish porta have been closed to the exportation of cattle. Applications for inclusion in the oversea party of the British Association are greatly in excess of all estimates. The King of Belgium is applying a million france from the special Congo fund to combat sleeping sickness, also 3(MI,0(I( francs to the Belgian missions to natives. “When a schoolteacher was tolling a class that every bird had two legs only, one little child, said, T know one that has more—the lady-bird.’ ” A New York cable states that Hie steamer Idaho was 1 stopped in the Atlantic by the barque Edinburgh with a request for food, as the crew were starving. They had no flour, bread, biscuits, tea, or coffee for sixteen days, storms having delayed the vessel. The Johannesburg Sunday Observance Commission recommends. l the cessation ol milling at on Sundays. It is asserted that this would mean an immense reduction and depreciation in values amounting to millions, besides a shrinkage in the gold output. A Bill to create six Vico-Admirala has been introduced in the United States Senate. There-is much comment over the fact that an American Admiral is compelled to rank under a British Admiral now off the Mexican coast. Senators referred to this as humilating to American naval men.

Tlie development of trade between Auckland and Vancouver was evidenced on Saturday by tlie large quantity of cargo being loaded there by the Canadian-Austral-asian liner Marama for the Pacific cqast. The interchange of all commodities lias boon encouraged from the inception of the service, and a variety of consignments is invariably secured. This trip the Marama will carry 16,700 boxes of butter, 10,00(1 cubic feet have been set aside for frozen meat, there will bo 2000 cases of onions, and also shipments of hides, lobsters, and honey. A correspondent of the Waikato Time,wired from Wellington: —“I have been informed upon what may lie considered unimpeachable authority that prior to the meeting of Parliament, about the last week in June, the Government will make several appointments to the Legislative Council. There will probably be two from Auckland and one from Waikato. The names of the new nominees were given me to-day in confidence, so that I am not in a position to divulge them, but so far as (he Auckland Province is concerned all are recognised as staunch supporters of the Government. The latest orders by the Officer Commanding the Wellington Military District (which includes Wanganui), contains the following information in reference to the training and pouting of “Pack-blocks" men —Men who live at a distance of more than one hour's journey (two hours’, if mounted) from a drill centre, will, in future, perform their training with the General Training Section, and will not be posted to the Territorial Eorce; subject to the upkeep of establishment. In relation to this ruling it lias been decided that no more drill centres will he established unless special circumstances demand it, in .which case the matter will ho referred to District Headquarters.”

It is not often that New Zealand lot*.el’s go astray, hut one which was posted at Christchurch on November IP, addressed to ir resident of Woodbury, Geraldine, only reached its destination last week. On Hie flap of the envelope was printed the address of the sender—Cranmer Square, Christchurch, New Zealand—but the letter, from the. postmarks and inscriptions on tlie envelope, was received at Topsham,. iri Devonshire, on December 22 and at Woodbury on the same date; it then went to Edinburgh, the postmark of Scotland’s capital bearing date December 2-t. Eventually the letter reached Timarn, but there it was noted that the person to whom it was addms’ed was not known by the letter-carriers. However, from Timarn it was forwarded to Geraldine, and after its long journey was delivered safely.

A new beef animal has been produced. It is the cattelo —the result of twenty years’ experimenting with the crossing of domestic cattle of various breeds with the American buffalo, Mr E. Mossom Boyd, of Bobcavgeon, Ontario, was (says the Canadian ’ Courier) the originator of the idea, and he now has a large herd of cattelo. ' Some show the white face of the Hereford, with the powerful shoulders and neck of the buffalo. The hide is more valuable than that of an ordinary fatted steer and the meat is nist as valuable. Considerable interest has been caused in Smithfield Market by the _news. One prominent authority on cattle did not think the new breed was very likely to affect the supply for the English market or make itself felt for sometime. “The taste of buffalo flesh would probably be present in the new animal, and, while this is,not unpleasant, it is more suited for frontiersmen after a hard day in the plains than 'for the average city worker pv the bulk of the English population.’’

A first offender for insobriety was con

dieted and discharged by Mr W. Kerr, 8. VI., at the Magistrate’s Court tins moniing, A presentation was made on Saturday y the Wellington Bar to D. 0. Cooper, ! cgi.stiar of the Supreme Court, on his deration to the magisterial bench. He will rohably take up his duties this week. The amount of bills and cheques paid at die Bankers’ Clearing House in London ast year was ,£16,436,404,01)0 (16 thousand Million pounds), an increil.se over 1912 of 8474,0:11,000.

The output of bar gold in the British 'sles during 1912, as shown by the Home report on mines and quarries, issued m Mondav, amounted to 156407,, valued at 6510;). It comes from jicnr Dolgelly. Two shopkeepers were before Mr W. Kerr, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning on charges of failing 1 to close heir shops at the time required, by requisition duly gazetted. A Anq of .£1 and 10s respectively, as well as costs were imposed.

A Chicago cable states that an engineer has planned a submerged lube railway between Scotland and Ireland., believing that commercial betterment would remedy G’ish unrest.' The tube will lie quiet in the water and he free from the effects of wind and waves. It will he built in short convenient lengths, which will be towed out, sunk and fixed. In connection with the funds of the Wharf Labourers' Union a legal technicality has been raised at Wellington as to whether the executive officers or the tins'er* are entitled to sign cheques. To de•ide the point an originating summons /.as argued in the Supreme Court, before the Chief-Justice, arid decision was reserved. The man who “barracks" at football matches, but never takes part in a game, came in for some severe criticism from lord Liverpool at the anrnml distribution of prizes at Christ’s College the other evening. “I always feel a feeling of disgust,’’ he said, “when 1 <ro to a foot ball match and see the crowd of loafers who have never played football in their lives, and arc there for the purpose of skulking or touting.” A Cambridge resident claims to have a rival- or rivals- for the goose that laid the golden eggs. He has kept record of the egg production of a pen of eight Black Orpington heus for twelve months from February 3rd, 191.'), to February 13th, 1914, and the remarkable aggregate of 2292 eggs is arrived at, giving an average per bon of 279 cogs. These figures show a return, at one penny per egg, of £9 6s for the pen of eight hens. An Opotiki contemporary thus sarcastically refers to Hie prosperity of that town: —”Wc arc informed that a firm—enterprising, of course—of Auckland merchants intend shortly to open a cheap cash store in Opotiki. Some people appear to think that. Opotiki ie a veritable gold mine. Well, we have bad a quarter of a century's experience, and wo could put the surplus banking account into a pewter and still leave room for a decent thirst qiionchcr.” A Chinese storekeeper, Wong Chong, was charged at the Magistrate’s Court this morning wth selling a packet of cigarettes after a time when the shops of tobacconists were closed by requisition dnlv gazetted. The offence, which defendant pleaded guiltv to, was committed on the night of February 3rd when the tobacconists were closed at 6 p.m., and the sale took place at 8.15. Mr W. Kerr, S.M., entered a conviction and fined him .81 and costs 7s.

Doctors arc recommending to patients suffering from stiff necks, colds, bruises, and similar ailments the electric poultice, a new and ingenious invention calculated to take the place of the bread and linseed variety. It consists of flexible electric wires covered with asbestos and wrapped up in a pad or cushion. The poultice is connected by wire to an ordinary electric light switch, and it retains the correct temperature all night. The initial cost of the poultices is 30s, and it lasts for life.

Local Territorials who arc not regular attendees at parades, and also those youths who arc liable to register and have not yet done so, beware! A circular has recently been issued to the members of the police force, offering them a substanlial rewa id, it has been staled af 10s, for every defaulter under the Defence Act who they can bring before the Court. This has been the means of renewed activity in the difficult job of catching

“shirkers,” and as an outcome several Wanganui young men will soon make their appearance before the A 1 agist rate to explain their alleged neglect of their duty.

The excise authorities are much interested in the reported appearance in a northern suburb of London of a new opportunity for refreshment. Hvery Sunday morning during the time public-houses are dosed, a four-whoelor stands at a certain spot, apparently waiting for a fare. In (lie course of the morning, it has many, and the journeys arc short. A man gets in, and the four-wheeler moves at a gentle pace up the street. The fare lifts tbn cushion of the front scat, places sixpence in the slot, a lid draws back, and there is “a go" of whisky, with a tumbler and llask of whisky. The morning worshipper takes his drink, replaces the cushion, gels out, and the four-wheeler waits for another customer.

The old common belief amongst parents that children must at 11 pies have an attack of certain infections diseases, ami that the sooner the infection comes along the better,* war’ referred to by Dr. C. Savill Willis, principal medical officer to the Department of Public Instruction in Now South Wales, in a paper rcad.hclorc the public health section of the Australasian Medical Congress. As a .coii.se(|iicnc.e of this belief, he said, mot heps were accustomed to purposely expose their children to infection. ‘ln these days," he added, “this is not done, as mothers know that it is not necessary for a child to have measles, scarlet fever, etc.; cousoriucutly more children now reach the school age who are still susceptible to the various infections diseases."

“A good deal lias' of late appeared in the papers about an experiment adopted in the first instance at Wanganui and, subsequently, at New Plymouth, of handing over the school contingent to the Defence authorities for a week's special training," said Mr E. A. Belcher, headmaster of Christ’s College, at the annual prize distribution. Mr Belcher said that he had read the reports from the headmaster of Wanganui, and from Major Tempcrley, who was in command, of the manner in which this experiment had been conducted. He was so fully convinced of its wisdom that he had decided to do to same thing at Christ’s College, and but for an unfortunate epidemic last term the boys would have been in camp for the last week of the term, under the entire control of the Defence authorities. The experiment, however, was only postponed. He trmted that it might be possible to carry it out in the course of the present term, and he was sure that if it were done it would greatly improve (he ellicieney of the contingent when (tenoral lan Hamilton came to inspect it in May.

Railway companies in L'ngland have collect ivcly decided tq recognise the National Union of Railwavmen.

The owner of a lady’s small green handbag, picked up in Carlton Avenue, can have same on application at this office. A Sydney cable states that applications are invited hv the Imperial Government for the position of chief quarantine officer ill, a salary of i'filff).

A mooting of the Woodville publicans wa.s held recently, when it was decided to increase the tariff for meals by sixpence all round. This is owing to the advance in prices for rommodilhs- such as meat, coal, and lirewood.

Yesterday afternoon, the body of Bert .Tones, who was drowned in the river near Kaiwbaikc on Tuesday evening, was found pear Upokongaro. The body was brought to town and the inquest was held tins afternoon. :

'flic Qlieeu Alexandra Band returned from thy Auckland Exliibi.ion . contest this afternoon, being heartily welcomed by a large crowd of (heir supporters. The Garrison Band will, we understand,' return to-morrow.

A London cable stales' that the King granted a private audience to the Hon. Tlios. Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, and Mr Denham, Premier of Queensland, at Buckingham Palace on Saturday. His Majesty manifested a warm and lively interest in Queensland, and revived happy recollections of his visit. He enquired closely into Queensland's progress and bade Mr Denham convey bis best wishes for its continued prosperity.

Mr Alexander A. Hunter, of Sydney, who travelled to London by way of the Last and across Siberia, described tbo journey Horn Vladiovostock to St. Petersburg, occupying nine and a-haif days, as interesting all the time. Siberia, ho said, was a country of great jiossibilitics. It was exceedingly fertile in places, and by no menus the sort of place that most people imagined it to be. For two whole days they passed over a vast grassy plain. Toward the Ural Mountains the truck lay through forests, and there were firewood depots stretching for miles there, as the locomotives burnt wood fuel instead of eoal. Ho bad travelled in the tate train, Icing unable to get seats in what was known as the international train, the accommodation in which was superior. Tho carriages of the tale train were very much like tho-o on the Sydney to Mellsnirnc express. The officials were courteous, but very f'-w of them spoke Mnglisb, and in consequence difficulties sometimes arose. The country was only slightly dcvelo|ied, and he agreed with those who said that Russia did not know tlie'wealth the territory contained or was capable of producing. On the way to St. Petersburg lie passed several train-loads of immigrants, who were going to settle on farm lands in Sibciia. So well was the line paying that the Government had decided to duplicate it,’ and the work was already in progress. All the (teas, ants they saw looked so happy and contented that ho could rat believe there Was much in the stories of ill-treatment that were so often beard.