LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15987, 2 December 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Shearing is well advanced in this district, and wool in large quantifies is coming into store in town. The next wool valuation is to be held next Tuesday. Tho Christchurch municipal coal depot hi]£ not been a financial success and tho City Council last night decided to close it up forthwith. Regulations prohibiting the remittance of money exceeding £IOOO from W Zealand for any purpose other than in the ordinary course of the business of tho remitter arc now revoked. Tho Manchester Guardian says that never in the whole history of the army has such a brilliant batch of officer students been in the stall college at Camber!cy. They include Colonel Freyburg. All the Dominions are, represented. \ 1 A Sydney, cable states that the Minof Repatriation announced that, in view of the increased cost of living, tho Repatriation Commission is raising the sustenance allowance by five shillings weekly where the total allowance is under £3 2s 6d freckly. A slightly smaller increase will l>e made where incomes exceed that amouut. The lion, secretary of the Garrison Band received the test music for the Dunedin contest yesterday afternoon. The test march, entitled “The Patagonian,” is by the well-known writer C. Trussell, a,nd appears to be up to his usual high standard. One selection is “Roberto II Diavolo” (Meyebcer), tho other “Wagner’s Works.” . In tho Masterton Court (he other day a Maori, in a judgment summons case, was cross-examined as to his ability to pay''a debt. After all the trouble,' tho Maori unexpectedly said he was willing to pay up and had the money in his pocket. Tho case thus came to an abrupt termination, everybody being satisfied;

“Men and officers worked together, shoulder to shoulder,” said DrigadierGener.il Richardson while speaking at a welcome homo to returned soldiers at Joluisouvillo the other evening, “and why should there bo a distinction between them during peace? I shall always feci it. my boundeu duty to associate myseif with the-men who have made it possible for us to meet together this evening.” (Applause.)

While speaking of the cost of living in New Zeeland, Sir Joseph Word mentioned at Waikiwi when he* was in Paris a small chicken cost 235; sugar'from 2s 6d to 3b per lb.; and they could not always get it; and mutton 3s a lb. when there was.*any. The cost of livmg had risen iron) 320 to 370 per cent, to ordinary families sihcc the war broke out. In an hotel where lioard and lodging could have been obtained for 10s a day before the war, thej r could not got a bedroom for less than 30s for a single night apart from the food. The cost of living in New Zealand was less than it was in England, Canada and South Africa and also a little lower than' Australia.

The Moderator of the Presbytery As. iembly, speaking at Invercargill in reference to the League of Nations, said: 1 count upon my personal friends a young Chinaman of intelligence, ability and insight. He has lately returned to the.Dominion after a sojourn of four years and a half in China. During that period he visited many parts of his sweat country. “What,” I asked him,"“is the feeling prevailing in China towards the foreigner dwelling within ils gates?” In no unmeasured terms he poured outanathemas upon aliens whom I need not name. But he went on to tell me that the English everywhere are ao cepted as brethren. This is our day and this is the hour to go forwawj it we atf to bring the so-called heathen nations into the League. AN (i shall only do it when wc have led them by the hand into the household of faith.

Among the many pictures on view at the Sareant Art Gallery which have attracted considerable interest are two by a clever Wanganui artist now deceased. —Mr Herbert Babbage. These picture# are entitled “Sunlight on the Sea” and “Bateaux des Pommcs, Paris (apple barges on the Seine). It may be remembered that in 1909 Mr Babbage, who had been studying at Home, for the previous eight years, exhibited»over 200 pictures and sketches, tvhieh ilie critics pronounced as “all clever and original in treatment and*excellent in technique. Of his picture ‘topple Barges on th« Seine,” one of the two exhibited here, the Wellington critics could not speak too highly. It was this picture that won Mr Babbage that blue ribbon or th« artist world, a place in the Loyal Academy. The promising artist died a soldier —a member of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, leaving his parents in Wanganui—old and highly respected residents of this district —to mourn the loss of a groatly-lovod son. “Bateaux des Pommcs” is the property of the citizens, having been presented to the Sarjcant Art Gallery, and the other picture, “Sunlight on the Sea,” is the property of the Patriotic Association, to whom it was presented by Mr Babbage, senr., for the benefit of sick and wound, ed soldiers.