LOCAL & GENERAL.

Western Star, 3 September 1918, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

On dit that a bungalow at Tire Rocks, South Riverton, was sold for £350, the price being nearly double what it had cost the vendor. We understand .that a lime crusher is to- be placed on the quarry at Mr W. Fraser’s Fairfax farm, thus adding another industry to that busy locality. The lime is of a very high, grade.

Most of the men .whoi were engaged in the platelaying on the Wairio line left for their homes on Saturday morning. Friday afternoon and, evening was spent at Wairio, where things went merrily.

Mr W. Fraser, of Fairfax, has purchased Mr Mclvor’s farm, a hundredaoro block, in Otautau, just across the bridge. It is all river Hat and is; rich grazing land. Recently Mr Fraser sold his 500-acre Ringway farm.

It is understood that the Defence Department is negotiating for the lease of a large residential property in the south part of Invercargill which it is intended to convert into a. military hospital and convalescent home.

.Mr Gco. Bell, M.P. from British Columbia, will deliver an address on Thursday evening on “ Canada's prohibition. experiment, and. how it is working oht” in More's -small hall. Mr Bell is an, effectual speaker, and handles his subject well. There should be a large attendance.

Membership tickets of Wallace A. and IV Association are now issued accompanied by a circular stating the privileges attaching, and they are so numerous; that no) 1 armor can afford to he-outside the Fold—nor townsmen either for that matter. Each member is enjoined to add another to the members roll.

A return just published ishows tliiil lip in ill < 111 1 1 )f £94 1 lies been expended m> the lion ef binds for sobliois. di'iribmoo n- t'dbiws: ■ Auckland L‘_7,77.1. Wi-lliiiii'imi L'2B(i,493, Hawke's Ray £78,2(33, Taranaki £30,74-1, Marlborough £39,530, Xo-Ison, £353, Canterbury £165,033, Otago £15,290, Southland £20,081.

The platelaying on. tin? extension of the Wairio railway was com pleated on Friday, ballasting, is. now l all that is required, and that will be done in short order. The necessary gravel will come from .Mr A,. Rulmau’s Kingway pits', where air up-to-date dredging plant liars been installed, which will grealrly accelerate the speed of delivery of ad gravel orders.

At Scott’: Gap on Friday evening there- was a crowded house at- the “Red Triangle” minstrel show' and dance, and the V.M.CIA. war work will benefit hy approximately C2O. The Orawiai minstrels provided the entertainment, and the burnt cork party kept the audience in hilarity right through the programme of mirth and music. A shower song brongli in £1 13s Fid. A sheep donated brought 38/-, a pig 19/-, and a duchess sot 8/-. Messrs Diack, Tre,seder, ami Cowic provided the dance music. The evening went with a swing; right through, and at the conclusion Mr .1. Childs proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Orawia minstrels, which was carried hy acclamation. Air H. Marshall, the energetic secretary, was a very busy man during the evening.

The unemployment among returned soldiers in Auckland was further demonstrated last week, when a Star representative visited a well-known house in the. city. This firm had, advertised for a. man, a returned soldier, or. a man over military age. There was a crowd outside, numbering over 30 men, including 16 returned soldiers, and it was stated that the position had been filled.

A soldier at the front got short of money, so ho sent home; the following letter; “Dear Mary,—We lost a trench this, morning, and we must replace it at any cost, so will you please . ■•ml -me five pounds at once." Sad to

-.ay, he had a witty wife, whoi *ent the following reply: “Dear Jim, — Sorry I have not five pounds towards replacing the lost trench, but I enclose two candles to help you to look for it! ”

The pupils of the West End School, New Pylmouth, who take their luncheon with them, now eat it under -, n orderly system, which is much more , atisfa.ctory than the old-time scramble. Long tables with forms have been prodded in the gymnasium), and hot cocoa has been served to an, overage of ever 120 children each day. Each child brings 3d per week to cover the cost. Two teachers are in charge each dinner hour. The system, has proved very successful. There is no waste of food, and the grounds- are kept free of paper and rubbish. The American Labour Mission, headed by Mr Gompers, has arrived in England, and will attend the Union Congress. It will also visit France and! Italy, and stimulate unity of war spirit among the workers- of the three countries.

Word: was received on Saturday that Lieut. T. Brown, of Invercargill, was killed in action on 23rd August. Deceased was in the employment of Dalgety and Co. prior to enlisting, and took an active part in sports of all kinds. The late Lieut. Brown was awarded the Military Cros for bravery at Passchendaelc in October last.

The Board of Agriculture reports that the arable area in England is now 12,-100,000' acres, an increase of 1,150,000 compared with the area in 1917. This is a record for 20 years. The wheat acreage increased by 038,000 acres, the area for oats by 23 per cent., and that for potatoes by 25 per cent. Some agricultural experts predict the largest British harvest for 50 years. The local committee of the Copper Trail have accepted the offer of Mr F. C. Mills to conduct a stock drive among the farmers of the district. He will place, his car at the disposal of the committee, and will accompany Mr R- A. Anderson on a canvass. In his able hands, there is no doubt the drive will be a profitable venture. He has already generously promised £IOO and given a section in Invercargill, which in included in the list ,of Art Union prizes promoted from the centre.

The real coiner of the word “ Anzac ■’ is said tci bo a Cockney cook on Gallipoli. He thought the. initial, capital letters in Australian, and New Zealand Army Corps, A.N.Z.A.O. (they were stencilled on a number of boxes among the stores), indicated a now kind of tucker. “ ’Ow much more of this ‘Anzac’ stuff is coming ashore?” ho asked, one day. Audi frolm thence, oh the particular crowd which was. receiving the stores were jocularly called the “Anzacs.” Now it is a national name of honour.

It is estimated that anything up to an additional 500 tons of coal daily will pass: over Wairio line within the next month or so. The Moss-bank mine and Ml. Lniion inline are almost linked up by tramways with the newlyconstructed railway extension. Both mines are all in readiness for a big output immediately the brainla arc finished. This should be welcome news, as these coals are of first-class quality.

“In those days of high prices,” says “Popular Science,” “anything that can be used as a, substitute and give good results at the same time will be a, welcome addition in helping to keep down tlie high cost ul living. Roiled carrots, when properly treated, form an excellent substitute for eggs in puddings, etc. Roil the carrots until they arc tender and nearly ready to fall apart, drain carefully, and mash and pre-s through a coarse cloth or -1 ; aill'-l'. Tile pill}) R then i 111 fird IK;ei i aimin ’ iho other ingredient.' ( I llm 11 1 111< 1 i1 I_r1_r aud the eggs totally omitted. Puddings made lu this mhuiner ate lighter than where eggs are. used, and are more palatable. The carrots also impart a. line yellow colour to the pudding, so that nobody can tell whether eggs were used or not.”

A series .of resolutions was passed recently at ai meeting of Orepuki residents condemning the proposal to house convalescent soldiers under the Grandstand on the Invercargill show grounds, and calling upon the Government to provide a convalescent home in the midst of a good environment. The resolutions were sent through Air J. C. Thomson, ALP., who forwarded them, together with his representations. to the. -Minister in Charge of Hospitals. Ho. has replied stating that the matter is in the hands of the Minister cf Defence, to whom; the resolutions have been referred. Servant: “There’s a gentleman wants to see you on business.” Afastor: “ Well, ask him/ to take a clmir. “He’s taking ’em all, and the table, too. He comes from the? furniture shop.” Saturday was Anoleb Day in Invercargill, and it proved a pronounced success. For Influenza take. AVoods’ Great Peppermint Cure. Never fails. 1/G, 2/6.

Tiie small bird pest is being effectively combated with phosphorised cats and wheat out Drummond way. W hile discing land, preparatory to- sowing down the pnospliorised oats and .wheat are scattered, and the birds attack the poisonous loocl ravenously. Paddocks treated in this way on Mr 1). -Malcolm’s farm are strewn with dead oirds, and the hawks are in thousands eating, off the debris. If every farmer m tiie district treated the birds to this cheap banquet the small bird pest would be ai thing of the past in a very short time.

A narrow escape from a serious accident happened at the Otautau bridge the other evening. The bridge is narrow, and it is customary, under such condilions, to permit the first on to cross over, traffic at the other end pulling aside. lor some reason —or, rather, without reason—a motor car attempted to take the bridge while Lieut. R. Tapper, who was riding on horseback, was almost across, the result being that the horse took fright and a collision occurred, the rider landing on the hood of the car. A severe shaking and iai feiv bruises to the car driver was all that happened fortunately, but car drivers should be careful to observe the rule of the road.

In a statement the New South Wales Premier said that last year all State enterprises show a good margin of profit excepting the trawlers, which shewed a loss of -65408, principally due to the Commonwealth Government commandeering the vessels for a period.

A Melbourne message states: There are indications' of a> large development of Australian industries after the war. Amongst many proposals submitted for the approval of the Commonwealth Government are schemes for the manufacture of steel, paint, yarn, zinc, white lead and wool-scouring, involving a capital of over £2,500,000.

Some few years ago a test was carried; out at the University at Melbourne on the breaking strain of the various Australian and New Zealand timbers, when it was found that New Zealand beech was the strongest known. A 24in length of this timber 2in x 2in. had a breaking strain of 41701b5, compared with 30841b5, the breaking strain of Australian blue gum of the same dimensions. Large quantities of beech are exported ,to Australia' from Southland, a shipment of 700,000 leaving the Bluff next mouth. The timber is. used largely in the manufacture of farm implements.

One of the greatest pleasures that cur boys receive at- the front is a parcel or letter from home. To enable the loco! boys who are fighting at the front to receive a Christmas parcel a football match will be played on the Recreation ground to-morrow. As all the players have not indulged, in the national pastime for the past two years, and .some have played; the game over twenty years ago, the match should be rather an interesting one. Apart from the game the object is indeed a worthy one, and we hope to see a Targe attendance, thus helping to swell the Christmas comforts for our boys in the trenches.

Prices of several popular brands of cigarettes have been advanced as from Tuesday by 5s per 1000 (says the Dominion ”). This will result in an extra penny on the packet of 10, which was formerly fid, then 7d, and now to be Scl. Some other brands of cigarettes were advanced a. few months ago, and upon them no additional rise has been

made. The reasons given for the latest advance, however, are the same —viz., the advance in the price of the high-grade leaf used in cigarette mapufacture by 60 per cent., combined with the very high prices ruling for ii.il .packing materials.