LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13937, 12 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The man who loafs on his job soon discovers that every day in the year is Friday, the 13th.

There is a prospect that with tW beginning of the year a daily mail service will be established between Raglan and Frankton, leaving the junction after the arrival of the express.

When all the schools were closed by the Health authorities, the boarders at Nelson College, instead of being returned to their homes in various parts of the North and South Islands, were camped some miles out of the town jtt'ith completely satisfactory results, not a single student being attacked by ,the epidemic. The boarders have now returned to their homes. "Save Her From the Hun" is the arresting title of the frontispiece in ; this week's issue of the New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review. This prefaces a particularly attractive set of illustrations dealing with war time in London, including photographs of the famous Carabineri Band. Sport, the 'stage, and topical happenings are interestingly pictured.

Many matters connected with the recent epidemic were venilated at the Waikato Hospital Board, meeting this morning, but as the returns in connection with the various temporary hospitals were not yet final, nothing was done, the chairman suggesting that the Board should hold a special meeting at an early date to clear up all these matters.

Provision is made in the "Washingup" Bill for the erection of a maternity cottage hospital at Te Kuiti, the Waikato Hospital Board being empowered to apportion the cost over and above the Government subsidy between the borough of Te Kuiti and the counties of Awakino and Waitomo, such apportionment to be made on the capital value of the rateable property.

j A communication from the Public Works Department was read at the meeting of the Raglan County Council yesterday to the effect that the ardor for the material for the Waipa bridge had been placed, and as soon as this is forthcoming, and there is reasonable prospect of the work once started going on uninterruptedly, the erection will be proceeded with. Tho Otago Education Board considered a suggestion by the Department that schools should reopen on January 21. The chairman said the Department had apparently overlooked the fact that teachers had lieen working very hard during the epidemic, and that the younger teachers would be going through examinations till January 20. The Board decided to reopen schools on February 3. The surgeon superintendent's report submitted to the Wadkato Hospital Board showed the following state of the wards for the nine weeks ending December 11: —Number of inmates at last return, 114 males, 83 females; ad. .njitted since, 340 and 198; deaths, 56 and 26; discharged, 280 and 195; re. maining at date, 118 and 60. The daily average number of patients for the nine weeks had been 199, with a maximum number of 205. There were 126 operations during the period. Under ordinary circumstances all the pupils of Standard VI. are examined in their ordinary class work for a leaving certificate—that is, a certificate of proficiency or of competency. This year owing to the epidemic, the inspectors were not able to undertake the examinations as the schools were closed. Power, however, is given by the regulations for inspectors to accept a headmaster's estimate of each child's fitness to qualify. This was done this year in order that there might be no obstacle to those children who qualified, entering upon their secondary school course, l>eginning next year. This is really an application of a svstem of accrediting bv a lwedmaster's knowledge of individual pupils rather than on examination •.

From all parts of the Waikato—ndrth, south, east and west—the general topic of conversation is the gigantic removal sale of -Hooker and King, No matter what your requirements are, a pew costume, skirt, hat, orj whether you want to replenish your household needs, such as calico, sheetings, towels, quilts, etc., big reductions are taking place throughout the store. Just think of the beginning of the summer season and being able to purchase a 79s 6d costume for 59s Gd, a 49s Gd skirt for 39s Gd, a new quilt 24s (id for 19s lid. Co where the crowds are daily and where your money goes iarthest.—Hooker and Kingston, Ltd., the House of Satisfaction.* Nazol for Influenza and Catarrh Ladies t This Is of interest to von. Include DURYEA MAIZENA CORNFLOUR in y&ur nest order. Tlx Cornflour of quality. (5b Nazo! for Influenza and Catarrh,

Tho censorship in Now Zeahnd on naval articles, photographs, etc., lias beeu removed.

Voluntary helpers are still required for work at the Waikato Hospital, and those willing to assist are requested to apply to Mr W. H. Paul. Mails will close at Hamilton for Honolulu, Canada, North and South America, United Kingdom, Expeditionary Forces and Continent of Europe (via San Francisco), to connect with the Kurow at Wellington, at eight o'clock to.night.

The mileage of the Mood circulation reveals some, astonishing facts. It has just been circulated, for instance, that, assuming the heart to beat 69 times a minute at ordinary pressure, the blood goes at the rate of 207 yards a minute, or nine miles an hour, 220 miles a day and 8000 miles a year. If a man 8» years old could have had one single blood corpuscle floating in his blood al! his life, it would have travelled 7,000,000 miles.

It is rather interesting to learn tint the form of the ordination of a deaconess still occurs among the rites of 'die East Syrian Christmas. It dates back, of course, to the early church, for even in the time covered by the New Testament is shown by Puny's famous letter to the Emperor Trajan, asking how he is to treat the increasing sect of Christians, and mentioning that iic had put two deaconesses to torture. There were references to the order at various times in "the first five centuries, but then it seems to have passed away, and in the west of Europe it never had much favour.

That all landlords are not heartless is exemplified by a case reported to the Dunedin Star. A widow whose husband had died of pneumonia, leaving her with three young children, was visited by the owner of the house—a lady, in this instance*—who gave the bereaved tenant a receipt for £7 for rent due, but unpaid, and granted her the free use of the house till the end of the year. "This ig an example worthy of being followed," says the Star, "and should bring the blush of shame to the cheeks of those property owners whose chief anxiety during the epidemic appeared to be the collection of rent before their tenants died or spent the money in obtaining necessary medical and other attention."

When the armistice rejoicings in Melbourne were at their height, two buglers at the head of the impromptu procession which marched up Collins street, halted at Swanson street, quietened their "drummers," and sounded the "Last Post." As the first notes of the most imposing of the high calls rang out, a few returned soldiers in uniform came to attention, and some men wearing discharged badges removed their hats and remained bareheaded till the last note sounded. The significance of the incident must have been lost to many in the crowd, but to soldiers it could not fail to appeal in the midst of the Rejoicing. It was a touching tribute to the memory of eomrad.'s who have given their lives to make rejoicing possible. Has the origin of the word Cockney as a name for a Londoner ever been satisfactorily settled? Captain Grose, in his Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, contends that the name for the Londoner is derived from the following story. A citizen of London being in the country and hearing a horse neigh, exclaimed; "Lud! how that horse laughs!" A bystander told him that the noise was called neighing. The next morning when the cock crowed, the Londoner, to show that he had not forgotten what had been told hiin, cried out, "Do you hear that cock neigh?" The term, at any rate, is a pretty old one, for amongst the regulations for shows held in olden times in the Middle Temple on Candlemas Day, "the "King of the Cockneys" was allowed two officers to attend him.

Almost every country has Its national flower. It was not till the reign of Henry VI., however, that England s came to be the rose. France is tfie only European country upon whose arms a flower appears. The fleur-de-lis is really three lilies. Everyone knows the maple leaf of Canada, those beautiful scarlet leaves which make forests blaze in autumn, but how many know the national flower of its neigabour, the United States? It is, as a matter of fact, the golden rod, whose yellow spikes grow in every hedgerow from Maine to Texas. Spanish maidens adorn their hair with the searlet blossoms of the pomegranate, while Switzerland claims that flower which has cost so many lives to pluck, the Alpine edelwiss. The narcissus is the floral emblem of Greece; the chrysanthemum of Japan. A humorous incident marked tho King's investiture in the Quadrangle of Buckingham Palace recently (writes a London correspondent). One of the naval "hush" V.C.'b was to be presented to Lieutenant Harold Auton, of the R.N.R., the story of whose gallantry in an action with an enemy submarine cannot be told until after the war. Instead of reading the record of the exploit for which the honour had been awarded, as is usual, the Equerry merely stated that Lieutenant Auton had won the V.C. Lieutenant Auton stepped forward to receive the decoration, and at the same moment the l>and of the Irish Guards began to plav, "Hush, Hush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogey Man." The Kins, as well as the spectators, at once saw the humour of the coincidence, and laughed heartily.

A remarkable instance of a Royal Air Force carrier pigeon saving the lives of two flying officers is reported from Scotland. A few weeks ago a Royal Air Force seaplane, engaged on a submarine patrol over the North Sea, was compelled to descend about five miles from the rocky Scottish coast. A heavy sea was running, and the machine was in momentary danger of being dashed to pieces. Realising their peril, the airmen released a pigeon at 4 p.m. with an urgent message requesting immediate help, promptly at 4.22 the bird reached its loft, having traversed 22 miles in 22 minutes. The arrival of the pigeon was the first intimation the authorities received that anything was amiss, and assistance was immediately sent, resulting in the saving of the crew. When the relief party arrived the airmen were clinging to tho wreckage of the machine, which was rapidlv breaking up.

Influenza ig for all of us a sorious subject, and that same is the reason, perhaps, that amateur experts start up ' ight and left to advise and presenile, writes "Oivis" in the Otago Daily Times. With one it is the coldwater cure; with another nothing can be too hot. This enthusiast is all for washing and cleaning, for sweeping, scrubbing, swabbing. But another relates the baleful result of sanitary measures in a town that was plague-stricken, and at>parently would hold with Dean Swift's maxim, as quoted by Walter Scott— I "the more dirt the les s hurt-." This prophylactic favoured liy the waterside workers is avoidance of the wnterside. Paralysis reigns at the wharves. The Dorset, big ooe;in tramp. tinned aside for a port further north boeause naniestrieken Dunedin would not work her cargo. During all tho war time our sailors of the mercantile marine faced the mine and the torj>o(io. It is the British l>oast that the British seaman never refused to go to sea. But mines and torpedoes are nothing in comparison with influenza. So we nre invited to believe; and, truth to tell, I find it | just a little difficult. ]

A Press Association telcgra.n stales that tin* United States will allow the importation of 3()ClO tons of flax. Tlio .Minister for Internal Affairs states that all racing, which was suspended owing to the epidemic, will In; resumed from December 24. .Many sad cases have been reported in connection with the recent epi„ demic, but a particularly pathetic one. is chat of Mr and Mrs W. H. (!. Brown, of Hamilton East, who have lost their family of four fine children. Three were taken in the early stages, and the fourth was removed to the Hospital, where it died last night. .Mr Brown (who was a member of the Hamilton Post Office staff, and has onlv lately returned from camp) and his wife (a daughter of Mrs Casey, of ( iaudelands) have the heartfelt sympathy of the whole community in their heavy affliction. The chairman of the Raglan Coumy Council, at yesterday's meeting reported that he had visited Wellington before the session, and had interviewed Ministers regarding grants. He thought the mission had been succeeshul, but from the Estimates he was very disappointed. Contingent promises had not been redeemed, and money required for old works had not be:n granted, while money had been voted for new works, despite the Ministerial assurances that such would not bo done. Councillors complained Jcludly of the treatment the oounty had r*:I ceived.

The question of a dedication- of an unformed road elicited considerable .(discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Raglan County Council. The road in question was to give- access to a tract of Native country. The Council had at a previous meeting agreed that if the legalisation expenses, etc., were paid the road would he dedicated, but expressly stated thas ,it ivtfuld not pay for the cost of. formation. It was recognised that a big principle was involved, and the cOujicWbre Were of opinion that dedication' 'snould not he accepted until the road had been formed; but thorc was some doubt as to how far the resolution previously adopted had committed the Council. It was decided to submit the matter to the Council's legal advisers. In his monthly report the chairman of the Hamilton Domain Board stated that the present spring had been a most disastrous one for the work of the Board. All the work had to be done at set seasons, and in the period before Christmas an especial effort was generally made to prepare the grounds for use in the summer. During Octol>er it rained almost continuosly, and during the first ten days of November several days were lost by the special holidays. Since then two of the three men had been laid up with influenza, and the result had been to entirely disorganise the work for the season, so that in spite of every effort it would lie impossible to get the grounds in the condition he would wish for the Christmas holidays. The exceptionally high state of the water at the Lake had washed out a considerable amount of earth from behind the boarding at the sand beach, but if possible this will he filled up before the holidays. A large amount of work had been done to the cricket pitches, which have been carefully dressed with Port Albert soil and cut, watered and rolled many times. Mathias Erzberger, who signed the armistice on Germany's behalf, was responsible for the overthrow of the first War Chancellor, Bethmaqn-Hollweg. He is described as a short, fat, bullnecked, obstinate pollticial. He is M years of age, the son of a poor tailor who could not afford to send him to college. A well-to-do friend came to his relief, paid the boy's bills at Frieburg, and gave him his chance in lite. He has "done time," though only for a week, for libel in a pamphlet which he wrote to create a sensation in order to assist his candidature at the elections. Like most corpulent men, Erzberger has a sense of humour. When the SociaUst Ledebauer angrily accused him in the Reichstag of being a candidate for the Albanian Crown, Erzeberger took it smilingly, and promptly ofTered Ledebauer the position of Court Fool.

The derivation of the often-used "to the bitter end" is explained by one writer as follows: It is a nautical term. If you have ever been on a big ship, you must have noticed two large pieces of timber sticking out of the forward, alongside each other. They sometimes have a windlass between them, and they are used to secure the anchor cable. These pieces of wood arc called the "bittc." When the ship eomes to anchor and the cable is paid out, the "bitts" is called the "bitter end of the cable." In a storm, or in poor holding-ground for the anchors, the more cable that is paid out, ths better the anchor will hold, and when the captain is at all doubtful he pays out his cable to the "bitter end" sooner than risk any harm to his ship. The phrase "a man of straw" had its origin in England at a time when men might easily be procured to furnish evidence upon oath in almost any emergency. It appears that persons of this description were accustomed to walk openly in Westminster Hall witli a straw projecting from their shoes, thus signifying that th-.;y sought employment as witnesses; hence the expression. An advocate who desired a convenient witness knew by this sign where to find one, and the colloquy between the two was brief. "Don't you remember?" the advocates would ask. The party would glance at the fees and give no sign, but wh-?n the fee was increased his powers of memory were increased with it, and straw-shoes went into court and swore as desired.

Inferring in the course of a convercaticn with a representative of the C'hristchurch Press last week to the cahle message recently published stating that the United States Government's offer to purchase 720,000 tons of British Shipping from the International Mercantile Marine Company, has been accepted, the manager of a well-known shipping concern expressed the opinion that the shipping position would not be greatly altered, except that the United States Government would have a direct interest in the White Star, the Leyland, and other shipping companies in with the International Company had acquired an interest some years ago. The action of the United States Government was certainly unusual, and it was difficult to surmise with any confidence in this quarter of the world what it might portend. Apparently America was intent ujxin securing her shipping interests. Another gentleman, prominent in shipping circles, remarked that the shipipnpr world was in the melting-pot, and although the United S'.dtcs Government's action was unusual, it must lm remembered that <ho times also were I unumial. Government transactions in J shipping raised very important points. Although the season so far has been cold and rough, we may get a hot spell at any moment, then you will be thinkin" of summer clothes for the children. At Hall's Drapery Stores this is the thing they cater for. Boys' little Tunic Suits in Khaki. Drill or Tussore Suiting you can obtain for quite nominal prices, say, 10s to 12s; for lioys a little older we h;ue a fine strong Striped Tussore Drill Suit in 'Varsity shape at about the same price. Also, a nice range of girls' Check Gingham Dresses, 27 to 3fi-inch. These run about 5s lid to 8s Txl, and are a real useful washing dress; in fact, it costs as little to buy the dress complete ag the material to make it.*