There was a rumour this morning that the King intended to visit Luton Hoo and review the troops at 10.30 am. On making enquiries we were informed "there is no truth in the statement that His Majesty will be coming today. There are no arrangements in hand either for a future visit". [In fact the King paid a hush-hush visit to the Hoo the next day - Friday, September 18th - marked by a special edition of The Luton News being printed that day].

• Farley Farm, the home farm of the Stockwood Estate, was the scene of a destructive fire on Tuesday morning, when outbuildings and 26 stacks were destroyed, the damage being estimated at between £2,500 and £3,000. Remnants of the stack are still burning. Mr Arthur Kilby, an employee of Hayward Tyler & Co Ltd, who lives at Caddington, saw smoke coming from the stables at the back of the farmyard while on his way to work at 5am. He informed the farm bailiff, who rode into Luton to summon the Fire Brigade. The stable were full of horses, but these were all got out safely and turned into a field near at hand. Water in Farley Pond used to tackle the blaze lasted seven-and-a-half hours before it was exhausted. Hoses were then linked into the main outside Stockwood House.

• At a meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday, Councillor A.A. Oakley asked what action was going to be taken to prevent trees in People's Park and Corporation-owned recreation grounds being destroyed by military horses. One of the best trees on the Havelock Road side of People's Park had had its bark stripped, and Councillor A. Chapman said horses tied under the trees in Manor Road were causing an annoyance.

• Three cases of mumps have occurred amongst the troops in Luton, and it was reported at the meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday that the persons affected had been removed to the Isolation Hospital at Spittlesea. Deputy Medical Officer Dr H. Sworder also reported a large increase in cases of diphtheria and urged that the smallpox hospital should be utilised for the reception and treatment of patients who could not be isolated in their own homes.

• The Rev A. F. Wolton has been nominated officiating Wesleyan clergyman to the Forces in the district. He delivered a striking sermon at the Waller Street Wesleyan Church on Sunday morning to a congregation of Territorials and civilians following a visit he had paid to wounded soldiers from the front, now stationed at Wrest Park, Silsoe.

• Recruiting is continuing apace. In Luton some 650 men joined the Territorial Forces in the past seven or eight days - 400 to 5th Beds, 150 Engineers and 100 R.A.M.C., while some 350 had joined Kitchener's Army. Recruiting for the Territorial (Reserve) was expected to be completed this week.

• Lady Wernher had given instructions to her agent not to collect any rents due at Michaelmas next from allotment tenants on the Luton Hoo Estate at present serving their country.

• The marquee recently erected in Dudley Street for the temporary accommodation of the Wesleyan Central Mission was blown down during the heavy gale on Monday. The Central Mission building is still occupied by the military authorities, and the congregation have now arranged to hold all Sunday services in the Hitchin Road (Charles Street) Girls' School.

• Donations locally for the Prince of Wales' National Relief Fund had risen to £1,733 13s 10d by September 12th. As there is no football club at Luton Hoo this season, Mr Mankiewics sent his £2 2s club subscription to the fund.

• The Local Government Board have forwarded their sanction to the borrowing by Luton Town Council of £6,000 (repayable within 30 years), the Council's contribution towards the cost of constructing a new footbridge over the Great Northern and Midland Railways. The Highways Committee have resolved, however, that owing to the difficulty of borrowing money at the present time at a reasonable rate of interest, the Town Clerk and Borough Engineer be instructed to confer with the railway officials as to the desirability of deferring the reconstruction of the footbridge for the time being.

• From the staff of the (Luton) News and its general printing works five young people have responded to the nation's call. On August Bank Holiday, L.S. Bennett, one of the office staff, had to report himself to headquarters, being a Naval Volunteer Reserve. Last week Harry Berry, who had served his apprenticeship with us and spent about two years additional in our service as a compositor, asked to join the 5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment Territorials. He was accompanied by Horace Adams, from the machine department of the jobbing printing works attached to the News, and both were accepted for foreign service. Claude Gilder, a son of Mr W. Gilder, of Moor Street, was also most anxious to join. Two brothers of his had already joined the London Rifles at St Albans. But although a firm believer in the pulling power of advertising, the advertising department could not hold him, and the 5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment claimed him on Monday as another recruit. Still another - the fifth of our young men to volunteer - is Edward Grice, son of Midland Road stationmaster at Luton. "Teddy" was in our reporting department, and he is a strong and well-built young fellow. The R.A.M.C. has claimed him. He felt the call and signed the papers on Sunday morning.

• The Essex County cricket captain J. W. H. T. Douglas and his brother C. H. ("Pickles") have joined the Bedfordshire Regiment.

• Luton Chamber of Commerce has placed an advert stating that on and after Monday next (September 21st) 37 manufacturers' material merchant will close their establishments at 5.30 from Monday to Friday and 1 o'clock on Saturday until further notice.

• Public notice: The Defence of the Realm Regulation 1914: All persons keeping carrier or homing pigeons within the Borough of Luton must obtain a permit to enable them to do so. Any persons neglecting to obtain such permit render themselves liable to a heavy penalty.