LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bequest to Salvation Army Under the will oi the late Mr. William Neil McDougall, who died at his residence in Queen Street, Levin, on January 30 last, the Public Trustee is appointed executor and trustee. The will provides that the whole estate shall pass to the Salvation Army of New Zealand for the general purposes of that organisation. J IJnique Auction Sale j A number of Levin people attended the first day of the auction sale j at "Fernside," Featherston, yesteri day, at the home of the late Mrs. Chas. Elgar. Apart fro_m the antique land art collection, which attracted I buyers from all parts of the North j Island, the beautiful residence in jits English setting, consisting of | many acres of lawns and garden, | evoked much admiration. j Whirokino Cut Tree Planting j Consequent upon the taking crver of a certain area of land on either | side of the Whirokino Cut a tree 1 planting scheme was carried out by the Government last year to make i use of the waste ground. On the ' Matakarapa side 30", 000 pinus insignus trees wer.e planted and on the other side 20,000. These trees ! have struck fairly. well and are now ! beginning to mdke"' growth. I ■ v I Further State Hoiises j The sites for more State houses to I help ease Levin's housing situation j are being cleared this week by bull- | dozers. Work on the neiv half-moon ! road, which is to- start -at Winchesj ter Street, come towards Cambridge I Street and theii circle 'back to Winchester Street ih the' vicinity of ' Bath Street has lcommenced, "and' I when finished will -facilitate the j e'ntry of owners to their properties. Another block oni the corner of Queen Street and Queenwood Road is also being cleared preparatory to the erection of further State houses. Maori Relics Found Interesting finds, including a greenstone mere, have been made | by workmen engaged on the salt 1 recovery project at Lake Grassj mere. The end of Ginxord Bay, j beneath the heights of Cape Camp,j belT, was the sc'ene" of a battle in .! which Te Rauparaha; was nearly [ captured by the Southern Maoris. j It was also an ancient nativ.e ! encampment and feasting ground. i Oue of the most interesting relics was found when a workmen was idly scratching the surface of the ,ground with no thought of anthroooloeical research.

Birthrate Rises The vital statistics recorded at Levin for the first quarter of the year show.increases of 68 per cent. in births and 45 per cent„ in marriages. The figures as supplied by the registrar (Mr. H. J. Henderson) are as follows, those for the same per'iod in 1945 being given in parentheses: Births 54 (37), deaths 17 (20) , marriages 22 (10) and marriages by the registrar 4 (3). The statistics for the month of March were as follows, with those for the corresponding month of 1945 in parentheses: Births 27 (10), deaths 3 (7), marriages 7 (3) and marriages by the registrar 1 (1). Rail.Car-and Deer A few moments of excitement for Driver Houten of the WoodvillePalmerston North railcar on Sunday night occurred a few minutes after entering the Manawatu Gorge. Driver Houten was surprised to see a magniflcent deer standing motionless beside the track. Startled by the bright lights of the railcar, the animal careered for several chains alongside the rails, passengers being thrilled by the . sight of the monarch of the bush as ■ it raced ahead, magniflcent antlers standing out in sharp outline against the darkness of the -night. Just before the first long tunnel the animal disappeared into the hills. Record Customs Receipts Total net receipts by the Customs Department in Wellington during March amounted to £1,064,200 15s, and are believed to constitute a record. The total represented an increase of £201,363 9s 7d on the figure for March, 1945. The increase in the colleetions is attributed to the greater number of imports- for civil use now coming into the country. The war saies tax collection, which amounted to £418,287 l'3s, compared with the previous total of £338~378 18s in December, 1945, is also a record figure. Total net collections for the quarter endect March 31, amounted to £2,609,747 5s, and showed an increase on the total for the similar period- of last year, which was £2,180,608 5s 5d.^ i