Local and General.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 February 1913, Page 2

Local and General.

The Lev. Father P. Henry, who is taking the place of the lute Father Cognet arrived in this district on Saturday. lie i;> a I'Yeiu-liman by birth, and received his training at the Meeane Seminary. Taking advantage of the absence from Levin of Mr liubcrtson, M.P.. a dujj; got into ihe fowl vji rd and Killed seventeen of Mr Ifobertsnn's best fowls. Hi; then moved a vote ni confidence in a policy of self-reliance and presumably left for other absentee yards. A tanner in thi.s district informs us that the potato blight which played such havoc a lew .seasons ago is now not nearly so had. Ho said that if a spell of dry weather came mi when tho potatoes first got blight the disease did not affect the roots at all. The Levin Druids' have let a contract to Mr .1. Whitnkor, builder, of Levin, for the extension of the. Druids' Hall. Some loft will be. added, and it is anticipated that when tlii.s is completed it will be mi keen demand for private parties and dances. Thc> secretary' of the iSports Protection League reports that a large number of persons are making application for membership, and it \s expected that very shortly the Levin branch of the League will be the strongest along this coast.

Another good programme- of pictures is to be nhown >at the King's Theatre. Levin, this evening. Films illustrative of "The Cotton Industry." and one entitled "f'eptilos." are included. Dramatic subjects are "A I'as.sbig Shadow." "Waif of the Sea." "The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter," and a "star'' production, by the Cines Company, entitled '"The Police Sergeant." Comic pictures will lie shown : "Arabella's Pival." "Courtier Caught." and "In Wolf's Clothing."

The last uiaiJ from Homo brings paitieiikna of an organisation which Jia.s been .stalled in .Scotland for the purpose of Dairying on propaganda work in favour of National SelfGovernment for Scotland. It is called the .Scottish Homo Rule Council, and. consists of representatives elected from the Scottish Liberal Unofficial Members of Parliament, the Women's Liberal Federation, and the Young Scots' .Society. The council has secured a list of a. large number of men and women prepared to address meetings throughout .Scotland. Special literature -will also be prepared by the council, and all those favourable to the object of National Self-Government are being appealed to for financial and other assistance. Busy workers whose hands become soiled with paint, dirt, grease or grime will find the new "Borated Talcum Hand Soap" an instant cleaner and perfect boon. Used liko ordinary soap. In large tins one shilling each from C. S. Koedwell, Dispensing Chemist.—Advt. A tcfispoonfnl of Tonking's Linseed Emulsion three times a day. and the worst cold is beaten off Is 6d, 2e 6d, 4 8 6d. Advt

The rabbit poison manufacturing depot under the control of tlio Mastorton Stock Department (eays the Age) is sending out poison at the rate of 60001b a week. The districts to which the poison is sent reach from Wanganui to Wellington.

A peppercorn in a white envelope, the rent of the old village school at Bushbiiry, Wolverhampton, -was handed to Mr Stavcley Hill, M.P.. on a visit to the school. He aid he 'believed lie was the only man in England who was actually paid a peppercorn rent annually.

During the proceedings in connection with civil business at Napier Court recently, the name of a man called Double was announced in connection with a debt. Mr Lusk's request for inn adjournment, as the unfortunate man had just become the father of twins, created some mirth (says the Telegraph).

Mr Seymour Hicks tells an amusing story of an experience when he was playing the part of a doctor to an invalid heroine who acted very badly. ''Doctor, is there any hope?"' he was asked during the course of one of the scenes. "She -will be better in the spring." he replied ; whereupon there came a dismal voire from the gallery. "We 'ope to 'Raven she will, guv'nor."

A somewhat remarkable accident is reported from Diniedin. A motor car. which was left temporarily unattended, (started off downhill, and finally dashed into another street, where it crossed the footpath ■mil

partially wrecked the side of :i house. The outer weatherboards for a considerable distance were stripped off. The car was also damaged and had to be left in the street.

Thousand of acres of laud at one time covered -with raupo, ti-tree, and lorn, have been cleared and brought into cultivation, and some of the finest farms in the Auckland Province district are now to bo found in the Thames Valley. The other day (says the Auckland Star) one of these properties changed bauds at a price which is probably a record for the district. The farm consisted of MO acres, and the price realised was C 33.000, or at the rate of £73 fis 8d per acre. *'^!L? , 2Ss3Ss*sSf''' Native Land Case from Levin. In the .Supreme Court yesterday. before his Honour Mr .justice Sim. iiii application was made on behalf of Daniel Hannau, jnnr.. of Levin, fanner, for a mandamus to the Ikaroa Dihtrict Maori Land Board in respect to the transfer of certain Xative land in the Horowhenua listrict. owned bv Wirihana Hunia.

The statement of claim set forth <.hat on 13th October, 1911, William Stewart Park, acting as solicitor c or Lindsay Hanks Barron, applied for confirmation by tho board of a transfer from "Wirihana Hunia to Lindsay Hanks Marron. The hoard intimated that it would not confirm thrtransfer then, hut would he prepared to do so when the survey of tho partition -was completed, .and a fresh valuation then to be made showed the price- to 'he reasonable. The (rnnsfer affected land known as II > rowheiiua 118, 11 south G. subdivision 2, Hunia'.s interest being 5o acres. The price which Hunia had •eceivod from Karron as purchase money for his interest in the land was CBOU The contract between Ifunia and Barron provided that tin vendors should have the right to repurchase, the land at any time prior to 120 th .May. 1912. by paying to the purchaser the. whole of the moneys paid by tho purchaser to the vendors with interest, etc. The board refused to affix its seal to the certificate of confirmation of the transfer until the time mentioned in tho contract had expired. Thereafter negotiations -were concluded between plaintiff and Hunia for the purchase of Huiiia's interest, and a transfer was executed in favour of plaintiff. the consideration being £090, being CllO more thnn the consideration provided for in the trausfer to Barron. Application for confirmation of the transfer was made- to the board. The board refused the application for confirmation upon the ground that they had already confirmed the transfer to Barron. Plaintiff prayed: (1) That the Court issue a writ of mandamus, as directed to the board, commanding the board to hear the application, and to endorse a, certificate of confirmation on the said, transfer to the plaintiff; and (2) that the defendant board bo ordered to pay the costs of these proceedings.

The statement of defence sets out that tho land included in the memorandum of transfer from Hunia to plaintiff was at the time of the execution of the transfer, and still was, Native land owned by a legal estate in fee simple by more than ten owners as tenants in common, and. therefore, inalienable, save in manner provided by section 209 of the Native Land Act, 1909. The said transfer was not executed with the precedent consent of tho board, or in accordance with, part 18 of the Act relating to the powers of the assembled owners, and was, therefore, void and illegal by reason of section 209 of the Act, and incapable of confirmation by tho hoard, and confirmation thereof was rightly refused by the board.

Mr Blair appeared for plaintiff, and the Hon. A. L. Herdman. At-torney-General, for the Ikaroa Maori Land Board. On the application of Mr M. .Myers, Lindsay Banks Ban-on. of Levin, was added as a defendant. After hearing judgment, his Honour reserved judgment.