SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 November 1913, Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29.

Extremely heavy rain foil last night, the fall being particularly heavy towards Shannon. .At the foot of Ihakara J [ill. this morning the water covered the road to a depth of eight inches. Owing to the threatening state of the weather, (he Gardens Committee has decided to postpone the opening of the Levin public gardens, fixed for this afternoon, until next Wednesday, at o o'clock. The many friends of Mrs A. Brown, of Shannon, will be sorry lo hear that she is seriously ill. She has been suffering during the last four weeks from pueumouia and bronchitis, and yesterday her condition became so ijritioal that the doctor holds out little hope of hei recovery. In Prince Edward Island, the problem of the hour is whether motor ears shall be allowed within the province. Feeling on the subject runs high, and Mr Murdoch Kennedy, who has relinquished his position in the Ministry, gives as his reason, dill'erences with his colleagues on the question. It is slated that the farmers, with few execeptions, are strongly opposed to the innovation, their eo 11 versatism against ''devil waggons'" being increased by the narrowness of the countrv roads.

The extraordinary spectacle of rival lire brigades turning their hose on each other while the fire they were called"out to extinguish made merry progress was witnessed al, St. Coltimb Minor, near .Newquay, Cornwall. A small boy playing with coloured lights set lire to the thatched roof of the Farmers' Arms, an ancient inn. were at once despatched for the fire brigades, and the Nwquay men were soon at work. Subsequently the St. Columb Major Fire Brigade put in an appearance, and differences of opinion arose between the two brigades. Minor differences soon developed into a duel, the firemen turning the Lose on each other. Not until the combatants were drenched did the conflict cease.

A potter, called Health, of Shelton, was on a business journey to London, then naturally taken on horseback; before reaching Dunstable or Banbury, his horse's eyes became inflamed. The ostler of the inn put a piece of flint into the fire; when it was red-hot he quenched it with wafer and pounded it to a fine powder, a little of which was blown into the horse's eye, relieving the inflamation. The potter, noticing the extreme whiteness of the calcined flint, and also the ease with which it was powdered, was led to try this material 111 order to improve the whiteness of his ware, and with the most successful results. — "Staffordshire Pottery and Its History," by -TosTah 0. Wedgwood

Egg's arc at 3d a dozen in Oamaru; but they are small-birds' eggs, not hen-eggs. Quite an interesting discussion preceded the iixing of the price—by the County Council. Councillor Kinnimont moved that the price this year be Is Od per hundred for heads and eggs, the same as last yeai. Mr MncPherson moved, as an amendment, that the price for egg? be 2s per hundred, and for heads Is Od". It must not be forgotten, he said, that what Is (Id represented to a boy when councillors had been young could be adequately represented to the boy of to-day by about 4W. Parents also would view with concern the Council's adherence to the old offer, as they had to make up the balance of what • their children considered fair pocket money. The fact was that the boys had gone on strike, and were not collecting eggs at all, while the small bird nuisance threatened to become acute, Tn some other centres as much as 2s Od per hundred was offered, and the birds were much scarcer tKan in Waitaki. Mr Macpherson's amendment was eventually curried.

The Department of Internal Affairs is instituting inquiries for a missing person named Thomas Alfred Clegg, aged about 22. Police enquiries have been made without result, and it has been suggested that, as the lad is of age for military training, he may be on tlie tolls of the territorial force. The enquirer states that Mr Clegg may have* taken the name of Thomas Clarke. Officers of the Territorial Force arc requested to make enquiries and advise District Headquarters whether either of these names ar 011 the records of their unit. On this year's Public Works Estimates a sum of <£075 is set down for erection of accommodation for learners at Weraroa Experimental Farm, Levin. Last year a sum of £(>OO was set down for this purpose and iJ-5-11 of that amount was expended. 111 the fame year ,-£271)0 was set down for buildings, alterations, etc. at the same farm, but only was spent. Evidently the departmental plans in this regard have been changed, for only ii-500 has been bet down on the eurent Estimates under this heading. Other items appearing for Weraroa Experimental Farm this year are £200 for stumping and £200 for buildings and sites not specified.