LOCAL AND GENERAL

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 April 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mr John Kebbell'e letter to the editor on the subject of Levin Domain, i replying tu Councillor Dempsey and j also to a Chronicle article will appear to-morrow. Mr Marco l'"osella. secretary of the Horowhcnua Fruitgrowers' Association, has received advice from Mr T. Kirk, head of the orchard branch of the Department of Agriculture, that he will be present at the conference called by the Association to devise; moans lor dealing with the small bird pest. The -Mayor. Mr IS. R. Gardener, desires to acknowledge the receipt of CI Ills from Mrs T. Harris for the Belgian Relief Fund. The amount was received from the sale of a bull pup owned by Mrs Harris. Tin- Mayor of Levin, by advertisement in to-day's Chronicle, invites tin- business people of Levin to close their premises at 12 noon on Wednesday next, tin , occasion Doing the military sports to In- held at the camp on Levin racecourse, in aid ot the Belgian Helief Fund. The blight has attacked the crops of kunieras in the North Auckland district this .season. The loss is serious as they have been realising .CI per cwt and the crop is estimated at anything between 1000 and t>ooo tons. Kiumeras are an important item ol food to the white settlers an well as to the Maoris north of Auckland. Mr lioro Karaiiti, of uliau, has received, a letter from his brother, Mr Aurailiam Karaiiti. who is with the Maori Contingent. The letter was posted at Ceylon, and is dateil 11th ..arch. The writed stated that all Uie members of the Contingent, were well, and only one death had occurred among the men. The transport passed close by Keeling Island and the men on board had a good view of the ■mtterod Enideu. Only out:- mast :-. standing. The duty on fruit coming mtj Now //inland will be relaxed auo : . lhe end of next June, and the New /.ea'and I'ruitgroweis' Federation FsoL'iiii.'c proposes, if a fair amount of N'u'.i Zealand fruit remains unsold at fiat lime., in approach Parliament ah 1 ask :t 10 retain the duty in order 'i.'J imported iin it will compete- more e.-.'.ly wilh lit'it grown in the Dominion, and givelocal growers a lii-tter prue for tin-ir luodiice. lhe Federal')ii is at pr>> .M-nt circularising all district Iruitg.'uwer.s' associations througii jut the I)u----:n■ iiiiiii eii(|iiiiin_r as to tin , (|ii:i.it '. v ■ \ lru.it likely lo be held by listiiet growers at the end ol -in'l' , . A copy !••' the circular wa.s recer.'-'d l;y Ml .»iareo l''osella. secretary )i lie Hoiowliemia Fruitgrowers' Ass > '.atiou lv-i., wctk. The division of the Levin-Otaki til uiit was consummated on Wednesday last when the Quarterly Meeting, held at Otaki resolved that the division as adopted by Conference do now take effect. hi future the district between Kopiitaroa and Paekakariki will comprise two Methodist circuits—Levin and Otaki and the boundary between the two will be the Waikawa river. It is interesting to remember that the Methodist Church first took up woi k in this district in Otaki in 1801. Th" headquarters of the circuit was trans I erred from Otaki to Levin about tV year 18SH). when the tir.-t fully-ordar. I'd minister Oi.-v. Tl. li. Bellhoif-;" worked the district. H was not til! about the year 100-1 that tlve name i>l (he circuit was changed Jroin "Otaki to "Levin-Otaki."—Mail. Levin-Otaki Methodic Circuit held its last' meeting on Wednesday l;:»t. The nieit-ting unanimously resolve:! "That the division of the circuit, as passed by Conference, <To iioiv take effect, and that this Quarterly meetiii'i stand adjourned, the representatives of the new circuits to meet in their respective centres as arranged. The chairman expressed the Mope that the division of tho circuit would be in the best interest of the church, and the extension of their work, lie urged them to rally round and supimrt their minister, and wished both circuits every success in the future. Several of those present expressed the opinion that the division of the circuit, whieh took*efl'ect that day would prove a step in the right direction. It was si progressive move, and would undoubtedly tend towards the more effective working of the wide district hitherto designated the Levin-OtaTd circuit. A petition is being circulated among the fruitgrowers of the Dominion asking thu Minister of Agriculture, the Kt. Hon., W. l< , . Massey, to strengthen tho New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation by an assured linance. The putition suggests as a means to secure this, that in accordance with the Orchard and Garden Pest Ad passed last session, a regulation be made that no Iruit be allowed to he .sol<l or exported without bearing the registered brand of the grower, and that the fee for registration be at the rate of Is pelacre per annum with a minimum of 2s (id and a maximum of C 5. The fee to be collected by Hie Agricultural Department, and the surplus over cost of registration and collection be 'handed over to the New Zealand Fi'Ti it growers' Federation. Copies of the petition have been received by Mr Marco Fosella. .secretary of the Horowhenu fruitgrowers . Association, and any friiitgrowe-r desirous of obtaining a copy or signing the petition can do so on applying to Mr Fosella. or applying at the Association's depot, Mr D. •Smart's roome.