LOCAL AND GENERAL

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 August 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A satisfactory degree of support has been accorded to the Chronicle's venture of a delivery through the district by means oi motor cycle. By these means the whole of the day's news be- i comes available to country settlers in place of the incomplete details that necessarily were put out in the iirst edition. Close on one hundred new subscribers have been added to our list in the last low 'weeltfc, and the venture now may be regarded as successful and permanent. The maximum selling price oi pork in ■Sydney has been fixed at 7d per ih. The Russian wheat crop this year is estimated by the Russian Minister of Agriculture at 571.000,000 bushels. Senator Pearce, the Australian Minister of Defence, has announced that he is now in a position to oa.il tenders lor the manufacture of shell bodies, and is considering the establishment of a Government arsenal to manufacture 18-pounder ammunition. Arrangements would be made to retain Australian skilled 'workmen to make munitions. A message from the Minister of Defence has been received by Mm id. Walker, of Levin, that her sou, Private A. Walker, was wounded in the knee and in the eye, at the Dardanelles on the 2-lth inst.; fortunately, the injuries are not serious. Private Walker at present is in .No. 10 General Hospital at Cairo. After some weeks of line weather, mild steady rain set in last evening and heavy showers fell throughout the night. The rain generally will ue ■welcomed by the farmers in this district, especially by those with holdings where the soil is of a ligJit nature. The value of dairy products, including by-products, oi Pahiatua district during the past season is estimated at over £151,000. The total value ol wool, sheep, cattle, calves and pigs railed from Pahiatiia. Maiigatainoka u'kl llukaniii for PJI 1-1 5 season ainouiitei to £24-1,101 as a.gainst £220,832 for the previous year.

Levin was visited last -week by Inspector J3. lie id, of the Health Department. He encountered Milkman J. Oak and demanded a (sample from the can, which was forthwith supplied, flic test was quite up to standard—in '.act well ahead, and the vendor now is to be seen floating around, twice daily, with "the smile that won't rub off."

Acknowledging hi.s re-election to the chairmanship of the Auckland Education Board, Mr G. J. Garland, in t'ho course of a review of tlie progress of education in Auckland, amongst other tilings said :—"There can be no doubt as to the necessity for greater effort on the part of the Hoard in the country districts for the teaching of practical agriculture, for this country cannot'afford to neglect the gifts of Nature; and it is evident that the Board must give due heed to the requirements pressing upon it for gre-ater extension of this brancli of its work." The Bishop of Melanesia has given two guineas and Mr John Kebbell ten guineas towards the Hind lor the erection of a church room in VVcraroa. Mr WhitaJcer, who got the contract, will commence- with the work m a few days. The room its badly needed as the Association Koom, which is now being used, is to bo removed. in any case ic is far too small to hold the people who wish to meet there lor the service. The church room at Weraroa will be the same width as St. Mary's Church, Levin, and only about six 'eet less in length.

Mr luey l'niilips, who has been travelling extensively in the 6outh Island during the last two months, returned to Levin yesterday. ±w stales that the drought in the South Island is extensive and severe, and there is a marked absence of grass; not until the party reached Kaiapoi, this side of C/'hristchurch, did they see any extent of it

The Post and Telegraph Department lias closed another year with excellent results. .The revenue received during the year amounted to £1,353,143, exceeding that of the previous year, 'jy £95,900'. The Saving-bank deposits reached a total of £11,1)01,323, and the withdrawals £10,(503,018, .while tho amount standing to the credit of '.lopositers was £19,0-18,029—an increase of £1,1)1(5,615. The money-order and postal-note business continues to show a steady increase, the total value of issues and sales respectively during the year reaching over £4,090,000.— l (, rom the Statement.

The Wellington Laud lioard puojposes to offer lor sale or selection during the currcuit year over lots, having an are* ol about . 59,000 acres. Steps are now being taken to offer for cash by public auction about 50 acres of AViir'ord Settlement, Petone, in n'ftythree lots; 1,233 acres of the Xoiunan(Jale Settlement, Lower mitt, in eight lots 3 and 09 acres of the Htiwtrey Settlement, Johnsonville, in fii',ty-sax_ lots. It is hoped that the reduction of prices proposed under provisions of section 43 of the Land Lawn Amendment Act, 1913, in the case of the 'a«t two settlements, may resmt in the disposal of lots for which there is no demand at the rents hitherto iixed. t> , : thy areas mentioned above, Uie survey of about 35,000 acres has been completed, and the Bections are ready for offering to the public.