The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1915. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 October 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1915. LOCAL AND GENERAL

For the reinforcements that will go into camp early next month, 145 mounted men ami 587 infantry are required io make up the Wellington district quota. Corporal Bassett, a Aew Zealander. who has been awarded the Victoria Cross, is a signaller. After the New Zealand infantry 'were established on Cliunukbair ridge, Bassett in full daylight under continuous heavy fire, laid a telephone lino to Cliunukbair and subsequently -was brought to notice lor uu s most gallant work in repairing the telephone lines under heavy fire.

The Rimutaka, which left Wellingtonton one day last week lor London, took a record shipment of dairy produce— 50,331) boxes ol butter and 2(5,390 crates of cheese, valued respectively at £20. 35(j and X)lo8,370. The Dorset and Huruuui, which left on Tuesday, took -1023 boxes of butter, valued at £18, 4<J2.

The Limber-bearing land in Marlborough Sounds having been cut up, Brownlee's mills there have been dismantled, and some 800 to 1000 tons ol saivjnills machinery has been disposed of on the West Coast. The Defender took about 130 tons on the present trip to Greymouth and a smaller quantity for Hokitika.—fcitar.

There has been a brisk inquiry lor Kuakura-bred iiiilkuig-tttrain. yearlings fcihorthorn bulls. in the lialt' oi August seven bales were made, aud .uo young Shorthorn bulls available lor service tlii.s season are now left. Eleven cows ui the liuakura Shorthorn herd wmuh had registered under seiiii-oilicial t-cst were entered last month in the Herd-book ol' the Waikato Dairy tShori.boru Association.---Agricultural Gazette.

it is interesting to recall just now U>uys the "\\ ostiums ter Uuzette") that tile inveJiior 01 snraynei—LieuitenantUencral lieury rihrapnel—gained much of iiis military experience in Flanders. He served with the Duke oi York's army there, and shortly alter the t>eige ot' Dunkirk invented Uie case allot, "a destructive engine of war used by the lloyal Artillery, and Known by the name oi Shrapnel Shell." So runs thd inscription on a large slab in the lioor o c . the chancel in 13radford-on-Avon Church, Wiltshire, where the general Avas buried. The inventor's reward was a pension of £1200 per annum. The Shrapnels were for threo generations cloth weavers at Brad ford-on-A veil.

Some interesting facts concerning the value of the uog moss (sphagnum cymbii'oliuui) as a surgical dressing have been brought Uj light in connection with the war. The moss is permeated with ininute tubes which in its natural state hold water eight or nine times the weight of the plant, so that when it is dry it is oile of the most absorbent materials known. It is antiputrescent, very soft, light and 0001. and as very little preparation is necessary before use if it is carefully gathered—for it has only to be sterilised and placed in flannel bags—it is a very economical dressing. For some time it has been used in British hospitals, and before the war was supplied from Germany! This is yet another of the Old Country's neglected industrial opportunities. for there is an unlimited amount growing on the English fells and moors! In German towns it is a common sight to see country women with big baskets of plants and herbs going into chemists' shops to sell -ir exchange tiheir goods. Such a- sight is unknown in England, and it is evident from a pamphlet latoly circulated by the Board of Agriculture that Germany has boon supplying raw material in the way of plants and lierbs for most of the British drugs.

The cost of keeping pigs at the Kuakura Experimental Farm is fouind to he small in comparison -with the returns given. This is mainly due to the fact that the whole of the pig-food is grown on the farm. A great deal of this food would practically he waste if not fed to pigs.

A working bee was on Levin Bowling green last Saturday, led by the Secretary kingbee, who is 110 drone. The banks were mown and trimmed, the green cut and rolled, and everything left ready ior the final touches to be given today and tomorrow. The season will be opened next Wednesday afternoon, when visitors from Shannon, Foxton, and Otaki are to take part in the play.

Messrs Dalgety and Company Ltd., have received the following cable from their London house .-—Tallow: At the 'auction sales 011 October 13th prices were unchanged to Gd higher per cwt. *At the rabbit skins sales on 15th Octoger there was a good demand for prime New Zealand does which were 3d to Id dearer; other winter skins"* were also Id to 2d dearer; incoming and light racks Jd dearer; autumn racks, unchanged, whilst Australian better sorts were Id higher, and common qualifies Jd higEer.

W. and G. Turnbull and Co., Ltd. ireport having held their fortnightly sale of wool (oddments only), sheepskins, hides, etc., at Wellington last Saturday, when they offered a good catalogue to the usual attendance of buyers. Combing sheepskins were in good demand and showed an advance of id per lb. Clothing skins were somewhat neglected. -Hides sold 011 a par with last sale rates. Tallow was the same.