LOCAL AND GENERAL

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 October 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

*' "The Chronicle will not be published l'oxt Monday, the occasion being Eabcur Day. A letter from Corporal Andrews published in yesterday',? Chronicle stated that Private George Prance had heen wounded and scntfiome to Levin. Private Franco was badly wounded, but a letter received by Tits parents this week states that he recovered and was sent back to the front early in August. He «s in good health when tbo letter left bill complained of not'having received any letters from home.

General Botha has been elected in South Africa and is assured ol a majority in Parliament.

It is reported that early potato crops in the building district are badly affected with blight, and that the crop will sull'er (seriously.

An inebriaio arrested at Grey town on Sunday last had a Savings fianks pass book, showing a credit of .LliOU and JtllJ in notes 011 his person. An addition to tin? advertisement on page I regarding the New Zealand Government Debenture Loan appears in this issue. A cable message Irom .Sew states that Arlington, in Virginia, has talked ti; Paris in Kranee by wirele.-s telephony. A Honolulu operator also heard the Arlington operaTor talking. A message was received from Pjiris stating that the greater pari of the message was heard distinctly. Potato blight of it serious nature has made its appearance in the Taranaki district. .Many gardeners express the opinion that the blight is more prevalent this year than it haa ever been. In many eases healthy looking foliage been blackened in the course of a. few hours. Tile plant and >buiit.ling ol Uie ivtiku Dairy Company, destroyed by lire 011 Tiiiiis iay night was insured lor .'Ji'iUu in the South British Insurance Company. A lew crates ol chetrse were saved, but TU (lliOlb each) weie destroyed. It is supposed that tiie lire started in the engine room, and was due probably to a delect ill the brickworK surrounding the boiler. A small lire caused thus, occurred a lew weeks ago. but was suppressed without' serious damage. "I'm as pleased as it i had been loft a thousand pounds that the Defence authorities have, accepted my services," said Mr P. Petersen to out representative last Saturday night. Mr Petersen's lilo "was despaired or a. little time Lack, and his recovery was a- surprise to his medical attendants. Now he is willing to die to some good purpose. Petersen, a Dane, lias set a noble example in his willingness to fight for the Kmpire. which should stimulate many British born to do likewise.—Foxton Herald.

A recent issue ot London Daily Chronicle say.:,: "On a certain farm in Aberdeenshire a noble-hearted cow came le. the conclusion that it was up to her to do her little bit lor King ami country. A neck ago her chance came,

and she took it. In the same field a mare gave birth to a foal, only to lind

;11 sho liiid not the wherewithal to nourish her long-legged baby. \\ itliout hesitation, the cow stepped into the breach and proffered her services ;»i ■wet-nurse. The kind ofl'er •was greatlully accepted. and in the morning the farmer came round, to lind (he foal having its first breakfast •"straight from thi l cow.'' She was rearing a future

charger for the country

Some tune ago it was pointed out ih-.t a certain amount of carelessness had ijeon shown in the collection ol threshing statistics, and an instance was given where a threshing machine proprietor in the vicinity ol Christchurch. who had put through some eightiy thousand bushels, had not been a.-ked lo M'lid in a return al date when The returns were published. Efforts were i.'ade to minimise the seriousness of :he versight, and it is understood thai later this machine owner was a-sked to *cnd in a return. Hut it would appear il.at that case was not an isolated one. At a meeting of threshing macTiitie owners held in Chrisll-hiuch yesterday, at which twenty members were presold, 'wo members in addition to 1.1 ir one previously referred to stated emphatieiMy that they had not received any ro (|uest to send in returns. —Star.

Down underneath modem .uicklanu

whore, .sixty ycarc ago, a .swampy creej; known as the Ligar Canal iouml it.s way along a ohaliow valley into the Waitenmia iiaibour, excavators have recently discovered home quaint ami curious unng». A line new building •which is to he cic&Led in Queen Street requires very deep foundations, and workmen have receuUy been digging a huge hole. Al a spot almost under the Queen Street footpath the men have uncovered vvidence ol a -Maori dwelling. I'itces of a laiipo hut, some ill a state of good preservation, were found, while clw by were the remains of a fence, or palisade, of long pointed .stakes of manuka, bound together with vines. Near by were a number ol pieces of kauri gum, newly scraped, and a heap of what had evidently been lirewood, cut into lengths of about tfiree I'eet. In a position w.Tiicli suggested that they had been used bridge bin' old canal were bundles of sticks and fascines. At the meeting ,to arrange the program of events at M.onuay ! s lile-saviny, and swimming demonstration, held )<isi night in the Borough Chambers, tiio Mayor remarked that during the lirs> year the bath.s junt about paid thou way. The second year, the receipts ueie L'2o, and last year they were only £12 10s- leaving a deficiency of about L'3o. Swimming was a useful acouirolnent, and the Levin Morougli C;iun?i< was doing all it could to populanso the baths, and a-s.si.st the young people as much :it> possible. and tliis year run. made substantial reductions in the prices charged. The baths were bunt primarily for the rising generations., and lie hoped that all would take advantage of it. It would mean that '(< would enable them to save human life. He hoped that all the young people pre.sent ■would recognise that the council was doing all it could to assist them, and that thoy would, help in return. ITe also suggested that they revivo L no swimming cluh. He understood that it had funds in hand. They should call a meeting and .set the club going again. Tt would he a. great assistance if this could be done. The value of swimming also was stressed by Mr A. Dempsey. It wais of great use in cases 'when human life was endangered and ran fine 7>livsical exercise that tended to develop them in the bast way. He strongly supported the idea of resuscitating the swimming club. The council had done lis host, and would give further help if needed. The Mayor also was willing to give all the aid that he could.