Otaki and District

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 February 1916, Page 2

Otaki and District

— ; MiWti ITJSMS Jj'BOM THE OTAKI MAIL. A meeting of t,ne Muhafcau Patriotic Society was held in the schoolliouse on Friday evening, '.viiefl there was an enthusiastic attendance. Mr H, Andrew occupied the eiiair. it was decided to have a gift auction aalo on March 15th, which will bo preceded by a short concert. The town was cut up into divisions, antl canvassers appointed. Mr A. Drake was added to the committee, while Mr an<!> Airs Miokle wars elected members of the Society. Already promises of hearty support have ueen promised for me gilt auction, including a line pedigree Jersey bull, a fat lamb and a suck-ing-pig. Private Howard Roach, who has been an inmate in the Otaki Sanatorium lor some considerable time, leaves shortly for the soldiers', home at liotorua. Mr A. A. Brown's flaxinill at JL'uetawa, recently destroyed by fire, is already being re-erected, and it is hoped to have the mill in full swing again m quick time. (The damage to the plant has not proved quite so disastrous as feared at first, and it is hoped that the engine—a powelrfuJ, up-to-date, expensive one—will, with a thorough overhaul, be little the worse for being through the flames. The work ot reinstating the mill is being pushed on. Talking of shirkers, at the Horowhenua County Council, meeting iecently, Or. Kebbell stated .that hfi knew of a woman who was mother of three pons, lall isingle, and tof tlie fright stamp tor soldiers, yet, despite the mother's earnest desire, all three absolutely /refused (to enlislti

"Andi these men," added Or." Kebbell bell, "come from a fighting strain on both sides of parentage." The Waikanae Patriotic Society has arranged to hold a. gymkhana and sports' meeting at Waikanae— probably on St. Patrick's l>ay—in a.idi of Patriotic funds. Tlie Society, is taking up the matter enthusiastically and will doubtless make it a- successful and enjoyable function. Further particulars will ibe advertised later. A meeting of the committee of the . Hofrowhenua HiortteuTSilU'al {Wild industrial Society was held on Friday night last. Present Mr Frank Penn (in tlie chair), Mrs E. C. l>ann, Messrs 11. Witchell, H. Smell, andi G. R. Synionds. It was decided to adhere to the date originally fixed ior the Autumn Whow-Thurrsday, March 16t1h., The judges for the Autumn Show were appointed, subject to their consent being obtained. The committee resolved to invite Mr Field, M.P., to attend the .Show, and ask him to endeavour to induce the Minister for Agriculture (Hon. Mr Maedonald), or another Ministea' # to accompany him.

Hie Otaki Patriotic Society arranged to give a send-off to Private Jepsou at the Otaki railway station on Saturday morning, and to make him a presentation. jiowever, the soldier did not put in an appetirance, as expected. having evidently made other arrangements ior travelling (to thecamp, and those who had assembled at the railway station were much disappointed. Since the .above was in type, we ascertained that Private Jepson left Ortaki by the lO.'io a.m. train. There was a misunderstanding re the train he was travelling by, hence the bungle. The presentations from the Otaki Patriotic Society will (be forwarded to Private Jepson, at Featherston.