LOCAL & GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 January 1917, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Oil page 1 of this issue appears an article headed "Neiw Xe.al;\ml Opinions," and on page i "Obalri and District," "Dreams." and '"Nobody to Leave." ■Corporall W. A. Price, of Levin, wa.s wounded during the fighting in France on 30tli December. A trophy that Levin Bowling Club lias held—also one that 'it has heard about—now are held in Falmerston .North, and it is likely that eliallenga l inks fi'ciin Levin will, go in search o<f the trophies this season. The Manawntu Fenis are at Terrace End (held by Sollett's irink), and the Dixon Cup is held on I'alnierstoii North green by Nash's rink. The Hon. Dr. McXab, of the New Zealand Ministry, lias been incapacitated by interna'] trouble, and now is in a private hospital at Wellington. It is 'hoped that he will be fit for discharge in a few days' time. At tlie home of Mrs Simpson, of Kawiu road, Levin, on Christmas Day, "the guests around the dinner table were waited 011 by a grandson of tlie above-named lady—Master Walter Wilton—in the interests of tlie unfortunate Belgians. The result was that the sum of 15s has been forwarded to the Belgian Children's Itelief Fund. A company is being formed 111 Chr;stehurch for the manufacture of printing paper, and we hope to hear of it being successfully floated. New Zealand timber lias been sent to Switzerland for trial purposes, and there manufactured into printing paper, a splendid sample of which now lies before us, says the Auckland 'Herald. Tlie company has secured land situate on the We£t Coast with a splendid water power handy, and a fine supply of timber. If this industry, is successfully. established, and we hope .it will be, it will be a splendid thing tcir the Dominion to see timber manufactured into paper instead of being destroyed by fire. The estimated consumption of paper in New Zealand is 50 tons a day.

A Canterbury lady touring America, writing home, says: "All the railway bridges on our way across Canada wore guarded and at Niagara barbedwire entanglements and .sentries kept the vk-i.iity i,.f ihe huge electro power houses very exclusive."

Ktiku district settlers are anxious that water-race extension work should be gone on with immediately, as the very dry weather is tolling on the pastures and the stock, and on the existing water-races. The extension work has been authorised by the County Council, but so far the State Advances Department has not forwarded the loan moneys of £750 .applied for by itlie council.

Twelve hundred men are needed to complete the Xtaw Zealand {Defense Minister's guarantee of men for the 20th Reinforcements. To allow of rejections being made., through .unfitness to serve, the names of between 3000 and 4000 reservists are to be drawn by ballot to constitute tdie eoiiiipulscry service men for the contingent. The ballot is being drawn to-day, in Wellington, before Mr McCarthy, S.M,

Levin .Brass Band has paid over to its treasurer (Mr P. W. Goldsmith) the sum of £27 3s 2d, being the net proceeds of moneys donated on Chiristi'as 'Ere by Levin and district settlers at whoso residences the band' played carol music. Mrs G. N. Stephenson, of Shannon, while visiting Milt-on last week, was taken seriously ill, and had to -be removed to a private hospital in 3>unedn, whore she stilll lies. lOhildren of -the county (from To Horo up to Levin and Roputiairoa) have made much pocket-money this season by the sale of birds'-eggs to the Horowhenua County Council. A few dozens still are being delivered to the County Clleirk, but the "flush of the rush" has -abated, and- the sparrows, blackbirds and thrushes at last have chances to think the matter over without being disturbed by apparitions in short pants, rolled shirtsleeves and shock hair. The County Engineer returned yesterday from a visit to the southern end of the county. The main" roads were cut up as a result "of continued dry weather, but on the hill lands there have been splendid buniing3 of old bush, and much land is l being made available for grazing that hitherto lias been covered in logs and fern. Wellington city has just experienced a avuinless December—the . first ••inco meteorological records were taken, 'and these date hack to 18G2 (says the Evening Post). The fact is conspicuous in itself, and it is rendered more .interesting by comparison with the preceding five months. Disorganisation of trade caused by marine casualties is in evidence frequently! in these days. A Levin tradesman received this week a note from a wholesale house which runs:— "We very -much regret the general shortage of Kodak lines, but it is solely on account of the various shipments of goods we have lost in the Tongariro, Hurunui, ißangatira, and i:c.v,' the s.s. iMaitai, which lias completely disorganised our stuck. Owing to the manipulations of middlemen, rice has reached an exorbitant price in Vienna, going as high as 15d a lb. Four middlemen have just been sent to prison for three months and fined from £10 to £125 each. .Nothing was said about a bank which had shared in the business. Many complaints have been made that in Hungary and Austria the big banks have been speculating in foodstuffs. At Pirmaseiis, in the Palatine, one cf the most important iG-erman bootr.ianulactiwing centres, 12,000 factory cpeiratipes and 5,000 shoemakers working at home are out of w-yrk and dependent upon public support. Their maintenance is costing over £2,500 -a week, half of which will be aid by the • Empire. The ' Pirmasens manufacturers' association is paying one-third and the town the remainder. A cablegram from Berne states that Germany, following tile example of France, has undertaken to respect Swiss neutrality always. Four recruits for the colors left Levin yesterday: Harvey Murray and Gilbert Adkin, Levin; —Wildbare, Tadhape; C. Saint, Ohau. They ' went yesterday to Paknerston North and to-day went down to the Trentham camp.

The British Red Cross Society are arranging with Messrs. Hodder and Sto'Ughton (their publishers) foil 1 the publication shortly of a volume by Lord NbrthdiiTe entitled "At the War." The book will bo handsomely produced in demy octavo, and issued at the price of 5s net.