THE HUNTLY PRESS PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT 1 P.M. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1915. Local and General

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 21 May 1915, Page 2

THE HUNTLY PRESS PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT 1 P.M. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1915. Local and General

The members of the Rifle Club were dissappointed at not being able to commence their drills last week, some misunderstanding having occurred between the instructor and the club, as to date.

Up till now, only a few local young men have gone to the front, but the number is to be considerably increased in the near future, as we hear that about thirty recruits will leave at the end of the month.

We wou'd remind our readers of the combined benefit concert, to Mr O. Redshaw given by the Huntly Orchestra and Brass Band to be held in the Miners’ Hall, on Wednesday next, May 26th. We understand the committee are making good headway with the sale of tickets. The usual winter ailments are prevalent once more, colds and influenza claiming many victims. The staff of the Huntly school has had. more than its fair share, one teacher having had to apply for leave of absence and se /eral others working under great disadvantage.

The local bowling enthusiasts are evidently making Strenuous efforts to get their ground in order for next season. The ground has been ploughed and level pegs put in, and on Wednesday last, might have been seen several local residents who are generally considered to be strangers to hard work, manfully struggling witii spades and shovels and wheelbarrows, and going through tine ceremony of initiation into the mysteries of the use of boning rods. The result of their labour may not be very apparent on the site of the green, but, if they keep steadily at it, with the same energy they started with, it will soon show in their girth measurement.

A party of school children from Ohinewai had an excursion to the top of Taupiri Mountain on Saturday last. A party of about twenty, under the guidance of their teacher went by train to Taupiri, had lunch at the foot of the mountain and commenced the ascent at noon. The track was in good order, and although the party had to go slowly, owing to the tender age of some of the children, the youngest being only lour years old, the ascent was made in forty minutes. The day was an ideal one, and one and all enjoyed the view from the top immensely. There was so much to see and to discuss in the surrounding country, that the party was loth to leave, but once the descent was commenced it went on in some cases at a terriffic rate and in a most unorthodox manner. The first to arrive at the bottom did the trip in less than a quarter of an hour, much out of breath, and sore all over from the bumps they had received in falling down the mountain for some of them coming down on a n y pan of their anatomy but their feet. The more sedate members of the party arrived about a quarter ol an hour later, but all in good time to catch the afternoon train. It is a great wonder the Dunam Board (if there is one) does not improve the track up the mountain. At a very sliglt' expense a narrow track on a good grade could be made, and t,iio revenue from the quarry ought to be amply sufficient to pay for the work.

The house to house collection and social on Wednesday evening for the Belgian Fund realised about £IOO. The Taupiri Coal Mines Coy., are re-erecting the Miners’ Union Office which was destroyed by fire a few months ago. The members of St Pauls congregation are reminded that the collections at all services on Sunday (Whit Sunday) are devoted to the funds of Melanesian Mission. ' Mrs B. Lovell, who has been in the Hamilton Hospital for the last week, and underwent an operation is on a fair way to recovery under the circumtances. Mrs T. Briton, of Onslow St,, Huntly, we are sorry to record is at present in the Hamilton Hospital, having had to undergo a serious operation. Great preparations are being made in connection with the sports in aid of the Belgian Fund to-morrow. The price of admission will be, adults 6d, and children free. As a finish in connection with the Huntly Special Belgian week will be a sacred concert in the King’s Hill, on Sunday evening, also appropriate pictures will be screened by Mr T Briton, commencing at 8.15 p.m. Admission by silver coin.

Mr J. Elliot will sell at Mrs Brain’s house on Saturday, commencing at 1 p.m. a quantity of household furniture, and at 2.30 at the King’s Hall, apples, pears; poultry, pigs, etc., and a varied assortment of jewellery and fancy goods.

An additional attraction at the sports on Saturday, will be a football match between the Huntly Rovers Club and a Maori team from Waahi. The Rovers are putting a strong team in the field and an interesting and spectacular game should result.

The letter postage is now Id per ounce to captured German Territory in the Pacific, comprising: New Guinea (except Dutch New Guinea), Bismarck Archipelago including New Britain, New Ireland, New Hanover Admiralty Islands, etc. Nauru and Bougainville and Buka (Solomon Islands). Matters political are again somewhat mixed. All the unrest and wonder of the time succeeding the last general election are apparent once more and will not be allayed until the Bay of Islands and Taumaranui elections are settled. However, the result of these contests will have the effect of settling the much vexed question of who is in power, and .that much will bo gained. Says the Manawatu Standard : It is evident that the Mounted Rifle section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force did not take part in the operations at the Dardanelles, as a resident of Palmerston North received a cablegram on Monday morning from his sou, who is a t i# o >per with the forces, stating tli it lie is quite well and still at Cairo. Major Preudeville. of Eket thuna, also received a cable message to the eiiect that the mounted force was still in Egypt.

The Public Works Department is making good progress with the construction of the pedestrian approach to the Huntly Bridge. The approach is very solidly constructed, having sides of heavy scoria rock and a filling of good solid clay, the surface of which will be tarred and sanded’ A very solid fence, similar to that protecting the pathway along the cutting is being provided and the turnstiles which will keep cattle from straying up and down the ramp, have very thoughtfully been made high, so that perambulators can easily be wheeled through. Three deaths have occurred among the Maoris during the past few days and the usiuul tangis have been held. It is noticeable that at this time of the year there arc always a number of deaths among the Maoris, owing no doubt to their disregard of the laws of health and their carelessness of human life. It is

great pity that the Maoris are so slow to respond to the efforts made to place them in possession of such knowledge as will enable them to combat the various diseases and ailments to which they are prone. The custom of holding tangis is, we ai'o sure, responsible for many of the deaths, for when a great gathering of Maoris get together, they live in such an irrational way, over-eating and sleeping without proper cover, | that it is no wonder ono tangi follows hard upon another. An old custom dies hal'd, and it will probably bo many years before Maoris give up ibis harmful habit, but no pains ought to bo I spared by tit sir \v ill wishers, in ! educating them up to a higher j standard of living and a more I rational way of conducting their ! funerals. I

Don’t forget the Benefit Social on Wednesday evening next. Gents. 2s, ladies a basket.

"We understand that most of the Compensation Cases in connection with the late Colliery Disaster have been settled, the widows ceiving sums varying from £6oo' A £750, dependents on single mel| from £SO to £2OO and those families of children left motherless as well as fatherless £IOOO. The New Zealand troopers at the front are distinguishing themselves every day. and are earning high praise from their officers and.from the the Home Government. Hardly a bit of news from the Dardanelles but has some fresh record of dash and gallantry, and most pleasing of all is the latest news of their steadiness under severe fire. The tight at the Krithia Heights was very severe indeed, and at a most trying point in the engagement-, the New.Zealanders were ordered forward, and obeyed with a readiness and steadiness which provoked the admiration of all observers. The The casualty list is naturally a very lengthy one, but it is gratifying to learn that .in a great many cases the wounds are not serious, and that the wounded men will soon be back in the firing line. The Belgian Government is engaged upon plans for the use of wireless telegraphy in mapping colonial regions, especially Belgian Congo. It is well-know that a very exac. result can thus be obtained for the difference in longitude between any two points as shown by the difference in their respective times. Previous experiments prove that this latter is readily shown by sending wireless signals between the two points. The method is likely to prove a valuable one in colonial regions where there are no telegraph lines, as portable wireless posts can be set up with little trouble. In Belgium it is thought that a map of the Congo which would take ten years to draw up can now be made in two years.

The Defence Minister (the Hon. James Allen), by the way, is serious in his expressed intention of going to the front himself if occasion offers (says a Wellington correspondent). His name has been added to the list of available officers. Mr Allen is a lieutenant colonel, and for very many years —ever since be ceased to be an active footballer —he has been cotinected with the Defence Forces of the Dominion. His colleagues in the Cabinet might find it hard to fill his place. His departure would not affect the state of parties in Parliament, since the Liberal Whips would grant him a pair for the whole period of his absence. —Waipa Post.