FLASHES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 1 November 1917, Page 2

FLASHES.

A notice under the Plumbers Registration Act appears in this issue.

A reward is offered for Australian military badge, lost between Helensville Hotel and Lyric Theatre. See advt.

The shop for ice creams, cool and refreshing—Miss Martins', Commercial Road.

A notice of interest to ladies, re making children's clothes, etc., appears in this issue. .

Don't forget to pay the patriotic stall (outside the Star Theatre) a visit tomorrow evening. Every little helps. L ast Friday's takings amounted to £113s

The No. 2 Auckland Military District Medical Board had a very busy time in Helensville yesterday, examining the final batch of the First Division men.

On Monday evening next, sth inst., the Church of England Ladies' Guild hold their usual monthly euchre social in the Star Theatre. Both the euchre dancing commence at 8 p.m.

Mr H. Aitkenfiead, who is a candidate I for the Maraetahi Riding at the forthcoming Waitemata County Council election* which will be held on November 14th, will give an address at Parakai on the 10th, and at Woodhill on 12th inst. A section of land on Belle Vue Estate, Helensville," generously donated by Mr John P. Hand, will be sold by public auction at Buckland's sale yards on November 5, the proceeds from which will go to the funds of the V.M.C.A. The usual monthly military memorial service well be held next Sunday afternoon at 2.30 p.m. in the Star Theatre. An appropriate address will be given by the Rev. Edmondson, and all local and military bodies are requested to attend, as well as the general public. Among the invalided soldiers who returned to Auckland on Wednesday of last week were Privates W. J. Carleton and G. Ferrall, of Helensville. Private Ferrall, who belongs to the Main Body, has been granted six months' sick leave. Mr V. Kerr-Taylor announces that he is a candidate for the Eumeu Riding at the Waitemata County Council, and will give addresses at following places : Waimauku, November sth; Kumeu, 6th ; Overhead, 7th; Woodhill, 10th; and Helensville (Lyric Theatre), 12th. " There is now in Australia enough . wheat to last for five years, enough sugar to last for fifteen months, sufficient jam to last for .two years, and.enough sheep and cattle to last ten or twelve years."—Prime Minister Hughes.

During the past week or s6 a big gang of telegraph linesmen, under Mr M. Flack, have been busily engaged in laying a telephone cable through the township. The cable consists of 104 pairs of telephone wires, and will be carried from the Post Office out as far as ferro-concrete, bridge. Owing to the rapidly increasing number of telephone subscribers, it was thought that there were too manyl overhead wires.

Helensville usually is a very quiet and peaceful town about half-past seven in in the morning; but on Saturday morning last the slumbering inhabitants were aroused by the blowing of a steamer's whistle and the ringing of the only fire bell in the township. The cause of the alarm was that a fire had broken out at the Government railway engine shed. The Fire Brigade was, however, soon on the spot, and in a very short space of time had the flames extinguieed, before much damage was done to the building.

An amusing instance of the belief entertained, even by Germans, in the power of the V.M O.A to do everything is recounted by a Colonel who took part in the attack on Vimy Ridge. When the enemy was coming out of some dug-outs to surrender, one Boache advanced with his hands upraised, and instead of shoutirig the usual "Kamerad," he yelled " V.M.C.A," and when he found he was safe he cortinued in excellent English, " I am V.M.C.A, and I have 13 more men down there, all V.M.C.A.

Writing to the " Warkworth Times," a correspondent has a few words to say as to the manner in whivh. our soldiers are being sent away from tleir place of abode. —A social, supper, mi^gio. dance, cards, etc., and thinks it> would b& far better for the departing soldiers if they were presented with sojne religious literature, for instance a small testament such as presented by the Bible League to the soldiers at the front. Soldiers in the old, days never cared / much about religion, but now at the front lots of them, before going over the parapit for a scrap, ask, " What must I do to be saved ?" Very often their mates can't tell them. Soldiers when in a foreign land fighting for King and Country will prize what has been done for their spiritual welfare by kind friends and neighbours.

Considerable amusement was created in the Hamilton Court by a youthful defendant in a by-law case. The lad was charged with having ridden a bicycle on the footpath at Claudelands, and when asked how he pleaded remarked, " I don't know till I have seen Act 43." It was subsequently elicited that he meant By-law 43. Defendant claimed that he was not riding on the footpath; telegraph posts were erected in the middle of the path, and he was riding outside these, on what he thought to be a bicycle track. The lad subjected the police and inspector to a rigid cross-examination on various " law points." His Worship, in inflicting a fine of Is and costs, said: " You evidently don't believe in being sat upon. You will grow up to be a great reformer or a uuisance to the Borough Council."