THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA ECHO With which is incorporated "The Kaipara Advertiser & Waitemata Chronicle." HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, Feb. 21, 1918. FLASHES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 21 February 1918, Page 2

THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA ECHO With which is incorporated "The Kaipara Advertiser & Waitemata Chronicle." HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, Feb. 21, 1918. FLASHES.

A lost brass cap belonging to buggy wheel is advertised for.

Attention is drawn to an important notice, appearing in another column, with reference to the Helensville Springs Motor Company, Ltd.

Helensville seems to have been more fortunate than most places in escaping any serious damage to property during last week's gales.

What is announced as a record price for shipping in Japan is the purchase of a new ship of 3500 tons at £70 a ton. !

The usual monthly meeting of the Helensville Town Board which should have eventuated last Thursday evening was postponed until last night (Wednesday). Better late than never.

What has become of the Helensville Boy Scout movement ? This little band of boys was a credit to the township. They put in some good training, and it is a great pity that they should now be allowed to go adrift.

During the riding competitions at the Arapohue Show on Saturday, Miss Cecily Harding had a nasty throw from her mount. It was at first thought that she had sustained serious injuries, but luckily she escaped without any hurt beyond a heavy 'shock.

A.G. in Sydney Bullletin—l often wondered why Bluey never joined us when we raided our khaki underwear. One day I stalked him and saw him peel off his shirt and hang it on a fence. Then he retired and in about two minutes a flock of starlings swooped down and lunched.

We would prevail upon all who have the interests of this important district at heart to send us Country Newsreports of meetings, socials, and doings generally ; also accounts of the district and local needs. Help us to help you—make your district known.

Presbyterians throughout the district are reminded of the anniversary services on Sunday, Marck 3rd, when the Rev. R. L. Walker, M.A. of St. James' Auckland, will preach both at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. On the Monday at the Lyric Theatie he will give a lantern lecture " A Trip to Scotland," with views taken en route. Supper will be provided by the ladies of the Church.

The local townspeople were in quite a mild state of excitement on Tuesday evening last, owing to the peculiar actions of a stranger, who had arrived by that evening's train. He was hatless, wore more than one day's growth of beard, and altogethar looked a somewhat wild individual. After walking through several of the shops and dwelling houses, he was eventually found sleeping under a tree and arrested. The Court on Wednesday morning let him off with a fine of 5s and costs, and he was also ordered out of the town. Too much alcohol was his trouble.

A writer in the Sydney Bulletin says : I met her at Goatandgalah (N.S.W.) Provisional School. Her pupils drilled remarkably well, so I said : " The juniorcadet Uaining is admirable. The whole squad does its turnings beautifully. How 4id you manage to make them remember ' left' from ' right ' and so on?" Said the bright young Australian : " I had a lot of trouble at first with ' left turn ' and ' right turn ' till I translated the terms into-bullockese and used ' Wey ; whoa back !' and ' Gee off, there,' for a few months." " How did you manage ' about turn' ?" " Oh, I called,' Gee off, there, right round !' "

This extract from a Berlin newspaper ought to interest some of our educationalists : "In Prussia and elsewhere the education vote has been increased even despite the war. But the moneymaking so-called Democratic England finds it necessary to cut down her education bill to the lowest limit. We rejoice at the fact that our enemies are discouraging the education of the masses. By the mere fact that British children are being deprived of education, we have a great victory over England, for,,, after the war, more than ever before, will knowledge and education, organisation and adaptability on the part of all classes bring victory in the economic struggle,"

You needn't go thirsty in the Maoriland bush, even on a range-top, if there are rata vines about: Some years ago (says a writer in the Bulletin) I came across a survey party in Auckland forest country debating as to which side of a high ridge they should descend for the purpose of finding a creek. " What you want to go down te gully for ?" asked ,Tui, the chainman. "You no see te rata?" Then Tui, seizing a depending vine of five or six inch diameter, tomahawked it into two-foot lengths. " Homai te billy," he said, and from the nearly blood-red cut ends of the hollow vegetable he ran out a billyful of good v clean water, a trifle woody in taste but none the worse for that. The rata vine is a good friend to the bushman on the high tablelands where you may bullock your swag along for a long day's march wihout striking creek or spring.

Everything went off satisfactorily at McGarvey's sale at Te Puu on Monday last.

The annual meeting "of the Helensville Acclimatization Society will be held in the Town Board office on Monday, 4th March, at 7.30 p.m. , •*''■

Although the weather has been anything but settled or pleasant lately visitors to the Hot Springs continue to patronise the baths

Swedish match factories have amalgamated in a trust, the annual output of which will be 5,000,000,000 boxes of

matches.

Dr. H. B. Bedford, M.A., Professor of Economics and History at Otago University, was drowned whilst bathing near Whangarei on Sunday last.

At the Wanganui Supreme Court •John Benjamin Clark, travelling auctioneer, whom the Helensville people will remember with regret, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for arson at Stratford.

A meeting will be held in the Star Theatre on Monday evening next to make arrangements for the holding of Sports on Easter Monday to swell the funds of the proposed school swimming bath.

This is a Riverina man's cure for mosquitoes. Shovel a kerosene-tin half full of saw-dust from the Murray pine, set it on fire, and put it near the bed. It will smoulder away all night and scare the mosquitoes, while the smell is soothing and sleep-provoking to the man on the bed.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law 3tated that the Government built 1,163,474 tons of new shipping in 1917 and bought 170,000 tons abroad. Their imports for the last quarter of 1917 were the same as in the early part of the year.

The Japanese Steamship Company, Japan's largest maritime corporation, has increased its capital from £5,404,000 to £10,000,000, and will build 50 large steamers aggregating 300,000 tons as an addition to its existing fleet of 102 vessels, totalling 440,000 tons.

A wealthy settler of Taranaki was employed in the necessary though humble occupation of peeling potatoes at the Featherston Camp. A fellowsettler came along, struck him on the back, and exclaimed, " How the deuce did you get here ?" " Oh, by a little influence," was the prompt retort of the man in khaki, who went on removing the hides from the tubers as though nothing had happened.

The Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey) states that there is .a, huge quantity of butter awaiting shipment in the different New Zealagd ports. The whole of it is the property of the Imperial Government. It is beginning to cause inconvenience, but it is expected that the quantity will be considerably reduced during the remainder of the present month and March.

Answering a question at the lucerne meeting at the Workers' Educational Association rooms (says the Times), Mr A. Macpherson, Fields Supervisor in the South Island, declared that instances had been quoted of lucsrne providing food for eight cows or twelve sheep to the acre in inferior country. Twenty breeding sows could be kept on an acre of lucerne, which an American has styled " the hog's idea of heaven."

The Waiwera Show will be held.on Saturday, February 23, and, given fine weather, this popular fixture should be well patronised. The motor 'bus will leave Helensville at 8 a.m. on the morning of the Show.

The demand for flats in London far exceeds the supply, and nothing under £100 is to be procured. London, was never so crowded, and the closure of so many hotels has driven the former residents to take flats. That is, whereas the "flats" used to be taken in by the people of London, now the flats take the people of London in.

The Committee of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Helensville have arranged the following special services : —Church Anniversary, March 3rd, Helensville, 11 a.m., Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ft. .7 p.m., anniversary service; preacher, Rev. R. L. Walker, M.A., of St. James' Auckland. Harve.st Festival, March 10th, Helensville 11a.m. and 7 p.m.; preacher, Rev. Jas. Pattison, of Somervill Memorial Church, Remuera.

In a letter received from an N.Z officer in France, he remarks on the subject of wrong addresses —"There is no occasion whatever for the people on your side to worry about wrong addresses. You must remember there is a huge concern in London, known as the New Zealand Army Post Office —one all for ourselves, and untainted by civilian correspondence. So it is pretty hard if they don't run you down, no matter where you are. They know all changes of addresses. That's their business, and they quickly get on the track of a fellow if he's anywhere on top of the earth. And if he's not, why, it can't matter much."