The Chronicle LEVIN. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8. 1917. RATEPAYERS AND OTHERS.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 8 February 1917, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8. 1917. RATEPAYERS AND OTHERS.

What is a ratepayer? N'oali "Webster, whose dictionary shows that he knew most tilings, but not the proper pronunciation of" "apron," "education" and perhaps one or two- other words, tolls us that a ratepayer is "one who is assessed for poors' rates or other municipal or county rates; —one who pays any species of house-tax." The second part of the definition seems to define t'he local variety of the class to a nicety; but does it? There are some people classified as ratepayers who are not iratepayers; there are house-owners who are not ratepayers just as here and there may be found odd ratepayers who are not house-owners. Some proof in support of half of this allegation is to 1 bo seen in our advertising l columns to-day, where the County Clerk advertises that 10 pei 1 cent penalty will be added to all rates remaining unpaid on the 9th proximo. The "proximo," we may say in passing, is another word of dubious meaning. A secretary who left Levin for other parts some twelve months ago once blamed The Chronicle for the lack of a quorum at his society's annual meeting: we had observed in our more-or-less "local and general" column that society's meeting would bo held on "the 3rd proximo." How were shareholders to know that meant next Wednesday? he enquired of i; To conclude this discursive and maybe unnecessary discourse, let us say that those "rate-payers" who prove themselves such by paying their rates this month will earn the thanks of both local bodies. Those who have paid their irates earlier "may" have (received thanks; but the fact remains that usually there is moro rejoicing over one laggard ratepayer who pays up unexpectedly in February than there is vouchsafed to the scores who meet the taxing authority's demands when made, and spend their Christmas holidays in "doing up the garden," in place of taking a trip to the metropolis. This is a good old world that we live in; but some of its ways are whimsical. POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND. A Government Gazette notice shows that in the year ended 31st December, New Zealand gained 636 people through exess of overseas arrivals over departitres. The arrivals totalled 21,799 and the departures 21,163. According to returns furnished by the Immigration officers, 3,394 persons arrived from the United Kingdom, and 2608 persons departed therefor during the year. From the Commonwealth of Australia the 'arrivnls are iretu'rned as numbering 15,321 persons and the departures thereto as 16,390 persons. Arrivals and: departures from and to

other countries were 3084 and 2165 persons respectively. Of the 21,799 persons who came to New Zealand last year 2730, or ! 12.55 per cent, of the total, were children—i.e. under twelve years of ago; and of the 21,1(33 departures the children numbered 2,173, or 10.27 per cent. The arrivals and departures shown do not include members of the Expeditionary Forces. NEWSPAPERS FOB N'.Z. SOLDIERS. From Guy H. Scholefield, the wellknown ex-New Zealand journalist, now in London, The Chronicle is in receipt of No. 1 of "The New Zealander," a journal published gratuitously for benefit of New Zealand men on active service. The publication gives in four post pages a well-compiled summary of New Zealand news which undoubtedly will prove very welcome to absent New Zealanders longing for authentic news from home. There is not one advertisement in the whole paper; as the editor remarks: "The New Zealander is not a financial speculation. Wo look to neither advertisements nor subscriptions for a profit. The founders will feel that they are well rewarded if the paper achieves its purpose. Theyi have given their support on the full understanding that The New Zealander will purvey news, not views.. Consequently it will have no politics. .Moreover the whole of the control—as regatrds both -distribution and literary preparation—is being done voluntarily. Mr I. W. Raymond and Mr G. H. Scholefield, in whose hands the control is, are joint honorary managers, and all the work is voluntary. .

. The paper lias been established with funds provided by a. number of the most prominent New Zealanders in London, whose only concern was to provide what the men at the front ask for. Those who are primarily responsible for the publication are Mr Gilbert Anderson, Mr. J. H. B. Coates, Mr Charles Elgar, Mr J. 0. 'N. Grigg, Mr R. D. D. McLean, Mr I. W. Raymond, Mrs E. Riddiford, Mr A. E. Russell, Mr H. Guthrie-Smith, Mrs Warren, Miss EL Williams, and Mr W. T, Williams. The news summary, in the initial number is most comprehensive, and the manner of its compilation is crisp and' pleasing. The "one, two, three" summary of all the iNew Zealand races between 12th and 23rd October will "fill a long-felt want" in many a trench; and those soldiers whose interests run more in general news- channels will find their needs well catered for. In "The Imperial .Service" column we note the following items of interest:—

A young Auckland boy, Arthur Robert lirecnwell, Flight Sub-Lieut. K..N.A.5., met his death in Lincolnshire 'recently. He was flying, and when only about 200 ft up his machine apparently turned very suddenly to the right and nose-dived to the ground. When help arrived lie was unconscious, and lie was found to be seriously hurt. He was just about to pass out of the flying school, having completed his instructional course, and having given his instructor complete satisfaction. A brother, Lieut. Is 1- . Greenwell, is in the R.F.C., while a second brother was recently killed in Franc© with the -N.Z.E.F.

Lieut-Colonel 13. C. iFreyberg, D.S.O, Wellington, lias again distinguished himself,, in the battle of the battle of the Ancre, where he commanded a

ij.utiilion of the Royal .Naval Division. He was four times wounded and now is doing well in a London Hospital.

Dr Agnes Bennett, "Wellington, is out in Serbia in charge of a unit of the .Scottish Women's Hospital, attached to a division of the Serbian army. Another New Zealand 1 lady doctor, Dr Jessie Scott, is with her and they are doing splendid work;

Mr H. Ivan Babbago was a wellknown New Zealand artist, who had fcr some time made his home at St. Ives, in Cornwall, a corner of England justly favoured by sketchers from nature. He was a private in the Royal Defence Corys, and died in hospital at Cardiff. He was a son of Mr and Mrs C. W. Babbage, St John's -Lj.ill, Wanganui.

A lXew Zealand name mentioned in the despatches of Sir Percy Lake, covering the Mesopotamia operations, was that of Lieut. Eric H. Goodfellow, R.F.A. (Auckland). Mr Goodfellow was one of the most brilliant men at Edinburgh University Medical School, but when war broke out he volunteered, and saw service in Fiance in a field hospital before transferring to' the R.F.A. with a commission. A brother holds a commission in the Royal Engineers. '