The Lebin Chronicle. THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1918.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 2 May 1918, Page 2

The Lebin Chronicle. THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1918.

| The discussion art; yesterday's meet- | ing of the County Patriotic .Association as to the functions of tlbat foody should scn'e to dear ttp some popular micj conceptions. The impression is unj doiibtciily abroad that ibhe Association is hoarding up funds, and the idea is operating to the detriment of the Sicik 1 and Wounded Soldiers' Fund. Tlie asI Eortion is mkado by some in good faith," | but ignorantly, and by others insincerely as a convenient excuse for evadI ing contributions. The same point lias | prcbaMy cropped up in connection I witih every Patriotic Society in [the | Dominion at some time or other, and j has been met by the arguments put i forward yesterday—chiefly that such J Associations exist mainly for tlie very . purpose of building up substantial ! funds for the relief of after-war needs of the fighting men,, and that it would bo a breach of trust to us© up tiliese moneys while the bulk of tlie beneficiaries are stilil at the front.. The needs of the day appeal more to Ifche | imagination and generosity of the average man, but a little reflection will show the wisdom of the policy adopted by the County Association, as wed] as "tille needs for supporting the Sick and Woundlod Soldiers' Fund as generously as possible. lb is only fair to point out, however, that the common ibut mistaken idea of what local and district societies are doing is dlue in part to igno raneo of the extent of their operations. Most of 'filic relief work in, very properly, taken in committee, and no indication is given of its value. A public statement in something moro than general terms on this point wou I<l etill further remove doubt from the public mind, and so far as Levin is concerned, would pave the way for tlho appeal that will be made 011 behalf oif our Sick and Wounded Soldiere.

Orto of the problems of Patriotic Societies) is ithe wandeitog isoldier—.the returned man who domes back urit-et-tled and unnenvedi and unwilling to remain long in on© place or employment. Somo discussion took place on tie subject at yesterday's meeting of (till© County Patriotic Association, and members from all parts of the Ooast proved to be familiar wiith the typo. One speaker told of a man who had come from llaetihi, practically living on jt.he Patriotic Societies on the way; other applicants for relief were without paper.; or credentials and in some cases I sadly enough, excessive drinking was only too evident. Mem bens agreed that this class of returnedi mam tlhiough few in numbers, was to be found in most centres, but the general opinion wag that such unfortunate cases sihould not be too harslily judged. "At least," Boid one speaker, "w© can see that they have a bed and, do not go hungry," and he tlfoen proceeded to entertain tlue meeting with an account of a man who was generally regarded as a (hopeless "waster" in New Zealand but who, according to his returned mates,' proved to be the best flighting man in the regiment" in Finance.

Imports of motor vehicles into New Zealand during the past three months totrl .1171, or ].'! per day, including Ovjmiays according to the Trade Review These would occupy nearly 10,000 tons of the freight space which is so scarce, and the selling value here would run into over £,300,000.

Considerable time was occupied at the monthly meeting of the Wellington Land Board in dealing with applications from returned soldiers for financial assistance lor their farms. The applications are the result of the newlegislation passed during the recent short session of Parliament.

"When you see that a returned soldier has done this or that I want you to draw the robe of charity, because very few of tho boys who come back don't know (this with a smile) even whether two or three drinks would not knock me over." These words were spoken by Archdeacon Evans at the New Plymouth Soldiers' Club on Thursday evening.

A case of garrotting is reported from Hastings._ It is stated that on Thursday evening a returned soldier was hustled by several roughs, and egged into a row in. such a manner as to make him appear the aggressor. He was then brutally beaten and kicked and robbed after which his assailants made off. It is understood that one of the gang was recognised, and more will likely be heard of the matter.

if Secretary of the I'hakara-Ivopu-taroa Patriotic Society (Mr J. M. HieHiardii) acknowledgers donations from Mrs L. B. Baron of £1 and -Mr) Catley ICte. These amounts were ominadvertently when the previous list wars sent in. Otllie.r donat ions received, are from Mr ,T. W. Egeiinton £1 Is, and Mr S. W. Carter 10s, am! tho amount of £5 5.s as a donation from the Levin branch of the Fanners' II iivoii to tho Horowlienua County Ftmd. The net proceeds of 'Jhe. recent Fair and Baby Carnival now amount to tho sum of £421 lis Ids, and the following payments are being mad©: Y.M.C.A., £138 15s; Salvation Army, £138 15s; County Fund, £1-1-1.

Tli© sale of work 011 behalf of the Melanesia n Mission, organised by the Girfis' .Friendly Society, under tJhe guidance of Mrs Duckworth, and assisted by many Jd.nd friends, was held, in the Century Hall yesterday afternoon and evening and was a decidedi success, tlio takings showing an increase over last year. Considering the numerous calls now being made on the generosity of the people the promoters consider this result very satisfactory, the 'takings being close on £30. Work, s\ve4:s and produce stalls did good business, while the other attractions provided also laßsistodi to swell! tlh© funds. During the evening a musical programme arranged by Mrs Matthews added variety to the entertainment. Following were the helpers: Work ;(':all, Mrs T. Brown, Mrs Ford-Hutchinson, and Miss Goodbehere ; Sweets Stall, -Miss McNi-dkle "and Mfep Nicholas; prodiuee stall, .Miss Gardner, Miss Keena and Miss L. Hooper; fishpond and tulip bed, Misses Xiita Eyes, Readiing, Sliute and I/. Rolston ; refreshment' 3, Miss (Li. "Eyes, Mrs Phillips and Mrs Keena. assisted by a band of willing workers.

The buishman, Frank Grotell, who was lost in the bu.=h near the Ofcaki Gorge, made liis way out in safety late on Tuesday afternoon land reached Mr Jepson's homestead, Ho left tl)o Mai.vimorn camp about 7 a.m. on Sunday for the purpose of having siome shooting, andl while in tihie vicinity of the "Roaring Meg," he was overtaken hv a dense fog. which caused liim to lose liis whereabouts. He had 110 food with him, .and no matches, and, as may bo supposed, had a most trying experience, the weather being atrocious—frightfully wet, land intensely eold|. The man wandered about for a long time, but, after reachfng the Roaring Meg, following it down tiH 110 emerged near Mr Jepson's. On •arrival there he ivw very much ex-hauset-ed, as may be supposed after over fifty-five hours in the bush, without food or sihell'oer. Grotell had a number of cartridges with him, and discharged! one or two, but the cartridges afterwards .got so wet that he could not use any more.

Two most important tilings when you get spectacles are: First, to be sure tliat your sight has been properly tested and tliat you get the right lenseS; and, second, that the spectacle frame is correctly fitted. Another important thing is to know that you can rely on repairs being properly done if anything goes wrong. If you come to me you may be sure that everything will be right. F. C. Remington, Levin.

"The rich will have to unbutton tlicir pockets and pour out thoir nuj&ey like water," said the Hon. 'WT H. Hurries at Pctone, referring to the prospective sacrifices for the war. "After the war we can go back to the party fight. Is there a man who loves it better than I do 1" remarked the Hon. T. M. Wilford when appealing for a whole-souled co-operation of all classes for the war-winning. The membership of the Post and Telegraph Association now numbers 7500. There are only about 200 nonmembers. About 1600 members of tho Association have gone on active service. Some idea of the man-power toll that has boon levied upon our country districts may bo gathered from the honours board of tho Waituna. West School (says Feilding "Star.") Up to date one teacher (Mr Chas. L. McLean) and 39 old boys of the school have answered the call to arms, of these eight have paid tho supreme sacrifice.

According to the "Waka Maori," Hie journal of the Native School Teachers ' Association, the following odd notice was posted up at a native school: "If any young feller go foolin' after girl this bad war time he be fine. If any girl look at young feller to make him fool after her his mother be fine. His mother after that girl this time. komiti wahine."

Speaking at tne Now Plymouth Soldiers' Club on Thursday (Anzae Day), Archdeacon Evans said: "I heard today a thing that hurt me very much— that the Gallipoli campaign was a colossal mistake. Can you imagine the parents who have given their boys in that campaign listening to such a thing as that? Tho mistake was that it did not succeed. If it had of succeeded it would have been tho greatest thing the world had over seen."

Mr T. Sherlaw, the well-known Levin watchmaker and jeweler, cals attention in an advertisement on page '1 of this issue to his varied stocks of high class jewelry and watches. Mr Sherlaw announces also tihaft he Fpooinl'jaes in watch repairing and invitee customers new and old to inspect his •stocks and test his workmanship.

A lady who travelled to Australia upon the ship bringing out two hundred and forty wives to our returned bol.diers, tells this dramatic incident, Bays the "Western Mail." There were two women on board who, at first, were not at all sympathetic. But as they began to know each other they realised that cach had the qualities which make for admiration, and became friends. One day, chatting intimately upon the deck, each showed the other the photograph of her husband. It was the same man!

A question "that has cxcercised the minds of many young men who havo been called up for service abroad, examined, and classified as unlit for service, is whether they can bo rightly called on to attend territorial parades, and consequently very considerable interest attaches to a reserved judgment delivered by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate's Court 011 Saturday morning, in which Sergeant Arthur Sydney Bird, of the Police Force, proceeded against Frederick. .Albert Sydney Hewson for failing to attend drill. The Magistrate held that as defendant had been discharged from service he could not be called upon to attend parades. He dismissed the case.