The Levin Chronicle. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1918.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 3 December 1918, Page 2

The Levin Chronicle. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1918.

Bundles of mullet containing two small Mil are being soldi at 2s in Otaki. Over thirty deaths have occurred at Otaki during the past three weeks. A Maf-terbon native woman refused to allow her .husband to travel hy train to Dannevirke la/st. week, because slie declared that the train was possessed of the "taipo." I Mr Willie O'Doniiell, son of Mr Harry O'Donnell, of the Ohau district, died at the Otaki Hospital yesterd;ay, aged about 20. He'was suffering from influenza with complications. Mists Lister, who ili«« been assisting Dr. Howe in combatting the epidemic in the Manakau and Kuku district, has lost her mother who died at Christchurch on Friday. The death of Mr Rupert 'Morrison from pneumonia, is reported from the Wairarapa. He was 35 and. a generous given in connection with the wav funds. He leaves a widow and three young children. The influenza epidemic has taken a hold among the Maoris in the Rangitikei district and two medical orderlies were despatched from Wellington to that district on Saturday evening to as- j sist in dealing with the outbreak. ■ ' The death is reported from-Otaki of Mrs Edward Webby, of' Manuab... Sheika,s. horn in Otaki; and was widely known a'rird rcspected. She was 35 years of age and leayes a ihiusbandi and eleven children to mourn their loss. A further supply of six eases .of oranges ai'ived. in Levin on Saturday and. as in the ease of previous coiirignments, distribution was taken in hand __ by the local authorities, supervised by Mr P. W. Goldsmith. There was a good demand for the fruit from sufferererv and cottralescents, and as a result ■of the system of distribution, all wants were supplied andi the fruit sent to where it was most wanted.

Things are progressing so satisfactorily in Otaki that it is hop§d to close the temporary hospital at the end of _he week. Applications are invited lor the potsil.io 11 of working manager of the Levin Municipal Gasworks. Particulars of luties may be obtained from the Town Clerk. The total interments an Wellington cemeteries during November liumlxired 70f), ;us against 9-1 for the month of October and 8S for November of List year. 11l- (J. S. KeedweJl received the s:.d ik'ivs on .Saturday of the death of lrii= undo, Mr L. Richards, a well-known chemist of Hastings and Wairoa and formerly a resident of Mosterton for many years. He leaves a wife and four children. He was a victim to the pre-vaiiiin-i sickne-s. The Levin Epidemic Fund if growing in a very satisfactory manner and already a portion of it has been expended in tile required direction. The Mayor will be pleased to hear of any cases of genuine distress caused by the epidemic and, he asks that those who have any knowledge of same •will communicate with him immediately as it is diesiired to afford relief as promptly as possible. The funeral of the late Mr A. Burrell, manager of the Borough gasworks, took place in Levin on Saturday; afternoon, there being a representative gathering of to show tlve last mark of respect. Tihe Mayor and several Councillors represented flic Borough Council and, the Gasworks stuff was also pro-sent. A very large number of wreaths were received, including o!k> from the Borough -Council. In an impressive service at the graveside the Rev. J. H. Hnslain made feeling reference to tire liife of -the deceased, wilvich he said was an object lesson in devotion to duty. Plenty of candidates are offering for the Palmeifiton seat. Tlie Mayor, Mr J. A. Nash, ilras consented to he a candidate in the National Government's interests. Mr E. H. Crabb, a wellknown merchant and Borough Councillor, announces that he will stand as an Independent. Both lie audi Mr Xii/'h •were defeated by -Mr Buick at the last general election. In addition Mr Andrew Buchanan, a prominent. breed™ of Jersey cattle, and Mr Philip Noedham, a returned soldier. have publicly declared their intention* to contest the seat, while the names of Messrs W. T. "Wood and J. Robertson, ex-M.P.'s, arc mentioned in connection with the vacancy. S The death occurred, at Gisborne recently of Mr George Carruthers, aged 15, andl well-known as the proprietor oi the Silver Grid restaurant. _ He w- at one time , a resident of Levin where he was custodian of the Century Hall. He was born at Grafton, Sew South Wales and first settled at Wellington, where his mother lives. In his earliei years the late Mr Caxrutlierr- was f prominent aflhlete and put up ina 11 \ fino performances as an amateur bosei both in Australia and New Zealand He took a keen interest in the Orangt Lodge in Gisborne and at his funera fifty members of the Order followec the coffin and six past masters acted; a> pall-bearers. Much regret will b& felt in Levin a 1 news of the death of Trooper Franl Hereon, which is reported from Suej while he was on this way witha draft of reinforcements to join the New Zea land forces. He wa.~ a very populai resident of Levin some ten years age when lie wa.-s a linotypist on the etaf of this journal. He enlisted from Gis borne where he liad been living foi some time. The late Trooper Mersoi wa.-: predeceased by- his' wife, Who wa: Miss Bigjiell, of Weraroa. He member of Lodge Hotrowliejiua, U.A.

0.T).. ii]) to the time of his" death. On enquiry at the Ofcaki Hospital yesterday, the Mail was informed! that Mrs Robert 1 :m (who met with a serious motor aoident on I'aekakariki Hill on Thursday) is doivi<r nicely. The hospital attendants consider her a marvel. Mrs Robertson is 73 years of age; she wa r - thrown from a can*, and fell about 15 to 17 chains down a precipitous hill, being very badly bruised from head to foot, sustaining a fractured arm and very severe cuts o"n her legs, and she lay exposed ,on the face of the hill for 27 hours—conditions tihiat would have boon puflicient to kill most robust people—yet she is doling well at the hospital and is wonderfully bright and cheerful. T)r. Howe, who was sent by the Health department to assist Dr. Hntliwaite in combattijig the' influenza epidemic in the Manahfau" district, and is doine splendid work in the neighbourhood) of Manakau and Oliau, received word recently that his wife was very ill from pneumonia 'following influenza. Dr. Howe made a hurried visit to Wellington and found his wife dying. Knowing the urgency of his work at Manakau. he quickly returned to the sphere oT his labours. Mrs Howe succumbed io the attack, but Dr. Howe stuck to his work like n. hero. He is left with two young children—a boy and a girl. Very great (sympathy is felt with tllie bereaved doctor, who has made many friends nno won golden opiniions by his valiant efforts to assist the stricken people in hi* district.—Mail. A telegram from Westport states that an awful tragedy occurred: at Karatnea on Sunday evening at six o'clock accounting for tile lives of Mrs Theimer and her two children and a mail named Harry Harris. In the morning Dr Theimer and liis wife and two children went from Rarnmea. to 6pend some time on the Oparara beach, a couple of milee away. The doctor rode on horseback and the others were in a gig driven by Harry Harris. On their way home in the evening the doctor forded the Oparara stream, the horse having to swim from the south bank of till© river. Be called out to his wife that the tide was dangerous and had better go further down stream, where he thought the water was shallower. Harris did as he was directed]. When half-way across the horse and gig got among a quicksand or pothole or something of the kind, and after a few splashes all disappeared. Mrs Tlieimer's body was recovered. A telegram to-day says none of the other bodies (have been found and search jiarties are still' out. Mr W. H. Field; \IP. has addressedi the following question to the Minister for Finance: Whether he will reconsider tihe question of giving some furtlifer time for payment of land-tax, and so extend an act of justice to heavily-bur-dened taxpayer;- who are utterly unable to pay their taxation in November. In a uote to the question Mr Field fays: In particular lie would refer to farmers who have by reason of the continued bad weather, aggravated by the influenza epidemic and consequent lack _ of labour, been prevented JVom shearing tJhe* wool which they counted upon to pay their taxation, and others who relied on stock-sale- for the purpose, which sales have had to be_ abandoned during the epidemic period, in many instances fa riviere having been obliged to turn out dairy cow&.and heifers wjtli tilleir calves because there no salo for tlient and nobody to milk them. The refusal tn this concession will, owing to ti7e unfortunate, and unprecedented circumstances above ed.. inev,it«bly mean that the richer men can pay within tlie'time at present prescribed and so ercape the heavy penalty imposed by law on defaulters, wilwle their more heavily burdened neighbours must by some means or other provide that penalty in addition to the tax which is already in many cases so difficult to raise. A . Messrs J. Lemnion aind Co.. butchers,who had to suspend tilioir delivery service in the town owing to the epidemic. resumed business to-day. did proposition at is -75 sheets ruled bank note, well bound, with blotter. The C. M. Ross Co., Ltd., Levin. | . ... L'

lii tbe early part of the influenza epidemic tlie Health Department for--uardedi a consignment of the standard mixture to Levin for distribution. This lias been carried out at the local Post Office, where the first consignment'was quickly cleared out and the second is now being -distributed among those requiring it. In our advertising columns the. Mayor calls atention to the risks convalescents are undergoing in venturing out 100 soon. A, number of cases have already been brought under our notice in Levin of the danger thus incurred not only to patients themselves but to those witiln whom they may conic in contact, and it is to be hoped the warning will be heeded. la the House this afternoon the Prime -Minister gave . t'hc necessary formal notice that writs be issued for tlfe Parliamentary vacancies at Palmeraton and Wellington South. air Veitch raised the question of expedience of holding the election while the influenza epide- - mio was still raging. 'Mr Mnrsey said tlio writs would not be issued for /several days and would not be returnable inside three weeks.—Prei-s Association. Mr andt Mrs "VV. G. Price, of Levin, have received word from the Minister of Defence that their .-on, Corporal Harold G. Price, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on the jield of action. Corporal Price will be congratulated by ibis friends on the honour lie has won and, it will be hoped that the day is not far distant when he will be 011 his way homo again. Recent casualty lists have contained the names of several Levin boys. Much sympathy will be felt for the relatives of Lance-Corporal S. J. Poole, son of Mi- W. Poole, Levin, and Private H. L. C. Follett, soir of MrsE. Follett, Weraroa, both of whom have given their live''. Their sacrifice on the eve practically of tbe signing'of the armistice. will have an added poignancy and there will be deeper feeling for their befeaved families on that account. Several Levin soldiers were wounded intlie figilitftng that preceded the armistice, among them being Pte. G. C. Tully, eon of Mr G. Tully, of Iliakara; Pte. W. Mawson. brother of Miss F. Mawison; Pte. R. W. Home, son of Mr R. Horne; and Pte. G. E. Winter, eon of Mr W. Winter [ Manakau had a taste of Health Department methods during the week-end and the usually quiiet little township I was seething with indignation—on a I Sunday, too. Following it* traditional I policy of locking the stable door after j tlie horse had disappeared the Department sent an official Pronjr Wellington , 011 a oleaning-up campaign. It lis not ' known what his original, instructions ! were, but lib made a. 6tart on the tem- ■ i porary hospital. The Citizens' Committee—which has worked in a mor-t self-snt-rificimr and energetic manner ' wince the .hospital was opened—happened to be discussing ways and means m an informal manner when tlie "inspector'' arrived, and without waiting to inquire who tiliey were he peremptorily ordered them off the premises. Naturally there was a protest, which ended: up in the Committee 'phoning the Department in Wellington and threatening to resign immediately if the unwarranted interference was not Stoppea. After a .somewhat heated interview over the wires with an exalted person- • acre not unknown to Auckland instructions were issued circumricribing the "inspector's" powers very considerably, and M>anakau has once more assumed ite accustomed calm.