The Levin Chronicle. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1918.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 5 December 1918, Page 2

The Levin Chronicle. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1918.

"Tlbc present epidemic will prove ;ilnipst as disastrous to the [Dominion as the war ha.*," declared a well-knew 11 medico the other day. He said the. loss would come not so much from the jdeatlw of so many of bur best and, most useful people—quite serious and deplorable enough—but from the impairment of the constitutions of t-o many who contracted the disease, A large proportion would never be the same again physically , and t'he loss to the State consequently would be incalculable. This was more pronounced in a dairying district like Taranaki. Dairying ivn« a very exacting life, allowing of no relaxation to the farmer, who, on that account, was likely to do more than he Should, and' probably break down co npletely in health. The d isea.se weakened the lungs, and sufferers -would have to exercise the greatest care if they were to preserve their. lives. The disease was bound to leave a lot of trouble in its train, and the earning power of the people would .suffer in consequence. In every way the epidemic was a national disaster of a magnitude never previously known. " Tt was sltoivn in the ea. e <.r a ried man charged with theft at Dun-e-din that- during hi.s prostration wiiih influenza his wife was awav in Tiinaiu nursing on P of tlie children.' and lie was alone ip a 'penniless house with four ■ V ,°!!"S children. tie sent one of t ! >. children to tlw .stable adjoining lii.s employer's place of business*with onhrs to1 take an old bicycle lyin jr there and fell it for 2os. TOm'is was the theft.' Accused, a man of hitherto unblemished character, could, have got aJi advunee from his employer but lie ton W dawn with the influenza, and it appeared that distracted by hi.s illness and hK children's needh. he took the first course that suggested itself. Mr Young. • S.M.. expressed ihds belief that the. man was not normal when lie acted as -lie had done, and, while convicting him without fine; lie recommended tiliat tlie Press suppress his name. Special value in reversible Print Jsejvs hers. showing at our Leviu Agency, in shr.de,s of Pink, Blue, and Grey,, w.'dth 27ins., price only Is 3d. These wash and wear well. Tlie C.M. Ross Co., I/fcd. ii'i ; ... . j■'

The epidemic relief fund in Masterion hah now passed till© £2000 mark. The hotels throughout the Wellinigton health district were re-opened for business yesterday morning. Dr Huthwaite and the Chairman of the Town Board agree that the epidemic hns exhausted itself in Otaki. There hare been no fresh ease* for several days. Through; the agency of Mr .1. W. Perkins, Mr \Y. W. Westanvay, of To Horo, has sold his farm property to Mr Hurley, of Ohau. Sir Weetaway will probably go South. Out- of an original] .stivff of 57 at the outbreak of war, 'Messrs, Abraham Williams, Ltd., have lost 35 for war service. Four af_-these officers have made tho great saofiUHfe of their lives. Amongst intent "victims of the epidemic are Mrs Johnston and Mr t W. Galloway, both well-known and much respected residents of SKaun >n. 'Hey each leave a sorrowing family. Thirteen death* were recorded in the borough of Levin during the month of November as a result of the epidemic. This (loci- not include -Maoris who ihlave fallen victims to the -sickness. The clearing Mile advertised by -tli-;; N.Z. Loan and -Mercantile Co., Ltd., on account of Mr A. J. Burns, Gladstone load, which 'was postponed because of tlie epidemic, is to be held on Monday next. Dee-ember 9th. x Private' H. Varnham, reported miss-; ing, is a son of Mr M. Tt. Varnham, of Weraroa. Private Varnham left with t/he Fifteenth Reinforcements and had just returned to the firing line af-> ter recovering from severe wounds received 12 months ago. Mr W. J. Oliver j of Featherston, who, with hi* wife and fanijily, is just recovering from the influenza, Iflas lost his mother, a sister, and a brother from pneumonia following on influenza. His brother, Mr Harry Oliver, who was a sheepfarmer at Ashhurst, leaves a widow and eleven children, the youngeist being only four months old. 11l the House tliiis afternoon the Prime Minister .--aid he hoped the Minister for Finance and himself would leave for England before the end t cf next week. He did not know what steamer they would travel by but arrangements were being made by the Imperial authorities.—Press Association. Mr E. Newman. M.P., har< given notice to ask the Government whether, in view of the recent serious accident on the Paekakariki Hill, and other recent aciclents on the same road, tho local bodies ought not to be compelled to widen the road, the apportionment of the cost of the work among the local bodies terested to be dione by a cummission. A Levin resident, wlio ha>= returned from a trip through the Foxton district, says the country, particularly that between Shannon and Levin and the coast is looking very well. The copious rains have brought on heavy growths of grass everywhere and feed generally is abundant. Tlie Moutoa flat at prorent is a particularly fine sight. "Native" writes: Much is being written in the Wellington papers of tlie curative properties of puha of rauriki (sow-thistle) when boiled .and the liquor used, as tea. Puha has long been used by the Maoris a- a vegetable. Wiliirn cooked is forms an excellent substitute for cabbage and as a blood purifier has few equals. - Some people live in a world of their own, or anyone outside their own immediate household they l lnaven : t a tih-.;-iight. Such instances have come to light locally since the presentNepidemic. Several households have almost completely isolated themselves, and have exhibited a marked indifference to the sufferings or wants of other-. "When the demon germ, however, gets hold of them they squeal about, the indifference of other people to their sufferings. Selfishiioss is writ large in several Fox ton houses. —Fox to n Herald. In many case); of death among the Maouis in the present epidemic it often happened that no sooner was the victim seized than he made up his mind he was going to die and accepted the inevitable. An old lady in thie Manuka u district, however, 'is made of different- clay. Though very ill she surprised her friends by saying she was going to live, and her common sense, aided by iin indomitable spirit, brought her through. Since then she has been'able to help in the the disease. and incidentally to give a lot of wholesome advice to weak-hearted, sufferers. • Among those who recently lost ttoeiir lives- by the epidemic was Captain Kemp, who for a time was in command of the Salvation Army in Levin, wjiere he made many friends. The late officer was called in one of tlie last military service ballots, and refusod' to take advantage of the exemption clause for ministers of religion, preferring to take his place in the ranks. He entered camp and when the epidemic broke out he was struclc down after doing good lvork in helping to nurse the sick. Much sympathy will be felt for the widow and beV child in their untimely bereavement. Tlie late Oapt. Kemp was a most promising officer and among the positions he had held wap that of sii])ervisor of the Salvation Army inebriate institution at Pakatoa island. A 13-year-old boy was committeed to the Weraroa. Training Farm at Wellington yesterday by the Magistrate on a charge of being uncontrollable. Inspector Mars-ack said the boy had been brought to the Central Station by his elder brother—who had been on the look-out for him for reveral day 6. It appears that the boy had disappeared from his home a_ fortnight ago and had been living a liigh life in one of the \\ elhn,ston hotels and about town ever since. Hiis mother died from influenza 1 in a hospital and his father had left NewJZealand with a reinforcement. A soldier's allotment was received by the mother and was paid into the boy's Past Office Savings Bank acoun-ty as* it were in trust. When the mother died the boy somehow obtained possession of the Savings Bank book and immediately started out to buy everything that caught hip fancy, and since November 9th lie (had got through some £35. At least one story tihiit is being told of the present epidemic has its humorous side (reports the Mataura Ensign). A local doctor was called to the country to a man Who was a victim, and a. perfunctory examination indicated that the patient would be much better off at a hospital whore lie could receive proper treatment. The worthy sawbones suggested as much but the'sufferer expressed doubt whether hospital authorities would take on the responsibility. _ "Oh, .yes they ,will ; " said the medico; "they have a special ward for oascv such as you "Where is the ward?" enquired influenza. "At. the racecourse," said the doctor. This had the effect of thoroughly roxising the patient from his lethargy. "For God's sake don't send mo there, doctor, I've never had any luck oil a racecourse yet." A Shannon correspondent if tl.e Palmerston Times sa\y: THe .jreat trouble experienced in fighting the epidemic is the blockheaded manner in which Uo&e convalescent will go about, the Mrtcts spreading germs around as well as endangering, their own lives through a relapse. .SuroJy the greatest idiot* on eart,h ; would admit tih-e epi.iemic is abofft. the.-most infectious that has ever been known to Mankind. In a few weeks it spread the length anl breadih of South Africa, a' country in which Now Zealand, il placed, therein, would only make a small farm. It on'y: t<>ck three weeks to spread from Auokumd to the 'Bluff. There should be n<> namby-pamby business with the spreader of-tin's plague. The mail who negligently carries infection and causes the j death of others is the next thing moral- I fy to" a murderer. In effect ho is no j better and bis reward should be a short shrift. |

; —~ ~77-3-The House was treated to a little natural (or on-natural) history from Mr P. Frassr: "It has been sa,id tihtat the National Government is very much like that animal, the mule—it lias neither pride of ancewtry, nor hope of posterity." Lance-Corporal C. J. Ball, who was at the time of his enlistment on the staff of the Central Development Farm We.rni'oa, has been awarded the Military Medal. He was wounded in the face during the fighting round Bapaume early in September, was admitted! to ■hsopital on September 9 and discharged to the Horncliurch Convalescent Hospital on November 8. Lce.-Corp. Ball is n son of Sir Johnsftall, editor of the , Wanganui Chronicle. Much regret is felt in Foxton at the death of Mr Lionel Earl Large, aged 38 a popular young businessman and for the last three years secretary of the Foxton Bowling Club. He has been in business as a draper for the' pa-t four years. Five weeks before his death Mr Large jcyued tihe local Druids' Lodge. He leaves a widow and three young daughters. Mr Tancred iorganiter for the Farmers' Union, visited Levin yefiterdny to arrange a meeting in connection with the Mann.watu sub-provincial \ district. Mr Cooper is a born organiser and'had phenomenal success 'in the Auckland province, and there ij< no reason why lie should wot liave~ tno same results hero. A meeting has been arranged for Saturday, December 14th, particulars of which will be advertised later. ~ The great interest showiv by aill thinkV ing people in the League of Nations scheme to ensure future peace, retails that beautiful giant statue of Christ . marking the boundary line *" between Chile and th.e Argentine. For sixty year- the unfortunate 'people of these lands fought each other, and were on the point of another war when two Catholic bishops appealed for peace and succeeded in reconciling the people. King Edward VII was asked to judge between tliem, and the statue, cast in bronze from the now useless cannon,*. Wats erected in '1904 as the token of peace and friendship. On the granite ' pedestal are graven the following words: "These mountains will crumble into dust before Argentine and -Chili will break the peace, •which, at the feet of the Redeemer, they have sworn to keej>." % Der-cribiiig the Munnan coast of Russia where the Allied troops have landed, Mr iF. Hedges Butler, F.R.G.fI., says: "The climate presents no extrn,ordinary severity. Winter begins at the end of September and continues till May. The Polar night lasts from the end of November to the middle of January, but the darkness is not so great as mftny imagine, as the whiteness of the snow gives a reflection and the aurora borealip sets the heavens in a blaze. Then just think of the sunshine! The sun never sets from the middle of May* to the end of July. During this - period of solar brilliance not only does the grass of the deep meadows grow to peed, but 'a great many berries, such as the cSoudberry, bine bilberry, and blackberry, ripen. In this Lapland summer, too, bird life flourishes, and , nearly 200 varieties of birds may be found lin the peninsula, from the lmmble hedge-sparrow «nd ih'ouse-martiii to the great little auk and handsome golden eagle." A bill now before Parliament provides for the setting up of a Repatriation Department to deal with the return of New Zealand soldiers to .civil •life. One rather remarkable clause gives the Government great powers over discharged men and • will certainly be . strongly objected to by returned soldien!.C.laus«'l6 says: "If, on complaint laid under the Justices of the- Peace ; Act. 1908, before a Stipendiary Magistrate by the Director of Repatriation or by any otiher .person thereunto authorised by the jSlrector, the Magistrate is satisfied • tffly. a soldier who, whether before or after the passing of this Act, has been discharged! from an ' Expeditionary Force after servioe in that Force beyond the seas or in a. camp of miilitary training in New Zeai" by reason of habitual drunkenness," idleness or misconduct unfit for immediate restoration to civil life, employment, or occupation, and that for the protection of tilteit soldiier or otherwise in his interest it is advisable to 1 cancel Jl is discharge, the Magistrate may. by order at any time before disbanding of that Expeditionary Fbrce, cnjicel the discharge of that soldier, who shall thereupon again become a member of that Force a® if-lie had never been discharged therefrom and as rif lie had been oHginally called up for service under the Military Service Act, 1916." ' - ( Speaking at the annual meeting of Shareholders in Abraham and WilliaaUs, Ltd., the.chairman, Mr R. $. Abraham, said that - in regard to the future his own feeling was tJiat they oould look for ia time of steady prosperity for this Dominion, and whenever the producers - • were doing well, it followed as a matter of course that they xnuist follow suit. No doubt the present high prices for irtook would come djown 6omewliat but he thought the fall would bg gradual and would eventually be fixed on a basis more permanent than (heretofore, «nd not subject to the violent fluetuartions which had: been experienced in the past, and consequently a farmer would be able to take up land and-practically • know what his return would be, depending of course on Wis farming ability. One thing was certain—that the old slipshod methods of farming would not do with land: at present prases, and farmers would have to ibe progressive and keep in touch with all the scientific improvements whidhl are brought out from time to time. Of one thing he felt sure, that we should see a considerable immigration of men of email - capital 1 from Englandi and-.her Allies. Our men, by their appearance, their valour and their description of the easy methods of life in this. oonntry, would unquestionably inspire many of tihepe with whom they came in contact during ■ the war to endtaavour to improve their conditions of life by living in a oonntry so free of war's alarms, as we have been during the last four momentous years.