LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1343, 5 January 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The flaxmills in the district recommenced operations after the holidays yesterday. The local Rifle Club will hold a drill in Victoria Park this evening, at 7.15 o’clock. Mr Preston, successor to Mr Phillips, has taken over the local control of the New Zealand Shipping Co. Mr E. Porter’s flaxmill at Koputaroa, which has been closed down since the end of last season, will re-open next week. Mr and Mrs Alex. Ross and family and Mr and Mrs Alt Fraser, motored through to New Plymouth during the holidays. The Oueeu of the South with general irom Wellington, and the Kennedy, coal laden from Puponga, arrived to-day. The ynten ot the South will sail to-night lor Wellington with hemp. Mr Alex. Rirumer,, sou of Mr and Mrs Thomas Rimmer, ol Foxton, left yesterday for the Trentham camp. He will leave New Zealand with the next reinforcement contingent. We are pleased to be able to report that Mr E. Porter, of Koputaroa, who received severe injuries through being kicked by a young horse, is making a good recovery and is now able to get about again. Mr Thomas Bowe, of Maroliri, has handed us £1 4s 3d to be forwarded to the Palmerston Hospital. This represents the amount collected in the box on the private road through Mr Bowe’s property. The young German, Arthur Rotter mao, wanted on the charge of committing the Ruahino murder was arrested near Wellington on Saturday. He was brought before the court yesterday and remanded to Wanganui on January 12th. Mr J. G. Wilson, of Bulls, president of the Board of Agriculture, and one of the best known and universally honoured men in the district, has been honoured by the King. Among the New Year honours he is made a Knight Bachelor. The recognition is well deserved. It is rumoured that owing to the lack of shipping facilities, several freezing works will shortly close down. In conversation with a Wairarapa farmer this morning, we were informed that he had heard of the rumour but last week he quitted a line of fat stock to a company buyer. If there was any truth in tbs rumour, he said, it would be a serious matter to farmers. Mr Hennessy, Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board, together with Mr W. IT. Field, M.P., waited upon the Hon. Mr Herries, Minister tor Railways, prior to the last Board meeting and arranged certain details in connection with the wharf-purchase question. We understand the arbitrators have been appointed. H is probable that a judge sf the Supreme Court will act as Chairman. Mr Jack Ailken, son of our late Presbyterian minister, holds a commission of sergt.-major in the relief contingent which is shortly to sail for the front. Mr Aitken, in writing to a local friend, ” while recognising the sacrifices parents are making ” says ; “Our interests are involved, and we must be ready to make sacrifices for Home and native land. If I were only younger, I would go myself in defence of the Empire.” There was a good attendance at the municipal pictures on Saturday evening, when a real fust class programme was screened. The star drama “ The Trapper's Mistake,” was one of the most brilliant A.K. productions that has yet been seen on account ot it being a true story taken from real life. As usual all the other items of the programme were up to their usual high standard. There was also a good and appreciative audience on New Year’s night. New Year’s Eve in Foxtou passed off quietly. There was a very large number of people in Main Street, and the business people were kept fairly busy. Crackers, double bangers and other explosives were in big demand, but apart from the noise in this direction the town was comparatively quiet. The usual New Year pranks were not indulged in to any great extent, but a few gates were removed from tbe hinges, and Mr Speirs timber yard was visited and posts taken therelrom and placed across the street. Throughout the whole of the holidays only one person was arrested for imbibing too freely. He was brought before the Court and convicted and discharged. The Department of Agriculture, Commerce and Industries has gone to the trouble and expense of having a cinematograph photo taken of the flax industry for the purpose of being shown at the Panama Exhibition, and which is to leave for America on Thursday, Last evening at the Town Hall this film was run through for the edification of the local flaxmillers, and general satisfaction was expressed at the production. The Government operator and photographer, Mr Taylor, is' making another copy of the film for the High Commissioner, and the Town Clerk has arranged with the Department for this second copy, which will be a more finished onp, to tie at the Municipal Pictures in about a mouth’s time.

The usual monthly meeting of the Foxtou Borough Council will be held on Tuesday next. 12th inst., at 7.30 p.ra. in the Council Chambers. Business :—general. The weather has been ideal during the helidays in this district and the seasiders have had a glorious lime. On Mew Year’s Day there was a great influx of people at the seaside. On New Year’s Hve a dog was inadvertently shut in Mr Gabites’ drapery establishment. A window was broken at the back of the premises on Sunday and the unfortunate animal liberated. The rainfall for Foxton for the month of December was as follows : Total days with rain 6, maximum fall 1.2 S on 13th, total for December 1914, 2.92, (Dec. 1913, 3.16), total fall for 1914 26.96 inches. The vita] statistics for the month o! December were; Marriages 5, births uj, deaths 2 ; the figures for the year 1914 were : marriages 23, births 86, deaths 22 ; and for 1913 the figures were ; marriages 21, births 91, deaths 22. A man named Arthur Charles, employed at the Maitai flaxmill, had the misfortune to break his leg inst above the ankle through slipping off a log in crossing a drain. He was removed to the Palmerston Hospital Ibis morning. The Education Board has appointed Miss D. Cumberworth to the position of sixth assistant at the local school. Miss Cumber- | worth’s last appointment was at 1 the Toko school. Miss Cumberi worth’s classification is C 4, and ! she spent two years at the Wei- ' j lington Teachers’ Training Colj lege. ' The death occurred at Wangai uni on Saturday of Mr G. j H. Braik, director of education j under the Wanganui Education I Board. Recently Mr Braik nnder- ! went an operation for an internal ' trouble and it was reported that jhe was progressing favourably, but a relapse occurred and he succumbed. He leaves a widow, one son and two daughters to mourn their loss. The late Mr Braik was held in the highestesteem by the teaching profession throughout the Board district and his death is keenly regretted by all who knew him. He sacrificed bis health and finally his life in the cause of education. That enterprise is appreciated by the Foxton public, was amply demonstrated on Saturday night, by the crowd that visited the Royal for the purpose of seeing that most fascinating picture ‘•Lucille Love.” Although the ! programme was so long the audience seemed quite disapointed that the picture was not longer. The second series will be shown on Saturday night. The management has had numerous requests to issue season tickets, for the rum,of' this picture, and has decided to%o so, making a reduction for sam?SUjfT *** reserving the same seats for the patrons of the dress circle during the whole series. In consequence of the great length of the programme, it has been decided to commence on Saturday nights at 7.45 Instead of 8 o’clock.