NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1669, 1 February 1917, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

Republican simplicity, about which so much is said, condemns the people of the United States once every four years to hold more than 50,000 separate electoral contests for the election of a Chief Magistrate. Thirteen months is the measure of time covered by the various stages, and it has been estimated that at least £3,000,000 is legitimately expended in campaigning work. The electorate of the United States is the most cosmopolitan in the world, and represents all nations, creeds, and races. No Americjin President has been a wealthy man, and Mr Wilson is no exception to this rule.

Mr S. W. Roberts, a pioneer settler. died at Oamaru this week, in his 83rd year. He arrived in Nelson by the barque John Phillips in May, 1855, and in the following year took up land in Southland, removing to Oamaru in 1878. He was connected with many public bodies, and was a prominent. Freemason. He had published volumes dealing with early life in both Canterbury and Otago. He leaves a widow, five sons, and one daughter.

Last week a young girl got into difficulties near the pier at Sumner, while bathing. She was well out of her depth, and was being carried out into the channel, when a youth named Allen Brown threw off his coal and jumped in, otherwise fully dressed, from the pier. After considerable trouble, he brought her in. Brown’s action was extremely plucky, and he effected the rescue in a very skilful and workmanlike manner. When Brown threw off his coat on the pier, some-inexpressibly mean thief stole 3s from it while the rescue was in progress —all the money that happened to be in it.

Al (lie Military Appeal Court in Hamilton, William McKinnon, of Eureka, withdrew his appeal, ami wrote as follows; “Although I am the only son left on (he farm, and the others having gone to the front, my father and I recognise the great need for sacrifice, and I have therefore removed his approval to go into camp." The father also intimated that, the tour brothers were in the British Army. Just before the war he brought three nephews out from England. These were all at the front. The Board expressed the opinion that it was a tine record, and deserved special mention.

Whatever the effects of the war will be on the minds of the Maoris who are now serving with the King’s Forces, one Maori in a letter to a Northern paper give* a very clear indication of what the effects of travel will be. He says: “Good day! How are you getting on? It only way thought and passing me time, so 1 tink to meself I drop you some few lines of word. 1 am in France new, where all the Germans are, and all the finest wahines 1 ever seen in me life. When I seen all this things I thought I seen al! over the world; I been England and been in London, and seen plenty much good things, 100. I tink il the war be over this year coming I stop in London but die in France. Kia Ora.”