SHORT WAR STORIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1965, 15 April 1919, Page 4

SHORT WAR STORIES.

An interesting story of the straight dealing of the old-time Mauris was related- by Mr J. 11. Keesing. at the Native gathering to welcome the returned Maori soldiers at Puli ki the other night. A number- of Waikato Maoris who traded with a Jewish merchant in Auckland arrived in that city one Saturday in order to pay him. They found the office closed, and that the merchant was away at the synagogue. There the Maoris proceeded, and, waiting until after the service, met the merchant. The latter explained that he could not do any business nor accept money on his Sabbalb. The Maoris were then in a quandary as that: night they had to return to their homes. The next morning, when the merchant went down’to his office, he found a broken fanlight, and inside, on the door, a bag of money containing the amount of the debt, and an extra lon shillings to pay for the damaged window.

In the course of a letter to the Hawera Star, Mr IV. D. Powdrell gives an idea of how some poor men have got on in Taranaki through the dairy industry. He says: I divided and sold all of my good dairying land amongst seventeen good families, and in small areas on the easiest of terms, charging 5 per cent, on unpaid land purchase under a perpetual mortgage to prevent .lureclosure until repaid out: of profits, and 8 per cent, on the cows. All of (he freehold land 1 own is 11!) acres on this (-oast. In no case did 1 receive more than £4OO down in any transaction, including land and cows. In no case was (here a failure; on the other hand, every family made good, and did really well. The lowest profit made in the worst year was £250 net, and 1 now have the satisfaction,of knowing that I have helped more poor people on (lie land than any other private individual in Taranaki, and that three of my old tenants are worth over £20,000 each, and that the aggregate wealth id. the seventeen tenants now amounts to over £120,0D0- —this derived from (he combined deposits of seventeen tenants aggregat £4,000 all [old at time of purchase. He continues, by way of contrast, that Mi! Pearce, M.P., has steadily acquired about -1,000 acres in'all, largely freehold land of extra good quality, and holds lightly to it.

A matter of considerable general interest is referred 10 hy the Min-i,-tcr of Defence (Sir -Janies Allen) in a letter to Mr W . If. Field, .M.P., on (be subject of an application by the latter for war trophies for Levin. “The principle governing the (listrilnilion of war trophies in the nominion,” says the Minister, “is that nil trophies captured hy the troops mi the Western front are distributed hot ween the towns in which the headquarters of each regiment is situate. War trophies captured hy the troop,- on the Eastern front are deal! with in similar manner. Instructions have been issued hy the Commandant, N.Z, Military forces, to headquarters of unit..- (hat war trophies allotted to tiie towns in which regimental headquarters is situate are not to he considered the exclusive properly of those (owns alone. Iml Ilia I the claims of other towns in that area, must receive consideration. Officers commanding unit- have also been instructed to confer with the Mayors of towns in which their headquarters are situate, requesting them to communicate with (lie Mayors of other towns in that area with a view of forming a committee to deal with the distribution of these trophies on an equitable basis. Any war trophies that may be allotted to the regimental area in which Levin is situate will lx* issued to (lie Mayor of Palmerston North, and it is suggested, therefore, that ho be approached on the mailer.”