THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 29 January 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The wife of a MaJniia resident litis presented her husband with triplets.

0.-ie ui the Niagara j contacts'has developed influenza since being landed &t Motuihi.

various schools throughout this [district —State schools, Otaki Convent School and Native College—all resume on Tuesday next, February 4th.

. In their replace advertisement on our fourth page of this issue, Messrs Stiles and Matheson, of Levin, advertise some special bargains of interest to the ladies.

The Palmerston North High School Board of Governors resolved to have plaits prepared for a girls' high school, and submit them to the Department of Education for approval.

Miss Albie Muir, of To Hoto, announces by advertisement that she will resume., teaching, (pianoforte) at Te Hofo on Feb. 3rd. .and at Manakau on Feb. 4th. . .». ...

,'M,r A. E. Anderson'.- big sale is in progress, and" bargains are still the order of the. day. A fcfr lines arcadver-. tise'd and ladies should note : 'tb6 prices and see the '4llaUty of the goods.

A iiawera motor gar_nge is employing a -female mechanic, and a ''Star" reporter was in formed '< that she was giving entire'satisfaction to her employers.

The Minister for Defence (Sir James Allen) said to a deputation yesterday that it was expected that all the New Zealand; troops would bo back in the Dominion'in nine month's.

The Te Horo school picnic will be held this year on, February 7th. The School Committee intends to leave no stone unturned to make the affair a most:'enjoyable and successful one, and children and adults arc looking forward lo'tlie function with expectancy. The day's fun .will be woundup with a dance in the evening.

. The New Zealand Labour Parly Conference has decided to launch next month a big organising and educative campaign, covering the whole Dominion. A scries of meetings will lie held aI, various centres and it is hoped to fona many new branches of the party. Hon. .). Paul, President, states . that every endeavour will be made to remove misconceptions as to Labour ideals.

The "Wairarapn Age" states dial the death of Mr William Judd, of Mastertou, brings back recollections of the days prior to the establishing of the frozen meat industry. Sheep were then at a discount, and thousands!of them were boiled down for their tallow. Prime wethers were sold for 6s and 7s per head, and ewes for 3s and 4s. Mr Judd was selling legs of mutton in Mastcrton at from Od to Is apiece.

Among the horses to be offered for sale on account of the Bright Bros.' estate are two very fine brood mares — Prevail and'Waiotara, the former by Conqueror and the latter by St. Cle mens, ooth well known performers. A promising two-year-old bv<iwn iilly. by BczMiia.', and now in train foe racing purposes, will also be submitted. Other tip-top horses, well-bred and sound. should als_Q tempt buyers. The sale takes place on Monday next at J. p.m. at the Otaki salcyards.

A meeting of fanners was held at Aokautcre on Monday night for the

purpose of electing office-bearers in connection with their branch of the union. Mr Tancred Cooper, organiser for the Farmers' Union, was present, and addressed the. meeting. The election of officers resulted: President, Mr F. T. Danvers: vice-president, Mr W. Oawith; secretary, Mr W. R. nopcroft; delegate. Mr W. B. Hoperoft; executive of five, Messrs Field and T. sdiaw in addition to the above.

There is practically a famine in benzoline in New Zealand at the present time, and users of light generated from this produce arc having to pay fancy prices, if they are fortunate in securing it at all. ■ An Otaki resident informed us yesterday that he had secured a vcry smnll supply ,of benzoline, as a favour, at 33s per case nett. With freight and cartage added, this will work out at nearly £2 per case. Before the war benzoline was procurable at about 13s per case.

J The P. and 0. steamer Malta arrived at Wellington on Monday from Egypt j with troops. On the trip across the j Indian Ocean some 263 Baratongans . showed pneumonia symptoms, J and 16 were landed at Fremantle. Eight '{'raore cases were discovered on the voyage from Fremantle to Wellington, six of these being Baratongans and two others New Zealand soldiers (one an j officer). All the Baratongan soldiers ; and have been landed on f Sor_.es Island, as well as the iv.o NewZealand soldiers affected.

At the inquiry concerning the mysterious death of. Dr. Grimm and Miss Isbister on the Moana, held at Wellington yesterday, W. Donovan, Government analyst, stated that in the soda water bottle from which the drinks for deceased werc-jnade he found 1.2 cubic centimetres of clear liquid, which contained equivalent to one-fifth of a gniic of cyanide of potassium. If the bottle ha.«i iv.es full of that liquid it wjnld have cODtaini'4 30 grains of •■ymii'le. A fatal ■ dose ira« i'| jrraics. The remainder of the leison squash i-or.inine4 jMui'.alenir to 1-5 grains of > eynnidt';'"jur-r |>iri*;-. He found no trace sugar. Dr. Froths deposed. thai tee anc Xew.ato: bring evidence to .-vow.

prctfii' (d '

Both Shannon hotels now boast of;an electric lighting installation. The Shannon and Levin Tennis -.Club' players try conclusions on the Levin courts this (Wednesday) afternoon.' .

The rainy, muggy weather.-, of tho past week or so has "caused blight to spread very. rapidly anion™ the potato crops in this district, which had previously escaped fairly lightly. ;

A blazing chimney in Mill Road, Otaki-, this morning was the means of attracting attention. However, tho services of the fire brigade were not necessary, as the blaze quickly died out.

On Saturday the Levin Rifle Club continued its "shoot" for the silver cup given by Mr J. Bertram. The winner proved Rifleman L. Ingram, with a score of 66. W. R. Ingram was runnerup with G 5. . Among those returning by Draft 207, due to arrive shortly, arc Privates W: T, Ayre (Otaki), C. E, Bird (Mariakau), W. Breare (Levin), W. H. Ransom (Levin), and A. Watson (Levin). Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., advertise an important (unreserved clearing sale, on 'acount of Mr P. A. Gillies, whose lease has expired, at his farm, Te Horo, on Wednesday, February sth. At' this sale a large lot ol" splendid sheep, fat stock, horses, farm implements, etc., will be .offered. Full particular? are advertised elsewhere.

Another Labour- Conference opened n Wellington yesterday afternoon. It.

was convened by the Federation of Labour for the prarpose of considering a scheme whereby the various Labour Federations will combine in one big organisation". Delegates were present representing the various Dominion Federations. The proceedings are being held in camera. ,;

The Sisters of Compassion are at present in Olaki" collecting money to build a new home for incurables, the present building being too small as well us dilapidated. It is proposed to erect the new buildingiu Buckle Street, Wellington. The Sisters will canvass the district between Packakariki and Levin. As excellent work is:being accomplished no doubt many will give generously.

The "Daily Mail" records that outside the Hotel Cecil in Loudon on the first night ol' the armistice revels, a dignified general found his motor-car in possession of about 50 people. Having asked iticiii iinavailiugly to move, he started to prod them with his cane. Just when lie looked as though he might become "peppery," a girl tickled him under the chin, kissed him, and disappeared into the crowd.

The'desp/sed gum hind areas north of Auckland, after coming into the hands of experts and being scientifically treated, are now stated to produce oil, glim, and timber to the value of from £4OOO to £-o,i)uo per acre. These, said the president ol' the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce tit the annual meeting, ar.o truly stupendous figures for laud worth £1 per acre face value, and as there are large areas of glim bind in the Xorth the output, if markets can be assured, must result in handsome returns.

While the Maori was on her passage from Wellington to Lytfcltou on Monday night, a lad named Jack Russell Burn, 15 years "of age, disappeared overboard. Burn, who was a pupil at •St. Andrew's College, Christehurcli, had been on a visit to Wellington, and was convalescing after a severe attack of influenza. He was a foster son of Mrs Burn, 2SI, Hereford-Street. Mrs Burn had lost two sons at the war, onetpn Gallipoli and one in Mesopotamia. The third and only surviving son died a couple of months ago during the influenza epidemic.

Dr. A. Robertson, practising in Wellington, yesterday morning proceeded against Join: Dinecn, in the employ of the Wellington Education Board, to tc--1 cover the sum of £S ss, which amount was alleged to be due as charges for attendance upon the wife of the defendant. The defence raised was that the defendant was not liable for debts contracted by his wife without his eonsent. Defendant had provided all the medical attention necessary. Plaintiff held that the defendant knew that Dr. Kobcrtson had been called in, and that he was liable for payment. After hearing evidence and legal argument, the Magistrate non-suited the plaintiff. We regret to have to state that one of our most prominent breeders of stud sheep and cattle was committed to the Porirua Mental Hospital on Thursday 'last. Besides three local doctors and ■two,justices of the peace, experts in his complaint were brought up from Wellington, but the opinion was unanimous as to the necessity for placing him'whv-re he will be able to get curative treatment. At the same time his numerous -friends will b<: sorry to hear that the prospects of his recovery are very remote. Evtrryihiiig" will |,e done to bring him b;sr:k to his normal state, and. it is contemplated getting a specialist from the Old Country to pronounce on his condition. —"FeUding