THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 7 February 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An'effort is to be made to form a Chamber of Commerce at Foxton.

A meeting of farmers will bo held tonight, at the Druids' Hull at S o'clock. All interested should make a point.of attending, sis business is important.

Messrs Collier, Sou and Rose, sawmillers and timber merchants, of Rangataua,\Mtiiu Trunk, advertise fencing posts, strainers, battens, etc., for sale at most reasonable prices.

At n moetiug.of the No-license .Party at Foxton on Wednesday night it was decided to form a branch of the Otaki No-license League, and resolved to tako

active steps in connection with the coming licensing poll.

John Tsttt, ."37 years oC age, a farmer at West Plains, Invcrcargill, died suddenly at Waikiwi, He complained of feeling ill while working at a stack, walked inwards the farmhouse for a drink, bur fell dead on the way.

~ A, branch of the Xt'.v Zealand Farmers' I'nion lias been formed at Foxton, bill t.he-.ideetion of officers has been postponed (ill the 22nd insi.. when-it is hoped there will be a larger attendance of farmers.

Sketch plans for a new doctor's residence at the Palnierston North Hospital were submitted to the meeting ■..•{ the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday, and it was decided, subject to the approval of the Department, to call tenders for the erection of the building.

, Dr. Wkit'aker suggested at yesterday's meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board that steps should be taken to form a permanent hospital nurses' reserve, and on his motion it was decided to ask the matron of the hospital to report on the feasibility of such a scheme.

Excitement was high at the Foxton beach on Sunday. A party, four males and six females —went for a dip in the briny at a 'dangerous spot near the mouth of the river. Ail were caught in an undertow, and were' soon in difficulties. Luckily, help was at hand, and the bathers rescued.

.Malarial fever played havoc with the New Zealand troops in Palestine. A returned'soldier informed an "Age" reporter that a division of twelve hundred men was reduced to two hundred in a very short time by malarial fever, and of those smitten about one hundred and fifty died. A man named W. Audersou, a soldier, was admitted to the Auckland hospital last night suffering from fracture of the base of the skull. Anderson is apparently dying from the injury, and it is believed to have been caused by a blow, and the police have arrested the aliened assailant on the

charge of assault and causing actual -bodily harm. When a draper links up with the biggest buyers and shippers in Great Britain lfc means business. Stiles and Slathesou did this in 1!I17, and their customers will now reap the benefits of their forethought, for they are offering goods at remarkably low prices—some even at wholesale prices. Call and see lor yourself. Read about to-day's specials in .'-•ides and Alatheso'J "s advertisement in this paper. An amateur athletic club has been funued at Levin, with the following officers: —['resident. Rev. W. F. Grove; Nice-presidents. Messrs I). W. Mathieson, C. S. KcedwelJ, K. Aitken, Sergt.Major Sell, Chas. Blenkhorn, If. 11. Cork, C. Fyke, W. Hughe's. W. S. Park, 1". R. Wright, and W, M. Clark. It was deeided to apply to the Wellington centre for affiliation, and to hold the first evening run on the l°th inst. Already the club has a membership of

The railway refreshment rooms at Otaki have been closed down, and it is understood that it is not the intention of the Government to call for fresh tenders for the lease of same. The reason for this step is not generally known, but the opinion is expressed that it is thought the refreshment rooms at Pnekakariki fill the requirements of the travelling public. It is noteworthy, however, that daring the past few days that the local rooms have bee:i closed down passengers by train. especially by the late down train:-, have complained loudly about the clown" down of the rooms.

At the County Pat,;,,:;.; Association meeting at Levin on Wednesday, ilr Kecdwell expressed the opinion thai members should get into closer touch with returned soldiers. He said he felt sure that many a man could be helped ana cheered —men who would no: make' advances for assistance. He also stated that the repatriation scheme would never be successful unless committees were fonr.ed in the various centres, to i link Up with the Government. Mr Keedwell's remarks were generally supported by" other member!;, and led to tin interesting discussion on how best to help deserving esses of returned soU j diers, especially those who were suffer- I toe from nerve troubles, tie. j

While ifr T. A. King was: journeying from. Wellington to Oiaki last evening by train he was relieved of a .portmanteau containing valuable goods which be fasti secured from the -warehouse that day. ?,Ir King had quietly settled down in the carriage and -was enjoying | -'forty winks." and or. awakening hfdurid that his bag had been taken aail | an empty one oi iiniilar tuake put in. its ' place. Or. the discovery of the l£~? ITr j quiry. but so fsr has been unable to gt*t trace : .o~ £..* - t.-ac j Xt ,: is hor-ed j the episodeswill-act'sb s -warning u» ! travellers,- as it is understood a similar | txirit jras frustrated,iu, Wellisgtori. a t

The To Horo school picnic is being held.to-day at Tc Horo.. Mr G. Shivers, of-Levin, judged the F/iesiiin cattle classes at the Fcilding Show. ' At the meeting of the Otaki Town Board last night .eulogistic reference was made' to Mr W. H. Field: M.P., for moving in the matter of. Sunday trains being resumed to Otaki. It is felt (hat such a service is needed, and a hope was expressed that Mr Field would be successful in his efforts. "" "Soldiers 'suffering from tubercular trouble,/''.said Sir James Allen, "will go to YVaipukurau farm in the same way as they would go to an ordinary hospital for free treatment, and they will take part in farming operations or gardening or orchard work according as the medical officer considers it likely to help in their .recovery. Plenty of provision has been made for their amusement. The Y.M.O.A. are nutting up a large hall, and the Red Cross is providing workshops' for vocational (raining suitable £or patients. We hope to make provision for over a hundred patients, and this number could be doubled, though I am advised that it -u ill not be good policy to have more then 1">0 patients in any sanatorium. I urn- glad to say thai we shall have the valuable services of Dr. Blackmore, ilie head of the Cashmere Hills Sanatorium, -who will go to YVaipukurau to give the inMituiiou a Mart, lie will probably stay there for three or four months, and I am pleased that ho is giving us this assistance, for I regard him as .'obably the fore-moss-authi »i;y in the Dominion on the treat ment- of consumption."