LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 28 February 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mails, jper River/ma, for Australia. Expeditionary Forces, Egypt, and the East are extended until 0 a.m. on Moudav, March 3rd.

In future the standard - space to be recognised for each child in schools will be 12ft, For some time past it has been 10ft.

Tenders,'to close on Thursday next are invited for the grazing of .32 acre

between Otaki and Te Horo. Particulars may be obtained from 2>fr Fred, Barrett, bootmaker, Otaki Railway.

A-movement is on foot in Wellington to accord something special in the way of a welcome to the 1300 Main Body men who are due to arrive by the Hororata about the middle of next month.

On Tuesday nc-a the ratepayers of Otaki will, have the opportunity of voting on the rating on unimproved value question. It is hoped all who have the interest of the town at heart will vote.

\ We hear from a reliable source i (states tie Auckland •'Star") that I there will be no advance in the price of [ flour, more likely a slight reduction. j Consequently the reported intention of J the bakers to raise the price of bread ; v.-ill not be given effect to. The ordinary month!- meeting of the • management r-ommiuee of the Horo- ' County .Patriotic Association tvill be held on Wednesday nest at j Levin. ' To enable member? to attend the. Chautauqua during the afternoon I the meeting will start at i. 30 p.m. On Monday* night, at the Druids' _ Hall. Mr P. i. O'Eegan, of Wellington. will ;speak on the rating on unimproved vaiuej e matter of greet importance to Orakj.' It is hoped ail residents —sii | attend and evince interest in the pro- j eeedings. Mr Byrea-Browa wij! occupy j the chair. !

' We remind all interested of the unreserved clearing sale to'he held at . Qtcki 'H;iiliray un Monday. Tvlfii-the XZ. Lean an-j Mercantile. Agency ..Co. will sell ori behalf of Mr D. F. Bradley, v.-iio'lias sold his.farm, several lines of ' stock- implements, etc.. together with roomed bouse.

Coal is at present -unprocurable in Otaki,

The value of the motor ears on the Masterton Showgrounds" last week was estimated at £250,000. "'

A number of-territorials_>nd cadets from this .district left yesterday, for Wanganui, where, they will indulge in shooting practice. The boys return to their homes on Saturday.

Emigrants during December, 1018. exactly equalled the number of imml-graiits-*420. This figure, of course, does not cover the movements of Ex.petitionary Force troops.

The monthly abstract of statistics', gives the total exports of Dominion produce (exclusive of gold), during 3 01S at £27,936',757, compared with £30,154,009 in 1017, and £32,973,907 in 1916.

At •' Wellington Magistrate's Court, George Baker, auctioneer", was fined £3, and Abraham Josephs and Oreste Terrini £1 each for smoking in premises where foodstuffs wove sold by auction.

The population of the Dominion (not including Maoris), as at September 30. 1913, was estimated at 1,107,340, males 040,995. females 566,354. In 1914 the figures were—males 568,161,. females 527,833; total, 1.095,994.

The Minister for Kailwayssiatcs that the Department will be unable to consider the removal of additional freightcharges imposed during the war until the extent of the increases to be made in wages has been ascertained.

A resident of Wellington who has returned from a stay in Australia states that of his eight weeks' holiday he spent nearly throe weeks in quarantine, was examined sixteen times by various doctors, was in and out of inhalation chambers daily, and had. in conclusion to move about .Sydney wearing a mask with the temperature 90 in the shade.

At the Presbyterian Assembly. Christehurch, the Wanganui and Dunedin Presbyteries submitted overtures asking the Assembly . to recommend strongly that the sessions should bo urged to discontinue the use of fermented wine at the Communion service. It was decided to recommend the sessions to' use unfermented wine.

Mr F. W. Jones, the well-known stationer of LeviD, has on hand one of the largest stocks of stationery, etc., on the Coast. The variety is great, the goods of highest quality, and the prices low. Several lines of fancy-goods are also stocked, and anyone making presents should-make an inspection. Visitors to Levin during Chautauqua week should not fail to view the extensive stock of goods.

For some considerable time the Otaki Town Board, backed up by Mr W. 11. Field, M.P., has agitated for a crane at the local railway station, being convinced one is urgently necessary. The Minister of Railways has repeatedly shelved the question, and in a letter written to Mr Field on the 21th inst. said that the matter would receive attention. It is now the intention of members of the Board to further push the matter,

A Native named Rutaui, while catching wild horses on the edge of the Hauraki Plains, became untangled in the rope round a young horse, which bolted. The man was dragged about 20 chains in the open, then the horse took to the three, being finally pulled up by the man's body catching in the scrub. When found he was unconscious and succumbed shortly after. His skull Mas fractured and most of the ribs broken. A verdict of accidentally killed was returned. *

An adjourned meeting of farmers was held at Foxton on Wednesday for the purpose of electing officers for the newly-formed branch of the Ncw__Zea-,_ Cooper, organiser, gave a brief address

on similar linos to his previous specche.-*, after winch the following officers were elected: —President, Mr B. Cr. Power; vice-presidents, Messrs V>". E. Barber and F. H. Crawley; secretary and treasurer. Mr H. Kies; delegate, Mr W. Ross: member of executive, Mr P. W. Brown.

Some of the married soldiers who i have returned from the front with 1 visions of a happy home life have bee l grievously disappointed. They have found that their wives have cot been faithful. The Relief Committee of the Wellington'"War Relief Association reported: "Quite recently, the comraittjc has received several additional requests from soldiers desiring to sever a domestic relationship no longer possible. I'. has therefore been again suggested to the Minister of Justice that the Crown should make some provision tending to enable the soldier to meet the expense of divorce proceedings, •/••hen it is shown that he is in no way to blame." "We' are finding quite a number of these cases," said the chairman (Mr L. O. H. Tripp). "The Minister of Ju> tiee has promised to put the matter before Cabinet."

The sudden piling-up of twenty or thirty motors in the Manawatu Gorge, on Wednesday night awakened the liveliest apprehensions of a grave mishap. As car after ear drew up the passengers hurried forward to a turn of the road, where a big grey limousinei was seen to be leaning partially over a precipice, with a clear drop of 100 feet over the river. Down below the figure-

cf a naked man was to be seen. Hehad been.diving for a frost wheel ox the ear. The onlookers then took in the whole situation. The ear had come round the corner sharply, the onier had gone Eying into suace. a£d tito c-ar-'s no:e dived into the roadway with sses force as io embed rne springs- in the grave! ■ within a few inches of j^a of close- calls for the aoior ; j>erty. One sport tersely .rummc-d tip the situation with the remark thai ■ "The- whole blank lot of them ocgit to bar a-ticket ia Tatis>"'' When la*r -•'■'■-. tie ,'■ <►»'

Two degrees of frost were registered in Masterton yesterday morning.

' The Union Clothing Co.' advertise high-grade, ready-to-wear suits, sit lowest prices. Satisfaction is guaranteed, .while all i goods will be posted free of charge.

Particulars of harvest festival services in connection with the Anglican Church are advertised, while it is announced that produce sales will take place at To Horo and Otaki. on Monday night at S o'clock. Notice has . been lodged in the .Supremo Court of au application to move for a new trial in the libel action Lieut. Grierson v. 11. T. J. Thacker, M.P. for Christehurch East, on the ground that the damages awarded by the jury were inadequate.

All good things end, and Monday next 12 noon will see the finish of Stiles and Mathesou's special offer of 10s season ticket for Chautauqua (good for 12 performances). They are also ottering new season's goods at remarkably low prices for the next few days, so Otaki folk would be well advised to pay them an early visit. Head all about the special offers'in their advertisement in this paper.

Captain Malcolm Ross cables:—The demobilisation of the New Zealand Division' from Germany is proceeding steadily and satisfactorily. There are now only some six thousand troops in the division. Extra ships have . been secured iu England and have enabled the authorities to get away large drafts from the camps;'but the recent strikes .have somewhat interfered with the demobilisation there, with the result that extra camp space has been provided as a temporary measure.

Election rumours have commenced to eireulate. The Wellington newspapers have been publishing mysterious paragraphs for some time concerning the creation of new parties, which appear to be, more or less, founded on fact. Telegrams announced that Mr Oldiield, organising secretary of the Franklin branch, is going to oppose Mr Masscy for the Franklin seat. His candidature (it is telegraphed) is not endorsed by the executive, on the grounds that the constitution of the Farmers' t T nion "precludes participation in parly politics." Of course, this is sill bunkum, for everyone knows the Farmers' Unions have played an important part in politics, and always on the same side. —'' Eltham Argus.''

Last Friday it was reported that an object resembling a German mine had been seen floating in the sea off Packakariki. A parly headed, by Major Andrews and Captain Cross made a thorough search of the coast in the vicinity on Saturday and Sunday, with the aid of a launch, but they did not find the mine or any trace of it. Possibly the observers were mistaken or the mine may have sunk on its own account. There appears to be some ground for believing that the mines laid by the German raider off the New Zealand coast are nearly all accounted for now, but the authorities have not yet secured the definite information that it was hoped to obtain from Germany. Trawling operations are being eonducted still in areas oil Cape Farewell and North Cape.