THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 17 March 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Levin" stock sales, take place tomorrow (Tuesday). There have been a great many (changes of property in- Otaki and district of late. Trices of land are soaring up .and up, until it is feared many of j thoj'C buying at very high rates will I liafe a difficult task to make a good living. Rifleman King, the Opaki champion, woh the King’s Prize at the rifle championship meeting on Saturday, with an ■ aggregate-of 445, SV. H. Best, of Blenheim, being second with 431, X. K. Jarvis, of Taradale, next with 430. The garden party, to be held at Major Tatum’s grounds at Manakau on Wednesday, promises to be very successful, hearty support having been promised from nil quarters. The grounds are very picturesque, and are. alone well worth a visit. Children will be admitted free. Visitors from a. distance are notified that motors will convey passengers from the trains to the garden party at a small fee. Many stylish ready-to-wear suits await Otaki and Levin men at Stiles arid Maikeson’s. They come in the latest materials and colours, and are all moderately priced. Read more about them in Ttiles and Matheson "s advertisement in this issue. Mr W. H. Reynolds has disposed, of his. small farm at Rangiuru, Otaki. to Mr Alex. Dixon, of Longburn, who will take over the property very shortly. Air Reynolds’ future movements are uncertain as yet, but it is hoped that he may not leave Otaki, as ho has proved a most useful and valuable citizen in many ways during his residence here.

Bootmulcing.—F. Barrett wishc-3 to notify tlio public of Otaki and district that he has resumed business as boot I and shoemaker. Old aud new customers pleaso take notice. Address: Dunstan Street, Otaki. —Advt. The discussion fairly sparkled at the last meeting of the Te Horo Farmers' Union meeting, in reference to the decision of the State Loan Department to advance to farmers in future only for five-year periods on flat mortgage. Several members gave specific instances of unjust—even admittedly un-principled-dealings. A vital cord was struck, and speakers urged that farmers should overcome their delicacy and stand together in such matters. It is a pity more were not present to have heard this eminently practical matter debated. We may expect to hear more about it later.

A meeting of nli interested in the .Mount Hector track has been convened for Friday night nest, at the Druids’ Hall, and it is hoped that there will be a good and representative attendance. I The old committee, we understand, have a sum of money in hand, and there is every prospect of the Government grant of £OO being available, which should enable much usetftiT and necessary work to be done. The good weaj ther will soon be over, and it is to be 1 hoped that immediate steps will be , J taken to effect the necessary iurpraybefore the weather breaks. In his excellent book, Lieut.-Colonel $ Claude H. Weston. D. 5.0., of New Plyfmouth, says: “The sorely fried officers . why the British Army had not j dared to do what America has since ! done in France, and, in company with I Canada, in both of their own countries—but that is high politics. As in civil life, crime in the Army is principally due to drink.” This from a wellknown 2yew Zealand .officer who was so long used to elub lire is surely regarded -as unbiassed testimony. Colonel IVeston served on Gallipoli and France, where he took poet in many of the prin- - eical' engagements. In December last .the Australian Council of the H.ti.S. {Returned Soldiers and Sailors’ Im- - serial League): carried a resolution i asking for permanent Prohibition. In j Victoria the Returned Soldiers' Xsiionsil Party returned aH. contributions' from Licensed Victuallers. Thus both of the reconstructed soldiers ’ boater, are now oat for this eesentiai reform. Eemove tre-drirtk evil in Few Zealand. Strike out the top lire or Thursday, April 10,? , * •** «*>. -tv, V

Messrs Bills and Moors announce the arrival of their Hew season’s millinery. Particulars will appear later.

An English sporting syndicate advertises for agents (spare time), offering good yearly salary and commission.

There are now only about a dozen patients at the Otaki Sanatorium, but this number will probably be considerably increased in the near future. .

A bank liolidpy is being observed today, whiehTis praytically" the”only-out;, ward sign that this is fit, I’atriek’a Day.

The violet season is fast approach-/ ing, and promises to-be a fairly successful one. One prominent Olaki grower 'despatched his first consignment of blooms on Saturday. An cfforLjnJbeing made to induce'fne Rev. Father tSroßa“fs 'viMF"Otaki and, give an address on the forthcoming licensing poll. Father Cronin addressed a packed meeting at Wellington on Saturday night, the Town Hall being incapable of holding the crowd. The National Efficiency Board has just completed, and will forward to the Government shortly, the report embodying the result of its inquiries on education. The Board made elaborate inquiries in all directions, and the document should prove a- valuable one.

The arrivals in the Dominion during the month of February numbered 1394, -and the departures 833, a gain of 501. In February, 1918, there was an oxcess of departures over arrivals of 36. Of last month’s arrivals 996 came from Australia and 273 from the United Kingdom. Houses for renting are difficult to secure in Otaki just now, and have been so for a long time past. When a rented house is vacated, there is always a rush of applicants for it. With the present high cost of building, the dearth of houses is likely to continue for a long time to come.

The Otaki Railway Methodist Sunday School will hold its anniversary social in Stevens’ Hall on Wednesday evening next, commencing at 7.30 p.m. sharp. A capital musical programme will be given, the prizes will bo distributed, and supper handed round. A good attendance of parents and friends is hoped for. Particulars anc advertised.

It is always pleasing to. know that parcels sent to our soldier boys are received and appreciated. The sccretary of the O.taki Patriotic Society has just received a note from a New Zealand soldier (Private P. N. Cryer), dated Cologne (Germany), Christmas Day, stating be had just received a parcel scut from the Otaki Patriotic Society, in good condition, and returning his hearty thanks.

Readers are reminded of the entertainment to be given at Brights’ Theatre, Otaki, (o-night (St. Patrick’s Day). A programme of exceptional excellence has been prepared by Mcsdames L. Macdonald and Lces-Elliott, the majority of the performers being visitors from Wellington, ineluding tiptop musical and elocutionary artists. All who attend should have a musical treat, and we hope and expect to see a bumper house at the theatre to-night. The full programme is advertised.

The result of the referendum on the liquor question will not be available on (he samo night as the poll is taken. Acting, it is understood, on the opinion of the Solicitor-General, votes will be held till all are in. The Government has notified the Press Association that immediately the Minister of Justice receives statements of returning officers and from officers appointed to take votes of members of the Expeditionary Forces, the result of the poll will be gazetted. Yesterday the Otaki Methodist Chur'-h celebrated its Harvest Festival. The decorations were very nice indeed, while there was a splendid display of fruit, vegetables, etc., and a profuse collection of beautiful flowera, neatly arranged, the whole making a very fine show. Special harvest hymns were sung, and the services were bright and appropriate. The Rev. Hedley White occupied the pulpit in the morning, and Mr G. W. Kirk in the evening. The harvest offerings will be disposed of at the Druids’ Hall this evening, commencing at 7.30 sharp.

The provincial organiser of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Mr Tattered booper. met with a splendid response on his provincial tour. Mr Cooper visited Feilding, Wanganui, Waverloy, Marion, Huntcrville, Mangaweka and Eaetihi, and in all those places great" success attended his efforts. It was unanimously agreed by unions throughout to raise their subscriptions to the amount paid in this district. —“Palmerston Times.”

A meeting of the choirmasters of Palmerston was held yesterday in connection with jhe peace .celebration arrangements. It was resolved to recommend the executive that a service of praise be rendered by the combined choirs on the Wednesday evening. The executive is to be asked to remove the massed choirs from the Monday's programme, there being difficulties in the way of their performing that day. The meeting also decided to start practices at the Municipal Hall.

A lively timd was experienced in Otaki on Saturday night last, when the Rev. Hedley White and Mr Evelyn Macdonald gave addresses in the open air. in Mat?ne Street, near Mr Cockrell's corner, dealing with the forthcoming licensing poll. A very large crowd assembled a good-natured crowd for the greater part —who were out for some fun, and things were lively for a time. The speakers got a fair hearing, though there were several interrupt ions, taostly from 2 certain individual who was anything but a good advertisement tor the -“Trade.” Seve-

ral questions were asked, these causing a little diversion, At one time it looked 'as though 0 little rouble would be caused, but the difficulty was mejitacifully. and the meeting ended without -aay. display of bad feeling. We trader.nai:S further open-air meeting* will be —eld on 1 azure Serirday evenings.

The annual elections of school committees will be held on April 14th:

A property which sold for £930 four years ago in the Levin district sokUlast week for £2OOO.

It is stated that the well-known raechorsc Orleans has changed hands, a Palmcrstonian being the purchaser. Prohibition sympathisers are invited to meet the area organiser (the Rev. J. A. Lochore) in tho Otaki Methodist Cjvureh to-morrow evening at 7.30. / The monthly stock sales at To Horo Hake place on Wednesday next. Good lists of entries are advertised by the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency C 0.,% Ltd.jkuid Messrs Dalgetv and Co., Ltd.

/The local Methodist Church held its harvest thanksgiving services last night, when there was an excellent congregation. There was a capital display of the fruits of tho harvest, and the decorations were very nice indeed. The Rev. Hodley White conducted a most- appropriate service. The fruit, vegetables, etc., will be disposed of tonight, the proceeds to go to the circuit debt extinction.

An interesting report was submitted to the last meeting of the Ivairanga County Council by Mr A. H. M. Wright (engineer to tho county) regarding his recent visit to Auckland in connection with tho Civil Engineers’ Coferonce. Ho stated that some excellent samples of plain concrete, tar macadam and tar painted roads had been seen, one length of plain concrete road adjoining the Railway wharf carrying as many as 100 vehicles in ono day, had been laid about twolvo months ago, and was showing very little signs of wear. It was estimated that to construct a similar class of road locally, IS feet in width, would cost nearly £9O per chain, or reducing the thickness to six inches, about £64 per chain. A tar-macadam road inspected, which had been laid for six or seven years, appeared to be in excellent order. A number of experiments had been carried out with patented preparations for road surfaces, but in most instances they appeared to be a failure when subjected to very heavy traffic. “I can tell you the secret of the failure of a number of organisations in Masterton,” said a speaker at a meeting held in that town one evening last week. Ho stated that there were too many petty jealousies. One man envied the success in any particular linn of his confercs. Instead of cougrutuler of good fellowship went about the ating him upon such success this wreckplace grtfeibling and slinging dirt at all and sundtiy. He had not tho courage to speak his mind at the proper place —duly constituted meetings of the organisations. Then there was tb<! suspicious person, the mau who tittle-tat-tled and was always casting reflections upon fhe honesty of those holding responsible positions. lie condemned anybody and everybody without tho slightest provocation and did incalculable harm to innocent people. It was no! till these individuals were eradicated would that good fellowship exist that was necessary to tho success of all organisations.

The following letter from the General Manager of Railways has been received by the Mayor (Mr J. Nash, M.P.) and forwarded by him to the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce:—“ln reply to your telegram of 20th December last, addressed to the Hon. Minister for Railways, which has been referred to me to deal with, in connection with the reinstatement of the train which formerly run from Woodvillc to Palmerston, connecting with the 4.45 p.m. train from Palmerston to Dauncvjrke, I have the honour to inform you that the train in question had to be cancelled owing to shortage of staff consequent on enlistment for active service. Up to the present practically no fif men have returned from the front to their employment with the Department, and very few were discharged from camp. The Department is, therefore, not yet in a position to reinstate the train referred to by you, but your representations will be borne in mind and will receive consideration when more normal conditions enable the present time-table to be reviewed.”