LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 11 April 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The matter of peace celebrations was discussed by Hutt County Council at its meeting last Tuesday, when a circular was received from the Government re subsidy to be granted on expenditure in this direction. Cr. Galjpway considered it a waste of money to expend a large sum on such celebrations, while the chairman said they would not be justified in spending a penny of the ratepayers’ money in this manner. The Council resolved to take no action. In response to a request from the Upper Hutt Town Board for

a donation towards entertaining children o£ the Hutt County, the Council resolved that each riding give a donation Of S 3, f . In the course of his speech at the soldiers’ -welcome borne at Otaki on Wednesday night, Major Buck referred to the intrepedify of the Maoris’ ancestors. He stated that there was a carefully preserved record among the Maoris of the wonderful adventures ox a venturesome voyager. He sailed to the dark seas in. a canoe, away down to ihe Antarctic, where there wire wonderful monsters of the deep. That was about the year 650 AT). Another rran set out, some 200 years after, to verify .the stoiy of this voyage, and left records of the Antarctic which had been verified by the discoveries of later centuries. These stories, Major Back said, proved ihe prowess and venturesome spirit of the Maori ancestors.

Tho : clad in leather, wool, and far All airmen risks of cold incur. As flying high or flying lovr They flit their biplanes to and fro: Their lungs and throats protection seed When planing at abnormal-speed, Protection. irhieh they all assure By raking Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.

T&e monthly meeting of the Horowhenna County Council takes place tomorrow at Levin. Several thousands of violets are now being despatched from Otaki-weeldy to the Wellington florists. * v Mails for Australian States, Egypt, South Africa and the East close here per Riverina on Saturday, 12th April, at 9 a.m.. The Customs duty for the year just ended exceeded the estimate by £3,11,090 and the beer duty exceeded the 'estimate by £45,000. The returned soldiers, members of the Pioneer Battalion, who wore entertained at Otaki on Wednesday, snout yesterday at Waikanae, where they were royally entertained. .A meeting of the committee appointed in connection with the pc-ac- memorial and celebrations will be hold tonight at 8 o’clock at the Town board office. The elections in connection with the State schools in the Wellington Education district take place on "Monday next. So far but little interest is dis- , played locally. I Information in the "Gazette” is to i effect that the Borough of Levin ‘has been dcclareu a special lire dis- ! trict under the Act. A fire board' will j therefore shortly bo elected. )• Tho Marten branch of the Amalga- ; mated Society of Railway Servants has j passed a resolution refusing to accept S tho schedule offered by the Department, I aud urging that a special conference of delegates be called to deal with tho matter.

Mr R. p. Smith, who has decided to leave the. di.triet, has instructed Mossr* Parker and Vincent to sell on Monday next the whole of his household furniture and effects. IV.rficm lars of the sale arc advertised.

A welcome to returned soldiers win bo given in the Manakau Town Hall on Tuesday night next, when it is hoped tho attendance will be large. All returned soldiers are i specially invited to be present.

Mr W. If. Field, M.P., has nade further representations to the Minister for Railways with reforenco to the mail train stopping at To Horo, and lad received word from tho Minister that the matter will receive duo consideration.

Tho absent voters’ permits issued in the electorate for yesterday’s poll totalled 215, and of these 136 have already been notiiied to the returning officer. Only four informal votes were polled at tho Otaki poll, while tho total invalid votes cast in the electoratetotalled 32.

Tho United Press interviewed Windisch Graotz, a former advisor to the Austrian Emperor, who said, "Rumania and Galicia aro the dam stemming the Bolshevik flood from overflowing Europe. These two little nations will be unable to hold out unless the Allies rash to their aid.”

_ Mr T. M. Wilford, Minister of Justice, informed a Taihnpo correspondent that tho police will not, in the event of Prohibition being carried, be empowered to enter private homes. If they suspect that an offence is being committed the police can obtain a searoh warrant just as they ear, in the case of a suspected offence against any other iav.'s.

At the Hutt County Council meeting on Tuesday a letter was received from tho Hastings Borough Council suggest - ing that tho Governor of Mow Zealand be elected by the people, and suggesting that ©eneral Bussell's nan.'- be mentioned for the position. Cr. Welch supported the proposal, and said urely the people had enough brains to elect their own Governor. The Council resolved to support the proposal. Iho Town Board’s ranger still conricues to receive a lively reception in certain, quarters, and yesterday a Native woman had a lively altercation with the ranger, and eventually rescued a horse which he had taken in charge. Another Native woman is said to have burled stones at Mr Gallagher, while a male member of the community was right? out for "stoush.” As a result ono case is likely to bo ventilated at the next sitting of the S.M. Court.

A movement is. on foot among residents of Otakj Railway and viei. ity to secure a branch school, and eireadv several donations have been promised as an inducement to the Education Department to erect a suitable build ing. Ir is very unlikely, however, that the request will be acceded to, .the. Depart - meat’s attitude being opposed to erecting small schools in proximity to towns. Mrs Russell, of Wellington, who acted as one of the judges at the last Otaki flower show, has very kindly offered to come to Otaki and give a demonstration ot the art of arranging flowers, for table decorations, bouquets,' etc. Mrs Russell is an experienced and' artistic florist, and doubtless the offc-r will be hailed with satisfaction by the Horticultural .Society and the ladies of the district. The matter will be discussed by the Society shortly, and doubtless | arrangements will be made to accept the kind oiler. A rather peculiar, domestic arrangement was mentioned in a maintenance ease at the Napier Court. A wife desired maintenance from her husband, who was living at her house as a boarder and paying £1 a week for board and £1 a week for-maiotenanee. “Then you’re not on such bad terms after all,” remarked the magistrate. “If I make the order for £2 a week maintenance, will he continue as your bourje-r at £1 a week?” “Oh: he can please himself about that,” replied complainant, and the case was adjourned to enable the husband to -give Ms version.

Bootmaking.—F. Barrett wishes fo notify the public of Otaki and district that he has resumed business as boot and shoemaker. Old and uew customer:please take notice. Address: Daturas Street, Otaki.—Advr.

Wcod= ; Great Peppermint Oare. Tor Coughs and ColdSj never

Mr Harold Cockrell advertises leather suit-eases, dress .baskets, travelling cushions, etc., just the things that are needed for tho Easter holidays.

.. Mr Byron Brown, chairman of the Otaki Town Board, to-day wired- the Mayor of Palmerston North to remember the Board in its distribution of war trophies, Mr Nash being responsible for the distribution in the regimental area of which Otaki forms part.

In memory of hoi- sons who gave their lives in the great war, Louisiana (America) is planning to plant 440 miles of "victory oaks” and ctlier suitable trees along Jefferson Highway. The State’s principal road runs from north to south, and connects with the highway that extends all the way on to AYnnipcg, Canada. The plan advocated by the American Forestry Association, "Washington, has been approved by Governor Pleasant, who declares that "no more-fitting memorial could be reared ,to our soldiers, dead and living.” The trees will stand about -10 feet apart. Oaks will bo used wherever possible, although in some parts of the State other trees thrive better. Many of the State Governors and other officials, as well as patriotic organisations, of various sorts throughout the eountry, also have written to tho American Forestry Association expressing their hearty approval of this method of honouring this country’s -soldier and sailor dead.