LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 2 July 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

__: « I The meeting to arrange for a croquet club takes place at the Druids' Hall tomorrow afternoon at .''. p.m. All ladies are requested to attend.

, Vital statistics for Otaki for month ; of June: —Births 5, marriages 4, deaths j 4. Natives: Birth 1, deaths nil. The ! figures for the first six months of 11)19 ; are: Births 3, marriages 10, deaths 10*. "Natives: Births 3, deaths 3. It is very j evident from the above figures that I many of the local Natives are neglect - j ing to register births, j The Upper Hutt Town Board sug--1 gests that the Government .-railways . should be closed down on Tuesday in Peace Celebration Week (Children's j Day), and so encourage the public to . stay, in their own districts and take part in the local celebrations, also !to afford the railwaymcn the opporI tunity of taking part in the Peace j celebrations.

I Lighting facilities at the Otaki' I Theatre are to be considerably itnprov- ! ed, and in the main hall, as well as all I anti-rooms, Wizard light will be inj stalled, while electric light will still bo I available when needed. By the in- , stallation of the Wizard light patrons • of concerts, etc., will not have to listen jto the explosions from the engine, | which have often proved a source of I annoyance to performers and audience

alike. The dance, held in the Otaki Town Hall on Monday night to celebrate the signing of peace, was. despife the fewhours' notice, well attended, and the management is deserving of commendation for making the function a success. The floor was in very fail order, the M's.C. were attentive to their duties, the supper arrangements were complete, while the music, supplied voluntarily, was quite, satisfactory. Mrs Hodgson -and Captain Tahiv.i were joint secretaries, and capably carried out their onerous duties.

"While I was at Walton Hospital." said Mr P. Pirani in the course of his lecture at PalmerslOH, "I heard a man make the most extraordinary statement I 1 have ever heard." Mr Pirani referred to a speech made by the Prime Minister to the convalescent boys. "Ho told them they must burn- up and get well so as they could go back to the firing lino. That was to hearten them up," said the speaker. "Fancy saying a thing like, that to suffering men! j That was a sample of the Premier's tact when he was at Home!"

The new railway time-table, with a very restricted service, came into operation to-day, and for the time being the public will suffer very great inconvenience. Such a sweeping reduction in trains has been effected that a)! elates will be affected, and the result can only ; lie that of hampering buslnens :in every I direction. The curtailment of goodn traffic to necessaries of life will have ■ the effect of seriously interfering with ! the industries of New Zealand, and, earning at a time when we arc being ■ urged to do al! we can to increase our ' productiveness the effect will be disasi trous. j

In the coarse of a statement on the coal shortage, .the Hon W. O, 8. Mac Donald (Minister for Mines) s-iid: "It has been alleged, I understand, by the ! 'man in the street' that there Is plenty of coa! at the coal ports on.the West i Coast, and that vessels are available to I transport it, but the Government won't ! put the ships on because the want to | discredit Labour. That allegation is an ( absolute and deliberate lie. As a matter of fact every possible ship that we can get from every possible port in the world that we can load with coal, wc are loading with coal. Ail the colliers we can get are in use."

Corrugated iron is £3 lower tit £55 to £OO. and near arrivals arc quoted £5 under tMs, reports the "Mercantile Gazette." Fencing wire is 13 to £4 for barbed. Wire nails arc down to -lis basis price, and in somewhat better supply- Other metals are unchanged. Recent cables report an advance of is 3d per gallon on turpentine. Local prices for turpentine are unaltered, and moderate stocks are held. Lin«?ed oil ranges from 'Js to lOf, bat thia price is under present English quotations. Australian whitelead is on the market now at £BO, and other brands are unchanged, with stocks light.

"Cold weather" and "coal shortage" are not a very happy combination—and indeed householders are becoming really alarmed at the present state of affairs! The horizon doesn't appear to be clearing at all —no "coal . boars" sighted yet, although there are plenty of boat* arriving bringing new good* to the country. Geo- Fewlds, Ltd.. have beea singularly fortunate with their imfortatiocs. New." shipments hare been opened up coiiipri-ring s fine range of soft collars in Black and White Cheek ajid vertical stripes. Price* Is fid each or 3 for in "jL This; is only one of she amcy n'-«- line* in wen's ven-r sh;swißs at this popular store. *

GEO. FOWLDS, LTD, •• Manners Street, Wellington. ' For Cosghs as.d Colds, never fails. I ■ Woods' Great peppenaiEt Curs,. ... j

The monthly sitting of the Otaki S.M. Court takes place on Friday. j The monthly meeting of the Otaki c Town Board will be held to-morrow j night. / j A ■ progressive euchre tournament, ' Bowlers v. Druids, will take place to-', night in the Druids' Hall. < A red Shorthorn bull, Edgecoto Hero, bred in Scotland, has been sold at the : ( Cardiff show for 10,000 guineas. j" " The HoroVvheuua County Patriotic , J Association is holding its monthly j ' meeting at Levin this afternoon. j ' All interested iu the formation- of a 1 Y.M.C.A. for Manakau are invited to t meet on- Friday cveniug in the Parish | . Hall. :

Sir J. G. Ward has arranged a lean of a million for the Southland League's 1 hydro-electric scheme on satisfactory terms, subject to "the approval of the

ratepayers. _ I The 'match between the Wellington Golf Club and the Manavvatu Golf Club was played at Heretauuga on Saturday, and resulted in a win for the local club

by 11 games to 5. Mr Hodson, of Wanganui, has decided to" run a motor service from Wanganui to Wellington during the coal shortage, via Marton and Foxton. The fares will be £2 single and £3 return. .. While the morning train from Palmcrston North was passing through Levin, yesterday a limber truck ran foul of the rails, and the impact was the means of cutting off several bolts. In consequence the train was considerably delayed.

Few pooplc are aware that a portion of the body of Captain Cook is to be found in the Sydney Museum. In a lecture a few days ago Dr. Storie Dixson exhibited an arrow tip reputed to have been made from part of the leg-bone of that famous explorer.

There are a large number of entries advertised for the first of a series of auction sales which arc to be held on Saturdays at the Otaki Mart. It is to be hoped that there will be a large gathering on Saturday morning to pick up the many bargains which will be offered.

The value of the total exports from the Dominion for the week ended dune 24th was £212,850, made up as follows: —Butter £143!!, lamb £IB4O, mntton £12,005, other frozen meat £2510, grain and pulse £llOl, hides and skins £53,053, tallow £21,010, wool £113,244, flax and tow £3OOI, timber £lO. In a letter to Sir .Tamos Allen, Sir William Birdwbod writes:— ", That New Zealand has been able to keep its division up to strength, and even more than up strength, is a very great achievement, which is probably not appreciated by those "who do not know g

all the difficulties involved." The funeral of the late Mr William Knocks took place yesterday afternoon, when the remains were laid to rest in the Otaki Native Cemetery. The cortege was a representative one, while several floral" tributes were placed on the coffin. The last sad rites were read by the Rev. G. V. Pctrie, M.A. Important auction sales of furniture, borne, trap, harness, etc., will be held at the Otaki Mart on Saturday by Mr G. Anderson. Particular!! arc advertised. These arc Mr Anderson's inaugural sale-', and it. is to be hoped the public will support him liberally, as n. Ireal live auctioneer has been a long-felt want in Otaki.

Keep down the cost of living: Buy your boots • locally. Button boot,-', grey fops and patent fronts, all sizes, 20s; ladies' and maids' strong lace boot*, with plate on heels, for dairy or school, 19a 6dj lace shoes with patent cap. 15s Od; gents' shooters, 2Gs; nailed 2ta ad; gents' strung fern, tights, 235, 30s. A trial solicited.—lrvineVfihoo Store, Otaki.—Advt.

A special meeting of the Amalgamated fjocicty of Railway Servants at galraeraton passed a motion rcq nesting the immediate payment of guards for standing time from April, as promised; also drawing the attention of the Minister for .Justice to statements by Mr Field, M.l*, for Otaki, at the Falmmton fepiow, and requesting the Minister to state whether the Government discriminate-.'! between the remarks of a Labour leader and a farmer M.l'.

One thousand four hundred and fifty tons of coal arc available for Wellington this week. The chairman of the Coal Committee say.« the big industries raast have firat consideration to prevent people being thrown out Of employment. While admitting that coal was 70,000 lons short of last year's supply, he considers there is a, 1 good deal of exaggeration aa to the . needs of the last few day*-. American j , coal frors Newport News, on the utility { • of which doubt has been cast, is, he j , contend-, good coal, bat rather friable. J j Those using it highly approve of it. | j There wast a very animated iceae at j tike Thorndon (Wellington) station on J { Moaday on the departure of the 12.45 j 3 Stain Trunk train north. Those* who j had reserved seata gained entrance to ! j the station preeinets firat. The remain- .<; der formed a long queue aad waited j t anxiously for admittance. When j - tiie signal was given three or four i t dnzen tsexsrabk-d through acd the gate.'? j j were lacked. Scores of disappointed • 1 psople ttood with their luggage in j hand and watched t ße express depart. \ \ A. special train at 2 o'clock relieved : die preasare. At PaJmcrrtoa asd other ] way station* the officials were hard fe pat to it to find room for ardent travel- .- Ira, hut eventually the im- ' possible w M accomplished and'soee were left behind. • I

1 "When lights burn low" frfcerc snreet I babe deeps, t While gratefol mother vigil keeps, * Watching'it breathing eaitn sad free. e Ber net that yeti tbe .tsars sbsU *©$ — * O, joy Is iisows | " Tiiriteze crrocp is foiled' suaf overthrown; " : Wist gratitsd*'. and. blesamg pare Bvoied by "Wood** Great Peppenaiat .Coze. - . '■-•■ ?

Passengers from the West Coast report that there are two feet six inches of show on Arthur's Pass. An up-to-date "star" will be the fnature at to-morrow night's pictures, to bo shown at the Otaki Theare. Mr W. H. Ransom has decided to commence a motor service, and from this date his ear will be available day or night at lowest rates. All interested in the formation- of a Ratepayers' Progressive Association are invited to attend a meeting to be held on Wednesday of next week. Particulars will appear later. A tine stock of Lever Bros.' toilet soap is to be found in Stiles and Mathesou's haberdashery department. Levin. Read Stiles and MathcsOK's advertisement iu this papsr. A meeting to consider the advisability of forming a branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association will take place iu the Druids' Halt on Friday night. All soldiers should attend. A "short night dance" will be held at To Horo on Friday night next, as advertised. These dances are most enjoyable and well-conducted affairs. aad those who attend on Friday night can depend on having a good time. Racehorses from this district for the Trentham meeting have been trained thereto, but they will have the unique experience of walking home after their engagements, the railways refusing to carry them tinder the sew restricted ararngements. General Nudant has. instructed the German Armistice Commission, on behalf of the Allies, to stop immediately all further advance in Fsthonia, and also to evacuate as rapidly as possible Windaus, Libau, and all territory hitherto belonging to Russia, in terms of Article 12 of the armistice. Iu consequence of the reduction of train services, the Railway Department has dismissed a number of casual employees. Railwaymcn complain that these "casuals," who include married men with many years of continuous service to their credit, have been treated with scant consideration. It is stated that twenty-seven men employed at Thonidou were given two days' notice on Monday. A cablegram received by the, ActingPrime Minister states that the Prime -Minister (Mr W. F. Mtissey) and the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward) would leave •Soulhamplen by the Masretania on 28th June, roach Halifax ft* •Ith July, and join the Niagara at Vancouver ia time to tail for Auckland ©i 13th July. The journey from Vancouver to Auckland usually, taken about 18 or 20 days', so that the two leaders, should be back in New Zealand iu the first week of August. /' Bootmakiug.—F. Barrett wishes to notify the public of Otaki and district that ho has resumed bu«ine.is as beat and shoemaker. Old and new custsmecs please take notice. Address; Donsitan Street, Otaki.— Advt, [For Children's Hocking Cougli, Woods' Oreat £eppor*«int Cnro,