THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 8 October 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sir Joseph "Ward has completed 32 rears 3 service as a member or the Xc'--' Zealand' Parliament,, haring been elected representative for Avarua ia September, ISS7. Sir Joseph has continuously represented the same seat ever since.

The Palmerston Xortli Hospital Board meets at Palmerston North tomorrow morning. Close on 1500 ■ gallons of milk are being sent daily to Wellington from Otaki alone. Particulars of Mr G. Anderson’s auction sale for Saturday next are advertised. A large number of ‘ ‘ sports ’ ’ left Otaki and district to-day to be present at the races being held at Levin. Lieut.-Colonel Charters yesterday gave an interesting war address at Otaki to the State school children of this district. There was a large attendance, and the address proved most interesting and instructive. Though the price of footwear is high, you can save money by buying from us. Secure a good selection, combined with value and quality. New lines just arrived. A trial solicited. Shoe Store, Otaki. —Advt. There are no fewer than 750' waiting applications for telephone connections in Wellington at the present time. This really represents the war-time accumulation, when for a very long time there was no telephone material of. any kind coming to hand. The deficiency will shortly be remedied.

To-day marks the 150th anniversary of the landing of Captain Cook at Poverty Bay, and as in past years, the Gisborne Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute propose to carry out a suitable commemoration of the ovent. An invitation has been forwarded to the Prime Minister requesting him to be present and deliver an address or be suitably represented. The Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill, which was read a first time in tho House last night, gives the PostmasterGeneral power to make contracts for the carriage of mails by motor. Another clause provides for tho acknowledgements of savings bank deposits to be sent only for amounts over £2O. Power is given the Postmaster-General to make regulations for the control of party lines and private telephone lines.

Tho Otaki Lawn Tennis Club opens its season on Saturday afternoon next, when all members and friends are cordially invited to attend. The members have been working, hard to get the courts in order, and another working bee will be held to-morrow afternoon to finish the preparations. Given fine weather there should be a very large gathering on the courts on Saturday, as the prospects for the season arc bright.

New Zealanders have occupied the camp at Sling, on Salisbury Plain, since June, 1916, and in view of their early evacuation of it have constructed a large emblem of a kiwi on Beacon Hill. The body of the kiwi covers li acres. From the top of the back the height is 420 ft, and the length of the bill 150 ft, says the "New Zealander.” Like the famous White Horse, it is cut out of solid chalk, and it is hoped that, with a little attention, the emblem will last for oil time.

The milk supply at the Raimi Co-op. Dnirv Co.’s factory is steadily increasing, and the prospects for Ihe_ season are excellent. At present nearly all the milk received is-being sent to Wellington, and a large quantity will be sent to the c-ity ail the year round. Slow progress is being made with the additions and improvements to the factory at Otaki, various set-backs having occurred unavoidably. However, the machinery and plant should be in readiness for the manufacture of cheese in about a znonth’s time, or perhaps less.

■ The housemaids of Wisconsin have issued an ultimatum, and mistresses of households may take it or leave it. Xo member of the Madison Association of Women Workers will hereafter, scrub, dust the phonograph, or entertain the grocery boy for a lady who compels her to enter the house by means of the back door or to receive her guests in the kitchen. Social distinctions. far more than wages or hours, engaged the association at its last meeting, and it was decided that when the maid is dressed “for going out” she shal! use the front entrance.

The Australasian. Methodist Board of Missions met in Sydney on Friday and Saturday, the Rev. S. Lawry. Christchurch, the Rev. W. A. Sinclair, foreign missions secretary, and Mr J. Yeaie being the Kew Zealand representatives. Cabled advice has been received by the president of the Kew Zealand Methodist Conference, the Rev. H, 11, Bellhouse. that the board decided to rccommend that the Solomon Islands i'Qim the chief portion of tho New ZcalSHd mission field. The question of including Tonga and Samoa has been T& mined to the New South Wales conference, which meets in March. The pfe.dent of the conference 2 Dr Garrotters.

a to visit the Islands shortly, and will ocsult the native church at Tonga and ; amoa regarding the matter.

A golden peace number of the London “Daily Mail” is now on exhibition in the “Mail” window. The whole of

Its eight pages are printed in gold, and

i the frontispiece contains photographs i of the King and Queen, and the scene ' in the Kali of Mirrors. On the second ; page is a map showing how the Peace * Conference divided the captured Gerj man colonies, a map of new German ! frontiers as laid down in the Peace j Treaty, a map of the future Austria,

| photographs of the four great statesi men—President 'Wilson, 11. Clemeneeaa. i Mr Lloyd George, and Signor Orlando — who made the Peace Treaty, and Herr Muller and Herr Bell, who signed on behalf of Germany. On page three are photos of Admiral Beatty, Captain Fiysif, Tic-id-Marshal Sir Douglas Kni.g. and pictures of the German fleet surrendering to the British. Then follow pie lures of the .-inking of the Blether, ga- masks, tasks, •‘apron* 3 entanglement, victims of the Lusitania, and roll-call of Aazae- at Gallipoli, photos of Goet-rai Alleaby and Xcr=-? Cavil!, sad finally the arrival of British nurse* ip Trac.ee is 1914. The reading matter . is both interesting ami instructive. and the production certainly mo~t creditable to the publishers.

A cow and heifer arc advertised as being lost. The Dandies have arranged to give a performance at Otaki on November 5. Tenders close on Saturday for constructing a reinforced concrete culvert over the Mangapouri creek. The question of erection of workmen’s dwellings will be discussed by Rangitikei County Council at its next meeting. The Hamilton Borough Council has formulated a comprehensive drainage scheme, estimated to cost £70,000, and a poll of ratepayers is to be taken on the question. The War Graves Commission lias ordered the immediate erection of permanent headstones to graves of all Australians and New Zealanders buried in the United Kingdom. -King Albert of Belgium, in a message to the American people, expresses gratitude for what they have done in the war, and the noble aid given to Belgium in her dark hour.

There’s nothing like good leather! If you want the best of repairs call on F. Barrett, Dunstau Street, Otaki Railway. Prices low, workmanship and material guaranteed. —Advt. Local men will be specially interested in Stiles and Matlieson’s advertisement in this paper. It deals with light summer underwear at such reasonable prices. Turn to it and read it.

' Inspector Bakcwcll and TemporaryInspector G. McMorran, late headmaster of tho Terraco School. Wellington, are to-day conducting an examination of pupils tho Mauakau State school.

As will bo seen by advertisement, tho Cloverlea' settlement is now open for selection by discharged soldiers. 11ns settlement is about two and a-half miles from Palmerston North, and comprises 19 holdings of first-class land suitable for dairying, fattening, and intense cultivation. Full particulars can be had on application to the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

The resumption of the normal railway servxco has resulted in increased building activity in Hamilton, and both in the town and suburbs premises and houses are being erected on every hand. During tho past three weeks the borough engineer, Hr W. 11. Steven:-, has issued permits for buildings estimated to cost over £-17,000, which is a record for any one month.

Cr. Crabb, chairman of the Mangnhno Hydro-Electric Vigilance Committee, -told the Palmerston North Borough Council last night that at the rate the work was going on it would not only bo five but ten years before it was completed. “There was a feeling of keenness in the Minister and also in the House, but it did not seem to make the work go faster.” Too much “Reform” and not enough ginger?—“Palmerston North Daily Times.”

A statement supplied to Mr Massey by the New Zealand Coalmine Owners' Association shows a shortage in the output from tho mines, consequent on the “go-slow” policy, for iitc week ending October 3rd: Taupiri 1760 tour-, Westport 1600, Westport - Stockton 1030, Blackball 803, Hikurangi 693, Pukemiro 616, Paparoa 310, Waipa 275, Nightcaps 212, New Zealand Coal and Oil Co. 102; total 7100 tons. In addition the reduction in the State Mines is estimated at 1000 tons.

“I venture to predict,” said Mr J. T. M. Hornsby in the House of Representatives on Friday, “that in thirty years’ time this country will be importing butter, because the farmer* will not make it. They will confine, themselves to cheese, casein, dried milk, and sugar of milk.” Mr Hornsby showed bow the return per cow had risen, tiil now it was £2O to £25, and he thought that with the manufacture of the new products it would rise to £33.

The Government Statistician reports: “Prices of meat have advanced considerably in a number of towns, particularly in Kelson, Grey mouth, aml Invercargill, and to a lesser extent ia Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hamilton. The increase is reported to be due to the high price of live stock in the centres, caused by restricted railway transport.” The Government Statistician shows how the weekly butcher’s bill has risen 37.21 per cent since July, 1914.

At a meeting in Cambridge on Wednesday a provisional hydro-electric power board was set up. A discussion ensued regarding the price of current, which Mr .Short, of the Public Works Department, recently stated would be ,£Q per horse-power. Mr Roche, C.E., rrho supervised the carrying out of the work at Horahora, assured the board that a charge of £5 per horse-power would pay tha Government, arid save the p-eopie of the Waikato £3*5,000 per annum. The price is regarded as vitally important to the success of the general scheme. Actual steps are to be takes to induce the Minister to fix a reasonable charge.

“It is rather dangerous to quote a special case and then ask for legislation to be applied generally,” was the comment passed by the chairman of the Counties Conference (Mr A. E. Jail,* at Wellington. The reference was to the peculiar condition arising oat of the findings of the Commission into the question of the upkeep of the Manawatu Gorge road. The two counties | adjacent or proximate to the Gorge, I Pohangica and Kivsitea, were omitted i in the lilt made out -of counties which ■ should ecmrtibuie to the cost of maintenance. A map was displayed by the ' mover of a remit, Mr Msir, •of the Saagitikei County Council, showing the two non-contributing counties like an island in a lake of contributing areas. The remit was ia the direction of limiting the application of tie section so that only there local authorities whose districts were adjacent or receive a considerable benefit could be compelled to contribute towards tie main* tensnea of any road or bridge. The conference almost ona.nimoa.-ly re-

jected the proposal.

The Horowhenua County Council’s monthly meeting takes place at Levin on Saturday. This morning’s “Dominion,” in a death notice, records the death of tht “deadly loved” husband of a bnlv. There arc about 200 Germans and Austrians interned in New Zealand, 5 number of these being married to Xetp Zealand women, and having children. In order to relieve their families o' financial embarrassment, several of these prisoners of war are to be released on parole, under stringent conditions.

A peculiar plague of flies is occurring at Little River and round Lake Elios, mere (says a Christchurch paper). These are lake flies that are always is evidence in the spring. But this season they have attained the proportions of a plague. Residents arc simply pestered with them, and in the evening have to keep windows tightly shut. On a motor car which passed the lake they lay two inches thick under tho radiator.

Tho committee deputed to brir,» down recommendations to the Counties’ Conference at Wellington regarding motor taxation reported as follows; —(1) That this committee recommends that tho Customs duty on all motor vehicles, together with 30 per cent duty on all tyres, be collected by the Gevcrament through the Customs and used towards tho increaso of grants and subsidies asked for by tho conference. (2) That tho Tourist Department, through the Government,' should make better provision for tho upkeep ef tourist roads which are severely darnaged by motor traffic. The report was adopted.

When the transport Cordoba was s few days out from England a stowaway, aged .12, appeared on deck. It appears that the lad had been living at the village of Bulford, in AViltsliire, just on the outskirts of Sling Camp, where he had acted in various capacities front rouseabout to cook’s “off-sider.” No! wishing to be separated from his “dig ger” pals, ho persuaded a soft-hearted cook to stow him away on the troopship. The youngster was given work on the ship as a brass-boy. A few dart out from Durban tho kindly padre of the troopship and the Y.M.C.A. secretary organised a collection on behalf of the young stowaway, and before arriring at Durban the delighted boy vra presented with £2l. Prior to reaeliinp AVcllington a further collection net mtule) and a substantial sum handed! over to the boy. To complete his cup of happiness a well-known farmer returning to the North Island took ehrirgr of him and has guaranteed to look after him and give him work on his farm. A boy with sufficient grit to embark on* trip of over 13,000 miles, not knor.it' what awaited him on arrival at his journey’s end, should dovedop into t worthy New Zealander.