LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 24 December 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be no issue of the “Otaki Mali” on Friday next (Boxing Day). In order that our staff may enjoy the Christmas holidays the “Otaki Mail” offices will be closed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday next. For the year ended on October 31st New Zealand's exports reached the splendid total of £50,0 00,009. The Horowhenua A. and P. Association's annual show will be held on -January 14th and 15th nest. Entries close on Monday. January sth, as advertised- Schedules will be sent post free on application to the secretary, Mr R. D. Wallace. Levin.

Mr Percy Moxtiam, of Wallace road, Ihakara, has disposed of his farm to Mr P. Trotter, of Te Horo.

Mr Frank Kilsby, who purchased a 60-acre block of the McDonald estate on the Koputaroa road some time back, is erecting a"fine residence on the prosiTAfrVttift

The presentation of prizes and social gathering in connection with the Otaki Anglican Sunday School will bo held in Brights' Theatre on Monday night, next. Donations of cakes will bo gladly accepted. The Otaki seaside resort is becoming more popular than ever, and many visitors are enjoying sport nt the beach, where bathing and paddling prove popular pastimes.

Christmas services in connection with tho Anglican Church aro advertised. Holy Communion will be solemnised at 7 and II a.m., while at the evening service Miss Evelyne Jones will render a solo,

It is reported (states nu Auckland paper) that the Tongariro Sawmill Company is about to commence operations,, and intends to build mills capable of cutting 40,000,000 ft of timber a year on a block between Kakaki and Tokaanu. It comprises 68,000 acres of bush with approximately 30,000 ft of timber per acre, and 20,000 acres of bush with 25.000 ft per acre. The price of new boots is prohibitive in many families, and in consequence it is advisable to havo old boots repaired. Take them to F. Barratr, who makes them as new with tho best of leather and workmanship. Don’t delay, send your boots and shoes at once—F. Barratt, Dunstau Street, Otaki Kailway.—Advt.

Mr T. A. King, with his usual thoughtfulness, brought as this morning Christmas greetings in the form of a large supply of assorted cordials—an act that was fully appreciated by the staff of the “Mail,” who heartily reciprocate Air King's kindly greetings. The fact that tho Hutt Borough Council increased tho dog tax at tho beginning of the year has had the effect of lessening the number of animals in the borough. In 1018 dog tax was paid on 403 dogs, while this year tho number was considerably less. The net return from the tax in 191 S was £54 2s 4d, and this year it amounted to £9O 3s Cd.

Business people in Otaki, Manakau, and To Horo report doing excellent Christmas business. Despite the high prices ruling, the people arc buying freely, and there is every prospect of the Christmas trade of 1919 proving a record for most local businesses. Favoured by the lovely weather to-day, the town is full of people, and tho shopkeepers are having a very busy time.

Mr S. Worsfold. who has had considerable experience in watchmaking, etc., has opened a business in Oxford Street, Levin, and is now making a great display of all fashionable jewellery, silverware, etc. Tho quality of bis goods are first-class and his prices low, therefore there is no need to send to Wellington for articles in the jewellery line. Mr Worsfold also does repairs of all descriptions, and a trial is solicited. Engraving is also one of lis epeeial features.

Mr J. F. Young, who has been connected with the sash and door factory at AYoraroa, for the past twelve years, has taken over the wellestablished business from Mr AVm. Storey, and hopes by strict attention to business, combined with thorough workmanship, to merit a fair share of support. The factory is noted for its high-class work and reasonable charges, and we have no doubt that the support accorded Mr Storey will now be given to Mr Young. All classes of joinery may be secured, furniture is made to order from the best of material, while satisfaction is guaranteed.

la the midst of a warm discussion at the Conciliation Council at Wellington on the question of equal pay for the sesea for equal work, one of the assessors in the dispute, which concerned the employees in private hotels, declared that the kitehenraaid of to-day was the chef of to-morrow. Said one of the assessors across the table: “Then Lord knows they will have to change a lot!’-’ What man in New Zealand to-day, he added, would work in a kitchen if he could get anything else to do? He considered that a kitehenraaid getting 303 a week and good, nourishing food and decent accommodation in the_ establishment was in receipt of the equivalent of at least £3 5s a week. Was that not good enough for what were often ignorant country girls?

Letters from Rotorua indicate that would-be visitors io the thermal regions took the prophecy or the American professor concerning the earthquakes and other disturbances that might be e.vpected on December 17th very seriously. All the accommodation at Eotorua prior to the publication of- the prophecy was fully booked up, but, according to wri tern, a gregt deal of this was cancelled by nervous people who had expected to visit the district about the fateful day. One result of this was that scoffers who had formerly been unable to secure accommodation found themselves with a wide variety of houses from which to choose.

An isstEn.ee of candid criticism furnished by an extract fro m the “Evening Post" of September lath. 1869—ever fifty years ago—which reads as under: —“Sir George Bowen 13 about to leave us, and to seek a pleasant retirement from the cares of State ‘in the bosom of hi* family/ whence he will doubtless emerge when the shooting season comes round, to wage war on the pheasants in the pleasant woods of Auckland. His departure will not cause any poignant regrets, nor wiii his absence create a blank; and were he even going to return no more.there ere few of the- inhabitants of Wellington whs would shod tears when he leaves the wharf.''

Tho Ihakara creamery is at present dealing with over' 21,000 gallons of milk daily, though the flush of the season has not vet been reached.

Stocks of frozen meat in New Zealand are now down to about 4,000,000 carcases, which is a reduction of 2,000,000 carcases in tho past live months.

Kerosene has been advanced in price by Is per ease as from Monday last. The reason assigned is the increased first costs and adverse movements in exchange with the United States. The Foxton Borough Council has accepted the tender of Mr .1. 11. Reid, of Wellington, for the lease of the Poston Town Hall for a period of two years at the rate of £7 per week. Dainty lingerie is ideal for giftgiving, and dainty lingerie is reduced in price at Stiles and Matheson'a Christmas bargain carnival. In their advertisement in this paper items arc listed—turn to the announcement. “How is it that a portrait of the * Pope appears on the back of the Bank of -New Zealand notes 1” was a question put to Mr Veitch, who replied ' that tho portrait referred to was not I 1 that of die Pope, but of sitinmcl MursL _ den, the introducer of Christianity into L ' New Zealand. The delay in train running is affecting the postal services to a quite unc reasonable extent. For instance, the 15 mail which arrived at Palmerston from Wellington on Saturday night last was 0 not placed in tho boxes at Palmerston * North till Monday morning. They > used to do as well, if not better, than * that in tho old coaching days. Wc are fit ting round rubbers freo on ladies’ footwear until the new year. Just arrived new lines in suede, patent l ' and glace shoes. You will want a pair * for the holidays, and you will save n money by buying from us. Inspection 0 invited. Irvine’s Shoe Store, Otaki.— Advt. A railway crossing fatality oek curred at Maugumnirc, n few miles 0 south of Pahiatua, on Monday, when 0 the express front Wellington crashed *' into a cart, which was driven by Allen x Amos Roll (aged .IS), son of a well* • r known local farmer. Roll, who was 0 gravely injured, was brought to J Pahiatua, but died on route. Tho horse was killed and the cart smashed to pieces. I- The body of Mbs Hilda Rathboue, I aged 25 years, and residing with relah tives at Lower Hutt, was found in the S Hutt River yesterday morning. She I teas last seen alive at 11.30 p.rn. ou the II 21 >1 iust. Miss Rathbono had been in ’• poor health for a considerable time, T mid had been under medical treatment 0 for the past three years. The do- >' reused’« parents, who pre-deceased her, were well-known station-holders in i- Hawke’s Bay. U The magistrate, Mr F. W. Burton, d had u busy sitting at the Tauniarunui a Court last week. On a charge of stori’ lag liquor in a proclaimed area a rlc--1" IVml mi t was fined £lu and costs; a rest- * dent of Manganui, charged with selling d whisky in a proclaimed area, was fined the full penalty.' £sd. For supplying s liquor to native-, two offenders were lined £25 and cost- (.-»•:!). A native, “ charged with aiding apo. on unknown tit commit a breach of the Licensing Act Amendment Act, 1910, was fined y £2O and costs. e Sheffield is now developing induv 1- tries largely wrested from Germany »• during the war. The output of grarnoo phone needles will shortly reach h 20,000,000 n week. Oiamophone springs •i arc a war time innovation, and thouss and* are produced weekly. Sheffield's output of aluminium spoon- and fork-, ■t an industry held solely by Germany n before the war. will run into miliiona y annually. One firm product - weekly o 2,000,000 non-slip studs and 3,000,000 e washers for pneumatic tyre- and 2000 safety-razor frames a day. it Mr.- “General Mite,” aged 41 n years, died at Christchurch on AYedncx■O day. Deceased, who wr. 3fi Sin high, weighing 2-r 4lu, r-.adc her first ap'd pearance in public i’. l-si, in the l-lc !- of Man, and subsequently appeared by y Royal Commend at Marlborough Uotuc e before Edward VII,; also before •: Royalty on the Continent. Death oco curred while boarding a tram ia the city. With her ha-band, “General k Mite,” she toured the Dominion some g years ago.