THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 4 February 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Following are the vital .statistics for Otaki for the month of January just past: Birth's 6, marriages 4, deaths nil.

The annual election in connection with the Otaki Licensing Bench will be held on Wednesday, March 10th.

In one part of the Wairarapa it has beep decided to issue a prohibition order against the ranger to ensure that he does his duties in a better manner.

The monthly meeting of the Otaki Town Board takes place to-morrow evening, while the monthly sitting of the S.M. Court will be held on Friday.

Glorious weather prevailed yester day for the opening of the Feilding (show. The attendance was good. The entries are much about the same as those for last year.

In reply to the Mayor of 'Wellington. Sir H. D. Bell, Minister of Health, says there is no reason to expect a virulentoutbreak of influenza, and therefore no reason to close the theatres, but the Department will act promptly if the necessity crises. » _

Mr Stout, S.M-, gave reserved judgment on Monday in the case in which Collinsoa and Cunninghame, drapers, were charged with having committed n breach of the Gaming Act by disposing of certain property by chance. The prosecution was the result of a New Vear's Eve scheme to draw trade. A pe-raon paid a shilling and received in exchange a ticket entitling him to an article bearing a number the same as the ticket from a collection of articles. The magistrate held that the scheme was a lottery, and fined the defendants £lO and costs.

All book-lovers like to get the latest news about all the new book*, and they will therefore be pleased to hear that Mr Aitken. Levin's leading bookseller, is starting a special mail order service dealing with all the new books as soon a* they are received. Readers are invited to send in their names and addresses at once, and Mr Aitken promises to keep inquirers fully informed of all the latest from the literary world. 'Mr Aitken’s 'phone number is 10S, Levin, so why not do it now ]

The shortage of coal is being severely, felt at the seaside resorts thi? season, especially at Paekakariki and Plimniertofi, where no coal has been procurable for same time. Fortunately at Paekakariki there is a large amount of driftwood. It is a common sight to see 50 or 60 people along the beach with bags, picking it up. There is one bad feature, however, about burning driftwood which makes people chary about using it. It has been found that when used constantly it csts away the fire box. People who have lived on the beach for some years advise that it. should only t-» used when well dried in tho sun, or better still if gathered after a heavy rain and then left to dry in the sum .

Tlic current season’s lambing shows a drop of a million in comparison with the figures for the previous season. Wellington’s rainfall for Januarv totalled o.yfin—just under six inches. Otaiki’s fall for the same period was 4.61 in. Auckland's rainfall for January was 4.55 in. In view of the fact that school days are drawing near, the announcement mude in this issue by Messrs Stiles and Matkeson, Ltd., of Levin, will interest mothers of boys.

The Hautcre Rifle Club has issued a challenge to Levin for the Fresh Food and Ice Co.’s Cup. The match will be looked forward to with interest. On Saturday next Levin will defend the cup against a challenge issued by the Foxton Rifle Club.

Wc are now showing a nice range of ladies’ tan footwear at less than town prices, in court, strap and laco styles. In stock, white cleaners in Bostock, Nugget and Pacific, also a line of gent’s greenhidc working laces. Irvine’s Shoe Store, Ctaki. —Advt.

Count}' ratepayers who have not paid the current year’s rates arc notified by advertisement that after Saturday, -Ist inst., the 10 per cent penalty will bo added to all outstanding rates, and proceedings will lie taken against defaulters without further notice.

At a general meeting of the Christchurch War Memorial Committee it was decided to recommend to the executive that the memorial to fallen soldiers should take the form of a cenotaph in Cathedral Square, or a Bridge of Remembrance over the Avon in Cashel Street.

Messrs Joplin, Stallard and Carmichael, Ltd., arc agents for various classes of engines, agricultural macliinerv, separators, motors and cycles, motor cars, and the Australian Insurance Co. They deal only a high in high quality stock, while prices are low. A replace advertisement appears on page four of this issue.

A tragedy marred the opening of the Otago University Jubilee celebrations yesterday. When reading one of the Scripture lessons at the opening service in First Church, Professor Gilroy, senior professor, suddenly collapsed over the reading desk, and died almost before he could be removed to an anteroom. Professor Gilroy was appointed Professor of English in 1800.

The Wellington Progress League has elected the following provisional committee: —Messrs W. H. Field, M.P., R. A. Wright, M.P., Colonel Mitchell, M.P., C. Frost, W. Stuart Wilson. J. Hutcheson, M. Luckie, L. McKenzie, C. M. Luke, J. Cotton, R. Hill and H. Tolan. Colonel Mitchell was elected secretary, and Mr Wilson treasurer. A public meeting will be held short!} ■

Many Palmerston residents arc rejoicing in the discovery that a preparation of sodium sulphate is a sovereign remedy for that very painful and prevalent disease, neuritis. For their information the “Times” points out that this article was first produced in ISOS by the distillation of common salt with sulphuric acid. Its efficacy is probably due to its power of dissolving uric acid crystals which form in the blood and aflect the sheath of the nerves.

A Taihape district farmer recently purchased a fairly big line of woolly lambs in the Wairarapa district for 3s per head and disposed of them at Taihape. soon after their arrival, at Ss per head. The drv weather which had prevailed for some time in the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay districts was responsible for a large number of low-con-ditioned sheep being bought by farmers in Taihape, where the weather conditions have been extremely favour-

Mr T. A. King, who has just retired jiom business in Otaki, is, we believe, the oldest business mail in the town. Ho commenced business here first in 15S1. thirty-nine years; ago, and has seen manv changes in the town and district during that lengthy period. Elsewhere Mr King returns hearty thanks to the public for the liberal support accorded him during his lengthy business career, and solicits a continuance of patronage for his successor, Mr F. Isherwood. Mr King also requests a prompt settlement of accounts. That practically nothing had been done towards opening up the limestone quarry in the Manawatn Gorge was the regretful opinion voiced by members of the Farmers ’ Union at a meeting at Levin on Saturday. It was stated that farmers required the limestone fc- jnd difficulty in procuring it from Maariceville, while many of the holdin-: in the Manawatn were outside the F-< miles limit, and their owner* could E .. : d-aw from that souice. The rneetir.; resolvfed to ask the Palmerston N-.rth branch of the Union, in whose bonds the matter had originally been left, to at once convene a meeting of delegates to formulate a scheme for working the deposit*. A country newspaper toreman is now

in danger of his life Pitting together the following, ‘the first is a nortion of an account ot a concert, and the last a partis! report of a cattle show. The sentence* sppeared as follows: —“The concert given last night by the Waiwiki's most beautiful anc fascinating young ladie«s was nignly appreciated. They were elegantly dressed, and sang in a most charming manner, winning the planurts of the entire aadnemce, who pronounced them the fint»t breed ot in the country. A few of them are a rich brown colour, but the of tnem are spotted, brown and white, Severn: of the heifers are fine-bodied, lightI limbed, well-developed animals, and [ promise to prove good property. > 1 The mice of new boots is prohibitive i in manv families, and in ccnsequenne , it ia advisable to have old boot* re- j paired. Take them to F. Barrett, who j makes them as new with the best of j leather and workmanship. Don't aelay, j send your boots and shoes a: cz'.e —F. I Ban-ait, Dnnztna Street, Otaki Bail-» way. —A-Ivt.

A garden party is being held at Manakau this afternoon, in aid of the Manakau Methodist Church.

The monthly meeting of the Horowlienua County Patriotic Association is being held at Levin this afternoon.

There is a heavy yarding for the Otaki stock sale, being held to-day, and a good sale is assured. The attendance is large.

Some sixty-five members of the Legislature have accepted the invitation of the Government to go on the voyage to Samoa and the other islands.

“The amount of Customs revenue collected during the month of January, 1920, was £444,903 —the largest amount ever collected in one month by the Customs Department,” said the Minister. ‘ ‘ The next best month was May, 1919. when the duty amounted to £437,595, or £7OOO behind last month.” Mr H. A. Ward, manager of the Wellington City Milk Depev, states that ho expects the price of fresh milk in Wellington to rise shortly. If the dairy farmers get a l'reo market for butter and cheese, the price of butterfat will undoubtedly rise, and then the City Council will have to pay more for milk.

In conversation with a “Taranaki News” reporter, Miss Mack, the war correspondent, spoke warningly of the Indian menace in the Pacific, and said she would never be surprised to hear of tlio 5000 whiter in Fiji being massacred by the Indians. There was wonderful organisation amongst them, and the whites took the precaution of always having firearms close at hand. The Otaki Dairy Company is manufacturing a very large amount of whey butter this season—more than ever before. Whey cream is sent to Otaki from a very wide radius, and the output of whey butter from the local factory is probably equal to that of auy f'our other factories in the North Island. The quality of the article turned out at Otaki is exceedingly good, and would probably hold its own with any other in the Dominion.

The final dance of the season in aid of the Tainui “long-house” will be hold on Friday night next, when splendid music and a tip-top floor is promised. The management is in the capable hands of Mr W. King, and under his supervision all who attend arc assured of a most enjoyable time. Mr King has worked energetically to raise funds for renovating the meetinghouse, but as a further sum is needed we hope the attendance at the dance will bo large.

The coal shortage is causing some concern to the Levin Borough Council, it being stated that should the supply ccaso for a fortnight the gasworks would have to cease operations. The following resolution was passed at last meeting of the Levin Borough Council: —“That, inTho opinion of the Council, (he Government should take action to ‘terminate the pretent intolerable position in connection with the coal industry, and act in suck a manner ns will 'ensure adequate supplies of coal for all industrial, commercial and domestic requirements. and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the member for the district.”

Spooking to a “Press” reporter on the question of aviation, Sir James Allen. Minister of Defence, stated that the Government had not as yet decided on any definite policy. They had been offered 100 machines, but were not going to take more than 35 at present. Even for this number extra accommodation would have to be provided. It was probable that number.? of returned men, who had.had experience in air work ( and there are some hundreds of these), would be brought together at intervals to refresh their knowledge. The training would be in connection with postal and other work, recruits being enrolled a.; the occasion demanded. The classes would probably be carried out in conjunction with the two companies (at Sockburn and Auckland) already in existence.