THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 25 February 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of the Otaki Ratepayers' Association trill be held on Friday night at the Druids' Ha)l, when a full attendance is requested. Business to be transacted trill be of an important nature. It is more than probable than an election tvill result for positions on the Otaki Licensisg Bench. It is under-

stood that all hut one of the old member.? aro standing, while it is stated that. Messrs Brandon and Bowden will contest the vacancy.

The Manakau cricketer.-', who have been so successful this season, intend to hold a dance in "the town hall on March" 11th, when a pleasant time is promised all who attend. Mr T. "W. Latham has been appointed secretary and Mr W. Bevan as M.C.

Sir Thomas Mackenzie (High Ceromissioner, London) is to relinquish his post on July 31st; and will probably be succeeded by the Hon. Sir James Alien (Minister for Defence and Finance). As Sir James Allen would then be due in the Old Country to relieve the present High Commissioner by July 31st, he is not likely to be able to attend even the Gpening of the first session of the new Parliament. The Prime Minister, referring to the matter oh Monday, said that the reorganisation of the High Commissioner's office is to be rndertaken forthwith. There was no reason to Sod fault with Sir Thomas Mackenzie, ho explained, but it was necessary to keep the office up to date, and the High Commissioner, whoever he might be, in close touch with the Dominion. The Government expected to send seme officers from departments here to take up positions in London, and his own opinion was that appointments of subordinates sfconid be for two or three years, or probably changes made annually. Cable advice from England is to the effect that Sir Thomas Mackenzie expects to return to New Zealand in August.

The erKihon of houses by the Labour Department tinder the Government's housing scheme is proceeding in various parts of New Zeaitsdj and un&e good progress is being made* Ex-

tension* ere being planned in several of the portion of the scheme relating to the erection of houses by

local bodies. On the ether nana it is being held up by lack or Government advance?. Ths Housing Act provides that the Government may advance nioney to local bodies for the erection of homes. Many applications have been made under this portion of the Act. nttd most of them have been very lari-e. The Christchureh Cny Council,, for example, wants £300,900, end the Wellington municipal authorise- a similar sum. It appear- that . the amount of money at tke disposal of the Government will cot permit advances *e:ug made on this ssale. The Prime Minister stated on Monday that the £IO,OOO at one sims on a sirs!* apriication.. He understood that the larger

Work in connection with the Kawiu (Levin) water .extension scheme is now under way.

A proposal is cm foot in Foxton to form a branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association.

A cricket match between Pahautanui and Levin Y.M.C.A. on Saturday at Levin resulted in an easj; win for the home team.

A cable message states that the French airman, .GasaL, with two passengers, reached a - height of 23,725 ft from .Villa Caubley, near Paris.

Tenders for the supply of metal for the Otaki Town Board close on March 4th. Full particulars may be obtained at the Board's office.

Tho unreserved clearing sale of dairy stock, furniture, etc., to be held at Paraparauniu on Friday next, should draw buyers from various parts, especially as the cows arc a fine lot.

The ordinary monthly meeting of tho management committee of the Horowlienua County Patriotic Association will be held r.t the Borough Council Chambers, Levin, this afternoon.

There is much to interest ladies in (he announcement of Messrs Stiles and Mathcson, Ltd., of Levin, and that referring to dainty underwear at bargain prices is particularly attractive.

Shortly after midnight on SatuTday a lire destroyed the Foxton Rowing Club's sked and contents, including the once-famous Dolly Varden. The insurance amounts to £l5O. Tho cause of the fire is a mystery. William Stanley Miller, who established the new Picton to Bluff motor record, was fined £lO and costs at the Duncdin Police Court for driving at a dangerous speed. According to a newspaper account produced by tho Police Department, accused was averaging 40 miles an hour.

The clearing sale of household furniture and effects, to be held on Saturday, March Gth, on behalf of Mr W. Toinpsitt, affords an excellent opportunity of securing high-class goods. Several valuable pieces of furniturewill be offered. The list appears elsewhere.

By Curette Extraordinary issued on Monday, His Excellency the GovernorGeneral proclaimed that for the purpose of all Acts of Parliament passed since August 4th. 1914, and referring to the duration or the termination of the war, the war with Germany shall be deemed to have come to an end or. January 10th, 1920. The session of ihe Supreme Court at Palmcrston JTortb was suspended on Monday owing to some of the eases set down for hearing having been unexpectedly settled. There are still a large number of cases to be heard, and it is not expected that the fusion will be concluded until tho beginning of nest week. The Government Statistician that, the worth of the sovereign for December. 1919, is 13s lid in respect to food only, as compared with 2us iu July, 3 914. To purchase food in any of the four centres to-day tbr:t could !,•; obtained for 20s 9d in VjVj and 21s 7«d in 1914, requires to-day 30s 11:0. and clothing and boots and rents arc not taken into account,

At the last sitting of the ■• Foxton S.M. Court the S.M. declined to make tin order in the case Wat-ou Bros. "V. K. V-'. Beadsell, claim £O3 7s. A female resident, who pleaded guilty to stealing Is worth of potatoes from the FosWD State school garden*, was fined 10s. .;. C. Better proceeded against H. I. Graham for possession oi a dwelling required for his own use. The application was granted, with costs 3is. The Railway Department, presumably acting under the advice of ;01.0 one", devised a time-table for the Foxton" service winch is without a parallel i:i New Zealand. So irregularly are the departures timed that the "morning" train leaves on different days at

10.5 a.m., 11.33 a.m., or -1.40 p.m., and the afternoon train at 13.33 or 5.33. There are, by the way, two trains only; but these require five columns of the guide book, with numerous "explanation" as io their movements.— "Manawata Times.-"

■V daring jewellery, theft occurred on Monday in a Queen street (Auckland) jeweller's shop. A well-dressed Maori entered the shop and to see certain articles, Subsequently the jeweler missed a gold watch and an opal ring. The missing ring was discovered in a pawnbroker's .hop, together with an ooal necklace valued at £65, the loss of '-hich had not been reported, ihe police have arrested a Maori who is alit red to be the offender.

.' . a meeting of the Levin branch of the -T.Z. Farmers' Union it was decided to 'nnose the Government's fi.ving of the .-rice of produce, and to favour the sal'' of produce in an open mar Kit. It v.-a- ulso decided to ask local auctioneer: :g firms to hold joint sales at the Levin yards so as to do with tee prsetiee of two auctioneers selling at the same time. The establishment of abattoirs is to be brought before the Borough Council, while the question of noxious wee-is is to be referred to the inspector, with a request that he ts££ action to have them eradicated.

A fractions bull en. the outiiirts pf , Patea caused seme excitement last week" The animal, which was being driven to the meafwork?, _ apparently I had an inkling or the fate in store tor him there,, for he showed a decided onwillingness to approach- the town, j making bold bids for liberty though i bosthcrn hedges, barbed wire fences, j and five-barred gate-. Ultimately, the victor in a roadside "collected" later on. j your footgear tor iS2O '■'■ Mr Irvine -, has made ar:aniemfn c .s xc feuy direct ■ Jrpjae's Shos 6tore, gtahL—Adyt.

' A typewriter, cheap and in good order, is advertised for sale. Particulars of Mr W. H. Ransom's sale, which takes place on Friday, are advertised, The list includes several leading lines of furniture, etc. Owing to tho high cost of material "the farriers of Otaki and district have decided to increase tko price for horseshoeing on and after March Ist. Owing to a disagreement relative to a request for an increase in wages half a dozen men left work that was being carried out in the vicinity of Levin on Monday,

Mr Ken Aitken, Levin's leading bookseller, stocks all the latest songs, waltzes 2 etc., and in to-day's issue he makes a generous free offer to supply a big catalogue. Such an offer should be made good use of. A number of article.s z including several tables, chairs, mats, lamps, blankets, sheetSj churns, left over from Mrs Huthwaite's sale on Saturday last, will be sold at the Otaki mart on Saturday next at 1.30. A full list appears elsewhere.

Tho Chairman of the Otaki Town Board (Mr J. P. Brandon) has arranged a meeting between the Board and Mr W. H. Field, M.P., at which will be discussed vraious matters appertaining to the welfare of tho town. The meeting will take place on Tuesday afternoon.

A caso of mistaken identity aroused tho blushes of a well-known local public official yesterday owing to a young lady apologising for not calling "on his wife." Tho young fellow iu question stammered apologies and said he -was unmarried. As ho is shortly to become a Benedict confusion reigned -"iproßic.

X Palmerston school boy of twelve, assisted by tv:o Otaki boys to whom he was paying a week-end visit on Saturday, landed a wild boar of veueral.de appearance on the hills, with three nondescript dogs, two pea rifles, and a muzzle-loading shot gun. 'To prove iheir prowess to their sceptical parents, they proudly carried home the head, -.'•-hick weighed 2Slb.

There aro at present some 125 sub

bribers on the Otaki telephone exchange, whilo another thirty will be added in the course of a week or two. With these connections theiu will bo an extension of telephone hours, either from 8 a.m. till midnight or 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.—a matter for subscribers io decide on. AVo hear also that ihero arc no less than 33 likely subscribers at Te Horo and 27 at Paraparauniu. and at these townships exchanges are to be established.

"In meting out justice t>> offenders no distinction can be made between man and woman," said Mr Justice MeCardie st Manchester in sentencing a girl clerk for forgery. "Women," his lordship remarked, "had now taken upon themselves duties hitherto discharged by men, and in assuming now responsibilities they also undertook the consequent risk?." The accused was Minnie Brown (23), of Swansea, and she pleaded guilty to forgins documents in the Army Pay Office at Preston, and thus misappropriating money.

Counsel made :, strong appeal for li>-• on the ground that she was much und tithe influence of another person, wh-i borrowed her share of the money, and •hen disappeared. Her father was dead, and she had not a friend ia the world. Sentence was sis months' imprisonment. On hearing it Brown cried, "Oh, my lord, my lord, don't send roe there!" and foil fainting into the arm; of the wardress. A striking illustration of the manner in which Australia is misrepresented ■-.broad is supplied by an English correspondent, who has forwarded a cutting from "John Bull," a topical

London paper (says the Melbourn "Age"). Discussing the English bride of Australian soldier?, and basing th information on the statement of ai assistant steward on a British shir

the paper make; the ridiculous allegation that the English brides are mobbed by men as soon as: they land in Australia. It made the assistant steward's blood boil to see our Esglish girls pelted with stones, eggs, and tomatoes and almost lynched by the Australian brutes, The police had to make repeated charges against the crowd to rescue and protect these poor girlSj who were often left practically destitute and friendless because some of their husbands were too afraid to claim them" According to the definite officers and the police these accusations are absolutely false, although c-vea without this evidence it would be hard for anybody to credit the story. Eggs are scarce and the price of tomatoes has been almost prohibitive for the oast two seasons,

A Maori soldier, who belongs to the VTaitotara district. was passing through 2\ew York on his way home, when he was hailed on the street by a well-dressed American, who shook him warmly by the band, and in the course of conversation asked him if he knew anybody of the name cf Howitf, in Patea, to which the native re-plied that he remembered the family. The American said: "Well, I happen to be a nephew of Mrs Hewitt. Her brother W£S my father. I wish you would go and see them when you get back, and tell them that you have seen me. My name is Mscfcay." "Are you doing anything?'-' asked the American; "if not tome with me and I will give you a good time." The native said he was doing nothing, but was on his way. back to Zealand, and he spent tw» days with his uewir-found friend, who treat-

ed him like a king, lakmg fesa fcrerywfcere and seeing !&&i fe? kekgd for nothing. The sequel c-ccsrred a few days ago, when the returned soldier celiea at Mr Hewitt's residence, and r*rsona:)y th&hfced him Ui the kindness shown him by his nephew in New York. Mr Howitr, sen,, hat been a reyesr*. smd Mr Micksy. cf Sew York, is i. eourin cf Mr Mackay-Howitt, of Epsom, and iir W. BL Hewitt, of PsSjOsosfirf.

There are 207 practising solicitors in tho Wellington law district, 139 in the city and 6S in the country,,

"Some of our soldier settlers are doing well and others are not," said Mr J, Taylor at tho meeting of th 6 Levin bnuwh of the Farmers' Union on Saturday, "It is those who are too heavily handicapped by the loads put upon them that lose heart and throw up their holdings," said the speaker, who advocated a re-valuation of soldiers' farms, thus giving the men a better chance of making good,— '' Chronicle.''

At a meeting of suppliers to dairy factories at Levin on Mrs fior-dou-Glassfoxd suggested that the Levin Dairy Company should beautify tho surroundings of its factory, ' The speaker stated that tne factory, near her former home in Tarauaki had beautifully kept lawns, and the surroundings were made quite ornamental, and it was quite a pleasure to go to that factory. It. was tho same inside, and so particular was tho management that visitors, including ladies, had to don special linen garments when in tho factory.

The opinion was expressed at the meeting of the Levin branch of the Farmers' Union on Saturday tint each district or proviuco should havo its own valuer. It was only by living in a district and knowing its resources and peculiarities that valuations could be correctly assessed, as such things as the weather and rainfall affected valuations one way or tho other. It was stated that under tho present system one valuer travelled over a vast area of territory, which he knew next to nothing about, and it

was not possible for him to get a truo lino on its value. A member: "It's no Use; the Government's got its own methods and won't alter them for anything we might say."

A resident of the Eketahuna district tells a good story. Being in Wellington a short time back ho saw a card being placed in the window of a largo butcher's establishment with the announcement, "Veal Is per lb." Having always tin oyo to the main chanca lie entered and saw the proprietor. After preliminaries he made enquiry as to the possibility of sending down a few trucks of vealcrs. The butcher agreed that he could do with the same, and then enquired as to the price.

"Oh, about 6d a 10," was tho qaotG. "Sixpence a pound," was the indignant response; "why I can buy thousands at 3d per lb." "Well, I don't know much about the price," won rap- !•-! back, "I merely arrived at it by eeing your card in the window." The <i'-i! va-j not concluded. Some later (■• Iculations on the part of tho visitor showed that the butcher made tho prieo paid for realers from the skin and by-products, and had tho carcass fer nothing—for which be Hiked 1j ptr lb.—" Express." now much time tho Prince of Wales will spend travelling over the New Zealand railways is perhaps not quitu if::ii.-.od, or for that mutter not fully known yet, but at any rate it is esti'aatod that it will be about 27 days, or a portion of each one of tho-.e days. v.'b-.-ariiy comfort win be a primary '-oasideratiou with those responsible '■ i these arrangements, und, Judging front tho indication? and preparations, bis. travelling quarter- should be both "•omfortablc and charming. As a mat•"i- cf fact, the carriage used by his i.'x'X'llency tho Governor-General when travelling will bo used, but altered and re-furnished. It will comprise a suite? '.i three rooms, a lounge-di a wing-room, ;• dining-room ant} a bedroom, and of course there will be a kitchen on the train. The furnishing** and hangings are now feeing chosen, tho colouring of the lounge being carried out in Gobelin blue, and tho dining-room h to be a replica of a Jacobean room. The bedroom is to be as comfortable and charming as possible. In addition to the train \ty which the Prince travel", there will bo two others, the luggage train, which travels ahead, and another following the Royal carriage reserved for the country's important personages. The matte; of making arrangement:* for such a visit is not the lightest of tasks for those responsible.

The price of new boots is prohibitive fn many families, and in consequent it is advisable to have old boots r»paired. Take them to F. Barratt, who makes them as new with the b*st of leather and workmeC.hip. Doa't delay, send your boots and shoes at once-—F, Barratt, Dunstan Street, Oteki BaHway.—Advt.