THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 9 January 1922, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Butter was reduced to Is 4d by Otaki storekeepers on Saturday.

It is probable that a well-known dentist will shortly take up residence at Otaki.

Notice is given that Messrs Perkins and Muff's sale has been postponed till Wednesday, 25th inst. We acknowledge a very handy pencil from the National Mutual Life Association.

The Otaki Brass Band played several selections at the Sanatorium yesterday, which were fully appreciated. The Otaki Choral Society, which had such a successful run last season, will resume practice on Wednesday night. Intending members are particularly requested to attend.

The members of the Otaki Fire Brigade desire that anyone ringing the siren in case of lire should do so for a fairly lengthy period and not for an interval of a few seconds only.

Trout is fairly plentiful in the Otaki river, and Mr K. C. Kirk, a keen angler, has made several fine catches of recent date. The Waitohu stream, however, appears devoid of fish, due, probably, to dynamite being used some tima ago.

A grand Maori concert, with dance to follow, will be held at Otaki on the 19th, when money raised will be devoted to improving the Native Church. The programme to be submitted will be a good one, and tickets should sell readily. Particulars will appear later.

In view of an advertisement appearing in Friday's "Mail" in which a wealthy man expressed a desire to meet a domesticated young lady there were many spectators watching for interesting developments on Saturday evening. However, the young couple failed to materialise.

Four Chinese, who 30 years ago were miners in British Columbia, will, says a Reuter message from Ottawa, shortly sail for China with a small fortune each. In the 'nineties they eollected six pounds of platinum, xvhich, on breaking camp, they put into a bottle and hid under a rock. Time separated the four, but meeting again last .year in China/ they decided to go back to Canada, platinum having gone up from 50 cents an ounce to 75 dollars. With difficulty the party found their cache, and recovered the plaiiaum, which they have now sold fox over 7003 dollars.

The monthly meeting of the Hutt County Council takes place to-morrow.

Birds' eggs will not be received at Horowhenua County Council offices after Tuesday, 17th inst. There will be a sale of meat, vegetables, etc., at the Otaki mart to-mor-row. Mr Loo Hansby's plate-glass windowwas broken this morning by a resident who threw a stone at an unruly dog. Hot water may be secured at "Cosy Nook" (Mr T. P. Ransom's) by picnickers patronising the Otaki beach. The Otaki Brass Band will play a number of selections at the Otaki seaside resort to-morrow evening. A valuable gold medal has been offered by a local resident for a race provided the Otaki Sports' Club is resusicated. The live weight of the sheep' for the guessing competition at the Paraparauniu sports was 128ilbs, not 1281bs as previously stated to us. The annual meeting of the Otaki Bulb Society, to be held to-night, should be well attended. The election of officers, etc., will take place. Flowers on the Tararuas are greatly admired by those, crossing the ranges, aud several blooms brought into Otaki of recent date have caused much attention. The vital statistics for the quarter ended December 31st for Otaki were: Births 18, deaths 10, marriages 8. For the year the figures were 73, 35, and 28 respectively. Entries for various races iu connec tion with the Te Horo sports (23rd) close on the 14th inst., a date athletes should keep in mind. Tenders for the right to have a booth close on the same date. A little money goes a long way. Here is your chance. We are selling our stock of ladies' and children's white shoes at reduced prices this week. Shop in Otaki, at Irvine's Shoe Store. —Advt. Several parties crossed the Tararuas last week, including one consisting of three Wellington youths, who crossed from the Wairarapa side. They were met at Mt. Hector Ly Mr Leu Morgan, of Otaki, and afterwards left for Waikanae and home via Akatarawa. The trip proved an enjoyable one. 1 "God of Luck" was the star item |at the pictures ou Friday night, and a 1 pleasing feature was the splendid dancing of Mr Kae Crichton, dancing master of Otaki. As a female impersonator he was splendid while his dancing was very graceful, eliciting well-de-served applause from all present. Who would have dreamt 12 months ago that butter would become a glut on the market in Feilding* Yet that is the position to-day. On Friday a small dairy farmer who makes separator butter for sale to local retailers found there were no buyers. He took his butter home again, saying he would have to feed it to his fowls, as there was nothing else he could do with it. — Feilding Star.

I The N.Z. Aero Transport Co's 00 h.p. Avio biplane passed over Otaki ou Friday evening on its way from Wanganui to Wellington. It left the former place at 5.20 p.m. and arrived at Wellington about 7. Ou lauding it came to grief. The aircraft was only a few feet off the ground, when she got iuto an air pueket, and the wheels caught the top wire of a fence, causing the uiachiue to fall. The passengers, Mr Harold Ldwards, of Boulcott avenue, and Mr Kobert Archibald, of Pay's Bay, were uninjured, though considerably shaken, and Pilot Mallard received a slight cut on the mouth. The biplane's wheels and nuder-car-liagc were lorn right oil, the propeller was smashed, and the engine hood was batt«red about. It is the contrasts of life wluch constitute its charm (says an ext change). One professional man had .:> little experience in tins direction Inuring the Christmas vacation. "1 was staying at a club in a big Last Coast town, and was awakened by a tap at the door, and'the entrance oi u liveried attendant, who brought me tea on a silver iray," he said. "A minute or two later and another tap. Shaving water in a silver jug brought, by another unilorined individual. A third personage made his entry a minute later to inquire what i should have lor breakfast. J fell quite at home. Two days later I arrived late at night at a hotel in a big West Coast town where X had the utmost difficulty in arousing anybody, to give me shaving water in a cracked cup, and where I chased the flies during meals. a party ol Aucklauders, Messrs. Phil Seabrook, George Eddowes, Eric Westwood and i, and Mr Merson, who have been motoring through the North Island, were in Cambridge ior three hours on a recent evening before completing the final stage ol their return journey. Since Christmas Day they had visited the Waitomo Caves, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Taupo, and Rotorua, and intermediate towns, pitching a tent for the night when obliged to, and relying on stray rabbits for many of their meals. Each of th& travellers described the tour as a remarkable experience. "Free from the boredom of hotel life, we were able to please ourselves in everything," obsefved Mr Seabrook, who was discovered by a pressman muffled up in the folds of a blanket in one corner of a large Daimler. "We frequently crossed little known streams and traversed roads of a most treacherous nature in. the dead of night, when nothing save the purring of . the engine disturbed the stillness. The trip w*»s a real adventure and one that wi:l remain a memory whh all of us." Btill to the fore with the bet* leather,, the beet workmaiahip, and thß lowest prices. Try me and see ior , yonraelL—Fred Barrett. Dnßßtan St, , Otaki Hallway.—-Advt. ■ <