THE OTAKI MAIL. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 10 December 1923, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

With reference to the destructive habit." of rabits ou young trees, a corespondent to a contemporary >ayJ that if trees arc rubbed with animal fat when thev are planted, it will be found thai the rabbit will not touch them. A bread war is being waged in. Chj-istchurch just now, Two big bakers have been "cutting" each other, reducing prices from 5d per 21b loaf to as low as -?d. As a result, naturally, these bakers are having a very large output.

•' 'When I see a motorist who I know won't give war on the road. I always -war mv car to right and left across the "road, and make him think I'm drunk," said a member of the Automobile Committee at a recent noting. When the laughter had died down. tn.e member explained that the ruse was really very effective. _in fact he, had never known it to fail.

A city boy wrote to his brother on the farm as follows; "Thursday Tre autoed out to the country club, where we golfed until dark. Then we trained back to town, and till dawn. Then we motored out to the beach, and Fridayed there." The brother wrote back: "Yesterday we bnggied to town, and cricketed all afternoon. Then 'we went to Ned's and pokered until morning. To-day we tramped out to the paddock and havricked until sundown. Then vre dinnerc-d and piped for a while. After that we staircased up to our room and bodMeaded until the clock fived."

The history of the world has been ■n-rite-n in it: love stories and this i* its j;reaiest one. With it Sarß.h Bernhardt thrilled audiences of two continents; in screen from it adds an asfounding spectacle to his gripping poTver. It is a woman's story—of an empress trho gave riches and imperial rule —vi-ho looked a horde of lions on her helpless people in a vain effort to save for herself, him she loved. "Theodora" so far surpasses any previous effort of screen productions that compari'O" i> impossible. It required tiro vp,-,r.. to produce, and cost " 3,000,000 dollar? f£600.000). There are 25.000 people in the can. eeaaed by Bita Jolivet and the greatest screen and

stage stars of all Europe. "Theodora's palaces and hippodromes tccuM alone be a feast for the eye; its numbera make all pa«e motion picture effort- seem Trealt. Its coat st-agser;:

its dracia-tic tiover crips the heart its splendors amaze the eve. If yoirmiss "Theodora" vou may a.* well stop goiig_to see mouoa pictures. It i 3 the world's most ejaanng sge^fcielgj

Owing to the wet weather all out- , door games for Saturday were pest- ; poned. i Mr J. S. Hornblow,. sou or Mr and | Mrs J. K. Hornblow, of Foxton, passed ( his final dental examination at the (Xago University with honours lust week. Owing to Uie climbing proclivities of certain small boys several of the trees which ornament Oxford Street. Levin, in the vicinity of the station have sustained broken' branches during the past we'ek. The first crop of war-named babies is now- commencing to appear in print. . At the Little River Show a juvenile exhibited rejoiced in the Christian name ot "Dardanelles." He (.or she.) i won. naturally. The stall at the Longburii Freezing . Works are making preparations to J commence operations on the lllli ins'. I The output of the Levin Co-opera- 1 live Dairy lor tie six months from May 31 to November 30, 1923, shows an increase of 5 tons over that lor tin same period last year.

A remarkable case vf parsimony was brought to iight in a South Island town-recently, when an old lady who had ben receiving the old age pension for some time dropped dead. On her person was found £lO7 in notes, and hidden away in un old box in her home was an additional £3OO.

A mall , relates I lie "Marlbniuiigh Express"; walked into a local music shop and said to the young lady behind the counter:- "Have you 'Yes, we have uo bananas.'' " She replied, "Yes, we haven't nO bananas—l mean. no, we haven't 'Yes we have 110 bananas.' but we'll have some to-mor-row," with which he had to be satisfied.

Mr. I'. M. Grayling, contractor for the water-works, was among the visitors to Otnki to-day, after travelling via Wairarapa to Wellington. In conversation with Mr. Grayling he assured us thai Otnki has a high-pressure service it should be proud of, and spoke highlr of the capabilities of our engineer. Mr. Da vies, who he considered one of the best engineers lie had see".

Mr J. M. Bingham, 01 the office stall of,' the Horowheuua Power Lfoai'd, is relinquishing his position in Levin and will be leaving for Auckland ill about three weeks' time to take charge oi the construction department, of Kadio, Ltd., oi the northern city. Mr Bingham has been recently advised that he has been elected an associate of the American Institute of Electrical Entrineers.

Novel and effective ways Of clearing out stock or popularising some special line are adopted by some enterprising American firms. The latest idea is a "one-cent sale." A list of articles is advertised at usual prices and the purchaser of one of them receives ail extra one for a cent. Thus a bottle of Florida water is sold at a dollar, and during the one cent sale two botles are sold for one dollar one cent. Such sales generally last for three days and it is claimed that they cause a great rush, and a thorough clearance of tjhe lines advertised.

The Foxloii Herald says: Perhaps m no other town in the Dominion is there a closer band of fellowship and co-operation among! local ministers and. congregations of the several Protestant chinches. .It is not uncommon for the Anglican minister to be seen n-iid heard conducting a weeknight service in urn; o[ the other

churches and non-conformists carrying out a like service in the Anglican Church.. Tliis spirit of brotherhood welds the congregations together in Christian unity and the effect is beneficial upon the communitv as a whole.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the prospects lor a large crop oi strawberries are uniavouraWy affected by the present dry spell iollowinv, on a '-oi 1-' and u-et spring. 1: is feared that in many districts the yield wiil be an unubually light one-. Moist. waim conditions are wanted to ensure i.iiure supplies, ftiiling which it is anticipated that this year's crop will

be about half the yield of a good season. Considering the supplies available, however, current prices are not high., but it is expected that they will rtße as Christmas approaches.

Tlie usual monthly slop-work meeting ol the Wanganui Waterside Workers' Union took place on Monday morning. It was very unlortunate for th« watersides tliat on the first Monday of the month there should happen to be a steamer in the roadstead, two Australian vessels at Castlecliff, and three coastal boats at the town svharf all waiting labour for discharge. However, regulations are regulations, and so work was stopped while minutes were read and confirmed, union business transacted, and argument heard pro and con about several weighty matters. This went on lox an hour or two while good wages were lost bv the watersiders, and valuable time was wasted thai might have been better used in carrying on the business of tiie port.—Wanganui '"Chronic"!*. 1 '

Do vour Xrnas shopping early. A pair of shfies makes a useful present, dust landed: Sand shoes, all white soles, onlv 5/6 a pair, at Irvine's; also English white Poplin lace shoes, high heels. 12/6: Clarke's make. Louie heels, 19/rj; also children's English sandals and white shoes at Irvine's shoe store. Otaki. —Advt. A young ladv is advertised for. Ana, poultry is advertised for sale. A parcel of -ilk is advertised for. Anv youth desiring work should ring Rangiuru House. Several "sports" are advertised fo*. >e,. wanted column. Messrs \V. Bull. Ltd.. advertise the prices of their Xmas hampers. Inlaid linoleums may be had cheap on application to the "Mail" Office. A motor-cycle is advertised for sale at a low price for quick sale. The Paraparaumu sports' programme will appear next issue. A meeting of all interested in the radium fund will be held to-night. Tenders close on Thursday for various works for the Otaki Borough Council. A meeting on afforestation wiil be held, as- advertised, at the theatre sample-rooms on Wednesday night. The Te Horo Methodist LadiesGuild Trill hold a garden party at 3Xr. H. TTindley's grounds on December 15th. See advertisement. Mr. E. Looser, who specialises in watches and high-class jewellery, is mailing a ;.ice display of goods 'suitable for Xmas gifts. Captain Bare, who stocks only highclass goods, has on hand several fine lines of men's and children's wear, at prices that defy competition. " !

Sports' programme? for the Otaki ana ITaikinae Athletic Clubs are advertised 'and Ehouid be carefully perused. Both are attractive and"'zce-es''in-terest should be shows in them.

Fred Barret-, after -rinran? all the TB-3", nrivr head? the list for boor - c 'd ?hoe repairs." He has hot challenges for up-to-date boots, and a visit to bis shop Trill show what high-grade goods he keeps. Sea his 2£i£*SAol% — A&tt

There are now some 70 residences at the Otaki beach while contracts have been let for the erection of several more. The little township is rapidly ,' growing, and now that high-pressure and j other conveniences have been laid on. should prove the best resort on this coast. The sale of Rangiuxu sections, to have been held on behalf of Mr. Hopkins on January 12th, has been postponed on account of plans being unavailable. The date has now been fixed for January- 2tith (Saturday). The original plan' of the sections will be displayed in the "Mail" window to-inor-Mr. Byron Brown intends opening the ne« tennis courts at the beach before I'i-.ristmns, and arrangements are in hand for the event. A fine pavilion. in place of the one destroyed by lire, is to n ■ erected of concrete blocks. Tt will measure --ft x 14ft, contain a lire place, etc., and be surrounded by a verandah --ft \ 12ft. The courts will be free for this season to the beach people. A correspondent writes drawing at-teut-ion to the disgraceful state of the Otaki public cemetery, adding "that the little gardens round the graves that looked so nice a little while ago i.te now overgrown with long grass and fern, in fact one can scarcely sec the headstones." The paths are also untidy, and the general appearance therefore far from satisfactory, ft is hoped that our Borough Council will give this I matter their attention, and make the 1 ccmeterv more attractive to visitors.