HALCOMBE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8960, 28 October 1907, Page 3

HALCOMBE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Our School Committee met on Saturday evening in Mr Purkiss’ ofiice. The business consisted principally in paying accounts, which Amounted to £8 33s 6d, £G Jus of which was for fencing a portion of the school ground, and of which the Board agrees to pay half. The Visit" iiig Committee, Messrs Adam and W. A. Bell, reported on the condition of ventilators and skylights, which leaked badly and flooded the floors during the last heavy rains. Mr J. Graves has the repairing work iu hand, and states that he doubts if a good job can ho mado without resetting them in a proper manner, which was not done originally. As this! moans a heavier outlay than the Committed cab finance the Board’s attention may haVo to be directed to the defects. Mr S. Strachau informs life that ho has purchased a 700 acre tariff m Waitnua West, and his many friends will wish that the same success that has rewarded his efforts as a school teacher during the past twenty years will he with him as a sheep farmer. Mr Strachan, who was born upon the laud, and is a farmer’s sou, dis-

played nature’s bias by being among the first to practically teach school gardening and agriculture. That birds of a feather flock together is curiously illustrated iu his case, for iu his now location Mr Strachau. will have as übar neighbours three ex school ihasteis. each of whom appears on the register as “all there.” Successful and largely attended revival services have boon recently hold iu our Primitive Methodist Church under the joint direction of the Revs. Clover and Walker, and the efforts of these gentlemen were ably assisted by two visiting lady evangelists; The Pending Salvation Army Band and songsters appeared hero on the 23ud instant to a fair house, which would have been much increased if due notice had been given of their intended visit. The programme was varied and well worth the money charged, which was earmarked “self-denial fund.” Certainly there could have been little of tiro self-denial experienced by those who paid the modest Is to listen to tho efforts of theso prac-

tiscd por formers. It is not often we hear tiro inspiriting strains of a full blown band, and for this reason alone tins combination is always welcomed by us. Apart from this fact, however, wo have long been conscious that the ‘ ‘ Army, ’ ’ through its vast and varied institutions, are doing splendid work throughout the world, and that the money placed in' their hands will bo disbursed in helping some “poor shipwrecked brother or sister.” The Feildiugrepresentatives of this mighty organisation will pay us another visit in about a mouth’s time. Mr Bertram, who was recently granted his diploma in the Home land, has returned to the Dominion, and is now staying with his sister, Mrs Ernest Carr. The Bertrams were Halcombe residents even before my time. It is no wonder, therefore, that the young doctor shoulu feel a kindly interest m the old identities—one of whom is Mr Reese, a veteran soldier of 1 4 years of age, who has fought through four wars, and is now fighting against the invincible and ever-victorious general, Death. However,jwith.such skilled professional help at hand, ] and the attention of sympathetic neighbours, it is hoped to make tnc old soldier’s march to the Bettor Land as painless as possible. About the most subtle piece of satire that I have struck for a long time appeared the other day in the Wellington Times:—“Miss (I’m too considerate of the sex to write the yonug lady’s name) lias published a book of Lew Zealand poetry. The excellence of the work may bo judged from the fact that Thomas Bracken is not considered worthy of a place in the collection. Let us hope that if the quoted hues (from memory) were read by the fair compiler that they were not understood.” , , 0 Most people know that it taKos time for information to reach head quarters, and time for our nerves and muscles to act upon orders—most of ns have been conscious of bolding something hot and hurtful longer than seemed necessary—the following incident will servo to show that such time sometimes moans money lost. The other day a friend of

mine stepped upon .a penny-in-tno-,-lot -weighing machine. Ho took a coin from ins “odd coppers” pocket, ind when placing it in the slot saw that it was a florin, bnt before the 11 iL. tn ‘ ‘ crriv it’ ’ could bo obeyed it vSroleasfd in accordance with the ■ Li. firm* previously received. ID tS weatlmr? though ang improvomm npon that which has prevailed the pj three to from fipring-life with tho other life seem ??wcek while the cold g ule 'V f r iw P fruit blossoms apapple and other irni wintry near out of touch With these wi y winds and sunless days.

Chesterfields, DivaJi easy aud easy chairs of every de, I the acme of protection, aiPalmerston colm 'Famishing Co. .Lfcd.PainwrsK"* Jf th,*