HALCOMBE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9461, 2 June 1909, Page 6

HALCOMBE.

Pronj Oar Own Correspondent.

A motor oar and two doctors alighting therefrom at your friend’s door suggests trouble within the home, and I was sorry to learn that Mr Thorby, of Stanway, was in need of suoh attention and we sincerely hope, 'that his present serious condition: will prove transitory, and that after being operated (upon in Palmerston he may return to us rejuvinated. “Empire Day” was marked here, by the display of ; bunting and loyalty. Though a few of the absent-minded forgot the 24th and its significance, our , children weremade conscious of its importance by their teachers, who, after the flag had been run up and saluted and national songs sang, devoted the morning to the special:"consideration of Empire questions. In the afternoon the chairman of* the School Committee addressed the scholars upon Empire building and character building and the tense interest shown by theip in every phase of the subjects treatedjwas commented upon by the speaker, who accepted their alert attention and evident comprehension as unniistakeableHevidence of their own intelligence and the wisdom of their instructors.

The Methodist social held in their pretty church on Wednesday last adds one more to their long list of social 'successes.. The evening’s programme was pleasingly introduced by the Rev. Clover and was rendered enjoyable by the contributions of speeches by the Rev. Clover and Mr t W. Forgnssqn. 'Vocal and instrumental duets by Miss and Mr S. Managh, the MiSsea Clover and Messrs Jonski and Krecher; songs by Mesdames W, Williarpa and W. Eergnsaon, and the Misses Bell, Thompson,! and Morrison, and Messrs J. Quarrie and W. Fergusson recitations by Miss Eva and Master A, Clover .and Mr R. Fergusson. Then the presentation of. choice gifts from the congregation to Miss Managh in recognition of her services in connection with the* and school, and as an indication of the esteem in which she is held by all. Mr Powell, on behalf of bia prospective bride, warmly acknowledged the compliments paid and thanked all for their kind gifts and goodjwishes for her fntnre happiness. Supper being Announced additional good things were served up with generous profusion. Our Literary Society held its usual fortnightly meeting on the same night a£ the social, bat, notwithstanding the strong attraction, ethere were about thirty present to discuss* the questions of the day, which included Dreadnoughts of the masculine and feminine gender, the latter, of course,, being represented, by the suffragettes Car offer to provide England with the one and the presence in England of the other were justified. At the next meeting of this evergreen Society tjhe contents of its journal will be read and discussed. The editor invites contributions to its columns upon any subject of general or special interest, whether “ original, copied or compiled. , Mr L. Bnrcham discharged the duties of chairman in the absence of the president. The football season was opened here during the week with a friendly game between Kakariki and Halcombs, when the former scored -20 to Haloombe’s 3. •

As onr recreation ground is undergo! ng reformation under the energetic direction of Mr MiloKew, our boys have to pastures new upon which to play their popular games. Next year it is hoped that ' onr cricket, football and tennis clubs will have better grounds for contention than previously enjoyed by mem. A u other pleasant card contest played on ‘Tuesday between the “Town” and Foresters ended in another win for the former by the narrow margin of one game. This is the result of the loser’s gameness, who, though often .beaten badly by their opponents, have oome ftp again smiling for another round, and now they have all. but scored a welldeserved victory. Mr Moore, a Farmers’ Union delegate at their last Conference, during a patriotic speech, is reported tp have declared that “he would rather be under Sir Joseph Ward’s, supervision than drink sanerkrant with “Tommy Taylor.” “Not the slightest doubt of it,” for- in my opinion salted shredded long compressed and Jbighly odoriferous cabhage is not the most seductive “beverage.” nor one that would tempt a fellow “to take more than was good for him.” Now that we may soon expect to hear of the doings of “Teddy Roosevelt, ’ ’ who is after big game (though he declares' that’s not the main object of his we read with renewed interest, descriptions of this sport of Kings, and esPresidents; Especially interesting in this- connection is Mr O. Fynney’a plain tale (as told in the “Houggai”) o? how he bagged three lions with eight shots. This hunter is Resident Magistrate at Übolnbo, S.A., and as you read yo.u realise that there is no superfluous paint laid on the pictures, and how the hunted may not permit the hunter sufficient time to become expert in the sport and enable him to face a charging lion, and with the aid of a gun stop his rapid gallop and make him pause just before he gets his paws on. One can also understand as he reads that it may not always be good even for the king of beasts to be compelled to appear before, the “beak.” I knew that terrier dogs were all pluck, but did not know that they would as readily face a lion in ins jungle as they will a rat in a rag hag. Mr Fynney s “Nibbs” went in joyously to one of the three and was at once returned to ms master—dead. In “From Sea to Sea” » Kipling tells of a Maharaja who has bagged 38 tigers and who preserved his game most carefully, and from whour permission to shoot tigers was difficult to obtain. A J/‘corner” in tigers may be pleasant and profitable, and I should certainly prefer it to being cornered by the oats. AH our riflemen will be interested in the Maxim silencer which not only kills noise -caused by gas explosion, hut also reduces the recoil by 50 per cent* The muting ia effected by a turbine tube attachment, which is. about 4in. long and in diameter, and which is screwed on to the- muzzle of the rifle. This invention reduces the , “report” of an ordinary .303 to the noise caused by a knife when thrust into* a potato. So now with smokeless powder our potato can he cooked, without us seeing, hearing or knowing the position of the cook or crook. ’'