ELTHAM.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1917, Page 3

ELTHAM.

From Our Owrr Correspondent. Eltham, Dec. 14. There was a good attendance of members of the Women's Nationai Reserve at the grounds of the Mayor (Mr. T. B. Crump) yesterday. The afternoon passed very pleasantly, and it was pleasing to notice that several mothers and wives of the men at the front were also present. Occasion was taken of the opportunity to present Mrs. H. J. Barnard, who ha's figured largely in patriotic work, with two presentations, one from the ladies of the Belgian Sewing Guild and the other from the ladies interested in other patriotic work with which Mrs. Barnard was also identified. The gifts were handed over by the Mayor and the Hon. W. Carneross, both of whom eulogised the untiring efforts and excellent results secured by Mrs. Barnard in her patriotic work. Mr. L. B. Grimstone replied on behalf of Mrs. Barnard, who had had the misfortune to lose a second son, Charlie, at the front, and was visibly affected at the expressions of sympathy extended to her.

After sending six sons to the front Mr. and Mrs. H. J Barnard have received the melancholy news that Charlie, who left some time back, had been killed in action in Xovember. Two of the sons, Frank and Jim, have come back invalided and have been discharged, and two, "Joe'' and "Monty,'' are still somewhere with the forces*. Harry fell at Gallipoli, and now Charlie has paid the supreme penalty. Mr. Barnard is now stationed at Wellington. To-day I had a chat with Mr. W. D." Ross, who, besides his duties as manager of the Bank of New Sooth Wales, finds time to look after tho secretarial work of the Overseas Club, which possesses a large membership in this town and district. He informs me that more literature and photographs have come t« hand. To-morrow (Saturday) these will placed in the window of one of Mr. Wilkinson's buildings. Samples of tobacco and cigarettes which the club is sending to the front will also be displayed. In this connection it is interesting to learn that Eltham sends money away weekly sufficient to buy 3« soldiers a smoke. The club has been in existence a few years now, and the letters received from pleased soldiers justify the efforts of the club in keeping up these contributions. There was an interested body of business men and others nsscm'bled'lPre yesterday at the invitation of Mr. Xewton King!. The object fl f the assemblage was to witness a demonstration of the While motor dump, a machine recently purchased by the Eltham County Council' through the agency of Mr. King. Before the demonstration those Invited Were treated to luncheon, during the course of which Mr. King complimented the ElthJim County Council on the state of their roads. Cr. C. .1. Belcher modestly replied that it had ever been the object of the council to have a progressive policy, through successive chairmen, and there were now about 4ft miles of tir*ealcd roads. _ The working of the motor dump was very closely watched, the scene being Ttotokare. en route to which are several awkward turns and steep grades. These were negotiated with apparent ease and the work of the "dump" was ' considered very satisfactory,