LOCAL & GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 January 1917, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

4 On page 1 of to-day's issue appears an a 1 tide headed "New Zealand Opin-ions—-Editorially Expressed." and on page 4 articles on "New Zealand Soldiem," and "The Murder of Rasputin," a Russian monk. ' Referring to a letter written by Mr K. Kennedy, in which the writer contended that the Australian soldiers had voted by a majority of 59,773 again-, t conscription, tlio Hen. James Allien, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defence stated yesterday that the .figures quoted in the letter were incorrect. He said that the vote of tlie Australian soldiers was in favour of conscription, but he was not ah Jiherty to give tlie figures. A delightful bit c-f evidence was given in a .Melbourne suburban court- case the other day, says the Melbourne Standard. tSikcs was accused of battering his wife with a frying-pan, and Mrs tSmith, from next door, was in the witness box, giving her version of the recent career of the happy couple. "Once he 'it 'er ovc-t the 'ead with his i-h vol.'' she said. ''Another time I seen 'im kick 'er senseless. .Last time 'e tonic 'is 'ands and feet to her proper: hut when 'e saw 'er next morning. wi.h 'er ffiee all cut up and 'er noise broke 'e forgive 'er -everything." Tlie Wocdville Chamber of Commerce received a. letter from the Hon. J. D. Ormond in reply to a suggestion that lie offer his Wcodville property to the Government for returned soldiers. He was not in favour of doing this, his reasons being that he considers the land unfit on account of river flooding and encroachment, and he also wishes to leave tliis property to his son. Further. tihe land he has already sold benefits no one but well-to-do farmers. The meeting was almost unanimous as to the extreme desirability of the land for settlement by returned soldiers, and Messrs Home and Allan's motion that the seciotary be instructed to again approach the Hon J. I>. -Ormond in refwowe to the selling of this property to the Government was unanimously carried. Levin Borough Conncil has fixed the dog-tax for 1917-18. at 10s per head, reducible- to 5s per head if paid before 20th March next. Dogs used solely for sheep or cattle will be registered for 2s 6d each.

Ten per cent penalty is to be added to all rates unpaid on. 12th February next, due to the Levin Borough Council. Additional War Regulations published in a "Gazette Extraordinary," issued on Tuesday, provide that every person exempted from military service by reason of his occupation shall, on ceasing to be engaged in that occupation. .forthwith by ,registered letter send notice of the fact and of his place of abode to the Commandant of the Defence Forces. The committee, comprising Messrs Blenkhorn, Goldsmith and Keedwell, who were appointed at the - .recent conference of delegates of the Horowhenua County Patriotic Association, to draft the rules and .regulations and and also to proceed with the incorp•oration of the Association, have the business well in hand now, and it is hoped to submit typewritten copies of the rales to the -Minister of War Funds for his approval in a very short time. Once they .receive the official sanction, steps will be taken to have the rules printed in book form and. issued to all- the societies throughout the district. From the Shannon Patriotic Society, Mr C. S. Keedwell. secretary (pro torn), of the Horowhenua. Patriotic Association, lias received intimation that- Mr George Stephen-oil, Rev. CSharles Palmer and Mrs S. J. Gibson have been elected to represent Shannon 011 the management committee of the newly-formed Coun-t-y Patriotic .Association. As soon as the rest of the twenty-seven members who will comprise the management committee for the first twelve months a.re elected by the various districts, the committee will then proceed to appoint officers and set up various subcommittees for the first twelve months. The Levin Express Company will run a drag to Foxton for the races on Monday. Particulars are set out by advertisement in to-day's issue. Wellington produce market- .reports for the week now current state that the, market is in a satisfactory position; parsnips, cabbages land eauli-fihw.-r are selling particularly well. Cauliflowers, choice 10s to 12 sack; prime Ss to 9s; cabbages, choice 6s to Gs Gd, prime 4s 6d to 5s Gd; beetroot 4s to os per sack ; parsnips, choice 10s to lis sack; swedes 3s Gd to 4s; carTots, ehoicc Gs Gd to 8s (id sack* prime 5s to Os; lettuce, choice 3s to 3s Od ; cucumbers 4s Gd to os Gd dozen; marrows, 2-s to 3s sack ; green peas, choice 12s to 14s sack; prime 7s Gd to 9s Gd. The market is fairly buoyant with, Is Gd per dozen ruling for fresh eggs. Late entries for Horowhenua A. and P. Show close with the [secretary ('Mr 11. I>. Wallace, Levin) 011 Saturday next. Details are set out by advertisement on page 4.

The ladies of the Red Cross Guild -are to commence work again to-morrow (Friday) in the shop next to Messrs O. M. Ro.-.s and Co., Oxford-street. They are hoping that all their workers will be) ablo to attend as they did bcTore tilie holidays. The shop, too, is to he opened on. Saturday, and the ladies in charge will 'bo very glad of contributions of any kind of produce, cakes, etc. Cablegrams received -yesterday ("NA ednesday)"state: That Mackensen is held lip and the Rumanian situation is hopc-ful; that Bohemians in the T'rentino revolted because their bread was insufficient; that the -recent victory of the British troops over the Turks at Rafa was atrribn table to dogged perser vera nee of the Australian "Light Tlot.so and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles; that Germany's milk supply is iiijulcquntc; tlifit German "tioops aie moving; that "Frenzied" 'Lawson has named President Wilson's son|-in.-law (Secretai-y Mc-Adoo) as the high o'fficial who was concerned in the leakage of American Cabinet secrets, through knowledgo of which (it ifi alleged) Count Bornstorff profited by two million dollars.

Two striking samples of plums were left at Thro Chronicle office yesterday by Mr -H. Newport, of the Kawfiu Nursery. Levin.. The first lot were of the Santa Rosa variety, described by the great Luther Burbank, in a letter to Mr Rutland', of Victoria, as the best plum ever raised by Burhank. -From Mr Rutland Mr Newport bought the tree From which the fruit sample left at The Ch.rcnicle office was plucked. The second samplo left with us is from a tree called

"Newport's Early." This tree was raised by Mr Newport himself, and

he will be in a. position to suppfly l young trees at any time next season. Tlio plums from this tree are luscious

in flavor, large in size, and .are undoubtedly . superior to ally other plum

that wo hare The trees should give lucrative results to their propagator as soon as they become available for the market, which "will probably be within "the next six

The New Zealand 'Government- is inviting applications for the position of student assistants for the central development farm of the Department of Agriculture at Weraroa. This is the first step towards the training of young men at this experimental farm, which is now the headquarters of the departmental experts. Tlie special opportunities should attract a large number of applicants, particularly as the Department proposes to give special consideration" to those students who have taken the course, in making appointments to the service.

Mir Will B. Matlieson writes in the Farmers' Union Advocate: "Some months ago I received a crumpled envelope from Egypt, and inside found an ear of corn and a scribbled note from a X<ew Zealand nurse saying: "There's -still corn in Egypt. 1 have justs plucked this passing through a ripening . crop.'—'B.M.R." 'Sa I winnowed 'it in my hand and sowed the grains in the shape of her initials. As I sit here this sunny morning I can count forty ears that have come up from it—stumpy ears, heavily bearded, and I wonder if perchance! it might provo a wheat suitable for disparts of New Zealand."

A climax is reported from Greece, where Falkenhayn lias arrived, and Greek troops are marching northward, violating the neutral zone.

A rink of bowlers from -Levin—comprising Ingram, Harris, Porteous and Currio (skip)—motored to 'Foxton jTesterda.y and played against the Foxton holders of the Kinniburg Feathers. The contest was close and enjoyable, being "anybody's game" until the finish. A side wind made play difficult at times. The final score was Foxton 2-1, Levin 22. The ladies of the club entertained the visitors at afternoon tea.

A settlement of the "Irish Question" is said to be in sight. A London cablegram, dated' 10 th January, states that the newest scheme settlement grants Ulster temporary exehision from the general scheme of Home Rule on condition that Ulster accepts the decision of a post-war Imperial Conference.

In the final heat for. the Dominion Rinks Championship, played 1 at Wellington on Wednesday; Eyrie, C7oltman, Coltmair, and Osmond (Auckland) beat Woolf, Brown, .Eraser and Spillcr (United) by 20 to 18. Osmond started by getting a big lead, but through consistent play on the United's part the scores were equalised at the 19th head. In the last two heads play Was very even, both sides drawing excellently, Osmond gaining a point by -a narrow margin in each. In the final for the Pairs Championship Sawyer and Martin (Turanganui) beat Fairley and 'Ferguson (Te Hiwi) by 18 tot 14, the game being even throughout. Martin's win was due to his -superior drawing.

At a meeting of the Kairaraga County Council a letter was received from the Petone Borough Council ro-

garding the discrimination being made by the New Zealand Government in the rates of pay between married and single men in the motor boat patrol service, and asking the council's co-operation in urging th© .Minister of Defcnce to remove this discrimination. The council supported the- suggestion, and it wa-s decided to co-op-erate with the Petonc Council in urging the Minister to give effect to the request, and that the member for the district bo asked to support the 'representations made.

Shannon Bowling Club's championship durables were completed yesterday, the winners being Shankland and Fargher (skip) who defeated 1 the run-ners-up (Mitchell and Galland) by 21 to 14.

"A barrage of ifire which j;ou so often read about consists of about 4000 shells ta ©very hundred yards," writes a New Zealand soldier who took part in the Somme offensive.

During the meeting of the Rangiora iH'igh School Board on Tuesday night the chairman's dog caused a disturbance by rattling the door of the board room. Mr 11. Boyd strongly objected to the dog .being allowed in the room. "I have ikept dcigs 'for years, and have never allowed one in my 'house yet," he said. "They .bring fleas and oil that, no matter how you endeavor to keep .them clean. x 'What would happen if we all brought dogs?" (Chorus of members: An adjournment for the dog fight). Several members said that the chairman's dog seemed to be a "perfect gentleman." Mr Boyd: "I move tha,t the dog he removed f'ronr the room." The motion lapsed for want of a seconder, and the dog remained.

A complaint having been made to the Government that the wife of a railway employee at Paeka.knriki was competing with a local dairyman in supplying milk to various customers in that township, the Hon. W. Berries baa caused enquiry to be made into the matter, and has written upholding the officer's freedom of action. The Minister states: "It appeals abundantly evident that '» considerable number of the residents of Paekaka-rik-ii are not :n sympathy with the attempt that is being made to curtail the liberty of Mrs Foley by implying that :her husband is neglecting his duties as a railwayman, and competing in railway) time with outsiders. I have already made it quite cleiar Hi another similar case that the (railway department cannot interfere in the domestic arrangements of its employees,

and .koi long .as .railwayman devote themselves to their duties in railway time there is no reason' why . they should not supplement their earnings in their own time. Where, as in this instance,, the wife and family of a man in the lowei" 'ranks of the service iiaig the energy and ability to assist the breadwinner, 1 am of opinion that they should be left to do so, even if not encouraged."