The Chrønicle. LEVIN. TUESDAY, February 5.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 February 1918, Page 2

The Chrønicle. LEVIN. TUESDAY, February 5.

[ "Chronicle" subscribers are reminded that Saturday next is the last day for the payment of the quarterly smcriptions in advance, which secures t concession of one shilling- on the payment for the current three months. The following- pupils of the Levin school have passed the Public Service Entrance Examination: Robina Bruce Gibson, George Joseph Harper. A two-and-a-hali year old son of Mr H. Hook had the misfortune to break his thigh on Thursday by falling off a form. He was taken to the Otaki Hospital for treatment and is making satisfactory progress. It is probable that Parliament will sit early this year owing to Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward going to England again to attend the meeting of the War Cabinet and Imperial Conference. Mr J. Davison, of Levin, received word from the Base Records yesterday evening that his son, Sergt. J. J. Davison, a wellknown Levin boy, has been transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Hornchurc,h after having been two months in hospital. A grand benefit conceit will be held in the Century Hall on Friday night at 8 p.m. In aid of the sufferers by the recent disastrous floods ill Queensland. The opportunity is here given for all to show their sympathy with their unfortunate fellows who have lost tlieir all in tliis terrible calamity. A good programme has been arranged, and one shilling will secure admission to any part of the Hall. . The promoters appeal to "Chronicle" readers to do their best to make this roncert. and its pui-pose as widely known as possible. His Worship thu ."Mayor will preside.

A quantity of reading matter is held over to-day, including iioiwugli Council reports and letters to the editor. 'i'o-jiiorrow two rinks ~J: haulers from Levin will visit i oxlon to play the holders of the (Join Stars and tlie Awaliou Feathers. The challenging team for the Stars will be skipped by Porteous, and Broughton will skip the other. The liev. Father Dore, M.C. who was ill charge of the Foxton Parish before leaving with the Main Body, has been re-appointed to the charge with the assistance of Father Forrestal, in succession to Father Corley. Father Dore still suffers from the effects of wounds sustained on Gallipoli.

Noxious weeds in various parts of the Borough were mentioned at last night's meeting of the Borough Council. Cr Matlieson said foxglove and blackberry were to be seen oil the "VVaiopeliu reserve, and Cr Lancaster said there were some patches of Californian thistle on the streets that needed attention. The Overseer was instructed to attend to the matter.

The Levin Borough Council has fixed the dog tax for 1918, at 10s per head, reducible to 5s per head if paid by March 20th, 1918, except sheep and cattle dogs used solely for the purpose of driving or herding cattle, . for which a charge of 2s 6d will be made. Legal proceedings will be taken against owners of dogs who fail, to register by March 30, 1918. Mr B. K. Gardener, Town Clerk, is appointed registrar.

The Rev. J. H. Simraonds, of Auckland, had arranged, at tho invitation of the Wellington Provincial Executive of tho Farmers' Union, to give a series of addresses at several of the principal districts in the Rangitikei and Manawatu on private forestry, and how to grow trees for shelter., firewood, fencing material and sawn timber. The flrst address is to be given at Marton on the 12tli February, then follow lectures at Feilding on the 15th, Palmerston lGth, Shannon 19th, and Levin 20th. The lecturer prefers to deliver his addresses at some plantation, where a practical demonstration is possible. He has just completed a series of, lectures in the Wairarapa.

He' is a very broad, not to say massive gentleman, who is well known in the city for his connection with matters military (says the Christchurch "Sun"). Dire misfortune overtook him in a picture theatre the other day. Brieflly, he found, when attempting to leave during the interval, that he had become firmly wedged to his seat. No doubt thinking that to rise with a row of seats firmly attached to him, and with possibly several of the audience suspended in mid-air, would seem undignified, he subsided after much surreptitious wriggling, into a state of silent profanity, which endured for two screening's of the star feature, until the close' of the show. The departure of the audience left- him free to give his attention to the wrenching proeess necessary to secure his liberty.

It is announced that owing to the necessity to exercise extreme economy in expenditure it has been decided that all special and other grants allotted to districts for the purpose of holding district and group rifle meetings will be cancelled, and remain suspended during the continuance of the war. All grants not yet expended made for the provision of prizes, marking fees, and for railway passes in this connection therefore will be withdrawn from this date. Rifle meetings will, however, be allowed to continue provided that no expense to the Defence Department is caused by their being held.

A plen, which was alleged to be in the interests of the children, and to the effect that during February the public schools should be opened in the mornings only, received some trenchant criticism at the meeting of the Wanjjanui Education Board on Wednesday night. '' During last summer some schools were open and some were closed —just as it suited the caprice of the tcacher," said the chairman (Mr F. Pirani). "I know of one' school which closed on a cool day because the was .away at the races." "Did you come across him?'.' interjected one of the Boord members. "Yes," replied the chairman, "that is how I knew."

A party of members of the Workers' Educational Association paid a visit of inspection to the Drainage Board's irrigation farm at Bromley (Christchurch) on Saturday afternoon, being shown over the farm by Messrs H. Bruce, F. H. Seymour, and Corporal L. C. Walker. Corporal Walker, who is on leave from camp at present, gave an interesting description of the method of work carried on at the farm, by means of which the original sand dunes had been converted into productive soil, enabling anaverage of 500 head of stock to be carried -on- the 339 acres of the farm during the year. A practical demonstration of ensilage making was given, and after refreshments had been partaken of a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the hosts for their kindness.

ihe Levin Fire Brigade wrote to the Borough Council at last evening's meeting asking for a grant of <£'10 towards the expense of sending a delegate to the U.E.B.A. Conference at Tauranga on February 24th. The <£10 included payment of levy of to the U.F.B.A. The Mayor considered the grant should be made. The Brigade intimated also that, it had decided to ask that next year's conference be held in Levin. Cr Mackenzie asked what remuneration was granted to local firemen for attending practices and fires. He thought !• the pay was on the small side, and if they had money to spend, would it not be better to increase the pay and let all the men benefit. Cr Parker, one of the. Council's representatives on the Brigade, questioned the value of the Conference. Some good might be received if a demonstration were held where the men might see the latest fire-fighting methods. He did not object to granting (the - £10, but asked whether it was the wisest; way of spending it. Crs Bryson, Matlieson and Lancaster supported the grant as a recognition of the Brigade's services. The Town Clerk said that out of a sunx.of £55 placed on the Estimates for the Brigade, only £35 had so far been expended. Cr Lncaster moved that the £10 be granted as requested and this was carried.

The censor of films has examined 498,210 feet of moving pictures for the ten months ending the 31st January. He has made 19 cuts and refused two subjects. The 'films examined now totul .4,800.580 feet.

There is an old Eastern propiicey that wonderful benefactions will happen to the Moslem world if the army of a Christian enter Jerusalem on a Friday. What its origin is deponent cannot state. But the existence of thiß prophecy has been communicated by cablc to General Allenby. Considering the enormous Moslem population within the Empire it is of great importance to effect their imagination favourably.

Shortly before the war began a relaative of a New Zealand resident purchased ten shares in a shipping company at Home for £10 each. The company was paying 15 per cent, before the war, and during the three years since the dividends have been 20, 23, and 30 per cent., all free of income tax. Recently the lucky investor received a further cheque for £200, with a circular saying that the company had an accumulation of capital, and '■ had decided to distribute "part" of it amongst the shareholders—£2o per share. In little more than three years the capital invested has been returned threefold, and the investor still holds the shares. , ,

"The only thing dairy companies in this district do not seem to ask for is a picture film company," observed Mr Justice Edwards at the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, on Saturday morning. The remark was made in connection Willi ail application from a dairy company to extend its functions in certain directions. Mr A. H. Johnstr-is.-.-whr; appeared in support' or the application, said a picture show seemed a most lucrative sourco of income. No doubt dairy companies would apply for one in, due course. Pictures could bo shown while the suppliers were waiting to discharge their- milk in the morningß.— '' Taranaki Herald."

Writes a Mania soldier from France: I ha ye read somewhere or have been told of the hard tasks that the women of the Tarana.ki cow district perform. ':■[ But their lives are a luxury of rest and ease compared to the hard lives of those French girls and women. Now Zealand women should come out here to learn what hard tvork means. To me it is repugnant and the tendency must be to coarsen and produce a hard fibre. Though in actual fact it does not appear to, if one may judge from the conversation and manners of these women. You will see them loading ajA carting . manures, grooming and stabling horses, cutting and loading ' wood, working chaff, cutters and wood pulpers, the latter especially very la- ■ borious work, carrying heavy .loads of mangolds on a yoke across the shoulders, just as .Chinese vegetable sellers do, and similar heavy "work. And their hours are from dawn till dark. Nor is this because it is war time. lam told it is their normal work. And as there is no Sunday in tho sense that we regard it, theirs is a seven days' working week. It is rather singular that at the present time there should be in Auckland a French chef who actually had Count von Luekner nnder him as kitchen boy in Adelaide (says the "Star"). This is M. Alex Faure, proprietor of tho Saratoga French fish delicacy shop, in Symonds Street. M. Faure showed a representative of the paper his discharge certificate from Larg's Pier Hotel, Adelaide, dated 1904, and signed by E. Alexander. M. Faure said: "I was chef when von Luekner was kitchen boy. It happened this way. The barmaid was a German, and she got von Luekner the job of kitchen boy! Of course I did not know he was a ccnint at that time. The ; baraaid said to me, 'Don't be hard on this boy. He knows nothing, but he good to him.' It was quite true- he knew nothing of his work, but I could see ho \tias a gentleman. After peeling potatoes or doing any dirty job he was very careful to clean his nails and have a bath in tho middle of, the day. 1 should think he was about 17 years old at that time, and rather effeminate- ■, looking. It was the German barmaid who saked me to find something for the lad to do. He left about three weeks afterwards. Now comes the peculiar ; part of the affair. Two or tkree weeks later I was in Adelaide, : and"there I saw, * my old kitchen boy. He was always a gentleman, but this time he was dressed as one, the cut of his clothes being, faultless. Although an enemy,- X still say he is a'gentleman, and would shake