HOROWHENUA NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10206, 17 February 1919, Page 3

HOROWHENUA NOTES

(From Our Own Correspondent.) OTAKI, February 15. At last night's meeting of the Otaki Patriotio Society, ttfe secretary reported having received a number of telegrams advising the society of the return noma .of a number of soldiers. It was stated that in practically every instance too men hart not returned by the train advised. The secretary stated that at one timo the society bad endeavoured to meet every returning soldier and convey him to Lis home by motor-car.. However, they had had so much difficulty In ascertaining the train by which soldiers would travel that they had had to discontinue the practice. The meeting expressed regret that circumstances made it almost impossible to meet the men at the railway station'on their return, and suggested that it would bo better to give them a welcome home at aooial gatherings from time to time. The St. John Ambulance and Red Cross Society has resolved to discontinue flower selling at the local railway station as from to-morrow. Owing to the facts that many of the trains make but short stoppages at Otaki (the refreshment rooms being now closed), and that the war is at an end, it is felt advisable to take this step. During the two years that the flower-selling at the Otaki railway station has been under the local Bed Cross Society, the sum of over .£225 has been raised by this means. Previous to the Red Cross Society taking up this work, a very considerable sum was raised by the same means. The poll in connection with the proposal to rate on the unimproved value in the town district of Otaki is to be taken on Tuesday, March 4th. The public of Otaki and district subscribed liberally, somo time ago, for the purchase of two billiard-tablos for i\so by the soldiers who were then under treatment at the Otaki Sanatorium. One of the tables was immediately erected at the sanatorium. Soon afterwards, however, the soldiers wero removed to Cambridge, and the' billiard-table was of no furlhor use at Otaki, and was sent on to Cambridge. The second billiardtable has been' stored at Otaki ever since. Recently the Otaki Patriotic Society mado inquiries and ascertained that it would be useful at Cambridge and would bo appreciated by the soldiers there. Therefore that, too, has been sent to Cambridge and erected there. The soldiers, who find the timo hang heavily on their hands in such an institution as To Waikato, jjreatly appreciate the tables.