THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 5 February 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The rainfall in Timaru for January 1 was over six'inches, exceeding over two metres any January in a quarter of a century. _

Large quantities of fish have been caught off the Otaki beach during the past few days. The hauls included largo numbers of flounders. Wild pigs are said to be numerous on the Tararuas, but deer arc not so plentiful. Although': many have been liberated, few have been seen.

A strong effort is being made to strengthen the membership of the Levin Brass .Band, and already several names of players have been handed in.

The Chinamen of New Zealand appear to have been hoarding gold during the period of the war. Ouc of them produced forty sovereigns in Masterton last week iu payment of an account. The Army Salvage. Committee is salvaging/ a hundred thousand tons, of buried barbed wire in France, worth fa per ton, by means of a speciallydesigned machine.

The number of patients iu the Palmerston- North Hospital on January 1 was 7-1. During, the month 8(5 patients were admitted, 95 were discharged, and five died, -leaving <SO in the hospital on February 1,

The brown filly owned by the late Messrs Bright Bros., and which has been in Mr Nat Williams’ stable, failed to sell at’Vfoutlay 's sale; but yesterday found a,- purchaser in’ Mr W, H. Bowden, who bought her for racing purposes.

When dress goods are reduced from Is lid to 101 d yard there must bo some good reason, Stiles and Matheson’s. reason is that they have linked up t ith a big London firm—this enables them to sell certain lines at wholesale prices. Read of to-day's special sale bargains in this paper.

At the Supreme Court, Wellington, oil Monday, Thomas Albrecht was charged with manslaughter concerning the death of his mother, whom he is said, by. the prosecution, to have struck, thus causing her death. Accused denied having struck his mother, and said he was on good terms with her. She was subject to iits, and on the night of the trouble fell to the floor. The jury disagreed, and a new trial was ordered.

A To Iloro farmer writes us: —“We trust that the effort to form a branch of the Farmers’ Union at To Iloro will lie crowned with success, ns the reward of persistence. It is in the interests of-the whole community that the farmer should unite in the light of a sane, steady, just, tolerating policy that will dissipate ■ the shadows that seem threatening the path of the future. Xuw is the time for the ‘small farmer’ to come iu out of the wet.”

An Australian sergeant in a letter ‘o the ‘ ‘British-Australasian, ’ ’ writing from the transport Miltiades, says the conditions in the third-class are a disgrace to the Australian Government. The sanitary arrangements are shocking, and the drinking water is salty and is condemned by the doctors. There have been three premature births already. The food is poor and husbands aboard are only allowed to see their wives for two hours daily. Private G. Tattersall. writing from Belgium, states that he had started on a march to Germany, which was not all beer and skittles, lie had had a fortnight.of “hoofing’' it, their object being the Rhine, where they were to do garrison duty. The pack was no means lighter at the end of each day, and it was nob: encouraging to think another 100 miles had to -be covered “per boot.” It appears that Fritz had not given up sufficient railway stock to carry the troops—hence the walk. George, in conclusion, states “he was as tired as a Maori dog, and was going to curl up in his bundle of straw.”

, 1 . ITfe&lfflara:;! : '/i iff ’ A’-iwl-tv A;< ! i;'. ■44»S' 3. I H ;[kgl|aß t* !£ fejs 1 *Theima pop u^^tyof" i w<F ’ up among the soldiers was demonstrated by the evidence given before the Sardinia inquiry at Sydney. One officer, stated: “I,have seen two-up played in France. As soon as a battery got out of the line and got a few minutes off. the game would commence.’ It was plaved everywhere. In Egypt I have seer- acre? of ground covered with twoup schools, and the same in France. I have seen officers playing with the seen, I-remember Genera! Bird wood motoring through our fellows’ lines at Badencdurf, when two-up was in fall swing on both sides o£ the road. The General just smiled, and waved his qrra in salute.” Another officer said: “ Wherever there-are Australian troops there will be gambling. It can’t be denied. Why, I have seen the diggers at it five minutes before, they were due to go over the top, ’ when.' other . men would probably have been praying.”

A large number of new books hare been added to the shelves of the Levin public library.

, The monthly meeting of the Horowheiiua County Patriotic Association is being held at Levin this afternoon.

The next, monthly stock sales .at Otaki take place on Wednesday next, 12tli- inst. Already Messrs Dalgoty and Co., Ltd., announce a good list Ot entries.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Otaki Town Board takes place to-mor-row night, while ' the Horowhcnua County Council sits on Saturday. The Hutt County Council meets on Tuesday next.

Attention is called to Mr Howard Andrew’s replace advertisement in this issue, on our first page, with respect to his sale, which is still booming along. A few special bargains are quoted!

Mr Harold Cockrell is advertising, jn a new advertisement on our second page, certain lines of summer goods, including summer hats, blouses, washing costumes, at very- greatly reduced prices for three weeks only. Millinery will be disposed of at half-price. John O’Malley, aged 103, died at the Masterton hospital last niglit. He was born in County Kerry and arrived hero in a sailing ship in IStiS. He was in apparently good health till a few days ago. He attributed-his great- age to hard work and no worry.

Wkile Mr A. Best was engaged killing a sheep on Mr Fred Davies’ farm at Koputoroa on Saturday, the animal kicked and caused the knife to strike Mr Best in the cheek. The sufferer was convoyed to the Otaki Hospital, where he received every attention.

The Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association, at a largely attended meeting last night, declared in favour of political action and the necessary alterations of tho constitution to enable the association to participate in political allairs.

A good deal of cocksfoot seed is being gathered and saved this year in this district, the process of winnowing the seed being by means of the oldfashioned but useful flail. The seed growing on the roadsides has been gathered by children and others.

A Kelson tomato grower is reported to have shipped over twelve hundred cases of tomatoes to Wellington and other places this season, at prices averaging well over £1 per case. The season has been favourable for glass-house tomatoes (says the “Colonist”), but the cold weather earlier in the season affected the outside-grown tomatoes, causing the -bottom fruit, to fall oft’ before maturing.

At the last sitting of the Levin S.M. Court. E. Allmand sought to recover an enamelling oven from J. P. Ivess. Defendant did not object to the removal of the oven provided his premises were not injured. The S.M. thereupon made an order giving plaintiff possession, in default defendant to refund the cost of the oven (£5). A claim by defendant against plaintiff for £5, rent due, was admitted.

The rivers in South Otago are falling steadily. The water on the flooded area is gradually receding, and through railway communication may be restored by Thursday. The now canal bridge at Khitangata, erected after the J!>J7 flood, was carried away this morning and was apparently washed out to sea. The daily mail service between Kaiauguta and Stirling has been maintained by boat. party from Fcilding, who have made a tour of the ranges to the rear of Otaki, report having seen several long-tailed cuckoos, while kawnkawas, parakeets, and pigeons were found to be plentiful. The mokimoki. or bellbird, and New Zealand canaries were also noticeable, but the thrush and blackbird were conspicuous by their absence. No hums were seen, although one of the party fancies he heard one calling.

The sale, held on Monday on beiralf of the estate of Messrs Blight Bros., was very successful, and prices, taken all round, were satisfactory. The pony, gig, and harness realised £6l, being purchased by Mr W. H. Bowden, The brood mares—Prevail and Waiotara—wore passed in. The halfdraughts sold at low prices, but implements, on the whole, made good prices. A sale of land, on behalf of the Bright ■ estate, will take place at no distant iSdate, when several town sections, etc., wwill be offered. H Owing to the absence of Mrs Bradijjshaw (Manakau postmistress), and Sphere being no postal official resident pat the office, Manakau people find it if inconvenient being unable to get the S doctor at Otaki by ’phone. Through | the kindness of the Otaki postmaster | (Mr Hodgson'S, however, the Manakau ■ party line (Xo. 47 on the -local exit hangs) is left switched on to the doeitor’s residence each night—a convenigence that will be iSnclr appreciated in lease of illness. I Mr Robert Bell, newspaper proiprietor, of Ashburton, has donated to Jhe High School Board £IOOO in New Zealand Government bonds at 41 per cent, yielding £45 per annum, for the. purpose of founding an agricultural science scholarship to be awarded to the sons of farm labourers, shepherds, or farmers farming not more than 50 acres in Ashburton County. Two scholarships of £22 10s are to be awarded annually tenable for two years and known as the “John-Bell Memorial Scholarship,” to perpetuate the memory of the donor.’s son, who was killed in action.

The printing of the main electoral Tolls' fftr the Otaki electorate was carried out at the “Otaki Mail” office. Seeing that the rolls comprise 110 pages ot solid matter, the printing is* no mean undertaking for a country office,"but the “Mail” completed the work one day under the contract time of three weeks, which speaks ’w til tat the stag-and .the plant of the local priatery. ' _ . : __ /

It is expected that the conscientious J objectors who were detained at theCentral Development Farm at Werarou for their refusal to undertake military duty will be. removed.at an early date. ! The Wellington District Racing Com- I mittec met on Monday night and considered its decision in imposing two ! years’ disqualification on E. Short. The j committee decided in view of a medical , report received as to tho state of Mr • Short’s health that the disqualification j be removed.’

The Auckland “Star’s” Suva correspondent says that, when an Indian commits murder ho usually cuts and mutilates his victim. Jowahari, in wreaking vengeance on a woman named Maiua, cut her hands and feet practically off, and then used his knife on her head. The woman died in hospital, and Jowahari is to stand his trial on a sharge of murder.

An unusual case of a conscientious objection cropped up in the court at Tiiuaru. A farmer named H. W. Mann refused to take tho oath or make affirmation as a common juror on tho ground that ho belonged to the Faith of Israel, and the Biblo forbade him judging his fellow • man. Judge Sim threatened to deal with him if ho refused, and eventually ho made tho affirmation, was called for the first case and was promptly challenged. A claim for £143 17s damages was made by Albert Henry Sekwass, farmer of Tokomu-o against John Ivunbow Stansell, settlor, of Marauui, in the Wellington Mag.-traie’s Court yesterday afternoon. Tho case arose out of an accident on the Horokiwi Gorge road in September, 1918. Plaintiff alleged that liis car was badly damaged through being run into by a car negligently driven by the defendant’s servant. Defendant counter-claimed for £O9 ss, alleging in turn that his ear had been seriously damaged by plaintiff’s negligent driving. The case was adjourned after a partial hearing till next Tuesday.