TOWN EOITIOI

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12754, 4 May 1912, Page 6

TOWN EOITIOI

Miniature rifle shooting has become very popular m Ashburton. Tliere ar". several clubs m existence, with a total membership of nearly 200. It is stated that a hall suitable' for miniature rifl-.-matches is. to be erected m the town. Recently the Dominion's Labor Bureau received a communication from two remote districts m Saskatchewan, Canada, stating that ten families with growing children, the whole party numbering 30, were ; desirous of settling m New Zealand. None of them would be requiring salaries, and several of them would be starting m businesses of various kinds, and others would engage m farming. The Wellington tramways appear to be m a bad way financially. The position seems to be that the depreciation fund, which should have stood at £90,000, has been raided for new works, land, buildings, rolling stock, etc., with the result that the City Council has now to face a very serious situation, as apart from the dissipation of the depreciation fund, the tramways are being run at at loss. Early on Friday morning, of last week, when the storm was at its height, the Shale Works' chimney at Orepuki, which is over 100 ft high, was struck by lightning, causing considerable damage to the structure. A large hole was torn out of the corner of the chimney at the top, the bricks being scattered about m all directions The heavy cornice was badly damaged, 'while the lightning conductor was torn from its position end hurled to the ground. A large hole marks the spot where the discharge went to earth. Mr H. H. DeCosta and Captain Moss, joint secretaries of the Carroll Testimonial Committee, have received the following telegrams m response to invitations issued : From Hon. W- D- S. MacDonald, Minister of , Public Works and Native Affaars, at Nelson, "Many thanks, will haive great pleaisure m being present at function to my -old! friend Sir James Carroll, on the 15th inst. From Hoii. G. W. Laurenson, Minister of Labor,, Wellington, "Received your kind invitation, which I will hold over until I can give definite reply, probably on Tuesday. 13 hope to be able to be present to do honor to my old friend Sir James." Labor disputes at Reefton are playing havoc with the town arid the community. The Reefton Times likens the dispute between the general manager and the secretary of the Union to a game of chess, with the millers and tlie people of. the town generally as the suffering pawns. It does not wish to see another 400 Reefton miners migrating to other mineral fields. The Times concludes : "It may be a Socialistic move to abolish contracts. • Socialism is a very pretty coat to look on m fine weather, but will it keep the wet out when it rains? It* is raining m Reefton metaphorically if not literally to-day, and it is m the interests of miners, shareholders m mines,' general manager, and Union to put a stop, to the game. It is a silly,, wicked waste of time, and we are only getting deeper and deeper m the mire. Better a thousand times to have a real good strike than this 'fading away like a snow wreath m ice." ' "I was very much impressed with the possibilities, of the Mokau district," said the Horn G. Laui-enson to a Post representative. The Minister went on to say that the country is practically undeveloped, the. climate is good, and the land apparently of a very fertile description, and his belief is that it will eventually develop into a district bf which New Zealand may well be proud. Mr Laurenson was greatly ; impressed with the beauty of the scenery . on the Mokau river. He only had time to trayerse it for a distance of' 12 miles, and he 'saw the finest scenery he had seen m Zealand. He was told that the beautiful scenery extends for another 50 miles. "Tiie Scenery Preservation DeEarjbmeni is reserving a strip of land on bth sides of the river to the sky line, and the result will be," said Mr Laurenson, "that we will have an area of scenic beauty, the equal of which 1 it will be difficult to find m any part of the world.": The great difficulty m the development of the district, is £he' "condition of the' roads and the abserfce of metal. "One .feature about the settlement that I noted with pleasure," 'he added, "was that most of the settlers I met. had lai"ge families, and f the boys and ,girls were of a very fine, healthy type/ A wave of patriotism is spreading over ; France, and has communicated itself to' the women of the nation. They are contributing /to the fund which is being raised by' public subscriptions to give France the first military aeroplane fleet. Hospital nurses', girl students, actresses, .and women' societies of all kinds are combining to, further the movement. An animated controversy has taken place as to the manner m which French women shall salute the flag when it is borne past them. The general opinion of/ the women themselves is that they; should raise their hands m prayer to salute the flag, "m order that our little ones may. come ta regard :; this emblem as K . something sacred." There is /ia feeling throughout the French nation • that France is entering on a new and glorious stage of- her history, and that as mistress of the air she will win back some of the glories ! of the past. An indication of the spirit which is animating the people is supplied m the action of Dr. Le Maguet,ain army surgeon. His , brother, who was a captain iri the arhvy, was killed when flying m an aeroplane at Cyr, and tfce doctor has offered to enlist m the. avhv tion corps, so that, if need be,' he may 3acrificohis life for France!