LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7709, 18 April 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is twelve months to-day since the British troops captured Hill 60, on the Western front, after a courageous charge. The balance-sheet of the' Waipawa Borough Council for the year ended March 31st, 1915, is circulated with this issue as an inset. Rain fell steadily almost throughout the night. The registered fall for the 24 hours ended 9 o’clock this morning was 1.79 inches. Further particulars of the Railway Department’s arrangements for the Easter holidays are published in this issue. Sweet Peas. The “Acme” collections, 20 choice varieties 2s 6d; 40, 5s cash. James Spiers Freeman, Dannevirke.* Heavy rain fell in Wellington on Saturday, nearly half an inch being recorded. Following an extraordinarily dry season it was most welcome. Triennial election in connection with the Patangata Road Board on Thursday, May 4th. Nominations are due with the secretary, Mr J. C. Taylor, on Thursday, April 27th. The Manawatu Patriotic Society has decided to give local returned men who have received an honorable discharge the right to claim from the society an order for clothing valued at £5. Last night’s meeting of householders at Waipawa for the election of a school committee lasted just ten minutes. There was no discussion on the report, and there were no pressing problems to solve. In order to prevent meat condemned at the abattoirs being passed on for consumption, the Dannevirke Borough Council have instructed that it must be sprayed with kerosene before it leaves the abattoirs.

One would have thought that a Territorial camp would have appealed to the Recruiting Board as an excellent ground to work, but whilst the Ruahines were under canvas at Rangiotu not a solitary effort was made by the authorities to secure men for the reinforcements. “B” section of the Ruahine Territorials returned home on Saturday evening after completing their annual training in camp. With the exception of one day good weather was experienced throughout, and the experience of camp life proved both pleasant and instructive.

Writing to his mother Gunner W. Ireland, who at the time of the despatch of the letter was recuperating in Egypt, says the men who returned from the Peninsula “are fitter than ever, and looking forward to giving the Turks and Germans a bad time When next they meet.” Having removed to Tikokino Cr. Tricklebank has resigned his seat on the Waipawa Borough Council. Nominations for the vacancy close with the town clerk on Thursday, May 4th, and the election, if necessary, will take place on Wednesday, May 10th. travelling on .a troop train to the “My experience of combined services in Dannevirke is that it is best to leave them alone. We have had combined services before, but they have not been very combined,” remarked the Mayor at the last Council meeting, when the question of Anzae Day celebrations was being considered and a suggestion was made that a combined religious service be included therein.

When returning from the social at Argyll on Friday evening a motor car, in rounding a bend in the road near Mr Patterson’s, skidded, with the result that considerable damage was done to the undergear of the <iar, the front axle being bent and one of the rear wheels collapsing. The wind shield was also smashed and the occupants can consider themselves lucky in escaping injury. The visit of the Napier City Band to Waipawa on Saturday next should prove an attraction to those who stay at home for the Easter holidays. A concert will be given in Coronation Park in the afternoon, and a collection will be taken up at the gate. In the evening the band will play in the Municipal Theatre, a charge of 2s and Is being made for admission. The net proceeds are to be devoted to the local Patriotic Fund. Having closed their green for the season the Waipawa Bowling Club notified the Napier Club, who have been accustomed to send a team up on Good Friday, and the secretary has now received a hearty invitation to local players to visit Napier for the day. A similar invitation has been received from the Waipukurau Club, who are holding a pairs tournament. Players who purpose visiting either place are requested to notify the secretary, Mr T. W. Wills, at once. The postal arrangements in connection with the Expeditionary Forces, although much improved of late, are still far from perfect. Gunner W. Ireland, writing from Egypt, mentions having received a letter from his mother in which she states that she had not had a letter for five weeks. “I don’t know where all our letters go,” he said, “as I write every week regularly.” The local bowling green has been practically closed for the season. The semi-final in the pairs competition was played on Saturday afternoon, Fairbrother and Wedde defeating Oakenfull and Rathbone after a close game. They tied on the fourteenth head, and in the play-off Fairbrother and Wedde won by two. Arrangements will be made to play the final during the week. Saturday’s takings at the Equipment Committee’s shop reached the satisfactory total of £l6 6s 7d, thanks to the efforts of the ladies in charge, Mrs Grenside and Miss Britten, and the liberal donations of meat and produce from the country. In addition to the acknowledgments made on Saturday contributions were received from Mrs E. Oakenfull (Tikokino). and Messrs Merritt, Kerr, and W. Clark. Owing to the Easter holidays intervening the shop will not be open next Saturday.

Mrs Grant has just received letters from her two sons, who are with the Expeditionary Forces in Egypt. They give interesting details of camp life, and incidentally refer to other boys from this district. Privates W. Ireland and Leo. Hemmingsen were in an an adjacent camp and both well. One of the first persons Private S. Grant met was Sergeant Dan Moriarty. The day following that on which the letter was despatched Privates Grant and M. Cleary were going for a trip to the pyramids. He had also met Private Jim Moroney. Private W. Rose was in hospital suffering from a bad back. “Victim” writes to the Wellington “Post.” I saw a few days ago a message from Australia, where a case was brought before the Rent Court, and the result was the man’s rent for a five-roomed house was reduced from 18s to 16s. Just fancy a five-roomed house being got hold of in Wellington at that price! Why, sir, I am in a so-called five-roomed house, on the top nearly of Mount Victoria, and the rent when I went there nearly six years ago was 21s per week. Wlitß do you think my patriotic landlord has been kind enough to do since the war started? Raised my rent first to 255, and on December 11th last increased it to 30s, and insisted on my taking it for twelve months at that reasonable figure, as he had been offered 32s 6d by some other imaginary tenant, but as 1 had been such a good tenant lie would let me have it for 30s. After hunting the town over I could not get another house, and was compelled to agree to his exploitation. This to a man who is receiving £2 10s a week is absolutely out of all reason.