HALCOMBE NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12348, 19 October 1909, Page 2

HALCOMBE NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Buring the latter portion of the week, a cold snap set in. It is to be hoped that this will not last long, as warm weather is badly wanted by farmers and others.

Painting seems the order of the day just now, and Mr. James Flemming has had his large store quite renovated. The business part of the town shows a decided improvement.

There was a consignment of uniforms and ammunition to our local Mounted Rifles last week. This company has been organised by Mr. Frank Pleasants as a contingent to the Hunterville corps, and numbers the respectable total of 20 members, which will be a welcome addition to the defence of our country-

An opening scratch cricket match had been arranged with the Feilding Club for Saturday, but owing to heavy rain it had to be abandoned. However, our local men turned out and enjoyed a good practice match. The ground was in fair order, as there had been a working bee on Wednesday to put things straight. We anticipate a most flourishing season, as we have a number of new members, who are no mean wielders of the bat.

The country here and around is simply lovely, green verdure on every hand showing the excellence of the land.

A remarkable phenomena appeared in the south-western sky on Sunday night about 9"!45. Two large vertical stars (unfortunately my astronomical knowledge is not sufficient to name them just now) were very noticeable. The loVer one appeared at one moment a perfect blaze of light, th'en totally disappeared. This continued alternately until the lower one dipped below the horizon. The sky was perfectly clear in the vicinity. An explanation will be given by our local astronomer, Mr. L. A. McDonald, who no doubt had his eye on the movements.