People of the same blood, and having one end in view, are desirous of their help.
While their brothers, relations, and friends are fighting amid trying condition for their safety and for the home in which they live, people here - or some of them - are living in luxury and ease.
Will they not help others who are in trouble?
Entertainments such as I have spoken of employ little labour.
May I venture to suggest that the people give the money used in that direction to the Patriotic Fund, to be used for the feeding of the poor?
Let everyone deny himself these pleasures, as well as others, for the sake of the starving poor.
Let them deny themselves these pleasures in such a degree as the soldiers have to deny themselves. - I am, etc. Factory Girl.
At the meeting of the Tuapeka County Council on Friday Cr Geo. H. Stewart (member for Crookston riding) wrote intimating that he had gone into camp at Trentham, and would possibly be leaving with the reinforcements.
He asked for leave of absence for two meetings, and stated that when it was certain that he was leaving he would forward his resignation.
On the motion of Cr MacDonald (chairman), seconded by Cr Bennetts, the request was granted, and the following telegram was ordered to be forwarded to Cr Stewart at Trentham:- ''This council and ratepayers wish you not to resign councillorship, and they will take care of Crookston Riding interests in your absence.
Leave of absence is granted you during the war. We all appreciate your noble and self-sacrificing action as a soldier and as a man.
Good luck and God-speed. - Roderick MacDonald, Tuapeka County Chairman.''
Paradoxical as it may seem, probably the greatest traveller in the Gisborne district is a man who has rarely been more than a few miles from that town (says the Times).
This is Mr W. F. Hatten, who has just completed his fortieth year as driver of the Gisborne-Ormond coach.
The Rev. Father Carran, of Ormond, who evidently has a bent for figures, has gone carefully into Mr Hatten's ''mileage'' during this long period, and estimates that Mr Hatten has driven his coach back and forward of the 14-mile road 280,000 miles, or a trifle more.
This is equivalent to journeying 20 times to England, or 11 times round the world, or seven times to the moon. During his 40 years as a coach-driver, Father Carran estimates, Mr Hatten has worn out no fewer than 4700 odd horse shoes, and he has carried 208,000 parcels.
Fishing in Burke's Pool at the Opihi on Tuesday night Mr E. P. V. Sealey had a phenomenal bit of luck when he grassed one of the best bags of trout that has been secured there for the past three or four years (says the Timaru Herald).
The bag comprised 14 trout weighing 107lb.
At 11.15 the fish began to take, and he fished on until 3 o'clock on Wednesday morning. - ODT, 18.1.1915.
