A resident of Auckland (says the Star) is in receipt of a letter from her son, who is with the mounted men, and who has recently been awarded the Military Medal, in which he states that one of his mates who received a parcel from New Zealand, on opening it, discovered inside a note expressing the hope that this particular parcel would not fall into the hands of one of the cold-footed mounted men. Another incident is also mentioned of a member of the Australian Light Horse, who was lying in the hospital wounded in eight places from shrapnel. This man also received a parcel from New Zealand and in it was a note, the contents of which were similar to that already mentioned.
Publicans philosophical
The introduction of the six o’clock closing of hotels, which will come into operation to-day, is being accepted philosophically by hotelkeepers in the city. Inquiries made from several hotelkeepers last night showed that notwithstanding an influx of visitors, in view of the trots at Forbury Park to-day, the streets were quiet and only a moderate business was done at the hotel bars, which were open until 10 p.m. It was thought by some that not a few of those who frequent the public houses in the evening would celebrate the occasion by indulging rather liberally, but if they did so it was not noticeable on the streets or in the tramcars. It was also freely rumoured that some of the hotelkeepers in the city proposed ignoring the new provision which requires them to open their bars at 9 a.m. instead of 6 a.m., and close at 6 instead of 10 p.m.
Tempted Providence
During the consideration of the county inspector’s report at the Waikouaiti County Council yesterday, reference was made by Cr Orbell to some correspondence in the press concerning a recent accident at Lower Harbour. He pointed out that the correspondence inferred that the accident took place on the public road, whereas it happened on an unformed road over the sand hills. He thought it manifestly unfair of persons to rush into print in this way, thereby misleading the public. Cr Laley said that the road where the accident took place was actually a blind road, and it seemed to him that the accident was a visitation of Providence.
St John’s wort
At the meeting of the Waikouaiti Council yesterday, Cr McLachlan brought up the question of having St. John’s wort, which grows in large quantities in the Purakanui, Deborah Bay, and Mihiwaka districts, declared a noxious weed. He said it was spreading all over the place, and was becoming a nuisance. He considered that steps should be taken to have it eradicated. After a general discussion it was decided to ask the Agricultural Department to authorise one of its inspectors to furnish a report on the weed, the object of the council being to have its hands strengthened in the event of a decision to declare it a noxious weed being arrived at. — ODT, 1.12.1917.
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