Farmers dominate new Parliament

THE interest best represented in the New Zealand Parliament is always the farming interest. In the new House of Representatives there are 27 farmers. The next group in point of numbers is that of the lawyers, who are nine. Five journalists form the only other homogeneous mass, for the six members who may be described as agents are engaged in a variety of businesses, and have consequently diverse interests.

In addition to 27 farmers, nine lawyers, six agents, five journalists, two secretaries, two enginedrivers,

and two labourers, there are in the new House a printer, a manufacturer, a fruiterer, a saddler, an engineering employer, a county engineer, an enginefitter, a merchant, a draper, a clothier, a storekeeper, a bookseller, a refreshment room keeper, a dentist, a school teacher (retired), a commercial traveller, an assayer, a polisher, a signwriter, a baker, a grocer’s assistant, a storeman and a cellarman.

The Native members are not accounted for in the analysis.

A visit to the war graves

It is not a pleasure to visit the cemeteries of Belgium and France, more especially when the visitor has a dear one buried there.

Such was our thoughts while roaming over there a few months ago. In the month of June we were in London, and made some arrangements whereby we would visit the scenes of that great war that meant so much to us.

Our lad had gone Home in the

Wahine when she was taken over by the Imperial Government, and had joined up with a Home regiment, and, like many others, had fallen for King and Country. So we went to see his grave in Belgium.

When it was known that we were going to take this trip quite a number of people asked us to visit their boy’s grave when we were in Belgium and France. So we had quite a lot of places to visit.

I would like to say a few words about the men who are over from the Homeland looking after those graves. On several occasions they have done their utmost to help me find out certain graves. — by C.H. McLean

Leith Valley Anglicans’ party

A pleasant social was held in Holy Innocents’ schoolroom on Thursday to bid farewell to Miss Dorothy Clarke, who will shortly leave the district for Adelaide, where she is to be married.

On behalf of the congregation, the Rev C.H. Statham, acting vicar,

presented Miss Clarke with a dressing table set and wished her every happiness in her future home. Mr Scales, who had known Miss Clarke since she was a child, spoke a few words of farewell. Miss Clarke suitably replied.

During the evening songs were contributed by Mrs Moss and Mr Waymouth, and Miss Applegarth played a violin solo.

The Sunday School children presented Miss Clarke with a hymn book.

It was the lightning, no bull

On going out to yard his dairy herd, Mr Abbiss, of Frankton, discovered the herd sire, a young pedigree Jersey bull of some promise, lying dead in a paddock beside the stockyard.

Evidently during the heavy thunderstorm the previous evening lightning struck the animal, possibly attracted by the copper ring in his nose, as apparently he was killed instantaneously. — ODT, 2.2.1923