LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 187, 25 August 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Petitions in Bankruptcy, Two petitions in bankruptcy liave been filed witk the OA'icial Assignee, Mr G. G. Chisholm, at the Napier Courthouse, by Arthur Jones, of Hastings, labourer, formerly a Blenheim farmer, and a Maori, Wliati 12ru, of Waipawa. Orchard "Ranches". "Any orchard from five acres upwards is called a ranch in the United States," remarked Mr W. B. Lloyd Williams in an address to i'ruitgrowera in Hastings, discussing liis reeent investigations in America. Sometimes a small orchard was referred to as a grove, but generally it was a rancli. New Constables. Two uew constables liave commenccd duty at Napier and it is anticipated that, with the arrival shortly of additional men, the station will be able to comuience the working of the 48-hour week. Constables H. J. Infell and E, L. Harding, who recently ,completod their course of training in the depot at Trentham, are the new additions to the force. Agriculture in America. "The Department of Agriculture is regarded as the most important Government department in the United States," said Mr Lloyd Williams, addressing fruitgrowers in Hastings last night. Although manufactures were large, the agricultural products of America wero one of its lurgest industries. The Department of Agriculture was therefore given an importance congreater than was accorded the corresponding department in New Zealand. Houses at Tuai. Approximately £13,000, a contract for the erection of houses, the formation of roads, and the provision of water and drainage services for the hydro-electric power development work at Tuai has been let to a Napier builder, Mr T. G. Pedlow. The contractor commenced work yesterday, and it is expected that the contract will be fulfilled in about four or five months. Eight cottages are to be constructed at Tuai and Waikaremoana, each containing threo bed-rooms, a kitchen, and a, sitting-rooin. Heavy Taxation. The report of Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Company, Limited, to he submitted to the annual meeting of the company referring to the burden of taxation states that with land and debenture tax added to iucome tax, the taxation the company has to pay for the year ended June 30 amounts to ,10/3 in the pound of its net earnings. The report concludes: "If private enterprise continues to be taxod at such an extremely heavy rate, it must st.agnate as compared with enterprise in countries where reasonabio taxation obtains. " The state Pays. "A man breeds promiscuously, and the State pays for the children," commented Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court,. Gisborne, when a Maori was before the Court on a charge of failing to maintain an illegitimate child. "The State pays £3 a week for his wife and four children," Mr. Walton added, "and 4/- a week in respect of a child by another woman." The charge of failing to maintain was adjourned and the matter of further inaintenauce was dismissed. "I do not see," Mr. Walton added, "why I should do all the arithmetic in this matter. I shall adjourn the case for a week to allow counsel to submit figures." Will september Be Wet? In the opinion of an old Maori who has considerable reputation as a weather prophet among dwellers in tlio Lower Waikato district, next month will be wet. The old man explained that long spells of fine weather, such as that which has been experienced Tecently, are not nnknown in August, but that three weeks is certainly an exceptinal spell. In his experience a period of unbroken sunshine such as we are now enjoying is invariably followed by much rain in September. Ho bases his opinion on such interesting portents as the mating of wild birds and the run of whitebait (inanga) in the river. Although the buds have already formed on the flowering trees, the blossoms are still very much in the embryo stage, and it will not be until after tlie wet spell, early next month, that the kowhai or rata will burst into their springtime glory. BTrth of Hamilton. The 73rd anniversary of the foundation of Hamilton fell yesterday, the founders of the town, tho mcmbors of the 4th Waikato Eegiment, having landed on August 24, 1S64, where Me»uorial Park, Hamilton, is now situated. The regiment was xecruited in Sydney by Captain William Steelc, and for a year guarded the country against posshible outbreaks by hostile Maoris. Areas of town and country land were then allotted (to them on condition that their services as soldiers were available should emergency arise. When gold Yras found at Thames in 1867 many left, the fear of liostilities by that time having abated. Hamilton was created a borough in October, .1877, Mr. I. B. Vialon being tho firsi Mayor. A daugkter of a fuember oi the 4th Waikatos, Mrs. E. M. Williamson, who was a child when the landing toolc place, died in Hamilton only a few weeks ago.