PITHY PARAGRAPHS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4303, 12 August 1921, Page 2

PITHY PARAGRAPHS.

FROM RIVERS COMMISSION. Mr Young, late engineer to the Public Works. Department, went into the box at 1.45 p.m. on Monday, and. it was 1.20 p.m. on Tuesday before he was finished with', making a total of 7 hours in the box,

“You have seen the unwritten constitution of the Reference Board !" asked counsel of one witness. Other counsel could not repress a smile at their-learned friend’s slip, ,

A frank admission .was made by Mr Young that drainage and navigation did not “run together.” The remedy for the navigation trouble was dredging. About 40,000 acres of Crown lands would benefit by the river works.

Evidently there is no briick area in Waihi. A witness stated that there was one brick building and two brick walls.

A witness was asked if he thought Waihi had been extravagant. He admitted the soft impeachment in respect to .the early, palmy days of the town of gold mines and strikes, but not in regard ,'to the present, even though new recreation reserves had been acquired. Mr E. J. CLendon observed that Waihi would not be ab’e to be extravagant after the Commission had finished. (Laughter.)

“We want to finish some day.,” said Commissioner Blow, .to one of tne counsel whom h.e thought was going too much into detail.

“Is there much of a population down the cemetery way in W.aihi ?” asked of a witness. The query caused some amusement, one person remarking that there was probably a population of worms down that way. Another speaker remarked that the cemetery population was increasing rapidly. Poor old Waihi I

The probable duration of the Commission’s -sitting* was under discussion among the public present,. One remarked tersely: “Well, you farmers do not dry off a cow while it is in full milk !•” This .was his cpn■tribution to the discussion, and as it soaked in the others suspended argument.

“In Waihi boots are so affected by the mineral in the soil that . they often only last a few days—perhaps a week or two,” asserted Mr Donaldson, to which Mr Clendon queried, amid a chorus of smil.es, “You surely do not object to that ?” Mr Donaldson is interested in the boot business.

“My continued importunities to the Drainage Reference Board so awakened the other delegates to the danger of an amended basis of contributions that they acceded, to my representations.”—Mr Donaldson on Wednesday afternoon.

The Paeroa-Waihi road probably carried' at one -time more traffic than any .other road in New Zealand,” was a remark made by the Commission chairman on Wednesday.

“I believe it was Mr Wynyard who suggested it —for he was usually the smartest man there I” was the naive explanation given by Mr Donaldson when detailing some of the proceedings of the Drainage Reference Board. Everybody present seemed to think Mr Donaldson should have added the words “with one exception.”

"I believe Ohinemuri County Council has opposed everything we have ever tried.” This remark was made by Mr Dpnaldsop on Wednesday afternoon when discussing ancient history.

"Waihi has no friends anywhere--except those people who move out to exploit us I” said Mr Donaldson on Wednesday. Poor lone lamb ! "Oh, but Te Aroha is a pvace whe 'e land is worth something. No forfeiting land there rather than pay five bob' a year.”—Mr Donaldson,, .when Te Aroha’s action in seeking and procuring legislation to permit of freeholding town sections was suggested as an example Waihi should follow.

Mr Young, late engineer for the Public Works Department, informed Mr Hanna , that sand and silt -frouli build up where eddies occurred, even though the stream were as large as the Mississippi. Mr Blow supplemented by stating that the Mississippi shoaled badly.

“We don’t want to lose you,” said counsel when questioning Mr Donaldson on the suggested intention of Waihi to seek exemption from contributing, and also to take the mining companies out of the list of contributors. Counsel did not add the next line .of the song, whi.ch reads : “ Buf we feel you ought to go I” “I firmly believe that the Thames Hospital Board only prepared to place a branch hospital at Waikino years ago with a view to counteracting Waihi’s own endeavours, but it never intended to actually establish a hospital there.” —Mi* Donaldson, ministration.

‘-Wi,th regard to these wailings from Waihi,” was the .opening phrase of Mr Clendon’s examination of Mr Donaldson.

“Don’t you think Waihi is in the position of the Prodigal Son, who, after spending his substance on riotous living, came now to his father and asked' for a portion of the family’s remaining estate ?” asked Mr Gilchrist of Mr Donaldson, who scored a distinct hit by retdr.ting; ‘‘Wei 1 ., that is all the more reason why the Commission . should receive us with open arms and treat us as a beloved son I”

Commissioner Shortt held .the examination up at one point and demanded to know from the examining solicitor what he and witness were talking about. Evidently the com"mTssioner was not going to do what press reporters often have .to do, namely, guess what localities are be-

ing alluded to. Some local bodies members have a wayward way of talking about “the road over yonder” and “the drain down below,” without naming any place specifically. They have a delightful habit, also, of “moving in that direction,” though what the deuce the motion is contended to convey is often a puzzle to the reporters. A less or two in clarity of expression would be useful.