LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4338, 4 November 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Small local bodies make smallminded men, and. big ones make broad-minded men, who in turn broaden the outlook of the tatepayers in general,” said a speaker at a recent social function.

The Hauraki Plains A< and P. Association’s annual! meeting was held at Ngatea to-.day. A report will appear in Monday’s “Gazette.”

The tender of Messrs Foote Bros., Thames,, has been accepted by the Harbour Board for the erection of a wharf at Turua, in wood, the amount being £3292 15s.

A witness in a case heard at Thames on Tuesday said that the de>fendant had not done a single day’s work for the past three years. Defendant (indignantly) ; “I have done three days’ work, your Worship I”

To-morrow at one o'clock Messrs Stansfield and Co. will 1 offer for disposal the whole of the household fur-, niture and effects of Mr C. Hazel 1. The sale will take place at the residence in Hili Street, and a list of the articles to be solid appear in the advertisement.

Cyclists are directed to an interest-, ing article on page 4 of .this issue, dealing with the merits of the- la|tesi model Rudge-Whitworth cycle, for which the Paero,a Engineering Co. are the local agents,.

A fine photographic shield was presented ’to the Thames Harbour Board yesterday by the late chairman (Mr W. Scott), containing the phonos of members active in the delegation engaged in respect to the Improvement Scheme campaign.

A garden party in connection with St. Andrew’s'Presbyterian Church is to be held on Saturday, November 12. alt .the residence of Mrs McAndrew, Puke Roadj, Paeroa. The proceeds are tp be devoted to the Girls’ Auxilliary and Busy Bees of the church. Particulars of the function are advertised.

■‘lt is a crying shame the way the forests of New Zealand have been slaughtered, and beautiful Native bush destroyed,” said Cr. A. R. Robinson, chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council, yesterday. He hoped the State Forestry, Department would continue to reserve' the scenic .spots. Cr. P. Grace pointed out. that local bodies should receive some revenue from the State forest when sales of timber took place.

A plan prepared by the Thames Harbour" Board shows Ngaruawahia to be equi-distant. from Auckland and Thames, 74 miles either way, by rail. But the figures do not appear to have been very carefully compiled, as Auckland is given the advantage of the distance- to Taupiri by 8 miles, whereas Taupiri is only 5 miles from Ngaruawahia. This slight mistake, however, makes, no appreciable effect on the figures as a whole.

The holders,of a mining claim callr ed _ "Luck at Last” appealed to the Thames Counity Council for a reduction of rent. “I had faith/in "Luck at Last,” said the chairman (Mr H. Lowe), and I lost £3OO on account of my faith, If the. holders have such faith in the mine as they state in their le!.*er, they should develop it. I do not approve of. land being locked up for years as this one has.”

“It is incumbenjt upon all local bodies in the Valley to see that the Waihou, Ohinemuri, and. Piako rivers are kept open fbr navigation,” said Mr H. Jackson, ex-Mayorpf TeArpha, when speaking at, a Harbour Board function at Thames on Tuesday evening. These rivers traversed the heart of the finest dairying country in the world,, and would be good feeders to the harbour.

Allowing 7s per pole for landing charges, said Mr F. H(. Claxton, a member of the Thames Valley electric Power Bpard, when speaking et a Thames gathering pn Tuesday evening, the Bpard ■saved £460 by landing a shipment of poles at Kopu instead of at Auckland. The allowance of 7s was very generous, seeing that the charges in some cases were as high as 23s per pol«. If suck pavings could be effected on poles, they would, also obtain in regard to other commodities.

A numismatic find of considerable interest was unearthed at »he stopbank near Mill Rdad a few days ago, some workmen discovering coins to the value of 30s, mostly in halfcrowns, and dated from 1817 to 1820. The place where they were found was obviously the site of an old camp, .there being a candlestick with a piece of candle still in. It is safe to assume by the date of the coins that the camp would be there np later than 1870, or fifty years after the coins were minted; otherwise coins of Hater date would have been in circulation.

Speaking at a spcial gathering at Thames on Tuesday night,, Mr J. W. Daiiby (president of the Thames Chamber of Commerce) said that the Hauraki Plains Co-operative Dairy Co. had produced. 171% tons of cheese in 1917, 331% in 1918, 463 in 1919, and it would probably be Increased from 560 to 600 .tons this year. These figures did not account for a considerable quantity of butter.

The chairman of the Thames County Council, (Mr Henry Lowe) very obviously. has a hard row to hoe in respect to the proposed Puriri bridge over the Waihou- River, His council is committed to the project, ''but Mr Lowe’s judgment tells him that tiie proposal is a most unsatisfactory one - under present circumstances. However, he battiles honourably and manfully for his. council’s, policy, and must be painfully aware of the fact that the path ’of honour in public life is sometimes a very difficult and exasperating one to tread.

Support of the proposal by the Mprrinsville Chamber of Commerce to have a Parliamentary delegation to the Plains was given by the Ohine muri County Council at jcsterday’s meeting. Members thought that it might be the means of forwarding the Paeroa-Pokeno railway, project, and thus bring the trade of the East Coast right through this district ; also, the matter of .a !-oal to Patetonga from Paeroa could be brought up.

Of outstanding pictorial excellence is this week’s issue of ithe “Sporting and Dramatic Review,” the subject covered embracing events of local and.-foreign interest. In the sporting line are snapshots taken art. the Auckland Trot.ting Club’s meeting, the Wellington Racing Club’s gathering, and the Waikato Hunt races. The great aviation trip between Auckland and. Invercargill is represented, in interesting fashion, while Shakleton’s expedition with the Quest, is also attractively pictured. The miscellaneous section covers every variety of sport and the stage. Some Paeroa residents, like humanity elsewhere, have often been heard to regret the fact that they did not buy such and such, a property when they had 'the chance; they seen to think t,ha,t the day has gone when good speculations can be made as in the early dayk. Nothing could be father from the truth ; the fact in that there are as good bargains to be picked up in Paeroa to-day as there are anywhere in tse, Dominion, but we lack the men of foresight and vision to see the opportunities existing in otlr midst. Take, for instance, the old Refinery, which can be either bought or .leased at a reasonable figure. In less .than a year’s time more than one man will have cause tp say, “Why was I such a fool as not to buy or lease that building?” Of spacious dimensions and extremely strongly constructed, the old Refinery would make a splendid building for almost any industrial undertaking, factory, or motor garage and engineering works. Despite the development taking place before their eyes, few local people seem to realise the fact that the development of the Hauraki Plains trade with Paeroa is going to make this old town vibrate wit,h the steady hum of progress, and in less than a year, whoever owns the old Refinery will in alfl likelihood be able to double his money, or if it js leased, sub-let at a handsome return. Even now, commercial traveller say that Paeroa is “’livelier” financially than any other town on the line between Auckland and Thames, inclusive, in proportion to size and population. Judging by the motor and other traffic 'on ithe main streets during the afternoon, it seems that the commercial travellers have spoken the truth —and none are in a better position to know the real state of affairs.- It is unfortunate- for himself-,that the owner oh the Refinery (slr ; W. M. Cutlieh), is not at all disposed to bother his head about starting a new industry, or acquiring an existing business, but his disinclinaiton is someone else’s opportunity. The particulars appear on page 4’.

BOWEL COMPLAINT IN CHILDREN. The first unnatural looseness of the bowels in a child should have proper attention, as bowhl complaint is a more serious disease in children *han in adults. It often results fatally, and is, in fact, one of the most common causes of infant mortality. Almost every case can be relieved when properly treated. Chamberlain’s Co ic and Diarrhoea. Remedy is especially valuable in all bowel complaints, and when given as directed prompt reief always follows. -Sold by all>chemists and storekeepers.' 1 -

A very x interesting competition Is in progress at Ngatea school just now, Mr D. Vincent haying; offered two prizes, one for the'boys and the other for the girls, for ( the best essay on the subject, “Hauraki Plains, Past, .Present, and Future.” , The essays will be judged by outside gentlemen, and the winning essays will be published in the “Gazette.”

“Hiku'taia riding is the richest in the Thames County,” said the County chairman, Mr H. Lowe, at the last meeting pf the Council, “and yet the riding expenditure exceeded revenue by £5OO last year... You think, your rates tire too high/ but you cannot get good roads put of rates ; you must have loans..” This opinion met with general approval. Cr. Lowe said that if the Council was, not careful it would be pulled up with a round turn by the bankers before March 31.

“I told you before you secured i>t from the Auckland. Harbour Board that it was an antiquated, dilapidated, worn-out piece of machinery,” said Mr J. W. Danby to his fellow, members of the Thames .Harbour Board op Tuesday, when the dredge was being discussed. “And if, through a faulty valve, bad weather, or any o.ther cause, it is laid up, we are losing £lO per day,” he added. The members quickly assured Mr. Danby that the dredge would, have to work all day, and every day or be sent back tojAuckland.

When representatives of different bodies meet in friendly conversation, there is invariably some good natured chaffing. During the journey from Kerepeehi to Netherton last Monday, a representative of a county council and an officer of the Lands Department were in the same car. The county council supporter was criticising the methods of the Department, saying that the Government metalled a portion of road and left, just enough unmetalled part to stop' through traffic. "Toll gates are not in it,” he wound up. Then just as (he car was pitching and bumping, throwing the occupants about inside che vehicle, the Lands Depatrment man was heard to say above the rattle of the car: “Well, this is a county road.” “County road! ” interjected a third party, between the bumps ; ‘‘l cafll it a d—bad road.”

“ There is not a single riding in this county,” said Mr H. Lowe, chairman of the Thames County. Council injt Wednesday’s meeting, " that has not overdrawn its, account by some hundreds of pounds, and thus increased the overdraft. We want to take a wider view,; and look at the district as a whole.” discussion arose bn the point ’as to whether mining rents should go to the. mining ridings. Cr. B. Faithful, thought that, as'the roads 1 in. .mining.., days were: always put in at the wrong places, and had to be kept up by the ridings, the respective ridings should have whatever mining rents were forthcoming. Mr Lowe opined 'that Ithe members of auriferous ridings would not like to be left on their, own now. Little or no gold duty was obtainable at the present time, but the ridings had been proportioned^so as to give eacn riding both hill and agricultural country, ' otherwise the auriferous areas woii'ld be in a parlous state now for funds. It was time there was some form of assured finance from the State, instead of the present haphazard \ system of subsidies.