LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4355, 14 December 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

• The Inspector of Factories, Hamilton, is visiting Paeroa to-day to confer with the business people in respect to Christmas . and New Year holidays.

Mr C. N., O’Neill, solicitor, notifies the public that he will commence the practice of his profession in Paeroa on January 9, ,1922, in Belmont Road, in'the premises occupied oy Mr Butler.

The results of the weight-guessing competitions at the Hauraki A. and P. Show are advertised, and make interesting reading. It wiH be noted that some of 1 the judges entered, very successfully.

Respecting the Hauraki Plains County loan proposals, the Council at the meeting at Ngatea on Monday, decided to submit the proposals again in January.

A grant of £1025 has been- made by the Government for additions to the Hikutaia School, the overcrowded state of which was dealt with in the course of a recent leading article in the “Gazette.,” The committee has long been agitating for the additions, and is naturally very gratified with the results of its efforts.

Since the beginning of last week a quantity of? rain has fallen, the total to date for this month amounting to 2.64 inches, of which .65 fell last Wednesday, .90 on Saturday, and .53 on Monday.

That the roads on the Hauraki Plains are too narrow to accommodate the Power Board poles was a statement made at Monday’s meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council at Ngatea.

We have pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of a very excellent Xmas token from the Paeroa Engineering Coy. Ltd., in the form of a card con taining a thermometer, and with a sunset on the sea scene by w’ay of pictorial embellishment. The token is neat and attractive, besides being a very useful atmospheric indicator.

A clear profit of £lOO was made by the Hikutaia Sports Club last year, as disclosed by the balance-sheet presented to the annual meeting, held recently. The Club now has ? cred't balance of £lOO in hand. Over £l2O in prizes, also three valuable cups, were allotted for next year’s meeting.

The need for proper council chambers for the Hauraki Plains County was exemplified more than ever at the Council’s meeting at Ngatea on Monday. The meetings r are held in the Public Hall, which has a galvaa ised iron roof, with no ceiling, an! when heavy rain fell throughout the afternoon it was almost impossible to hear one another speak. The press representatives as well as councillors were often at a loss as to what was-'going on." On one occasion the meeting was suspended for several minutes while a heavy downpour rattied on the .iron roof. v

As a result of the recent heavy rains and the exceptionally heavy traffic the metalled roads on the Hauraki Plains are now in a shocking state. The road between Kerepeehi corner and Ngatea has suffered the most, and in places the ruts must be fully two feet deep. In one spot three motor-cars during the day on Monday anil another in evening were bogged on the soicalled metalled road. One of the vehicles was unable to move oh for about three haul's. The road men are at present repairing the damage done to the roads.

The Australian cricketers left London laden with gifts worth £2300, and of sufficient colour, variety, and quality to deck a thriving market place in an Eastern city, says a Melbourne paper. Their presents and luggage filled nearly 150 trunks and cases which were conveyed to Waterloo Station on three huge lorries. Throughout the tour, especially 'h the manufacturing towns, presents had been showered on them, ranging from most expensive silks, lace>, cloti, and headgear, to jerseys, underwear, pipes, safety razors, ties, hats, racquets, and even gramaphone records. When packing day arrived the players were in hopeless confusion and several sent out last minute orders for new trunks in .which to stow the tributes of their warm-hearted English admirers.