“Gazette" District News

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4387, 8 March 1922, Page 3

“Gazette" District News

IURUA. ECCLESIASTICAL. The Rev. R. F. Falconer, Presbyterian minister for the Hauraki Plains, stationed at Turua, who is shortly to leave for Sawyer’s Bay, Dunedin, has already been the recipient of 1 many good wishes from the churchpeople of the district. The Wharepoa people .last week sent him a very useful present as a token of their esteem and appreciation of nis services. The Rev. D. C. Stewart, who is Rev. Falconer's successor, comes from Te Awhitu Central, North Auckland, and will commence his duties in about a fortnight. > PARLIAMENTARY TOUR POSTPONED. Speaking in regard to the proposed parliamentary tour of the Hauraki Plains, Mr J. C, Miller at the Turua Farmers’ Union meeting on Friday evening said that the parliamentarians had suggested April 3 as the most suitable date for the tour. He had received advice, however, from Merssrs Poland and Rhodes, M’s.P., that it would be best to postpone the tour till, after the general elections, seeing that there was only one remaining session of the present Parliament and a number of the present members would probably be defeated at the elections.

Continuing, Mr Miller said that he had been pleased to receive offers of accommodation for the whole party. He would endeavour to ascertain definitely whether the party was going to make the tour; if so, a meeting should be called and all matters put before the settlers.

NGATEA. DAMAGE to maize. Some of the maize crops have suffered severely owing to the hign winds. The wind, which at times increases to a gale, has blown the crops about considerably and damaged them to the extent that portions of some of them will be valueless if not cut immediately. The plants are ! i some cases 12ft high, so, that they catch the wind quite easily. Mr T. McClean has been unfortunate in the ravages of the caterpillar, and prior to the heavy rains had a large quantity of maize plants destroyed by the pest. The recent deluge ,however, has had the effect of exterminating the army of caterpillars. KEREPEEHI. Mr D. W. Dunlop, advisory inspector for the Education Board, visited Kerepeehi to-day. WAITAKARURU. HARVEST FESTIVAL. Harvest thanksgiving seryices, the first in the history of Waitakaruru, were held on Sunday and Monday evenings. Sunday’s service was conducted by the Rev. A. Blakemore, Methodist minister for the Hauraki Plains, and a splendid congregation assembled. On Monday a musical evening was held, the programme being contributed by friends from Kerepeehi, Ngatea, and Waitakaruru. The epjoyable concert. was followed by a sale of the harvest gifts of fruit, vegetables, andhoney. It. is pleasing to note that the proceeds from both evenings exceed £lO, part of which amount' w(ll be spent to procure hymn-books for the newly established - work. Thanks are due to the many friends who helped to make the event the conspicuous success it was; to Mesdames Elliott, Burdess, Fraser, and Hunter, Miss Hicks, Messrs Fraser and E. Burdess for preparing and decorating the hall; to Mrs Beaver for light refreshments ; to the provider of the means of conveyance, and 'o those who contributed items to Monday’s programme; viz., Messrs Twist, and Jenkins (Kerepeehi), Misses Jones arid Hilford, Messrs Mellor, Kennedy, Jamieson, Shultz (Ngatea), Miss Burdess, Messrs- Barker, E. Burdess, and Clarke (Waitakaruru).

THAMES, PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES. Electioneering promises to be interesting in the Thames electorate this year. The N.Z. Farmers’ Union intends “running” a candidate, and the name of Mr C. W- Harris, of Waitpka-; ruru, who is chairman of the finance committee of the Hauraki Plains County Council, and chairman of the Thames Harbour Board, is being freely. mentioned in this connexion. It is also stated that certain Thames people intend putting up a Liberal candidate in opposition to the veteran sitting member, Mr T. W. Rhodes.