LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4391, 17 March 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Butter-fat is the backbone of the country,” declared a farmer at a recent meeting at Ngatea. “I don’t know,” interrupted another , “I think mortgages are.” Mr M. Crimmins, of Waikino, the well-known equestriaii, secured the prize at the Cambridge show for the best gentleman rider. A distinctly “fetching” reason was advanced by a speaker at a meeting at Hikutaia for why a tennis club should be formed in Hikutaia. He said that the playing of tennis gave grace to the figure, and taught the ladies to “lift their feet up and put them down properly.” The state of the road between Paeroa and Netherton is rapidly becoming worse, and if is declared by an old Netherton resident that with the next heavy rains the road will be impassable,

Flaxmilling is still an important industry in the southern portion of the Hauraki Plains. The Patetonga mill reopened about a week ago. The mill at the Maukoro landing, it is thought, will be moved further down the Piako River, so as to be nearer the flax areas. The Ngarua mill at Kaihere will soon be closing down for the season. A considerable sum of money is to be spent on improving the truck-way from the flax beds to the mill. Methodist churches throughout the Dominion are celebrating the 100 years of their history in this land by special thanksgiving services this Sunday. At the Paeroa church there will be special addresses and singing at both services. The choir will reader anthems, and solos, etc., will be sung by local talent. A special invjtaf'ion is given to all those who in any way have past associations with the Church, as well as strangers.

■'Though, good work is being done by the Bucyrus dredge op the Ngarua canal, the road is suffering considerably in consequence. The dredge is digging 350 cubic yards to the chain and does 1% chains a day. Altogether about three-quarters of a mile of canal has been improved and the spoil thrown on to the opposite side of the narrow road. The i’oad is becoming narrower and sloppy in the process, and is greatly inconveniencing vehicular traffic. There is only room for one vehicle on the three-quarter mile of roadway in question, and a slip would throw the conveyance either into the canal or into a wall of slush. ■ The state of the road has not 1 , been quite so bad this week, as the dredge had an accident in the gear-box and could not work for a day or two ; but. travellers are continually complaining of the state of the Ngarua road where the dredge is working.

Penny royal, a weed injurious to cattle, is flourishing on the direct Waitakaruru-'Maramarua Road.

Somewhat bitterly the Eltham “Argus” remarks : “It is no uncommon thing to read of the Treasury acknowledging receipt of ’conscience’ money. It would be delightful if some of the many who have in the past .few years slipped away from this district without paying for .their ‘Argus’ eexperienced a similar twinge of conscience. The receipt of ‘conscience’ money of that description would be quite a cheerful experience People who silently steal away without paying their newspaper subsciiption cannot possibly get to heaven. That being (he £ a se, it is quite plain tihat they must go to some other place.”

The country Press does -not take very kindly to the. rapprochement between the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association and the Alliance o' Labour. The “Taranaki Herald,” noting the indications that the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Assoication has been what may be tentned “croquetting” with the Alliance of Labour, says that, “there appears to have evolved from these dangerous actions a growing tendency towards sheltering the staff under the banner of th'dse who aim, at the control of all industries by those who operate them. . . No country likd New Zea.land could tolerate members of any of Hhe State Departments being involved in outside industrial disputes on acting at the dictation of extreme Labour leaders, and that is what joining the Alliance of Labour means, besides class warfare. Surely they are strong enough to hoe their own row, and they may rely on public opinion backing up constitutional means for removing grievances that arise. Under such circumstances it is to be hoped taht this ilLadvised project is a mere bluff, and, even so, it. vill arouse much indignation. The P. and T. Association cannot act tpo promptly in abandoning all thought of joining up with any individual union, and it wokild be well advised to uphold the fine traditions of the Public Service.”