“Gazette” District News

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4393, 22 March 1922, Page 4

“Gazette” District News

NGATEA. DEBATE.. _ A second successful debate in connection with the recently formed Mutual Improvement Society was held on Thursday in the Ngatea Public Hall. Though 'the weather was rather boisterous and the attendance suffered in consequence, a very in-' teresting evening was spent.. Rev. A. Blakemore occupied the chair. The debate, “ That the town Is essential to the countryside,” had Mr C. Hutchinson, of Kerepeehi, as leader for the affirmative, and .Mr G. T. Davidson for the negative, the former arguing that most of the necessities of life and the scientific improvements came from the town. The country produced the raw material. but it. was only possible to market it when it had been improved in the town. Mr Davidson contended that the scientific improvements were to meet the necessities of those in the towns more than the country folk. As evidence of the- depravity of town life he mentioned that the police and ministers of religion concentrated mainly on the towns. Living in the towns made people’s minds narrower. The town was also the heme of the middleman profiteer. With regard to education, he maintained that, if the town were not so I greedy it would be possible to have I as good education in the country as in the metropolitan areas.

Messrs Jenkins and Shultz were seconders to the affirmative and negative respectively. The arguments were discussed freely and replied to by tfhe openers of the debate. When put to the vote the resolution was lost by one vote. It is intended to continue- these most interesting debates. ’ RACING ENTHUSIASM!. A great deal of intierest was, displayed at Ngatea in the races at Paeroa last week end. On both days large numbers journeyed to the course by special and private cars, over half a, dozen specials being, requisitioned each day., Those who were unable to attend were none the less enthusiastic and in the evening each likely person was asked the results of the day’s disappoint-! ment being depicted on the flaces o f t.he enquirers when the likely one had no information. The first car which arrived from Paeroa was literally beseiged by about! 20 enthusiasts clamouring for news. TELEPHONE POLES. The erection of the main line telephone poles having been completed as far as the Ngatea bridge, the erection has been commenced on the west side of the Piako River and already, seven poles have been' put in. TOWN PLANNING. With the influx of population into the Hauraki Plains and the opening up ojf- new lands, it is n'ot unreasonable to suggest that some bf the now small, villages will in the very -near future be townships of some- considerable size, The Ngatea folk are of the opinion that theirs will be the cost central, and consequently the most important, township on the Plains. If ■that is their belief they should make some provision for the future to ensure that they will have a compact township instead of one with it's business premises scattered, all over the countryside, as is the case in many country towns. It is known that, many sites 'have already been purchased and their future use indicated, .but to ensure the systematic development of the township" a town-planning league would be useful. Such an organisation could study the position, obtain

I advice from the Auckland league, and then make their recommenda- , tions to the pi-pper authorities. The principal streets', parks, recreation I grounds, and library, hospital, and j public building sites could be sugi gested, at the same time endeavour--1 ing to make settlement as close as ; possible to the township, which : should be compact, however so small. I The growth of the Hauraki Plains generally, and Ngatea in particular, has been so rapid in the past, and ; probably will be greater in future, that it is time that the Ngatea people got. moving to save their ■settlement from being a straggling township, which, it undoubtedly will be if nothing is done. i

Great assistance can be rendered by the property owners. It must) bf agreed that, the Ngatea land is valuable, but if tihe land owners ask exorbitant prices, business men whc might enter the district will either be scared away or will go further out of the area of settlement. The prosperity of the place ; will therefore be retarded and the immediate an! future values of the land decreased. To have a compact town will be ’.o the ultimate benefit of the property owner's, and it behoves those gentlemen to render the necessary helft whether an organised town-planning movement is inaugurated or not, but if the Ngatea people possess a little esprit de corps they will give this suggestion at least some consideration. It is quite possible, at this early hour, to make Ngatea a model township, and if the present occupants do not make some kind of an effort, the next generation will have just cause for reproach against their predecessors’ inactivity. THE HALL COMMITTEE, The last meeting of. the outgoing Ngatea Hall Committee was held on Monday evening, the following being present.: Messrs G. T. Davidson (chairman), W. J, Clare, W. G. Hayward, S. Phillips, R. Bratlie, and C. Mellor (secretary).; As a mark of respect to the late Mr Le Manquais the members stood in silence. Mr Davidson explained that, the timber for. the hall enlargements had been obtained from Messrs Le Manquais, Lamb and Co,, and he had found the late Mr Le Manquais a perfect gentleman in all dealings.

The Methodist Church’s application for the use of the hall, on Sunday and Monday next Ifor a harvest festival was granted. The action of the chairman and secretary in asking Mr E. Walton to prepare a balance-sheet was confirmed. It was decided to convey, through Miss E. Jones, 'who had. been asked tb form a ladies’ committee, a very heartj appreciation of’ the ladies’ useful work in connection with the recent concert and hall opening. A hearty vote of thanks was also pass-, ed to Mr W. J. Clare, who had erected the additions to the entire satisfaction of all. Mr Clare, replying to the vote of thanks, said that the hail committee had ’ helped him considerably. He had cut down the cost as far as possible. Mr Davidson said that there had been many donations in money and labour in connetoion with the hall work, and at his suggestion a vote of thanks was recorded to all who had helped. The committee expressed gratitude at donations from Paeroa firms. Messrs Brenan and Co. had deducted from the cartage of timber Is per 100 ft on 8000 ft or 9000 ft, and Messrs Le Manquais, Lamb and Co. had given 303 ft of timber. Mr Davidson begged leave to move at the annual meeting that it be a recommendation to the incoming committee to sigh the- present guarantee for the recent hall improvements. Mr Davidson, as \ chairman, said

I that as it was the last meeting of the i outgoing committee he must thank the committeemen for their help and the secretary for his efficient services. \ HALL BALANCE-SHEET. The balance-sheet to be presented at the annual meeting by the Ngatea Hall Committee on Saturday shows that the expenditure for the year up to March 15 included XlB 7s for seats and materia', £24 17s Id for seats for maintenance. The total expenditure was £133 ss. The receipts were as follows :—Hall hire : Pictures £4O 15s, County Council £39 10s, sundry persons £l7 19s, total. £9B 4s : proceeds from weekly dances £5O 2s 6d, two picture benefits £3l 9s, concert £23 9s 3d, donations £3 7s 6d, Total receipts £206 12s 3d. The cash balance in hand and in bank was £7l 7s 3d. In the statements ofl assets and liabilities it was shown that ah amount of £2BB Is 4d was for material, £2O 10s 6d for cartage, and £54 15s for wages for hall improvements. £54 5s 4d to sundry creditors, bank overdraft of hall trustees £l3l 2s. 7d. The assets were : Hall and site (estimated value) £750, furniture £lOO. cash in hand and at bank £74 7s 3d, sundry debtors £4 Bs. The balance, being excess of assets over liabilities, was £3BO 0s 6d.

HALL BROOMS.. At the conclusion of the hall committee meeting on_ Monday evening Mr R. Shaw, caretaker., contended that two new brooms were essential. He rose from his seat and putting three half-crowns on the table said that he would give the seven and sixpence to the hall committee for the purchase of two new brooms if those present would make up the remainder. The appeal was not. without success, for in a few minutes 19s 6d was on the table. "Anotlher sixpence to make a pound,” said a voice, and immediately the deficiency was made up so that the hall committee, primarily by Mr Shaw’s donation, was saved the expense of purchasing the brooms.

KEREPEEHI. TENNIS DANCE. Though the weather was by no means at its best nearly 30 couples occupied the floor of the Kerepeehi Hall on Friday night, when the local tennis club held a, very pleasant dance. Among the visitors were a launch load from Ngatea. The floor was in very fair condition, and dancing was enjoyable to the music of an orchestra composed of the following.: Mrs Murdoch, Messrs J. Murdoch, J. Twist, and M. Harrison. Mr R. Cahill obliged with extras. Vocal items were given by Mrs Twist and Messrs Twist', and Woodbridge.