LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4393, 22 March 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In writing for newspapers correspondents should write on one side of the paper only. At the Police Court yesterday i first offender was fined £5, and. costs £1 13s 6d, for using a little undue force on a doorkeeper at the racecourse on Saturday last. An application by Norman Beatty for exemption to attend paradec under the Defence Act was granted at the Court yesterday. A meeting of the Tirohiaj, Rotpkohu, and Pereniki Ratepayers’ Association is called for Friday evening next at 7.30 o’clock. At the Warden’s Court, yesterday Mr T. M. Shaw applied for a prospecting license at Rotokohu, but as there was an objection to the granting of a portion of the area the case was adjourned until Friday next. At the Police Court yesterday the Police made an application against W. E. Burnell for an order for the maintenance of his; son, who is an inmate of the Boys Training Farm at Weraroa. After hearing the case the magistrate said that it appeared to him that the defendant was unable to contribute towards the cost and dismissed tihe information.

The last respects were paid yesterday to the memory off a lady who is described as “one of! the finest women who ever lived in Paeroa/’ the ike Mrs James McAndrew. There was a very representative following, particularly of the business people of Paeroa. The Rev. McDonald (Presbyterian Church) rendered a short service at the house, and conducted the ceremony at the graveside. The paH’-bearers were : Messrs Hugh Poland, W. H. Mahony, W. J. Towers, G. Cribb, and S. Craig. A voilent thunderstorm was -experienced on the Hauraki Plains last evening between 8 o’clock and. 10 o’clock. At the Lands Department’s office at Kerepeehi .91 inches of rain was gauged for, 24 hours ending S a.m. to-day. A total; of 4.20 inches has been recorded foir the month to date. The Hauraki Clerical Society held its regular meeting in St. Paul’s Church Parish Hall on Monday last, when the following clergy were present : Revs, F. B. Dobson, Paeroa; E. E. Bamford, Waihi; A- J- Beck, Thames ; R. L. Connolly., Te Aroha ; G. R. Moir, Morrinsville ; and ,F. HSpcncer, who is visiting Paeroa with -his caravan for the purpose -Ptf selling church 2 and mission literature. There is nothing like a good battle royal to get people along tp a meeting. The friction over the proposed building society in Paeroa attracted a good attendance to a meetipg of the Paeroa -Chamber, of Commerce last night, when there were present: Messrs E. W. Porritt (president), Jas. Couper (secretary), Rev. W. J. Enticott, ’W. ' Marshall,, E. Edwards, A. White, G. H. Taylor, R. Whitten, W. D. Nicholas, L. E. Cassrels, W. H. Taylor, P. E. Brenan, and'T. E. McMillan—the lucky number, thirteen!

At the Warden’s Court yesterday surrenders were accepted for the following: E. Patton, resident site at Karangahake ; Harriett. Ritcnie, resi v dent site at Mackaytown; John Dean, business, site at Karangahake. A resident site at Karangahake. was granted to R. B. Spiers.,

The meagre telephone facilities at the Paeroa telephone exchange were commented on by -the Rev. W. J. Enticott at a meeting of the PaeroS, Chamber of Commerce. The long waits were not the fault of the staff, who were busier than those in the Hamilton office. The office was too small to accommodate additional hands, and there was a tremendous volume of business done. The telephone operators had also to write out telegrams. It was high time the proposed new office was built. On the motion of Mr W. D. Nicholas), the president; yas deputed to interview the postmaster in reference to the long delays in answering the telephone. and to see if bhe same could be rectified. Rev. W. J. Enticott seconded.—Carried.

When the application of E. Bond for the S.t. Hippo Special Quartz Claim at Waitekauri and the Golden Spur Special Quartz Claim Maratoto came before the court yesterday the Warden said, that it appeared to him that these claims had been held by different men for the past, two years,' simply for speculative pur- z poses, and he .was not prepared to continue adjourning the cases indefinitely. Owing to the absence of the solicitor he adjourned tihe cases until April 26, only on the understanding 'that the applicant would be prepared to commence work forthwith or within a reasonable time.

Because of a mere whim, some fancy, some echo of the past, a person will put money on a certain racehorse, even though that particular horse has nothing to recommend him against his competitors, on if he has, the parties backing him may not. know of it. Many cases in point, occurred at the Paeroa races, the backers being women. Asked why she backed Awanekai, second in the Miners’ Hack Handicap, a Paeroa lady said she remembered that last year in one of the races a lady oh the grandstand was shouting out “Awareka” in great excitement, which incident remained in memory. In another, case a lady backed Koura, winner of the steeplesf, just, because she had known a little girl named “Koura,” who was “such a dear little thing.” And so a woman’s fancy proved more valuable than all the woids of the wise, and the tips straight from the horse’s mouth.

The Northern SS. Company's ss. Omana made its first, trip to the Hauraki Plains yesterday, when she steamed up to the Patetonga wharf. Rough seas were experienced in the Gulf,, especially near the mpu'th of the Piako ■River, whore ?he '.'hinre' 1 a little water.