THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4465, 11 September 1922, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

e The spell of beautiful fine and mild weather broke on Saturday. There is quite an epidemic of German measles in the district just at present. A few weeks ago it was chiefly amongst the children, but now many adults are .laid up with the disease. Mr C. W. Harris (chairman of the Thames Harbour Board) was tp leave by this afternoon’s train for Wellington, where he is to give evidence before the Local Bills Committee in connection with the Thames Harbour Bill. The movement to secure the erection of a hospital at Kerepeehi has now got past that stage when it is no longer a suggestion. The Kerepeehi settlers are getting down to hard facts, and are making every effort to ensure its construction. Subscription lists are now being circulated to se-> cure promises of donations, and already sums totalling £35 have been pledged. The site will cost £29o'. If .half this amount is ’secured it will be sufficient, as a subsidy of £for £ would be obtained. It is intended to approach settlers in all parts of the Plains which would be benefited by such an institution.

The contractor for the work of filling in the large drain near the raili way station, which is being done for the Paeroa Beautifying Society, has made satisfactory progress, and this, with the fencing, has already made the station entrance a much improved corner.

Four motor-cars arrived in Paeroa on Saturday from Gisborne. Speaking to a “Gazette” reporter one driver said the roads were in very fair order considering the time of year. In parts were a bit rough, but bn the whole were dry. The roughest parts were those that had been in deep mud and were just drying up.

A particularly brilliant lun’a rainbow was observed in the south-west-ern sky. just after the moon rose shortly after 11 o’clock last evening. An almost perfect are was formed and the colouring was beautiful.

A few days ago we had a largs piece of what was thought to be petrified kauri gum brought into our office by a Mawi. Having some doubts on the matter we submitted a sample piece to Mr T. F. Cheeseman. curator of the Auckland Institute and Museum, whose reply is as follows : “In reply to your letter of the 4th “In reply to your letter of the 4th I have to say that the specimen you sent is' certainly not petrified kauri gum. It is a piece of petrified wood, ami shows the annual rings of growth of the wood very distinctly. I do not think I need say more, as there is nb doubt as to the nature of the specimen.”

After a fortnight's holiday the District High School re-opened this morning.

The community singing takes place to-morrow evening. Mr J. L. Hanna will preside and Mr Leo. Foster will conduct.

Appreciation was expressed by many farmers at the news contained in our last issue that the N.Z. Co-op-erative Dairy Co., Ltd., was making a further progress payment of. l%d per lb for the period of October, 1921, to April, 1922. The payment is to be made on the 30th Instant.

“The only advantage the Hikutaia bridge would be to us would be to get out of the 510-11061186 district, ’ was the opinion of a ratepayer at a meeting at Netherton on Friday evening. The rain that fell on Saturday and Sunday has made the pastures look quite green and fresh. The dry spell, although very acceptable, was just beginning to have a rather bad effect on the pastures and gardens.

Mr E. E. Gillman, architect, has in hand the preparation of the plans for the proposed new theatre, and the promoters hope to have the matter sufficiently advanced in a week or two to make a definite announcement.

Something in the nature of a threat was made to the councillors of the Hauraki Plains County at the meeting of Netherton ratepayers on Friday evening. Mr T. Vowles said that if the roads next winter were in the same state as they were now the County would be minus the Netherton riding, which would join the Ohinemuri County again.

The s.s. Kawau, which replaced the s.s. Gael on the Piako River trip on Friday, had the misfortune to get stuck near Maungawhero on her trip up the river to Patetonga.

In connection with the efforts to secure the erection of a hospital at. Kerepeehi and to obtain a site for a cemetery, also at Kerepeehi, a wag recently remarked that if Kerepeehi got the hospital the cemetery would be an absolute necessity.

Good progress is being made by Mr Ardern and party with the brickwork for the building of another shop for Mr W, M. Cullen adjoining those recently erected at the corner of Belmont Road and William Street. The contractors for the building are Messrs Hayward Bros.

The social committee of the Hauraki A. and P- Association met in the Borough Chambers on Saturday night, when it was decided to carry out the suggestion made at the annual meeting to entertain the lady of the association. The date fixed for the entertainment is October 5, and the entertainment is to take the form of .a social evening, at which there will be cards, music, and dancing. Mr P. R. Hubbard has promised a prize for the card tournament. The secretary was instructed. to epgage the Soldiers' Club for the social. It was decided to send circulars to all piembers. A charge of 5s foj* admission is to be made, and ladies will be admitted by invitation.

At the meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council on Thursday last the Council unanimously supported the proposal of the Ashley County Council that one-third of the annual hospital levy should be calculated on the population and two-thirds on the capital value of the contributing districtsseveral councillors spoke on the matter, contending that It would be a much fairer proposition .as between the r t u”al areas and the more thickly populated districts that are the chief users of the hospital.

The Hauraki Plains county councillors were in great demand towards the latter part of last week. The Council meets to-day, and ratepayers in four of the ridings desired tp place their views before those on the council. Requests came from Tahuna, Patetonga, Turua, and Netherton, but it was found possible to oblige only the Netherton settlers, whom several of the councillors addressed on Friday evening. A presentation was made to Mr J. Learmpnth, of the grocery department Of the Farmers’ Trading Company from the fellow members of the staff on his leaving the firm to take up a position at Waihi. The presentation, a wallet, was made by the manager, Mr D. Brown, who referred to Mr Learmonth’s careful attention tp business and wished hint every success in life. Mr Learmpnth suitably responder.