THE . Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated . THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4472, 27 September 1922, Page 2

THE . Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated . THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of shareholders of the Farmers’ Union Trading Co. and residents of this district will be held in the Netherton Hall on Wednesday, October 4, at 1.30 p.m., and in the Druids’ Hall, Paeroa, at 7.45 p.m. New policies of vital interest will he discussed. !

A notice with reference to the selection of a minister for the Presbyr terian Church is made in our advertising columns. All members are asked to be present at the church on Sunday morning next, when the selection will be made.

The following pupils of Miss N. Crimmins, A-.T.C.L., of Waikipp, were successful in passing the examination recent* y held at Te Arpha under the auspices of the London College of Music: Elementary, Hazel Corbett: primary, first-class (over 80), Elsie R. Wills, Lillian Wills, Robing Munro, and Olive Hoye.

Considerable interest was shown in the great chopping contest, for the championship of the world, whicn took place at Claudelands on Saturday between Dave Pretty, of, Hamilton (holder) and W. Peck, of Raetihi. The match was for £2OO aside, and .was on a 24-inch white pine log. Bot.-i men are giants in .height, being each 6ft sin, while .they turn the scale at 16 stone. Both were in good fettle, and as they stood with bar.ed chests afnd arms, leaning on their axes prior to the contest, they looked perfect types of manhood. The contestants started off scratch, ahd the chop resulted in a win for Pretty. Time, 5.28. Peck was not far benind. The result was received with great enthusiasm.—Times.

“When you get three or four constables in front of you you’re sure to get a. little bit fiummixed,” said a witness in the Magistrate’s Court at Masterton the pther day.

"Every chocolate with a nut in it,” said a witness at the Gisborne Sur preme Court (reports an exchange), "also has a worm.” "I suppose in some instances it would be a baked worm,” suggested His Honour Mr Justice Chapman. The witness’ reply was that, baked or not the worm was there.

‘‘Might I ask how many councillors round that, table would be there if they depended on a police report ?” asked Mr W. Noble, who appeared before the Masterton Borough Council as counsel for an applicant for a taxidriver’s license. When the matter was discussed after in committee by the council one coWicillor (states the "Daily Times”) strongly resented the statement made by counsel.

Mr A. E, Fielder ba_s..a replace advertisement in thill" issue of special, interest to tennis players and bowlers.

Ftom a report we received from Constable McClincliy it is very evident that spme Maoris’,in this district are in a pretty bad .way) both for food and clothing. He gave us. an instance where some Maori children at Tirohia were almost naked, and only half-fed. This distress has been brought about partly by the failure of the potato crops last year, both from flood and blight, and the fact that there has been little or no employment for Maori labour during the past .winter. Many natives have, however. turned their attention to gumdigging, and have by this means been able to carry on. There are others, however, who canpot go out ahd are in consequence in need of help. One Maori when asked why he did notsend his children to school stated that they; had no clothe? and no kai to eat, like other children. Constable McClinchy is at the present time in communication with the Native Department at Wellington concerning these natives. The Te Aroha correspondent of the Waikato Times writes: At Te Aroha S.M. Court the Borough, Council proceeded against nine residents for allowing cattle to stray, and thereby having done damage to the trees planted in the streets by the Beautifying Society. The Council did not gain much, however, over the departure, for the magistrate simply made an order for costs, which meant that the lawyers received nine guipeasand the Court three guineas, and the Council nil. On the pther hand one of its officials had to spend the day in Court in giving evidence, so it was not a very sound investment for the Council. But no doubt, the pext baton will return a substantial profit on the outlay.

For smoking within 30 feet of a benzine depot a man .was fined £1 and costs at the Hamilton Police Court. The case was stated to be the first pf its kind in the Dominion, and- the Magistrate pointed out that defendant was liable to a penalty of £lOO.

A party of Hunterville sports had a good finish up for the race? at Wanganui. The car they went down in was found to be but of commission at the finish of Che races, so they rushed to catch the train, pnly to find it pulling put of the station. Nothing daunted, they took a taxi, to Aramoho and boarded the train there, settled themselves down comfortably, and then discovered that they were bound for Hawera. Getting put at Westmere they had to hire another-car to Wanganui, and thence back tp Hun-terville.-—Express.

The Ashburton County Council’s campaign against birds has been prpducive of much good (says the Guardian). The sum of 9d per dozen, was offered for birds’ heads, and a supply, of poisoned grain was obtained for farmers desirous of killing joff birds. To date the council has paid out £lOO in “head”-, money.

“Will you give me tinie tp pay, old sport,” said a young man, weeping ' bitterly before 'Mr ' A.; M.r Mpwlem, S.M-, at Stratford-(states the “Post”), after His Worship had imposed a fine of £2 and costs for an offence on a railway carriage platform. The Magistrate : You must understand that this is a court of law. ahd there are no “old sports” here. Accused: “I beg your pardon, sir.” The ; magistrate allowed fourteen days in-‘which to find the money, The Accused: “Thank you, old sport.” He tjien left the court, Accompanied by more tear?.

By advertisement in to-day's issue we again call attention tp the visit of Dr. Mary Armor, who will be at the Centenary Hall, Arney Street, between 12 and 1 for luncheon, and will commence her address at 1 o-’clock., Owing to the illness of ’His Worship the Mayor. Mr E. Edwards, DeputyMayor, will preside.

AH the Police Court cases were conducted by Constable McClinchy t the Court yesterday, in the absence of Sjenior-Sergt O’Grady.

A Maori named John Gage, ori Tucker; was convicted and fined £l, and costs 12s, at the Police Court yesterday for being in possession of a bottle of beer in a prohibited area.

For a breach of tjie Arms Registration Act a Maori named Ake Ake was convicted, and fined 10s, and. costs 225, by-tire magistrate at the Police Court yesterday. Constable McClinchy said that the Maori had pleaded ignorance pf the fact that he had tp register his single-barrel gup. He was a very decent man, and Constable McClinchy thought a small fine would meet tihe case and be a warning to others. The secretary of the Paeroa office pf the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., advises that the staff , is now busily engaged in preparing tihe bpnus cheques for butter suppliers and that it is proposed to have these finished on Thursday evening. This will, no doubt, be welcome news to a large number of suppliers in view of the ihalfJyearly bank balance on the 30th inst. The’ warm rain which commenced to fall yesterday morning will be an immense benefit to the pastures on the Hauraki Plains and has broken the long fine spell. During the day the rain was only light, but it set in steadily about 4 p.m., and there was a good downfall, .which should be the cause of the grass coming away well. The effect pf the shortness of the pole recently erected on the Ngatea bridge, whihe carries the eletcric wires, has already been noticed. Wires were recently attached to the pole, and yesterday morning the scow Kapua, loaded with timber, was unable to pass through the bridge. The Japua is by no means a large vessel and the tide was not full. Late in the afternoon the scow made another attempt to get through, tout it. was after 5 p.m., an houi* later, before it eventually succeeded. It was then low water, and there was so little..to spare between the wires and the masts that a man was stationed at the top of the bridge to see that there was sufficient clearance. A few minutes later another scow took the opportunity of low water ahd passed through with very little to spare.