HIKUTAIA NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4479, 13 October 1922, Page 1

HIKUTAIA NOTES.

CHURCH. The usual monthly service in connection with the Church or England was held in St. Mary’s Church on Sunday last, the Rev. Mr Dobson officiating to a very fair congregation. After the service the committee met to consider the question of ways and means. The treasurer reported that subscriptions were coming in freely, 'and th.at, with ,the promises given, ae would soon have in hand sufficient to clear off the arrears due on last year’s stipend and a fair credit balance to carry forward to the current year’s account. He was authorised to pay off the arrears as soph as the promised subscriptions came to hand. It was decided to repair the. fences round the church at once and. to consider seriously the questipn of painting the building. The appointment of a central vestry was also mooted, the suggestion finding favour with the vicar and with those present. The vicar gave a brief account of what was doing in the other centres of his parish, the activities ofi the various 'parishioners affording him much cause for thankfulness. SCHOOL. The members of the School Committee are to be congratulated oh the innovation just inaugurated, namely, .the engagement for half an hour a week of Mr Venables to giye lessons to the older pupils .of the schopl in elocution, singing, and voice production. Under an able expert who is also a fine elocutionist and singer great progress will no doubt be made, and result in considerable benefit to the children, The innovatip'n is heartily commended.

ALLEY PARK. Great progress has been made of late at the Alley Memorial Park. The newly sown, grass is making its appearance on the bowling green, while the croquet lawn Has been levelled and prepared for the grass: seed. The tennis lawns are; in capital condition to receive tihe tar and sand required to make them fit for play, while a good commencement has been made with! the erection of pavilion, the work being in the capable hands of Messrs Lemon, Maxwell, H. and Spencer. BAZAAR. A meeting of the Bazaar Committee was held in the school on the evening of Monday last, Mi’ A. W. Alley pre-, siding over a good attendance. The secretary intimated that he had. managed to secure a gold nugget for the proposed art unioji to be held in connection with- the bazaar, and that on the arrival of the permit tickets would be at once on sale. The action of the secretary was unanimously endorsed. The cpramittee being- too large to summon hastily to a meeting it was decided to appoint an executive with full powers to expedite matters. The following ladies were elected Mesdames Alf.. Al ley, A. W, Alley, W. H. Alley, Collins, and Murdock. Mrs Alf Alley intimated that she had much pleasure in stating that the hall social committee, of which she was a member, had unanimously voted £5 to tihe bazaar fund, r which sium, she hoped, would be used to purchase material for the ladies to make up. Mrs Alley was asked to convey to the members of her committee the best thanks of the bazaar committee for their generous and timely gift, which would be devoted to the purpose men•tioned. The canvassers were asked to complete their work at once, and to leave no stone unturned in their efforts to make the b,azaar a huge financial success. The executive afterwards met in committee and made considerable progress in the apportionment of the work. As the ladies are taking the matter up with whole-hearted enthusiasm their efforts will not only deserve, but command, success. CLEARING OF CREEK. ' There is hvery prospect, siiice the Ohinemuri County Council has voted £4O towards the cost of clearing the creek, that the quarry on the Hiku-taia-Paeroa road will be in operation shortly, and in a position to supply its owners, the Hauraki Plains County Council, with all the metal it heeds for i oading or other purposes. The clearing away of the pillows on the banks and fhe deepening of one or two portions of the creek will enable punts to reach Alley’s bridge as well as to negotiate the stream without that delay, caused by waiting for the inflow of the tide. The experiment is well worth exploiting. . .POLLING PLACE.

Mr -A. R. Robinson chairman of the School Committee, has been informed by the returning officer for the Thames electorate that the district school will - be utilised as a polling booth on election day. As the use of public schools for this purpose is authorised, by the Act dealing with Parliamentary elections the "granting” of the school is a mere matter of course, the intimation being a little courtesy that is better shown than omitted.