THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incoporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4479, 13 October 1922, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incoporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr H. A. Marks has an advertisement appearing in this issue of special interest to those contemplating house furnishing, or desirous of selling out. Mr Marks carries an up-to-date stock of new goods as well as a large selection of second-hand things. He conducts sales at his auction mart in Belmont Road, and is prepared to undertake outdoor sales ill any part of the district, and guarantees prompt settlement of account sales.

“The backblocks settlers won’t get the ijuice for 100' years,” said Mr HCornelius (Pahi.atua) at a meeting of the Taranua Power Board. ‘‘They won’t get it in our time, at any rate,” Said another speaker (Mr. Breechin): “It will take us three years to educate people to take the stuff. The only way to convert all the dairy farmers in a night is for Mr Purvis Hay to go round and spike all their engines.” (Laughter.)

The New Zealand Farmers’ Cooperative Association of Canterbury, Ltd., made a loss pf over £122,000 on its trading operations for the year, and can pay no dividend on ordinary shares, but the annual meeting showed remarkable enthusiasm among the shareholders. A number of shareholders spoke in high praise of the service which the association had given to the farmers by offering them liberal help throughout the slump and the succeeding financial stringency. Several, declared that the association had fully justified its existence in the past year,, and that the payment of a dividend was a secondary matter. The manager said the association had made losses by giving men chances, but these men would be able to pay 20s in the £ in a copule pf years’ time.

This week’s issue of the “N-Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review” has special commendations to popularise it with the public, the illustrations being seletced from a wide range of subjects of universal interest. The Australian Jockey Club's spring meeting is represented in a striking series of snapshots, and the final thrilling encounter at Randwick between those two giants of the turf, Gloaming and Beauford. is depicted in graphic fashion. The improved totalisator installation at Ellerslie is another interesting feature that has been specially photographed. Scenes from Deauville, the famous French seaside resort, make up an attractive set, while the centre pages are devoted to a fins series front America of prominent figures in the social.. and sporting world. A page of distinctive fashions from America will catch the feminine eye, in addition to the space reserved for stage and cinema stars,

The latest reports Jtp hand of the situation in the Near East are more reassuring than was the case some few days ago, which! created quite a stimulus to recruiting.' On inquiry at the local Defence Office yesterday Major Andrews, 0.8.0., N.Z.S.C., group commander, informed our reporter that the total voluntary enlistments in this defence group now tptalsome 41 officers and 802 other, ranks. In addition to these figures are a number who have enlisted for service with the Mounted Rifles only, and the names of these men have been forwarded and the, numbers credited to the No. 4 Defence Group, Hamilton, tha.t centre being the headquarters for the 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles. Enlistments for active service abroad are still being received at all Defence centres, but nothing further is being done at present other than recording the names of volunteers wishing to serve.

At last night’s meeting of the Domain Board it was decided to fix the rents for the 1922-123 season as follows : Tennis courts, £l6; croquet lawns, £2O ; and cricket grounds, £3. The town clerk, after consideration with tlie superintendent (Mr W. Hamilton), will notify the respective clubs as to the dates on which the grounds will be open and available fpr play. All these charges are a slight advance on last year’s fees.

Mr T, Venables, teacher of voiceproduction, singing, and elocution, will be in Paeroa in a few days to enrol pupils. He is keen to begin classes in Paeroa, and intending pupils or those desiring further information are asked to leave their names at this office or ring phone 221, Te Aroha. The day for the weekly visit will be arranged to suit the majority of pupils. 1 *

Mr J. A- Briggs, who used to reside in Paeroa, and is very well known in musical circles in the district, has been most successful in the musical competitions at present being held at Cambridge. Up to the present Mr. Briggs, has carried off the first honours in the baritone solos, and then, again, in the tenon solo Mr Briggs was awarded first place fpr his rendering of “Take a pair, of sparkling eyes.” Miss Mabel Briggs also gained second place in the soprapo solo, “Sink, Red Sun.”

A little story of a perfect, disguise is told in connection with a certain fancy dress masquerade ball which was held on the Hauraki Plains not « year ago. A lady bet her husband £2 that she would appear, at the ball in a make-up in which the husband would not recognise her. Both appeared at the ball, and it is needless to say that “hubby” was alert, but a person dressed .as Joan later, claimed £2, and got it.

A rather amusing interlude occurred at a meeting of the ratepayers of the Maungapapa town district the other evening (states the “Poverty Bay Herald"). It had been decided to form a committee ta> push on a project for a certain area to be merged in with the Gisborne borough. It was announced that the expenses of the petition were likely to come to abouc £4O, and subscriptions were solicited to defray the cost. One man arose, marched up to the chairman’s table, and offered to give £5. He then mzide quite a speech, punctuated with thumps of his fist on the table. Tne chairman, Mr T. Ellery, however, called him to order. After a, little more speechifying .the ma'nXreduced his donation to £l.

The Presbyterian Ladies' Guild at Netherton have organised a social and euchre tournament, to be held in the Netherton Hall on Wednesday next, October 18.

One of the qualifications desirable in a public man is the facility for happy quotationsI—and 1 —and in this respect the Hon. Sir. James Carroll, M.L.C., has few peers. As “Ariki” of the Kahutia Bowling Club (relates the "Poverty Bay Herald”), lie telegraphed to the president on the occasion of the official opening his greetings and a reference to the twelfth verse in the Epistle of John. The verse is as follows; “Having many things >o write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.’’

Famous for many things, Wyndham (says the Wyndham “Herald”) may claim to be the habitat of the world’s champion hep—% bird that laid three eggs in one day, a purebred Black Orpington. It was oh Sunday last that one, W. P. Bennetto, gathered three eggs from his three hens. He noticed that one particular hen was acting in a peculiar manner, and he saw her drop an egg on the ground; still unsatisfied, she shortly after dropped another —her third for the day.

A net saving of £612 5s lias been effected by the Napier Harbour Board by accepting the tender of an overseas firm for 600 tons of Portland cement (states the “Hawke’s Bay Tribune”). Reporting to .the board the committee stated: “Compared with the best New Zealand tender, and after allowing 20s lid for Customs duty and primage, 3s 3d for wharfage and Is for haulage, the saying is about £666 ss, from which'has to be deducted the exchange on London, and-the difference in bank interest on overdraft through paying for the whole 600 tons in one line instead of, say, at 50 tons per week. The net estimated saving is thus £612 55.” ...

The cost of transferring public officers and their families from one end of New Zealand to the other at frequent intervals has become ap almpst intolerable burden, but tor some reason is seldom referred to (states the “Manawatu Daily Times”). An authenticated case ofl abuse was unearthed in one instance at least. Packing, transport, and unpacking a’-e allowed for in full, and as the offer by the officer t.o do it for a lump sum was rejected as too high, he got even by extra care with his belongings, right down to neat crates for bis dog and his fowls, and even had long cases made in which to pack the family clptjies-props, all of which, being supported by vpuchers, were duly paid by the Treasury.

The annual meeting pf the Ohjnemuri Jockey Club takes place in the County Chambers on Monday, 16th inst., at 8 p.m.

Attention is called to the meeting of ratepayers in. the Netherton district which is to be held on Saturday night in the Netherton Hall. Matters of great importance to the settlers are to be discussed, and it is hoped that ev.ery fanner will turn out and take part in the deliberations of the evenipg.

An unusual accident happened yesterday as the Frankton train was coming into Paer'o’a just after -2 P-m. It .appears that the engine whistled, as is customary, just near the Te Aroha Road railway crossing, when a pony that was grazing in a paddock hear .by became startled and jumped the fence on to the line and galloped across in front 'of the engine, which struck the beast and dragged it some distance. The enginedriver, Mr W. Wilson, promptly pulled up the train, and on investigation found that the pony, had two legs broken and was badly The, unfortunate animal was immediately put out. of its suffering.

When it .was stated by the manager at the Power Board meeting pn. Tuesday that the canvasser’s recent visit to the Maratoto district, near Hikataia, disclosed the fact that in that district there is not sufficient demand for power at present, the member representing that district, Mr A. RRobinson, expressed surprise at the result of the canvass, explaining that the settlers in that locality had asked him to arrange for a canvass. However, the canvass was sufficiently indicative of the real position. The settlers had had their opportunity, and would now have to Vzait until quite a number of other districts were served.

A property of thirty acres on the Old Renwick Road, near Blenheim, has been purchased by Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and: CO., Ltd., for the purpose of establishing an experimental farm (states the “Marlborough Express”). Plots of grasses and all fodder and forage plants are to be laid, and the scheme includes the hybridising and perfecting of various types of cereals and legumes. Operations have already beep- commenced, and over 100 varieties of peas are set out. No expense is to be spared in the development of the farm., which is to be thrown open to farmers fpr their observation of the experiments. The plans provide for the construction of a big concrete reservoir and the laying down of pipe lines for the complete irrigation of the property.

A woman born without legs br arms, Mrs Rosina Wilkinson, applied for a maintenance order against her husband, at Portsmouth. She was carried into the witness-box and said that her husband, whom she married in 1919, had deserted her. She admitted that she had made £39 a week in a show and had entered into a contract to buy a van and run a show of climbing monkeys for £lO9O, of which more than half had been paid. The husband said that disagreements arose because he would not commute his pension to help to buy the show unless it was bought in their joint names. An order for 15s a week maintenance was granted.

Some months ago the Te Aroha Borough Council sprayed some 20 tops of asphaltum on its main street. Sb great a success has this experiment been that the Council has decided to purchase an additional 30 tons at a cost pf abput £3so' and re-coat Whitaker Street, and also spray the street leading from this street to the traffic bridge. The Council estimated its expenditure for the year ending March at £12,000 ; to date some £7OOO has been expended. The Council intends also improving the streets in Somerstown and along the residential area of Hanley Road.