THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMVRI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4489, 8 November 1922, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMVRI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Judgment was given at the'Magistrate’s' Court on Monday in the case of Michael Quane v. Epiha Ngawiki for 2s, plus costs 21s, less 7s 7d allowed on a previous adjournment. Ths original claim was for £1 19s 9d> hut plaintiff could not establish his claim.

The services of an expert engineer, Mr L. S. Bidwell, Who has had many yeans’ experience at the trade, are now obtainable by the Ngatea settlers. Mr Bidwell has an announcement in this issue.

It is very gratifying to notice that the Borough Council is at last making a move t.o fill up "some of the atrocious potholes in Belmont Road. The work of repairs is new underway by the- borough workmen- Given a reasonably good main street, combined with: the work of the Beautifying Society, the impression of the town visitors, as well as the local public will gain, will doubtlessly be more favourable than hitherto. An iH-cared-for main street Invariably gives a town a poverty stricken appearance.

At the Ngatea School Committee meeting on Monday evening progress to date in connection with the efforts to gain the establishment of a district high school at Ngatea was reported, and the matter was left in the founds of Mr E. Walton. There was an expression of appreciation of; Mr Walton’s past efforts in connection with the memorial high school movement.

The electricity will soon .lighten our darkness on the Hauraki Plains, and there is already evidence of the light having been switched on. At Netherton, near Carters Corner, a light on one of the poles is going all night, while a portion of Turua’s main street is similarly lighted. There is also another light at the end of Huirau Road.

At the local Magistrate’s Court on Monday,last Constable J. McClinchy, of Paeroa, conducted the prosecutions for the Police Department in the absence of Senior-Sergeant O’Grady.

Rather a severe frost was experienced on the Hauraki Plains yesterday morning. A number of young crops and garden plants consequently suffered. Several Ngatea people report that young plants in their gardens were killed by the unexpected frost, the plants in shaded places being the only ones to escape. Ice was also found on a bowl of water in the morning.

At the Warden’s' Court, before Mr J. H. Salmon on Monday morning Messrs S. S. Ratliff and party applied for a. certificate of reduction to two men for a period of six months on the Woodstock United S.Q.C., N 0.137. This was granted on the application of Mr E. W. Porritt.

Something approaching a triumphal entry, accompanied by the bare of trumpets, but np waving of flags, was made into Ngatea by about 30 Thames business meh on Monday morning, which was the occasion of the inauguration of a jnotor service frpm Thames to Ngatea:. The Ngatea: folk thought a band was coming, but when they rushed out of dobrs they found the noiss came from only a lone but robust coiinetist, who, after a breather, gave the school kiddies a special performance. The next item was morning tea at the boardinghouse, then, as Kipling says, “The tumult and the shouting dies; the captains and the kings depart.”

Guy Fawke’s Day fidl this year on a Sunday, and consequently the younger section of the community had a choice of two days—Saturday and Monday—on which to hold their annual celebration. Though numbers of bonfires were seen on each evening on the Hauraki Plains, Monday appeared to be the favoured night.

Mr H. A. Marks, auctioneer, is holding a special auction sale at Ihis mart to-morrow at. 2 p.m., when many useful lines will be offered absolutely without reserve, An advertisement pertaining to the sale appears in this issue.

There was a momentary lull in the proceedings at t.he Turua Ratepayers’ Association meeting on Monday. The night was a beautifully calm one, with a bright moon shining. There floated in from a neighbouring tree the sound of “more pork.” Said one : "By jove I I haven't heard that sound for a long time.” Another member, looking dreamily out at the moon as it shone through a window, said, dolefully, “A wise old bird sat in a tree; the more he saw the less he spoke, the less he spoke the more he heard ; so why can't we be like that wise old bicl— W e’d be less trouble to the County Council.”

That there is a growing interest in herd-testing iii the Thames Valley is abundantly evidenced;, and a recent statement indicates that sixty per cent, of the testing outfits sold in the Auckland province during the past year .have come ot the Thames Valley, Tin's is no doubt largely due to the enterprise ofi Mr W. J'. Byrne, who is recognised as one of tile leading authorities on herd-testing in the Dominion, and who, by giving demonstrations, assists the farmer in the correct method of testing.