HIKUTAIA NEWS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4492, 15 November 1922, Page 3

HIKUTAIA NEWS.

CONCERT. On Thursday night Mes.dames Budd and Hague-Smith, with Mn L. Foster and others from Paeroa, gave a concert in the hall. The weather, and the fact that of late there has been somewhat of a surfeit of entertainments militated to a certain extent against a crowded house; but the fairly large audience, judging by the applause evoked by the many and varied Rems pn the programme, appeared thoroughly to enjoy the fare provided. .* POLITICAL ADDRESS. On Friday night the member for the district, Mr T.. W, Rhodes, addressed the electors, giving an account of his stewardship and soliciting their suffrages at the forthcoming election After a brief introduction by the chairman. Mr A. R. Robinson, Mr Rhodes dealt with the leaders of the three parties, and afjter expressing his appreciation ofj» and respect for, Mr Wi.lford, and his high opinion of Mr Holland, claimed that in the qualities that make for leadership both were outstripped by Mr Massey, whom he would again sup- ■ port if elected. The candidate dealt with the housing question, and deprecated any curtailment of expenditure on education. dealing with the Meat Control Bill he spoke on the ' Dairy Pool measure, which, appearing late in the session, had been dropped on .account of the persistent opposition it had evoked from the supporters of proprietary concerns. The Bill, when it came before the House again, as it was bound to do, would have his unqualified support, He advocated five-yearly in i'ieu of triennial parliaments and would, after having made his constituents cognisant of his opinions, support any measure uO that end. Mr Rhodes prognosticated changes in the personnel of the House, but believed that the present Government would be returned, to. office with a substantial majority, Ho favoured economy and detailed what the Reform Government had done to effect saving without curtailing effi-. ciency. The needs of the various parts' o>f his constituency he had always brought prominently before the Ministers concerned,, and his success, or otherwise, in * attaining the ends desired were .well known to his constituents. He had laboured for the ‘ welfare of the Dominion as a whole and of his own constituency in particular and, if returned, would continue to work in the same way. In reply to questions Mr Rhodes stated taht he was strongly in favour of the Thames' Trotting Club being allotted a totalizator permit; • that Natives whose holdings had been individualised should be held amenable to the provisions of the Fencing Act; and that he would do what he could to have a ladies’ waiting room added to the railway station buildings. Prohibition, he replied, would undoubtedly affect the incidence pf taxation, and the loss in revenue in the early stages must needs be made up by a readjustment. He was not prepared to st.ate how muclfit cost the countryto obtain the revenue collected from the drink traffic. On the motion of Mr A,lf'. Alley, seconded by Mr W. K. Alley, a very cordial vote of thanks to the speaker for his address was carried by acclamation. in acknowledging t,he vote Mr Rhodes • stated that he did not ask for a vote of confidence from those present at the meeting. The ballot-box was the place for, that, and from his reception that night he knew he could rely on a large measate of support from his friends in Hikutaia. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to , a close.

ALLEY MEMORIAL PARK, During the past week capital Progress has been, made with the work being carried out at the Alley Memorial Park, The howling green has been thoroughly weeded, the grass, of which " the take ” has been almost phenomenal, has’ been cut, and the whole top-dressed, : with the result that with the exception o? a very few bare patches, the green is looking so well that it should be ready for play about the middle of next month. The tennis courts are nearly completed, the only thing remaining undone being the erection of the net posts and boxes. The work o-n the pavilion isi, pending the dressing of the floor Jrpards, temporarily suspended. The number of visitors to the grounds is astonishing, and shows the interest taken in the work by sympathetic outsiders, who never leave without congratulating ah concerned on the Excellence of the work dope, the astounding progress made, and the value of the park as an asset that will make' for social progress and enjoyment. A visitor! .from Hamilton stated that, though his club intended to open their green oh Saturday last, it was not nearly in such forward condition as was the one he had had such pleasure in inpsecting. Their encomiums, if flattering, are well dereflect the highest credit on the grounds superintendent. Mr Hugh C, Morrison, and his co-work-ers, all of whom, are actuated by the same laudable, desire —that is, to make the Hikutaia bowling green, tennis courts and croquet lawn second to none in the district.

general. The work of clearing the Hikutaia creek and of deepening it to such an extent that punts carrying loads bf metal will; be enabled to negotiate the shallower parts as' far as to Alleys bridge on the Hikutaia-Paeroa road, •has been commenced. Capital, progress has been made, and the effect op the creek, although the work is not near completion, is apparent. It would appear that the experiment for the cheap transport of road metal, as is now being made by the Hauraki Plains County Council, will solve the problem, and place an uhimited supply of capital stone at its disposal!. Measles appears to have run its course, np 'new victims' having been reported f;or nearly a fortnight. General satisfaction, is expressed at the statement made at the last meeting of the Thames County Council. to tlhe effect that the subsidy voted would be immediately spent bn the

Thames-Hikutaia road, which is confessedly in such a state that it exercises a considerable influence on the decreased and decreasing trade between Thames and the settlements between it and Hikutaia, Everyone hopes that the promise will be ma.de good without delay and that the Council will act promptly upon the decision arrived at. While road repairs are “in the air,” the need for closing the open drains near the Hikutaia Hall—and these are a perennial source oj danger and of filling the awkward holes in wliat ought to be a footpath,, will be attended to. The provision of a, crossing to the new post office from the road would earn many encomiums.

The recent boisterous weather, cold heavy showers alternating with hail storms, has not had the best effec: on the pastures, and, ’as a consequence, on the milk; supply. Quite a, large number left on Saturday morning by the express train to attend the Hamilton Racing Club’s -meeting at Cluudelands.