THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4502, 11 December 1922, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is pleasing for us to know that our efforts in giving a little public service is occasionally recognised. For screening the results on Thursday last, a looker-on was kind enough to sit down and write thanking the management of the “Gazette” for the promptness that was displayed in showing the election results. It >s just these littie actions that help to make the newspaper man feel that his work is sometimes appreciated. We thank you, Mi , for your kind sentiments.

Saturday last was an ideal day as regards, weather, and the various sporting factions made the most of it. Quite a number of enthusiasts' left by the morning express for Hamilton to attend the Waikato Trotting Club’s annual fixture at Claudelands.

Some inconvenience was caused on Sunday, when the electric power was cut off between 12 neon and 3 pm. in order- to make some necessary repairs to a transformer. It would be a gr.eat convenience to users of the power if some timely warning was given so that other arrangements' could be made.

The committee of the Agricultural Association some time back decided to admit all school children free at the forthcoming show pn production of a .ticket from the headmaster. They als'o asked that a holiday be given, and at the meeting on Saturday communications were received from several schools in the district, stating that a holiday would be observed in. order to afford the pupils an opportunity of being present, and thanking the committee on behalf of the children for its generous offer.

Attention is drawn to Messrs Holes Bros’ replace advertisement appearing in this issue.

The party of; Thames people who attended the concert and dance at Ngatea on 1 Thursday night had rather a long night and an equally long morning. They left Thames about 6 p.m., arriving at Ngatea about 8 p.m. The dance finished shortly after 3 -a.m-, ami the party before leaving on their return journey to Thames was treated to a welcome cup of tea at the Ngatea boardinghouse. The bus moved off at a few minutes before 4 a.m., just as the day was’ breaking.

The small, boy with a penchant for making the insulators on the electric light poles a target for stones has been causing concern to the New Plymouth Borough. Council (states an exchange). In his report for the past month the electrical engineer, Mr E. H. Bartley, states that considerable work on, the transmission lines lias been necessary owing to boys breaking the insulators. Approximately a dozen insulators had to be replaced tßiring the months anti, in each case, the insulators showed unmistakeable signs of deliberate breakage. “In the past,” he continued, “we have not been troubled to any great degree In this direction, and-I trust that tlie fact of bringing the matter into print will help to stop it. If not, other measures must be ad,opted.

The fanners in the Kaihiirp district report that since the recent peat, fires hundreds of eels .in the drains have been found dedd. The smoke at Kaihere was very thick for a couple of days, and it is thought that killed the eels.

Arrangements for the annual, entertainment of the judges and exhibitors on Thursday night next ware made at the committee meeting of the Agriculturay Association on Saturday night. The function will take the forgi Oif a smoker, and will be held >’» the Soldiers' HaU. ,

T.hic N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltxl., Paeroa branch, advise that they have deci'ded tp make advapce payments for butter-fat for the November supply the same as for the previous month, namely: Cheese, Is 4d per lb; butter, Is l%d, with a premium of % per lb for superfine and %d per If for direct superfine, and %d per lb for direct

When the heavy rain put out the irccent peat fires on the Hauraki Plains it was predicted that the fires would break out, again when the fine weather returned. This prophecy has been fulfilled, for during the last couple of days the fire 'has broken out in two or three places, though it is not considered that the outbreaks are of. sufficient extent to endanger the settled areas.

In forwarding an apology for absence at the committee meeting of the A. and P. Association Mr B. Veale, of Tirohia, regretted that owing to illhealtlh he was unable to assist at the show this year. Mr Veale has been a very staunch worker, and also exhibitor, at the local show for many years, and a hope was expressed that the holiday at the Thames Coast which he is taking wil] rapidlji. restore him to health.

With, regard to the elections' held on Thursday last Mr Arthur Bush, the deputy returning officer at the Central Theatre, is tp be complimented on his thorough management of the booth. The .way the crowd was handled was vefry creditable, and.at no time throughout the long day was there any congestion at any one of the four tables. The aged’ and infirm received special cajre and consideration at Mr Bush’s hands, and he did all possible to make their voting as easy as possible for them.

The annual prize giving in connection with St. Paul’s Sunday School will take place in the Parish Hall this evening. , -

We have to acknowledge receipt with many thanks of wall, calendars for 1923 from Mr 5. Hubbard, engineer, and Mr T. H. Hale, baker. In both instances these calendars are very pretty, and the colouring and designs generally are etxremely well done.

The destruction of a house by fire was narrowly averted at Ngatea on Thursday evening (election night), the incident occurring in Mr W. G. Hayward’s residence. Some trouble was experienced in lighting a benzine lamp in a bedroom and Mr Hayward, entering the room 'with the intention of rectifying matteh's, struck a match. The lamp had evidently been leaking, for, in and instant, the floor was a sheet of flame. Mr Hayward promptly threw the bedding oven the- flames, which were quickly smothered.

The chairman of Hauraki Plains A. and P. Association at Friday’s meeting suggested gaining permission to hold a raffle for say a pedigree Jersey bull. “Is a bull a work of art ?” enquired a member. “ Dress its tail,” quietly suggested another.

Property is always an unmixed blessing to its owner (says the Dominion). A casp canie under notice recently where the trustees ofl ap estate decided to sell by .auction a city section on which was erected,in brick a sturdy one storied store. Such was the total of the land tax and city rates' that the property was proving a loss to the owners’, and as they had no desire to demolish the store and erect on the site a four of flve-stoi'jed building (which might bring in a return) the property was offered for sale by auction.

An Ashburton resident relates a’remarkab'e scene which occurred at the Addington stock sale (states the Guardian). One animal in a pen of fat bullocks was lying down, apparently in great pain, and all. who saw it firmly believed it was about to expire. The inspector of cruelty to dumb animals came along with a rifle, intent on putting the beast out of its misery. He 'edged a bullet behind its ear, to which the animal responded by tearing about the-pen, co the bewilderment of the*crowd. He was eventually got out, and continued its mad career until reaching a water trough. Those who saw the high water mark rapidly recede until there was - practically ho water left were thoroughly convinced that the animal’s only ailment had been a phenomenal thirst, he having been in the yards for many hours apparently without a drink. That evening the bullock was as’frisky as any of its mates.

The case of a youth who applied before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court, Christchurch, for a certificate ofi exemption foJ’m military training on the ground that such training was contrary to his religious beliefs, was heard further by the-Magistrate in Chambei's next day. The ease had been adjourned in order to obtain evidence from the representative of the Socialists’ Sunday School and one of the boy’s parents. However, after recalling the boy, who again stated that military training was contrary to Inis religious beliefs, the Magistrate refused the application on the ground that the Socialists’ Sunday School was an educational institute and not a religious one-

To tlie good people of Hokianga must be given credit for modernising politics (s'ays the North Auckland Times). They recently sent word in to the Hon. J. G. Coates’ election cam paign committee that they did not want him to address them, but would rather lie came along with' a few • . 1' of hili'supporters to spend a convivial hour with them round /the festive board at which politics could be interspersed with s.andiwhces, cakes, fruit salads, tea and coffee. The- request was very graciously accepted, and .about thirty enthusiasts accompanied the honourable gentleman to Hpkianga.