LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4525, 9 February 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“The passengers who come down from Waihi to Hikutaia ought to pay an amusement tax,” said a speaker at Wednesday’s Thames County Council meeting. “They 'run the cutter,’” he added, amid laughter. Mr R. Phillips, of Paeroa, has secured a contract to supply the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., witn 1,000,000 super feet of pine suitable for butter boxes and cheese crates. Mr Phillips is fortunate in having sufficient bush and timber to fulfil so large an order. Was it auto-isiiggestipn that caused the ticket numbered 13 to be drawn second in the art union connected with tiie Alley Memorial Park. Hikutaia ? When filling in the counterfoil tiie puicli.aser had the prescience to write carefully at the bottom the word “winner,” and though 13 did not come first, it proved the winner of a very handsome pair of pictures. Moral: Do not try for success, but command it (sic). At a special meeting of the Thames Harbour Board held on Tuesday evening the new electoral roll was approved. “Money is getting cheaper,” said CL Faithful at Wednesday’s Thames County Council meeting. “The chairman of the Power Board informed me,” he added, “that he had raised a loan of £loo,o'oo at per cent.” An amusing item was quoted in connection with electricity a few days ago. It appears that owing to a fusing of wires p.ar.t of the wood at the top of a pole carrying high tension power fired, and as it occurred near the Waitoa dairy factory, an assistant made an attempt to get a bucket of water and a ladder in order to “douse the flame.” He was inform 3<l that water was a direct conductor of electrical current, and there a danger of the willing one being electrocuted, so he promptly desisted, much wiser than before. The Postmaster has advised us that from March 1, 1923, telephone exchange accounts are to be collected monthly in advance. The accounts for the month of March are to be based on the present annual rates. Subscribers will be advised later of the date from which the proposed amended scale of rates is to take effect Mention was made at Wednesday’;? Thames County Council meeting of the delay in getting metal for the Hikutaia reading scheme, owing to continual. breakages in the water supply. It was stated that, when the work commenced 100 yards of metal could be spread a day. Ultimately it was decided that the foreman should make inquiries with a view to obtaining additional metal from other sources, thus avoiding unnecessary (jlelay in carrying out the work. Wild pig hunting is a sport that greatly appeals to Major G. RBlackett, who .appeared nt Wednesday’s Thames County Council meeting with his right hand in bandages as tiie outcome of a hand to hand tussle with a pig. The pig was bailed up by a dog, and Major Blackett, having no gun with him, advanced to the attack with an ordinary sheath knife The dog had the pig by one ear, and no difficulty was experiences in sticking it. Unfortunitely, however, the pig got loose, and turned quickly, with the result that the knife was driven into Major Blackett s hand, inflicting a deep wound.

A letter received at Tuesday night’-: Thames Harbour Board meeting, written by t’ue Auditor-General, stated that the’chairman's honorarium must cover all charges. The chairman (Mr C. W. Harris), in commenting on the letter, said he had paid in about £42, so that the matter was now square. Some time ago tags were attached to the Board’s balance sheet, including one coveijing certain .travelling expenses which tiie Audit Department disallowed. The amount then referred to has now been refunded.

At Wednesday’s Turua Town Board meeting a letter was received from the Valuation Department, Wellington. stating that the work of adding new improvements to the roll of ratepayers would not be put in hand till the middle of March, so as to ensure that all new buildings were included.

In this week’s issue of the “New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review” particular interest is centred in the snapshots of the American athletes, while the centre pages have a special aquatic touch, being devoted to the annual regatta at Whangarci and the Wanganui Motor Boat Club's race. The meeting of the Wellington Racing Club is covered in a wellselected set of snapshots revealing the progress of principal events, so that interest in the turf and the sea is fairly evenly divided. Stage and social events of overseas note add te the popularity of' the attractions.

The Thames County Council has decided that return tickets by the Kopu ferry shall be available for any one day.