THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MARCH, 26, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4544, 26 March 1923, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MARCH, 26, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In speaking of the loss the district had sustained by the death of Mr G. A. Wilson, Mr G. Buchanan said that the late Mr Wilson was a man who said very little, but his helping hand was extended to everything that was deserving. As a worker for the. Agricultural Association he would be sadly missed.

Mr W. Buchanan has had another excellent crop of grapes this year, and a large numbers of people have been paying Buchanan’s Bush a visit during the last three weeks.

The, local Methodist choir, under the leadership of Mr L. Foster, is at present hard at practice on Stainer’s “Crucifixion.” It. is the intention of the choir to produce this work in the Central Theatre a little later on. The ability of the choir is well known to the public, and with the help of additional male voices a real musical treat is in store.*

A very enjoyable afternoon was spent by the ladies of the local croquet club on their green on Saturday. A progressive croquet tournament was held; The trophies were donated by the vice-presidents, Mrs Connolly and Miss Shaw. Somevery close and interesting games resulted in the trophy for “A” players being won by Mrs Houlihan, and the ”B’ section was won by Mrs Taiboys. A large gathering pf players and their friends partook of afterrioon tea on the lawns,

A great deal of amusement was caused on a tram bound for the New I’lymounth breakwater at 4.30' p.ui. (>u Wednesday of last week (says the Taranaki "Herald’’). The exterior of the car was wet, and so were the passengers’ feet. As an unsuspecting person entered the car a foot would be placed on the iron step,, his wet coat would come in contact with another person’s, and both would experience a sharp shock. One youth dropped his schoolbag on the step in his fright, and it was some time before he plucked up courage to kick it off. A shock was the result. Another passenger, a lady, got a severe shock on the neck through the electricity running round her necklace. At each stop everyone would wait for the next victim. Several times the shock would go through half a dozen people whose wet coats happened to be touching at the time.

.The Wairarapa Rugby Union, in it-; annual i eport, states that the sum of £B5 3s 5d was paid to the Government in amusement tax, and has proved a big drain on the union’s finance. Should the be enforced this season, it must be handed on to patrons. Agricultural shows and similar bodies are now exempted, and as the union funds are devoted to fostering, among the rising generation, a game which inculcates self-,control and tends to the building up of healthy manhood, the committee feels the continuance of the tax is an injustice which penalises healthy sport.”

Dr. Tillyard, of Nelson, says: “When ironbark poles are imported into New Zealand for telegraph or telephon.: use every piece of bark hanging on them should be destroyed by fire. No group of trees is subject to more pests than the eucalyptus. You have two bad eucalyptus pests nqw, and you can’t risk having any more. If you must have eucalyptus poles see that they are treated completely in Australia.”

The matter of again entertaining, the ladies who assisted the Agricultural Association at the recent show was mentioned at the meeting on Sat-' urday night. It was generally agreed that the social should be held in June or July, and not “till the cows come in.” At the meeting of the Hauraki A. and P. Association on Saturday night feeling leferences were made to two late members of the association, namely, Messrs G. A. Wilson and A. Tetley, and votes of condolence were passed to the relatives of both. “Sport” writes in answer to “Winchester’s’’ inquiry in this paper on the 16tli inst., with regard to shooting on the hills in the vicinity of Hikutaia He states: “Californian quail are fairly plentiful, and pheasants are undoubtedly on the increase. During the last two years the Ohinemuri Acclimatisation Society has liberated pheasants in this vicinity, and evidence points to the fact that large numbers have thriven and done well.” As Regards rifleshooting “Sport” says: “Deer are occasionally seen in season, quite low down on the hills. Wild pigs are fajrly scarce these days, and it is necessary to go a long distance back into the ranges before getting on to them.” The local tennis courts had a deserted appearance on Saturday aftermoon as regards male players. On making inquiries as to the cause, it was found that the male enthusiasts were hard at work on the proposed new"tennis courts over the liver. On arrival there one was confronted with a veritable hive of industry. Some twenty young fellows were energetically wielding tools of all desc - iptions, while the Thorp brothers hail two drays plying backwards and forwards as quickly as the amateur navvies could load them. A vast amount of soil' was moved from the high ground and deposited on the lower levels. An entrance to the courts was also formed, and, generally, a lot of useful work was done under the leadership of the club’s secretary, Mr R. B. Penlington. It is the intention of the club to hold these working bees regularly, and those players, and others interested in. tennis, who are willing to lend a hand in forming the new courts will be very welcome.

When the secretary of the Hauraki A. and P. Association rend out the list of tickets sold by members it was shown that the president, Mr W. F. Johnstone,. had sold more than ha'f the total amount, and op Mr Silcock’s motion a hearty vote of appreciation was accorded to him.'- In responding the president jocularly remarked that it was one of the privileges of the president to work. He was pleased with the result, and the hearty way members had assisted.

That the Hauraki Drainage Board is financially sound was demonstrated at a meeting, when accounts for goods supplied and services rendered in 1919 and 1920 were presented for payment.