THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4569, 28 May 1923, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

* The Hauraki Plains Traffic Inspector reported at the last council meeting that since taking up-his duties on May 7 he has registered 148 dogs. Seven building permits had been received and approved. Warning had been issued to a large number biowners of cattle and pigs found straying on the roads, and penalties wou’d be enforced if the nuisance continued. Several people have been warned for for driving at night without lights on the roads, and action is to be taken if the practice continues.

One of the results of the great growth ol the automobile industry has been the Increased demands for leather. Referring to this fact, “Export” has the following: Split their hides as thin as; possible, .there would not be enough in the world toj supply the leather and cover the tops of mare than twelve million automobiles in the woifld, unless the people were willing to do with less shoes and other commodities for which natural leather, is required. To meet the extra demand the manufacture of artificial leather has increased. In spite of the production of artificial leather the demand for the.genuine atricle is stjll strong, and consequently reduction has not taken place in price.

News of the discovery by an English survey ship of a lost island in the far South Pacific whose population of several hundred natives is ruled by a white woman was taken tp San Francisco by Miss Ella Borwn, to San Francisco by Miss Ella Brown of the Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association, and is herself the buyer for an Australian firm, states the Otago Daily Times! A Mrs Zahel, widow of an Australian, said'Wiss Brown, went to the inland, which is called Bardoo, years agb>, in the hope that missionary work would serve to assuage her grief over the loss of hei husband,, and now she is recognised as the high priestess and supreme ruler of the island. The only other white inhaibtants of the island, according to Miss Brown, who is now ir London, are H. Banfleld, an . English author, and his wife and an Irish servant, woman.

At the meeting of the Netharton Ratepayers’ Association on Saturday night one of the speakers remarked that he had travelled through various countries but nowhere yet had he come across such an indefatigable and inexplicable place as Netherton. “Why,” he said, “they even put ‘Ha'res’ in the Council, ‘Rice in the school, and ‘Nicoll’s’ in the store, and finally vote for ‘Death’ on the Hospital Board.

At the present moment the atmosphere of local politics is rather turgid, states the Pukekohe Times. With the Mayor and two; Councillors resigned, the Town Clerk and Engineer in the same boat, an inquiry into the Borough services proceeding, and an election looming ahetfft, one cannot accuse this town of apathy in its affairs. But the ratepayers should remember one very important feature of the present position—it is only temporary.

Master Dave Leach, of Wellington, son of Mr D. Leach,, of Paeroa, has received a transfer on promotion to the Auckland office of the Lands and Survey Department. ■

The value of the rateable land under the jurisdiction of the Hauraki Plains Count!’ Council is £1,168,774. The total amount,-of the general rates struck for the year 1923-24 is £10’,315 18s. Of this amount it is estimated that £20,000 will be required for administration, £lOOO for the maintenance of public works, such as bridges, ferries, etc., and £1440 for miscellaneous charges, leaving about £6609 for expenditure in ridings. The engineer’s estimate for work in the ridings totals about £6532.' Several ridings have a credit, balance in their accounts besides outstanding rates. The rate .struck for the year 1923-24 is 2d in the pound in qjl ridings except Turua and where the rate is 2%d. The estimate of miscellaneous receipts from licenses, etc., is £9OO.

The Post and Telegraph Department has recently widened the range of telephone toll communications-, and it is now possible for most of the Taranaki exchanges' to get connection at practically any time of the day or night with such far away places ns Auckland and Wellington, besides Te Kuiti, Hamilton, etc. (says the “Taranaki Daily News”). The rates also have been brought down. Here is an opportunity for the Department to bring its facilities to the notice of the public, who for the most part are* ignorant of the nature of the services offered. . If the Department showed the same enterprise in regard to publicity methods as it does in modernising its facilities' it would attract a great deal more business, but in matters of publicity it is antiquated and unprogressive as the other hidebound Government Departments.

The Thames bus and the Paeroa mail car are in the habit of travelling at a very fast rate on the Plains roads, and it was suggested by the .county inspector St the last Hauraki Plains Council meeting that these vehicles should be limited during the winter months, otherwise the roads would be damaged to a great extend

The June issue of “The Ladies’ Mirror” is now on sale, and the number is one of exceptional interest. It contains photos of Their Rqyal Highnessees the. Duke and Duchess of York. the. latest portraits of New Zealand’s prime Minister, and Mrs Massey. As frontispiece it has a charming art, study of Mrs C. W. Salmon, whose recent wedding created widespread interest. An interesting article on the Panama Canal by Dr. de Clive Lowe, society poptraits;, weddings and engagements portraits, photo studies, latest fashions, beautiful New Zealand homes,' dancing, motoring, golf, fiction, home topics, make the “Ladies’ Mirror” the ideal journal for the home.

The “sound thrashing” policy in dealing with juvenile offenders is being pursued in Christchurch (remarks an exchange). “I mean not one of a perfunctory nature,” said Mr H, Y. Widdowson, S.M., in ordering two boys to be punished in this fashion. “I know that will not be of a cruel nature, but it must be one which will impress them.” The boys, wtiose ages were both between 14 and 15 years, had run away from the probation home on April 23, and had remained away until the constable at New Brighton arrested them three days later. In the interval they got into quite a lot. of ’ mischief. They stole three bicycles belonging to people at New Brighton, wilfully damaged two valuable lavatory locks in au endeavour, to get at the pennies that they contained, sitole a pain of pliers and a screwdriver, which they threw away, and made off with four sacks, which they sold to a secondhand dealer for Is

It may not be generally known that the Hauraki Plains County Council’s road roller was only purchased on March 28, 1923. Until then the Council was under no legal obligation to purchase it. The money paid for hire of the roller was deducted from the purchase price.