THE Hauraki Plain Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1924. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4647, 11 January 1924, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plain Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1924. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual meeting of the Ohineinuri Public Library is to be held in the library this evening, when it Is hoped that there will be a large attendance of subscribers. Apart from the fact that trustees and an executive committee are to be elected for the ensuing year, matters of vital importance to the future success and welfare of the institution are to be discussed.

One of Wellington’s most familiar landmarks—the Terrace Prison—has, if for no other reason than its occupa icy of a valuable central and commanding site, outlived its usefulness as a prison, and is now in process of gradual demolition to finally make way for the erection of a block of modern school buildings.

After the holidays it is most agreeable to review pictorially all the leading attractions, and in this week’s issue of the “New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review ” there ? s ample opportunity to secure a lasting souvenir. Pride of place is given to the Auckland Racing Club’s summer carnival at Ellerslie and the Trotting Chib’s big gathering at Epsom. The Caledonian Society’s sports at Wellington cover an atractive set bf competitions, and the Mardi Gras Carnival at Napier is the .subject of a generous selection of striking photopraph.s. The stage and motion pictures have an attractive showing.

f Very hot and muggy weather has been experienced in Paeroa since yesterday morning, when, at 9 o’clock the thermometer registered 74 degrees in the shade, and by midday the temperature had risen to S 3 degrees At 9 a.m. this morning the register was 72 degrees, and at mi l-day 82 degrees. Most people are finding the weather very trying, as the days are so enervating. lunanu)') luriuHtuCiy pai-jcu uy no bcrious'resuua, uccariud in ijmrbuiL ouicu.l iruuioil, ma ning. rur w. nail, of Mill Road, Vi,,., ueiiv-m.g mini, and leit nis llv , _e and iniik-Uuat unattended in urj stiect, when the animal became Uighlencu at a dog barking and caijcieu along Corbett Stiec.t until it was brought to a standstill by the gale entiancc to the samyards. Befo'e reaching the gate the runaway collided with another miln-cart, ounce! by Mr L. E- Cassie),s and driven by a lad named Chisholm. The wheels of the two vehicles became interlocked, with tile result that the hOise driven by Chisholm was thrown down ) and the cart upset. Fortunately, Ibtt tie damage was done. Hearing the impact, a number of people soon ar- . rived on the scene and assisted in quieting the animals and righting . the upturned cart.

2.U- W. H. Taylor, oi Paeroa, was the successful tendeier for the completion of approximately one and a half miles of concrete road in Te Aroha West, commencing where the Pi.iko County Council left off the road formation, at Herriesville, along to the glaxp factory. The road is to be constructed of six-inch concrete, ten feet wide.

An accident occurred on the Netherton road between the store and the school yesterday afternoon to Mrs TJohnson, who was driving along the road when a motor-car approached and endeavoured to pass on its wrong side, with the result that the trap was heavily bumped, which caused it to swerve and then capsize. Mrs Johnson was thrown out, and received a severe bruising on the left side and leg, and the right wrist. The nearby settlers assisted Mrs Johnson to her home. No great damage was done to either the horse or vehicle, and the car was also able to proceed on its way.

A visitor to Mount Egmont, in speaking of the magnificent view from the top,- stated that with the naked eye he successfully picked up Mount Edgecombe (about 3000 1 feet high) near Whaka.tane, in the Bay of Plenty. A reference to the map (says the “Taranaki News”) shows the distance in a direct line to be 180 miles.

"I suppose ‘damn’ has ceased to be a swear word now ?” said the magistrate at Wanganui tne other day. Counsel: “Yes'; it is a classic word now, and often used in the pulpits.” The magistrate: “It always was there, but used with special license/’ Counsel went on to say that farcical comedy nowadays would be considered very tame without a few damns. He referred to the first time the word was used on the stage in England, and the audience were awfully disgusted, and the play had to be withdrawn.

At the present time Mr R. Corringham is displaying a fine stock model Squire and Longson piano in his showroom in Normanby Road. This is a particularly well made and handsome instrument, and full particulars of it appear in the advertising columns of this issue. Music lovers and the general public are cordially invited to inspect.*

An amusing incident occurred after a circus’ in Timaru on Thursday night of last week, when the baby elephant connected with the show was seen attempting to stand on its head, The rather ludicrous endeavours were made by little Jumbo when it was left unattended outside the circus tent. It is not difficult (aisys the “Herald”) to imagine the' effect that the futile attempts had on those who witnessed the unrehearsed performance.

Dr. Simon says drugs cost America every year a loss of 1,825,000,001) dol. That sum represents the value of drugs used and the wasted energy and services of drug victims. AU hungry people hi the world could be fed and clothed, all public improvements that the world needs could be paid for with the waste caused by drugs, alcohol and crime. The Gazette announces an amendment of the soldiers’ protection regulations so that nothing shall apply to proceedings taken by any electric power board for the recovery of rates (including special rates) for any period after January 1, 1924, for the recovery of any moneys which may be or become due to such boiard under any contract for the supply of electri“i,ty or the installation of fltttags or equipment for the purposes of such supply. Nothing in the regulation shall apply to proceedings taken by any local authority for the recovery of rates (including special rates) levied by it for any period after January 1. 1924.

It is said that probably no other man ever killed so many rats as John Dalton, of Southwark, who died in 1915 at the age of 90, and worked at his trade as a ratcatcher until shortly before his death. His forefathers hud been ratcatchers since the days of Queen Anne, and his sons and grondsons pursue the .same calling. Neither poisotis nor traps are used by the Daltons, and the method by which they destroy rats is a secret kept in the family. They destroy the bodies and keep the tails for tally. The present head of the business holds contracts for the clearance of their premises from the London railways and docks, and from many of the big hotels and restaurants.

Tn an endeavour to break the record ride from Y’ork to London of four and a half days, performed by Captain Tyrwhitl Drake in July on his Arab horse Sheik, Mr George Newton Bell, a New Zealand stock breeder, started from York, riding the thoroughbred Yorkshire horse Yorkshire Boy. The ground is covered with snow,