HIKUTAIA NEWS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4659, 8 February 1924, Page 3

HIKUTAIA NEWS.

QBOWLING. Tlie competition for the Harris rooster appears to be the object of spirited rivalry among the Hikutaia bowlers. Last week Mr H. Valentine wrested the coveted trophy from the holder, Mr H. Morrison, but only held it a da y when he had to deliver it over to Mr B. Winder. Immediately after his win the lastnamed received a challenge, which will be in duty, bound accepted. TENNIS MATCH. A very enjoyable tennis match wAs played at Thames on Saturday between teams representative of the local Methodist Club and the Hikutaia Club. An enjoyable series of games resulted in a win for the home players by seven games of 85 points ' to five games or 68 points. The visitors, who received a most cordial welcome from the secretary of the Thames Club (Mr Danby), were entertained with lavish hospitality, the .appreciation "of which, and the sportsmanlike spirit that characterised the match, were acknowledged by the president of the visiting club (Mr JElliot) who in a neat little speech paid tribute to the hosts. Appended follow the particulars# the names of the Thames players being ’mentioned first: — Ladies’ Doubles : Mrs Buchan and v M-ss Forrest v. Misses Gibb 6—5, Mrs McCleary and Miss Gleesori v. Miss Elliot and Mrs Alexander 5—6. Ladies’ Singles : Mrs Buchan v. Miss Gibb 3—6, Miss Forrest v. Miss GraceGi’ffi o—9. Men’s Singles: Menzies v. Geo. Gibb 9—l, W. Morton v. C. Gibb 9—2, Brokenshire v. H. Morrison 2—!), Currie v. G. Spencer 9 —5. Men’s, Doubles : Morton and Brokenshire v. G. and C. Gibb 9—6, Currie and Menzies v. H. Morrison and Spencer 9—7, Warne and; Lange v. C. Elliot and R. Samson 6 —9. Combined Doubles: Mrs McCleary and Warne v. Miss and C. Elliot 9—l, Miss Gleeson and Samson v. Mrs Alexander and Samson 9 —5, DANCE. Tlie dance with which the sports were brought to an end was highly successful in every way. The hall was more than comfortably filled, the floor was in excellent condition, and the music by Mr M. C. Smith’s local ochestra was so greatly appreciated that the dancers kept the musicians “at it’’ until past 2,a.m„ at which hour the call of the H.M. the cow beagn to be heard. . SCHOOL. School was resumed on Monday morning after the long vacation. The new. pupils enrolled will more than make up for those who reft at the end of last year. Of the staff only tlie headmaster and one assistantturned up, the first assistant, Miss L M. Frost, being at present an inmate i f the Mater Misericordiai Hospital. Auckland, and a successor to Miss L *L\. Morrison not having yet been appointed.,, To show their appreciation of their teacher, the pupils of her class pre- ; nted Miss L. Morrison with a handsome Sheaffer pencil—a. tangible reminder of their esteem and regard. .Miss Morrison leaves Hikutaia shortly * I >r the Training College. Miss C. C. Foote has been appointi <l. assistant at the school vice Miss Hassett removed. The swimming lessons which bn the v arm . weather supersede physical (’rill are thoroughly enjoyed by pupils end teachers alike. THE NORMAL. With the opening of. the s chpols and the return of several families from the coast and other places Hiki taia has almost returned to its normal state, which will be reached when the many pupils from the dis- ■; ■ ict return to the various secondary schools which they attend. TROUT. ’ During the 1921-22 fishing season Mr J. Ellis hooked, but lost, a tine four to five pound rainbow trout, thus proving that this fish was acc’imatised in the Hikutaia Creek. L -.st week while experimenting Mi Xorman Pryce landed a fine specimen weighing some six pounds, while on Monday Mr Fred Hill noticed in the creek at the Maratoto crossing a dead trout, which, he asserts would turn the scale at eight' pounds. Devotees of the genial Izak Walton will rejoice to hear that the piospects of capital trout fishing are good, but will deplore the illicit methods that are said to be practised in the effort to catch this fine sporting flsh. The Hikutaia creek is an ideal trout river, l ar.d it would pay the acclimatisation authorities to stock it with a hundred or two yearlings instead of with the thousands of ‘ova, most of which either die when evacuated from the tins, or fall a prey to the eels!, which are very numerous. Those tnat escape very often, it is said,.fall as prey to the dynamite cartridge or the gaff, it behoves all interested tp foster this source of sporting enjoyment. To do so rangers and license holders should import poachers to the authorities to be dealt with by legal process. DAIRYING. The supply of milk is still keeping uo 'remarkably well—thanks to the rain and the general sunshiny wea- | th°r. The former seems tp fall just K when it is wanted. Haymaking J throughout the district is almost at an end. good crops having been the. rule rather than the exception. WEATHER. The weather figures for Jaiuhary as recorded daily at 12 noon at the District School were as follows :—Average barometric pressure, 30.215 in ; average temperature in the shade, 75 530 deg. F; number of days on which rain fell, 14; number of rainless days, 17 ; . rainfall for month, 1.97 in. The highest' tenfberature (in the shade) recorded was 86, the lowest being 66. The water in the tanks at the cheese factory one day showed a temperature .of 81 degrees F. r such water being pumped from the river the temperature was very much Tower to the tanks which were to the full force of the sun, PERSONAL.' Miss J. Corbett left for the south at the end of last week. ; "Mr and Mrs ’W. H. Alley, with their

eldest son, left for Nelson on Friday lari, the intention being to see the lad safely installed in Nelsen College, which he will attend for some time. The local stationmaster, Mr A. B. Capper, and his family have returned home- after spending an enjoyable holiday in and around Auckland. The families of Messrs F. Hanlen, H. Morrison. M. Morrison, and A. R. Robinson have returned from the Coast, where all spent a most enjoyable time. His friends will regret to hear that owing to an injury to one of his legs Mi’ F. Hanlen has for some, time been an inmate of the Thames Hospital.