LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4679, 26 March 1924, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Rugby enthusiasts are reminded that the annual meeting of the Paeroa Rugby Union will be held in the Soldiers’ Club on Wednesday, April 2, at 7.30 p.m.

New Zealand will observe the following bank holidays at Eastertide this year ; April 18, 19, 21, 23, and 25. Fix: im Good Friday the banks will clo-c for four days, but will open on Ea-ter Tuesday owing to the number of holidays that week ; close on the Wednesday, open on the Thursday, and close again on the Friday for Anzac Day.

The Mayor of .Waihi, Mr W. M. Wa’lnutt. reports that the total amount received by him on behalf of the Higgins distress fund was £9B 0s 7<l, and that, including the sale of arli'Clcs kindly purchased by residents of Waitawheta, Mrs Higgins had more than the amount, required by the Canadian authorities in regard to immigrants when she left New Zea-, land. Of the above amount £26 7s fid was collected by the Waikino people. Mrs Higgins and her two boys, who sailed by the s.s. Niagara last week, were accompanied to Auckland by Mrs Wallnutt, who attended to the final arrangements.

The Paeroa Lawn Tennis Club held a most enjoyable dance in the Returned Soldiers’ Hall la,st evening, between twenty and thirty couples bemg present. The dance music was sunolied by Misses C. Taylor, de Ca-'ro, Royal, and L. Vincent. Mr RB. Penlington also supplied a number of records on his gramophone which were much appreciated. The onerous duties of: M.C. were carried out by Mr C. H. Wells in his usual solicitous manner. A dainty supper was provided and served by the lady members of the club.

In connection with the visit of the war-ships of the Imperial Squadron to Auckland on May 10 to 17 the Education Board is endeavouring to make ar; angements for school children lO visit them under the supervision of teachers and parents. Although the visit of the warships takes place during a school vacation, the board hopes that head teachers and school comnifttces will make arrangements for pupils to attend under supervision. At a special meeting of the Paeroa District High School Committee last evening it was decided, after consultation with the headmaster (Mr G. H. Taylor), that as the board stipulated that scholars must be within one day’s return journey from Auckland, unfortunately the proposed trip could not be entertained for the local scholars.

At a meeting of the executive of the Cathedral Building Committee preliminary sketch plans of the proposed Nelson Cathedral were approved. The cathedral when finished will cost £Bl' 000. The eastern portion of the cathedral will be proceeded with first, and building operations will be commenced when sufficient funds are in hand. A sum of £20,000 left by the late Miss Marsden will be available for the first portion of the cathedral, and a vigorous plan of compaign will bepreceeded with at an early date.

That the vendor of a motor-car as well as the purchaser is directly responsible for the cancellation and re . gistratimi of the number when the car concerned changes hands is a fact not generally known, as was evidenced in the Invercargill Magistrate’s Coui t when several motorists appeared to answer charges of having failed to give notice of a change of ownership. John Crooks pleaded guilty to su< h a. charge and was fined Is, and costs 17s, while Thomas Bird, who disposed of the car to the pea-son concerned. was fined 10s and costs.

Public works at present in operation on the Hauraki Plains include the metalling of Wilson s Road, Orchard East Road, and the Kopuarahi-■ Orongo road. The main wad near Carter’s Corner is being reformed, the Turua Town Board’s roads are being scarified, graded, and rolled, and the Orongo end of the Turua road is being patched by the Lands Department. The Thames Valley Power Board has distributed poles along the Ngatca-Waitakaruru road, and i.s having them placed inside the settlers’ fences. Practically all the drains controlled by the Lands Drainage Department have been cleaned or are at present being done. A great deal of cleaning is also being done for th'.' Hauraki Drainage Board.

A very interesting controversy was settled at the Wairoa racecourse as to the relative speed of a racing-motor-cycle and an aeroplane (states an exchange). Captain Fowler piloted the areopiane, whole Coleman rode the motor-cycle. The aeroplane was able to keep ahead of the cycle when flying with the wind, but against it Coleman easily led—to such an extent that after a few laps the aeroplane gave up the attempt.

It does not often happen that after an interval of 26 years creditors iyi a bankrupt estate receive a dividend, yet such a case was recently recorded in Wellington, the Official Assignee having discovered an asset sufficient to pay a further sum to the creditors concerned. The dividend was the fourth 'to be paid by the estate. Most of the creditors, it is reported, have long since forgotten all about the bankruptcy, which occurred in 1898, am! have written the account off their bonks.

A billion mark note, which he had bought in Germany for 18d, was shown to a Standard reporter at Palmerston .North by a New Zealander, who recently returned from a visit to Europe. The pre-war value of the note would be £50,000,000. Staggering as the figures appear, those on a luncheon bill which the visitor brought back as a souvenir are more, amazing. The document shows that (he charge w.v; 32,750,000,000' marks, then equal to only about 2s 9d in English cnirency.

Competitions open Hamilton, May 7, 1924. Entries close March 31. Syllabus from Competitions Secretary, Hamilton.*