LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4758, 1 October 1924, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A co-operative flaxmill is proposed by a certain group of settl&rs near Kaihere. It is understood that a dentist is likely to commence visiting Ngatea one day a week in the near future. A start was made on Monday with the erection of a metal hopper at the Puriri Creek shingle deposit for the Hauraki Plains County Council. Indications point to the number of pupils attending the Ngatea District High School being greatly increased next year. At prestent there are about thirty possible pupils in view. The following vital statistics for Paeroa for the month of September have been supplied by tlilq local registrar, Mr J. G; McDougall: Births, 7, deaths 1; marriages, 2. At the annual general meeting of members of the Ohinemuri Jockey Club on Monday night a vote of condolence w w as passed to the relatives of the late Mr Joseph. Martin, who had been a very old member of the club. The latest issue of the N.Z. Gazette contains new regulations relating to the practice of midwifery, and to asepis, the management of maternitv hospitals and the duties and prescribed examination for pupil maternity nurses The representations that have from time to time been made by thiq Patetonga School Committee, and supported by the committees of other schools on the Plains, to get one of thio travelling dental clinics to visit the district are now about to bear fruit. Inquiries have been made of the various headmasters as to the ! number of infant pupils.likely to require attention. Active preparations apei now being made by the various tennis clubs on the Plains for the coming season, and from the amount of enthusiasm shown the season should ba a very successful one. The Kerepeehi club has decided to tar-seal its courts, the work to be done by voluntary labour, and working bees are being arranged by almost every club. The Lands Department’s gauge at Kerepeehi reveals that rain fell during the month of September on twelve days, a total of 5.17 inches being recorded. Not since 1912 has this amount been exceeded, the average for S'eptembteir since then being 3.72 inches. The total for the year 1924 ( to date is 45.7 inches, and the average for the past elteiven years 41,82 inches. The following rainfall figure's for Paeroa for the month of Septemp&r were supplied by the local office of the Public 'Works Department, the figures for the corresponding month last year being given in parenthesis : Total, rainfall for month, 4.39 inches (3.91) : rain fell on 11 (15) days, the heaviest fall being recorded on September 18 (18), when .83 (.90) inch was registered.

A Napier farmer who received a yam Heed from Jamaica last year was successful in growing over 4bwt cf the vegetable from one seed (says an exchange). The successful grower, Mr M. McMahon, of Puha, said that the yam, which is a variety of pumpkin, can be used equally well as a vegetable or for makiug jam. The pumpkins had kept well throughout the winteh Owing to their extremely rapid growth they have to be planted 30 feet apart.

As the Noxioub Weeds Act is practically a "dead letter” on the Plains very few settlers make more than spasmodic efforts to destroy • these pests. It is therefore refreshing to see that in one district all the gorse bushes growing alongside the roads have been cut down. The seeds of these plants were probably brought to !he Plains by travelling stock or in road metal, so the probability is that gorse plants have not yet spread on to farm lands. It is the duty of bvery landowner to destroy the noxious weeds on the roadside along his boundary and it is to be hoped thav this will be done.

A pleasant little ceremony was held in the teachers’ room at the Paeroa District High School yesterday afternoon, when the staff assembled to farewell Mr Gordon Royal, who has resigned his position on the staff to take up a position as a native interpreter. On behalf of the staff the headmaster, Mr G. H. Taylor, presented Mr Royal with a handsome dress-ing-case, and in doing so voiced the regret of the school that he was leaving and wished him every success and prosperity for the future. Mr F. H. Wilks, on behalf of the pupil teachers, congratulated Mr Royal bn the good work he had done and the success achieved during the two and a half years that he had been on the staff in Paeroa, and expressed the hope that Mr Royal would meet with every success in his ne.w profession. Mr Royal suitably responded. For Coughs and Colds, never fails. Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

Much-needed renovations are at present being carried out to the local police station and residence. These two buildings have be'en repaired and painted, and the interior of the residence has been papered and electric light installed throughout. The police cel’s have been removed bodily from the former site behind the Courthouse to a position immediately in the rear of the police station. The cells are also being renovated and painted, and additional ventilation is being provided by means of roof ventilators. The ple,asing appearance of the new paint on the buildings is spoiled somewhat by the dingy appearance of the exterior of the Courthouse buildings.

A Timanu resident, reading of the destructiveness of the hawks, suggests a means of getting rid of them that he saw practised in his youth (states the Timaru “Herald”). The method wag to get ordinary rabbit traps baited, and lay a number of them together on a hill or some exposed face, it not being necessary to cover up the traps the same as when catching rabbits. The hawks see the bait lying in the tray, and the trap does the rest. The bait, however, must be tied so as to make sure of a good pull from the hawk. In answer to a query as to the wisdom of setting a number, of trap# together when one trap with its live contents would probably scare the other birds away, it was stated that this does not work out in practice. The hawks come down in numbers, and they have been seen alighting on as many as ten traps at a time, regardless of the captive hawk awaiting its doom ; in fact, traps can be cleared and set and cleared again and set without the hawks apparently becoming wise to the method of capture., It is curious how smokers will ••fancy’’ some of their pipes and fail to “take” to others, ft is not a question of cost, either, J. M. Barrie, an inveterate smoker, has quite a collection of pipes, and some of them are valuable. And yet on© of his greatest favourites is a little wooden “nose-warmer” for which he gave fourpence! Tastes in tobacco vary in the sarnie way. Some smokers use only the most expensive brands, while others find ordinary plug or even common shag more to their- liking. The flavour appeals to them. But talking—or rather writing—about flavour, have you tried the New Zealand grown tobaccos ? The leaf, contrary to the usual practice, is toasted, and this imparts a peculiarly delicious flavour.. These tobaccos, moreover. contain very little nicotine, and are consequently comparatively harmless. They are manufactured in various strengths to suit all tastes: “Riverhead Gold” is mild aromatic : “Toasted Navy Cut” (Bulldog label), medium; and “Cut Plug No. 10” (Bull’s Head), full flavoured. They •are meeting with a big sale.* For Children’s Hacking Cough, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.