THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1924. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4794, 31 December 1924, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1924. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

e There will be no publication of the “G-izettc” on Friday next, January 2. To our townspeople, friends, and readers we extend all good wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year. Mr Wm. C. Alexander, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, left Paeroa yesterday for Raglan Beach, where the holidays are to be spent. The All Blacks overwhelmed the London Counties at Blackheath on Saturday last, running up a score of 28 points to 3. The remaining match of the tour in Great Britain will be played against England on Saturday next. The Auckland Racing Club’s carnival at Ellerslie is naturally in the forefront’ at present, and photographs in this week’s issue of the “N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review” give prominence to this attractive holiday event. The Cup race is specially featured. The Auckland Trotting Club's meeting at Alexandria Park is also the subject of a generous display of snaps, and the centre pages present an attractive series showing a miseellanj of English and American incidents. The All Blacks are shown in their contest with Northumberland. At the conclusion of the taking of evidence last night in connection with the drowning of the late Mr W. Medhurst, the coroner, Mr F. E. Flatt, commented on the inconvenience that he and the constable had been put io in obtaining entrance to the local Courthouse owing to it being closed for the holidays, Mr Flatt remarked that the Courthouse was public property, and suitable arrangements should be made whereby the resident constable had access to the building when occasion demanded it. It appears that Constable McClinchy does not hold a key to the doors of the budding, and last night it was necessary for him to mount a chair and climb into the building through a window and unlock the door from tho inside.

Mr T M. Ball, district Public Works engineer at Stratford, and at one time resident engineer at Paeroa, is spending a brief holiday in Paeroa.

Several of the trains last week from Waihi, Paeroa, and Thames carried a large number of Maoris, who were journeying to Wanganui to welcome Ratana home.

A meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held last week to confirm the previous notice given of the intention to levy a nonconsumers’ rate. There were present Messrs F. H. Claxton (chairman), G. Howie. J. B. Thomas, .1. Price. F. M. Strange, and C. A. Arthur.

On account of the unpropitious weather the Paeroa Bowling Club was on’y able to play one of, its Christmas competitions. On Christmas Day a pairs tournament was played and prizes awarded to the winning skips anil leads. Some twenty players took part in the competition, and after an enjoyable and interesting tussle F. Pivott was the winner for the leads, and Messrs W. T. Power, W. Purdie, and W. Hamilton tied for first honours amongst the skips.

The residence owned by Mr M. McLeod, Devonport, situated off Junction Road, Paeroa. and occupied by Mr N. Ba’’dsley, was completely destroyed by fire early yesterday morning. Owing to the distance from the fae station and an inadequate water supply the alarm was not given. Practically nothing was saved. The dwelling was insured for £l5O in the State Fire office.

Speaking at the conclusion of the inquest last evening Mr F. E. Flatt, district coroner, said that it was worthy of record the ready response and prompt assistance always forthcoming from the residents of Paeroa when such sad fatalities occurred. He remarked that it was impossible to eulogise the efforts of any one paiticulai person, but it was indeed gratifying to see the way valuable assistance was always so readily sxen in the time of need.