THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 6. 1925. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4807, 6 February 1925, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 6. 1925. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the year ended December 31, 1924, 577 cases of explosives were received and 519 cases issued from the local explosives magazine. Storage fees totalled £32 9s.

Last year 27 interments took place and 12 sections were sold at the Paeroa cemetery. Interment fees amounted to £3B ss, and the sale of sections realised £ll ss.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council the resolution moved on December 22, 1924, authorising the raising of a loan of £ll5O for the Mataora special rating area was confirmed.

During the discussion at yesterday’s meeting of the Thames County Council it was pointed out that the bank overdraft was about fifteen hundred pounds. It was increasing year by year, and the rates woul dhave to be increased or less work done in the future.

Installation of the Wizard gas system for lighting purposes is being carried out at the Paeroa post office. This plant to replace the gas which is at present supplied by the Ohinemuri Light and Power Co., the manufacture of which is to cease on Tuesday next.

A special meeting of the Thames County Council was held on Thursday of last week for the purpose of declaring foxglove a noxious weed within the county. The matter was brought up by Cr. McCormick, who on several occasions has pointed out how this weed is spreading.

To-morrow cricket matches will be played on the Plains between Pipiroa and Kaihere at Kaihere and Kopuarahi and Waitakaruru at Kopuarahi.

The following return for the year ended December 31, 1924, was tabled at yesterday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council: At the Paeroa abattoirs 710 cows, 328 steers and heifers, 1654 sheep, 191 lambs, 50 calves, and 97 pigK were slaughtered. The net revenue collected amounted to £638 8s 3d.

The Auckland Education Board at its Wednesday meeting appointed Miss A. Patterson, 8.A., secondary assistant at the Paeroa District High School, vice Miss W. E. Sutton, 8.A., transferred. Mr W. E. Leach, Paeroa, has also been appointed a probationary teacher at the Paeroa District High Schoo], Miss D. E. Smith has been appointed assistant at Kerepeehi, and Mr J. A. Kelly was appointed a pupil teacher at Turua.

At yesterday's meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council Cr. H. M. Corbett suggested that later on the council should consider the advisability of purchasing a trailer scarifier for attaching to the road roller. Sucli a machine, he Contended, did the wOi k more satisfactorily and placed less strain on the roller than the permanently attached scarifier. The engineer (Mr E. Shaw) said he would look into the matter and ascertain further particulars.

The registrar of motor vehicles, Mr J. G. McDougall, states that 198 motor vehicles have been registered at the Paeroa Post Office, as required under the Motor Vehicles Act. Last year’s registrations with the Ohinemuri County Council totalled just on 300. Obviously a number of owners of motor vehicles either missed or forgot the closing date for registration, January 31, or have left the ( district or registered at a post office other than Paeroa.

A conference of Chambers of Commerce will be held at the Parish Hath Te Aroha, on Februaiy 11, to discuss with the commercial agent for N.Z. Railways a proposal that an evening through train to Auckland be run by the department. The proposal is that the present “wild cat" from Thames to Frankton Junction should be run th rough-to Auckland and be timed to arrive there before the last trams cease running. This train would carry passengers from the Thames and Rotorua lines, and pick up passenger? at Frankton from Te Awamutu and Te Kuiti. '

In conversation one of the local doctors in Paeroa yesterday expressed the opinion that although the town at the present time .was singularly free of disease or serious illnesses, it would be a miraculous thing if we escaped without any cases of infan|tile paralysis. He was of the opinioi that the regulations concerning chilldrim travelling by train and steameiwere not stringent enough, and th| likelihood of the paralysis germ being brought into the town by such means from other parts was quit? probable. Hb thought that adults and children in infected areas should nop be allowed to leave those areas. |

The Sanders Cup Race occupies pride of place in this week’s issue or the “N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review. Another highly attractive fear turn is the Anniversary which is represented in beautiful views of the speed boats in operation and the keel yacht and mullet boat races. The Takapuna Jockey Club’is meeting is .the subject of a comprehensive series showing starts and finishes of principal races, together with other incidents. The centre pages strike a particularly refreshing note with their array of bathing scenes at various seaside resorts in Auckland. Included in a diversified miscellany are the Wellington Bowling Tournament, Dunedin juvenile swimineis, etc., with the usual portraits of stage and screen favourites.

In spite of the many attempts by the struggling farmer, the gum lahds of the North Auckland district have proved, unsuitable for general agricultural purposes. Cropping is not a paying preposition in those parts. There is one exception, however. Tobacco thrives well in these latitudes, and splendid types of leaf have been produced on soils that not long agb were covered with ti-tree and fern. A small portion of these waste lands if planted in tobacco would be sufficient to transform this poverty-strick-en district into regions of affluence and wealth ; £5O net is the average yield of a tobacco crop per acre, and often more. Few people realise the immense possibilities of the tobacco industry, but anyone wanting information on the subject is referred to the ready manufactured article, Riverhead Gold, mildest of all; Toapted Navy Cut (Bulldog), of medium strength ; and Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullhead),' full strength. Do not forget that all three brands are “toasted” and therefore more wholesome tha'-i the average class of goods from overseas, often so harmful on the score of exces?. nicotine.*