THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY, 27, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4931, 27 January 1926, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY, 27, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to Friday, January 29, being Anniversary Day, there will be no, publication of the “Gazette” on that day. Will advertisers please note that we will publish on Thursday at the usual hour in lieu of Friday.

Many people of the Kerepeehi district are looking forward to there being an hotel license granted in the locality. Options have been granted over sections, likely to be used as an hotel site.

The fact that 96,800 war Widows in Britain have re-married since 1917 was disclosed in the Ministry of Pensions,’ report for the year ended March, 1925, when there were 1,905,000 recipient^ - , of whom’ 51,000 were widows' and dependents of officers. The cost for the year was £69,122,000, compared with £72,448,000 in the preceding year, making total payments to date of £598,000,000.

Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Ohinemuri, who has been in Wellington for several days on business connected with the electorate,. is due to arrive in Waihi to-day (states the "Telegraph”). , To-morrow afternoon, in company with the Mayor (Mr W. M. Wallnuit) and Mr W. E. Bus.ch—who has been actively interesting himself in the effort to have a school building erected on the reserve —the member will pay a visit to the Waihi Beach, with the object of inspecting the proposed site and looking into the conditions generally. While there Mr Samuel will be handed a numerously signed petition urging the Auckland Education Board :to proceed with the erection of a suitable school building.

That the solving of a crossword puzzle entails a certain degree of skill and ability, and that a. competition advertised in the “Poverty Bay Herald” in connection with such a puzzle was therefore not illegal, was the judgment given by Mr Lewy, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court at Gisborne yesterday in a, catse in which the police proceeded against the “Herald” Company on a charge of publishing an advertisement which made it appear that certain premises in Gisborne were used for the purposes of taking part in a scheme of which prizes, were gained by chance.

There should not be any accidents o.n the Plains in the future due to unprotected machinery. An official, of the Inspection of Machinery Department has been in .the district for some time, and he intends to take drastic action unless his instructions are complied with. In the department the Plains, has a bad name on account of the number of accidents and the lack of attention given to previous warnings, and it is thought that if one or two offender were taken to court it would have a good effect and the stigma ,w»uld be removed from the district.

The lOhinemuri County Council is inviting .tenders, closing on February 11,I 1 , for the carting of metal from Tirohia to Ryall’s Road, Paeroa ; for the supply and delivery of metal on Farrelley’s, Road, Waikino ; and for the erection of a bridge in hardwood over the Waitoki Stream on the Old Te Aroha Road.

A campaign is under way in the Kaihere district to 'raise funds fol’ the purpose of providing a istage ami. dressing rooms at the public hall. Dances are being held, and a bazaar will be held next month.

The bones of a,n old Maori who died at Kaihere during the influenza epici’ Monday. A big crowd of natives on Monday. A big crowd of natives assembled to open the grave,and pack the bones into a portmanteau.

It is rumoured in Kerepeehi that the big flax-growing and milling syndicate that hats been investigating the possibilities of the Plains as a sphere of operations lias selected a sight on the Kerepeehi block for - a, mill* which is to contain s.even strippers.

It may not be generally known that persons obtaining fruit in cases by nail have to pay a special rate for freight unless they .are consigned as, “for consignee’s personal, use." The pi’,reels rate for New Zealand-grown fruit is 8d up to 561 b. An Otorohanga settler the other day paid 4s Bd. for two cases of fruit which would have cost him 8d if properly consigned for consignee’s, personal use.

The income of the Wellington Gas Company during the year ended December 31, 1925, amounted to £221,556, which contrasts with £211,726, the amount received in 1924. The net profit was £58,877, as, compared with £67,409 for the previous year.

Miss Ina Ratliff, A.T.C.L., resumes teaching early in February. Intending pupils for Paeroa kindly leave their names with Mr F. C. Blyth.-

A 'resident of Paeroa who recently spent a, holiday at Masterton met Senior-Sergeant T. H. Dyer, who is at present in charge of the Masterton police - district. Mr and Mrs Dyer, who made many friends during their residence in Paeroa, sent New Year greetings - and kind regards to all old friends in-this town.

Early evening for some time past has. presented the local, domain in Olympic air. In the capable and willing hands of several veterans of the track Paeroa athletes, after consistent training, are ‘‘topping off,” and doubtless will "toe the mark” fit and compete creditably at the Hikutaia Sports on Friday next (Anniversary Day).

A box of butter was, noticed being placed, with some ■■ groceries iii a Plains store - ais j th° u £b for delivery to a customer, and it was ascertained by inquiry that the.order was from a Hindoo camp of five men. • The box of butter Would last- a little civer a week. It was stated by the ■ storekeeper that while, most people were of opinion that the standard of living of the Hindoos was 1 'low, his experience was that their monthly account was two or three tifnes as much as for an equal number of New Zealanders.

Particulars of excursion, fares and train arrangements: in connection with Anniversary Day, 29th instant, a,re inserted in .this issue.