THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4936, 8 February 1926, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the long period of no-license in ,the Ohinemuri electorate the Licencing Committee lapsed, but the recent decision for restoration causes special interest to be attached to its, revival. The date of the election o? the new committee is fixed for Tuesday, March 9. Five members are to be e’ected, and '.they will have the responsibility of allocating licenses under the restoration regime.

To-day’s sitting of* the Magistrate’s, Court at Paeroa. was of very shout duration. Seventeen civil cases were set down for hearing, but .all of these with the exception of two were either struck out or adjourned till March 8.

An item of interest in the public accounts for the December quarter appearing in the Gazette is “Reparation” moneys from Germany £151,823 16s 7d.

Thirty members of the Paeroa troop of Boy Scouts spent an enjoyable week-end at the Waihi beach. The lads were housed in cottages kindly loaned by Mrs W. Parry and Mr C. H. Pascoe. They left Paeroa on Saturday morning, and returned to their homes yesterday afternoon.

One night last week the Palmerston North fire brigade received a callj to an outbreak of fire down the Foxton line, but on arrival at the boundary it was found that the outbreak was some distance farther out. As the brigade has certain defined limits in which to work it had no option but to return to .the station, leaving the fire without rendering any assistance.

Owing to the spread of Ragwort in the district the local inspector has been instructed to take action against settlers who fail to cut the plant with w the yellow flower.*

The Income Tax Commissioner’s report, presented to- the House of Representatives, Melbourne, shows that for the year 1924-25 44,500,000 people visited the picture theatres, 11,000,000 visited the theatres, and 7,000,000 attended the races.

Of the sixty odd acres acquired as a site -for the new Petone railway workshops no less, than eight acres will be covered by buildings; Huge structures, of. steel and glass—there will be Walls of glass far exceeding in size any similar glass, area, in New Zealand —will house such tremendous engines of production as hundred-ton travelling cranes ; and the columns and girders, of steel will be on a scale not yet paralleled in this country in any similar el.ajss, of construction.

Arising out of the sale of the Commercial Hotel property in Lower Seddon Street, Waihi, says, the “Telegraph,” a case has been set down for hearing in the Waihi Warden’s Court. M. E. Haszard, ‘ the purchaser, is claiming from the vendors, A. Tanner and L. A. Hall, the sum of £3024 lO’Si or specific performance, the vendors having so far failed to complete the sale.

The confusion of similarity of names was mentioned at last Monday evening’s, farewell to the Rev. Morgan Richards, Presbyterian minister at Morrinsvile (States the “Star”). The Rev. Ryburn, of Te Aroha, stated in humorous vein that he was. glad the Rev. Richards was leaving the district. On one side of him, at Paeroa, there had been the Rev. Richard Morgan, also a Presbyterian. This minister had recently left the district, and it was a matter of some confusion to him to remember whether it was the Rev. Richard Morgan c.r the Rev. Morgan Richards who had gone. Now that the Rev. Morgan Richards was. also leaving he would have no further trouble.

Very unseasonable and stormy i weather prevailed locally during the weed-end. Heavy rain fell on Friday night, and although Saturday morning dawned fine, the wind changed to a more south-westerly direction, and heavy showers prevailed throughout the day. The night was also very cold. There was small improvement in the conditions yesterday, and cold, bleak showers fell, intermittently throughout the day. The wind still continues- in the same direction, and the barometer indicates more unsettled weather.

Judgment by default was given in the following cases at the local Magistrate’s Court this morning: T. P. Vuglar v. C. Smith, £8 10S, costs, £2 15s ; J. Loughlin v. W. Wih.ai'a, £7 5s 2d, cofets £1 19s 6d.

Owing to the unsettled weather that prevailed on Saturday afternoon the local tennis matches were postponed. Exceptionally heavy rain fell, at Hikutaia soon after midday, and, fortunately, the Paeroa “A” team received advice of this before starting on the journey.

At this morning’s sitting of the Warden’s, Court, Paeroa, an application by J. J. Walton fpr a residence site at Mackaytown was granted, and the surrender of two business, sites by E. N. Miller was accepted.

A supplementary dividend of 2s 8d in the £ in the bankrupt estate of Bertie Cooke, farmer, Awaiti, and a first and final dividend of Is 5d in the £ in the estate of Richard George Millar, mechanic, Turua, have been declared payable by the Official Assignee, Auckland.

The Auckland Education Board has sanctioned for a term of 12 months a trial of the Nelson system of Biblereading in the Thames schools. Selected passages from the Bible will be read in the classrooms between 9 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. by ministers of religion once weekly. The attendance of pupils and teachers is voluntary.

An application made to the Warden this morning by the N.Z. Crown Mines Co., Ltd., for further protection for 12 months on the Earl of Glasgow S.Q.C. was granted. The purpose of the protection is to enable '.the company to realise on its assets, as it has been found unprofitable to work the claim. The working of the company extends over a very long periqd, with varying results, and latterly the mine has been open to tributers and a good deal of prospecting work has been carried on, but nothing of value has been unearthed. The battery and plant represent a large sum, and it is to be hoped that some payable reefs will be found before a start is made to demolish the plant.

During the months of December and January the Plunket Society’s nurse, Miss Perrin, was visited at Turua by 106 mothers* and babies, including four new cases ; at Ngatea by 88 mothers and babies, including two new cases ; and at Kerepeehi by 66 mothers, and babies. There was one new case at Kerepeehi. The nurse made eleven visits* to the homes of patients.

Most of the motor-cars that come to the Hauraki Plains receive a ducking in one of the roadside drains, at some time during their career, although, if the owner is an experienced driver, this may be delayed. Whether it was this delay, a desire for some water, or to test the assertion that a Ford . Will go on its reputation is a moot point, but it happened last week, near Ngatea, that a vehicle was left on the roadside with-the engine running while the driver went in s,earch of some water for the radiator. Hearing a splach, he turned round and saw .the' end of the nose-dive. Little damage was done, and the car had just missed a telephone pole and a bridge, which would probably have caused it to capsize. '>

Owing to the boisterous weather on Saturday the cricket matches on the Hauraki Plains were abandoned. They will be played next Saturday.