THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5017, 23 August 1926, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The sum of £11,151 out of £12,350 voted has, been expended to date on the Paeroa. post office."

With the aid of a team of horses, plough, and scoop, a start was macle on levelling the site of the new theatre in Normanby Road. It will be necessary to go down a considerable, depth for the foundations of the building, and this work can only be carried out in fine weather.

- The additional quarters attached to the Paeroa office of the Public. Works Department for the accommodation of the agricultural inspector cost £llO.

Unsettled "weather continues to obtain locally. Saturday was a fine spring-like day, and the evening was fine and moonlight, but before morning heavy rain fell and continued at intervals throughout yesterday. Further rain fell again this, morning, and more wet weather is probable.

Under the heading of ways and means, the Public Works Statement shows that the balance available at March 31, 1926, for expenditure, on the' Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers. Improvement Scheme is £21,710. The unexhausted borrowing authority totals £95,000, apd the additional borrowing authority to be., sought during the year ending «March 31, 1927, is £lOO,o'oo. The total available ways, and means is given as £216.710.

The annual Public Works Statement, in dealing with the Arapuin hydro-electricity works, states : ‘ The expenditure during the. year has amounted to £329,624, mainly on the contract for headworks, being carried on by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Co.,’ Ltd. Fajr progi'.ss has been made during the yeai, though progress has been retarded somewhat by Revere flooding in the Waikato- River. The main diversion tunnel for diverting the river during construction of the main dam has, been completed, and a portion of the river has recently been turned into this- tunnel. The quarry and ropeway for delivery of stone, to the dam has been put into commission, and, ap a good deal of the preparation work nas now been completed on most of the sections, substantial progress should be noted during the present year. The excavation for the main power-house has beep practicallj' completed, and some of the power-house plant and machinery is beginning to arrive on the site. No unforeseen difficulties have, been met with, and, although it does not appear that the contractors will be able to complete by the specified date (August, 1927), they should not be, delayed very much beyond that date.” By advertisement in these, columns Mrs R. Mayo advises that she has commenced business in the now preni ises in Normanby Road.

First aid for coughs, coldjs, and Influenza. Wood’s Great Peppermint Cure.

During the year ended March 31, 1926, the sum of £1623 was spent on the preliminary work in connection with the, Paeroa-Pokeno railway out of .the £2OOO previously authorise'!.

Following on the completion of the new railway bridge over the, iChinemuri River at Paero'a and the reorganisation of the station and yards: a special, work train and several gangs of men were engaged yesterday in collecting unused sleepers, rails, and other gear, which was, distributed along the line from the station to a point near Cadman Road.

The friends of Mr J. W. Silcock will be sorry to lea,rn that he is still an inmate of the Wanganui Hospital, whe;re he has had a, severe attack of pleurisy, following on influenza which he contracted before leaving Paeroa with the Thames Valley Rugby touring team. Private advice received on Saturday stilted that Mr Silcock was making good progress, and. hoped to be discharged from the institution within the next few days.

Dealing with the work fori the year ended March 31 last and carried out in connection with the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Scheme the Public Works annual statement shows that the work on tire Mangaiti-Tirohia section w'asi completed. Oh the Tirohia-Ngaharahi section both stop-banks were completed. No. 1 dredge was placed in commission on the lower Waihou River, and is still engaged there. The concrete retaining wall at Netherton has been completed, the construction of 1 a flood-gate is in hand. Works, an. the Hikutaia Stream and Ohinemuri River were continued. Generally the. plant engaged on the works, consisting of and drag-lines, has been in -‘good order.

The secretary to the Treasury acknowledges receipt of the following amounts, forwarded by persons unknown, as conscience-money to the N.Z. Government: £2 forwarded to the Railway Department, Dunedin ; £5 to the Defence Department, Wellington ; 2s 6d and £1 forwarded to the Treasury, Wellington.

At a meeting of the Piako Rugby Union at Te Arolia, on Wednesday evening a communication was received from the Thames Valley Union alleging misconduct bn the part of several members of the PiQ.ko junior representative team on the occasion of its, visit to Paeroa, on the previous Saturday. It was stated that some darniige was. done at the Paeroa Hotel, where the team was being entertained, and that considerable annoyance was caused to other occupants. The Piako Union decided that unless the players concerned come, forward the whole team be suspended for the remainder of the season.

Considerable interest jvas taken by people visiting the local post office on Friday afternoon in the installation by a mechanic of a. penny in the slot Stamp-selling machine. This machine, which has been placed on the lefthand side of the posting boxes* will prove a great convenience, and is the first of its kind in Paeroa.

At an early hour on Saturday morning Constable Owen, Inspector of Fisheries, accompanied by Constable Ryan, surprised two men engaged in alleged illicit whitebait .fishing in a closed creek at Manawatu Heads. Fish and nets were confiscated, and Court proceedings will probably follow. Heavy fines have previously been inflicted for illicit fishing in this creek.