THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5067, 20 December 1926, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1926. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A special meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council is to be, held tomorrow night,. The business down <for discussion is the consideration of making a special rating area for ,thfe. bituminising, of Normanby Road, as sought by a petition from certain ratepayers.

His Lordship the Bishop of Waikato will spend the Christmas festival in Paeroa and will take all the services at St. Raul’s Church on Christmas Day, and' the day following, the Feast df St. Stephen. He will also celebrate the Blessed Sacrament in the churches of . Sit. Aidan at Karangahake and St. Mary a<t Hikutaia, so as to give evqry parishioner ,the opportunity of fulfilling his Christmas duty. His Lordship is making this visit as a mark of his appreciation of the splendid manner in which the laity have kept the" work of the parish going during the many trying months in which the parish has been without a vicar. The, hours at which the services will be held will b© announced In our next issue. . '

Tennis matches on the Hauraki Plains on Saturday last, resulted as ''follows: Patetonga beat,Hopai, 10 —3; Kerepeehi beat Kaihere, 12 —1; Kopuarahi beat Ngatea, 10 —3 ; and Turua beat Waitakaruru, 9—4. In the B grade competition Turua beat Kerepeehi 9—4' and Patetonga beat Ngatea 10 —3. Through the pressing invitation of a wide circle of clients and customers Mr W. H. Presswood, Jeweller and Optometrist, of Thames, has commenced business in Paeroa, hnd is installing a wide range of new goods for the Christmas season. The new shop is ne.ar the “Gazette” Office.* In the Hauraki Plains cricket competition on Saturday last Kopuarahi beat Waitakaruru, 112—82; Turua bqat Pipiroa, 26 —18; and Kaihere beat Ngatea, 87 —70 and 40 —55.

That the Christmas spirit is already abroad evidenced by the large and good-natured crowd that traversed the streets on Friday flight. Oh Saturday morning, too, the local main streets, bore a busy appearance.

A pleasant surprise befel the children in .the infants’ department at the local district high school on Tuesday afternoon, when a real live Santa Claus walked into the classroom. After chatting to the children and telling them of the trials experienced in .travelling to Paeroa, the folding doors were pushed back, revealing a huge Christmas tre,e laden with gifts 'for each child. These gifts, were distributed by Santa Claus, to the obviousi joy and satisfaction of the kiddies. The work of buying the gifts and decorating the tree wfis carried out by Miss K. O’Grajdy, infant mistress, and to hqr great credit and praise is due. The whole arrangements were so realistically carried out that even the mos/t sophisticated primer child believed in Santa Claus that afternoon.

To help the new shop to become known quickly, Mr Presswood is offering clockst and plateware at cut-rate prices and is giving substantial Christmas presents With every purchase. Inspection is cordially invited*

Particulars of train arrangements, etc., in connection with the Christmas and New Year holidays are advei<tised in this issue.