THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5087, 11 February 1927, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nine building permits to the value of £3645, were granted at last night’s meeting’ of Borough Council.

An exceptionally heavy and prolonged thunderstorm passed over Paeroa yesterday morning, and throughout the day torrential showers Tell at intervals. The water channels were ■severely taxed to cope with the heavy downpour at times, and miniature lakes existed temporarily in some of the low-lying portions of the town. Owing to the parched nature of the ground the water was quickly absorbed, however, and much benefit to the district will result.

The Finance Committee reported at last night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council that the revenue received in the district fund account during January amounted to £1895 12s lOd. The total expenditure was £297 11s 3d, leaving ,a credit balance of £3525 Ils 7d. In the loan accounts the expenditure during the month was as follows : Street improvements loan, £752 14s 3d; house sewerage connections, £260 14s; sewerage loan account, £289 14s Bd. The respective positions o’f the loan accounts, not including advances from the district fund were — Street Improvements loan,, debit, £997 0s 7d ; house sewerage connection, debit, £598 Is ; sewerage loan, debit, £419 4s Id; domain loan, credit, £3 19s Id ; council chambers loan, credit, £43 15s Bd.

In answer to the Bench at the local Police Court th£s. morning Constable McClinchy voiced it. as his opinion that in many instances prohibition orders were only a farce, and inclined to make a man a criminal.

Heigh Ho ! Just the thing for that spell of blues. Benefit Euchre Tourney, Soldiers’ Club, Tuesday next, 15th. Four prizes. Dainty supper. Don’t miss it, and the dance to follow.*.

At the Police Court, Thames on Wednesday George Goldthorpe, late oif Pipiroa, was charged on the information of Mr M. Paul, Inspector of Quarries, with riding without permission on a trolly in the, Thames Borough quarry at Waiotahl Creek on November 15 last. He pleaded guilty. The inspector stated that the. case had been brought as a warning that the. regulations must be observed. The tramway had a grade of 1 in 5, and accidents had occurred through men riding on the trolley. In view of the case having been brought as a ■warning Goldthorpe was convicted and discharged without penalty or costs.

The Plunket Society’s nurse, Miss Perrin, has reported as 'follows on her work at the sub-branches of the. society on the Hauraki Plains :—December : Turua, four visis; attendance at rooms, adultsi 15, babies 10, hemes 6. Ngatea, four visits; attendance at rooms, adults 18, babies 25, heme 1. Kerepeehi, three visits ; attendance at rooms, adults 9, babies 9, homes 8. January : Ngatea, attendance at, rooms, adults 16, babies 27, homes 2. Turua., attendance at rooms-, adults 23, babies 25, homes 2. Kerepeehi, attendance at rooms, adults 10, babies 13, homes 16.

This week’s issue of the “N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review” stands unrivalled in variety of subjects. The artistic centre pages ar© set out with a beautiful series of photographs depicting winter scenes and sport in Switzerland. Snaps at the Takapuna races are picturesquely arranged, and the Te Kuiti Racing Club’s annual meeting is represented in a generous manner. The Wellington amateur athletic championships are the subject of graphic photographs, and the New Zealand meeting at Auckland is dealt with in a series of striking pictures.

In answer to Cr. H. J. Hare the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) stated at the. Borough Council meeting last night that so far the Fire Underwriters’ Association had not made a mcive towards reducing the cost of fire insurance risks in the borough. The association had been advised of the extra facilities provided for the Paeroa Fire Brigade. Cr. Flatt said he understood that the Fire Underwriters’ held considerable power, and were net in a hurry to move in the matter of reduction. It was desirable that the council should press the matter. If the average citizen found that his premium was reduced he would look much more favourably on the local fire brigade.

Passersby in Belmont Road late on Wednesday night were treated to a fine waterworks display. On investigation being made yesterday morning it wsa found that a saddle on the main waterpipe bad broken opposite the Farmers’ Trading Company’s premises. A repair gang was quickly at work, but the. job proved an arduous and lengthy one. Consumers in the lower end of the town had to put up with the inconvenience of, having the water supply cut off until well on in the afternoon. Fortunately, however, receptacles placed outside quickly filled with rain water, and the. minimum of inconvenience was experienced.

About this time last year there were millions of crickets on .the Hauraki Plains, and a very great deal of pasture was destroyed. This summer there has been practically none, as. owing to the favourable season there has been a dense growth of pasture, which has prevented the ground from cracking.

Four boys, whose ages range from 11 to 14 years, appeared before Mr F. W. Platts, S.M., at the Juvenile Court, Thames, on Wednesday to explain their conduct between December 28 and January 2, when tjiey did serious damage to the dwellinghouse at the old Wharepoa ferry and to the property of the occupier, Richard Harris. The hearing was held in the magistrate’s private room, and the boys were admonished and discharged, the parents of the boys being ordered to repay the value of t,he damage done, £49 0s Id, and costs £1 17s.

At last night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council a circular was received from the Auckland City Council inviting the borough to 'forward a local welcome greeting banner to be displayed in Queen Street on the occasion of the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. It was decided to comply with the request.

The Brotherhood of Sport, a ’factor well defined in this district, has again been prominently to the fore during the week. Although but days since its formation, the benefit committee. organised to raise funds for Mr Erie Robson, and ex-Paeroa lad and footballer at present an inmate of Pukeora Sanatorium, has. received offers of support over a wide area. The footballers of Hikutaia and Karangahake clubs have been enthusiastic to assist the cause by helping in the organisation of socials in .those centres, while the ladies have, been equally keen to assist. The leading artists of Thames, have signified their willingness to make the final effort a benefit entertainment on March 3, something which will live in the memories of Paeroa folk. The attendance at the committee’s first effort last night was excellent, and augured well for the campaign

Exceptionally heavy rain fell on the northern part of the Hauraki Plains yesterday morning, the gauging at various schools being over two inches,. Drains were quickly running bankhigh, and at some places farm land was inundated for a short period. Near Carter’s Corner t,he Turua-Netheton road was under water for several chains. Many people assert that they have never seen such heavy rain before. The downpour was very welcome to farmers, and will do much good to farms and roads.

The. .actual gain in the population of New Zealand ‘hrough migration during the year ended December 31 amounted to, 12,414' persons, a decrease of 388 compared with, 1925. During 1926, 97,265 persons (including crews of vessels) arrived in New Zealand from overseas, 17,868 immigrants intending permanent residence being included, an increase of 2164 immigrants over the 1925 Tourists totalled 9509 (7898 in 1925). Departures during 1926 numbered 84,851 (including crews), against 77„267 in 1925.

Despite the very heavy rain on the Plains yesterday morning, and the consequent slippery state of the Puhanga Canal road, there was a very good attendance of Plains farmers at a clearing sale on a Kaihere farm, and everything was said. Cows brought 'from £5 to £9 10s, good 18month Jersey heifers £4 ss, and calves 21s. Horses brought up to £lO, and odds and ends sold at pricey satisfactory to the vendor.

Entries for the Hauraki Plains Tennis Association's championship and handicap tournaments, both singles and doubles, close with the secretary to-morrow (Saturday) evening. The draw for the championship matches will be made the following day.

Among the hundreds of minor operations performed at the Auckland Hospital many are upo.n children who have swallowed small objects., ranging ftom coins and nutsi to. whistles and magnifying glasses, the latest patient being a girl, aged nine, who swallowed a wooden whistle. The operation in such cases, although not serious, is. a delicate one. A long tube is passed down the windpipe with a small electric light bulb attached, which assists in locating the swallowed article. A special pair of forceps is used to grasp the object i'f it is not found its way to the adbominal organs, in which case an incision is sometimes necessary. However, it is very rarely that much difficulty is experienced in locating such playthings accidentally swallowed by children.