THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5094, 28 February 1927, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The pupils of the Paeroa District High School, and staff, are enjoying a holiday to-day. The holiday been granted to all schools in the Auckland province which did n J t take part in the school children’s reception to Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York at Auckland on Wednesday last.

A young Maori who was charged with drunkenness in Cassrelg Street on Friday last appeared before Mr W. Marshall, J.P., at the local Police Court on Saturday morning. Defendant, who was a first offender, was convicted and ordered to forfeit the amount of his bail, £l.

Benefit entertainment, Thursday March 3 *

The troop of Paeroa. Boy Scouts, numbering thirty, under Scoutmaster D. A. Vincent, who made the trip to Auckland on Tuesday last for the purpose of taking part in the scouts’ welcome to the Duke and Duchess of York, came in for favourable comment. Mr E. B. B. Boswell, Chief Scant for the Auckland provincial district, gave it as his opinion that, in the march past, in which 1500 scouts t<’ok part, the Paeroa troop was beaten for first place by a narrow margin only.

Three brothers charged with breaking, entering, and stealing recently, bore such a striking facial resemblance one to another (says the Manawatu Times) that it might be difficult, to identify them. The shape o'f the forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, and chin as they stood in the dock together seemed, to be exactly alike, it was remarked that they did not look at all like typical criminals.

“If a farmer and these of his family who work on the 'farm were paid average union wages and worked pmly union hours it would cost between 25s and 30s to produce one pound sterling worth of farm produce.” So writes an old farmer in the Southland Times.

Nearly 300 scholars of the Paeroa District High School, accompanied by Mr G. H. Taylor (headmaster) and members o.f his staff, journeyed to Hamiltan on Saturday morning for the purpose of seeing Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. The arrangements made by the Auckland Education Board in conjunction with the Hamilton municipal and civic authorities worked cut splendidly and there was no hitch ar accident to mar the day’s proceedings. The children were marched to Steele Park at Hamilton East, where they were drawn up in long ranks, down which the Duke and Ducihess were driven in their car. The arrangements were such that every child was enabled to get'a close-up view of t.he Royal visitors. The party returned to Paeroa about 6 p.m., and the day will Jive !<>ng in the memory of those who were privileged to make the excursion.

The explosion of two and a-quarter tans of gelignite at Muku Creek quarry, to provide stone for the huge dam at the Arapuni hydro-electric construction wtyks was carried out according to schedule (states the Waikato Times). The 'face of the hillside had been tunnelled for over 50ft, with cross-cuts and chambers at the ends for the explosive. The charge was detonated by electricity. Mrs McNeil, wife of the quarry contractor, pressed the button. With a muffled roar and reverberations echoing for many seconds the whole face of the cliff, nearly 400 ft high, trembled and crumbled, sending up a dense cloud o’f dust and smoke. Tb« result exceeded all expectations, for fully 50,000 tons came down, providing plenty of work for the quarry staff for many months to come.

Inquiries are being received from parents of Hauraki Plains school children as to the probable date -'lf the re-opening of the school dental clinic at Ngatea. The dental officer, Mr F. G. Stockwell, is still relieving at Nelson, and in a private letter t<> a friend in Ngatea stated that he would be back “someday.”

A meeting of ■ two delegates each from To Aroha Thames, Waihi, and Paeroa Chambers of Commerce will take place on Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock in the Borough Council Chambers, Paeroa. The business is to discuss the carrying of mails on the “Star” train and placing th e matter before the Postmaster-General.

Owing to a special holiday being observed at the Paeroa District High School to-day, the annual picnic, which was to have taken place at the Ohinemuri Racecourse to-morrow, has been postponed until Friday next, March 4.

The main streets of Paeroa presented a busy appearance on Saturday morning and again this morning owing to the two days’ annual race meeting at Te Aroha, which a large number of local and district people attended. The vehicular traffic, especially in Belmont Road, was heavy this morning. At about 10 o’clock a busy scene presented itself in the vicinity of this office. The heavy race traffic was added to by several large cream lorries causing a jamb in the street far a few minutes.

The officers and men of the first battalion Hauraki Regiment, numbering close on 400, returned to tjieir homes <n Saturday afternoon after spending an interesting and instructive period of training at the annual military camp at Ngaruawahia. The Paeroa quota, comprising Major E. A. Porritt, M.C.,’ Lieuts. W. L. Lawrence and R.’ B. Penlington, and 30 other ranks, reached Paeroa by the Thames express.

A great improvement to Belmont Road has been effected recently. The treacherous pot-holes have been filled with a hot-mix mixture and dressed while tire, side portion of the streets have been dressed with a bitumen mixture. The result is that the street is naw in a good condition.

Amending regulations under the Immigration Acts are gazetted. Included is one stating that, subject to the powers conferred on any officer of health under the Health Act, 1920 1 , no person, other than a pilot °r other person necessary for the navigation of the vessel, shall, without the permission of an officer of Customs, board any vessel arriving from beyond New Zealand until the vessel shall, with the permission of such an officer, have come alongside a wharf cr landing-place.

The clearing sale at, Netherton on behalf of Mr O. C. Dunlop, which was to have been held to-moi-row, March .1, has been postponed indefinitely*