THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5104, 23 March 1927, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A special meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council was held last night to confirm certain resolutions pertaining to the raising Of l°ans in connection with the erection of municipal swimming baths, the bituminising of Normanby Read, and .the interest on the Council Chambers loan.

A sturdy Hindoo named Gangu, a labourer, Waihou, who had been celebrating his good fortune at the races, was arrested in Normanby Road, Paeroa, on Monday evening and charged with drunkenness before Mr F. E. Flatt, J.P., yesterday morning, lifter hearing the evidence of Constable JNeary the Bench convicted defendant and ordered the forfeiture of his bail, £2. Another Hindoo, a mate of the previous defendant, and a first offender, was similarly charged. He also was convicted and ordered to forfeit liis bail, amounting to £l.

Tlie metal, carefully blinded, which was placed on Normanby Road during the last week-end, has been scattered. in all directions by tlie motor traffic obtaining from Thursday until today. The consequence is .that the large pot-holes which formerly existed prior to the repairs are just as much in evidence, and the metal — where is it ? From a ratepayer’s point of view the sooner tin's wide, street is put down in permanent material the lesser the amount to be paid out in maintenance charges.

Usually w<hen a haystack starts to smoke tlie farmer stands and watches it burn. Occasionally steps are taken to cut out the smouldering portion. Possibly tlie first time smothering a haystack (ire has been tried in these parts was effectually accomplished by Mr M. E. Barrowclough on Monday (says the Morrinsville Star). He first noticed tlie stack smoking on Sunday afternoon. He sandbagged it up the sides and covered the top with earth. Tliis smothered out the fire for the time being, but the stack was smoking again on Monday, requiring further attention, which, even during the gale that day, was effective. It is expected that the hay will open up in good condition.

The Railway Department is running an excursion train 'from Thames to Waitomo Caves on Sunday next at cheap fares. Particulars are advertised in this issue.

In connection with the death from exhaustion at Benmure o'f the young teacher Eric Lee Palmer, it is, recorded (states the Marlborough Express) that a curious feature of the tragedy is that the body should have been lying s 9 close to the hut without discovery. Many searchers must have passed and repassed within a few yards of tlie spot, and most attention was concentrated cn the summit and farther slopes o'f Benmure, where the discovery of the carcases of goats showed that the young man had been shooting after leaving liis companions. It is fairly obvious that a'fter parting company with his friends tlie unforunate young man fallowed a mob of goats up Benmure and shot Ane or two near the summit. On his return journey he was probably overtaken by darkness, and possibly wandered the hills and gullies throughout the night, it was probably some time on the 'following morning when lie was overcome by exhaustion and fell where lie was found. A sad feature is that if lie had succeeded in reaching the brow of the hill, only a matter of 109 yards or s>, ho would have been within sight of the hut where he would have found shelter and foCid.

A mishap occurred to the PaeroaPlains motor service bus on Friday last. While turning the Rawerawe corner something went wrong with the steering gear, and the vehicle ran into a very deep roadside drain. The driver and a passenger were able tci jump out just before the bus reached tlie water.

Judging by tile number of complaints heard during the two day's racing at Paeroa the Ohinemuri Jockey Club will be faced with tne necessity of altering the position of the main number board cir else erecting another one inside the grandstand enclosure. In addition to being on an angle, the board is now not clearly visible to people on the stand since tire structure was moved to its present positieji.

Parish toners of St. Paul’s are reminded that the Ven. Archdeacon Cowie will give the third o'f his Lenten addresses on the Sermon on tlie Mount, at hail past seven this evening, and that there, will be Holy Communion to-morrow morning at seven.

‘‘The total value of the import and export trade of New Zealand during tlie last two calendar years has stood at a remarkably high level, totalling £101,140,314 in 1924 and £107,718,679 in 1925,” states Mr. L. B. Beale, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for New Zealand, in a report just released by tlie British Department of Overseas Trade.

Another large batch p’f motorists will be called upon to explain to the magistrate the 'reason for their hurry while proceeding to or returning from the Paeroa races as the result of two days’ activity by the Hauraki Plains .County traffic inspector and his staff. The inspector lias over twenty measured distances on the- Plains where motorists can be timed, but this fact seems to be overlooked by speeders, who habitually slow down near the places previously frequented by the inspector. Nevertheless the general speed of cars on the Plains has been reduced to a more reasonable rate as a result of the inspector’s activities.

The desirability of fire brigades sending delegates to the annual cmferenccs o’f the United Fire Brigades’Association was stressed by Superintendent Moore at the social evening last night. The association was heart and soul with volunteer firemen, and the best way for a brigade to maintain efficiency was by keeping in close touch and being cognisant of the doings of the association.

Judging by the hearty support accorded the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., through its. local agent, Mr D. G. McMillan, the second stock sale, tu be held at the Paeroa yards to-morrow, will eclipse the first effort. About 300 head of cattle will be o'ffered, and over 200 1 sheep. The quality of the stock offered is bound to attract buyers 'from the Waikato as well as the Thames Valley, and a record sale is confidently anticipated.

Despite tlie heavy traffic that obtained in the main streets of Paeroa on Monday— and at times there wtis considerable congestion in Belmont Road —no serious accident has been reported. A word of praise is again due to Senior-Sergeant D. A. Maclean and his staff, who were responsible for tlie regulation of tlie traffic not only in tlie streets but also at the racecourse entrance and exit.

The value of newspaper advertising is realised by tlie Turua Public Hall Company, which runs pictures on Saturday and Tuesday each week. On Saturday last there were more patrons from places outside Turua than from Turua itself, while every showing attracts a large number from all parts of the Plains.

As tiie first day c,f May will 'fall on a Sunday this year the shooting season will open on May 2 and extend to July 31. The restrictions in regard to the taking or killing of imported or native game are similar to last season, and the taking out of a game license is necessary, except in the case of an occupier of a property, or any son or daughter o'f such occupier, who may take or kill without license on such property during an open season ; further, the occupier may in writing appoint one other person to shoot in li is stead.

The jockey E. Warner, who rode Uralla in the Second Handicap Hurdles at Paeroa on Monday, had the misfortune to run into, one of the hurdles and caught his left leg on the post as his mare cleared the obstacle, with the result that lie sustained a severe bruising on his leg near where it .had been fractured previously. Although in severe pain Warner rode his horse into third position. A'fter receiving surgical treatment Warner was able tc, proceed to his home with the aid o’f a couple of sticks.

The death took place at the Waihi Hospital yesterday of Mrs Daisy Matilda Capper, aged 34 years, and the wife of Mr Claude Capper, of Hobson Street. Death is believed to have been caused through -the deceased taking a dose of lysol. Mrs Capper had been in bad health far some time past, and on Sunday morning she left her room and apparently drank the lysol. She was admitted to the hospital, where she lingered until yesterday morning. In addition to her ■husband the deceased leaves four young children.

While attempting to start the motor o'f a meat delivery van o.n Thursday last Mr Blake, ptf Ngatea, an employee of Mi" W. G. Hayward, butcher, had his wrist very badly shattered as the result of a backfire. He was attended by Dr. Lange, of Turua, who ordered his removal to the Auckland Hospital. The latest reports are to tlie effect that he progressing as well as can be expected.

A fireman at last night’s social evening held by tlie local lire brigade said die had no idea the Druids were such a hot lodge until he visited the hall early on a Monday morning a few weeks ago.

Particulars of holiday excursion tickets and train services in connection with the Thames Trotting Club’s meeting at. Parawai on March 26 arc advertised in this issue.