THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5138, 13 June 1927, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Four building permits, to the value of £327 10s, were granted at Friday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council.

In the inter-club hockey matches on the Plains on Saturday wins were secured by Ngatea School from Turua, •I—o ; Ngatea. from Kerepeehi, 3 —O'; and by the Kopuarahi first team from tlie second team, 6 —o.

The position of the various loan accounts of the Paeroa Borough Council, exclusive of advances is : Street improvements loan, debit. £l7OO 7s 5d ; house sewerage connection loan, debit, £620 13s 10d ; sewerage loan, credit, £219 19s 5 ; council chambers loan, credit, £43 10s 8d ; domain improvements loan credit, £3 14s Id.

. The receipts of the Haurflki Plains County Council for the month of May totalled £1643 2s 2d, being £1164 5s 6d from general and special rates, £5O 19s 4'd from the Pipiroa ferry, £34 7s 5d from the Komata ferry, £46 5s from licenses, and £l3O 12s 6d from sale of Hikutaia metal, etc.

The petition asking Mor the constitution of the Netherton-Awaiti-. district as a lands drainage district is not yet in circulation, pending a decision on the boundaries. It is considered that it would be advisable for that land adjacent to and draining through the Elstow Drainage Board’s area to be included in the Elstow district rather than in the proposed new district, as the creation of dualcontrolled drains would thus be obviated. The matter will be the subject of conferences in the near future.

Two of the piles placed near the Turua wharf to prevent the berthage of pontoons behind the wharf have now been removed by the Thames Harbour Board on instruction from the Government. The piles have been driven alongside the floating landing stage on the shoreward side.

In moving the adoption of the building committee’s report at Friday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council, Cr. Pinder (chairman) said that it was with regret that he had to state tnat May was “the leanest month” with regard to building in the borough he had known since his term as a councillor.

An interesting fact a.bout the Chinese resident in New Zealand was referred to by Dr. Howard Taylor, of the China Inland Mission, in conversation with a, representative of the “Oamqru Mail,” Dr. Taylor stated that nearly all of the. Chinese here were Cantonese, and spoke a different language from that of northern and central China. He was a fluent speaker of Chinese, but would not be understood by the men who sell us our fruit and wash our collars. An amusing incident occurred near Shanghai some little time ago in the course of the construction of a railway. About 200 of the workers were Cantonese and the remainder ■northern Chinese. The former could not converse with, the latter in Chinese, so they resorted to pidgin English. In the south-eastern provinces of China, said the doctor, there was a great variety of languages.

It was agreed that the works committee should look into the matter of improving the crossing from Arney Street to Aorangi Road on the suggestion of Cr. H. J. Hare at Friday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council.

Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. For Children's Hacking Cough;

Speaking to a suggestion that the council should purchase a motor lorry, Cr. W. Turner, at the Borough Council meeting on Friday, sa.id that it was against all reason to have, a pair of heavy horses standing idle while one man filled a dray. Yet that position obtained on the council’s street works at the present time. In admitting that the position was, unfortunately, as stated, the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) said that the borough finances would not permit of the purchase of additional plant at the present time.

The stock sale to be conducted by the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., at the Paeroa yards to-mor-row promises to eclipse former efforts. Splendid entries have been received, and a wide range of cattle, pigs, fowls, and farm implements will be submitted to auction.

At Friday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council Cr. J. W. Silcock spoke with reference to the state of disrepair of the approach to the Ngahina wharf at the Puke. He reminded the meeting that the matter had previously been before the council but that nothing so far had been done. He was of opinion that the Hauraki Plains County Council should contribute towards the cost of tlic work, in view of that body having been permitted to cart large quantities of metal over the road free .of wharfage charges. He moved that the Hauraki Plains Council be asked to make a fair contribution, and that the matter be left in the hands of the Mayor, with power to act.

The muddy state of the PaeroaWaihi road between the Catholic Chapel and Mrs. Barrett’s residence pas particularly conspicuous yesterday to those visiting the cemetery. The road is usually hard and stoney, but lately ruts hfive occurred in numerous places, and these have been filled with soft soil extracted from the side of the road and, naturally enough, when subjected to the friction of vehicular traffic, the other wise dry road is now converted into quite a muddy highway.

On the motion of the Mayor (Mr. W. Marshall) it was resolved at the Paeroa Borough Council meeting on Friday night to allocate- the sum of £5OO for the purpose of commenicng the preliminary work in connection with the borough’s portion of the main highways scheme. The Mayor explained that such steps were necessary if the council was to continue the employment of the present borough staff. The transfer of the money would provide employment and tide the staff over the worst of the winter. The resolution was carried unanimously.

Mr Sol. Green, the well-known Melbourne bookmaker, has a large sheep station in Queensland. Owing to the drought he has arranged to transport 19,000 sheep 300 miles by motor waggons at a cost of 7s a head.

It was suggested by Cr. J. Pinder at the Paeroa Borough Council meeting on Friday night that a charge for building permits at a rate per £lOO be made, and the money so collected go towards defraying the. expenses of a council official in keeping a building in course of erection under supervision. At the present time plans and specifications were submitted and a permit granted, but the matter rested there. There was no doubt, he said, that the majority of builders were perfectly honest, but there was a loop-hole to substitute- materials under the present system. The Mayor agreed, and sa.id it was a matter that would jiave to be looked into in the near future.

The approach road to the new Hauraki bridge is now being made on the Plains side of the river by the Public Works Department. Horses and drays were used until the ground became too wet for them to be worked, and tramrails and trucks are now being utilised. The road will continue straight on from the Turua-Orongo road at the corner leading to the ferry.

The Finance Committee repported to Friday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council that the revenue received during the month amounted to £521 15s 3d, including a refund of £3OO, being a portion of, the advancemade to the street improvements account. The expenditure for the month amounted to £1317 17s lOd, including a payment of £785 3s 4(1 to the State Advances Office for interest and principal on loans.

At Friday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council Cr. E. Edwards (deputy-mayor) was congratulated by the Mayor (Mr W. Marsha.ll), on behalf of the council, on him having been appointed a Justice of the Peace. The Mayor said that it was proof of Cr. Edwards’ desire to be of further service to the citizens. “Hear., hear,” and a voice “Fined 10s and costs.” Cr. Edwards cordially thanked the Mayor and his colleagues for their kind remarks and expressions, and expressed the hope that he would be of real service and ably discharge the duties of his new office with impartiality and dignity.

What is claimed as a fool-proof automatic voting machine has been invented by a Southland man, and is to be exploited by a Gore syndicate. It is capable of handling up to 20 isues simultaneously. A mock ©lection is to be held at Gore to further test its qualities and accuracy. The Hon. G. J. Anderson sent a representative to inspect the machine.

At the last meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council Cr. J. Pinder voiced his protest that the Paeroa Basketball Association had been granted free use of an area at the local domain, whereas the Ladies’ Monkey Club had been charged £4 10s a season rental. The Mayor pointed out that standing orders could not be suspended, a.nd it was not fair to the member who had moved the resolution with regard to the rentals that no notice of motion had given. Cr. Pinder thereupon gave notice of motion to the effect' that the matter be reopened and looked into.