THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1928. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5234, 3 February 1928, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1928. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The following vital statistics for Paeroa for the month of January, 1928, have been supplied by the registrar : Births, 7; deaths, 2; marriages, 0.

The last tramcars- from the city of Auckland will in future depart on schedule time, and will not wait if the daylight limited express from Wellington, which is due to arrive at 11.2 p.m., is; running late. Incidentally the tramways committee refused to recognise a claim of 5s 9d made by Mr 4. Hall Skelton, who said he had ■had to charter a taxi after waiting in vain from 11.16 until 11.55 for a tram on a recent evening.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council the chairman (Cr. H. M. Corbett) referred feelingly to the death, of Nurse J. M. Jarrett, and stated that her demise was a serious loss to the district and especially to the Natives. The chairman’s remarks were endorsed by Cr. A. R. 'Robinson, who is the; council’s representative on the Thames Hospital Board. He said that the board deeply regretted the loss of Nurse Jarrett, who was possessed of distinct ability in her profession. During the time sire had been acting-matron at the Thames. Hospital she had endeared herself to all, and her untimely death was to be deeply deplored. It was resolved to forward a letter of condolence to relatives in England, the, resolution being carried in silence, the members standing.

Attention is, drawn to the advertisement of Mr. A. F. Holman, Jeweller, of Thames, which appears elsewhere in these columns.*

Considerable interest ataches to an experiment which is being carried out by the Railway Department at Christchurch, where an electric coach operated by batteries, has been running for several weeks. Only two men are required >n tlje train’s operation against three for a steam train ; and seventy passengers can be carried at a speed of thirty miles an hour, with two great advantages to them-selves-freedom from soot and s,moke, and comparative absence of noise. The batteries are detachable for charging and the coach has a range of 120 miles. When the financial success of the electrical car is assured, it is likely that similar coaches may be run in other

The generous display of pictures in this, week’s issue of the “N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review” and the variety of subjects should make a universal appeal. Racing enthusiasts will find themselves well catered for in snapshots of the Takapuna Jockey Club’s summer meeting and the second day of the Wellington Racing Club’s summer carnival. There is a fine set of pictures of the Auckland Regatta on the Waitemata and other aquatic views. The miscellaneous division has an attractive assortment, and the stage, screen, and motion picture sections will pi'ove popular.

The revenue received by the Ohinemuri County Council since its December meeting was, stated at the council meeting yesterday to be £1767 9s 9d. Accounts passed for payment yesterday totalled £1221 3s 4d.

The long spell of dry weather on the Hauirakj Plains is having some peculiar Effects. The drying of the soil is, causing hills and 'hollows to develop in lawns, and seme buildings have; settled down slightly. Crinkles ini the wall-papers which have become apparent in the past fe,w weeks show that the buildings are settling down near doorways. Many concrete cowyards 'have cracked for the same reason.

Reference was made to the Paeroa water supply at yesterday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council. The chairman (Cr. H. M. Corbett) said that there was enough water in the main reservoir to keep it water-tight. The position was being watched carefully, and while there was no occasion for panic, the utmost conservation of wa£er was necessary. It was desirable that consumers should realise that at the present time the supply was a domestic one only.

Foi- the year ended December 31, 1927, 649 cows were slaughtered at the local abattoirs; also 255 steers and heifers, 1821 sheep, 323 lambs, 34 calves, and 112 pigs. The total fees received amounted t<J £607 17is 3d.

It is reported that an offer of £3O an acre in cash was declined recently' by the owner of a 90.0'- l acre block of flat and hill land in the western part of the Hauraki Plains. The prospect of getting £27,000 in cash must have befin tempting, but competent judges express the opinion that the landowner was wise in declining.

The following have been appointed probation teachers at the Paeroa District High School: Misses A. SPuthby, L. Williams, I. Dare, and Mr A. Flatt.

Owing to a heavy fog and smoke from bush and swamp fires train arrangements at Frankton Junction this morning were disorganised- As a consequence the Frankton-Thames train was over three-quarters of an liour late in reaching Paeroa. The Thames-Auckland express was delayed at Paeroa correspondingly, as it is essential that it should cross at the local yards.

“I have a brother who predicts earthquakes and weather,” said Mr W. H. Field, M.P., in speaking at the Levin Show, “and in writipg to me a day or two ago he says he dpejs not think we will get any rain; until February 12.” Mr Field added that dry weather had its, advantages aS well as its disadvantages ; but those farmers who had grown rape on sandy hills, as he had done, had reason to growl. Still it was, not possible to please everybody, and the nett result of the dry weather was an excellent one for the district.

Included in the appointments by the Education Board for the Plains schools are the following: Miss M. R. Hoffey, assistant mistress;, Turua, vice Miss Polton ; Miss N. D. Le Petit, assistant Turua, vice Miss, Morrison ; Mr D. I. Elliot, of Ngatqa, assistant Ngatea District High School, vice Miss Moynahan. Probationers: Mr M. Madgwick, Turua ;■ Miss; EL M. Devereaux, KerepeehiMiss E. A. McDonald, Kaihere.

Cash and stock bonuses of £108,796 were distributed among 4’500 employees, of the John B. Stetson Hat Company at a Christmas party. Married men and heads of families also received 2641 turkeys, 430 sirtgle men received Stetson hats, and 1038 girls got candy and gloves. Every errand boy was the recipient of a gold piece.

Portion of the; machinery for the opening span of the Hauraki Bridge at O’rongo is now in working order, and the completion of span should not be long decayed. During the past week or so the turn-table has been rotating slowly day and night. Eventually it will run on steel roller bearings, each a foot in diameter, and in rotating during the past week the turntable has been machining the two on which the rollers, will bear. The prime mover is a 7 h.p. slow speed electric motor and a complete revolution of the turnttable is being made in a little over two minutes.

The production of butter and cheese continues to be very satisfactory on the Hauraki Plains. At the Ngatea butter factory the; make is still above; that of. last year, and the same position applies to a greater extent at the Shelly Beach cheese factory. At the Turua. factory the supply is, almost up to last year’s, but at the Huirau Road depot a slight' fall has been though in this factory a fair comparison is. not possible, owing to changes in tihe number of suppliers. The season promises to be an exceptional one, for with the white clover, there is anl abundance of food.

' A well-known settler of Paeroa met with ail accident when riding along Belmont Road yesterday morning. In being pulled up near the “Gazette” Office the animal slipped, and the rider, who was carrying a large parcel, was precipitated on to the road. Fortunately the horse was a quiet one, and after recovering from its fall stood still. The rider escaped with a shaking .and bruises.

There are no swamp fires of any consequence burning on the Hauraki Plains at the present time, artd the smoke hanging about is from the fires on the hills.

Cricket matches to be played on the Hauraki Plains to-morrow are as follows : Kopuarahi at Waitakaruru, Kaihere at Pipiroa, and Turua. at Ngatea. The position of the teams is : Turua. 18 points, Waitakjaruru 16. Kaihere 13, Kopuarahi 12, Ngatea 9, Pipiroa 5, and Orongo 4.

There were 29 interments, and 18 sections were s,old, at the Pukerimu Cemetery, Paeroa, during the year ended December 31, 1927.