THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5394, 1 March 1929, Page 1

THIRTY YEARS AGO.

HAPPENINGS IN OBIINEMURI.

(Extracts from the “Ohinemuri Ga*

zette” of March 2, 1898.)

Mr J. McAndrew had' during last week landed at his timber yards, on the Esplanade, Patera, 19,000 ft of kauri and pine from the Turua and Shortland mills.

The bush fire at Maratotos spread across the country from Komata, where a desperate battle with the flames was carried on during Thursday by the employees of the Komata Reefs Gold Mining Company. A largjq amount of valuable timber has been burned.

The entertainment, including, an “Assault-at-Arms,” to be given by the Ohinemuri Rifle Volunteers, No. 1 Company, on Saturday, the ,12th inst-, in the Criterion Theatre, promises to be a great success, as from its novelty, and being an entirely local production, it has a special interest apart from the gr.eat care which is b.estowed by the management committee in the preparations.

Owing to the absence of Mr, R. S. Bush, S.M., in Coromandel on public business, he was unable to attend the quarterly meeting of the Licensing Committee held yesterday, and Mr Edwin Edwards was appointed to act for him pro tern.

The s.s. Walmarie left this; morning at 2 o’clock on her, trip to Auckland in connection with “The Sign of, the Cross.” We have not been able to ascertain ho,w many went in her, but from what we heard last eveping there was a large number. To-pight its the last time that the “Sign of the Cross” will be played in Auckland.

We learn that the members of the Paeroa Fire Brigade who went to Auckland to attend the; annual Demonstration did yeomen servient at tlie recent fire in Queen Street by which thq D.S.C. and adjacant stores wer,© destroyed; They were among the very first who arrived at the scene of the fire, and along with the Thames and Auckland brigades Worked nobly from start to finish. We r.efrain from mentioning any one name out of the number of Paeroa firemen, as all equally fulfilled their duty and maintained the reputation of the Paejroa Brigade.

•The tenders railed by the Ohinemuri. Jockey Club for the erection of the stewards’ stand on the Paeroa Racecourse, 1 were opened on Monday evening and were as follows : S. C. Par.ker, £47 7s ; F. W. Danks, £4O ; HD. Take; £37 8s; Thos. Scanlan, £35 , and S. Craig, £29 10s. The last tender, being the lowest, was; accepted. . THE MACKAYTfOWN HOTEL. The quarterly meeting of the Ohinemuri Licensing Committee} was held yesterday at the Courthouse, Paeroa. Present: Messrs Edwin Edwards (c,hairman), T. Gavin, Hu McClelland, N. Dickey, and D. Campbell. Minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. In regard to the; application for, license of Mackay town Hotel to Thomas Lawless, the chairman asked if Mr Lawless was sole executor to the lat© licensee. Mr Porritt (for the executors) said that the Rey. Father, Hackett was, joint exepuixxr but was not acting, and that, undter section 102 of the Licensing Act T. Lawless applied asi sole executor asked that the license be transferred to him. Attention was drawn by some members to the state; of the house, and Mr Ppirritt agreed that a new and adequate building was; needed. After some discussion it was moved by Mr Edwin Edwards, seconded by Mr McClelland, and carried, that the transfer; of license be granted! to T. Lawless on the 'understanding that an adequate and new building; was guaranteed. 1

The transfer of the license of the Hikutaia Hotel was granted! from James Corbett to Thomas Corfciett.

MINING NOTES.

OHINEMURI SYNDICATE!.

The Ohinemurj. Syndicate has just purchased the Dawn of Hope property at Owharoa, consisting of 100 acres. The syndicate new holds an artia of close on 1000 acres, including the Teutonic claim. GRACE DARLING G>M. CO. The syndicate .which at pi,'esent holds an option oyer the Graefj Darling mine at Waitekauri has pai ,d £lOO for an extension of the option/ for a period of one month. It is .'understood that dur,ing the period stated! th® work to be undertaken will be the further opening up of t;he: mine, after which another experimental crushing will be made. REPORTED FIND NEAR TAUPO.

Sejveral men, practical Epiners, who have been to the scene of the re - ported gold find, have returnee? from Tokaanu, and unhesitatingly dieclare the rush a dismal failure. Whilst, undoubted traces of, gold exist, it is in such minute quantities as to makq payable working an impossibility.