LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5395, 4 March 1929, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Canada imported 16,124,6411 b of New Zealand butter in 1928 and) 629,9441 b of Australian. In 1928 New Zealand l sold to Canada £1,906,000 and bought £3,000,000 worth of goods, an increase over 1927 o£ about £600,000 for both imports and exports. In the aggregate value of its tradle, Canada now ranks fifth among the nations o£ the world.

Bush, scrub, and swamp fires were prevalent over t'he week-end, a bush fire on the Kcmata hills reaching serious proportions. On Saturday, through the kindness of Mr Crosby, Awaiti, Mr Schmitt, of Hauraki Flax Growers and Hemp Producers, Ltd., was informed that the company’s property was threatened. Two gangs of men were rushed to the scene, and the; flames were successfully diverted so that no damage was done to the (lax. A deep trench has been dug, all round the plantation, which makes the chances of lire there very remote.

“This type of individual is a menace to the public and should be kept off' the roads at any cost,” said Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Morrinsville Court last Thursday, when imposing a fine of £2O on Hugh Duncan Walter Tanner, of Waihi, 19, for negligent driving, The prosecution arose from an acc.ident that, occurred on the main road between. Morrinsville and Te Aroha on December 8, when Tanner, returning to Waihi from the Claudelands trots, collide.fi with a car driven by William Munroe, garage proprietor, Cambridge, at a corner above the Piako River bridgp. His Worship said that had Tanner’s license not been suspended for two years for an accident that occurred in January he .would have; cancelled it for a longer period. •

As the local authorities of the following places failed to depide what wording day in the week should be their statutory closing day, the Mini ister of Labour has given his decision as follows : Waihi, Saturday; Tur.ua, Saturday; Hauraki Plains County, Saturday ; Piako County, Wednesday ; Thames County, Thursday; Ohinemuri County, Wednesday; Waikato County, Wednesday. In the case of the und e X-noted places mayors or chairmen of the local authorities concerned notified the Minister of Labour the decision of their respective districts, which the Minister has declared accordingly: Paeroa, Saturday; Thames, Thursday ; Matamata, Thursday ; Matamata County, Wednesday ; Coromande;! County, Thursday.

A most despicable theft was perpetrated at the cemetery last wqek, a theft, almost ghoulish in its vileness. A hand-painted ribbon with a wreath at a recent funeral, and which it was intended to send later to the son and daughter of the deceased, was stolen within 16 hours of the burial, This, unfortunately, is riot’ the fir.'t case reported, many complaints having been made of flowers stolen. A cemetery is a sac.red place, sacred to the memory of the and sacred in the minds of tho living, a plot of ground to be revered. How human beings can stoop theft there pa.sses comprehension, and with this in mind one is forced to think that acts of this sort are committed by persons far gone; in degeneracy.

The Ohinemuri County Council experts to have water connection with the new dam in about three weeks’ time. During thq present dry spell, while the supply of water is ample f° r ordinary purposes there is none; to spare for garden hoses, et.c., was a statement made by Mr Corbett at the counc.il meeting lasjt Thursday.

Last month in the city of. Auckland a decrease in births, marriages, nad deaths was shown when compared with February, 1928.

The annual meeting,, of the Paeroa Ladies’ Hoc.key Club is to be held in Brocket and Shand’s buildings on Wednesday next,, March 6.