LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 16, 26 June 1912, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

♦ There were 20 applicants for the position of Borough Foreman and ;>() I'm-the position of waterworks engineer. " Voll run "tll\- get :t crowd ill l'llkokoho a! a funeral " wa ; a rather pe .- simistic opinion expressed by a member of the LedSrhnol Committee. " < 'online; events cast their shadows before.' Invitation holders reminded Oddfellows' u at Homo" (progressive euchre uud dancing) Thursday night.*

I • J ! Messrs Webster and Andrew (Presi-/ dent and Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce), have interviewed thfl Postmaster with a view to Laving th& Pukokohe post office opened from 7 till 8 p.m. Mr F. Perkins commented at the last Chamber of Commerce meeting on the experience that when Auckland is " rung up " subscribers get about one minute's conversation, for which they are charged for five minutes' service. He suggested that casual users of the 'phono got better attention and longer service than the regular subscribers did. The Mayor (Mr W. Dunn) has received a reply from the Minister of Railways stating that he would ask his responsible officers to again go into the matter of the site for the new railway .station. He regretted that on account of the early opening of Parliament ho was unable to accept the invitation to visit Pukokohe.

Tho seating accommodation at tlio Pukekoho court house was very severely taxed at the first annual sitting of the Franklin Licensing Committee. Chairs formerly available for tho legal representatives had to be taken for the use of Committee members and the lawyers (there were six of them in court) had to stand. Incidentally, it may be remarked that the seating provided in the auditorium is also quite inadequate, and additional forms ought to be provided. Lectures are not always popular, but when the subject is one of travel, a special interest is evoked. "A Fortnight in Jerusalem " is tho subject chosen by the Rev. E. P. Blamiros for Monday next, and he will speak from personal observations in the Holy Land. The Rev 8. Nixon willl preside, and the lecture will be illustrated by a new series of lantern slides and sacred solos.

The firs'; of the series of conceits arranged bv tho Pukekohe Sports Clubs will be h<dd in tho Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday night. The first part of the programme comprises musical and vocal items and recitations. The second half is devoted to " minstrel melodies, jokes and sketches." The proceeds of the concerts will be divided among the various athletic institutions in the town.

Mr McLaren was a witness iu Court in the Learning case. "Is it not a fact," asked Mr Tndean (solicitor for tho plaintiff), " that you are on bad : terms with Tames Learning?" "Not at all," said Mr McLaren. "Is it not a fact that you and he are politically : opposed, and that your evidence may bo strained against him ?" " No," was Mr McLaren's reply. "Mr Massey and I are opposed politically " ' he added with a smile—''and,-w i ' ,v ' e are tho best of fji«uß." 'j Ther-? was a good attendance of , members of the Pukekohe District Gun Club on Friday, Mr W. G. Abbott in the chair. The rules adopted at the previous meeting were confirmed. Grounds at Cranston's were decided upon, and it was determined to hold a sweepstakes on Saturday to initiate young shootists. July 20th was fixed as the opening day, when tho championship 3iip will be shot for. A shed is to be erected on the grounds, which are to bo prepared by members •to-morrow. Tho traps have been procured, and there is every promise of tho Club's success.

At the annual meeting of the Franklin Licensing Committee Mr J. D. Chalmers drew attention to the fact that while boys under 21 could not bo sorve 1 with liquor for consumption in hotel bars, they could procure beer by the bottle for consumption outside. He said that when the territorials wont to tho Waikato at least one young man under 21 ran into r.n hotel and brought out a bottle of beer—which looked bad. He moved, That it was undesirable that persons under 21 should be supplied with liquor, and that tho Act should bo amended. There was no seconder to the mutiou. which lapsed. At the half-yearly meeting of the Loyal Pukekohe Lodge, No. 8063, Manchester Lniity Oddfellows, there was a good attendance of members Accouuts for £3O were passed for payment. It was decided that a new set of regalia be purchased. After keen competition the fo'lowing officers were olocte i for the ensuing six months, and duly installed :—G.M., Bro W. Gubb ; N.G., Bro S. W. Mills; V.G., Bro A. Young ; E.S., Bro S. Harper. The N T .G. appointed Bro F. Egginton, P.G., as PS., and Bro 11. Foster L.S. ; Bro M. Wylie, Warden; and Bro Davidson. Guardian. The Y.G. appointed Bro E. Gilroy as IMS , and Bro W. Robinson L.S,

" Prime Minister Pun* Away " was a daily paper heading of a cablegram on Wednesday refeiring to the affairs of China, and the experience of four gentlemen from the Ak.i Aka one evening las', week seems to show that die Celestial Land is not the only [dace in which Prime Ministers are elusive. They had arranged to meet him at Mercer to oppose any grant fioui the public purse being made to the Waikato River Heard until an enquiry bad been made as to the effect of the proposed works, and had actually taken their tickets for the City of the Swamps when it transpired that the leader of the Government w;e still in Auckland. As the train for town had aheady gone, the Prime Minister was spared the shock of being invited t<» tighten, rather than loosen, his purse strings.

The Waiuku Tin Can Band held a very successful banquet and smoke conceit in the Public Hall on June 20th iust, when ovei fifty guests were present. The chair was taken by Mr Lauder and great ciedit is duo to him and his cmunittee for the way tho evening was carried out. Toasts were proposed and duly honoured to Messrs Hrown, Molloy, Christcy, and Reed, who kindly donated to the happy evening. Mr Chandler presided'at the piano, and a line programme was rendered by Mes:-,is Droiugool, Cromwell, Bani'iby, C. Baniball, Griini i,l, Hammond, '}. Barriball, Quiltci .in 1 lirowiiloy. Mr Buruiiby was encored for his recitations, and the mugs ot Messrs Grimmond and Lauder weie especially well received. The evening was brought to a close at half-past eleven with tho singing of Auld Lang Syne.—Contributed.

Since tlio inauguration of the Sports Protection League in Wellington, branches have been established in forty-three towns in the' Dominion. Ihe objects of the League are to promote healthiness and cleanliness of sport. At the meeting to he held in tho Oddfellows' Hall, Pukekohe, on the evening of Monday, July Ist, the General Secretary will deal fully with the aims, aspirations, and policy of the League, and a large attendance is specially desired.

Pukekohe West Road Board has written to the Borough Council suggesting certain principles for the apportionment of money and accounts between both bodies. It proposed to apportion both liabilities for loans and special rates in hand in proportion to the respective capital values of the parts of each special rating area. With regaid to loan moneys actually in hand, the Board urged that they should be spent upon the roads for which they were borrowed. The Council approved of tho suggestions, and agreed to spend the money to bo handed over in accordance with the principles laid down by the Board.

Upon severing his connection with Mr W. Eoulston's firm in order to assume the town clerkship, \Tr J. F. J)eano was tho recipient of valuable tokens of appreciation. from Mr Eoulston ho received for Mrs Deane an afternoon tea service and tray. Mr Eoulston expressed regret at losing Mr Deaue's services, but he recognised that the office of town clerk might be a stepping stone to bigger things. He wished Mr Deane every success in his future career. Mr E. A. Davys, on behalf of the employees, presented Mr Deane with a haßging lamp, a silvermounted Spipe, and a gold-mounted fountain pen. These gifts were reminders of the good spirit which had always existed between Mr Deane and all the memberspf the staff during his long connection; with the firm. A suitable response by Mr Deane completed an interesting function.