LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 246, 10 November 1914, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

♦- For the first time during the past two years the usual sitting of the S.M. Court at Papakura, which was to have taken place last week, was cancelled, no cases being down for hearing. The Prime Minister v Mr. Massey) blossomed forth as a " tipster " last night at Papakura, and it is evident that ho knows something of racing phraseology. He " tipped" the present Government to win at the : forthcoming general election. "Dou't like vour chance," was the remark of a member of the audience. Quick and ready was the reply "f the Trime Minister, " You ■an bet five to one on it, and pick up money at that," and cheers were loud.

Collections to Mailt the Belgian Relief Fund will be made in the Roman Catholic churches of the Auckland Diocese on Sunday. 22nd inst.

Some very choice designs of Christmas cards, to be printed with name and address together with selected greetings, are obtainable at the office of the " Pukekohe Times." Speedy execution and prompt delivery are guaranteed and prices are moderate. Owing to pressure on our space the report of the concert given last Friday by the pupils of the Pukekohe Convent School is unavoidably held over until our next issue. Similarly, the report of the meeting held last evening in Pukekohe in aid of the Belgian Relief Fund will appear in our next issue.

The usual October held by Messrs Buckland and Sons in their Pukekohe Yards was probably the largest ever held in this district. Beef was yarded to the number of 225 head, but the buyeis for freezing purposes being unable to operate as freely as usual owiug to the temporary congestion of the works, prices were somewhat easier than recently. Tnere was a good demand for growu store steers, but prices wero slightly lower than at recent sale. In other lines there was no change. Subsequent to the meeting last night at Papakura, the Prime Minister (Mr Massey) motored back to Auckland. He speaks to-night at Howick and to-morrow (Wednesday) is to address the electors of Pukekohe and and district in the Premier Hall, Pukekohe. Although the latter meeting has been convene! at short notice the local public will probably attend in large numbers to welcome the Prime Minister to Pukekohe. The funeral of the late Mr. John T. Stevenson, F.R.A.S., took place ac the Pukekohe Cemetery on November 2nd, from the residence of his sister, Mrs. Roose. A considerable number of friends followed to pay their respects to the deceased. The coflin, which was of polished oak, with silver mountings, was covered with wreaths. The Rev. Q. Frost officiated at the grave, and during the course of the service addressed the mourners, making reference to the high esteem in which the deceased gentleman had been held by all who had had the honor of his acquaintance.

One ot the questions put to Mr Ma«sey last night at Papak'ira, was: Whit about the advances to settlers? Did you not vote against that? Mr Maseey, in reply, said: I did for the very good reason that 1 was pledged ta vote against borrowing in any shape or form. When 1 weut back to my constituents and told them what f had done they said: "Well done, good and faithful servant. We will send ion back to Parliament. This they did." (Laughter and applause).

The proposal of the Farmers' Union to set up a Graziers' Committee to regulate the supply and look after the interests of grower* of fat stock will be welcomed by all producing either beef or mutton. The fat-stock industry is now a large and Important one in the central portion of the Auckland Province and anything tending to minimise the continual ups and downs in the market would bo a blessing to farmers, butchers and consumers alike. It is to be hoped that there will bo no delay in appointing the committee, and that this district will be allotted at least one member.

In the calui, placid, and dignified atmosphere of the Upper House, naid Mr. Massey last night, women would be more comfortable as legislators of the Dominion than in the electrically •stormy surroundings of the House of Representatives. That was the reason, Mr Massey explained, that members disagreed with the proposal of the Upper Mouse that women, if they were to be eligible for membership of the Legislative Council should also be entitled to be elected to the House of Representatives. The Waiuku Defence Rifle Club has been formed about 2 years and up to the time the war started the club had a membership of 40 strong. Since then the members have increased to about 80 in Waiuku, with a branch at Fatumahoe of 25 members. Drilling takes place one night a week with one mounted parade a month. Captain Aldred has taken a great interest in the club and has given a good deal of time to instruction. The committee consists of Messrs Robt. Scoullar (president), A. James (sect.), D. Makgill, R. James, E. Bent, Adamson and R. T. T. Reid (treasurer), Mr H. E. R. L Wily being vice-president of the Patumahoe section.

The contrast of politicians in and out of "office" was humorously referred to by Mr. Massey during the course of his speech last evening at Papakura. Tho Opposition, he remarked, naturally wanted to displace his party, and they suggested that the Reform Government had not kopt the pledgos made to the people prior to last election. "Of course, I know something of ' Opposition ' methods," naively remarked tho Right Honourable gentleman, and his hearers laughed when he thus recalled tho memory of the many years he had spent in the cold shades of opposition. Year by year the difficulties experienced by the Drainago Boards of Aka Aka and Otaua in keoping the drains under their control free from cress and water weeds seein to increase. This year the growth seems to have been phenomenally rapid, and the clunuels seem to have been blocked again shortly after having been laboriously dragged by hand labour. An attempt is shortly to be made to use a mechanicul: device of heavily weighted knive* drawn along the bottom of tho, drains by horses on the bank. The difficulty will be to prevent this being clogged by the weeds, the : ku ives having only a forward and | no lateral motion. It should not j be difficult, however, to devise a machine with a knife bar on tho i principle of the hay-mower, running on wheels at the bottom of the drains. It is probable that any firm of agricultural implement makers would undertake the construction of such a machine, and, in view of tlit 1 great expense of clearing the drains by hand, it would lie worth the while of the Boards to make Inquiries.

The Premier Hall having been engaged by the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Masaey) for tomorrow, Wednesday, night, the picture programme will be shown to-night only. Mr James Elliott, Returning Officer for Raglan, wai in Pukekohe to-day arranging for the various polling booths and deputyreturning officers for this part of his electorate for the forthcoming General Election.

Possibly sooner or later the Main Trunk expresses between Auckland and Wellington will make Pukekohe a permanent place of " stop" instead of as at present only picking up and setting down passengers on Sundays. The Pukekoho Borough Council is still bestirring itself in the matter and in reply to a communication sent by the Town Clerk a letter was read from the Prituo Minister (Mr Massey) at the Council meeting last Wednesday notifying the Council that he was giving the request every consideration. Ihe Rev. Father Molloy mentioned at the meeting convened by the Mayor of Pukekohe last night tor the purpose of considering the ways and means of assisting the Belgians, that the Catholics of Pukekohe would be pleated to repeat the performance given by the Convent children a few dtys back, and the proceeds to be handed to the treasurer of the Belgian Fund. The Mayor and the committee are very grateful to the Catholics for their offer, which was gratefully accepted.

Mossra Douglas aud Glasgow are making good progress with their contract at the junction of the AkaAka road with the present road to Pukekohe. The work consists of cutting down the last hill at the lower end of of Mr Walter's property and when finished will give access to the Eastern Drain road, thus shortening the distance betwoen the Aka Aka plains and Pukekohe very considerably, besides providing a much better grade than on the road at present in use. As a grant of £SOO appears on this year's estimates for the further improvement of the new road a good thoroughfare should soon be in existence.

At Epsom tho other evening Mr J. W. McLarin, the Opposition candidate for Manukau, got off somo rather good things at the expense of the Helvetia ostriches. Jokes of that sort enliven a political campaign and do no harm, but Mr McLirin should be careful not to be misleading. He stated that the ostrich farm was being cut up in order that the new Waiuku railway might run through it. As the Prime Minister's interest in this property is widely known the only inference Mr M*cLarin can have • wished the audience to take from this is that the Ostrich Farm would be benefitted by tho now line. This will not be by any means the case. The only alteration made by the lino will be detrimental rather than otherwise. An irregular threecornored piece will be cut off one corner, and no more station accommodation will be pro-* Tided than at present exists.

The recent death in Auckland of Mr Henry Wilson Hill removes another of the pioneers of this district. About the year 1857 Mr Hill, in partnership with Major Lusk, took up a large block of laud in the Mauku and Pukekohe districts, felling tho buih and grassing largo areas of it. When the war of 1803 broke out Mr Hill joined the Forest Kitles under the command of his partner and took part in several engagements. For his gallantry in the trying affair at tho Ti li be was specially mentioned in dispatches, and thero is no doubt would nave been given the coveted New Zealand cross had he oared to press his claims. After the war Mr Hill dissolved partnership with Major Lusk and sottled down on Wellwood Farm. About twenty years ago he finally left tho district and went to live in Auckland.

One of the latest applicants for the belated pension awardod to veterans of the Maori War is Mr James Finlay. In the stirring times of over fifty years ago Mr Finlay was a member of the late Major Jackson's Forest Rangers, a volunteer force of irregulaxs who acted as scouts and on out-post duty not only in this neighbourhood but right through the Waikato Campaign when the Natives had at length been driven back to their pas. He also saw service as a dispatch-rider and at the end of the war settled down in the Mauku distriot, where he has since resided. As Mr Finlay is a holder of tho New Zealand war medal he will have no difficulty in establishing his claim to the pension, which we hope he may long live to enjoy.

Somo alterations in the Pukekohe railway service came into force this month. By the altered running of the Main firunk expresses the train leaving Auckland for Wellington on Sunday evenings stops at Pukekohe at 9.45 p.m. (instead of 10.15 pm. as hitherto) whilst the express from Wellington due in Auckland at 6.43 a.m. stops at Pukekoho at 5.40 on Bunday mornings. On weoki day 3 the altered times are that the trains hitherto leaving Pukekohe for Auckland at 10.45 a.m., 12.53 pm. and 0.7 p in., leave at 10.10 a.m., 12. Iti p.m. and <>.s p.m., respectively. Also the trains hithorto going south at .1.50 p.m. and <>.2"> p.m, leavo at 4.15 p.m. and •1.27 p.m. respectively. There are no alterations in the timos of calls at Pukekohe of the up and down Rotorua expresses. " What are these policemen brought hero for?" v referring to the presence of some visiting representatives of law and order), asked an individual of evident Wardite leanings at Mr. meeting at Papakura last night, tho interrogator failing to realise that it is customary, <joite outside politics, for tho police to exercise watchful guardianship over such a distinguished personage as a Prime Minister, ontrnsted as he is with the secrets of the State. Like a flash came a retort, "To keep the likes of you out," from a ready* witted admirer of Mr. Massov sitting in the body of the hall, who forestalled the Prime Minister in his reply. The hall literally shook with laughter, and the hocklor's discomfiture was complete when Mr. Massev added," You have got your ausweiy'