LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 15, 23 February 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Karaka Road board invite tenders for crushing and carting metal. For particulars see advt. The Railway Department advertise in this issue train arrangements and excursion fares for the forthcoming Pukekohe Show.

An important clearing sale of live and dead stock is to be carried out on Monday next by Messrs Alfred Buckland and Sons at Mrs S. J. O'Neil's iarm Pukekohe East An advt dealing with the same will be found ekewhere in this issue.

In a replace advt. on page 2 of this issue Miss Ramsay calls attention to the sale in progress at her millinery and clothing establisnment in Pukekohe. Great reductions have been made in all department and ladies will find all their wants adequately provided for.

Nominations for membership of the Franklin Licensing Committee close on Saturday next but a contest is improbable. Messrs C. Motion Otaua), J. Chalmers Glenbrook), W. Eichardbon (Papakura), and C. K. Lawrie (Pukekohe) oiler themselves for re-eleclion and Mr W. Hattawav (Otahuhu) has bo3n nominated in place of Mr J. Sclilaepfer, who does not seek reelection.

An event of unusual interest to lovers of drama in New Zealand is tte forthcoming visit of the " Witnin the Law" company. "Within the Law" holds the unique record of having established a sixteen weeks' run on the occasion of its fi at production in Melbourne two years ago and adding another six weeks to this record on its revival at the Theatre Royal last November. The drama is a famous one and country lovers of a good phy will welcome seeing it. "Within the Law" will be produced in Pukekohe on Maic'n 12th.

The Defence Department has notified the Franklin A. and P. Society that the site of half-an-acra on the new Ehowgrcund offered by the Society for the erection of a Drill Shed is insufficient tor requirements, and further that in any case the Department would have to select the position for the shed instead of being confined for position to the particular site suggested by the Society. At a meeting of the Society's executive yesterday the foregoing communication was read, and it was decided not to proceed further with negotiations. This Department will therefore probably proceed with the ejection of the shed on the site originally chosen, viz., on the education reserve adjoining the Public School. The dimensions of the new building will be 60ft by 38ft, including office, store and orderly room accommodation.

The presentation of a cheque yesterday at" the Pukekohe branch of the Bank of New Zealand, the drawer of which had no banking account, led to a charge being preferred at the Pukekohe Police Court this morning before Messrs Stembridge and Koadley J.P.'s, against a labourer, named John Davis, alias Murphy, alias A'ernon, recently working at Pokeno, of attempting to obtain the sum of £2 by means of false pretences, to wit a valueless cheque. The accused, who had been arrested on Saturday for drunkenness and convicted and discharged yesterday, pleaded guilty stating that he had drawn the cheque whilst muddled with drink. Sergt. Cowan explained to the Bench that the offence was committed on Sunday whilst the accused was out on bail on the charge of having been drunk. He obtained a blank cheque, filled it up for £2 payable to " bearer " and asked a companion to change it for him. The owner of the boardiDg-house whore accused was stopping, refused to cash it and the companion yesterday took it to the local branch of the New Zealand bank, where he was informed that accused had no account. Previous convictions having been proved, the Beuch imposed a sentence of uue month's imprisonment with hard labour, stating they could uot accept drink as an excuse for th<• act and remarking that the drawing of valueless ch"ques *vas a serious offence.

Mercer is to lose the old turret whicb has been for mere than fifty years so noticeable a feature of the liver-side town. It is one of two made for the deck of the gunboat Pioneer, during the Maori war of IBt>3. Built of heavy wrought iron, strongly rivetted and loop-holed, it was impervious to the rifle fire ef 'he day, though no doubt the hardcased, high-velocity bullets of the modern weapon would penetrate it. It is now to be placed in the rew Gillies' Park in Parnell, having been given to the city by Miss Corbett Scott, of Epsoai, a former resident of Tuakau, upon whose land it has been lying all these years. We cannot think it otherwise than b pity that this interesting relic of the war should be removed from the bank of the river upon which its active life was passed. The companion turret used to lie on the bank at Havelock, a mile or two further down the stream. If it still exists it might be given to Auckland and Mercer left in pos session of its present property. The old turret made a strong and convenient lock-up for the Mercer police, and in its time has accommodated many prisoners. Ore night a noisy and unruly prisoner took eff his boots and kept up so loud and persistent a "devil's tatoo" -vith the heels up;n the resounding sides ; of the prison that sleep was impos- I sible in the neighbourhood. The protests and entreaties of the residents only re-doubled the efforts of j the drummer, and the constable hid 1 finally to be brought from his bed to j take the mai.'s boots away. Since j then only barefooted lodgers have | enjoyed the shelter of tbe old turret, j

The BEST bacon and ham in NewZealand. Dimock's Swan brand. Obtainable from F. PERKINS & Co. Pukekohe.

As a result of (he Garden Fete held at Tuakau last week the Presbyterian Manse Fund will benelit t > the extent of £ol.

The main roll of electJis of Pukekohe Borough has closed with a a total of 827 namss qualified to vote at the forthcoming biennial municipal elections, which will also include the appointment of Mayor for a term of two years. The supplementary ro'.l will close on April 14th. Two years ago the numbar of electors on the main roll at the date of closing was 688.

The loyalty of Captain A. E. Wilkinson in joining the Expeditionary Force for the purpose of assisting the Allies in tha war against Germany is to be recognised this (Tuesday) evening, in the form of a presentation being made him of an illumina'od address by his fellow members of the Pukekohe Lodge of Oddfellows. On Thursday afternoon Captain Wildinson will also be the recipient of a presentation of a pair of held glasses from the Pukekohe Patriotic League at the Premier Hall, which gathering local residionts are cordially invited to attend.

Some of the astute sporting gentry from Auckland received a nasty jar, which was not u their liking, during the ourse of tha return journey by the special train from Hamilton after the races cn Friday, a certain Pukekohe farmer beating them at their own game. After tha train had left Mercer the clever division engaged the farmer in conversation, evidently scenting him as an easy prey to their wiles. The man on the land spotted what wa3 to follow, and with well-feigned simplicity be was a willing party to the plst, casually remarking that he was proceeding as far as Penrose. A little game with the "boards" was suggested and "ths pigeon" expr2ssed his willingness to join in although he volunteered' the information that his knowledge of was most limited. The czrdj were dealt out atid twice in succession the supposed "soft" novice Bcooped the pool with a pair and then two pairs, bets m silver being his gain, his remarkable luck earning him the congratulations of his fellow players. Gold:n coins were uext forthcoming and just to increase his enthueiasm an j as a pralimiufliy to much bigger coups to follow the simple farmer was dealt tour aces, with which he naturally took the pool. Before another hand could be dealt the train had drawn up at Pukekohe and with a cheery nod of his head and profuse thsnks fcr th* entertainment given him the "ignorant" settler alighted and the di- mtiture of the sharps was a mpl u* when they were forced to re ognise that they had mistaken their bird end that they we:e the poorer f r their short acquaintance with the benighted resident of the backblocks.