MERCER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 113, 26 November 1915, Page 3

MERCER.

A successful dance, initial d by Mr and Mrs Tabi Iwikau, and at which the company inducted Mrs K F B Hard, the Queen of the South, aid Mr ljnlUrr*, M.P., was held in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday fVfri'jr in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund/ The arrangements were most elaborate, Miss Beresfoid's orchestra of a pianist und violiniot supplying the dance music. As a prelude to the dance the Te Kohanga Maori Band rendered selections on the stage. Sitxy couples j

graced the floor and a most enjoyable time was spent. The fund will benefit to the extnt cf £ll 169 as a result. A painty supper was handed round. Extras were played by Mrs Henry Kaibu, of Waiuku, and Miss Gallery. The duties of M.C.'s were ably carried out by Messrs H. Watts and M. Koose.

Mr and Mrs M. Gallery and the Misjei Gallery returned last week to tbe Dominion by the s.e. Ulimaroa Lorn Australia, where they bad been visiting Mr Gallery's sor.-in-law, who is acting Health Commissioner at Perth. During.his three months absence Mr Gallery visited Mundaring and saw tha wonderful lenc-concrete dam, situated on the top ot the Darling Kange. It was erected under the supervision of a New Zealand engineer, but oa its completion, owing to financial difficulties, it is said, he committed suicide. The people ot Perth are so well pleased with the dam that they are cow moving in the matter ot erecting a monument in then city to tbe unfortunate engineer. Mr Galleiy mentions that he is pleased to be back to where tbe green grass grows so luxuriantly. It was cru*l, he said, to see cows grazing in paddocks in Australia where the blades of gra«s were few and far between.

The suppliers at the Elbow to the. Waikato Co-operatve Dairy Co. 's Mercer butt;r factory are to be well catered for in the future as regards the delivery ot their cream, the Dairy Ccmpany, in conjunction which Mr Ed. Hallet, of the All-British Shipping Company, having decided to run a regular return daily trip from Mercer to the Elbow. This will open up a big passenger service between the two districts, and will necessarily increase the volume of business on the river. A shed is to be erected it the Elbow in connection with the scheme and will be for the use of the settlers.

The has been a heavy influx of Maoris into the district during the week, the proposed conference beween the Defence Minister, the Bon. James Allen, and the Maoris, with reference to the dispatch of further Maori Reinforcements for the front, being the attraction. The meeting waa postponed, however, owing to the flood waters remaining on the properties where the parties concerned were to confer. It is likely that the appointment will eventuate during next month. The Kohanga Maori Band made their presence felt, much to the iii joy men t of the Mercer people, by playing selections in the Main street A transfer of 720 votes from the Labour Queen to the Queen of the South baa been made at the request of the Mercer School Committee. The amount was donated by the pupils cf the local school. A winch driver, M. Malonev. whs ia employed on the river by the Waikato Kiver Board, met with a painful accident whilst working a steam winch last week. One of bis arms became entangled in the machinery, crushing it so badly that .ha was obliged to have it attended to by Dr Bronte, of Pukekohe.

An otter made by Mr McK. Peacock to tbe Waikato River board to cut a channel through a sand bank at Maiora Bay that is impeding the How of water in the river, has been accepted by tbe Buard, and Mr Peacock is already operating with expbsives. It is hoped that with the lowering of he sand-bar, so too will the "fresh" in tbe river recede rapidly.