LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 117, 6 December 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'ltae concluding crowning ceremony of the Queen of the South, held in the Auckland I'own Ball on Saturday evening, was witnessed by several Pukekohe residents.

The Auckland Dairy Produce Committee has fixed the wholesale price »{ batter and eggs for the week ending December 11th as follows:-Farmers' separator and dairy butter, lOd per lb; eggs, lid per dozen.

An extensive and varied array of men's wearing apparel is a particular feature this week at Mr W. Koulb ton's stores in Fukekohe. Particulars of the same will be tound in the firm's replace advt. in this issue.

Mr Jack O'Malley, whose services as a humorous vocalist have always been so appreciated at social lunctions in Pukekohe and district, has joined the Tenth Reinforcements and leaves for Trentbam on Monday next. Arrangements are being made to give him a fitting farewell.

latcrested parties are reminded that Messis J. T. Stembridge and Co. will in future hold two Bales weekly at their Pukekohe Auction Mart, namely, on Tuesday and Friday afternoon*-, commencing as from to-morrow. The idea of the firm is both ts provide facilities tor sale of produce for local growers and also of purchase for the general public.

A large crowd of townspeople assembled at the Pukekohe Railway station on Saturday evening to greet . and farewell the special train that was conveying to the south the men of the Ninth Rein* forcements, who bad concluded their final leave. The carriages were well tilled and a hearty send-off was accorded to all on board, including the local representatives, who joined the train when it stopped.

After the Mayor of Pukekohe, Mr H. G. R. Mason, had presented at the Premier Ball on Saturday evening the> prizes recently wnn at the Patriotic Competitions, he announced that be had received an urgent request to appeal for recruits. He accordingly would ask each eligible young man present to seriously consider and respond to the call of his country. Tnere were many, his Worship said, who were eligible eyes had not been opened to the grave necessity of the case.—lt is understood that definite steps will now be taken to institute a recruiting campaign in the Lower Waikato, in common with other districts.

New regulations governing the issue of "good attendance" certificates at the public schools have been gazetted. They provide that the certificates are to he awarded to children who in any year have not been absent from school more than five times in all when the school was open, the morning and afternoon attendants being reckoned separately. Ihe award is to be obtainable by a child, who, during the year, has been transferred from one public School to another, whether these schools are in the same district or not, provided that it is shown that the total number of times the child is absent from school, including the school days between the last attendance at one school and the first attendance at the other, does not exceed five. Whenever any cbiH attending a public school has been absent from such school by reason only of the observance of any fast or other day set apart for strict religious observance by the religious body of which the child is a member, such absence shall not be counted against him when the award of goodattendance certificates is being considered. Good-attendanca certificates are to be issued by the school committees.

Prospects ot a remunerative potato seasoD that at one ,time seemed very bright have failed to materialise and indications are that local growers will this year secure a return very little, if any, in excess of their outlay lor labour, manure, seed and interest on value of the land. Prices are already on the downward grade and quite apart from instances of blight the average yield is not more than five tons to the acrp, against seven tons as is usually regarded as a fair average crop for Pukekohe. Digging of the first crop is now in full swing, and with unsteady and falling market last week growers awaited with some anxiety quotations this morning. Values are naturally regulated by supply and demand, and for early deliveries in Pukekohe to-day the market opened at £7 per tun, falling in consequence of heavy deliveries to £6 10s, which is the price ruling this afternoon. That so many potatoes have come forward is due to the fact that farmers desire to quit their crops so as to take advantage of the present spell of fine weather and to prepare for haymaking and harvesting, as also to proceed with the second sowing. The restricted demand for Pukekohe grown potatoes is accounted for by reason of the genial climatic conditions that have prevailed in the southern part of the North Island, with the result that the districts of Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Rangitikei and Rutt Valley are already supplying southern markets with tubers some weeks earlier than usual—instead of purchases as usual at this time of year being mainly confined to Pukekohe and Nelson. It is interesting to record the fact that for the corresponding time of last year values stood at £ll per ton as compared with £6 10s to-day as mentioned above.