PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1915 LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 126, 29 December 1915, Page 2

PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1915 LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"We nothing extenuate, nor net down auaht in malice."

Owing to the Ne* Year holidays (hi usual Monday issue of the "Pakekohe Times" will be suspended on Monday next, January 3rd Advertisers are requested to note that copy for advts. to appear in our isjue of Friday next, December 31st, must reach the head office not later than 4 p.m. to-morrow to allow of the papers being despatched to all readers and districts early on Friday morning.

You want a Diary for 1916. Full stock at The Bookery.* We are requested by the Postmaster of Pukekohe to state that all correspondence will be delivered over the counter between 7 and 8 p.m. on Friday evening, 31st December, and that there will be no delivery by letter carrier on New Year's Day.

Mr and Mrs W. Houlstcn and family of Pukekohe, returned by the e.s. Niagara to Auckland on Monday after an extended holiday spent in Australia.

Messrs P F Darrell and E A McDonald, both of Pukekohe, were among the recruits who passed the military medical examinatioi in Auckland yesterday. Opportunity of the assembly of the townspeople of Pukekohe in the Premier Ball to-night at the public farewell to the Rev F B Dobson will be taken to give a send-off to Troopers G Adams, G Kimber, W Jacobs, C Dale, Calder and Laundy, who are at present spending their final leave in Pukekohe prior to departing with the next batch of Reinforcements. On the 21st instant the New Zealand Dairy Association, Limited, distributed anrongst its suppliers the Bum of £9B,l§b*. Thjs covered 1,582,9281bs of butterfat supplied during the month of November. The amount distributed fur the corresponding morth last year was £68,411 6s, thus the increase for the month wa3 £297,44 14s. Tbe latest list of wounded at the war contains the names of Trouper John Michael Deveney, of tbe Auckland Mounted Rifles, son of Mrs A Deveney, of Razorhack, and Trooper Pycson Wilniott Longdill, of Waiuku. The former is slightly wounded in tbe foot, but is still dun? duty, and the latter is severely wounded ia the lsft thigh. Spirited competition was forthcoming at the sale conducted on Friday last by Messrs J T Stembridge and Co on bebalt of (he Pukekohe borough Council ot the bill-posting lights for tbe town for two years. The ultimate purchase was made at the figure «t £l7 per annum by the "Pukekohe Times" management. Mr K Warnock, who has been acting for the past 18 months as assistant to the Kev. S Nixon in Pukekof.e, left Pukekohe last evening to take over the charge of the Presbyte.'ian Home Mission station at Kaneri, near Qokitika. Mr Baiky, who was in charge of kaneri, has b?en appointed to the charge of the recently foriped Borne Mission station for the out.lying districts of Pukekohe, and he is to take up duty this week with headquarters at Msuku. Th; audience that assrmbled is the P/emier Hall, Pukekohe, on Boxing Day evening for an entertainment billed as of a vaudeville nature was in a decidedly holiday mood. The visiting company lacked the services of some of its regular members, who did not put in an appearance, and a "make-shift" programme failed to be sppreiated. Repeated attempts were made to "count out" the performers, but throughout good humour prevailed and the lively interruptions only served to add merriment to the proceedings,

New Year Cart's and presents at The Bookery.* "A blank" is reported by the Pukekolie Police ao far as their duties were concerned for the 'Xmas holiday s. This satisfactory state of affairs is testimony to the good conduct displayed by residents and holiday makers in the district.

The education and scientific handling of the hots 3 are to form the subject of demon tations to be given at Tuakau to-morrow (Ttnrsdaj) and at Mr D J Blake's smithy, Pukekohe, on Tuesday next by Profesor C A Litcbwark. The Professor, after an absence of sime nine years, is carrjir.g out a i€turn tour of the Dominion, and he his proved hitcs.-lf a mas'er in the work of handling and breaking borees. Pis system of educating the horse u carried on on practical and humane lines and is a revelation to hoia«n:en. The many testimonials he possesses testifies to the thoroughness of his methods and the exhibition should prove both of an instructive and enter tainins character. For particulars see advt in this issue.

Wtih a view of overcoming the trouble experienced for come time past in Pukekohe by contact of the telephone wires, resulting in conversations. being overheard, the Postal Department are increasing the height of the tel'Lone poles in Kiog street by the addition of iroi standards and the wires are accordingly being similarly raised in height. Previously in many instances the weight of the wires has in wet weather brought them in toacb with the roofs of verandahs, where they have been in contact with one another. As previously announced, it is the Department's intention to lay the wires underground in King street, but owing to the present inability to sscure the necessary shipment of cable the work cannot yet be put in hand.

The paessoger traflk on the railway from Pukekohe during the week ended 25th instant was exceptionally heavy, and although the number of tickets issued was only 1000 as against 1358 for tlu corresponding week of the previous year, the returns show an addition of £2O in the revenue. Tbis is to a great extent due to the increased passenger rat-.s. At the same time it may be mentioned that the compaiison of figures is not a reliable guide, as last year's receipts included the Boxing Day traffic, which this year come into the current week's returns. Consequently, it its probable that the actual Christmas traffic this year will in the issue of ticket) be fully equal to that of last year and the rtveoue quite £3O more.

It is understood that an antiGerman League is about to be formed in Wellington, says the "Dominion." Two of the planks in the League's platform, it is stated, will be a movement to discourage the employment of Germans or people of German extraction in any Government position, particularly military positions, as it is said to be a part of the German creed to seek enlistment, and even commissions in the Defence Forces wherever it is possible to attain ends not conducive to the success of our arms. Another plank will be the discouragement of trade with the enemy, and with firms established in neutral countries that are known or suspected to be German firms or firms with a German backing. It is said that sufficient funds will be available to appoint a paid secretary, who will make the fullest investigation into any suspected cases.

A feature of Christmas business as the Pukekohe Post Office was the marked diminution in the transmission of Christmas cards as compared with previous years and the overseas mails, both inward and outward, were also considerably less in volume. On the whole, however, the postal business showed an increase. Parcels and packages were particularly numerous and telegrams, especially on Friday, were in excess of the numbers of past years. The labours of the officials were lengthened by the public falling in with the Department's request to "post early" and thus their work was distributed over the earlier part of the week instead of a iush being evident just prior to Christmas Day. The financial returns were eminently satisfactory, the same being not only due to the special postage war tax bnt also to the extra business transacted.

The public send-oft to the Rev. F. B. Dobson which takes place in the Premier Hall to-night promises to be a highly successful function. The committee, who have the arrangements in hand, report that they have been receiving enthusiastic support from all branches of the community. Members of the various institutions with which Mr Dobson has been associated during his long residence in Pukekohe are very desirous that the services he has rendered should reoeive suitable recognition and are working whole-heartedly in that direction. Mr Dobson's kindly and sympathetic nature and fine public spirit has won for him a place in the respect and esteem of the residents that will not readily be forgotten and the townspeople are likely to assemble in large numbers to bid him good bye. Presentations of an illuminated address, a watch, and a of sovereigns will be wade to Mr Dobson.

Top Dresser for Hire, for broadcasting lime, slag, bonedust and grass seed, 5/- per day from FRANK PERKINS & Co., Pukekohe.—Advt.

Rubber Stamps ot all description njay l)e or4ered at the Office of the "Pukekohe Times," Call *nd select rom our illustrated catalogue.