DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 148, 21 February 1916, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS

TUAKAU. SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO MISS SMEED Whilst out riding yesterday at * Kohanga, in the Onewhsro district, Miss Smsed, daughter of Mr Wil--lam Smeed, of Tuakau, had the misfortune to be thrown trom her horse. She was taken into Pukekohe last evening by a motor-car belonging to one ot the f cal Maoris, and was found by Dr Bronte to be suffering fiom severe injuries to the skull. This morning she was conveyed by train to the Auckland Hospital, her condition being somewhat serious.

An interesting address on the progress of the war was delivered to a large attendance in the Public Hall last Thursday night. The speaker was the Rev Monckton, M.A., Vicar ot Devonport, who illustrated his subject with lantern slides of tfce war. The address was convened by the luakau Ladies' Knitting Guild, and was followed by a conceit and dance, the proceeds from which amounting to £6 ;0s went to strengthen the turds of the League. Supper provided by the ladi's followed the concert, towards which the following contributed, viz:—Songs, Kev Costain; Miss Hyde; and pianoforte duet by Misses Mayall and Dickens, while Miss E Paton was responsible for a recitation and Mrs Hunter played the accompaniments. Mr C Lindner very pleasingly carried out his duties as M.C., and the Misses Mayall and Geraghty supplied the music in their usual capable style. On the whole a very pleasant evening was thus passed. The committee respousible for the resent Presbyterian Garden Fete met on Wednesday evening last and discussed the balance sheet submitted by Mr T K Patterson, who together with Mr J A Pirret acted in the capacity : of junt secretaries. Both officials were congratulated on the very satisfactory credit balance of £33 The saving that results from the raking of metal on the roads cannot be despised. To the ordinary layman it would appear to be a small matter, but to the Town Board, who know tfce value of mttl and the price it would coat to spread it on the road, it commends itself. In a dßy a turfaceman can rake in between rive and six yards, which at 10s per yard wculd more than compensate the Board tor the labour spent thereon and still leave a profit. A sample ot this can be seen on Dominion road, where metal which would otherwise have gone to waste was raktd in on the worn patches of the road, thus saving the experse of purchasing, carting and spreading metal Pending the rr-valuation ot the district, which the frime Minister, tin Kight iio.i W F Massay, has promised will, if possible, take place before the 1916-17 rates are struck, the proposed poll for a loan for roading and lighting proposals will be deferred tor submission to the ratepayers

TE KAUWHATA.

CHaKUE ok cattle stealing At the Auckland Supreme Court on Wedresc'ay, before Mr Justice Hoekmg, Lincoln Evans Turner, a young married man, wss charged with having stolen, on December 31st, 1915, at Te Kauwhata, three steers, the property of Arthur Siramonds. On a second count he was charged with retaining the animals in his possesion knowing them to have been stolen

Tame Kangi, a young Maori, stated that he had been working for Simmonds. There were 15 head of cattle in a fenced paddtck known &s Swan's Paddock. The cutle were there on the afternoon of December 3Utb, but when making an inspection the next day be found three steers, which were branded, missing. Witness noticed some hoofprints, and he followed them to Te Kauwhata and then to Kangirin, where he saw the three missing steers ard al o the accused, who was standing on the verandah of the hotel. The accused bad told him that Simmonds had given him the right to take the cattle and sell them. He had sold them to a man named Polwart, who bad paid bim by cheque. Witness saw Pclwarl and told him that the cattle were stolen, and advised him not to keep them Arthur Simmonds, Btated that be had not given any authortiy to the accused ro take possession of any of his (witness's) cattle, nor to Bell any on his behalf. After the disappearance of the steers from the paddock the eecused had sought an interview with witness, and had confessed that as ha badly wanted some money be bad on the impulse of the moment taken the three cattle and had told them to Polwart for £ls Vincent Lambert Polwart gave evidence concerning the sal? of the steers trom the accused to himself Constable J Horan, stationed at Mercer, stated that in the course of a conversation he had had with the prisoner, atter Kangi bad inturrr.ed him that the steers bad been stolen, Turner had told him that he had an arrangement with Simmonds to grazs two cattle on the letter's land. The accused said that two of the steers that he was charged with stealing were the two that bad been grazing on Binv monds's land. The third was his own

After a short retirement tha jury found a verdict of guilty. On Thursday Turner was brought up for sentence, and was further indicted tor having obtained by means of falie pretences from Vincent Lambert Polwart a sum of £7 15s by the sale of the cattle. He was represented by Mr J R Lundon, and pleaded guilty The Judge remarked that the accused had a bad record of previous convictions, and at the present time was on licenF'' from tbe pohc". He had also been dsclared an habitual criminal. A sentence of 15 month.' imprisonment, with , ard laiou', w* j imposed on each charp. "•« t° °,e cor- • iso ordered to •!>3 remaining y- that he had

MARAMARUA.

The unusual and interesting instance of a two-year-old wether "mothering" a lamb is to be seen on Mr McKillop's farm at Maramarau. The lamb in question either lost its mcther or was one of twins, and was adupted when a few days old by the wether, which has raised it under its parental care until it is now well advanced in age. It is also extraordinary that by continued sucking at a nipple the lamb has succeeded in drawing milk from its male toster parant

MANUREWA.

The demand tor local property was instanced a tew days ago, when Mr T J Corin sold three acres of his property and a nineroomed residenc?, at a price well in advance of the figure he paid for the same some eighteen months ago. Mr Conn has already commenced to build another house on the balance of his property

POKENO.

A meeting of ratepayers of Pokeno and Maungatawhiri is to be held in the Pokeno Hall on Tuesday evening of next week to consider the proposal that the Pokeno and Maungatawhiri Road Boards should merge in the Franklin County. Mr J Flanagan, the Chairman of the County Council, will attend and answer questions

KARAKA.

A meeting of settlers has been convened by Mr J Batty, chairman cf the Kaiaka Road Board, for Monday evening next, in No. 2 School, Kareku, for the purpose ot taking measures to deal with the rabbit pest