DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 149, 23 February 1916, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS

PAPAKURA. VERSES BY A YEAR POET (Second Instalment) A is for AlphuDso, a carpenter bold, Still young and still hanjaome, and fair to be he 1.1 B is for Beulah, who serves us with tea, For her snile and her height how well noted is she C is far Cave, big books she adores, And into literature's realms she certainly soars D is for Duncan, McLennan at that, With venerable beard and a greyest grey hat E is tor Eda, whuse beautiful eyes Are fairest of fair and blue as tte skies F is for Frank, a Parker you know, Who dances so well on the fantastic toe G is tor gossip, and on ,Wednesday night The boys on parade look a beautiful sight H is for Harris, who knits very well, Oa a hill in old Scotland she's longing to dwell I is tor ice, an infallible cure For the internal heat that we have to endure J is for James, a postmaster away To regain his health on his holiday pay K is for Kenzie, if Mac you will add There's McKenzie, a plump stationmaster, my lad L is for lady and Laddie and like, And the longing they have for a new motor bik2 M in for Murray, "and the next, if you please?" He calls when you ask for a pound of good cheese N is for never, and that's whtn they'll bring Electric light bright from the lluitia 6pring 0 is for obstacle, oblige ar.d obey, By shifting trie saleyarda well out of the way P is for pork, and the best to Le found You can buy off friend Stokes, at, say, 8d a pound 0. is for quiver and y is for quake, That's what folk do when wide awake R is for Rita, chrysanthemum fair, As a princess and Jap there were none to compare S is for Sam, and we all say "Good 'Evans!" When he climbs up the ladder h Watson's beat sevens 1 is for turkey, and Connelley's grow The largest and best, such a treat don't you know U is for unity, our National Keservc Drill well when together we're proud to observe V is fir Victor, a prudent youug man, Who, II go to the Grammar, we hope, if he can W is for Willi*, and Widdy who tries To sell below cost price and fit any size X is for Xmas, which takes all our pay To buy enough presrnts for Santa si gay Y is our youth, which we'll ne'er see again, For we must gut the motor, or sure inisis the train Z is in zero, your spirit's at nought, Then cure them, my friend, buy the "Timet l ," like a sport

Answei to Correspondent.— "Laureate" is requested to forward name to the Editor, and a reply will be sent The anniversary of the Methodist Sunday School last Sunday was made the occasion of special address, by the Kev E Drake, chairman of the Otago district. Large congregations attended and listened attentively 10 the reverend gentleman's discourses. Collections were taken up at all of the services in aid of ihe Sunday School, th 3 amount realised being £5 18s 7d. The distribution of prizes won by the pupils during the year took place the following evening, the Rev W S Potter presiding. All the pupils received awards, the total number of books handed to the children by Mr U D Smith being over one hundred. Special prizes donated by Mr Smith for pupils who had not mused the Sunday Schoul throughout the year were secured by Thelma Woodhouse, Joe Woidhouse, Norman Crichtoti, Leo Richardson, and Stanley and Ernest Watkinson. A lively programme of musical items was rendered by the children, under the conductorship of Mr Ashurt, Miss H bSrodu supplying the accompaniments. Mr Seaton also contributed a sacred song. The secretry, Miss A Bates, reported that there had been an increase of nineteen pupils during the year, and that Miss Brodie had been appointed to teach the infants, vica Mrs Bycofr, resigned. The treasurer, Mr H W Gcissler, submitted the balance sheet for the year ending December 31st, showing a credit balance ot £6 os 9d As the result of a canvass in the Settlement and Wairoa Road, in aid of the Red Croßs Fund. Mr S Evans, with the assistance of Mr W Richardson's motor car, was able to collect on Monday afternoon last over £2O. The Patriotic League, which has done excellent work since its formation, has donated £l2 to the Fund Ihe bell that has been rung lor services at Christ s Cbuicb for a number ot years is shuwing signs of old agp, and is to be replaced with a 20-inch bell at a cost ct £27 The final duties of the Carnival Committee were executed last evening, when the buisnesj connected therewith was closed. Mr A presided The prospects of a suitable ba'htrg shed being erected at the beacb are very promising. The csnvafsere, X" Messrs A Smith, George Wilson and D Lovelock, have already collected ~* in donations and promises the sum ot £5 The Gazette of the 10th instant contains the very satisfactory in.

formation that the Government las vepted the library allotment, Lot No. 116, Section 11, in the Town Board which has low the opportunity ot replacing the present obsolete that serve! the combined jmrposea tf library and Board office with a modern structure worthy of tfiA district. It is possible that scLe thing may now be done in the way of erecting a town hall and library combined As the Government have so lai failed to furnish the chairman ot the Town Board, Mr Stewart, with the final circular in regard to the

methods to be adopted by local recruiting committees, the Board • nave not yet been able to call a meeting to discuss the matter The alternate tenders received by the architcc', Mr J Park, of Onehunga, for tbe erection of a block of buildings in iton and woo-1, on tbe section adjoining the Globe Hotel in the Main street, were as follows, tbe prices for iron being mentioned first in each case:—J Hampton, Papakura, £513 and £*7B; W N Mcintosh, Papakura, £505 and £496; G H James, Onebunga, £591 and £566; W Wylde, Auckland, £575 and £570; Messrs Bethel and Gilbert, Onebuoga, £613 and £576 10a; J Morris, Auckland, in brick, £614; W and H Sayers, Onebuoga, £655 10s and £625 10s; E Morton, Onehunga, £699 10s and £686 14s: G France, Auckland, in brick, £778. Mr J

Hampton's tender for the erection cf tie building in wcod was accepted, and a start was marie with tbe preliminary work yesterday morning

Carpenters and painters have

their bands full at present. With the erection and renovation ot buildings they have been kept busy for some time past, and the prospects tor the future are also encouraging It speaks volumes for the district that enterprising people can s'e their way clear even in face of the war to expend money in erecting buildings, whereas in other districts the trade is practically dormant MeJsrs Hirst ard Sons, contractors, for the erection of the Methodist Sunday School Hall, were engvged on Monday last in preparing tbe way for the foundation ot the structure

Mrs Smith, licensee ot the Globe Hotel, has arranged to spend a three months holiday in Sydney for the benefit of her health That tte experience gained in the Boer War has stood to him in good s'ead is evident by the fact that Mr W Bultitu.e who joined tbe 10th Reinforcements, has been promoted to tbe rank ot % Corporal in tbe Field Artillery Since bis return from the front, on the injured list, Sergeant-Major Wbittaker has made good recovery, particularly during his present stay at Aromore with bis brother-in-law, Mr Booker

Writing tu bis uncle, Mr Dave Wilson, of Papakura, under date ot December 12th, from Heliopolu Camp, Egypt, Kitieinnn Harold -Wilson says, inter alia:--After the beautiful turf and other aspects of old New Zealand tbe continual view of tte Egyptian deserts gets on one's nerves and makes one wish to be somewhere else. The weather here is all that ciuld be wished for daring the day, but at night it geta bitterly cold and a demp mist lays over the country tor two or three hours every morning, the extremes in temperature and the mist being very conducive to larg trouble. It makes a man a bit annoyed to think of what we have to put up with whilst others are enjoying themrelves in New Zealand as if nothing was occurmg. Half the troops coming now are either men of 25 and 40 years or boys ot 18 to 20 years. I reckon the men between 20 and 30 who can walk about in tbe face of all this ought to be kicked out of a country like New Zealand, wbich owes its immunity from devastation, such as has occurred in Belgium and bervia, simply to those who are righting for and maintaining the supremacy of tbe Empire."

MERCER.

lbe montby sitting of the Magistrate's Court was hfld on Monday last before Mr Page S.M. Judgments by default were given for plaintiffs in each of the following cases viz.:—J F Shepheid, Waerenga, v. I Mclnemey, Wellirgton, for 12s and costs ss; the same v. J W Cochrane, Wellington, for 7s 6d and costs ss; the same v. A K Kennedy, tor £1 4s and costs ss; F Crok v. Pautu Tehi, labourer, Churchill, for £3 J6s and costs £1 2s; the same v. C De Thierry, labourer, Churchill, for 17s 8d and costs 17s; the same v. W Kaka, farmer, Churchill, for £l9 i9s lOd and costs £1 12s; the same v. Sandy Whareka, labourer, Churcbill, for £3 Us 3d and costs £1 2s On Friday night last the ladies of the railway refreshment rooms, assisted by Messrs J Lee and J Robertson, acted as hostesses at a most enjoyable dance, which was organised for the purpose of assisting the Patriotic Fund, which as a result benefitted handsomely. Some thirty couples were present, and Mrs U Bush presided at the piano. Supper was provided by the ladies, and Mr J Lee admirably filled the role of M.C.

Numerous patties availed themselves last week end or a pleasant journey down the river to the Waikato Heads, the number of persona on the beach on Saturday being estimated at 200. In addition to Messrs C Roose's and Ed Hallett's two passenger steamers, some ten privately owned launches dropped anchor in the waters adjoining the beach

POKENO.

DEATH OF MISS JOHNSION A well-known resident, Miss H Johnston, died at Pokero on Monday. Ihe deceased lady, who was in her 88th year, had been in failing health for some time. She had a large circle of friends, and the district had enjoyed her benevolence for some years. She built a public bali, a church, and a vicarage at Pokeno, snd she subscribed liberally towards the Anglican and the Presbyterian Church funds

ARARIMU.

A mild boom in land seems to have set in here. Quite rrceotly Mrs Jray sold her farm at the Papanmu end of the district. Now, Mr Bcswick notifies the sale ot his property, 800 acres, near the Aranmu School, and Mr McCleod has also disposed of his farm on the main road near Maketu, while the latest announcement is the sale of Mr Frost's farm, also on the main road. The new owners wiM arrive at a most opportune time, as the completion of the deviation around Pratt's Hill, contracts for which are just being let by the Franklin County Council, will enable tbem to avoid at least one of the hardships with which the older setilerß had to contend. In addition to sales effected, at least a few other owners have received communications requesting them to put a price on their properties. The fact that the holdinxs here are fairly large -from 100 acres to 300 acres and 400 acres—and the district being within a couple of hours' journey from Auckland is no doubt an enticement to lanl buyers seeking reasonable sized areas Signs of progress are noticeable all round. On every farm at the present time teams are busy ploughing and cultivating tor the autumn grasp, of wbich a fairly large area is being sown. Most settlers adhere to tbe old and proved varieties of seeds, though some of the more enterprising are occasionally lound trying experiments with the newer kinds. A fice patch of lucerne on Mr Forbes' farm proves that the soil here is eminently suitable fir tbe growth of this most nutritiois fodder plant