LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 180, 6 June 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dates of the Magistrate's Courts after the conclusion of the current month have been fixed by the Magistratrate (Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M* as follows: Pukekohe Court Ist and 3rd Thursdays in each month ; Papakura, Ist Monday in each month : Mercer Jnd Thursday in each month ; and Waiuku Friday following the first Thursday in July and in subsequent alternate months. Among the large' uumber of Maoris that were in attendance at the Pukekohe Magistrate's Court last Friday in connection with the charge against a Maori girl for stone-throwing at Tuakau was the native Enoka, who was so seriously injured in the recent shooting affray near Tuakau. Enoka has made a wonderful recovery—all the more remarkable from the fact that for the most part his wouuds were dressed in primitive Maori fashion and under native custom with leaves and herbs.

The following letter of acknowledgment of a donation forwarded to the Eussiau Eelief Fund has beon received from the Organising Secretary (Mr Du Flou) by Mr D. K. Flavell (headmaster of the Pukekohe District High School), viz.: "I have much pleasure in enclosing herewith' official receipt for £o 55., being the handsome amount contributed by tho pupils of your school towards this fund, for which I desire to express my most sincere thanks. Their generosity is much appreciated and will be the moans of alleviating a little of the suffering of the unfortuuato Kussians."—lt may be added that tho scholars also last month forwarded JO towels to the Auckland Women's Patriotic League and have arranged by means of a weekly donation of Id each to donate 50 handkerchiefs monthly for tho use of the troops. An important stage in the progress of the works of tho deviation of the Main Trunk railway was reached on Sunday night when the section of the line between Paerata and Euncinian was used for the lirst time for passenger trallic by the Wellington bound express passing over it. This stretch of line is some four miles in longth and includes a deep cutting near Paerata with an extensive embankment built on Hie swamp land towards tho north. The casement provided in the grade as the result of the works will materially affect the haulage of goods trains as owing to the avoidance of the former formidable incline and curves that ha 1 to be negrtiat?d the haulage capacity of goods trains will be increased by about two-thirds. Passenger trains will also be enabled <o be speeded up and a cutting-down of at least five minutes in tho case (f the expresses will probably be scheduled in the new timetable. Over 100 men were busily engaged all day on Sunday in the necessary preliminaries to render everything secure for tho passage of the express, tests of stability being r.irrioi! mil by :i heavy ballast train, with two en gines attached, runnning over the lino*

A list of now Justices of the Peace

gazetted last week includes tho nanios <>f Messrs A. M. Barriball Waiuku), K. Dynes Fulton Tuakau), T. J. Lirkwood (Hunua). A. A. lines Te Kauwhata) and .1. F. Shejdierd (Te Kuuwhata).

A Maori farm-worker, named Albert, who last Friday nigbt by imbibing too freely became pugnacious, was on Saturday charged at a J.P.'a Court, in Fukekohe, before Mr J. T. Stembridgp, with drunkenness, , and was fined 10s. Applicjtion will also be made by tie police to the Magistrate tomorrow to issue a prohibition order against Albert so that bis pugilistic tenderers should be restrai'ied.

At the dlspe.sal sale lit 11 on Friday last at Hamiltoi of Pastor Clark's well-known herd ot pedigree Holstein cattle, the high figure of 2fiogns was recorded for the ciw Jewellery de K»l, the purchaser being Mr /:. .J. KidJ, of Aka Aka. Mr KrlJ also purchased a bull at sU^ ij i?. Messrs Loudtn Rros, Aka Akß, bought three cuws at 25gns (two) and 19grs, and Messrs Jolly Bros., Aka Aka, one at 36gns.

Passenger to Old Salt: "Say, my good man, can you tell me the name of that fine bird hovering above r l '' Old Salt : " Yus, Sir, that's a halbratross, sir." Passenger :

" Dear mo, quite a ' rara avis ' is it not ?" Old Salt: " Dunno, sir, I've allays 'erd it called a halbratross." Passenger : " Yes, yes, my good fellow; but I call that a 'rara avis,' just as I call you a ' genm homo '." Old Salt : "Oh, do you ? Then I calls it a halbratross just the same as I call you a darned ijiot'.''

Pukekohe sportsmen were present in large numbers at the Elleralie raceß both on Saturday and yesterday. On the former day Messrs Koulston Bros'. 3-ycar-o!d gelding Howler, by Marble Arch-Pretoria, ran second in a held of 26 for the Jervois Handicap, seven furlongs. The performance wa3 distinctly promi'iig for its future career, as it had trad only been in training for a few months, and its schooling had not been extended to the distance it was called upon to run on Saturday. Mr H. S. Valentine, Merc?r, ia also the owner of another very useful animal in Brown Locb, a 5-year-old gelding by Loch Kanza—Brownie which after running thirci to Bowler on Saturday waß a good second yesterday to Sir George Clifford's San Sebastian in a field of 21 for the Kanfurly Welter Handicap, one mile. The races conclude to-morrow.