LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 236, 19 December 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To our Advertisers and Readers.— In order to enable our staff to take full advantage of the Christmas and New Year Holidays the usual Tuesday issues of the " Pukekohe Times" will be suspended on Tuesdays, December 26th and January 2nd. To permit of early publication of the issues of Fridays, December 22nd and 29th, advertisements for those issues must reach us not later than 6 p.m. on the previous day in each case (Thursday). Agents will receive their papers by the first train on the Fridays.

Mr E. G. V. Fear, who has succeeded Mr W. ToWnson as the proprietor of the Pukekohe Pharmacy, went through the Gallipoli campaign, being slightly wounded in the hostilities. He departed from Wellington with the Main Expeditionary Force, and was attached to the Divisional Staff as dispenser. He returned invalided to New Z9aland a few months ago.

Stone varieties of fruit will this season be very short in supply in the Lower Waikato as well as in other parts of New Zealand. The blossom in the early Spring gave indications of heavy crops, bnt owing to the absence of sunshine the all-im-portant work of inoculating the budding fruit as performed by bees was restricted, with dire effects to the yields. In recounting to a " Times " representative yesterday some of his interesting experiences and linds whilst engaged on scientific research work, Mr W. Townson made mention of an occurrence of what is known in journalistic phraseology as " a howler." Thus, he saii, on a certain occasion on which he had dug up the skeleton of a moa on the east coast the diameter of the bones of the leg of his find appeared in print as 16ft instead of 16in.

An anomaly in the railway holiday arrangements is created by the fact that whilst week-end tickets at excursion rates are usually issued on Sunday mornings to Auckland from Pukekohe for the main trunk express and are available for return by the Sunday night express, holiday excursion tickets issued north of Taumarunui are not available for travel by the main trunk expresses. As the issue of week-end tickets has been withdrawn in favour of holiday excursion tickets as between December 15th and January 2nd, such means that during that period the U9e to and from Auckland and Pukekohe of the Sunday expresses can only be secured by payment of the full ordinary fares.

A tortunate escape from wnat might easily have proved a double fatality occuried yesterday morning near Hoeking'4 bridge, about a mile from Waiuku on the WaiukuFukekohe road. Whilst Mr and Mrs C. A. Ashwin were motoring from their residence towards Pukekohe the rim of one of the front wheels of their car broke loose and the car turned a somersault, Mr and Mrs Ashwin being pinned underneath. Mr Aswhin managed to struggle out and with Mr Hosking arriving on the scene Mrs Ashwin was released. They were conveyed to their home and on being medically treated were found to be suffering from bruises ami shock.

Mr J. D. Kryan, of Kuiciman. was attested at the Pukekohe Defence Otfic? vest rday tor service with the 26th Keinforcern nts and Messrs J. I'. D.tuahoe (Kunciman) and A. Neeiy (Pukekohe} were sworn in as members of the 27th Reinforcements. A reminder is given to residents of Pukekoh: that the iisuhl weekly half-holiday will be obsirvtd in Pukekohe to-rn rruw (Widcesday' as from 12 i.oon, and (h >t business premises will remain open until 9 p.m rext Friday and until JU p.m. on Saturday.

Miss iowr.ion was the guest of the Pukikohe branch ot the Womei'a Patriotic Leigu j on Friday at an aittifiioori t a hell in the Carnival Tea Kooms a? a f-irswell to her prior to her denture from Pukekoh. 1 . Misj Wtbstr ,pr.sident), in a i eat little sp ech, referred to the valuable rervices rendered to the Leai'uu by alias lownson and also to her ale advocacy of tbs caus; of the tristrr fciather Fund, of whicn she waa local hon. s.cretary. Miss Webster then asked Miss To»n?on's acceptance of a pair ct silver v-asg?, wtich had been sutscritel fjr by members ot the League Committer. The raupient suitably returned thanks. Musical items were renderel by the Misssa Riddel, Wehb and lownaon.

Although a private spectator in potatoes waa operating toivarc's the end ot bst week in Pukekohe at a purchase price of £ll , per tan actual currrent values stand at £lO 10s—some £3 in aivanci of the rates of a year ago Th; improved figure this year is all thf more satisfactory seeing that tfce southern crops have ripeced earlier than usual anil that Pukekoh? is therefore no longer supplying southern cectres. With hay-making general, farmers are attending to that crop and foT the immediate preseat potatoes are not in prolific supply a fact that tends to mtki tt.e market firm. Another contributing tactor 13 that owing tj shortage of labour and»dnappointing returrs 1 :st year l:ss area than is cus omary in Pukekohe has been devoted to potatoes and there is every probability that there will be a scarcity of "spuds" in the district a m'jeth or two hence. However, the crops are turning out well up to the average of yields of other years, and growers are highly satisfied with their returns.

The good comradeship aud fellowship for which "ye anciente game of bowls" is toted was strikingly in evidence in connection with the trip paid last week to ie Awamutu by a rink of Pukekote bowlers tor the purpose of thking part i i a tournament on the Te Awamutu bowling greer. As victory did not come the way of ttu Pukekone rfpresintatives they determined that ons ct their nurr.cr should have some tangible token of an enjoyable outing. Thus it came aboi<t tnat a trophy ot a decidedly us', tul character farmed the object of a presentation to "C. K. of that ilk" from nis c< Imagoes, and the spontaneous and ready manner m which the gift was made, to say nothing of its unexpected nature, is highly appreciated- by the recipient.

After neaily five year's residence in Pukekohe Mr W. Townson has disposed of his chemist's business and is leaving the town next Thursday. Akbotwn the Chamber of Commerce is one of the few local organisations with which he has actively identified himself, Fukekohe's welfare his always rccrived his cordial sipport. In a most unobtrusive way, known onl;' to the organising officials, Mr Towcsjn has also liberally supported every dese vir.4 object of charitr, and as the I;cal representative of Sister Esther's fund his .personal contributions Ibereto have been of a vety self-denying nature. In patriotic move"aenls Mr To7.'nson haj been the first to respond and his donations, generally coccesled under a nom-de-plume, have been decidedly numerous. The old and true saying that "a prophet is not without honour except in bis o.vn cuuntry" is borne out ss regards Mr Townson, for known only as connected with bis prof-s«i n rt Pukekohe Mr Townson is a recognissd authority and enjoys nu little fame in scientific circles in th=> Dominion. Prior to earning to Pukekohe Mr Townson was actively engaged in an honorary capacity on behalt of the Government in ths botanical work ot compiling the flora of New Zealand, and it is marly with a view of following up that important branch of natural history research that he is leaving Pukekohe. During his career Mr Townson has made an exploration of tome of the most inaccessible cujntry in New Zealand and has botanisecl 20 of the highest mountains of the Dominion. His discoveries have lei to 15 species of flora being added to th ■ list of native plants of New Zealand, the majority ot the same ha n g b en found bv him among the mountain lastre ses, and seven of the number have ben scientifically named after Mr Townson by the authorities in perpetuation of their finder. Orly a year or two ago Mr Townson. in recigrition ot his research deeds, was presented by the then Minister of Internal Affairs, Sir F. D. Bell, with a couple i f volumes ot the illustrate J compa iou to the Government text book of the publication, known as the "Flora ot New Zealand." In addition t~ hh botanical efforts for the good ot th? Di-minion, Mr Towns in is also recognised as one of the most reliable ornithological authorities in New Zealand. Ths colL-ction in his possession of specimens of New Zealand birds has only been attained by years of travel but self-sacrilicingly he lias surrendered many of his treasures for world-wife instruction bv making a presentation of them to the South Kensington (England) Museum, which institution they n■» r doro. It is interesting to mention that ii regard? to the defunct Mon °pecies of bird Mr Townson has made many tinds of bones in different parts of the Dominion. Arrangements hnv e been made fur a public sen .'-off to he liiven Mr Townson ' hl a (Tuesday)' evening in the Pukekohe Bowling Club'a pavilion, when a small token of appreciation ot his connection with the town veil! by pu'lie sub-! scription be presented for his ;ic- ■ ivptance. For Chronic Cie-ii 1 • ■ij.lnm'-. Woods' Great Peppermint- Cure.

Members of the Pukekohe Bowling Club are notified tlia the next rou id of the President's Fours competition will be played to-morrow (Wednesday) in-tead of ou Saturday.

At a meeting of the Pukekohe District High School committee held la^ f wei k «chool hours for the nwnth of February, restricted by the Education Board to three and a-half hours daily, were fixed for to 12 noon

Winners of prizes at the recent Pukekohe Flower Show are informed by advertisement in this is.ue, that the piize money will be paid out at Mr 0. K. Lawrie's office next Friday between the hours of .j and 5 anl 7 and 9 p in, or may be subsequently obtained at the ollice tif this paper.

Tho Pukekohe Letter-carriers will this week observe the same half-holi-day as the townspeople, yiz , to-mor-row (Wednesday) On Saturday next full deliveries will be made by carriers, and ii) addition there will be an over counter delivery at the Post Oili'je between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Up to la-t evening the number of calves in Frank'in County inoculated by Mr A. N. Per ham, the Government ve'erinary officer, against blackleg, since operations started last month, had reached the high total of 13,999. The most recent figures show that 806 calves were freated at Tuakau, 134 at Whangnata, 223 at Pokeno, 216 at Pokeno Valley, 434 at Maungatawhiri, Ho at Mercer aud 201 at Pukekohe East. Previous totals, not included in the figures recoaled in our last issue, were Paoakura 123, Beach Road, 145, Euncimau 013, Ramarama 188, Maketu 261, Opaheke 171, Ararimu 279, Paparimu 67, and Hunua 409.