LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 240, 9 January 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Id accordance with its usual practice the Raglan County Council will hold its January meeting at Raglan instead of Ngaruawahia, Tuesday of next week being the appointed date. Ratepayers of the Borough of Fukekohe are notified by advt. in this issue that all rates must be paid by the 31st inst. ; otherwise, proceedings will be taken to enforce recovery.

Lieut. W. J. Baxter, of the New Zealand Field Artillery, son of Mr and Mrs J. M. Baxter, of Pukekohe, is among the invalided soldiers returning on board a steamer due at Fort Chalmers about the 13th inst.

Tenders are invited by the District Engineer, Public Works Office, Auckland, for the erection of new buildings and alterations to wine cellar at the Te Eauwhata horticultural station. For particulars see advt.

The Railway Department advertise the issue of tickets at excursion fares and the running of a special train to and from Claudelands and Auckland for the Waikato Trotting Club's races next Saturday.

The preliminary operations attendant to the laying of King Street, Pukekohe, in tarred macadam were commenced yesterday when the scarifier attached to the Borough Council's steam roller started to break up the roadway.

A further rise in the wholesale rates of benzine took place at the end of last week and Messrs F. Perkins and Co, of Pukekohe, announce that their retail rates are now : Big Tree benzine 21s per case and Kalif Motor Spirit 19a per case in place of 19s 9d and 18s respectively as before.

At the recent theory of music examinations of the Royal Academy of Music pupils of Miss Millie em Taylor (Pukekohe) were again to the fore. The highest marks were 99 with 66 for a pass and Miss Taylor's pupils scored as follows : Rudiments, Miss Janet Watson, 91 ; Division 111., Miss Madge McNally, 88 (highest of Auckland pass); Division 1., Miss Winnie Sears, 90.

Seeing that for some years past diverse opinions Lave existed amongst residents in Fukekohe as to whether their interests are best served by the statutory weedy halfholiday being observed, as now, on Saturday or whether the selection of Wednesday for the half-holiday would be more generally advantageous, a movement is on foot to petition the Borough Council to take a poll of the electors to decide the question. The law, as it stands, is that in the absence of a poll of the subject the choice of the clay on the half-holiday is made by the Council, and it is with a view of relieving the Council of that thankless task that it is proposed that the electors should be given the opportunity of recording their votes. Experience has been that rival petitions for one da]jj§r the other have been presented to the Council each year, and it has then been for the Council to decido the issue. A referendum of the electors as now proposed should settlo the question once and for all. A meeting of parties favouring the promotion of the petition has been convened for next Thursday evening in the Borough Council Chambers, the procedure being that if one-tenth of the electors favour a po.ll being instituted the same will be tataw in conjunction with the municipal clec" tions next April. j

Tho Manukau County Council is to meet on Tuesday next instead of as usual on the second Tuesday in the mouth (to-day).

Mr J. F. Deane, lion, treasurer of the Pukek.)he Patriotic Committee, acknowledges the receipt of 9s 61 from Mr E Henry, of Aka Aka, and of £5 from Mr C. Shipherd, of Puui (26th donation), both to the Belgian. Fund.

Messrs C. S. Macintosh and J. W. Reay, members of the N Z Dairy Association's local staff were yesterday sworn in at Pukekohe for service with the 27th Reinforcements, together with a Maori, named Tom Clark.

The N.Z. Farmers' Co-Cop. Bacoi and M.-at Packing Co., Ltd., advtrtisa nrxt week thiy will receive pigs as follows: At Fat imsihoe tn Monday, at Pukekohe on Tueßday, at Bucklarjd en Wednesday, and at Fukcno on Thursday.

The slip on the line at Karaka has now liein r moved, and las: evening trains once more ran over the route. It is understood that the lines on the oil track, which in the meantime has been utilised as a deviation, will be retained tar the present.

The mails to and from Puk kohe, 'PatJm hoe, Mauku and Waiuku are now conveyed by motor car, Mr V. Parker, the contractor, having dispensed with the rli hoise-coach for the newer fo'm of vehicl 0 . Mr Patker hv> alao taken ever Mr L. M. Barnball's motor transport business.

Although the ballot is to be enforced to complete Auckland district's quoti for the 26th Reinforce ment*, consequent on the voluntary system not having provided the necessary number, the putting into operation of what is known as the Family Shirkers' clause has not yet been announced In Aiva E, Penrose to Mercer, head quarters at Pukekohe, there is a total of over 200 names of men who c ime under the category referred to.

Private "iim" Hayward, who has been spending his final leave with his in Pukekohe, departed on his way back to camp this morning. During his stay in Pukekohe he was entertained by several Iriend?, and was the recipient of a handsome pocket book, on wbich wss a silver shield suitably engraved, and he was also presented with a silver-mounted Loewie pipe and tobacco pouch, which was wtll fall3d. lhe genial "Tim" is to be entertained ut a "smoker" at Te Awamutu this evening by b'u many friends in that town.

Consequent on road improvement works in progress in Pukekohe, that portion of King Street situate between Edinburgh Street and the hotel will be closed for vehicular traffic until further notice subject to one-half of the width of the road being left available for use as far as practicable. Owners of motor cars are requested to note that speed must be " s-low " along the portion of the road in question. Notice is also given by the Borough Council th'it the practice of tying up horses in the street will not in future be permitted.

The sudden death occurred, at her residence in Pukekohe, last Saturday evening, of Mrs Kcse Bilkey, wife of Mr Harry Bilkey. The deceased ladv, "ho "was 59 yean of age, was in the act of preparing to retire to rest when she was seized with sickliness, and without ever recovering she passed peacefully away about two hours later. As Dr Bnnte was able to certify that death was c.u:el by heirt failure an inqirst was unnecessary. A native ot Staffordshire, England, Mrs Bilkey carte to New Zealand 47 years ego, and six years afterwards was niarri'd to Mr Bilkey, and had resided in Pukekohe for the hst 25 years. She is survived by a grown-up family of two Bone and fojr daughters, with whim, as aho with the widower, general sympathy is extended in their bereavement. ibe funeral took place yesterday aftenoon at the Pukekohe Cemetery, the Kev. J. B. Suckling officiating.

Writing from '' Somwhere in France," under date of November 14th, Private C. A. ("Cookie") Hamilton, one of the Pukekohe "boys," says: —" Having airived in France and having put the finishing touch to our efficiency we proceeded to the scene of hostilities. En route one can fee the effects, also the magnitude, of this great campaign. The ruined villages, everything has been demolished either by shells or tire. Arriving at the base, within cooee of the guns, we were marched io our billets in the township, and took our places in the trenches the following morning. The most impressive part about them is the cosy dug-outs. One seems to adapt oneself to the unusual circumstances almost immediately, but has to exercise a little caro of a passing bullet or flying shrapnel. I may add that to further the comforts of the soldier, nature has provided us with innumerable friends, namely, rats. Wishing all friends in Pukekehe a Merry Xmasanda prosperous New Year. (Signed;. C. A Hamilton." When neat forms the daily consumption ot the people those who preserve it in the beat state for food may be rightly regarded as public benefactors. It is interesting to know that Messrs Heatty and Marshall the well-known Pukekohe butchers, have just ina'alled the only refrigerating chamber in operation in the town. The structure is built on a concrete door and has two thicknesaas of timber inside and out, lbs wall between being composed ot seven inches of pumice which provid s t*"e best insulation for co ling ourpo es. The engine of 'd J b.p. drives the compressor for cooling tin chamber. Ammonia, which isnutoifly difficult to obtain but is costly in price, j has to ba compressed to form into ! gas, which passes through the I water coils "nd keeps the chamber cod. Inside the chamber is a large tank of tnlf-a-'.on of brine, which when the engine is not working retains the coal less of the compartment. To preserve C3olnees the chamber is isulated all over, and Messrs Beatty and Marshall &u to be congratulated on being the f'Wneers for cooling meat by such modern

Court busiresa continue* slick in Pukekoh , a feature which both at regarda criminal and civil proceedi ga has gradually manifested itself since the start of the wer. Mr Frazer. S. VI., will resume hii sittings in Pukekoh? on Thursday ot i. xc week, but ujj to tha pres.nt verj ii-i ca:.s Kill require attention. Local sportsmen Hgured well among the winning owners on the concluding day of the Auckland Trotting Club's races last Saturday. Mr R. T. Reid's (Waiuku) '• Prince | Rufus" annexed the Onslow Handicap (one mile) of £250. The gelding St. Tr-l'a, which is trained at Pukekohe East by Mr B. G. Greenwood, further added to its laurels by capturing the Telegraph Handicap (one mile), value £l5O, and its performance was all the more interesting from the fact that it was ridden by the crack "flat" race jockey, B. Deeley. The Pukekohe " sports " present went nap on St. Trella and wero well satisfied with their harvest. St Trella went to the post as fit as a fiddle and his trainer is to be congratulated on the skilful manner in which he handles his charge. Mr W Hosking's (Waiuku) " Wereoa" won the New Year Handicap (two miles) of £l5O.