Page 2 Advertisements Column 5

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 241, 12 January 1917, Page 2

The Pukekohe (main) fire-bell has been removed from its former position in Hall street and is now erected above the fire station in Edinburgh street. Mainly through many local residents foregoing intended trips to Auckland just prior to Xmas as the result of the slip on the line at Karaka, coupled with doubtful weather on some of the race-days, the holiday traffic figures from Pukekohe station show a slight falling-off as compared with similar statistics of theiprevious year. From Dec loth to January Ist last 2740 passengers travelled from Pukekohe giving receipts amounting to £5Bl as against a total of 2894 passengers and £6lO receipts for the c irrespondiug period of a year ago. " Did you take too much waipiro yesterday ? " was the question addressed at aJ.P.'s Court in Pukekohe, on Wednesday, by Constable Thornell to a young Maori, named Toto Potau. The answer being in the affirmative, Constable Thornell explained to the presiding justice (Mr C. K. Lawrie) that on the previous night Toto had created a disturbance at the camp on Pukekohe Hill at which he was located and had also struck his wife, and as a result of a telephonic message he was arrested, the charge preferred against liiui being drunkenness. Constable Thornell added that Toto had been twice previously convicted, and the Magistiate would next week be askfiil to issue a prohibition order against him. A tine of 10s for consuming too much waipiro was imposed, and Toto was instructed to appear before the Magistrate next Thursday if he desired to oiler obectiou t > being prohibited.

As from yesterday more Bpeedy telephone communication has been effected from Fukekohe to Auckland, the additional sat of lines having been brought permanently into use. Although erected some months since, delay in utilising them arose by faults developing at the Auckland end, but these have now been oveicome and recent vexatious dJajs In securing connection should no longer be experitnctd, What is technically kotwn as a "phantom circuit" is alio to be installed, and this will provide yet another form of cj'iimunication with Auckland. It is thanks to the activity of the Fuktkohe Chamber of Commerce that the Postal Department is ppying atlentiun to the interests of local telephone subscribers.