LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 261, 23 March 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Waipa Hotel, Ngaruawahia, owned by Mr E. Hallett, of Mercer, and leased by Mr W. G. Abbott, formerly licensee of the Pukekohe Hotel, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday. The promotion to the rank of Sergeant is announced of Constable F. H. Feainley, at present in charge of Waiuku.

Mr J J. Coady, of Pukekohe, attested at the Defonce Office in Auckland last Tuesday and was granted leave of absence until further orders.

Private R. Warnock, late assistant to the Rev S. Nixon in the Pukekohe Presbyterian Charge, is a', present on final leave and will conduct divine service in Bombay Church on Sunday next at 2 30 p.m. Up to Wednesday last not more than half an inch of rain had fallen this month in Pukekohe as registered by the Rosemont gauge but yesterday's rainfall increased the total by at amount very little short of one inch.

The N. Z. Farmers' Co-op Bacon and Meatpacking Coy. Ltd. will buy pigs next week as followsi: at Patumahoe on Monday, at Pukekohe on Tuesday, at Buckland on Wednesday and at Pokeno on Thursday. The death occurred of Captain John Campbell MacDiarmid, NZ. M l', in a private hospital at Wellington last Sunday from appendicitis and peritonitis. The deceased officer was a son of Dr R. C. MacMacDiarmid, of Huntly, and was only recently married to a sister of Mrs A. P. Day, of Pukekohe. In response to a call made at the recent Methodist Conference in Wellington for lay preachers to take up Home Mission work in view of so many Home Missioners having gone to the war Mr F. W. Souster, who has been associated with the Methodist cause in the Pukekohe district, has accepted an appointment as Home Missioner at New Plymouth and will enter on his new duties there next month.

The appointment of the Bev. J. B. Suckling, Methodist Minister at Pukekohe, to New Britain, has been cancelled for health reasons and Mr Suckling will take a charge in New Zealand until a more suitable opening on the Mission Field occurs. Ho expects to leave Pukekohe about April 3rd. The Rev. J. F. Martin, who is at present in charge of the Ohoka Methodist Circuit, and who has been appointed to the Pukekohe Circuit in succession to the Rev. Suckling will arrive to take up his duties on April 12th.

A petition by Sarah Horton, of Pukekohe, for a divorce from her husband, John Joshua HortoD, was heard at the Auckland Supreme Court on Wednesday, before His Honor Mr Justice Cooper. Mr A. E. Skelton appeared for petitioner. It was stated that the parties were married in January, 1893. They lived at Reefton for some time after their marriage, and there was one child. In December, 1908, respondent deserted petitioner, and that desertion, it was stated, had continued up to the present date. His Honor commented on the delay in bringing forward the petition. He reserved his decision.

The sudden death took place at Beefton last Saturday of the Rev. Charles Penny, who from 1902 1905 was the Methodist Minister at Pukekohe. The deceased, who was a native of Cornwall, (England), formerly belonged to {he Free Methodist Connexion of which he was chairman for one year. He will be remembered as a capable organiser and good preacher and he came to Pukekohe on transfer from Opunake Circuit. He was twice married and leaves a widow, three sons and two daughters to mourn their loss. Two of the sons are serving at the front, and tbe other occupies a Government position in Wellington. Although the Pukekohe Borough Council as a body go out of office next month a prospect arose at the Council meeting last Wednesday that the ordinary election would have to be preceded by a bi-election although the successful candidates would again have to submit themselves to the electors at the ordinary election. This threatened complication was the outcome of a communication received from Cr J. Patterson resigning his membership of the Council and an intimation by the Mayor that Cr Roadley, by virtue of non-attendance at recent meetings, would after that meeting automatically cease to be a member of the Council. Curiously enough although the Municipal Corporations Act provides that if within two months prior to the date of the ordinary election of a Mayor a vacancy in that office arises and a Councillor is selected by his fellow members to the mayoral chair no election need take place to fill the vacancy on the Council. The Act, however, makes no similar provision as regards vacancies otherwise arising on the Council. The situation was, however, saved in the one instance by a suggestion by the Town Clerk that if Cr Patterson's resignation was postponed for a fortnight the time necessary for the notification of a vacancy would avoid the necessity of a bi-election taking place. Cr Patterson, who ..-as in attendance in the Council buildings, agreed to the course suggested. In regard to the other prospective vacancy that difficulty was overcome by the adoption of a resolution moved by Cr Barter, and seconded by Cr Clarke, granting Cr Roadley leave of absence from that evening's meeting.