LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 309, 11 September 1917, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Pukekohe Borough Council advertise in this issue a summary of amended by-laws as adopted at the Council meeting held laot Wednesday and to he confirmed on Wednesday, October 3rd. Some exceptionally high tides were recorded in the Manukau Harbour districts last week and in certain instances paddocks that the tides had never previously reached were under water.

The Bishop of Auckland will hold a confirmation a Tuakau on Friday, the 21st, at 7.30 p.m., and at Onewhero on the following day (Saturday) at 10.30 am, with a short service at Pukekawa on the Saturday at about 2 p.m. Mr H. Bendall, late of Opotiki, has just acquired Mr C. K. Lawrie's billiard saloon and tobacconist's business in Pukekohe and has opened in connection with it an up-to-date hairdressing saloon. Mr Bendall is an experienced and practical hairdresser and comes to Pukekohe with excellent credentials from Opotiki, Btratford, and other towns, in which he ha 9 been in business

The adjourned claim by Mr H. G. R. Mason, solicitor, of Pukekohe, in respect of money (£53 7s 6d) lent to a local Maori, named Manu Taupua, and his wife, the latter having been the holder of no little landed pro-perty-and having since died, was not proceeded with at the Pukekohe Magistrate's Court last Thursday, Mr J. G Haddow announcing on hehalf of the defence that judgment had been "confessed."

An urgent appeal is being made in Pukekohe by the W.C.T U. for warm clothing for the brave minesweepers for the coming winter. Tho men are exposed to intense cold in small vessels working to protect our fleet and merchantships from floating mines. The following articles are required : heavy underpants, heavy singlets (new or in k'ood repair), sox, balaclavas, mufflers, mittens, etc. Parcels may be left at Miss Usher's, fi;r Mrs Haslam (at Mr Mills', King street), at Mrs Jenkins' (Hall street), or at Mrs Stevenson's (Seddon street). A 8 all classes are protected by these men everyone is asked to held in this good cause.

At the Auckland Police Court on Friday last John Albert Gribble, aged 29, a returned soldier and an ex-dining cart attendant, who had heen ejected at Pukekohe the previous week from the Auckland to Kotorua express, was charged on remand with having been drunk in a railway carriage and travelling on the tram without a ticket. Accused said he ha 1 been given a drink of brandy by a mate, and it had affected him greatly because he suffered from shell-bhock. In view of previous convictions for drunkenness, Gribble was committed to Rotoroa Island for 12 months.

The matter, as mentioned at the previous Court, of a soldier from Pukekohe, who by voluntary enlistment is serving at the front and who is being mulcted by the Education Department in respect of the maintenance of two of his younger brothers in an industrial school, received attention from Mr Rawson, S.M., at the Pukekohe Magistrate's Court last Thursday, the mother (Mrs J. H. Mitchell) renewing her application for the maintenance order of 2s fid a week against '• the boy " in the trenches to be cancelled. The circumstances, as related at the August Court were, it will be remembered, that the soldier before sailing had made an allotment to his mother of Is a day from his pay and at the instance of the Education Department the military authorities had suspended payment of the allotment to the in >ther and had diverted the payment to the Education Department Jo clear up the arrears on the Older th it had accumulated since thn soldier had been in the trenches. Correspondence subsequently received from the Defence Department, however, was to the effect that the allotment had been fully pa'd to the mother up to August Ist from which late it was proposed to only deduct 2s 'xl per week (the amount of the Order for current maintenance and not to deduct anything from the arrears The Magistrate, after reading the correspondence, intimated that by the Expeditionary Forces Act, 1915, authority had been given the Minister of Defence to deduct from a soldier's pay such reasonable sum as the Minister thought necessary for the support of any person who in his opinion was dependent on 'he soldier and consequently the i defence Department were apparently acting within their rights in paying the money over to the Education Department. The position thus was. continued His Worship, that although the Defence Department could act in the way indicated the Education Department had no legal power of action against the soldier but, nevertheless, they were indirectly enforcing thei claim. Mrs Mitchell pleaded that the Order ought not to be enforced against "a boy" who was fighting lor his country and she added that owing to her husband being out of work she could not afford to be deprived of any portion of the allotment as s-he had four young children to keep. In reply to the Magistrate, Mrs Mitchell stated that she had not been authorised by her son to apply for the cancellation of the order. iShe, however, had written him on the subject and was awaiting his reply. iiis Worship stated that under the circumstances he could not cancel the o-der but Mrs Mitchell could renew her application on getting authority from her son to do so. The Magistrate added that the father also had uu older against him for pa} uient of arrears due by him on a similar order and if the father satislied him that he was doing his best to keep up 'lis payments he would he willing to vary that order to equalise things.

On Friday, the 31st ult, a deputation from the Waikato River Hoard consisting of Messrs Glass and Clephane waited on the Premier (the Rt Hon. W F. Massey) with reference to the proposed River Board's Amendment Act and were informed that the Bill bad no special reference to the Waikato River Board, but was directed chiefly to a Southern River Board. The Premier stated thit a commission had already been set up to enquire as to the effect that the River Board's work had had on the Aka Aka drainage scheme bat nothing further could be done until the Commission had reported.l The deputation made mention of the personnel of the Commission and the Premier in reply said that it might be possible to make an addition to the members selected. Mr Massey added that grants amounting to about £I2OO would be included in the estimates for the current year for the Waikato River and its tributaries.

There was a good attendance on Friday evening last in the Premier Hall, Pukekohe, for the concluding proceedings of the Spring Flower Show held under the auspices of St Tames' Presbyterian Church. In addition to the prizes announced in our last issue the following awards were made: Out Blooms, Miss R. Allen (most exhibits); Needlework, Miss M. Taylor (most exhibits) and Mrs J. M. Baxter (most points): Bakery, Mrs J. Boulston (most exhibits) and Mrs Craswell (most points); Jams and Jellies Mrs J. M. Baxter (most exhibits and points); Photography. Rev 8. Nixon (most exhibits); Pot Plsnts, Mrs A Perkins (most points; Children's Classes, Sylvia Oldham (most exhibits and points). The winners in the various guessing competitions were: Pea? in bottle, correct number 693 Mr H. J. Hart guessed 673; (prize, large silver vase); Ditto correct number 625, Luke Wilson 635 (prize, picture); Ditto, correct number 437, D. Clark 433 (prize a cushion); Ditto, correct number 589, Miss Bilkey 592 (prize, salt cellars); Tacks in bottle, correct number 531, Miss Fear 565 (prize, silver vase); Cake, correct weight 7lbs 12*ozs, Mrs Coster, Miss Graham, Bert Cowan and Mac Wilson all tied guessing 7flbs. Vocal and instrumental music was contributed during the evening, and several young ladies took part in action songs, one piece "The Archers" being especially well rendered. Mrs S. Nixon presided at the piano. The surplus goods were disposed of by auction, Mr J. T. Stembridge kindly acting as auctioneer assisted by Mr F. Brown. The President and members of the Committee wish to thank all those who assisted towards such a successful Show. They desire especially to thank the members of other churches who so willingly assisted as stewards and in other capacities, their services being much appreciated.