LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 25 January 1918, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be no issue of " the Times" next Tuesday in view of the public holiday on Monday (Anniversary Day). The Franklin County Council will on the conclusion of the holiday vacation resume its monthly sittings on Thursday, February 7th. Mr John Beatty, on behalf of Messrs W. and R. Fletcher, Ltd., will be purchasing pigs at Waiuku and Aka Aka next Wednesday. Advice has been received that Lieut O. Henry has been promoted to the rank of captain. Captain Henry is a son of Mr S. P. Henry, of Aka Aka.

As previously announced Monday next, by agreement of the local shopkeepers, will be observed in Pukekohe as a holiday in celebration of Anniversary Day, instead of on Tuesdav. the 29th inst, the due date. The NZ. Farmers' Co-op Pa-on and M at Packing Coy., Ltd., will buy pig* next week as follows, viz : at r.itumahoe on Monday, at Pukekohe on Tuesday, at Papakura and Runciman on Wednesday, and at Buckland on Thursday '■ Perhaps it was his spirit that voted" was Mr J. Stant.n's comment at the Mauku election petition erqiiiry on Wednesday when he challenged the validity of a vote that had been recorded by an elector whom he Mr Stanton) said he was advised was dead and buried. With only one small civil case bring down for hearing at the Pukekohe Magistrate's Court yesterday the attendance of a Magistrate was not necessitated, the case in question being taken by two J.P's. During his visit to Pukekohe on Wednesday in connection with the Mauku election petition Mr Wyvern Wilson, S M., however, transaetel some Court business, including the renewal of land agency licenses to Messrs Wui Roulston, C. K. Lawrie, A. A. Civil, and Henry Dell, all of Pukekohe.

Mr Lindsay B. Stone, who has for the past ten months been attached as cashier to the Pukekohe branch of the Bank of New Zealand, leaves to-morrow foi To Kuiti, to which' town he has been transferred. Mr Stone enlisted with the Main Expeditionary Force, served at Gallipoli, and returned wounded some 18 months ago, subsequently resuming; duty as a member of the Bunk s'aff He is to be succeeded at Pukekohe by another returned soldier, viz , Mr V. ('. Carpenter, brother of Mr R. B Carpenter, of Mauku. The dairy companies are raising their voices once more in regard to the butter tax. This time it seems as if the Department in charge of this matter has blundered grievously. In paying out the amounts duo to the different companies an account of that proportion of output used for home consumption they evidently paid out too much and now, of curse, the Department is asking the companies to pay it back. This is one of those mistakes which iiritate uselessly The amounts paid ou ! were evidently paid, subject to a final adjustment, but it seems j strange that the Department should j not have taken care to pay rut rather under the amounts than over, =o that in the final wash up the j hearts of the farmers would have j been made jrlad by the receipt of a j cheque instead of being desolated ( by having to disburse one.

Ratepayers of tbo Borough of Pukekohe are notified by advt that all rates must he paid by February 15th, after which date a penalty of ten per cent will be inflicted. On the 21st instant the New Zealand Dairy Association, Limited, distributed amongst its suppliers the sum of £118,053 Is lOd. This covered 1,732,217] lbs of butter-fat supplied during the month of December. It was disclosed at the Mauku election scrutiny on Wednesday that a certain voting paper bore the electoral roll number of 909. As the roll only comprised 392 voters it has not yet been determined where the " big " vote came from. In connection with the charges made to frontagers of half cost of kerbing and channelling roads, referred to elsewhere in our report of the Pukekohe Borough Council meeting, a meeting has been convened by the Borough Ratepayers' Association for Wednesday evening next in the Borough Council Chamber to further deal with the matter. "Quite a record was Mr AE. Skelton's observation upon a statement being made by Mr Alan P. Day, the Returning Officer for Franklin County, at the Mauku election petition enquiry on Wednesday that no informal votes had been cast at the election. However, the record was upset by the Magistrate, as mentioned in our report of the proceedings which appear elsewhere, subsequently disallowing one of the votes that had been passed by the Returning Officer. Pedigree in a cow or a horse is bound to tell and so is quality in seeds, When a farmer risks his capital, labour and prospective return in sowing down pasture he is entitled to the highest possible assurance that the seeds he sows are good. Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Coy specialise in absolutely good seeds. The greatest care is taken in their purchase ; they have two machines each costing £SOOO for cleaning purpose and every line of seed is tested for germination capacity by the Government biologist before being supplied to the farmer. Lowpriced seed is always dangerous send. The best seed is the cheapest. Mr A. J. Heighway, Pukekohe representative of Messrs Wright, Btephenson and Co., Box 27, will send price-lists on application. At a recent meeting of the Taranaki Executive of the Farmers' Union a member drew attention to the fact that railway surfacemen had destroyed by burring, a large quantity of cocksfoot seed that was growing along the railway reserve, and said this was a scandalous waste. The Government urged everyone to be economical these times, and to prevent unnecessary waste, but they deliberately destroyed valuable cocksfoot seed before anyone had a chance of harvesting it. He moved that the Railway Department be asked to instruct their surfacemen that before burning off cocksfoot growing alongside the railway line every effort should be made to save the seed and have it properly harvested. This was seconded and carried.

The Premier Hall, Pukekohe, was well filled last evening on the occasion of a concert given by Mr Ernest Drake and party, the audience testifying their appreciation of the musical treat afforded by encoring practically every item. Mr Drake is the possessor of an unusually rich tenor voice and, although suffering from a cold, he excelled in all of his songs, his rendering of Mother Machre being particularly impressive. We predict f or him a brilliant career. Miss Clarice Wood delighted all with her pianoforte solo, which she played with fine technique and in a finished style. Madame Stuart Dallas (contralto) sang most effectively and is a decided acquisition to the concert platform of the North Island. Humorous contributions were given by Mr Tom Harris, whose items alone were an entertainment in themselves.

I Is the peach doomed 'i This question is called up by reason of the ravages of brown spot among peaches and nectarines. The peach and nectarine crop which promised to be a good one has again been marred by the appearance of what is now commonly known as brown rot. The recent rains, combined with exceptionally muggy weather, have proved especially favourable to the germination of this disease. In conversation with Mr Heerdegen, of the Heerdegen Fruit Stores, he mentioned that notwithstanding the demand it is quite impossible for retailers to handle this class of fruit profitably or with satisfaction to consumers So rapid is brown rot in its action that fruit in perfect condition becomes worth'ess in a few hours. In the absence of any efficient remedy there is not much encouragement for orchardists to continue growing stone fruit on a commercial scale and Mr Heerdegen instanced several well-known orchardists, who are cuting out stone fruit in favour of the more reliable apple and poar.