LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 458, 18 March 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ra?lan County Councillors on Wednesday last were unanimous in their testimony as to the efficient manlier in w'nch the Countv Clerk (Mr H Marsh rd) oarried out his duties, special reference being made to his excel'or,t record in getting in the rates a record not equalled by any other local body in the Dominion

A final reminder is g»en that the screening of "Mv Epir Tears in Oermnny" takes plaint the Premier Hall, PukekolHt tdKight (Tuesday.) This is a woA®ul picture, and shows the realjlwjgpings in G°r many both heswe to the time of the fmalfWac'" Amerirf., and the j#!all to Wshington of Ambassiflor Gerard.—(Advt.)

Some Raglan County Councillors became reminiscent last Wednesday and drew graphic pictures of Ii .t business was tranrated in the old days, when the meetings frequently occupied three davs. Some of tho younger r, ounmllors co r .sid r red S|hat the meetings in those days « .->»•« worth attending, and inferred »hnt at present the proceedings were " tco dry." A meeting of the newly-formed Pukekohe branch of the New Zenland Progressive Labour Party held on Thursday evening in the Masonic HhII when there a good attendance of members The fee retary's report showed a stead v in crease in membership. Plans v. no discussed as to fu'ure proceebinv ore iiirh'nuh'lv in regvd ti drifting a platform to forward the in-t-f.rpsts of the ffum'n? eommum'tv

" Go slow " methods characterised a portion of a regain stage of tho proceedings at the Pukekohe Mag istrate's Court on Thursday last when during a charge against fl Maori for theft the usual native reluctance to admit knowledge of the English language was displayed although it was evident that such ignorance was only feigned. How ever, a native missionary, who happened to he in Court, offered his services as an interpreter aud the case drearily pursued its course. Comment was made at the Raglan County Courcil meeting, last Wednpsdav upon the attitude of various ratepayers towards public works In some instances the propertyowners were prepared to give lands for roads or other purposes, and be satisfied with the indirect received, but others who reaped large advantages would contribute nothing, and, in addition, seek liberal compensation for any land taken.

" Where a county road runs along side a railway line is there a liability on the part of the Crown to clear gorse and other plants up to the middle line of such road ?" This wf.s a question which was recently placed before the New Zaalicd Counties' Association's counsel bv the Rangitikei County Council. Mr Martin in his answer, which wa« before the Waipa county on Tuesday, s'ated that the Crown was not bound to do so. Railway lands, though invested in the Crown, were not bound to do so Railway land*, though invested in the Crown, were not "Crown Lands" within tl.» definition given i> the Land Ac, 1008, which excluded lauds dedici to 1 to any public purpose

Undoubtedly the ma", who, or the party which can Mibmit a workable scheme t' >r th« ett-ing of thi> great and growing burden of taxation and increased co>t of living will ah olutely sweep the polls next auction The Efficiency Board, after th i roos' exhaustive investigations, public enquiry, and many mmths' deliberation, decided that Prohibition, immediate and complete, is esiemial to national ellicioncy. The Board specifically stated that this conrlusi 'ti was arrived at " fr- m the vi n w point of th' l efficiency of tho and of the individual both during the war and after." The Board declared, on sworn evidence, that to cut out the whole business, pay compensation, an 1 close it right up once and fir ever, would be a sound inves'ment, and that the cost would be early recouped in tho Dominion's increased efficiency aid output. There's the' straight tip to a new political party Strike out the top line on Thursday, .. Apnl 10, and get that investment j f Advt)

Saturday night's rain was a boon and a blessing in every district that shared in the downpour but owing to the prolonged dry spell a steady deluge of more lengthy duration is required to bring about any appreciable griwth in pastures. In view of the forthcoming Pukekohe Mayoral election, C K Lawrie appeals to all those who favour his candidature to take steps t«see that their names appear on the.Jjunicipal Electoral Raff. Aug?- omissions therein can ffe rect«3 by olaims being lodged Town Clerk, for inclusion injjjpe Supplementary Roll, on or April 15 th, on wuich owe the Supple raentary Roll will finally close. — (Advt.) Tne joint deputation representing the Franklin County Council, Pukekohe Borough Council, and Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce, is to wait on the Auckland Hospital Board this evening to ask the Board's sup port to the proposed establishment of a cottage hospital in Pukekohe as a central war memorial. The application to be put before the Board is that they should agree to take over the maintenance and administration of the hospital if the building if erected by public subscription. Referring to the Raglan-Hamilton road, on Wednesday last, the Raglan County Chairman (Mr Campbell Johnstone 1 * stated that the upkeep was going to be a sirious problem, and it would have to be faced in the near future, The cost would be too much to expect the settlers to defray, and some method would have to be devised whereby those who used the road would assist in its maintenance. Tourist traffic was increasing in volume, and was hard on the roads. It was not improbable that they would have to seriously consider the institution of toll-gates on the route —A committee comprising the Chairman (Cr Johnstone) and Crs Swann and Rawlinsoo, was appointed to wait upon the Hamilton Borough Council to ascertain the prospects of obtaining an annual grant towards the upkeep, as it was felt that a large proportion of the motor traffic came from the borough, From every quarter come? the refreshing assurance that the Merchant Bervice is daily having returned to it the ships commandeered by the Imperial Government for war service. New Zealanders will not soon forget the war-time scarcity of shipp : ntr, will they so'm forjet tha* while meat aru butter were in cold storage at tms end, and while building material, farming implements, essential drugs, etc., were held up at the other end, the " One Big Monopoly" apparently knew how to pull the shipping strings. During the first tour months of 1918 a total of 472,495 gallons of spivUs was carried to N Z —vessel after vessel carried liquor as its ohief cargo. This country cannot at any time afford to have overseas shipping space monopolised by liquor to the exclusion of commerce. The very existence of a wave-washed Dominion such as ours depends on un • trammelled shipping. Industry must be released from the tentacles of the liquor Octopus. On Thursday, April 10 strike out the top line !—(Advt) Mr J. W. Civ*(Engineer of the Raglan County Council), speaking at the County Council meeting, last Wednesday, on the question of roads, expressed the view that con crete roads were the only thing for boroughs, while tar grouting was regarded as the most suitable material for country roads, when the question of expense was taken into consideration. If a road was far grouted and the necessary attention paid to the surface periodically it would be practically everlasting as the foundation would not be touched. Such a road, it had been computed, would cost about 15 s per chain per annum to maintain if the traffic was heavy. Concrete roads would also be the better for a surface dressing of tar and " chip*" and this would also enable horses to keep their footing on the concrete, a matter which was a diffioultv ever present with concrete roads. If tar grouting were generally adopted by the counties throughout the Dominion, another problem would evolve, namely, where wou'd the supplies of tar be drawn from ? New Zealand would not bi able to satisfy the demand.