LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 477, 31 October 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Times has just leceived catalogues containing a wide range of beautifully designed Xmas and New Year cards. Intending customers may inspect the same at our office and have their names printed on. Samples cannot be sent out of the office, and as it will take, on an average, fouiteen days to secure, from Wellington, cards ordered, it would be advisable to call aud inspect as early as possible The terms are strictly cash with order.

Complaints are being made that fukekohe mail delivery is most unsatisfactory, the mails being deivered merely to the houses in the iiniii streets. It is stated that the L'ostal Department pay a certain ixed yum to a currier, but does uot .iiu\i-if him with t horse or vehicle. \ motor cycle, it i.s eoutonded, is •(.iiiut'il. Jho matter will probably m di ■(■UAseil at the next ineeiitig of he (Jhambf.r of Commorce, and tome fllort made to induce the Jepartiu tit to make an improvement

Th'' prop •sod cattle subway, Puke k<-li<) mail delivery, suburban train service, and the proposed Lower VV ikato hospital district are among tlin mi' j.n-iH to be discussed at tho nioAtU"' of the I'ukekohe Chamber of Commerce, to he hold at the Times Office on Monday night. Difficulty is genorally met with in trying to arrange meotings of the Chamber on dau>a that will not clash with other affairs, and as it is thought desirable to hold a meotiug at the earliost feasible date Monday has has bi-eu decided uii, because any night after that, from the Ith to 10th of November, would clash with the Chautauqua performances, i

With the object of forming a committee to further the war memorial project a meeting will be held in the Borough Council Chambers on Monday next at 2.30 p.m.

An item of interest in to-morrow (Saturday) evening's pictures at the Premier Hall is an animal study, which shows the various animals of Australia.

Dancing enthusiasts are reminded of the social and dance which will be held in the Oddfellows' Hall, on Monday next, A pleasant evening is assured all.

On page 1 of this issue, will be found a complete list of the Public Works grants,(for roads and bridges construction works, in the Franklin and Manukau Counties.

A meeting of the friends and supporters of the tit. Hon. W. F. Massey will be held in the Masonic Hall on Thursday, November *Uh at ft. p.m.

Mr W. F. McClintock notifies in this issue that he has resumed his furniture business in King Street, and is prepared to execute all orders for the manufacture of furniture.

The record price of £-51 was secured at McGough's sale (Messrs Buckland and Sons'! for a grade Jersey cow, in milk, but not in calf, the beast being sold by Mr Len Johnson.

A meeting of the committee of St. Andrew's Flower Show, which is to be held in the Premier Hall, next month, was held on Tuesday night, when final arrangements in connexion with the show were made.

The flag was flown at half mast over the local Post Office yesterday, as a mark of respect of the death of Mr James Jolvin, M.P. for Buller, who was killed at Wellington by a tramcar on Wednesday night,

In an advertisement in this issue, the public are advised that the partnership of Messrs McGough and Grant, land agents, will in future be known as McGough and Hawke, and business will be conducted as usual by the firm of land agents.

Sunday School anniversary services will be conducted at St. James' Church on Sunday next. There will be three services at each of which special appeal will be made on behalf of the Youth of the Church Fund.

A final reminder is given of the special film introducing America's greatest Western dramatic actor. "Tom Mix" in Mr Logan U.S.A. to be shown at the Premier Hall on Monday evening. All children are to be admitted to this virile western story at 6d each. A well-grounded rumour is preva lent that Mr E Piggott, of Buckland has been, or is about to be nominated as a candidate for the Franklin seat in the Labour interest. Local lights found amusement yesterday in bailing up prominent supporters of the sitting member and accusing thorn ef having nominated Mr Piggott. Discussion tojk place at the monthly meeting of the Manurowa Town Board in regard to the case of a returned soldier who had been refused admission to a welcome home to soldiers of the district, tendered under the auspices of the Victoria League. It appears that the soldier had been invited to a provious function, but had been unable to attend, owiug to his having been in the hospital at the time. The Board decided to write to the League tor an explanation.

An outbreak of fire occurred at the residence of Mr J. J. Coady, Albert Street, Pukekohe, on Tuesday afternoon. It appears that after the day's ironiug of clothes, Mrs Coady placed them on the rack over the stove to air, shortly afterwards they were discovered to be on fi r e. Fortunately, Mr Coady happened to be at home and succeeded in getting the burning clothes outside, during the progress of which he was rather badly burned about the arms. It is estimated tha: Mr toady's loss is about £(5, bu' his personal effects are Covered by insurance.

Rating on unimproved values does not appear to be the unmixed bless sing some of its champions claim for it. In Nganuwahia, where the system has been in vogue many years, some of the ratepayers are considering tie advisability of changing over to the capital value basis of rating Conversing on the matter with a member of the Times staff, a prominent business man of Ngaruawahia contended that he, as owner of a dwelling hcuse and section, had to pay as much in rates as the owners of the N Z. Dairy factory or some of the large business concerns, the rate being levied on the land, and not on the property. This meant that he was paying as much for the upkeep of the roads, though his only vehicle was a bicycle, as were the great business firms with their waggons and lorries He considered that rating on the capital values much the more equitable, notwithstanding the fact that the rating on the unimproved system was supposed to be the more democratic method.

There is every indication that the potato yield, as far as Pukekohe is concerned, will be a record this ! year. This district has a reputable I reputation for potato growing, and judging by reports that have been supplied to the writer, its fair name, in this resp-'Ct is not on the decline j Tho side, of alio L'ukekoho Hill, fac iog tlio town, is well notnd, but the i wide facing the Mauku district, i which in the pa.it has boon spoken l of by many as inferior land for 1 growing this edible, is now coming into tho limelight. A crop of pota toes grown by Mr Cecil U. Mason, eclipses all records known to the ' writer, and a good number connected with the potato growing occupation. Mr Mason's crop consists of only three-quarters of an acre, but off this piece of land, he dug 6A tons of potatoes, which is equivalent to about .'5 2 3 tons to the acre. In parts the yield was between S and 10 ton* the acre, while in other pans it was much less. On the whole he dug 6£ tons and for the very best he received 3Jd per lb. The truth for the statement can be j vouched for. Other crops in tho j district should, when dug, produce some startling figures.

An important alteration in the law relating to the licensing of vehicles is proposed in the amendment of the Counties Act introduced by the Government recently. Fifteen counties had. under the previous Statute, been authorised to make by-laws licensing vehicles. The proposed amendment gives all counties the right to license vehicles, having regard to the weight of the load that may be carried, width of the tyres of the wheels, number of passengers permitted to be carried, and in the case of vehicles drawn by animals the number and pecies of the animals used.

By a lucky chance, a local lover of flowers, Mr J. J (Joady, has secured a beautiful display of sweet peas at this early date The seeds were planted at Xmas time last year, and the plants grew to a moderate height, bearing flowers in the late autumn Being in a sheltered position, the frost did not damage the plants during the winter, and in the early spring they made a tine strong growth, and are now ten feet in height and smoothered in lovely blooms.