LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 502, 3 February 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Railway excursions to the Claudelands races on February 7 and 9, and Rotorua bowling tournament on February 9 to 13 and February 23 to 27 are advertised.

Mr. J. J. Graham, owner of the Pukekohe Hotel and the Lyceum Picture Theatre, died at his residence, Shelly Beach Road, Ponsonby, last week.

Members of the Franklin A. and P. Society, who are financial, will be entitled to wear the financial member's badge at the forthcoming show on February 27 and 28 of this month.

In an advertisement in this issue the town clerk advises that all licenses issued under the borough bylaws expired in December, and that applications for renewals should be made immediately.

Territorials desiring exemption from training must now apply to a magistrate. During the war period this regulation was relaxed, commanding officers being empowered to grant exemption. An article of interest to dairy farmers, in which the writer advocates sending Mr. William Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Dairy Company, to London to represent dairying interests, is published on Page 1 of this issue. Owing to the local Defence staff having been ordered to camp at Narrow Neck, parades to have been held at Pukekohe, have been postponed until the first Wednesday in March. Drills at Tuakau, to the first Friday in March, Otahuhu first Monday in March, and Waiuku first Thursday in March.

The need for a hall in Paerata was amply demonstrated on Thursday evening, when the goods, shed was unequal to accommodating anything like the number who turned up to dance. Depite many drawbacks, three highly successful functions have recently been held, but this cannot be maintained unless a hall is provided. Now is the time to get busy.

Commenting on the Pukekohe Borough Council's proposed loan schemes, a local resident hoped that the council would institute permanent levels for the streets and footpaths while "on the job." Judging by the discrepancies noticeable on some of the paths and roads, there appeared to be no solid, unalterable levels, which state might prove a great source of trouble when laying foundations for new buildings, and in doing general road work. A picture that will delight young and old, "The Cinderella Man," with Mae Marsh, Tom Moore, Alice Francis, George Fawcett and Louise Grisel in the cast, is to be shown at the Premier Hall to-morrow evening. The management have no hesitation ii recommending this picture to all people of all tastes. It is 7000 ft in length, and runs the whole evening. It is a Goldwyn production, directed by George Loane Tucker, who directed "The Manxman."

Almost unparalleled prices are being obtained for all classes of poultry, especially ducks, on the Dunedin markets at present (states the Otago Daily Times). Ducks are now selling at from 12s 8d to 12s lOd, while about the same time last year they were realising from 4s to 4s 9d. Bacon pigs also show a considerable rise, the price of green pork now being almost equal to that at which bacon was quoted for the corresponding period of last year.

The rainfall is generally measured at periods of 24 hours, ending at 9 a.m. The fall betwejn 9 a.m. on SHaturday and 9 W&' on Sunday last was 1.96 in, being more than for any similar period since April, 1918. This fall counts for January, and makes a total of 5.95 in for the month. The register for January 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1919 shows 1.83, 1.53, 3.17 and 2.09 inches respectively. Foregoing is as registered at "Belle Vue," Victoria Avenue, Waiuku.

We have been notified of an improvement in the mail service from Auckland to Pukekohe. Prior to the curtailment of the railway service as a "win-the-war" measure, a mail from Auckland used to arrive in Pukekohe in the afternoon, but for some years that arrangement lapsed, and Pukekohe only received mails from Auckland twice a day. The majority of the day's mail arrived at about 6 p.m. The Postal Department has improved the service, and now a mail for Pukekohe will be despatched from Auckland by a train leaving there at 13 minutes past 1 p.m., and arriving at Pukekohe about five minutes to four,o'clock p.m. The establishment of such a mail will be appreciated hy local tradespeople to the very fullest extent.

It was Robbie Burns who said that "Man's inhumanity to man made countless thousands mourn." But Robbie had not ridden in the smoking carriage on our local railway, or he would have had something to say about the inhumanity of women. It is surprising how in these days the fair sex will persist in invading the railway smoking cars. The man who seeks the seclusion of the smoking carriage is generally unattached, and is either a bachelor or one who wishes to enjoy the company of his own sex, and discuss manly topics or enjoy his "dudeen" while he absorbs the daily paper. In either case he does not want to have the somnolent effect of the seductive weed disturbed by the snivelling of infants and the "chucky-chucky did-em-do-it" conversation of an overwrought mother, nor be forced to sit an unwilling Spectator of the billing and cooing cif a pair of love-sick individuals behind & copy of the evening paper. There is a time and a place for everything, and on a train that takes the best part of two hours to do 30 miles, some provision might be made to keep the smokers' compartment for smokers, or more correctly, for men only.

A glaring example of general priggishness was exhibited by a person of portly dimensions on a train en route between Pukekohe and Auckland on Friday last. The midday train is generally well patronised, and on the day mentioned was no exception. A certain woman entered the carriage at an intervening station, and it being full she could not obtain a seat. After looking around she said in a sneering manner, that "if there were a gentleman in the carriage she would soon obtain a seat." Whereupon one of the male passengers suggested that there wns room in one of the other carriages. His remark brought forth a tirade from the woman, who, in the course of her ill-advised remarks insinuated that the man who had made the suggestion as to her finding a seat was a shirker, and had been spending his time in ease and comfort while "the boys" had been away fighting. At these remarks there was a lively interlude between the woman and the man, who demanded an apology, when another lady stepped into the breach and stated that the man who had been abused was a friend of hers, and she could vouch for the fact that he had seen four and a-half years' active service, and was no shirker. Persons who allow their excessive patriotic zeal to overpower their common sense should remember that there are many men who have done their duty to their King and country who do not flaunt the returned soldier's badge, or emblazion their breasts with medals and marks of distinction, but prefer to rest contented in the knowledge that the duty nobly done was for the honour of the Empire, and not for individual glorification.