LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 531, 14 May 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The School Committee meeting, convened fo.: Tuesday, lapsed for want of i quorum. On account of the bad wemher the Puni basket social is postponed till Tuesday, May 18. The inclement weather and influenza wore attributable to the meetings of the Chamber of Commerce and School Committee lapsing this week. One of the best newspapers in America "The New York Times," is being reduced from to Hi pages, on account of the shortage and high co;lt of newsprint. A cow bom in British Columbia, Canada, was recently sold for .Mono lor export to the United States. The stud name of this expensive animal was Zarllda Clotlulde l!rd de Kol. A Pukekohe municipal scheme for the erection of workers' dwellings is dealt with in a short report in this issue. An oilicial announcement in regard to land required, ar.d applications f'.iom workers, is advertised. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce, to have been held on Monday night, lapsed for. want of a quorum, the secretary (Mr. V. S. Roberts) being the only member to put in an appearance. The Raglan County Council contemplates removing its headquai ters to Hamilton sometime in the future, and with a view to "getting in early" as it were, is purchasing a section as a site for the new olfice when a move is definitely decided on.

When visiting this cfistii'ct a few

days ago, Mr. Heywood (Inspector of Game and Fisheries) stated that some good bags of pheasants and pukekos had been secured. He had observe'.! several pai'ties shooting, and although ducks flew over thei'.: heads on several occasions the shootis ts were all too good as sportsmen to fire at them.

The death occurred at Puni on

Wednesday morning of the five-iiioiiths-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs ■ianies Harris, a carpenter of Puni. The child, who had been ailiing since birth from chronic indigestion, died l'rom that complaint. An inquest concerning the child's death was held yesterday before the acting-corone.', Mr. Dynes Fulton, J.P., and a jury of four, when a verdict in accordance with the above was Returned.

While a deputation was being heard by the Raglan County Council, at Raglan, on Wednesday, discussion of the matter in hand fell into a general mind-the-table conversa-

tion, when suddenly the meeting was startled by a loud voice from the roar of the .*>om, enquiring "lis it a deputation or a debating society?" Fu; a moment the meeting was quite taken aback, and the discussion ceas ed, when the county chairman (Cr. C. Johnstone) answered that it was a deputation. This seemed to satisfy the owner of the voice, a stalwart bushman, who resumed his seat and sat out the remainder of thej proceedings without further interruption. I

Tlie record of rainfall, regis te led at "Belle Fue," Victoria Avenue, Waiuku. during April is as follows. Rain fell on 11 days, the fall varying fitom .Olin to 2.81 in, totalling 5.69 in. For the corresponding month in years 1916, 1917. 1918 and 1919 the register shows 4.GBin, 6.9<lin. 5.20 in and 1.58 in respectively.

A meeting of the executive of the franklin A. and P. Society was held yesterday, Mr. Alt" Daysh presiding, when final arrangements were made in connexion with the Winter Show. The chief business was the appointment of stewards to supervise the various sections. It was reported that rapid progress was being made with the ejection of the Winter Show buildings, and that practically everything would be in readiness for the opening day. At Tuesday's meeting of the Manukau County Council, tibe Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board forwai>ded particulars of the estimated expenditure and the proposed apportionment anions the various contributing local bodies, which had been based upon a tavy of 7-25 d in the SI on the rate ible value of property in the hospital districts. Particulars of the receipts and expenditure have already appeared in the "Times." The rateable capital value of the 'Manukau County as returned by the Maluation Depaitment was t2,647,197. The council's contribution this year would be £3OBB Bs. while last year it was £2482 12s 6d. The council decided to heartily support a lesolution from ihe Tuapeka Coun)ty Council, urging upon the Govesiv mert to amend the provisions of the Hospital and Charitable Institutes Act in the direction " making the cosit of such institutions a charge on the Consolidated Fund. Councillors

contended that the present method of levying was a sericus one to the local bodies. The whole rate was ronr'np out of the land, while others were escaping hospital tax. Copies of the resolution aire to be forwarded to the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) and Sir Frederick Laing (member for the district). At Tuesday's meeting of the Manukau County Council, when the

question of a deputation to wait on the Minister for Public Works was. under consideration, Cr. Luke said he tiiought an important matter would be to urge upon the Minister ,ho necessity of again having placed on the Statutes a clause giving the Minister power to give fjee grants to local bodies for back blocks roads. Previously power was given, but this was repealed, and before a local bor'y was made a grant now a £1 for 1 .l subsidy had Ic be provided. In •.ases of poor lan.l where the rates were low, Cr. Luke contended that nothing could be done unless a free grant was made. He uiti not paiiticula> !y refer to the Manukau County, but to counties such a? Raglan which was in the haek-bldcks, and contained settlements miles away from a main road or a railway, where ratepayers had to travel miles over real back-blocks roads. Ci. Luke was strong in his contention that if pressure was brought to bear the matter of free grants would again come into voLue. If the iiecji est was acceded to ar.d the roads made fit for traffic, • would tend to open up the back country and give settlers facilities whereby to improve theitf holdings, thus increasing the production of the country. 'lhe matter is to be brought under the Minister's notice on the occasion of his next visit to Auckland.