LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 169, 10 March 1932, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

County Rate Collection. The treasurer to the Rotorua County Council, Mr. A. Bellingham, reported to the Council yesterday that to date 47 per cent. of the rates had been collected in the North Riding of the connty, and 56 per cent. in the South Riding. The amount collected totalled £4375, and satisfaction was expressed by the Council at the returns. Assisting Settlers. The Rotorua County Council, at the present time, has approximately 130 men working on various relief schemes under its jurisdiction. Of these men, 110 are working on private farms under the Unemployment Board's scheme for assisting settlers by relief labour, and only about 20 ace ■ engaged on road work. The great majority of the men 'are married. Bank Account Amendment. "I suppose this sort of , thing will go on as long as New Zealand exlsts. We will always have laws and regulations and amendments," said the clerk of the Rotorua County Council (Mr. A. Bellingham) at yesterday's meeting of the Council. "The only thing they can't amend is the bank account, unless they supplement it," drily commented the chairman, Mr. H. P. Ford. County Tree Planting. The Rotorua County Council yesterday favourably considered a sug_ gestion from the Unemployment Board that an area in the county should be used for tree planting by relief labour. The Board stated that after its winter planting programme had been fulfilled, the Forestry Department would have a ,number of trees available for planting by local bodies under unemployment relief schemes, and that these trees could be obtained on payment of the cost of lifting, packing and transport. Councillors expressed the opinion that the offer might he considered, and the en~ gineer was instructed to report regarding suitahle areas in the county. 'It was suggested that the Council might, with advantage, plant hard Australian gums suitahle for power poles. Prevalence of Ragwort. The prevalence of ragwort in the Urewera and Te Whaiti districts was commented upon at yesterday's meeting of the Rotorua County Council. The chairman, Mr. H. P. Ford, who had recently been through portion of the district, said that in places the weed made a solid mat of yellow blossom.

Fire Near Nurseries The Rotoima Fire Brigade assisted by a squad of forestry workers, had a three-quarters of an hour fight yesterday afternoon to subduo a scrub fire which broke out at the rear of the Geyser Hotel, and in dangerous proximity to the State Forest nurseries. Fortunately the wind carried the flames away from the forestry plantations, otherwise the outbreak might easiiy have assumed much more alarming dimensions. Cattle for Ngakuru Since the beginning of the year over 1000 head of young cattle have been placed on the Ngakuru development block. The final consignment arrived in Rotorua on Tuesday by fail and were driven to the block. The cattle are all reported to be doing well as there is an excellent sole of pasture on a large proportion of the Ngakuru area. Fire Brigade Competition A team of members of the Rotorua Fire Brigade has been training for the past three weeks in order to

take part in a contest for the Howden Shield at the competitions to be held on Saturday, March 12, at Otorohanga. The best men in the brigade ; are in the team and as they have been coached for the past two days j by Superintendent A. Morrison, of j Hawera, who for the past five years j has been New Zealand champion in 1 fire brigade competitions, ereditable 1 results are expected if the trip is i made. i Tar Boiler on Fire Considerable excitement was caus- l ed yesterday afternoon at the corner of Haupapa and Tutanekai Streets when the tar boiler, which is being used in the sealing operations at the intersection, burst into flames. The ; Borough Council workmen, however, | quiekly had the fire under control be- : fore any damage was done. j Assistant Teacher Refused Advice that the senior inspector of schools was not prepared to recom- , mend the employment of an addition- i al assistant teacher at the Rotorua Primary School after consideration of a schedule showing the present roll number, has been received from the Auckland Education Board, by the Rotorua School committee. The committee had applied for an additional assistant. Visit to Galatea In company with the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. K. Graham, the Director of the Pields Division of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. J. W. Deem, and the Acting-Under Secretary of the Lands pepartment, Mr. C. Rodgers, yesterday visited Galatea development block. The departmental party was eonducted over the estate by the Assistant Public Works roads engineer, Mr. F. L. Parlc, who explained the extent of the work which has so far been carried ont by the Public Works Department in preparing the block for sub-division and settlement.