TAUMARUNUI NEWS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 870, 14 January 1930, Page 10

TAUMARUNUI NEWS

During the past few days Mr. Wm. Thompson has been canvassing tj-ie district in the interest of trade for New Zealand and British goods. He addressed an audience of about 700 at the King’s Theatre on Saturday night, and during his remarks produced figures showing that in the years 1926, 1927 and 1928 New Zealand spent over £15,000,000 in America, equivalent to giving America the labour for one year of 60,000 men at £5 a mam without a penny in return. * * * At its monthly meeting the Taumarunui County Council received a letter from Messrs. Ellis and Burnand, sawmillers, of Ongarue, relative to the proposal that the county take over certain of the company’s bridges now that the milling need of them is finished. The council decided to ask the resident Public Works engineer, Mr. A. W. Albertson, and Messrs. Ellis and Burna*id’s representative, Mr. Fifield, to make an inspection of the bridges with a view to possible purchase at a reasonable valuation. * * * Mr. Harry, a member of a local business firm, has returned to Taumarunui after a lengthy tour of his native country, India. He mentions among other things that the masses of India are clamouring for home rule, that the educated classes are against the Singapore Base on the grounds that it is unnecessary, and that the Bolsheviks while forming a certain menace to the masses are ignored by the better classes. In view of the uncertainty of the near future, few big works are being undertaken in the country, contractors and big builders holding back to see what will occur politically. Mr. Harry said that in India New Zealand is regarded as the ideal colony, and but for the immigration law's large numbers of the people would settle here. * # * The Taumarunui railway staff and the public in general has lost two very popular members in Messrs. W. H. Walmsley and W. J. Hodges, the former having been transferred to Tauranga and the latter to Frankton Junction. Mr. Hodges has held the position of locomotive foreman here for some years, and in the course of his duties has given satisfaction to everyone. At a farewell function in the Theatre Royal annexe, Mr. R. Crozier occupied the chair and presented Mr. Hodges with a suitcase, and Mrs. Hodges with a hand-painted table centre. During the evening it was announced that Mr. C. Taylor, of the railway staff, had been transferred to Wellington, and despite the short notice his friends wished to make him a presentation of a leather suitcase, to mark their esteem. At a smoke concert to Mr. "Walmsley Mr. A. J. Arthur presided, and the guest received a gold albert chain and Mrs. Walmsley a parcel of china. On behalf of the Boxing Association, of which Mr. Walmsley was a most efficient secretary, Mr. W. Johns presented him with a silver tea service.