COUNTRY NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 71, 24 March 1915, Page 7

COUNTRY NEWS.

KAB.AKA. The usual monthly meeting of the Earaka Road Board was held on Saturday last, when the following members were present: Messrs J. Batley (chairman), G. C. Sntton. R. Johnston, and the clerk, Mr H. E. Glasson. In connection with the proposed new public railway crossing at Paerata, the chairman reported that the Railway Department was prepared to accept £50 to start the work, and the balance of £25 when the work was finished. At a special meeting of the board, held previous'to the ordinary meeting, Mr. Batty gave notice of motion, to come up at the. nest ordinary meeting, that a loan of £».SSO. for-the Hingaia and Whangamaire bridges be procured. ~v ....-.' VAXAXXTRZ. Owing'-to-the heavy rain on-.Saturday 'the Cleve'doh "Association tenuis tournament frames, which were to have been played on. Jlfat\day: at;:Brppkby, have - been -.post-; poned for a week, when the singles, for which there are several entries, will he started. - ■ ...

The continnons rain which has fallen during the past week is much appreciated by both" farmers and householders alike. The pastures already look much fresher, the warm rain having given the parched grass a. fresh lease of life. • ~ Residents of Papakura. as well as travellers through it, are at present much inconvenienced by that part of the.main Sooth Road which lies- between the Anglican and Presbyterian churches being, closed, to traffic, owing to the road being reformed and graded. At present all vehicles have totravel by.way of Roussell and-Cole-Streets instead....- ---■ •>- TUAKAU. « '**** Mr. E. fe. Hiley. General' Manager of New Zealand Railways, visited Tuakau 7 during'the week and inspected the mafouj road railway- crossing with a view to installing electric alarm gates . ,

. Excitement was rife in the township on | Saturday evening when a candle-box. orator, who was a stranger to the township, tried to impress, "upon his listeners, the majority of whom were flaxmill hands, the advisability of forming a flaxmill labourers' union. Included in the throng was a flaxmill owner, who differed with the speaker's views oh the question. Heated argument followed, and the orator was hustled from his perch in amongst the crowd and into a well-known -tailor's: shop. .:The stranger gained the sympathy .of a number of Maoris, and as a result obtained thirty signatures .on.ni .petition, for the formation of the -proposed union. It is understood that" arrangements have been made for Mr. W. -Parry io "address an open-air meeting In Tuakau on the subject. ..

MANUREWA.

- .That there., is. considerable interest In music. In this district was evidenced on I Thursday' evening last, :when i some thirty : persons attended a. meeting- convened by. Mr Burton in the Public Hall. After con-] siderable discussion as to whether it shonW be a musical and. elocutionary society, ; ; Itj was decided to confine the society -"to-one j of music only, but. there was a .generally, expressed wish' -that a literary . : society would'be formed later. The society.is.:*»*! be known as tie Manurewa Musical Society, and after a. set of. rules were adopted, the following-officers Were elected:—President, Rev: Wood;, vice-president,.Mr Drnce; see-." retary. and- treasurer, Mr iMabee; pianist and librarian, Mr Phillips;, conductor,, Mr. Bnrton; auditor, iMr White; committee of management—'Messrs. — Edwards," Pegler, Bell. Hesketh and Kay.

The annual meeting of subscribers of the Manurewa Public Hall Company was held in the ..Manurewa .Public Hall. Messrs. F. E. White, C. "Hawthorne, H. V. Barton, C. Lupton,-. <J, Smith,- F. Brinsmead - were j elected,, trustees for the year ISIS. The' chairman reported, that, the hall had a most successfulyear, the profit being £18 9/8, after paying interest, maintenance and j repairs. Recommendations were made to. the incoming trustees to add a 'new supper room to the hall, also, to put in the neces- . ssry sanitary requirements under the' Council by-laws. A hearty vote 61 thanks was accorded to all • those. who of the hall, especially the hon. secretary.- Mr A.' G.; M-abee." At.a subsequent meetings of trustees, Jtr P. E. White was elected chairman, arid Jfr ;F. Brinsmead '•treasurer,' with! Mr A: G. Mibee as hon. secretary. . ~-.-.

The late rains have had a most beneficial 1 effect on-.this-district;-Crops and fields are , fast resuming their usual colour. The dis- } trict ie-well watered; but for tils fact more Joss, wonld have been occasioned, by t the.dry spell which we have just experiI enced.. . -..., -. ,- ~- .. . I It_i«; reported that the Hallway Department are 7 making alterations to the station , and yards, and that this work will he -com- 77 j menced shortly. POST ALBERT. •Dairymen and fruitgrowers wiH be rejoicing m the breaking up of the long-con-tinued drought. The output of hotter at the .; local factory is . rapidly decreasing owing to Cortege ot feed. . •, ' In spite of the abnormally dry season the orchards* are- looking remarkably well, | heavy crops being in evidence everywhere. J This-district is testing, the South American market, having forwarded a trial .shipment to Buenos Aires—on consignment," which means that the grower takes whatever remains, g any, after paying expenses. Arrangements have been made for farther i shipments in April. i At the annual meeting of the Port Albert Te ? e l»l»,*-fe.Spc*ety ancorporated), a scheme for establishing a central switchboard ,»t ! Wenaford for all "private lines In, the sdx-round-m«r districts was considered. Tenders* bave_t>een calletl tot an operator, trat so far nothing.definite, tuts transpired. ... .... I The annual' treat iii. connection with. Hie Band' of Hope-was %eld on Saturday last at the Methodist Church Hall. A very enjoyable ta rswtammcjot sports was arr*nged"-for~ the children.. The -evening concert - was sat, most" successful function,, a very enjoyable programme being .provided by Miss Woods and Mr. 'Harold- Piper, of Auckland, assisted by local items. The committee of management met on Tuesday last, when the treasurer reported that the proceeds from the annual treat .amounted to over fl>. It was decided to "denote £3 to the Belgian Fund and £1- to the Band' of Hope Onion. ' The Patriotic .General Committee were to meet on Friday last, bnt owing to weather conditions -Hie meeting bad to be postponed. Ti>e long spefl of fine wektfcer has enabled tbe Council and the Road Board to remove a fair amount of stone from their quarries -to the worst portions of .the mads *>Bt there win still remain many chains •of road«ri£Mn the settlement reqnirinr attention. ■„.-,-< .. . ,

The uew hall is rapidly "ana "when" flniahed will be a great improvenjWtftofKVh >■&& old one.-" i ■- -ufi

PtTZEKOHE. " The big array of overhead telephone wires that at present disfigure King Street, Pnkekohe. will soon be a thing at the past, as the Postal Department has arranged for the lines in King Street to be taM 7 underground. Mr Hall Skelton, accompanied by two Government military instructors, arrived in Pnkekohe on Saturday evening to address a meeting re the formation of a branch of the "National Reserve." Owing to their motor being, delayed by the greasy state of .the road iv the trip from Auckland, It was late before Yukekohe was reached, and as a consequence the gathering that had assembled at" the Hall bad dispersed before the visitors made their appearance, bnt another meeting is to be held at a later date.

Dr Wake presided over a fair attendance of members at the annual general meeting of the Pnkekohe .District Golf. Club, held in Mr Hopkins* office.'last evening. Tbe balance-sheet, which "showeda credit balance of £-19 7/ST. was read and adopted. The following offiCers-were-relected: 'President, Mr J. Ronlston; vice-president, Dr C. H. Wake; secretary, Sir H. Corbett (reelected): treasurer;' Mr W. P. Hopkins (re-elected); captain* Mr H. -, Beckett (reelected); committee, Messrs Grigon (reelected), J. Adams, and OTjonghlen (re-elected). ' Mr' Bbckett reported" that no definite arrangement had' been arrived at with the Franklin A. and I\ Association j» the use of the new., grounds, which the clnb anticipated playing on" this season. Merors O'Longhlen, Bockett and Hopkins were appointed a', sub-coimhittee' ito ■ wait on the association in regard to the proposed lease. "