COUNTRY NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 14

COUNTRY NEWS.

TAUMARVNVI.

At ilie annual smoke concert of the Taumarunui Fire Brigade, the superintendent, Mr. i». li. Kosh, stuit:<i tliut the tire loss in Tauniaiuuuf during the past nine mouths had been quite mild. The value of buildings in which tires had occurred was £72.781, insurances were £22,781, ind the total loss to insurance companies was £6740, most of which was in connection with one fire. Decorations won by members of the brigade during the year were presented by Mr. C. J. Ryan. Firemen M. Sarah and H. Simpson received their five years' service medal; Firemen F. O'Connor. H. Krebs, T. Morgan, V. Young and T Wackrow received their two years' bar having already their five years' medals: Fireman D. Carr and Foreman E. Wakelin received their three years' certificates Members of the Taumarunui Borough Council staff met in the Council Chambers recently to farewell three of their feUowworkers namely. Messrs. L. Oldham. R. Campbell, and A. Wolf. The town clerk, Mr. I. A. Webb, made the presentations, handing Mr. Oldham a leather suitcase, Mr. Campbell a fountain pen, and Mr. Wolf a pipe. Mr. Webb expressed the regret of those present in losing such esteemed tellow workers, and hoped that the small presents would remind them of the goodfellowship that had existed among the members of the council staff. The recipients made suitable response. Mr. J. W. Corboy. of the Magistrate's Court, Taumarunui, has been notified of his transfer to Whaugarei. He will proceed to his new appointment about the middle of June.

Prior to his departure for Waitakl, in the South Island, Mr. J. Currie was farewelled by the staff of the Pnblie Works Department, Taumarnnni, with which he has been connected recently. In presenting Mr. Currie with a fountain nen and an Eversharp pencil, Mr. H. Seddon Hills remarked that though Mr. Cnrrie had been on the local staff for only a short while, he had made himself very popular, and his departure waß much regretted. Mr. E. Canavan, of Auckland, has succeeded to Mr. Currle's position in Taumarunui.

Mr. J. J. C. Hackett, a very well-known member of the Taumarunui railway staff, leaves for Auckland on transfer at the end of this month. Mr. Hackett first came to this ristrict in 1908, and has been a wellknown figure on King Country trains over a lengthy period.