PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 248, 19 October 1928, Page 11

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

MATAMATA.

The District Telegraph Engineer has advised the Matamata Chamber of Commerce that the matter of direct telephonic communication between Matamata and Tauranga is being looked into. Mr. P. P. Hockly, M.P., has advised the chamber that a clock, visible by night and day, will be installed a>t the Matamata Post Office, which is now being remodelled. The Matamata War Memorial Committee has decided to hand over the balance of its funds, £26 4/10 to the branch of the Plunket Society to be placed to the credit of the fund for the erection of a rest room. In its report to the public, the committee gives its total receipts at £40.j.

THAMES.

A commencement has at last been ra3..le with the construction of the new cheese factory which is being erected for the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co. at the corner of Pipiroa and Maukoro roads on the Hauraki Plains. As it is hoped to open the factory before Christmas, the contractor, .Mr. Chester, has put on a large number of men and the work is proceeding apace. On the opposite corner alterations are being carried out to the local school in order to accommodate the increased number of pupils.

The state of the approach road to the Hauraki Bridge on the Hauraki Plains side is in very bad order and causing motorists considerable annoyance. The ruts are so deep that the differential cases on the cars touch the ground, and one car had its oildrip case under the engine torn off. As the matter has been brought under the notice of the authorities, it is hoped that something will be done immediately to repair this portion of the main ThamesAuckland highway.

The last gap in the stop bank at Hikutaia in connection with the Waihou River improvement scheme' has now been bridged by a barrier of sand deposited by the powerful dredges of the Public Words Department. It is proposed to erect a double barrelled floodgate north of the present wharf to carry off the surface water caused by the local rainfall before the flood waters of the upper reaches of the river come down and close the gates, thus imprisoning the water and flooding the lowlying country. The recent disastrous flood still remains in the memory of those who were affected, and it is hoped that the new work will banish the nightmare of future floods for all time.

OPOTTKI.

In Court on Wednesday, before Mr. A. S. Paterson, S.M., Ernest Blake, farmer, of Hawal, was proceeded against by the Inspector of Stock for a breach of the cattle tick regulations by removing two dogs across the A to B boundary on the OpotikiTorere Boad without obtaining a permit. Also, for removing 300 sheep across the boundary without apermit. Counsel for defendant stated it was a case of forgetfulness. On the first charge, the Magistrate fined Blake £5 and costs, and for the second charge convicted and fined him £2 and costs.

TATXRANGA.

The social committee of the A.O.F. entertained several members of the Tauranga Bowling Club In the Foresters' Hall. Tea was provided, and several games of carpet bowls were played, two games being won by the Foresters and one by their visitors. S. J. Collard put up some very fine bowling, and J. Gulness good skipping.

A painful experience befell Lieutenant E. J. Browning on Monday moniing. As he was leaving the school grounds after his usual instruction to the cadets a cricket ball hit him on the back of the head, rendering him unconscious for a short while and necessitating his resting at-home for the remainder of the day.

WHAKATANE.

The Whakatane Racing Pigeon Club held its third race of the old bird season from Auckland, a distance of .143 miles, during the week-end. The winning bird'covered the distance in A hours 14 minutes 35 seconds. Mr. J. A. Bock's r c c Kotahi, 1310.8 yds per minute, 1; Mr. N. Bracken's r c h Red Star, 1305.3yd5, 2; Mr. E. W. Tennant's r c c Imperial Prince, 1203.6 yd, 3.

At the monthly meeting of the borough council the estimates as recommended by the finance committee were submitted. The Mayor explained that the proposals were to raise revenue to the amount of £11,078, compared with £12,230 for the previous year, which meant that £1200 less revenue was being asked for. Last year the revenue was raised on a valuation of £90,000, but this year it had to be raised on a valuation of £64,000, owing to the drastic reduction in valuations made by the officer of the Valuation Department. It was proposed to strike' a rate of 2/5J in the pound. The increase in the rates was due entirely to the heavy reduction made in the borough valuations. A resolution was adopted fixing the rate at 2/oi in the ponnd. The Mayor said that about 30 per cent of the rates would be paid by those in the business area. This was due to the unfair system of the recent valuation. It was resolved to bring the matter before the Hon. K. S. Williams when he visited Whakatane. The district engineer wrote informing the council that the Main Highways Board would subsidise the top dressing of the Strand to the full width of the street.

WAITOMd.

At a meeting of the Waltomo County Council a resolution was passed whereby the council will endeavour to raise £3000 for building roadmen's cottages in the county. It was decided that the cost of each be roughly £500, so that the cost of rental per week should not be more than the amount of one day's pay. Tho annual effort for funds for the work of the Woman's Civic League was held on Friday, when, as the result of a street stall, a sum of £35 was realised. Despite unfavourable weather for the past month or six weeks, there has been little or no mortality among the flocks. The sheep farms have had a record percentage of lambs this season.

TAIHAPE.

At the annual meeting of the Utlku Sports Club Mr. J. Gilchrist was elected president, and Mr. Anderson secretary and treasurer On Monday evening the amateur theatrical members of the Presbyterian Young Men's Bible Class entertained a large gathering. Messrs. Jack Wallace and William Ross were the outstanding performers, and causfed all-round merriment bv the impersonation of "Kinggford Smith*' and "Tom Heeney." The half-yearly installation of ofliccrs of A warn a and Tui Rebekah Lodges of the 1.0.0. F. of New Zealand was held on Monday evening. The officers installed were :— Awarua Lodge, No. 83: N.G., Bro. J. Watson ; V.G., Bro. K. Thomas: 0.C., Bro. Ward ; • R.S.G., Bro. L. Carpenter; L.S.S., Bro. W. Robinson ; P.G.. Bro. A. R Morgan ; L.S.N.G., Bro. F. Darvill • Warden. Bro. Harding; conductor, Bro. C. Noble; chaplain, Bro. C. Benfield; financial secretary, Bro. Marlow; recording secretary, Bro. S. McClure; treasurer, Bro. J. Smart. Tui Rebekah Lodge: N.G., Sister G. James; V.G., Sister G. Morgan; chaplain. Sister E. McDonnell; record secretary. Sister Niven ; R.S.N.G., Sister Simpson; L.S.N.S., Sister McDonnell; L.S.S., Sister Morgan; R.S.S., S'fterE. Sheath; R.S.N.G., Sister J. Torry; L.S.X.G., Sister Clark.

Mr. James Christensen. of the Taihape Post and _ Telegraph staff, has received notice of his transfer to Tangarakau (Taranaki), and will take up his new duties on Thursday.

_ Miss A. Long. who has resigned her position on the staff of Taihape District High School, was made the recipient of a gold Eversharp pencil by the teachers and pupils of the school.

Constable BatcTielor, of Napier, has been appointed to succeed Constable 6. King, who has been transferred to Fitzroy, New Plymouth. Constable Corston, of Wellington, has been transferred to Taihape as a relieving constable.

TAUPO..

A few days'hence the fishing season for 1928-29 will be opened.

Fish appear to be plentiful, and judging from the fish caught by Government officials during the "stripping" season, the condition and quality should be excellent.

The Taupo Road Board has during the last few weeks been making extensive improvement to the main street, which has been extended tc its full width, whilst small trees and shrubs have been planted right along the western side thereof.

OTOROHANGA.

The final of the ladies' local golf championship was played between Mrs. Smith and Hiss Barker, Mis Barker winning by G up and 5 to play.

OKATHAU.

There is every prospect of cricket enjoying considerable popularity at Okaihaa this season. A fine concrete pitch has been laid in a most central position, the whole field has been disced and rolled, and a pavilion is in the course of erection. The first match of the season will be played on Saturday nest, against a team from Kerikeri.

A new, up-to-date billiard saloon and a large wheelwright and blacksmith building are almost completed. The Y.M.C.A. social hall will be extended a further thirty feet in the near future.

NETHERTON.

A meeting of settlers was held in the Xetherton Hall to di9cuss details of the proposed Xetherton-Awaiti water supply scheme. Mr. E. L. Walton (chairman) and Messrs. P. Basham and E. A. Mahoney (engineer and clerk) of the Hauraki Plains County Council, were present to explain the position. After dealing with the procedure to be followed, Mr. Walton said it would be about seven months before a poll could be taken. Prom 15 to 20 per cent would be saved by - indenting the pipes from England, but this would delay the work another four months. The engineer's estimate, based on the cost of indented pipes, showed that a loan of £5600 would be necessary. On an acreage basis this would amount to 3/2.6 d for the first year and 3/1.4 for succeeding years for a period of 20 years. The Public Works Department had provisionally approved the scheme. Several settlers said they had signed the petition in favour of the scheme on the understanding that it was not to cost more than 2/6 per acre.

Mr. H. Mills moved that the meeting approve the scheme, and that the council be urged to take the necessary steps immediately.—Carried.

On Mr. Walton's suggestion, it was decided to take a referendum of the settlers in the area.

Members of the Netherton Drainage Board, accompanied by Messrs. E. Taylor, lands drainage engineer, and O. G. Thornton, resident engineer, Public Works Department, inspected the Awaitl end ol the drainage district, and Investigated a scheme for utilising a sum of Government money for the protection and drainage of the locality. A thorough examination was made of the land near the boundary with the Elstow Drainage Board's district, and much information of value to the board was given by Mr. Taylor. Alternative routes for a suggested drain were discussed, and finally it was decided by the board that the Lands Drainage Department be asked co make a trial survey of an outlet to the end of the Awaitl Canal. It was thought! that sand might be encountered, and Mr Taylor agreed to have tests conducted alone the route.