LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6970, 1 February 1918, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

I A pubiiu meeting will be held !(o nurrow at Ngitea, of all those I favourable to the formation of a new j County over the Hauraki Plains, to j settle details of future procedure Tht»ro is ample evidence that the übiquitous blackberry will yield of its fruit abuudauily on the West Coast this year (says the Greymouth Star). The vines Jock more vigorous and | threatening than ever, whilst the bloom |is biich as will provide a crop which, j ii' gathered, will make thousands of tons of wine. Hit is seated that a bottle dealer who was permitted to visit Motuihi leland succeeded in obtaining £15 worth of empty botties recently, mostly champagne battles. •Wilk supplies have dropped quite appreciably throughout tin Feilding district during the past month. f his is owing to the dry spell in December, vvhich stopped the growth of grass i iieeent rains may give the pasturage a | Il'esh start, but dairy farmer say the ! COWS are too far down to pick up again j " I was not sober, but knew that I j had more drinks than 1 ought to have had, >! said a witness in a case at the | Wellington Magistrate's 0 urt. " You i were sober uiough to know that you I were drunk, " replied counsel " Yes !" said the witness. .The work undertaken by the Public Worka Department on the Kaimai Uoad has already had the effect of opening up the road to Mntaoiata for motor traffic, and Mr A Huston has firraijgod for v regular daily service across th* hill omrnencinff on Monday Tif'Xt. The car will leave here daily at 7 30 a in. returning from iTaiamata at a p in. Seats may be booked at Mr C F WavherV, Hamilton Street. "The cost of restoration will be eiiormous, " said Dr Bedford at the IWn Hail on Wednesday night. " A commission is now sitting m London, and pU-ia have already been prepared for rebuilding tbo cities of Northern Iraace mid Belgium as soon as the Germans were back in their own soil Contracts have heen let in America tor hundred of raiHiane of tmvj of 3teel.:-

Owing to a tariff war betwpen the two cement companies, tha price of cement is now 30.3 less per ton than previously and is now lower that it has ever been. Twelve hundred head of fat sheep have recently been shipped from the *East Oape^ to the East Coast 00-operative Freezing Company's works at Whakatane. A hospital ship arrived at Auckland j yesterday with a number of invalided | soldiers. Amongst those aboard was | Private Tom Q,uiik, who was met on J arrival by his brother Afr Martin ; Qiirk, of Tauranga.Laat week the vessel Kohi conveyed about 350 sheep and 30 head of cattle from Katikati to the Whikutane freezing works. The stock was shipped by Messrs W H J'atorson, W Bell and X Morton, and is the first direct shipment from Kitikati to the works. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Finance, stated in Auckland that part of the war loan authorised last session had not yet b?en placed on the uiirket, but investors would probably b« asked early in March to take up this loan to the amount of about £10,000,000, or perhaps less, This sum would provide the sinews of war for the counuy for the first half of this year.

There is a glut of peaohe? ou the Auckland market at preeeut (reports the Auckland Star). This is occasioned by the heavy supplies which have come to hand during the past few days, and both factories and shops are supplied fully. The disease known as " ripe rot, " or " brown ppot, " is so prevalent this season \kx>. ouvers dare not purchase moie thau t nough to carry thea' over operations for one day. However, the season for poaches is vow at its height, and supplies will come freely for just a few days more. After this prices wiil probably advance ([uickly.

Dr Bedford and the Rev. J D-nvson left yesterday morning for Matamata en ront* to Auckland, where Dr liudt'-jid lectures to-night in the Town Hall. They were takeu across tho Kaimui r ad by My F N Christian, who is by no means enthu-i us tie regarding its p esent state.

The annual picnic of the Church of England Sunday Bchool -was hold in the plantation at the Mouut yesterday. The pcholars, with their parents and frienr's, including those from lietble he[n,Otumoetaiand Gate Pa, left by the Ruru at 9.30, and a numour a!so went down at 1.30, about 200 in all attending the picnic 'Che outing was distinctly successful, the children enjoying themselves to the utmost. During the afternoou races were run on the beach, and after tea had. been served the pljniokers returned hotre, the last boat reaching- home about 6AQ The Vicar, the Yen. Archdeacon Tuke, desires to thank all who so generously contributed and assisted to make tho outing a success, and has especially to thank the Public Works Department's officials at the Mount for arranging for thts water, and assisting to get tho provisions, etc, to the picnic ground. Out of five applicants for 'he position of clerical assistant in tho Borough Office Mrs Smale has been selected, and commenced her duties this morni Tho ladies' committee at thg Mount i which was instrumental in raising £18 on Anniversary Day towards the purchase of an organ for the Church of England services at the Mount, took advantage of the Sunday School picnic to continue their sale, with the result that a further £2 17s Id was obtained, fbe ladies are greatly indebted to the Public Works Depart ment for the loan of tents, timber, etc, for the stalls. A general meoting of m9mbei'3 of tho Tauranga A. and P. Association will be held in the Foresters' Hall at 2.30 p m to-morrow to settle the question as to whether a show is to be held this year or not. Mr N G Harvey, chief eugi^eer of the Ngapuhi, is now enjoying his i annual leave. His place has been taken by Mr A Dickoy, second engin ■ eer. Heavy, general rains ate falling in New Soii'h Wales, and coming on top of an already rainy season, the result will be considerable damage to fruit and wheat crops.