Bay of Plenty Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8473, 19 December 1923, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL

The public schools will break up to-morrow lor the Christmas and New Year vacation. Those interested arc reminded that entries tor the Tauranga regatta close with the Secretary, Mr C, C, Norris, to-morrow night. Applications, closing on January 10 next, are invited by the Tauranga County Council for the position ot engineer. The question of holidays tor the County Council’s permanent workmen was dealt with at the meeting of the County Council on Friday-—The Council decided that the men be granted four days’ holiday, on .pay, during Christmas and New Year. The County Council decided on Friday that Crs Darragh and Merriman meet on December 21 iu order to pass wages accounts to that date, ; Hair brushes, minors and sets in | a good assortment and cheaper, ati I prices lowest since the war.—Mirrie- ' lees. * I

At the meeting of the County Council on Friday a circular was read from the Secretary of the Department of Labour regarding the statutory half-holiday for shops in the district. In the event ot no such notification being received before February 15 the Minister may himself ap point such day as he thinks fit. — The clerk said the usual practice ot the Council was to leave the matter to the Minister. —The Council decided to take no action.

A meeting of the Te Huia Motor Cycle Club was held in Mr Washer’s garage on Monday evening. It was decided (hat a motor cycle gymkhana be held, probably on the Domain on Anniversary Day, January 29. A programme of sixteen events was drawn up and adopted, and it was decided that trophies be awarded as prizes for first and second places in each event. Given favourable weather the gymkhana should prove a great attraction, as the programme is an absolutely novel one.

, At the meeting of the County Council on Friday a letter was read from Mr H. A. Goudie, Conservator of Forests, Whakarewarewa, intimating that the btate Forest Service has considerable quantities of two-year-old plants J and seedlings for sale for the season 1924. The Chairman , stated he had made representations to the Minister of Lands, urging that certain lands should be utilised for afforestation. — The Council decided to defer the matter till next meeting. On December 12 at the Domain, j Mrs G H. Lee invited the small , children of Tauranga to an afternoon’s picnic, which about two jor three hundred accepted. A j marquee was kindly lent to Mrs . Lee. This was nicely decorated, • and the kind helpers in the per- , sons of Mesdames Deakin, Rider, j Valentine and McCarthy very 1 soon unpacked the goods. They j were extremely busy handing out ice creams, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. Races ; were then started by MrCardston 1 and his helpers and the children took a keen interest in the undertaking, which was well woith seeing. Mixed nuts and papered j sweets were then scrambled amidst much laughter. In the j meantime the ladies were busy--1 ing themselves for the children’s tea. A blessing was first given by Mrs Lee, and a pleasaftt sight it was to see the young ones enjoy what was given them. Mrs Lee then presented prizes and farcy bags of sweets to the children and a pleasant and happy day was ended. The Junior High School scholars have been playing a series of tennis matches oa the school court, and in the semifinals played this week Keith Cambie 40, beat Olive Buttiraore 32, and Ron Mirridees 43, beat Christine Baker 41. In the final played yesterday afternoon Keith Cambie 60, beat Ron Mirridees 57At the meeting of the Borough Council on Wednesday last, it was decided that in future all applications for electric current, other than for lighting, be submitted to the Council for consideration Mr S. G. Willcock will hold a special Christmas auction sale on Saturday next at one o’clock. A large number of poultry, including six turkeys, geese, ducks, etc., will be offered. Superior furnishings of two houses and a wide! range of household goods will also be submitted. The various lines are to be sold without reserve, and the sale presents a rare opportunity of securing j goods at moderate prices.

The Biy of Plenty Presbytery held its quarterly me ding at Whakatane on the 11th insh, representatives being present from Opotiki, Tauranga, Te Puke, Whakatane, Taneatu i and Rangi taiki districts. The Rev. J W. Smyth. 8.A., of Tauranga, was elected moderator for ihe ensuing year. The Revs. D. Hird, M.A., and W, Butterworth reported on the meeting of the General As sembly at Christchurch. A presbyterial certificate was granted to a young man, Mr Angus McKenzie, of Opotiki, who desires to become a student f or the Ministry. A report on the bursary fund is to be presented at the next session of the Presbytery, Mr Mann, who is in charge of the mission work at Matata, gave a very encouraging report of the work in that district. Power was granted to the Taneatua Committee to enter into negotiations for the purchase of the Methodist Church at Waimana. The Tauranga Committee was empowered to sell a cottage at Taurangt. In the Opotiki Magistrate’s Court a few days ago, a gentle aboriginal native who had got into financial trouble, was endeavouring to have the evil day of reckoning put off. “I fink, your wushup.” he said, “you give me one month to pay. Dat pe all right I link.” The Magistrate pondered but being a proficient master of the science of human nature, he said : “xNIo, but I will give you till the 24th December ; after that I am afraid the exchequer would be empty.”

Ratepayers of the Te Puna special rating area should bear in mind that a poll will be taken to-morrow on a proposal to raise a loan of £4,000 for the purpose of effecting improvements to various parts of the main road in the Te Puna Riding. The polling booths will be at the Post Office, Aongatele ; Post Office. Omokoroa; Public Hall, le Puna; and Coronation Hall, Tauranga.

Although the district has had very little rain for about three week farmers generally are well pleased with the prospects. Haymaking is in full swing, and many of the crops of meadow hay, lucerne and oats have been exceptionally heavy. During the last fortnight the maize crops have made splendid headway. The potato crops are digging well. Dairy herds are responding generously and where pastures have received due attention the growth of feed has been well sustained.

A most pleasing function took place at the residence of Dr Buckmll on Friday afternoon, when a gracious invitation was accorded to the teacher? and scholars of the Mt, Maunganui school to inspect the doctor’s i collection of New Zealand 'shells. The numerous trays, systematically and tastefully arranged on tables draped with hunting, called forth spontaneous admiration from all. Among the numerous perfect specimens which have b;en gathered at the Mount during the last two years are some rare species found exclusively in this locality. The doctor gave interesting talks to the children, and from the, youngest to the oldest intelligent curiosity was displayed. At the conclusion the head master, Mr Mackay, expressed thanks to Dr Bucknill for the educative and interesting afternoon. “Why Andrew was chosen as the patron saint of Scotland,” said Mr J. L. McG. Watson, at Invercargill, at St. Andrew’s Scottish Society gathering. “I really am not sure, but it was probably because the Scriptures relate that it was Andrew who discovered the boy with the loaves and the fishes, and the Scotch are always given the reputation of finding where the good things are.”

The Departmental inquiry into the needs of the settlers of Rangitaiki was concluded on Thursday by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr W.F. Marsh, the Chief Drainage Engineer, Mr O. N. Campbell, and Mr O’Donell, accountant of the Lands Department (says the Whakatane Press). The feeling among the settlers is that the officers of the Department carried out the inquiry in a thorough manner and satisfaction is expressed at the great interest they took in the needs of the Rangitaiki. They inspected practically the whole of the plains and interviewed the various owners of holdings so that first hand information of the great disabilities under which the settlers are handicapped has been obtained. A report in discourse will be considered by the Cabinet.

Sorry' we cannot show much of our stock-call and ask to see anything you want and get our prices. —Mirrielees. *

Christmas Presents New Tauamja View-ware, Doultonware, Sil■erware, Sunshine purses, Manicure ets a specialty —at LACEY'S iAZAAXI, *