LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 September 1924, Page 9

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The building owned by the Hawera Timber and Joinery Co-., which was destroyed by fire during the early hours of this morning, had been standing for a number of years, part of it having been erected about 30 years ago by Messrs Tvvigg arid Co. After Mr J. T., Quiii joined the firm as manag - ing partner 25 years ago further additions were made, and other additions were also made after Mr Twigg sold to Mr A. Quiii and after Mr A. Quin sold to Mr F. Quin. Four years ago the pveriiises changed, hands, when the Quin brothers, who were trading under the name of the Hawera. Sash and Door Company sold out to - a company which continued the business under the same name. Recently the business was sold to the Hawera Timber and Joinery Company, Ltd.

Commissioner A. R. Bates and Mr G, P. Cook •; (town clerk),, who were appointed. last week by the Kaponga Town Board as a delegation to wmt upon various departmental authorities in connection with matters relating to the board’s financesj proceeded to Wellington bv Monday’s express. They anticipate returning' on Thursday.

The many friends of Mr and Mrs G P. Cooky of Kaponga, will be pleased to learn that‘their daughter Helen, who is receiving treatment for tonsilitis at t-life Hawera hospital, is-‘m.aking satisfactory progress towards recovery. The Stratford correspondent tP the Taraanki Herald writes : Great interest is being taken amongst local dairy factory suppliers in the coming utilisation of electrical power from the Tariki plant. With the working out of firewood supplies that for 40 years have served the district so well, steam power grows more and more costly. It was, as various punsters remarked, a burning question at the recent meeting of the Ngaire Dairy Company. The directors had pretty well satisfied themselves that a fairly substantial saving will result from the installation, of electric power, but a section of the shareholders appear to regard the innovation as a more or less risky experiment. Directors haye .since spent a day in visiting the few factories that have already used electricity, and are now content with their former decision. A controversial • matter that received some ventilation at the Ngaire Dairy Company’s annual meeting, and is being discussed locally, is the question of transport from factory to port. Motorlorry proprietors are bidding for the business (says the Stratford correspondent to the Taranaki Herald) and are receiving some support. The Railway Department’s commercial advisers are taking notice and point out, with obvious justification, that the competition is unfair, as the maintenance of the highway does not fall on the lorry proprietors, whilst the upkeep of the railway counts against the department. It seems likely, however, that this will be altered to some extent under the new legislation. The railway will, howevei, always be handicapped hy inability to deliver goods just where wanted, and unless a considerable reduction in freight charges is made it will continue to lose custom. It might help if the department ran its own delivery waggons, as is done by most of the British railway companies. ' An instance of the “push” of the American is given by Dr. Pope, of Palmerston North, who has returned from a visit to America.. He states thatafter . getting cleared at. the Customs he engaged a. taxi to take him to a hotel named. The taxi-driver asked to be excused for a moment, and returned a little later with a pleasant companion, who explained that he was the proprietor of another hostelry, and that he was certain, if the visitor would only allow him to “take care of them,” and allow his wife to show them over .the hotel, the New Zealanders would alter their plans concerning hotels. So persuasive was the man that the visitors agreed to inspect the place, and the result was very . satisfactory to all concerned.