LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 May 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Every riding is in credit,” said the chairman of the Eltham County Council (Mr C. J. Belcher) at Saturday’s meeting of the council, “but you nave no toll-gate money to come in curing the winter months, and so you will have to go carefully until October.” The chairman of the Eltham, County

o nc'il. Mr C. J. -Belcher, was on Saturday granted an honorarium of £75 by the council for his past year’s services.

“I am very satisfied with the work our foreman, Mr. Muggeridge, is doing, “said Cr. Messana at Saturday’s meeting of the Eltham County Council. “We are getting value for our money at last,” lie added. At the annual meeting of householders at Whakamara, over which Mr H. Scott presided, the following committee was elected for the ensuing year Messrs H. Scott, ,\V. Hamilton, J. Dobson, It. Caldwe.’l hnd A. J. Davies. Mr Davies was elected chairman and secretary.

When at Wellington on Friday, the chairman of the Egmont National Park Board (Mr. T. C. List), interviewed two of the Ministers (Hon. G. J. Anderson and Hon. J. D. McLeod). in connection with a grant for the Dawson Falls’ hostel, and also for putting the north road in order. He had a very smypathetic hearing from both Ministers.

Radio' fans plying their hobby of tapping the air for news on Sunday will hear something that won’t please them if “their licenses are no.t paid. The Government is on the track of a lot of missing revenue, and points out that, although there were 4000 listen-ers-in when the fee was os, there are only- half that number now that the fee' is 30s. Nevertheless, inspectors know many who are operating illicitly,and are issuing a warning that the penalty is £SOO and confiscation. Unlicensed dealers are also warned off.

Over on the other side of the Aorangi bridge at Feiiding n a two-up school was in full session on a recent Sunday, when the look-out men sounded the* alarm. A raid by the police was thus nipped in the bud. The force was not sufficient- to box the compass— so the raid failed in results so tar as arrests were concerned. For some time there was an excited exodus of pupils from the school. They fled in ail directions, seeking the cover of the lupins in making their getaway. It is reckon, ed that there was an attendance of about 20 at the school.

“The system of slow motor traffic, even round corners, has been abolished,” remarked Mr. J. King, of Palmerston North, speaking to- a Standard •eporter of his visit to Sydney, “and its '•con as the policeman says ‘go’ one has to go for his life.” He explained that it had been found that slow traffic caused too mucti congestion, and probably more accidents than fast traffic, provided that it was controlled at certain points. “One-way traffic has had to be adopted in some streets,” he continued, “and,there were some amusing incidents when country visitors to the show started along a one-way street -in the wrong direction. They were soon caught up.” At the ordinary meeting, of the Hawera County Council on Saturday the negotiations of the suib-committee ,set up to confer with the Normaniby Town Board were briefly discussed. . The chairman said that the committee suggested a payment annually to the board of £4O an<La remission of the amount due of £lO2, provided the board paid their hospital subsidy regularly. He said that yeans ago it had been agreed to make a grant yearly of £2O, and he considered they were reasonable in increasing that to £4O. The main roads under the Town Board would cost £6OOO, of which’;; the Main Highways Board would contribute £3OOO, and the Town Board were raising a loan of £3OOO. Tt was decided that the' recommendations of the subcommittee be adopted. Absent-minded passengers often leave luggage and other articles in the carriages of the- railway trains, but it is seldom that a baby is allowed out of its mother’s sight for many minutes. However, such an occurrence happened during the journey to Ohai in the special train a few days ago (says the Southland Times). At Wairio some carriages "were nut off and, when the train officials were helping those passengers disturbed to find seats, one took temporary charge of' a baby in order to assist the parent. When he looked round for the mother after the distribution of the seats had been accomplished, he was amazed to discoverthat she was missing. Thrusting the infant into the arms of the most homely-looking of the staff, he set out to find the mother, and to his astonishment she was contentedly seated in another carriage as if she had not a care in the world. The harassed official quickly restored the infant and retired in peace.

Chi Saturday the chairman of /the Bit ham County Council drew attention toi the fact that the council had met for the last time before the annual meeting. He therefore wished to express his satisfaction at the maimer in which the council business had been carried out during the year; it had been a. pleasure to him to work with such gentlemen as sat with him on the Elthaim County Council. The business of the council had been carried out expeditiously, and he thought that, could he attributed to their method of allowing councillors a good deal of local government. The councillors all understood their work, and consequently when it came to the monthly meeting there was no need for lengthy discussion. Continuing, the chairman eulogised the work of the council .stab , stating that a great quantity of work had been attended to in an economic manner. Further, he did not think that there was anything to equal the Eltha.m county roads. They had bed trouble in procuring stone and ir> getting money from the Government, otherwise they would have done better than they actually had. In conclusion, the chairman paid a tribute to the work of the reporters attending the council, meetings, expressing the opinion that the reports had always been fair.