Local and General.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 118, 29 April 1924, Page 4

Local and General.

The annual prize-giving and danoe iii connection with the Heretaunga Swimming Club, will be held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Hastings, to-night.

A taxi driver named Frederick Arthur Obbard, who Was founcTuead in bed in Oamarit on" Saturday, had about £4OO in his clothes, and had considerable other property. His relatives, it any. have not been located.

At last night’s meeting of the Napier Borough Council, it was decided that all advertising signs which in the opinion of the building inspector were dangerous must be taken down immediately, and further, that no advertising signs be erected unless they conform to the borough by-laws.

In view of the many complaints by property owners in Napier against the recent decision that the minimum area of a residential site shall be 20 perches it was decided at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council to reiser the matter to the Reserves Committee to see what could be done.

The Mahora School grounds now comprise an area of 5| acres, forming one of the best play grounds in Hawke’s Bay. There is still £5O due to the Education Department on the property and it will be part of the work of the incoming committee to raise this money.

At last night’s meeting of the Napier Borough Council a request was received from the local secretary of the A.S.R.S. for permission to hold a May Day demonstration either on the Marine Parade or at McLean Park. It was stated that the men would march in procession to the place of meeting. After discussion it was lecided by si’x votes to four that the request be granted.

Tn the Police Court in Dunedin yesterday, before Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M.. John Richards and Walter Leonard James Cameron were jointly charged that they conspired by fraudulent means to defraud the Gore Racing Club by entering a horse named The Dingo in the Balfour Trot at a- meeting held on October 20. 1923, under a- false name, to wit Kingsdale. The accused reserved their defence and were committed for trial, bail being allowed.

Plans and specifications for a mile of concrete road from the Napier Borough boundary southwards were considered by the Hawke’s Bay County Council at its last meeting. Provision is made for a width of concrete 18 teet across and on each side two shoulders of broken v stone each six feet across, making a total roadway of 30 feet. As soon as the Highways is in a position to consider the matter plans and specifications will be submitted for its approval.

The Meeanee-Brookfield road suffered badly hy the recent flood, but owing to its running through country that is low-lying ami water logged repairs are very difficult at present to carry out. At the first favourable opportunity the road will be graded and 'partly metalled. Until this can be done notices will be placed at each end indicating that the road is closed. The County Council regrets that settlers will be inconvenienced but the road cannot be made good, till improve. The Woodville County Council is among the first local bodies to ’ proceed with the improvement of roads under the main highways scheihe. Permission was granted to it on April 8thj and work was commenced the following day. The surface of the road will he finished'with a bitumen sealing. A meeting of the Hastings West Progressive Association was held last evening, Mr A. J. Kirkham presiding. Collectors were appointed to canvass the various streets for donations towards the improvement of Ebbett Park. It was decided Iq call the. attention of the Hastings Borough Coun_ cil to several matters requiring attention, especially the footpath approaching the school. The executive of the Napier Retailers’ Association held a meeting yesterday to decide on a uniform closing hour for all retail establishments. It was unanimously decided that on Monday, Tuesday. Wednesday, and Thursday evenings the time of closing should be 5.30 p.m. It was further decided to circulate a petition to be signed by employees and employers, ’ requesting that the hour of closing on . Friday evening should he 9 o’clock , instead of 8.30. as laid down by the | present award, and that the Saturday i closing hour should he 12.30 p.m. in- I stead of 1 p.m. Tt is anticipated that I no difficulty will >rise as to the os- | tnblishing of these dosing hours, as the majority of employers and employees are in favour of them

Mr E. 'J'. Ingram, a candidate for the J vacant seat on the Hastings Borough Council, inserts an address to the elec- ' tors in this The firing party at Mr F. King’s funeral yesterday in Hastings, was supplied by Headquarters Company, Ist H.B. Battalion, in .charge of Sergeant Little. Leutenant H. C. A. j Fox sounded the “Last Post.” At last night’s meeting of householders of the Hastings Central School. • the chairman (Mr R. Henderson), regretted the number of changes which had taken place (.luring the year and the vast number of tempting appointments. which he said was not a fair thing to the scholars or the school, and was so much felt when the final examinations were on. He hoped that the Board would arrange that these changes should be macle at the' beginning of the year instead of in the middle of the term as at present.