LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 22 May 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The piano used at the railway social on Wednesday night was kindly lent by Messrs Dixcm and Bates.

At the meeting of the Hawera County Council on Thursday, the Chairman (Mr Goodlumd) referred briefly to the death of the late Mr T. L. Joll, who, he said, was at one 'time a member of the Council. On his suggestion it was resolved to forward a letter of condolence with the widow and family. Shortly before 7 o'clock on Thursday evening soane dry ivy on a chimney of a dwelling in Victoria street became ignited through a spark falling on it. The Kiro Brigade were called out, but tEe fire was suppressed without their services.

Or Davidson asked the Chairman of the Hawera Comity Council at Thursday's meeting what were the profits on the toll-gates since they kid bean in operation, taking into account the payment of wages. The Chairman replied he could hardly tell off hand. The County Clerk stated that up to April 23 the receipts were about £2 9s 6d per day. He explained that when those figures were made up there were amounts to come in from the coachmen and waggoners, who paid monthly.

At Thursday's meeting of the Hawera County Council the question of the adjustment of accounts with Eltham County Council was referred to by Cr Davidson. He pointed out that no settlement had yet been arrived at,' although the Clerk and Cr Bridge were empowered to confer with Eltham Council and to brbg down a report for Saturday's mooting. Delay had been going on' too long, and if Eltham did not want a settlement then outside steps should be taken to get the money outstanding. The Chairman (Mr Goodland) said He had an interview with the Chairman of the

Eltham County Council, and a day next

week had been appointed for a conference to go into the matter. Cr Davidson : I am quite satisfied. At Thursday's meeting of the Hawem County Council, Cr Bridge said the Waimate Road Board were doing some work on the continuation of the NormanbyManaia road. The Board wanted metal for blinding, and the only place it could be obtained was in a pit on the Hawera side of the toll-gate. — The Chairman : Is it a fact! (Lauighter.) He asked <m behalf of the Road Board if the Council would refund part of the toll the contractor would have to pay going through the gate for bringing the metal on to the road. In reply to a query, Cr Bridge said that about 150 to 200 yards would be required, probably less than that. Cr Winks : Can we refund, Mr Budge? The County Clerk replied that be thought they could". Replying to Cr Tarrattt, Cr Bridge said the contractor

would have to use about half a mile of

the county road. The Chairman said he was a little bit surprised and amused at the request of the Board, seeing that it had often referred to the Council in

derogatory terms. However, two wrongs did not make a right, nrnd despite the fact that the Board had said that the Council «.re stony broke — (Cr Hastie : We "were" stony broke) — he was quite willing to .grant Waimate a concession. But the request, if granted, should not be taken

<is a .precedent. Of course it was expected that the Board would have to make good any damage done to (the road. Cr Bridge said that was only fair. Cr Tayrant moved, That the request bo granted, hui tha* it be limited to the special contract mentioned. Cr Davidson seconded the resolution, which was carried without dissent.

In an address on "The Awakening of China," at Auckland, the Rev. G. H. McNour, of the Canton Village Mission, sounded a note of warning. The changes which had taken place in China diuring the .past six years, he said, -wore greater than those which had occurred in connection with any other nation in the world. China now had an up-to-date army, and was determined upon enlarging and equipping it in proportion to her population. When one remembered that this numbered .something like four hundorcd millions, it was apparent that no individual nation, mot even two, could hope to stand against her. Eveiywhere the people were being inspired with a new patriotism, as was evidenced first in the boycott of American, amd later of Japanese goods. The Chinese

weore now beginning to discover that the

open-door policy was a peculiar one, in that the door opened ome way only. When China became modernised the in-

dustrial problem which it would raise

would bo a tremendous one. Her people could underlive and undersell any other nation. Our degislation as regards Eastern .emigrants would very soon be just worth the force we were prepared to put behind it. In conclusion, the speaker urged the cvamgelisation of China.

Gillies pud Nalder insert entries for their Auroa and Manaia sales on Monday and Tuesday respectively. Messrs W. H. and A. McGarry advertise a farm of 120 acres at Te v ßbti for lease. *