LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4987, 14 June 1926, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Fine weather prevailed locally on Saturday, and the various winter spo'ts fixtures were proceeded with. Heavy min fell during Saturday night and yesterday morning. Towards midday the weather cleared considerably, and the wind veered round to a westerly direction, and brief intervals of sunshine were enjoyed.

Tiie Wharepoa ferry was closed last night at midnight, and tiie pontoon and gear were immediately shifted to Netherton, the ferry making her Q>’st trip from the new landing at 3 o’clock this morning.

At tiie annual meeting of tiie Thames Hospital Board to-d,ay Mr WE. Ha.le, on the motion of Mr E. LWalton, seconded by Mr C. W. Parfitt, was unanimously re-elected chairman.

The Department of Internal. Affairs has notified tiie Waihi Borough Council that the borough boundaries have been extended to take in Waihi Beach, consisting of 76 acres, and that Beach Road is also included in the borough .area. These properties now become rateable, and the lessees become electors of the borough.

Tiie district railway engineers are expected to arrive at Paeroa this morning, when the new Waihi line ifrom the Paeroa station to the To Aroha Road crossing will be tested. Careful inspection and a test of the double tra,ck bridge over the Ohinemuri River will also be made to-day. Provided everything is satisfactory, it is probable that the change-over to the new line will be made to-morrow.

The various sub-committees appointed are working assiduously in the interests of the prospective queens in connection with the Boy Scouts Queen Carnival and Fair. Considerable enterprise was shown by one committee on Saturday afternoon. A booth w.as arranged at the domain, and pies, cakes, tea and coffee were sold during the football matches, and it is understood that the outlay fully justified the undertaking. Already there is keen rivalry between the different factions, and many novel ways and means ha.ve been suggested to obtain votes for the queens.

The “gate” in Wellington for the Indian team’s match last Thursday was sold by the New Zealand Hockey Association for £lOO to the Wellington Hockey Association, with the proviso ,tha.t if it reached £5OO the New Zealand Associaion would get another £lOO. The total entrance money Was £Boo*. Th e Wellington Association, therefore, gets £6OO, less expenses. It is the biggest hockey “gate” ever recorded in New Zealand.

The Ha.uraki Drainage Board explained its attitude towards the proposal of the Horahia Drainage Board to have the two drainage districts amalgamated, to its' ratepayers at a meeting on Thursday afteriiooon and received a. mandate *b oppose amalgamation of the forthcoming commission.

According to the Otago Daily Times there is reason to believe that moonshine whisky is being manufactured in Southland’s back country, and that some is finding its way to Dunedin.

The newly erected double-wired fence on one side of, the No. 1 ground at the domain certainly acted as a means of restraining the spectators (from crowding on to .the side-line during the progress of the football match on Saturday afternoon. Despite the fact that’ the number of wires and posts has been increased, the strain of the spectators on the fence caused some of the wires to break, and others to sag. As a consequence the Yence “bellied” out almost to the side-line in some places.

An account of £26-odd due to Hie Post and Telegraph Department, being the deficiency on the year’s working of the Manga.taJ’ata telephone bureau, was received by the Plains County Council at Thursday’s, meeting. The clerk explained that the council had undertaken, on behalf of the settlers, to meet the deficiencyWith the exception of two men, the sellers had not honoured thejr bond for two years. It was decided to take steps to collect the money 'From the sellers who had entered into the bond.

The way the farmers of the Hiiuraki Plains are responding to the appeal to take books of tickets in tlie Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s art union augurs well for the future of the association, reports Mr W. Booth, its organiser and secretary. He states that almost without exception every farmer approached has taken one or more books of tickets, and that the position was very satisfactory indeed.

Para,des of Paeroa territorials, which have been suspended during the past three weeks on account of the annual postings, are to be resumed this week. The territorials are to parade at the local drill,shed this evening, and the senior cadets to-morrow evening.

There having been several cases of sickness among the children attending the Ngatea school, and some suspected cases of chicken-pox, the Public Health Department’s dloctor visited the school on Friday last, and conducted an examination with satisfactory results.

The extent of the locust pest in South Africa may be gauged from tlie fact that 832.896 swarms were destroyed in the Union, and over 110,000 in Beehuanaland and southwest Africa during the year ended June 30, 1925. The expenditure incurred in this connection amounted to £377,214. Over 1000 tons of industrialised locusts were ready for shipment from Argentina to Germany early this year. 'The shipment was to be made b.y the Defensa Agricola, the body which controls the locust destruction. Locusts were, some some years a.go, also used largely for dogs’ biscuits and chicken food.

Separators of all makes can be fitted with a, Pye Patent Pulley. Saves trouble, eliminates jar or shock.*