LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 19 June 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

(So far the Government has not done more than promise to secure Trounson's Park of kauri forest as a reserve, and the Kaipara Chamber oi" Commerce has decided to urge the Premier to action. The chamber considered that' if the kauri forest were lost to the people it would be "a national catastrophe."

if repairs are carried out over a stretch of less than two miles in the Houto valley, Mr Thorley considers that he will b e able to resume the motor servic c between Whangarei and Dargaville. The Hobson County has signified its intention to carry *out its part of the required work, and application will be made to the Whangarei Council to authorise repair in the section under its control.

As a further indication that local, body representatives of country folk favour the universal Saturday haifholiday movement, it is interesting to note that the Hobson County Council has followed the lead of the Whangarei County representatives by endorsing the terms of the remit from the Stratford Borough Council asking that (Saturday be declared Iby law the weekly half-holiday throughout the Dominion.

Asked whether the road between Poroti and Titoki was negotiable by motor car, a well known driver replied: "Oh, yes; for you see one has such a wide scop e of country there." A little reflection, and calling to mind sundry cross country deviations through th e tea-tree- along the sides of the road in the Wheki Valley, made the enigmatical reply intelligible.

The Hon. J. G. Coates has promised the Kaipara Chamber of Com-

merce that a Government official will ibe sent to Dargaville to inquire into ways and means of providing a 'hydro-electric ,power scheme there The Dargaville Borough Council has set up a committee to investigate the possibility of obtaining the electricity from the Wairua Falls, from whicn source it was claimed Dargaville had a right to receive power.

Rifle shooting as a sport has steadily drawn an increasing number of adherents in Whangarei, and at the annual meeting of the Whangarei platoon of the Marsden Defence Rifles held Mst evening considerable enthusiasm was shown by the very satisfactory attendance. Mr A. Drever was elected vice-president and Mr W. N. Jack secretary and treasurer. Messrs D Smeal, G. Patterson and J Lilley,.with the vice-president and secretary constitute the management committee. Shooting will be recommenced as soon as the weather becomes reasonably favourable.

Speaking of existing conditions at the cattle sales, a leading local auctioneer declared that the only solution to the glutted state of the market for all classes other than dairy stock, was to be found in provision of more shipping facilities, t 0 get away the frozen stocks from the works. As for beef, the effect of the lifting of the commandeer next month, which had regulated the price for the past four years, made future marketing a straight-out gamble, as it was impossible to foretell what would be the result in prices on an open market,

The organising secretary of the Kaipara branch of the Farmers' Union, brought before a meeting of that body the matter of establishing Clubs" in the different districts and stated" that there were approximately 50,000 dairy herds in New Zealand, the majority of which were not provided with bulls of the pure-bred type. This matter received the hearty support of the meeting and the secretary was instructed to get what information he could as to the procuring of purebred calves from the various breeding associations.

Of the various classes of horse in the district, it has been considered that efforts should ibe made to arouse more competition at the A. and P. Shows in the events for hunters. With that object in view Mr J. A. S. Mackay has offered a silver cup to the Whangarei A. and P. Society as a trophy for the winner in the Champion Hunter class. The cup may foe retained by winning it for three years. Mr Mackay has also collected £50 for the purpose of improving the hunter classes, and has intimated to the society that he will confer with the donors as to the ibest way of utilising the money for that purpose,