COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15132, 24 October 1912, Page 9

COUNTRY NEWS.

:* •'■ .. - . ■:■ '» '■''.'"'': ■ -j, ■-".. ':.'■',-... ' •- *- : i : . • ' DARGAVILLE. ~ _ SOBSON COUNTY .council.' .' .A. meeting of the ; Hobson County ; ! Council was held at Dargaville on Thursday, Mr. H. J. glade presided, and there were also present, Messrs. Dargaville, Hawkins, Trounson, '-.Hemphill,, Montgomery, ' and Barker. The financial statement showed an, overdraft of I £3277. It was decided ! acquire the riglib of ' landing metal: at j Awakuio Point bypayment of £10, to call for fresh tenders for work at Hoanga, and -i to -contribute £IJ> towards clearing the i Otiria creek. < The Public Trustee, wrote j that the terms; on which the Public Trust j ;Office . would; lend ;; the \ Council £10,000, would .be five per cent., plus oiio per cent, .' sinking fund, on the condition that the j money was not required before next April. The Prime Minister wrote that he was I unable to grant the Council any royalties j on timber. sold from State forest reserves. ! Ifc. was.resolved to notify settlers, in Ara- ; tapu Riding that the present road drains would , soon be filled in, and that if they desired to form new drains close to their ! fences, the Council would permit such to be ; excavated on the toad: line. ;' ; ■'■■• A meeting of the council of the Kaipara Chamber of Commerce was held at Dargavillei: last ; week, there being .: present: Messrs. P. A. Jones > (president),. E.' C. Smith, J. Hogg, F. Carr,;EvC.Williams, G. H. Bellamy, A. E. Harding, and, F.J. Dargaville. A communication was received from the Railway Department in reference: to the ; issue' of .through tickets from Auckland to Mount: Rex, and it was decided •to request the Kaipara;- shipping companies ;. to denote •in their. time-tables the dates on which steamers leave Mount Rex instead of Helensville for Upper Kai-" para ports. '.;,- The Department also intimated that improvements in regard ,to the handling of passengers' luggage was under, con-, sideration. In/ Teply ; to ; the Chambers request to the Hobson County;.. Council'! it shoqld undertake a comprehensive loan j policy for roads improvement, the Council! wrote that it had several loans under con- I sideration at the present .-. time.- On the motion 'of Mr. A. E. • Harding^it;-> : as ' resolved that owing to- the, phenomenal de- : mand for land in the Northern Wairoa , district by intending settlers, .the Crown ■ Land Board be' requested' to expedite the disposal of the remaining "Crown sections i in" the Awakino Valley. It was; decided on : the ' motion .of < Mr.^Dargaville;to ask the Minister for • Marine to place two dolphins at the TangitQci inner; passage, in i order' that steamship navigation, might be. further facilitated. # THAMES. ' THE CHAMBER OF ; COMMERCE. At the annual meeting;of the Thames Chamber of Commerce Mr., S. A. Hetheringten was reappointed president or ". th»y ensuing year. In the.annual report of. the , Council, as read, reference was ■'■ made to the steps taken to secure direct communication with the Hauraki • Plains by a , ferry over the, Thames Rive;? at Kopu, the site adopted by the Government engineer. l Tlie deviation of; the proposed Pokeno-Paenja railway: to a : deep water terminus .at Kopu was also strongly advocated. Satisfaction was/expressed:•; at, the improved 'railway service to Thames, and a. general business; improvement thereon was noticed. Dealing with various -postal-reforms a• strong protest was made against the exclusion of I the Thames from Auckland-telephone exI change during; the day, and a; request was I made for an improved telephone service with Auckland for " the j whole of the Thames Valley. It ; was also decided to point out the necessity which existed for the appointment of justices of the.peace for the Hauraki Plains. I v. At the close of the meeting an interesting address on dairying and pastoral industries in ; relation to the Thames was given by Pastor Clarke, of Puriri. ; Th* ■ remarkable advance made by these industries in the district!surrounding Thames was pointed out, and "various projects were advocated, whereby this prosperity could be turned to.the mutual advantage of town and country. .

CAMBRIDGE. .

LOAN . POLL BETUBNS. Polling took place on Saturday on : the proposals of the Matamata : Comity Council to raise loans for road improvements■ of, £12,000 for the Matamata Riding ; and £15,000: for the Patetere Riding. •■The" loan was sanctioned tfor the.Matamata EidV ing by 101 votes to 12, but was rejected by 99 votes to 85 for Patetere. - \- *'' Unusually low tests for milk are so far a feature of the dairying season, and the only' explanation forthcoming ; of ' the circumstance is that the grass... is just; now of: an exceptionally watery nature.. Many, farmers are dissatisfied with the tests made, and are agitating for a system of; independent teste be made by & Government official. ',< . - , > • ;'..'■: - The Rev. J. Dawson and Mr. : Wesley Sprngg addressed a" meeting, in Cambridge on Monday ; evening in favour- of. adherents of no-license giving support only to thoso Parliamentary candidates who would pledge themselves to reduce the present handicap .of the three-fifths majority. There .was an attendance, of about "40 persons, and all, .it was understood, were prepared 'to adopt the' proposals of the speakers. .. . i .' . ;

PUKEKOHE.

EOJSJ) BOABD - ELECTION. V An election was held on Tuesday to fill an extraordinary vacancy , in - the Pukekohe Borough Council. : The candidates : ; wero Mr. Jas. Kenelly and Mr. A. E. ..Wilkinson. Mr. F. ! Deane, town clerk,' acted as returning officer. The result of the election was s Mr. Kenelly, 208 ''j Mr, - Wilkinsotf&l23. '■■■■' -> : . ■,-.;.' Mmflyiniam Dunn, the well-known Puke-kffßflßtbrse-breeder, a||fered a severe lose a fp|days ago' by«fflftteath of his wellknown hdhvy drau£fK»T>rood mare Ruby. This mare Has been exhibited by Mr. Dunn at all the. leading Auckland shows, and out of Wlaiirances Ruby succeeded in winning 18 first prizes, three championships, and three reserve championships. The loss is a heavy one as - the mare was worth 200gns. . . ~-." "-.; \r. .

TE AROHA. .; PEdSPECTS FOR THE SHOW. 'A meeting- of the TeAroha A. and P. Association executive was < held on Saturday evening. Therjj was a good attendance of members, the president (Mr. Fred. Strange) occupying the chair. The secretary reported additional prizes received, and altogether everything promises favourably for a record show., The floor of the shed is to be asphalted, while the grounds have recently .been grassed, rolled, and levelled. Additional yarding accommodation is to be provided. Messrs. Dalgety and Co. have made proposals to the A. and P. Association and the Doroaitn Board with a view to holding stock sales on the show ground. It is understood that the firm ie prepared to erect substantial- yards, suitable for use at the annual show., At ' the monthlv meeting of the Eastport Road (Waitoa) Progress Committee.; Mr. Horn eroding, a letter was received front the chief post officepromising immediate attention to the proposed rural postal delivery. The secretary (Mr. West) reported that the sub-committee had canvassed the Eastport district on behalf ; of the proposed new school, and; found that 43 children reside in the new school area, and that ,the parents were anxious that a new school Should be established on' the' Eastport Road. It was decided lio reconimend thai a site be chosen between the creamery'.

arid. Mr." Mackay V- section, in the event of the -Board* acceding <to the settlers'; wishes. A letter was received' from the Piakc county clerk stating that £300 had: been set aside 'for J sanding the; Etistport Road out of the £8000 loan ! raised in the Waitoa Siding, and ; that 'it would' take approximately £1500 to : metal the Eastport Road. It was resolved that the ; Council be requested to spend the £300 available out of the present loan and; any grant forthcoming ■ in- metalling \ the road, near the creamery. : Mr. Magifi. explained that so far as tho , Drainage -Board election -was concerned it would be impossible to hold, an election on : tie legal' ato. Owing to the rate: roll being impounded in the Magistrate's Court the election would ,be indefinitely postponed, the present Board continuing in office until, further notice. ■>•>'• . ."■■'' .AIDANT. "., ' A FARM' SALE. ', : ":\ Messrs. A. Buekland and Sons conducted a, very snccesssful clearing sale on Saturday, October 19, on the farm of Mr. S. A. Tilley. Cattle and horses sold up to their full value,' jmd:/'''impl6mente^ , were all quitted at very, sati/sfactory prices.' "\- : . '■"The first anniversary of the opening of the Coronation Hall is; to be celebrated '■ on October 25 by a concert and dance. '"■'■