COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16034, 28 September 1915, Page 4

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OTT» own cobbespondents. HAMILTON. WAIKATO HOSPITAL BOAED.

The doctor's report to the Waikato Hospital Board showed the daily average of patients for the month as 12, operations 71. Dr. Penfold had joined the staff. A deputation from friendly societies submitted proposals that the board adopt the system in vogue in Auckland, Waihi, and Thames, whereby members of societies receive treatment in the hospital at the rate of 2s 3d a day for adults and Is 2£d for children. The matter was referred to the House Committee.

Ihe Supreme Court sessions were concluded on Thursday. In the claim for wrongful detention of sheep, Skinner and Sykes v. the Farmers' Auctioneering Company, which had been adjourned for legal argument, it was announced that a settlement had been arrived at after the jury's verdict for plaintiffs on all issues submitted to it. The damages wero calculated at £192 12s 3d and costs, the action being settled at £162 3s 2d. At a meeting of the executive of the Waikato Winter Show Association, the balance-sheet was approved. It showed that £856 had been written off, in accordance with the resolution of the executive, and 8 per cent, allowed for depreciation on buildings and plant, £335 had been devoted to the Hospital Ship Fund, and after paying out prize money, etc., there was a profit of £250 on the year's working.

At the annual meeting of the Hamilton branch of the New Zealand Baptist Women's Missionary Union, the report showed that £23 had been contributed to the women's work of the Missionary Society. The following officers were elected : —President, Mrs. Hercus ; secretary, Mrs. Wernham ; treasurer, Mrs. Lea.

An " At Home" under the auspices of the Victoria League, on behalf of the Soldiers' Christmas Gift League, realised £13 10s. A musical programme was provided by Messrs. Joll and Wright, Mesdames Ross and Towsey, Misses Milne, N. Furze, MeGarry, and Lovell.

A " Home Mission rally" was held in St. Andrew's Church. Rev. D. J. Shaw, moderator of the presbytery, presided, and addresses were given on various phases of home mission work by all the homo mission agents, engaged within the bounds of the Waikato Presbytery. A sale of gifts donated to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, realised over £50. It is proposed to hold sales periodically. Twenty-three borough leases were- submitted for sale by auction recently. All were disposed of at prices exceeding the upset price in all but two cases. The annual rental aggregated £166 10s, against an upset of £130 10s. At Friday's meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council, the Minister for Agriculture intimated that with a view to definitelv settling the abattoir site, the director of the live stock division would visit Hamilton at an early date. It was decided to reply that the council saw no reason to reopen Use question, as a site had been secured, and the council had been waiting over a year for the Minister's sanction. The Beautifying Society complained of damage done by straying horses at night, and it was decided to call the attention of the ranger to the matter. In reply to a question regarding the saleyards' loan, the Mayor stated that owing to the tightness of the money market the debentures were not being taken up, and the tradespeople had not redeemed t'?eir promise to take up £1000 worth. The Domain Board intimated that the site known as the " Chinamen's Gardens" would be :equiie) for tecreat'on purposes at the end, of the present year. The board also offered to allow Sections 320 and 325 west, to be taken under the Public Works Act for £750. The council decided to purchase the land at the Government valuation, in accordance with the original agreement. An offer to supply river shingle at 3s 6d per yard on trucks at Otorohanga, was accepted. The engineer reported that six building permits, representing a value of £2040 had been issued during the month. As the result of a conference between the Hamilton and Frankton Councils it was decided to provide facilities for the electrical engineer and Frankton Borough to ascertain the attitude of Hamilton users of power in regard to the installation of electricity. The Hamilton Club scored a distinct success by its read of "Jack Straw." There was a. large audience, who warmly expressed their appreciation of the performance. The cast was -'s* follows : —

Jack Straw, Mr. A. E. Manning; Mrs. Parker-Jennings, Mrs. H. Valder; Mr. Parker-Jennings, Mr. E. Wilson : Lady Wanley, Mrs. Brewis ; Ambrose Holland, Mr. Swa.'bu'-k: Vi-'-ent. Mr W. Ranstead ; Lord Serlo, Mr. De la Mare; Von Bremer, Mr. Jacobsen; Ethel, Miss Christie.

WAIHI.

HOSPITAL BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held on Friday evening Mr. D. Donaldson (chairman) presiding. The medical superintend dent's report gave the admissions for the month as 28, discharges 25, deaths 2, remaining for treatment 38. The question of procuring a new and up-to-date X-ray plant was discussed, and it was decided to authorise the chairman and medical superintendent to order a plant at a cost not exceeding £200, subject to certain information asked for from the manufacturers proving satisfactory. It was decided to apply to the Borough Council for an instalment of £250 towards hospital maintenance. Accounts totalling £499 were passed for payment. The weekly parade of the Waihi unit of the National Reserve was held on Friday evening, and was well attended. The company, 50 strong, was put through a course of drill on the recreation reserve bv Major Kenrick and Lieutenant J. G. Carnes. The strength of the unit has now reached 80.

CAMBRIDGE.

QUEEN CARNIVAL.

A garden fete, organised by the Farmers' Committee of the Queen Carnival, was held on Mr. W. F. Sinclair's estate at Gorton on Wednesday afternoon, between four and five hundred people attending. The net proceeds reached £84 12s sd. An interesting competition was one in which the height of a tree had to be guessed. This was won by Mr. Georgo Price, of Karapiro, who guessed 'within two inches of the actual height. A clay pigeon shooting competition attracted a large number of competitors. The latest to otter themselves for active service are Messrs. Jno. Rowe, of the Central Hotel, and H. W. Gelling, headmaster of the Leamington St!ate School. Payments to suppliers by the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Company for the month of August totalled £3092 8a 3d, representing 46,3811b of butter-fat at Is 4d, as 'arainst £1989 13s 6d and 38,3711b of butter-fat at Is Ojd for the corresponding month last year. The increase is mainly accounted for by the excellent season now being experienced. The motor-car stolen from Mr. Mervyn Wells's private garage on Monday night last was found , near Kihikihi, abandoned in a damaged condition, due to having been driven with insufficient water in the tank. Victuals were found in the car, so it is evident the thieves contemplated a. fairly extended tour. The monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held on Friday, evening, the Mayor, Mr. M. Wells, presiding. Mr. H. D. Dallimore made the statutory declaration and took his seat. A comprehensive letter written by the town clerk was read, placing on record the council's responsibility in regard to the Carnegie Library. It was decided to telegraph to the Prime Minister saying that the Government's delay in not amending the Gaming and Lotteries Act was seriously prejudicing the funds of the queen carnival now being held here, and asking that a pronouncement be made as early as possible. The financial statement showed the general i

account to he £2904 in defjib. Accounts totalling £792 were passed for payment, including £351 interest on loans and £39 sinking fund. Discussion too place as to the Eroposed local roll of honour, and Messrs. lallimore, Wilkinson and the Mayor were appointed to take charge of the matter. Votes of sympathy were passed with the widow and family of the late Mr. Murdoch Anderson, who had been a valued member of the council, and with the mother of Sergeant G. F. McNeish, killed in action at the Dardanelles.- The recommendation of the Works Committee to kerb and channel and grade and form the southern portion of Victoria Street at an estimated cost of £1200 was agreed to. Mr. W. Dick, of the firm of Dick, Browning and Co., has received a, commission in the Army Service Corps, and leaves hero early next month. Mr. A. Ramsay, of Leamington, has given a section of land at Tauwhare on which to erect a Presbyterian church. It is hoped to have the building ready for use by the beginning of next year. A "Paddy's market," organised by the committee supporting the commercial candidate,'was held in the main street opposite the post office on Saturday. Gifts of all kinds were forthcoming from the citizens, and these were retailed to good advantage by an army of patriotic saleswomen. In the evening the unsold goods were disposed of by auction. A substantial sum was realised by the effort.

MORRINSVTLLE. TOWN BOARD MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the Town Board on Thursday night the chairman was appointed to represent the board on the Tauranga-Waikato Railway League. A grant of £15 per annum for the upkeep of the reading room at the library was passed. The chairman was instructed to arrange with the solicitor to get the Maori Reserve case brought before the Court without further delay. The board decided that nothing more could be done regarding the water scheme until the engineer had ascertained the owners of the land required to be taken and the amount that they were asking for it. The clerk reported that the board's balance was £216.

Mr. W. McHardy, president, occupied the chair at the monthly meeting of the Farmers' Union. A deputation was appointed to meet the Farmers' Auctioneering Company and discuss the holding of sales fortnightly, instead of every three weeks, during the busy season of the year July to December ; also to request them to provide a second entrance to their yards, to relieve the congestion in the main street on sale days. A letter from the Prime Minister was* forwarded by the secretary of the Provincial Union in reference to the resolution passed by this branch asking for the removal of the embargo on the export of fat stock. The letter stated that the resolution passed by the butchers had nothing whatever to do with the embargo. The Imperial Government had requisitioned all available meat and, on account of the drought, fat lambs had been exported to the London market to avoid loss to the farmers. A request had come asking that stock be exported to New South Wries, but he could not be a party to such a serious breach of faith. As to cattle having been bought for export, the people who bought them should have made themselves acquainted with the position before speculating in food requirements. The chairman stated that the branch had passed the resolution in order to find out the facts of the case. Mr. Dempter, Government dairy expert, gave a very interesting address on the dairy industry. The ladies' medal match played recently at the golf links was won by Miss Seales, with a score of 68: and S." Hobday won the men's match with a score of 72.

Mr. J. H. Lynch, of the local post office staff, was married recently, and a presentation of an oak biscuit-barrel was made to him a few days ago bv the postmaster on behalf of the local staff. On account of the shortage of medical men, owing to the war, the Health Department requested Dr. Cross to remove from here to Waverley, which is without a medical man owing to Dr. Harvev volunteering for the front. The doctor'decided to accede to the Department's request, but will return here when Dr. Harvey comes back.

Mrs. Balfour has received a letter from the secretary of the War Refugees' Office in London to the effect that the consignment of clothing sent from here for the Belgians was an excellent one, suitable for the better class of refugees. Mrs. Balfour has now two cases of warm garments ready to send away. The net proceeds of the recent Rifle Club social amounted to £24 16s. of which £16 has been set aside for purchasing an artificial limb for Rifleman Soper, who lost a leg at the Dardanelles. The balance goes to the local branch of the St. John Ambulance Association. The "gift sales" held every Saturday are being well patronised, the weekly takings averaging about £7. The proceeds are for the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The shareholders of the Richmond Downs Co-operative Dairy Company have acquired the New Zealand Dairy Association's factory, near Walton, and intend to convert it into a cheese factory, which will be run on co-operative lines. * A plant has already been secured. The residents of Waharoa met recently and decided to form a drainage area", under the Matamata County Council, to drain the Waitoa Creek, and a committee was set up to further the project. It was also decided to endeavour to have the telephone bureau converted into an exchange.

THAMES. WARDEN'S COURT. At the fortnightly sitting of the Thames Warden's Court on Friday, the Waitangi Gold Mining Company was charged by the mining inspector, Mr. M. Paul, with working the tube mill at their battery on Sunday without having first obtained permission from the inspector. The inspector explained that the machinery was worked by water power from the county reservoir, and as the county waterrace which supplied the reservoir was usually shut oft for repairs on Sundays, the council did not allow water from the reservoir to be used on that day for power. The Waitangi Company, by breaking this rule, had not only committed a breach of the Mining Act, but had imperilled the safety of the town in case a fire had broken out. Defendants admitted the offence and were fined £1 and costs. The following miscellaneous applications were dealt with:—A. Bright, license for the Dmkum special quartz claim, granted for 42 years ; J. Cook, renewal of residence site, Collarbone Creek, granted ; E. Brownlee exchange of residence site license, Inshtown, granted; J. Lyes, application for residence site, granted for 42 years; F. Wind, residence site, Hape Creek, granted for 42 years; C. H. Robins, surrender of the New Alburnia and New Alburnia Extended claims, accepted; J Barclay, surrender of the White Cliffs special quartz claim, accepted.

TE AROHA.

NATIONAL RESERVE.

A largely-attended meeting of the local branch of the National Reserve was held the other evening. Captain R. S. Somers delivered an interesting address, urging members of the reserve to stand shoulder to shoulder and attend tlhe parades. The monthly meeting of the Borough Council was presided over by the Mayor, Mr. Norrell. The State Advances Office wrote stating that a loan of £320 had been remitted for sewerage and drainage. A social was tendered as a welcome to Major Tattersall at Waihou on Wednesday evening, the proceeds, £19 2s, being devoted to the Red Cross Fund. There was a very large number present. The Te Aroha Co-operative Dairy Compny paid out £3166 15s 6d for butter-fat in August.

KARANGAHAKE.

PATRIOTIC CONCERT.

A concert organised by Mrs. Barkle and a number of local young women in aid of the Patriotic Fund netted the sum of £35. The concert party intends giving the concert in other places. °