COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16040, 5 October 1915, Page 4

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OTTO OWN cobbespokdikts.] «» PUTARUBU. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CONCERT. A concert was held on Friday night to raise funds to liquidate the circuit funds of the Presbyterian Church. Despite unfavourable weather there was a very large and appreciative audience. Sir. Barr Brown, on behalf of the hall committee, presented the prizes won at the doll dressing competition, held some time ago in aid of the hall funds, to Miss McGowan, Miss McKewan, and Miss Roberts. The judges on that occasion were Mesdames Gillibrand and Kilgour. of Mamaku. Songs were sung by Mesdames Boulton, Pearson, Kilgour, Gillibrand, and Begbie, Miss M. Pearson and Master C. Pearson and Messrs. Harris, Tongs, Walker, and Leach. Mrs\ J. Barnes played the accompaniments. Recitations were given by Mrs. Begbie, Misses Scholz, Anderson, and Messrs. Begbie and the Rev. Anderson. A selection on the bagpipes was given by Mr. Geddis. Five little schoolgirls sang a part song entitled " Sunbeams." Refreshments were handed round. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded all who helped to make the entertainment a success. At the close the National Anthem was sung. . The net : proceeds were £5.

TE AWAMUTU. BOROUGH COUNCIL. The regular meeting of the Borough Council was held on Monday evening, the Mayor presiding. The Superintendent of the State Advances Office wrote, in reply to the council's application for a £12,000 loan for street improvements, stating that the present limit of advances to local bodies for any one year is £6000- The council unanimously supported the local chamber of commerce in urging an alteration in the law requiring a minimum population of 2000 persons before a fire board could ba established. It is suggested that the population basis be deleted from the conditions and that towns be entitled to a fire board provided the necessary fire-fighting equipment is available. It was decided that further effort be made to have Te Awamutu station included in the list of stopping places for the day express trains, especially the north-bound service. Mr. E. Rawson, S.M., delivered written judgment in the claim made by Messrs. Bray Bros., land agents, of Auckland, against George Paul, ex-stable proprietor, of Te Awamutu, claiming £26 2s, being commission on the sale of the business to Messrs. Finlay Bros. The plaintiffs were nonsuited with costs £3 9s. The annual mt- s ng of the Ladies' Croquet Club was held in the club's pavilion on Saturday afternoon, when the following officers were elected: Patron, Mrs. W. F. Stewart; president, Mrs. H. Y. Collins; vice-presidents, Mesdames E. C. Clarke and Win. Jeffery; committee, Mesdames A. J. Bray, F. B. Bowden, C. Battson, and F. Edgecumbe; secretary, Miss B. C. Stewart. The opening day has been fixed for October 13. The new set of 18 brass instruments for the local brass band has arrived from Messrs. Hawke and Sons, London. The set comprises 5 cornets, flugel horn, 3 saxhorns, 2 trombones, 2 baritones, euphonium, ? E flat emperor basses, B flat bass and 88. flat bass. The cost was over £300. Arrangements are being made for the Mayor, Mr. A. S. Wallace, to present the instruments, which are the property of the Borough Council, to the members of the band.

Various committees are now hard at ■work making preparations for the Labour Day celebrations. Bands from other centres will take part in the procession. CAMBRIDGE. REFERENCE LIBRARY. A valuable reference library purchased by the trustees of the old library, Messrs. Hally and Dickinson, out of thenbuilding fund, was on Wednesday formally handed over to the committee of the Carnegie Library. A special compartment has been provided for the volumes out of the same fund. In St. Andrew's parish schoolroom on Tuesday evening, the Rev. C. Mortimer Jones recounted his experiences at Home during the first few months of the war. There was a fairly good attendance, and the address was appreciatively listened to. A collection was taken up in aid of the camp institutes at Trentham and Featherston. During the evening Miss H. Stephenson contributed a pianoforte solo, and Miss Salary, a vocal solo. Vigorous efforts continue to be made to raise funds for the respective candidates of the queen carnival. A cafe chantant on Wednesday afternoon, at the residence of Mrs. S. Lewis, realised £12. The friendly societies also held clay pigeon shooting competitions- and a social in the evening, about £50 being raised. The first intimation regarding the position of the candidates in the Queen Carnival was made this week, the commercial candidate leading, with the farmers' representative next. A children's fete, organised bv the Sports Committee of the Queen Carnival, was held in Victoria Square on Friday, when over £50 was . netted. The first award in the baby show went to Lindsay Hay, Gladys Bc-yce being second. There were 11 other competitors. Much regret is expressed here at "the news of the death in Flanders of Mr. Nelson Rout. He left his home at Cambridge about two years ago in order to study medicine in Edinburgh. He enlisted shortly after the war broke out.

HAMILTON. APPEAL AGAINST LAND VALUATION. An appeal under the Death Duties Act, 1909, and the Valuation of Land Amendment Act, 1908, in regard to the assessment of land and death duties was heard before Mr. Rawson, S.M. The appellants, were Francis Bertram Jolly and Thos. Fredk. Jolly, farmers, of Frankton, and respondent, the ValuerGeneral. Mr. Wattes appeared for appellants and Mr. Hyde for the Department. Appellants were executors of the will of the late Mary Ridout Jolly, and lodged an appeal against the valuation of certain land in the estate, on the ground that it was above the selling value. Mr. Watts, referring to sections 30 and 31 of the Valuation of Land Act, said the former provided that after valuation by the Assessment Court, if the Valuer-General were ,dissatisfied" he had the power to fix a value and require the pwner to sell at the price, or consent to an increase. On the other hand, if the owner were dissatisfied he mav require the Valuer-General to i buy the land at the owner's price, or; bring the valuation down. Mr. Hyde said, in his opinion, the sections did not apply. An adjournment was granted to permit of the matter being referred to the Crown solicitor for an opinion. At a meeting of the Fire Board, Mr. , G. Parr' was elected chairman, vice Mr. I M. Darke, who has joined the Expeditionary Force. A number of complaints! from brigade members indicated deepest discontent, and it was decided to ask the inspector, Mr. Hugo, to conduct an ! inquiry. The makers intimated that delivery of the new engine was delayed indefinitely, as the whole of the outnut of the works had been commandeered by the Imperial Government. For the central fire station site. Garden Place was definitely abandoned, as it was considered dangerous. Inquiries are to he made concerning th» education reserve in the main 1 street. The estimated annual expenditure of £600 was BTvnroved by the Minister for Internal Affairs. The attention of the Borough Council is to be drawn to the inadequate pumping plant. An old resident. Mr. John Dudley Webb, exnired suddenly. The verdict at the inquest- wns that death was due to congestion r>f the lungs. Mr. L. W. J. MV*Kee has consented, at the request of a deputation from the executive, to a<rain offer himself for nomination as president of the Waikato Winter Show Association. In the course of his remarks made at the opening of the National Reserve's miniature rifle range on Thursday night. Mr. A. E. Manning, the Mavor, suggested t>hat the unit should establish a club in

' " "'"■*' ' ,- " '' ' "* Hamilton, -with the object of serving the double purpose of entertainment for the members and for soldiers going to and returning from the front. The project is likely to be taken up, and put in concrete shape shortly. m'n At the annual meeting of the Waikato Cricket Association the following officers •were elected :—President, Mr. E. Wilson ; vice-presidents, Archdeacon Cowie, Dr. Rogers, Dr. Douglas, Messrs. H. T. Gillies, J E. Hammond, and A. H. Tompkins; hon. secretary, Mr. R. Moffatt; hon. treasurer. Mr. W. Pomeroy; ground committee, Messrs. E. Lentfern, R. Jacobsen, R. Loveridge, and R. Moffatt; Domain Board representative, Mr. R. Moffatt. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £25 12s gd. Matches will commence in October. HUNTLY. % FISHING PROSPECTS. Trout are reported to be more numerous than they were last year, the systematic j stocking with yearling and older nsli hav- I ing thus proved hignly successful, the j opening of the season a month earlier than j in previous years has given great satis- J faction, as about Christmas time tne trout /disappear and do not return in any great 'number until the succeeding year, while before Cnristmas they are generally fairly numerous. . ' Not long ago the natives and settlers living on' the banks of the Waikato, as far up as Mercer, and even furtner up, ' were able at tins time of the year to catch whitebait, and to use this delicate little fish as a common and every-day article of /food. Things, however, are j changed, and to-day the whitebait is sel- ! dom met with in any quantity near Mercer, the extensive netting that g*es on i from the Waikato Heads to Tuakau preventing the fish from getting up stream. Formerly canning was the means adopted to preserve this delicacy, but this year it seems that this is not done, the whole of the catches being bought by an Auckland merchant. . -

Owing to the flooded state of the river and the consequent discolouration of the water, as well as the, abundant supply of feed, the trout-fishing season of 1915 did riot open as auspiciously as that of the preceding year. Mr. A. Crowdsr, who, by the way, was the first fisherman to catch a trout in the lower reaches of the Waikato, topped the list with five. As a rule the trout are small, averaging about 21b, but so strong and vigorous that they do not fail to put up a good fight. The monthly meeting of the Huntly Road Board was held on Saturday, Mr. J. P. Bailey presiding. A deputation from Orini and Te Hoe settlers waited

on the board with reference to road connection with Hamilton. The matter has

been hung up pending the agreement of the settlers on one of the four routes proposed, v and upon arrangements being effected with the Kirikiriroa Road Board for an outlet on the south, side of the Marigawhara Stream. The four roads proposed are —Proctor's, which has road connection of both sides of the stream; the sandy drain, which has access on the south, but not on the north, while a grant for the erection of a bridge has been promised ; Sedgwick's, which has no public road on either side, though the settlers offer to give it free of cost, while the stream is already bridged; and the Orini land 'syndicate's, which offers land free and fenced, with half cost of formation, and bridge stringers at j;ost price. Controversy is divided between the last two, the Kirikiriroa Road Board approving on the ■understanding that the Huntly Board take over the northern portion of the road when it has been made. In reply to Mr. F. W. W. Hubbard, who headed the deputation . Mr. Bailev stated that the board, while • sympathising with, and appreciating the difficulties of. the settlers, could do nothing until local opinion was more unanimous than it appeared to be at present. The same reply was given to the settlers' request, made by Mr. G. McAdam, that the board do nothing until the report of the Government engineer was available. The board resolved to donate £5 to the Waistcoat Fund, and accounts totalling £99 3s 4d were passed for payment. . WAIHI. MEETING OP FORESTERS. The quarterly meeting of Court Waihi, A.0.F., was held on iuesday evening in the Foresters' Hall, Bro. G. E. Armour, C.R., presiding. A roll oi honour with, the names of the Waihi Foresters who have left for the front, and encased in a j handsome frame, presented to the court, by Bro. J. Lockington, was hung on the wall. t # ! The monthly meeting of the Waihi i Borough Council was held on Friday even- i ing, the Mayor, Mr. D. Donaldson, pre- ] siding. Gold declarations were received announcing the purchase ■ within the i borough during the month of 32,3190z of j gold. A letter from the Auckland Education Board thanked the council for its public-spirited action in granting a substantial sum of money towards the parchase of typewriters for the Technical School, and at the same time drew attention to the benefits to be derived from the course of instruction afforded in the ! cookery department of the school, which I was under a skill ad head. An applica- I tion from the Hospital Board for a fourth ] levy of £250 towards the maintenance of ( the hospital for the current year was | granted. The , Finance Committee's re- I port gave the district fund debit balance as £15,847 16s 7d after meeting - accounts totalling £760 4s 3d. Against this gold duty due amounted to £11,831, leaving an actual debit, if paid in, of £4016 16s 7d. The Mayor gave a resume of the , proceedings at the annual meeting of the Auckland Railways League, at which he j represented the council. He said, the j chairman, Mr. G. L. Peacocke, had done j splendid woi», and deserved much credit j for his effort* in the direction of opening up the country by means of railway lines which tapped valuable tracts of country l and induced speedy settlement. = I

TE AROHA. FAREWELL TO TEACHER. A large number of Waihou residents 1 met on Friday to bid farewell to Mr. Rice, who has been head'schoolmaster j there for many years, and who has been I appointed to the charge of the Netherton school. Mr. M. O'Donoghue, on behalf of the residents of Waihou, presented Mr. Rice with a gold watch and chain. The children also presented their departing teacher with a dressing-case. A most successful social, in aid of the Patriotic Fund, was held here the other day. A Union Jack, presented by Mr. Les Boles, was sold by auction, the progressive bidding resulting in the sum of £40 lis being added to the fund. A meeting of the executive of the Thames Valley A. P. and H. Association was held on Saturday evening. Mr. J. A. Clothier, who presided, reported that the sum of £92 had been collected, making a total of £181 17s in hand. A patriotic euchre tournament was held in the Te Aroha tea kiosk on Friday evening to collect stationery for the men at the front. The prize-winners handed their prizes in to be auctioned in aid of the" fund, these realising the sum of 20s 6d. A large amount of stationery was collected. A number of Te Aroha anglers, who visited the streams in the vicinity of I Tirau, report having secured some* fairsized fish.