TOWN EDITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15743, 7 February 1922, Page 6

TOWN EDITION.

At a meeting of the local Holiday Association to-day it was decided to close at 1 p.m. on Friday next on the occasion of the Trotting Club’s annual gathering. This is in addition to the usual Thursday half-holiday.

An individual named Patrick James Plieiy who has been wanted by the police on a warrant charging him with wife desertion since June 8, 1921, has been arrested at Te Araroa by {.'oust. Mclntyre, and will probably be remanded to Otorolinnga, where the warrant was sworn.

According to a local police official, diirini,- the present period of race dates there lias been a notable absence ol the class of banger-on termed spieler. These characters, who live by their wits on the prey wliic.li fortune sends them out of racing crowds, seem to have dwindled in strength, and not one, it is stated, is to be seen in Gisborne to-day. Is it another sign of the times? “Persons going into hotels to procure meals must observe the law,” said Mr. E. I). Mosley, S.M., at the Timaru Magistrate’s Court in giving his decision in a case in which the defendant was charged with being on licensed premises after the closing hour. ‘‘When a meal is finished they must quit the licensed premises. Of course they must have reasonable time—but T do not mean half-an-hour. The Court must not be asked to stretch a reasonable time too far.” After years of waiting, and just when the inhabitants of Geraldine had almost given up all hopes of the Soldiers’ Memorial Cross to which they laid subscribed being erected, hope- has been again revived, and a concrete bed lias been laid on which the cross will some day stand. Unfortunately the Telegraph Department (states the Timavu Post), has erected a telegraph pole exactly opposite the site. People are naturally indignant at this unnecessary disfigurement, and it is intended to enter a protest. The diairman of the Cook County Council, Air. G. M. Reynolds, to-day had a discussion with Mr. R. M. Page, the visiting Government forestry expert, on the question of tree-planting on waste spaces at the disposal of the County. Mr. Reynolds is himself somewhat of an expert in the matter of tree-planting, and the discussion, therefor, should be of great benefit to the Council, which at last night’s meeting appointed the chairman and Cr. Sherratt to be a committee to enquire into the subject. The information obtained will be considered by the committee in due course, ancl a recommendation placed before the Council. A return visit to New Zealand is now being made by the Rev. S. J. Holian. until recently superintendent of the Kyd nev Central Methodist Mission. Air lloban preached for six years to tlie largest congregation in the Soul hern Hemisphere, bis regular evening midi dices at the Lyceum numbering 2500. He also controlled the immense organisation of the mission, which includes working men’s homes, rescue homes, sisterhoods, evangelists’ training school, hostels, and other philanthropic- agon oies. Mr. lloban, who is spending a brief holiday in New Zealand, is expected to arrive overland from Rotorua on Friday or Saturday next. He will speak in Kvervbodv's Theatre on Sunday even-

A great number of farmer.-, arc now availing themselves of the large number of motor lorries now in the district to convey their wool and general produce to Dunedin and other centres (says the Clntha Leader). In past seasons the work was dune by the railways, hut with the curtailments and increased freightage the producer is naturally looking to a more expeditious and economical method of conveyance. Although a great deal is not saved as far as actual transport charges are concerned, the great advantage of motor transport is that the goods can be uc-livcv.-ed right at the place of business, an ! there are none of the inevitable delays and losses occasionally associated with carriage by rail. A distressing fatality occurred at Timaru Park last week, when a little girl was found drowned in a pond. The child, Edvtlie Cecilia Kempthorne, daughter of Air and Airs Kempthorne, wandered from home about twenty minutes to nine. Her mother missed her within a few minutes, and immediately went in search. A lady had noticed (he little girl, who was three and a half years of age, going through the Park grounds, but thought that the mother was probably walking somewhere in front. The mother soon afterwards came along making inquiries for the child, only to discover that the wee tot’s body had been noticed floating in the pond in about 2ft. 6in. of water. At the spot where the futility occurred a brood of young ducks had been noticed previously, and it is supposed that the child had been attracted by these, and fallen into the water in her eagerness to get closer to the waterfowl.

A visitor to Blenheim from Hawke’s Bay, after travelling round the district, remarked to a reporter upon the very general use of pinus insignis and barberry hedges surrounding orchards. He fully appreciated tho necessity for breakwinds, but as far as he could gather their usefulness in this respect was considerably nullified by the fact that both growths were recognised 'as harboring the dread woolly aphis. Several instances in the North had come under his notice where orchardists had either refused 'to plant pinus insignis or had rooted it out after planting it adjacent to orchard lands. The substitute—if such it could be termed—in tho Hastings district was s.lver birch- This tree, planted as shelter, was very efficient and of fine appearance. It grew rapidly large and in about the sixth year the whole centre was cut away, causing tho tree to branch and form a thick useful headgear. It was entirely immune to the attacks of aphis and other orchard pests.

Though the state of the road on the Wharerata hill precludes an early commencement of work with the metalling by the Public Works Department, it is the intention of the Cook County Conn cil to make a start as early as possible with the metalling of that section ol the road lying close to Ivopua. It had been expected that the carting of the metal for the Public Works Department, with the Council’s lorries, would have been done before the Ivopua stretch was taken up by the Council, but the wet spell, which has spoilt so many plans, has produced a situation that demands the Council’s immediate action if any metalling is to be done to the through road before the setting in of winter. The Ivopua section of the metalling is destined to bridge a gap that, once obviated, will give an unbroken metalled stretch for quite a distance up this side of the hill. The metalling, which will he in the hands of the Public Works Department, is towards the top of the hill.

The Auckland Herald seems satisfied with tii e Public Works statement, except in one particular. “The Minister,” it sav.s, “lias adopted tlio only sound policy in determining to concentrate on the more important lines. Ho has already reduced the contingent liability very materially by postponing such expensive works as the South Island Main Trunk and tho Napicr-Gisborne line. The only outstanding blemish on his modified programme is his decision to suspend work between Waihi and Tauranga in tho meantime. It appears front Mr Coates' table that this link would cost £550,000, but it would 1 bring, into touch with tho North Island railway system the line beyond Tauranga on which £733,600 lias already been spent. Applying tho Minister’s own principle, the case for completing the gap between Waihi and Ta.uranga is very strong. That is tho policy lie is applying in regard to. the North Auckland line and the Otira tunnel. Why should an exception bo made on the East Coast?” Auckland, to judge by these remarks, doesn’t care, a fig whether tho great rich area which it recently described as. Eastland is given communication with tho outside world, so long ns Auckland's pet schemes are carried forward.