LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 27, 4 September 1912, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Franklin County Council meets tomorrow. Three letters dealing with Mr Leo Bilkey's article on agriculture in England will appear next issue, also other correspondence. A new company of the 16th (Waikato) Regiment- has been formed with headquarters at Pukekobe, and its designation is I. company. It is recruited from Drury to Pokeuo, including Bombay and various out places.

The Pukekohe Football Club are holding a plain and fancy dress and masquerade social in tho Masonic Hall on Thursday, September I'Jth. Prizes valued one guinea are offered for the most original fancy dress for ladies and gentlemen. The All Star pictures continue to go with a swing in tho Pukekohe district circuit. This and next week's leading attractions are''A Little Sunbeam" and "The Silent Call," the first being u domestic and the second a sensational railway drama.

A close season for whitebait in the Waikato Rivet has been fixed from November 1 in each year to August 31 of the following year. Any person taking whitebait from the river or its tributaries during the close season is liable to a tine not exceeding The I'ukekohe Town Band is to bold a concert on September 11. for the purpose of raising funds to extinguish the band's liabilities. A band is a splendid asset in any community, and it is to be hoped that the public will afford a liberal patronage to the band's efforts. For the first time of the s"ason there was a fine night, on Thursday for the Oddfellows' "at Home." On this occasion euchre was discarded, dancing being indulged iu for the whole evening. The music wa; supplied by Miss !'uiloti. Miss O'Connor playimr the extras

In consequence of the increased telegraphic and telephonic business at the I'ukckolie office two new employee.* have been added to the stall. Miss K. .1. H<>'ton, formerly of Auckland, enters the office us an exchange cadette. and L Rogers (I'uiii) begins as telegraph messenger.

There were good attendances at the meetings addressed in I'ukckolie by Mr Hligli. of the White Cross League. Mr liligh expressed himself well pleased with his mission here - a mission to promote sex purity on a definite physiological liasis. lie was especially gratified to notice a good sprinkling of fathers with their sons at the meeting for men. In a leaflet issued by the Department n) Agriculture, read at the meeting of the I'ukckolie branch of the Farmers' Union on Saturday night, giving the results of experiments with various varieties of potatoes. the two most prolific croppers were Richard Scddon, varying from 12 to II tons per acre, and Princess Victoria, 7 111 '.I lull.-. "When ire we going to have .1 Ma: ey variety askeil one 111 < 111 - In -r. We'll have to try a Mend of Northern Siar. (iaiiicki eper, and Iticliard Scddon, and i ill it William Ferguson Massev." said another member.

Patrick McManamin, charged with the theft of the racing mare Soultoria, was found not guilty.

At the monthly meeting of the Pukekohe District High School Committee on Monday night it was detflded to put in posts instead of turnstiles leading from the school into the horse paddock and parade ground and to make a grant of £2 for "basket ball" equipment.

Mr Clement Wragge gave an interesting and instructive astronomical lecture on Friday night in the Oddfellows' Hall. Numerous lantern slides depicted the " wonders of the heavens" were shown. At the conclusion specimens of radium were exhibited. The Rev. F. Dobson presided.

In the course of a letter Mr J. \V. McLarin, Kainui Estate, writes" I take advantage of this opportunity to congratulate you on the excellent get-up of the Times, and feel sure it will prove a boon to the district. The local news is excellontly reported, and it is a great advantage to have press reports of the doings of our local bodies."

The rain interfered with the attendance at the Sports' Club's third concert on Saturday night. On this occasion the programme was of a purely concert nature. Songs were rendered by Mrs Pilkington, Misses White and Bagnall, Messrs Walker, Jones, Ballard, Young, Stevens and Dufty, whilst Misses G. Blake and Penman played a piano duet as an overture. All the items were well received and the committee fully maintained their reputation for providing an excellent programme.

A most enjoyable time was spent with the Ladies' Guild of St. Andrews' Church at their social held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday evening. The accommodation of the hall was taxed to the uttermost and the tastes of all had been fully catered for. Dancing was interspersed with songs, whilst lovers of cards indulged in that pastime, and others tried their skill at bagatelle and similar games. The musical items were rendered by Mrs Pilgrim, Misses Smith, McMahon, and Messrs Gurney and Burden. The accompaniments were played by Messrs Gilroy and McMahon, the latter playing also for the dances. Miss Pullen giving an extra. A very dainty supper was provided, ami altogether the social was a great success. The Ladies' Committee consisting of Mesdames J. Bilkey, Dell, J. Adams and Jeffries are to be complimented on the frui s of their efforts.

The monthly meeting of the Pukekohe branch of the Farmers' Union was held on Saturday night, the president, Mr J. Schlaepfer, being in the chair. The Agricultural Department asked for an indication of the sorts of potatoes farmers would care to grow for experimental purpuses, and the quantity of each required. A number of leaflets containing information regarding potato-growing experiments wore forwarded. Ihe secretary was instructed to thank the Department for the offer and to procure such samples as members required. A scheme for providing country workers' homes and casual labor in districts where it is required, and which is to be presented to the meeting of the Executive of the Auckland province, aroused considerable discussion, it being finally decided to generally approve of the scheme, though it was considered land was too dear around Pukekohe to permit of the purchase of ten acres. Messrs A. B. Barter and W. Johnston were elected members. The fixing of the date for the annual dinner was deferred until the next meeting.