LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3803, 2 September 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Vital statistics, as registered at Te Awamutu during August, were:— Births 13, deaths 6, marriages 5.

.Rain fell in Te Awamutu last month on 23 days, according to the official recorder, Mr W. Jeffery, with a total precipitation of 5.94 inches. The heaviest fall was recorded on 21st August, when 1.04 inches fell. In August last year the fall totalled 5.38 inches, on 17 days.

At about 7 o’clock yesterday morning the Fire Brigade was called to Welsh’s butchery in Alexandra Street. Fire was located in the smoke-room adjoining the small goods factory, hut it was extinguished without difficulty. We understand the damage is estimated at £8 to the building and £l2 to the contents.

Figures presented to the local Borough Council on Monday evening showed that the Waikato Hospital levy on Te Awamutu over the past ten years averaged £4BB per annum. For the present year the levy is £530.

Work is progressing steadily at several points along the Great South Road between “ Green Hill ” and the Puniu bridge in connection with the reconstruction and permanent sealing of the highway.

Wanganui is to celebrate its first “gathering of the clans” on September 10th. Already the president of the Wjanganui Highland Pipe Band, under whose suggestion the event is being held, has received numerous acceptances of invitations, and he stated that 30 Camerons, 30 McDonalds, 12 McLeods, 12 Grants, 12 Frasers, 12 Macintoshs, 12 Robertsons, numerous Ritchies, Buchanans, McFarlands, McKenzies, McGregors, Stuarts and many other clans would be, represented. At the dinner, Mr W. J. Polson, M.P., will preside, and Mr T. Burnett, M.P., will be associated with him.

How many people, it can be asked, particularly those on the rural mail deliveries, appreciate the difference between a residential and a postal address? And how many have the slightest idea" of the trouble and confusion that arises in the postal mail room in consequence of a carelessness in stating the proper designation of a posted letter? Because a citizen lives in a certain residential district his nostal address might very likely be “So-and-So, R.D. and neighbouring town.” The improper addressing necessitates much double handling and incidentally causes days of delay in the delivery of letters and packages. sent for postal despatch. The citizen can, therefore, help the official and minimise delay in his own interests to correctly state his postal address.

It is reported from the Mangapiko district that a large and frequent number of motorists meet trouble at the intersection of the main highways at the Te Awamutu post office and flail to take the turning in thein journey Aucklandwards, and finish up at Mangapiko homesteads for personal direction as to the correct road- route. There are already finger posts at this intersection to point the way; but in a built up area, where traffic is fairly dense, the finger-posts are not over conspicuous. A more prominent marking would be possibly desirable and maybe Or Miontefiore’s suggestion for the clock tower at this point may assist in the tendency of traffic to maintain an even direction. At least it could serve to define the relative traffic directions.

Describing the Waikato criticism of the proposed national recording schemei as a “bubble in a tea-cup,” Mr J. A. Russell said at the monthly meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua branch of the Pig Breeders’ Association that he thought the statements had been . made as political propaganda. He appealed for support of the proposal, observing that there was a need for such a scheme in the pig industry. The department had been wise in introducing recording first ia,s it would lay the foundation for subsequent instructional work. Other members agreed with Mr Russell’s views. Mr T. Conway said he doubted if a levy was a fair and equitable way of raising the necessary monev, as those who did not put their pig’s through the works, such as the man who sold in the sale yards, would not be touched. He thought the Fruit Growers’ Association’s plan of some sort of tax should be followed. Mr industry was the number of condemnW. P. Bickers, said the drag on the ed pigs, which cost the country thousands of pounds. After further discussion it was resolved to support the national scheme and the levy of 2d a pig-