LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3895, 28 April 1937, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At the Te Awamutu sitting yesterday of the Transport Incensing Auth ority, the application of S. H. West, Pokuru, for a renewal of his goods license was withdrawn.

“It is very imperative,’’ said Mr E. J. Phelan, “that the Association should control all operators in its own area.’’ He had power to review all licenses if the majority decision of the Association was not observed; but there must be no exploitation.

When an applicant asked the Tranport Licensing Authority for permis sion to carry timber from Putaruru, Mr Phelan remarked in surprised tones: “You will want the whole ot the North Island soon; we have given you a very extensive area, and you should be satisfied.”

"Road classification now controls the matter of loads, and thus your application for an increase - in the weights of your vehicles need not be dealt with here,” said the Transport Licensing Authority when an appli cant sought to have one of his vehicle licenses increased to 41 tons limit.

The Ngahape branch of the League of .Mothers held its April meeting at the residence of Mrs Griggs. The thought for the month was given by Mrs D. Mclntyre. A reading, entitled “ The Railway Nursery,” was contributed by Mrs Addison. A bundle of magazines was forwarded to the Tokanui Mental Hospital.

The annual meeting of the Anglican Church Members at Pukeatua was held on Wednseday April 21, after Church service. The following officers and committee were elected: —■ Vicar’s warden. Mr Sharrock; people’s warden, IVJr J. Solomon, secretary, Mrs Grierson; committee, M,esdames Andersen, Sharrock, Crook and Miss P. Heddon and Messrs 'Dagga and Heddon.

“But part of the County is no good to my client!” said counsel at the local sitting on Tuesday, of the Transport Licensing Authority, when Mi Phelan stated that it was proposed to extend the area to the whole of the county instead of confining operations to a riding. Mr Phelan caused a gust of laughter in the body of the Court when he retorted: “Yes, that is why we are giving it to him!”

A rainbow at night is an unusual sight, but we are assured that one was seen by some Te Awamutu residents on Sunday evening, at about 6.40. They were proceeding along Teasdale Street when it was noticed that the moon, which had been shining fairly brightly, was being rapidly obscured by a dense black cloud. For a few seconds a very vivid rainbow was seen.

“Benefits to the whole of the carriers have been obtained as a result ot the action of the Carriers’ Associations, and it is therefore only fair that all carriers should become financial and active members of those organise tions. I have previously expressed those views, and I really think it is in the interests of all parties.”—Mr E. J. Phelan, Transport Licensing Auth ority, at the Te Awamutu sitting on Tuesday morning.

A party of eight members of the Te Awamutu Croquet Club are to-day paying a visit ta the Whitiora Club, where a series of games will be played.

Those who assembled for the open ing of the new Hamilton bridge at Fairfield on Monday, at the request of the Hon. R. Semple, stood bareheaded for a moment as a tribute to ine memory of the early pioneers of the Dominion, to whose labours the Dominion owes so much to-day.

With the opening- of the shooting season on Saturday next, poachers have already made their appearance in the back country. The local Acclimatisation Society are alive to the situation and have three rangers patrolling the district, so that those people who indulge in this illicit pastime would be well advised to cease their nefarious practices.

A vacancy will occur - on the New Zealand Dairy Board on June 30th owing to the statutory retirement of one of the elective members, Mr J. Dunlop, representing the southern ward. One member is required by legislation to vacate office, the board determining by lot the member to do so. This was done at the board’s last meeting, the draw going against Mr Dunlop.

It was stated at yesterday’s sitting of th,e Transport Licensing Authority in Te Awamutu that many owners of heavy traffic vehicles do not appear to realise that they must, -even though they actually drive the vehicles themselves, keep a reoord of the hours worked, mileage tavelled, etc., on the same basis as those operators affected by awards. The Authority pointed out that this provision was a wise one, as it would prevent undercutting and other malpractices that would tend to make the working of the legislation difficult.

“As an explanation of our policy, I want to say that if a man applies for a new license he must give the Authority very definite and convincing evidence of the need for more operators before he can have a license issued to him. No licenses will be issued unless applicant has been operating in an exempted area, and is thus affected by the recent amending legislation,”—-Mr Phelan at this morning’s local sitting of the Transport Licensing Authority when a number of new applicantions for goods service licenses were to be dealt with.

That the alleged shortage of farm labour was largely a political cry was a contention put forward by Mr A. F. Moncur, M.P. for Rotorua, in his address at Matamata. Explaining his view Mr Moncur said that any shortage of farm labour was a "baby” of the previous Government. The fact was that this year there were more farm workers employed on the land than in pevious years. Mr Moncur then held up a bundle of 12 replies, received by a prominent local farmer who advertised a vacancy on his farm, and handed them to the Mayor for inspection. One of the replies was read in detail.