LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4186, 15 September 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Workmen have been .busily engaged this week dismantling the old store and shop premises between the Security Building and the Ahier Estate block, nearly opposite the postoffice. A new block of up-to-date shops is to be erected there by the Ahier Estate.

Te Awamutu Cribbage Club held another of its successful cribbage evenings last night in the rooms of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, when all tables were occupied. Ten games were played, and Mr Owen O’Brien won the men’s section with nine, and Mrs W. Finlay the ladies’ section with eight.

The former Te Awamutu-owned and trained colt Te Hero opened his winning account in Australia on Wednesday by accounting for a smart field of sprinters in the Flying Welter Handicap at the Ascot meeting near Sydney. He won in course-record time. Te Hero’s performance will bring him again into prominence for the valuable Epsom Handicap.

For the coming tar-sealing season the principle of a cheaper and lighter seal for lesser-used highways has been formulated by the Public Works Department. Printed standard specifications for this sealing coat, suitable for direct application to macadam surfaces, will be available to local bodies very shortly, and advance information has been sent out in case local bodies have tar-sealing plans or proposals for the coming season. This light type of dustless surfacing is not intended to supersede the heavy priming-coat method used on more important highways, but is expected to provide a cheap, lasting method of sealing highways of lower traffic intensities.

A statement that members of the Hamilton war emergency committee had received numerous inquiries from women’s organisations throughout the district as to what service they could render was made by Mr F. Findlay, chairman of the Waikato Hospital Board, at a meeting of the board yesterday. Mr Findlay suggested that woollen garments, such as balaclava caps, mits and socks, would be greatly appreciated by the English troops at the front. It would be a fine gesture, said Mr Findlay, if New Zealand’s women’s organisations would prepare several cases of these goods for despatch to England. On his motion it was resolved to suggest to those interested that they should embark on the work outlined.

An interesting example of the impact of science upon civilisation from the biological side was mentioned by Dr H. G. Denham, Professor of Chemistry at Canterbury University College, in an address to the Geographical Association of Canterbury. Dr Denham said that the introduction of the potato to Europe was the result of the action of a seafarer —not a botanist—and was of an entirely random nature. From this limited material all the present-day varieties sprung. A few years ago, a group of Soviet scientists visited Central America in the hope of finding new varieties of potato, which might be useful for plan breeding. In all, they found 15 new cultivated species and 30 new wild species. These new species opened up new avenues of development in potato culture.

How a bookmaker had falsified his income-tax returns was explained in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland yesterday, when Clarence W. Russell was fined £4OO, being £lOO on each of four charges. For the prosecution Mi Meredith said Russell was charged with making false returns of income for the years 1935 to 1938 inclusive, The return submitted by him for the year 1935 showed a loss of £B7 13s Bd. investigation made by an income tax inspector showed his true income was £3710. In 1936 the return showed an income of £157 18s 5d and the department had established that his income was £1678. In 1937 the return was £438 3s lid and the department found it was no less than £5llO. In 1938 Russell showed an income of £320 18s. but the department inspector showed it to be £2161. “The amounts thai should have been paid on returns not sent in are over £2500,” said Mr Meredith.

At last meeting of Foxton Borough Council Cr F. Robinson tabled a pro - posal for local body market gardening in order to safeguard against need during the war. The Council, he said, had a number of empty sections, and there were plenty of men available locally under unemployment schemes. They had recently been engaged in recovering posts from Foxton beach, and a quantity of these had been sold by the Council. He proposed that this money be made available for the purchase of seeds, and the men placed on the cultivation of the Council sections for market gardening. The crops could be allocated to deserving cases by the Mayor, who would thus conserve his all-too-small Mayor’s fund, and any surplus sold. The scheme would provide good employment for the men and be an economic saving in time of stress. The proposal was well received by the Council.

The Government’s plan for controlling petrol by means of coupons comes into effect to-day, and in all centres of the Dominion coupons are being issued to motorists to cover their maximum supplies. The coupons are in sheets of 48, each coupon entitling Die holder to purchase two gallons for his private car. The authorities ask that only those able to make personal application for coupons covering their vehicles should attend personally, as when other persons apply on their behalf there will be inevitable delays which will slow up the issue of the sheets. Owners attending must supply promptly the registered number and other information of their vehicles, and be in a position by production of the car certificate or driving license to establish their identity. They will be required to sign on a card index form for their coupons. Where an owner is unable to attend, because of sickness or disability, he must give a written and signed authority to a person to obtaih the coupons. Where a commercial traveller uses his firm’s car for private purposes in addition to commercial, appliaction for coupons must be made by the firm.

Combat coughs, colds, influenza— Woods’ Grea: Peppermint Cure

Very orchards in and around Te Awamutu are at present a blaze of colour, with plum and nectarine trees carrying a wealth of blossom.

With Rugby football finished so far as Te Awamutu district is concerned, attention will no doubt now be concentrated on preparations for the cricketing season.

Several Te Awamutu supporters of Rugby intend visiting Hamilton tomorrow to witness the match, Maoris; v. Fijians. The latter party have maintained an unbeaten record on their tour of the Dominion.

Judging of the entries at the annual show and sale of pedigree Jersey bulls, under the auspices of the Associated Pedigree Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Club, takes place on Monday at 10.30 a.m. and the sale commences aS soon as judging is completed.

Official notification that summer time will commence at 2 a.m. on Sunday, September 24, and continue until 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 28, 1940, is contained in the Gazette. The time will be advanced 30 minutes as from the first date.

Inquiry at the local post office this morning brings the information that up to last evening the total applications for enrolment in the special military force of 6600 men has already exceeded 120, including 70 on the first day.

It is understood, in connection with the enrolment of a special military reserve force of 6600 men, that a committee is sitting in each enrolling centre to review' the application forms, before those enrolling are notified to attend for medical examination.

The annual terms examinations for the Auckland University College will be held at Hamilton from October 9 to October 20, inclusive. Annual degree and professional examinations for the New Zealand University will be held in Hamilton from October 30 to November 17, inclusive.

A decision ito place more than 100 employees at the disposal of the Public Works Department, to assist with urgent defence projects, was made at a special general meeting of the Hamilton Master Builders and Contractors’ Association held last Wednesday night. The men are all carpenters or foremen carpenters.

A local resident who was advised that a small parcel had been posted to him last Saturday from a Bay of plenty town, was somewhat surprised at its non-arrival. But it did duly make its appearance on Thursday and one of the postmarks was Mokauiti some 25 or 35 miles south of Te Kuiti. As the address, Te Awamutu, was clearly printed in ink, it would appear that the war clouds dimmed the sight of the sorters.

Three sons of Mr Charles Cooper, a farmer, of Patutahi (Poverty Bay), are working day and night over three shifts of eight hours in an endeavour to complete preparation for sowing spring crops in case they are called for military service. They are working their tractor in three shifts and the machine has been going continuously, stopping only while the driver rests for a meal and for the refuelling of the machine.

One of the first applicants in Napier for enlistment in the volunteer force was a still active veteran of the retreat from Mons. He enlisted in 1914 and went to France with the British Expeditionary Force, serving throughout the war. In case his claims of service were not believed, he arrived at the army office complete with his M.C., Mons Medal, D.C.M., framed copies of his Mention in Dispatches and personal congratulations from two generals in the British Army. Of the real fire eater type, he was anxious to get into the fray once more and show the present generation how things were done in 1914.

At a meeting of the directors of Couriers (N.Z.) Limited last evening reference was made to the death recently of Mr John Middlebrook. It was recalled that he had been associated with the company since its inception nearly thirty years ago, and that he had been continuously on the directorate ever since except for a short period when, in compliance with the law, he had resigned in order to serve on the Borough Council. The directors placed on record a tribute to his memory and a recognition of all that he had done as a citizen and as an executive of the company.

A game of near-magic was played at the last Pahiatua Borough Council meeting, when some pieces of paper were placed in a tobacco tin by the town clerk, under the supervision of the mayor. On one of the pieces being withdrawn it produced approximately 720 gallons of petrol. The reason for drawing the names of garages from the tin was that under the new petrol regulations the council, in its application for a license must name the garage from which it will obtain its supplies. Normally about 60 gallons a month are used. After a discussion councillors decided that a ballot was rhe only fair way of deciding who should receive its petrol business, so the names of all Pahiatua’s garages were placed in the tin.

The proposal to permanently seal the main highway in Leamington from the boundary on the Te Awamutu main road on the west side to the Carlyle Street boundary, reached tangible form at last Wednesday night’s meeting of the Town Board, when plans of the scheme were tabled by the consulting engineer, Mr W. McKenzie Jeffrey. The distance to be sealed is 2.67 miles, excluding a portion of the existing sealed section from the Leamington Bridge, for a distance of 13.3 chains to the west. The scheme includes the removal of several sharp grades in the road and also the easing of the angles of turns at the intersection of Shakespeare and Browning Streets and Cook and Shakespeare Streets. The approaches to the High Level Bridge from the Leamington side will also be improved. Mr Jeffrey estimated that the cost of the scheme would be £10.417. Details of the scheme will be forwarded to the Highways Board’s engineer at Hamilton.

Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure For stubborn coughs, colds.