LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4221, 8 December 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

For failing to keep to the left-hand side of the road with his motor vehicle on November 17th, at Te Awamutu, Herbert C. Maxwell was charged by the police at the local Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. He was fined £1 with costs 10s.

A sitting of the Waikato Licensing Committee was to have been held in Te Awamutu yesterday, but it lapsed for lack of a quorum- Inquiry indicated that only one matter was to have been dealt with, and that it could be attended to when a quorum of the Committee could be got together.

“Was it chewing gum you were charged with?” quietly inquired Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., in the local Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, when a youth .was being dealt with. The lad- when his name was called, stepped forward.seemed to be working his jaws wartime. This attracted the attention Tif his Worship, who administered a mild but pointed rebuke in the manner stated. The defendant, when he realised he was offending the dignity of the Court, made haste to “park” his gum.

A member of Parliament, Mr A. G. Hultqu'ist, his brother, Mr R. N. Hultquist, and two former All Blacks, Mr J. T. Best, formerly of Hamilton, and Mr G. A. H. Bullock-Douglas, are among the prospective non-com-missioned officers for the second echelon of the Special Military Force who are going into camp on Saturday from the Paeroa area. Altogether, there are 41 men going into camp, and they complete the list of 210 being supplied by the northern, military district.

A sitting of the "Children’s Court, presided over by Mr W. R. Freeman, S.M., was held at Te Awamutu on Thursday, when several children were dealt with, it is understood, in connection with wanton damage to telephone insulators in one of the ; outdistricts, and with breaking windows, by means of throwing stones in Te Awamutu. In each case the magistrate severely admonished the youngsters, put them on good behaviour for the future, ordered them to pay for the damage, and assured them that repetition of this class of offence would not find him so lenient again.

“We must not delude ourselves that this will be a short war,” said the Governor General, Lord Galway, in an address to pupils of Te Aute Maori College. “The German military machine will not bu easily smashed, but I firmly believe that right ultimately will prevail. You will be called on to make many sacrifices; make them willingly in the knowledge that you are striving for peace, liberty and justice. I have not the slightest doubt that when this war is won by the Allies the world will venture into a new era of peace and prosperity.”

The granting of Christmas leave to members of the first echelon of the special military force will not interfere with the scheme of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council to provide Christmas puddings and gift parcels. It was stated by officials of the council yesterday that the possibility of leave being granted over the Christmas period had been considered, an‘d had been provided for. To this end arrangements had been made with the military authorities for the men to receive the gifts on, their, return to duty. So far as the Hopu Hopu camp is concerned, the plan to provide puddings and gift parcels has been replaced by proposals for the supply to the men of fresh fruit and cigarettes.

When a fault developed in one of the most itaiportant 110,000*-volt switches at the outdoor station at Arapuni at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday the whole of the Auckland province was deprived of electrical power. The fault was soon discovered, and with power restored to all centres south of Bombay in a quarter of an hour there was little dislocation or inconvenience in the Waikato. Some difficulty was experienced in synchronising the fifth generator at Arapuni, after they had all been automatically cut ouit, and Auckland and North Auckland were without power for 40 minutes. The four generators that were started again did not generate sufficient power to take the full load. Milking was in progress in most parts of the Waikato and hand-milk-ing was commenced. However, the power was restored before milking was completed. In Auckland, trams stopped at unusual points in the road and caused some dislocation to traffic, while in factories without their own generating stand-bys, work was stopped.

Members of the Selection Board of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Mr W. L. Comrie and Flight-Serg-eant J. R. Torry, of Wellington, were in Hamilton yesterday interviewing candidates *for war service with the Air Force. They have recently interviewed candidates at Tauranga and Rotorua and to-day they will visit Taumarunui. An excellent class of young man is offering for the Air Force and fairly large numbers of volunteers are coming forward. Facilities for advanced education are now available at the training stations for young men. It is expected that the selection board will visit Hamilton early in the New Year to choose a further draft of men from this district flor training with the New Zealand Air Force prior to undertaking, if they prove satisfactory, advanced training in Canada.

His Worship the Mayor. Mr G. Spinley, has convened a public meeting for Wednesday evening next, in connection with the War Emergency Precautions scheme, patriotic purposes, etc. It is hoped there will be a large attendance.

It was stated at the meeting of returned soldiers, last evening, that when the troops from Waiouru are returning U> Hopu Hopu on Sunday, they are to be entertained to afternoon tea at Kihikihi, as was done a week ago when the troops were proceeding south.

Driving at a speed in excess of the regulation maximum of 25 miles per hour, on October 2nd, with a heavy motor vehicle, was the allegation of Transport Inspectoi’ F. C. J. Cook In the local Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, against Alfred Freeman. The inspector said the speed recorded was 35 miles per hour. A flne of £1 10s and costs was imposed.

Breaches of the parking regulations in Te Awamutu were the basis of prosecutions by Traffic Inspector F. C. J. Cook in the local Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. Wm. Hunopo, for parking on a bus stand on July 29th had to contribute 10s to the Consolidated Fund, plus costs 10s; and Charles Kawene, for parking on a bus stand, on July 12th, was fined 10s and costs 12s.

“There is a lot more in New Zealand than is known,” said a delegate at a meeting of the Manawatu provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, when a remit from the Linton branch asked that immediate steps be taken to inquire into the alleged shortage of hay-baling wire. The secretary, Mr L. I. Plimmer, said he had inquired of local firms, and there was a definite shortage. It was now being rationed; some firms had none, and one, which required 40 tons, had only 10 tons. Ma - V. J. Cottle said there was plenty in Australia if it could be paid for. The executive decided to place an inquiry before the Minister concerned.

No time has been lost at the big military training establishment at Waiouru in advancing the training course, and in the few days they have been there the Wellington infantry and the engineers and cavalry have tackled much work which formerly they had not the opportunity of doing on a mass scale. The infantry carried out night manoeuvres on Tuesday, Advancing and attacking movements were practised against a skeleton force of defenders. Included in the work of the engineers has been the building of a heavy traffic bridge over the Waiouru Stream. The tank units have made short practice runs and the mechanised divisional cavalry’s training has also been extensive.

“ Puahue district farmers can feel pleased with the heavy crops of hay they are harvesting; but they should come to our district to see really good crops,” remarked a Pokuru settler in town yesterday. Well, we have already been told that there are exceptional crops in certain other parts of this district, so, taken all in all, there will be a greater amount of hay garnered this season in preparation for next winter—that is. if the weather improves to let the hay become dry and stacked.