LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7719, 13 May 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The rateable value of the borough was increased by a little over £IO,OOO on the revaluation.

Mr Strachan completed his inspection of the Waipawa District High School yesterday morning.

Announcement is made that Mr E. E. Smith will sell Mr F. Shanl.v’s coachbuilding plant and stock-in-trade on Wednesday, May 24th.

The Hawke’s Bay War Relief Fund has now reached £120,764 2s. Mr R. Harding, Raukawa, has donated £IOOO.

Owing to the extremely wet weather the children attending the local school were dismissed for the day at 1 o’clock yesterday. Monday is the last discount day for the payment of gas accounts. Borough offices open from 7 to 8 p.m. in addition to usual hours. Penalties for late payment will, by order of the Council, be strictly enforced.* One needs to be careful of the language he uses when in the witness box at the Court. During the hearing of the motor case on Thursday one witness was asked if he considered that a certain person had stated what was false. The witness replied that he considered the statement in question was economical of the truth. Reference was made at the Council meeting last evening by the Mayor to the subject of swimming baths and cool storage. He said he did not intend moving in the matter at present, although keen to see the works gone on with. He hoped that it would not be long before the Council would be able to consider the matter, but it was not practicable during the war, and he doubted whether they could raise money on loan for that purpose. Reference was made in the “ Mail ” a few days ago to a nuisance existing on the Tikokino road within the borough boundary, and the matter was brought up at last night’s meeting of the Council by Cr. Rathbonc, who endorsed the statement made in the paragraph in question. The smell, he said, came from the slaughterhouse, and was very had indeed, and likely to be injurious to the public health. The overseer was instructed to make inquiries and report to th» next meeting of the Council. At the April meeting of the Borough Couneil reference was made to the unsightly appearance of the fence between the footpath and the railway line near the station, and the Mayor suggested that an endeavor should be made to induce the Railway Department to replace it by a more modem erection. The matter was revived at last night’s meeting, when the Mayor suggested that the Council should offer to make a donation of £25 to the Department towards the cost, of erection of a fence of a style to be agreed upon. It would show that the Council was in earnest in its desire to improve the approaches to the town. The suggestion was unanimously adopted. Under the auspices of the Royal Society for Health of Women and Children a very interesting lecture was given by Miss Walton (Blanket Nurse) on Tuesday evening in St. Peter’s Schoolroom. The subject was “The Care of the Body,” and the lecturer dealt with it in a very interesting and instructive manner, being listened to with marked attention by a large audience of ladies and girls. A hearty vote of thanks was carried at the close of the. lecture, and the hope was expressed that Nurse Walton would be able to hold a similar meeting in Waipawa at an early date. The evening closed with a social, and after tea and coffee had been handed round some novel competitions were indulged in. The winners were—- “ Assorted Inks,” Mrs E. Britten; “Fellow Citizens,” Miss Phyllis McKay and Miss Marjorie Dean.

Despite the very unfavorable weather conditions prevailing to-day Mesdames F. Witherow and D. T. Kelly recorded good business at the Soldiers’ Parcels and Red Cross shop, supplies being plentiful. Donations were received from the following:— Meat: Mrs W. Kittow, Messrs J. Lindsay, Nation (on behalf of Mr C. Nairn), .1. Speedy (on behalf of Mr P. Mellardy), F. Witherow, and .1. Brinson: Cash: Mrs W. H. Rathbonc £l, Mr T. Lindsay £l, Loo Ken 2s fid. Produce, cajtes, etc.: Mesdames Brittain, Arrow, Britten, E. Britten, Dick, J. Nairn, Little, Wedde, Fox, Brewer, W. Limbrick, H. M. Rathbone, King, Oakenfull, Renouf, S. Bott, >l. Bibby, Hogg, McLeod, D. T. Kelly, F. Witherow, Flynn, Munro, Shackleford, E. and D. Kittow, and Messrs Williams and Kettle. The ladies in charge of the shop wish to thank Messrs Hay and Munro for their assistance.

Complaint was made at the April meeting of the Borough Couneil of the dirty and uncared for condition of the Fire Brigade station, and the Fire Brigade Committee were instructed to make a report on the matter. This they did verbally last night, stating that they found little cause for complaint. The brigade had lost a number of members of late, but ex-mem-bers had volunteered to assist in case of emergency. Regular practices were not held because they were considered unnecessary, and because of the very high price of hose at the present time. Cr. Brewer took exception to the statement that practices were not necessary, contending that they were absolutely necessary to efficiency. Cr. Bloor said he did not endorse that part of the report which referred to the condition of the station. He had visited many stations in his time, but had pot seen one so dirty as that of Waipawm. The Mayor: “It is a wonder to me that some of you don’t volunteer and show us how to do it.” Cr. Brewer said if the brigade were properly organised there would be no lack of volunteers. The discussion then dropped.

During the past year the receipta of the theatre have shown a decided falling off, totalling £206 5s against an expenditure of £353 15s 2<L Of the latter amount £95 was absorbed by insurance. In view of the position the Mayor suggested that the practice of allowing the use of the theatre for patriotic purposes at half price be abandoned. As trustees of the ratepayers’ interests they should endeavor to run the theatre on business lines. Cr. Craig thought it would be a pity to do anything that would damp the ardor of those working in the patriotic cause, and he favored leaving matters as they were. Cr. Pellow approved this course, and said they could only hope the war would not last much longer. Crs. Witherow, Brewer and Hunt sympathised with the Mayor’s desire to run the theatre on business lines, but the general feeling of the meeting was opposed to making any change at present, and the half rate will continue.