LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1402, 11 September 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Arrangements have been made for several selections by the Novelty Orchestra at the Flower Show in the Parish Hall on Friday evening. In the Juvenile Court, at Dargaville yesterday, ten lads, charged with breaking telegraph insulators valued at £7 2s fid were discharged, their parents being ordered to pay £3 7s costs, also the value of the insulators. Vv. Peacock mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the Waipa County Council that he had been informed thai benzine could be purchased at Hamilton as cheaply as at Auckland, and be advised further inquiry, as freight was a consideration. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman. Mr W. C. Pickett, of Ohaupo, a member of the Waipa County representation on the Te Awamutu Power Board for the area in question, has resigned. At yesterday's meeting the Waipa County Council appointed Mr D. Cavanagh, a former County Councillor, to the vacancy for the remainder of the term. Only on two occasions in his lengthy experience has butter beaten cheese in the returns for the season, was the statement of Mr J. D. Piper at the annual meeting of Riverbank suppliers. Mr Piper is himself a believer in supplying a cheese factory where circumstances permit. When the district traffic manager's ■letter asking the Council's opinion of proposed changes in the timetable of morning trains to Auckland was read at yesterday's meeting of the Waipa County Council, the Councillors were unanimously of opinion that the 9.45 a.m. train from Frankton was very useful and convenient, and they left the framing of a reply to this effect in the hands of Cr S. C. Mackay. In response to numerous requests (says the Cambridge Independent) Mr H. Alan Bell has consented to offer his services as representative for the combined district, of which Cambridge is the centre., for the Waikato Hospital and Charitable Board —a position held for many years by the late Mr Geo. Dickinson. The treasurer to the Waipa County Council presented to yesterday's meeting of the Council a duly audited copy of the balance sheet for the year ended March 31st, 1923. There were no "tags" and we gathered from the brief comment that this is the first time for some years that the Waipa County balance sheet has not been "tagged" in some way or other. At the sitting of the S.M. Court in Eketahuna there were just four persons present—the Magistrate, Constable Ede, a solicitor and a press representative. The proceedings 'lasted about ten minutes. The Magistrate said the district was to be congratulated on the absence of litigation. He hoped this was a sign of prosperity. The lambing season in the KingCountry so far is decidedly favourable and a very satisfactory percentage of lambs is likely to be recorded. There are numerous twin lambs this year throughout the district. For lambs farmers in this district have already been offered £1 for forward delivery, showing that the prospects are still good. At Monday's meeting of the Waipa County Council, information was received from the State Advances Office that the Board has entertained the Council's application for a loan of £3OOO, being the first instalment of the Kakepuku Riding special loan of £9500 for forming and metalling roads. Some local bodies in the province appear to have members well able to give a good account of themselves in the noble art of self-defence or of aggressive tactics on occasions. A few weeks ago a member of the Matamata County Council got at cross purposes with two fellow members, and his ebullient spirits had to be curbed by way of Court proceedings. Now comes word of a Waipa County Councillor proving his ability at fisticuffs. The story goes that a dissatisfied workman expressed himself to a Riding member in a manner more forcible than polite, culminating a very pithy condemnation with a challenge to accept "a good hiding." Nothing loath, the Councillor is said to have stripped for action and so effectively did he display his talents in this direction that the other party was soon hors de combat. However, more may be heard of the matter.

Mr Edward Thomson has been elected, unopposed, to the vacancy on the Kihikihi Town Board. It is understood that a substantial reduction on railway freights on dairy produce will come into force shortly. Farmers report a keen demand for fat and store cattle in the Taumarunui district. The revival of business in fat cattle is attributed to the recent shipments to Australia. Mangapiko representatives on the Waipa County Council were deputed at Monday's meeting to peruse the roll of ratepayers in the proposed special drainage area. The competition for the Pukeweka Shield commenced on Saturday last when Otorohanga (holders) played Buias (chaillenge,rs), the score resulting in a win for the former by 8 points to nil. Very little interest appears to have been manifested by the eighteen ratepayers in the Tua-tua-moaua Drainage District, for at an election a few days ago for an extraordinary vacancy on the Board, only six votes were recorded—four for Gardiner and two for Odlin. When a Maori woman was asked at the Wanganui Court how long it was since she went to live at a certain place (relates the Wanganui Herald) His Honour replied that his experience was that he could never get any times out of Natives. They did not calculate in years. The Clerk's action in giving Mr A. P. Bennett. Chief Health Officer, authority on behalf of the County to prosecute offenders against the County by-laws, was confirmed at Monday's meeting of the Waipa i County Council.

The steady downpour of rain on Sunday evening and on Monday was very welcome throughout this district, as rain was required to improve the pastures. Even more rain would not be objected to by most farmers, who are now assured of a reasonable growth of grass for the immediate requirements of their dairy herds.

Reports to hand indicate that entries for St. John's Guild Flower Show this week are coming to hand freely, though in some classes the competition will probably be weak, owing to blooms having been damaged by the rain. Efforts are being made to create a record for this vear's show.

Cr. W. McCarthy, of Pirongia, who represents (with Cr. Macky) the Mangapiko Riding on \the Waipa County Council, was an absentee from Monday's meeting, not being yet fully recovered from a serious operation in the Waikato Hospital some weeks ago. However, reports indicate that he is making good progress towards a complete restoration to health, after a very protracted illness.

The recent long spell of dry weather was causing Waipa County officials some alarm, for the supplies of metal and timber conveyed by steamer up the Waipa River in the neighbourhood of Whatawhata were in danger of being suspended owing to the river becoming too low for navigation. The heavy rain during the week-end will remove any likelihood of the vessels being unable to negotiate the waterway. At Monday's meeting of the Waipa County Council. Cr. J. S. Fisher asked permission to purchase a one ion truck for use in his (Pukekura) Riding. The Engineer was favourable, and both considered it a good business proposition. The horses and dray were quite satisfactory for short carting, but a truck would be advantageous for other purposes. Cr. Fisher's fellow Councillors were in accord, and the purchase was agreed to. Reporting to the Waipa County Council yesterday, the Engineer (Mr J. W. Civil) said that he had negotiated with the owner of a quarry site at Te Kawa, with a view to arriving at an agreement for payment of royalty for metal taken from the quarry. Finality has not yet been reached, as the landowner had promised to place a definite proposition before the Council, but this offer was not forthcoming. The Council had, therefore, to defer further consideration of the project. At the conclusion of the ordinary business at Monday's meeting of the Waipa County Council, Cr. S. C. Macky said his fellow members had deputed him to convey to the chairman (Cr Reid) their deep and sincere sympathy with him in his recent bereavement in the death of his sixteen-year-old son. He assured Cr. Reid that the Council as a body expressed its sympathy. The chairman briefly but feelingly the resolution, and thanked the members for their expression of sympathy. He indicated that he may even yet find it incumbent upon him to resign the chairmanship in view of the altered circumstances in his private affairs. Much as he would like to carry on County affairs, he may find it necessary to resign, but he asked members to wait until next month's meeting, when maybe he would be able to give a more definite decision.

It is a somewhat strange anomaly that while the State can impose obligations and penalties upon landowners in the matter of keeping their holding's and road frontages clear of noxious weeds, the State is frequently the chief offender, and the local bodies cannot induce the Departments immediately concerned to remedy the evil. It was stated at yesterday's meeting of the Waipa County Council that one of the worst infested areas in a certain portion of the County is under the administration of the Public Trustee, and all representations to have the noxious weeds eradicated or checked have so far been futile. The Council, keen in its desire to protect neighbouring property, considered the advisability of doing the work necessary and charging the cost against the Public Trustee, but the doubt as to whether it could succeed in such a claim caused the Councillors to hesitate. Finally the matter was referred to the County Solicitor with a request that he take the matter up with the Public Trustee.

At the Hamilton Supreme Court last week the application of Ernest Mills Hurley (Mr Mossman) for a decree absolute against Mary Annie Elizabeth Hurley was granted. The petition for divorce filed by Norman Cooper (Mr Mossman) against Veronica Cooper is to be heard at Hamilton Supreme Court next week. ,<■ A traveller asks us to draw attention to the fact that while pork is dearer than beef, and less acceptable, to the majority, many of whom cannot or will not eat it ,the railway refreshment rooms will supply nothing but ham sandwiches. Their unsuitability is accentuated by the fact that all such food is hurriedly bolted between train stops. Perhaps the Meat Control Board will add this to their "Eat More Beef" campaign. Says the King Country Chronicle: "The petition being circulated for the establishment of a Waitomo Power Board is being well supported. Mr H. L. Tempest (of Te Kuiti) has already secured 59 signatures to the petition from the outlying districts, '.he number required being 90." It is fair to assume that the "outlying districts" refers to the Waitomo County and not to the closely settled portion of the Otorohanga County or the Town Board district.