LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1415, 13 October 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr W. H. Davys, clerk to the MagisCourt. Hamilton, has been appointed clerk of the Court at Taumarunui. The number of patients admitted to the Waikato Hospital last month was 169, eight deaths being recorded. Operations performed totalled 76 and the daily average of patients was 190. The commissioner of taxes draws the attention of tax-payers to the notification appearing in to-day’s issue that the due date of payment of land tax for the current year is on Friday, 9th November, 1923, and that the demands will be posted on or about let November. A visit to the new croquet green in Victoria Park yesterday showed that the grass is taking well. Some places appear to be a bit bare, but a close inspection shows that there is a fine sward coming aw;ay. Weeding will have to be attended to soon, but at present is best left alone, for a trial showed that every weed pulled up brought away with it several shoots of grass. To-night the local Orphans’ Club will close its season with a ladies’ night, when opportunity will be taken to show the ladies just why the Orphans’ Club is so popular with the mere male members. The Town Hall has been engaged for thd purpose, and members’ applications for extra tickets have been so satisfactory that the executive expects a very large attendance. The president (Bro. G. T. Robson) is to preside. Speaking this morning to Mr Fred Baker, who is district representative for the Manawatu Bacon Company, we learned that his firm has increased its offer for prime baconers and porkers to 8d and 7d per lb respectively. This sharp rise will be welcomed by farmers, and is perhaps an indication of good prices throughout the next few weeks. If r.so, this district will benefit very considerably, for there are some thousands of store pigs in the neighbourhood of Te Awamutu, and their owners will be encouraged to pay special attention to fattening them. Mr Baker gave no indication as to whether the price now offered will be maintained for any length of time, explaining that he had simply been instructed from headquarters to advance the prices to the figures mentioned.

The local Tennis Club holds its official opening of the season this afternoon at the Victoria Park courts. The Old Men’s Home attached to the Waikato Hospital is at present filled to overflowing, and the secre-* tary has had to refuse several applications for admission to the institution. The Waikato Hospital Board has authorised the secretary (Mr W. I. Conradi) to sue for any outstanding fees without awaiting further instructions. Extra assistance is if necessary to be employed in “shakingup” defaulters. Many people will learn with regret that, owing to failing health, Mr A. C. Bushel!, secretary of the Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Company, with headquarters at Hamilton, has been ordered 12 months’ respite from business in order to undergo medical treatment. Monday, 22nd October, being Labour Day, will be observed as a holiday by most, local businesses. A sports meeting, organised on beha'lf of the Te Awamutu Boy Scouts, and a bowlers’ progressive pairs tourney, are among the local attractions, while the Waikato Hunt races at Hamilton will also draw many holiday-makers. Mr W. Goodfellow. manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., was a passenger by the Tahiti from Wellington on Thursday evening, en route to Australia on a health-recup-erating trip. Mr Goodfellow 'has been off duty for some weeks, and before leaving the Dominion he stated that he was already considerably improved in health. Some advice regarding the marketing of pedigree bulls was given by Mr G. McCullough at the Matamata bull sale on Monday. He said in other places it was the practice to ring and lead the pedigree bulls into the sale ring. This allowed the bulls' to be shown in a much better manner than by leaving them in the pens and also facilitated a quicker sale. He recommended the suggestion to district farmers. The death has just occurred at Hokia, Levin, Manawatu district, of Mrs Winiata Potaka, a chieftainess of high rank, who was held in highest esteem. Deceased was descended on her mother’s side, from the famous Te Whatanui, a leading chieftain of the Ngatiraukawas. who, Mn the year 1824, at the invitation of Te Ruaparaha (to whom he was related) led his tribe from Maungatautari to occupy the Manawatu district.

Mr Lee Martin, of Matangi, has received the following reply to a communication, sent by him to the Dairy Pool electoral officer, in connection with his (Mr Martin’s) receipt of two voting papers:—“Thanks for your letter regarding two voting papers. Under the Act you are only entitled to one vole. The duplicate registration was due to your name appearing on two separate lists sent in—namely, as Lee Martin, W.. and Martin. W. Lee. Please exercise No. 970 and return the other one.—Hodgkins.” Referring to the resolution passed at last meeting of the Board having for its object the bringing up to date of the valuations of the areas comprising the Board’s district, the Valuation Department notified the Waikato Hospital Board at its meeting on Thursday that any attempt to es-tab-lish now a new basis of unimproved values would certainly result in a greater risk of error than the basis now in use. Until economic- conditions had become more stable there was a very good reason for continuing to use the existing unimproved values.

The Hickson mission at Hamilton has ended, and reports published indicate that several people have benefited as a result. The percentage of reported improvements at the Hamilton mission appears to be greater than was the case in Auckland. Those who attended the mission from Te Awamutu state that several of the local sufferers received benefit physically, while practically all must benefit spiritually, their faith not having been diminished as a result of their experiences. The general tone of the addresses at the mission were distinctly encouraging and helpful. The question of butter supplies for the Waikato Hospital was again before the Board on Thursday, when there was an acrimonious discussion re the Board’s earlier action in aeceptnig the higher offer of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company as against that of the Waikato Valley Dairy Company, the point influencing the decision being that the former company is a co-operative one and the other is not. The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce had protested to the Board, pointing out that ratepayers’ money was needlessly being paid away as there was no argument about the quality of the butters. Mr C. J. W. Barton stated that the Chamber of Commerce was not even an elected body, and as such had no right to criticise the action of the Board. If they did not like the Board’s methods they could stand for election on the Board. The Te Awamutu Municipal Band journeyed to Paterangi on Thursday evening to render a programme of concert items. Despite the very wet day and evening, there was a very satisfactory attendance, and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the concert. The instrumentalists were in good form, and the vocalists were not one whit behindhand in this respect. Encores and hearty applause were frequent, indicating the appreciation of the audience. The concert was so well received that the visitors consented to a suggestion by the Paterangi ladies’ committee that a short dance be held after the concert, and the hall was quickly cleared, following which about forty couples enjoyed a couple of hours’ dancing. The bandsmen were entertained to a sumptuous supper by the ladies’ committee, which did everything possible to make the visit enjoyable. Bandsmen look forward with pleasure to repeating the visit at an early date, and are now considering a suggestion that they journey to Paterangi next Saturday afternoon in connection with the opening of the tennis lawns there.