LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipa Post, Volume 36, Issue 2147, 21 April 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ten bankruptcies, which were notified in the latest issue of the New Zealand Gazette, were equally divided between the two islands.

The approaches to the Arapuni dam have now been levelled and motorists may drive across the carriageway. Apart from its main purpose, the top of the dam provides an excellent link between Te Awamutu and Putaruru.

The Governor-General advised the Ngaruawahia Borough Council that he will pay an official visit to Ngaruawahia on 30th April, arriving by the midday train. He will also pay an official visit to the Maori pa in pursuance of a promise made on regatta day.

An appropriation by ballot for £4OO in the combined Te Awamutu-Cam-bridge group (No. 2) of Te Awamutu Terminating Building Society took place at Cambridge on Thursday eventing, when Mr C. F. Battson, of Te Awamutu, was successful. The number was 589.

Mr Bert White, who ever since the inception of the mental hospital at Tokanui sixteen years ago has been chief engineer and electrician at the institution, has received notice of his transfer to a similar position at Avondale, and he leaves next week to take up his new appointment on Ist May. Mr White has been a capable and conscientious official, while in sporting circles he has also been a prominent figure, especially as a member of Te Awamutu Bowling Club. It may be added that Mr White was a prominent worker in creating a bowling green last season at Tokanui. Mr and Mrs White and family will take with them the good wishes of a large circle of friends in Te Awamutu, Tokanui, and neighbouring districts.

Southern advices indicate that a very good demand exists for ryegrass, and merchants are paying 3s 6d to 3s 9d on trucks, equal to 5s 3d machinedressed, and the market has a hardening tendency, as there is a strong mand from the North Island, where the farmers have experienced one of the best sowing seasons of the last four years. Cocksfoot is also meeting with good demand at Is Oid per lb, machine-dressed. The Akaroa crop is below average, and another advantage to the grower is that the last session's legislation reauiring imported seed to be stained, so as to distinguish it from New Zea.and seed, has caused merchants to drop business with Denmark. Clover crops are looking fairly well in Canterbury, and the general opinion is that there will not be as much cowgrass as usual.

That spcial encourageemnt is due to the unemployed man who is prepared to make an effort to obtain work on his own account, instead of waiting, like Mr Micawber, for something to turn up, is a faot which is recognised by the Labour Department, and one way in which it helps the man who will go further afield than his own town to secure a position is by making him a loan of his railway fare. In cases in which a man desires to take advantage of the privilege he is required to present a form, which is accepted as a guarantee of the repayment of the loan, signed on behalf of the Salvation Army of the Men's Mission or by some person who can be easily traced. The labour office in a southern centre states that it grants several applications every week, and it is seldom that the money is not quickly returned..

The grand dance at Lake View Hall last Tuesday was a big success, there being an attendance of about a hundred, including patrons from Pukeatua, Kihikihi, Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Paterangi, Ohaupo, and Kaipaki. The function proved a ye'ry happy entertainment. Hildreth's Orchestra (Hamilton) provided excellent music, and this was supplemented by a number of encores. The floor was in perfect order, and Mr B. Elliott had charge as master of ceremonies. Delightful extras were contributed by Messrs B. Elliott and Jones. The committee is now busily engaged pr&- ! paring for a grand ball on Ist May,; when elaborate lighting effects will again be a feature. It will be remem* bered that lighting effects at the last grand dance were very favoursfbDy commented upon. ' : <>"■

As forecasters of the weather bees never make mistakes. They know what the weather for the day will be without consulting the direction of the wind or the markings of the barometer.' If there is going to be rain they will not go to work, no matter how much the sun may shine in the morning, and if the weather is going to be fair the. thickest clouds do not keep them at home. If on a summer morning bees are going out and coming in as usual one can conclude the day will be fine. If they are loitering about at their hives as if they intended taking a day's holiday they know that there is going to be rain. Sometimes they will be seen rushing homeward as if in a hurry, but none will be noticed flying away to the fields. When this happens a storm is threatening.

The late Mr W. G. H. Wolfe, a wellknown resident of Te Awamutu, whose death occurred at the Waikato Hospital last Tuasday, after a brief illness, was born in Longford, Tasmania, in 1858. He came to New Zealand in 1898, settling at Eltham, and for 15 years was engaged in farming pursuits in various parts of the Taranaki province. In 1913 deceased removed to the Waikato district, finally settling in Te Awamutu eleven years ago. Mr Wolfe was the promoter of axemen's sports in New Zealand, the first axemen's carnival being held at Eltham, and he also introduced the plum axe into the country. Prior to coming to New Zealand he held the position of inspector of permanent way on the State railways of Tasmania. Mr Wolfe was a keen sportsman and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is survived by Mrs Wolfe, seven sons (Geo. of Auckland, Charles, Cliff, and Len, of Te Awamutu; Jack, of Sydn'ey; Allan, of Whangarei); and Harry, of Stratford); and five daughters (Mesdames Priestley, of Sydney; Somerville, of Ohaupo; Worthington, of Putaruru; Callaghan, of New Plymouth; and Cunningham, of Wellington).

Te Awamutu Borough Council will meet on Monday evening.

A number of town and district sportsmen left for Te Aroha this morning io attend the annual gathering of Te c Aroha Trotting Club.

We are informed that, in response to requests by several local musiclovers, Messrs Weingott and bon, well-known and old-established Auckland piano tuners, have come to Te Awamutu to carry out engagements for tuning. While here they will accept similar work.

The Olde Country Fayre, which is being promoted by the ladies oi bt. John's (Anglican) Church, will take place on Thursday and Friday next m the parish grounds. Some very entertaining and novel attractions are being arranged for, while a show ot autumn flowers promises to be one oi the most attractive features.

A Harepepe farmer wrote to Friday's meeting of Te Awamutu Electric Power Board asking for power supply, and added that if the district were canvassed a sufficient number of consumers could be obtained to warrant extending the present power lines near Te Rore bridge for the neqessary two or three miles. The manager was instructed to make arrangements for a canvass.

A small, but enthusiastic meeting of those interested in the formation of a Boy Scout Troop in Te Awamutu was held in the Parish Hall yesterday evening. Mr Mairs was voted to the chair, and after some di'scussion as to ways 'and means, it was decided to form a troop, to be known as the Te Awamutu Boy Scouts, with Mr L. 0. Morgan, assistant master at the local District High School, as Scoutmaster. A Provisional Council was also set up to go into the details necessary for the control of a troop. When accounts were presented for payment at yesterday's meeting of Te Awamutu Electric Power Board Mr Montefiore referred to the saving effected in members' honoraria as compared with last year. There was a difference of £36. He claimed that his representations nearly a year ago had been largely responsible, but other members controverted this, saying the saving was principally effected by the reduced membership of the Board and the fact lW that some members had not regularly, 'attended meetings.

Mr M. E. Fitzgerald, the Matamata county iengineer, who spent Easter week-end at his bach on the eastern shore of Lake Arapuni, reports that the fishing in the lake is excellent. Seventeen good-sized fish were caught, and all. were in very good cionditon. Practically every one, however, when opened, had young trout inside, and in one there was a trout thilee or four inches long. As there are millions of young fish in the lake, it would appear that the older fish find it less exacting to eat their kind than to scour the beds for food or rise to the surface for flies.

In support of his suggestion that the Board should buy a quantity of electric ranges and stoves, Mr J. C. Montefiore told his fellow members of Te Awamutu Electric Power Board on Friday that five years ago he paid £2B for an electric motor that to-day he could buy for £l3. .The point he was apparently seeking to make was that the ruling prices had been forced down. A few minutes later the manager said styles changed and improvements came so fast nowadays that if the Board imported a consignment the apparatus might become obsolete, and there would consequently be "dead stock."

The many friends of Mr D. S. Reid, member for Waikato, will be pleased to learn that he has sufficiently recovered from illness to leave the private hospital in Hamilton in which he has been laid aside for some time past. The Times says Mr Reid has definitely announced that he will re-contest the Waikato seat at the general election, a decision which will be favourably received by all people, irrespective of their political views. The boundaries of the Waikato electorate have been altered by the Boundaries Commission, and there is much new territory to be campaigned in this year. Mr Reid intends to visit all parts of the electorate, and hopes to commence his tour next week.

An Oamaru lady who has just returned from Wellington, states that a new class of criminal has developed in the Empire City. Well-dressed, and most polite individuals make a practice of approaching women in the back streets, who piay be carrying parcels, and, after doffing their hats, offer in a very gentlemanly manner to carry the parcel. When the parcel is handed over, the polite individual takes to his heels, and is soon lost in the darkness, while the dumbfounded woman is left too surprised to give the alarm. One of the well-dressed gentry proffered his assistance to a lady who was carrying a bulky parcel along Oriental Bay. The offer was accepted after some little demur, and the polite one bolted with his swag. The lady returned laughingly to her home. The parcel contained the carcass of a deceased feline which she had intended to deposit in the harbour at a suitable spot.

That cooking ranges, stoves, etc., should be supplied to the Board's consumers at wholesale cost was advocated by Mr Montefiore at Friday's meeting of the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board as a means of increasing the consumption of electricity. It would be sound business, for if the Board popularised the use of stoves and ranges revenue would come to the Board. It was suggested by another member that the stove manufacturers fixed the price. The manager said that was so, and he would not be able to get further supplies if he cut the retail price. As a matter of fact, all the goods in the Board's show room were supplied on consignment; thus the Board had no investment in stock. Mr Montefiore was not convinced, and he argued in favour of indenting, claiming that the merchants' " ring " was a menace to the community, and he would have no compunction in going past them. Mr Macky suggested that the power board unite to get a Dominion agency for a good class of stove for sale to consumers at the lowest cost possible.

During a discussion at yesterday's meeting of Te Awamutu Electric Power Board, upon the question of importing a consignment of electric! stoves and ranges, with the object of lowering the price to customers, and as a consequence popularising their use to such a degree that the sale" of electricity would increase, Mr S. C. B. Macky said the manure merchants had to bring their prices down when a company went past them and imported direct.

Householders' meetings for the appointment of school committees in the Auckland district are to be held on Monday, 30th inst. In Te Awamutu nine committeemen are annually elected. This year nominations close next Monday, 23rd inst., and it is hoped that people interested in the welfare of the children and in education ■ affairs generally will offer themselves for election. In the case of other schools in Te Awamutu district nominations do not, we believe, close until the evening of the annual householders' meetings.

Arrangements were made at a committee meeting of the local Orphans' Club last evening for the annual meeting to be held on May sth. It was originally intended to meet on. the 28th inst., but the usual meeting place has already been booked for another function. Indications point to quite a number of new members this year, and as the total last season was 137, the new committee might soon have to consider the advisability of restricting admission to this popular club owing to lack of seating room for members at the fortnightly social evenings.

In the latest Gazette to hand there is a lengthy list of estates in bankruptcy that the Official Asignee in Hamilton notifies he is applying for release from administration of. In the list are the following names: Leonard Guy Abel, farmer, Te Mawhai; : Bruce Anderson, farmer, Pokuru; Richard Carruthers, farmer, Ohaupo; Frederick C. Cuff, farmer, Pirongia; Gray Bros., farmers, Puk'eatua; James F. Goodwin, farmer, Te Awamutu, Peter Halliday, farmer, Te Awamutu; Hart and Thwaite, farmers, Ohaupo; John Layne, agent, Te Awamutu; Frederick W. Laskey, farm labourer, Te Awamutu; George E. Marshall, farmer, Parawera; William J. D. Moore, farmer, Harapepe; Edward D. McVicar, farmer, Te Rore; Leonard H. Peat, farmer, Pirongia; Francis H. Solomon, farmer, Pukeatua; Thomas and Smith, farmers, Te Rore; John W. Thompson, rabbiter, Harapepe; and Yeates Bros., farmers, Pirongia.