Local and General.

Waipa Post, Volume 41, Issue 3188, 14 August 1930, Page 4

Local and General.

The secretary, Post and Telegraph Department, Wellington, invites tenders for inland mail service contracts for the North Island. Full particulars are advertised in this issue.

Last Tuesday evening a representative party of Te Awamutu Orphans joined with their Cambridge brethren in a visit to Morrinsville Club, and together they presented a very entertaining programme. They were warmly welcomed at Morrinsville, and a very pleasant reunion resulted. A correspondent in the Puahue district writes: “I noticed with considerable interest the report in your last issue re the largeness of the Waipa County Council's overdraft at present, and that the Government and Main Highways Board are largely blamed for this position. To anyone who has traversed the Hairini and Puahue district roads and noticed the wasterful and unbusinesslike manner in which this portion of the Waipa County Council’s affairs is looked after, the only conclusion that could be arrived at is that ratepayers’ money is being wasted all over the territory. Therefore, one wonders if the highlypaid officials should not carry the blame, rather than the Government and Highways Board. As an instance, there are thousands of tons of soft rock procurable about five miles away, that makes excellent roads where excessive traffic is not experienced; anyhow, it is much preferable to the large boulders that have been used. In another place, potholes were actually filled up with sand.” Skin blemishes disappear after eating Yeaston Tablets, which purify the whole system.—W. Jeffery, chemist.

The .Wellington banks have found that the tellers are receiving a number of silvered pennies, with the head of Queen Victoria on one side and of Edward VII on the other side. The edges are notched to suggest that they were once milled. The public are warned to watch for these coins.

Owing to the heavy operating losses that are being incurred on the Frankton Cambridge line the Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, has intimated that the four daily return services will be reduced to three. The Minister stated that the passenger traffic on the line had fallen to negligible proportions, owing to the marked preference of the people for using the road service between Cambridge and Hamilton.

Arrangements are now well in hand for the School Concert to be held in the Town Hall on Wednesday and Thursday of next week. A varied programme, including vocal, elocutionary and instrumental items, drill and folk dances, will be presented, and patrons should be well pleased. A playette entitled “ Huckelberry Finn,” will be staged by High School pupils. Popular prices are being charged and a small number of seats may be reserved at Gifford’s.

The luncheon address at the Central Tearooms last Tuesday, under the auspices of the Te Awamutu Chamber (of Commerce, was given by the Rev. S. R. Wareing, 8.A., who took as his subject, “Some Aspects of Advertising.” The speaker, in chatty style, traversed a wide field in about twenty minutes. The chairman remarked, at the close, that the address was a particularly interesting resume of the history of advertising, and he was sure the members present had thoroughly enjoyed it. (Applause.) Daylight saving will automatically operate eight from next Sunday. A move to secure the earlier effectiveness of the Summer Time. Act of last year was made in the Legislative Council yesterday by the Hon. G. J. Garland, who gave notice that he would ask the Government if it would favourably consider an amendment to enable summer time to begin this year on the second Sunday in September instead of the second Sunday in October.

The suggestion that the petrol tax should be eliminated altogether and that the State should take over the control and distribution of that commodity was made by the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, when speaking on the short title of the Customs Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives last evening. Mr Holland said it should be an easy matter for the House to come to an agreement on the question. At thfe Invercargill by-election the Reform Party had made the distribution of petrol by the State one of the planks in its platform. The candidate had pledged himself to support that plank.. A strong protest against the curtailments in the vote toward the work of the Piunket Society was made by a deputation from the Dominion Council to the Hons. G. _W. Forbes and A. J. Stallworthy in Wellington on Tuesday. Mr Forbes said that in ordinary circumstances the Piunket Society vote would be the last one to be reduced, but at the present moment there was a call for ecpnomy all round. He was not certain yet how the House would receive his proposals for raising extra revenue. Mr Stallworthy said it was not . correct to assume that the Society had been deprived of £6OOO. As a matter of fact, the shortage was only £I9OO, and it was possible that the amount would be made up in the Supplementary Estimates.

The Te Awamutu Girls’ Hockey Club dance at the Town Hall last evening proved a very- happy and successful function, and the attendance, though large, was not quite up to the numbers at the previous social of the club. The arrangements had been placed in capable hands, and every detail tended to thorough enjoyment. The Te Awamutu orchestra provided delightful music, and this was supplemented with extras by Misses W. Fear and B. Roach and Mr Weller. Mr E. A. Spiers carried out the duties of M.C. A Monte Carlo competition was won by Miss D. Gibson and partner, and a spot waltz found Mr E. Jeffries and partner successful. The supper, served by the hockey girls, was adequate and appetising.

The Waipa Rugby Union’s representative teams in three grades will be in action next Saturday. The seniors are challengers for the Peace Cup at Hamilton, the juniors meet Cambridge in the first round of the Waikato junior championship at Cambridge, while the thirds will play at Albert Park in a match with the Cambridge Union’s representatives in the same grade. In addition the elect of the Te Awamutu and Cambridge district high schools will play the final for the Teddy Shield at Te Awamutu. During the morning a trial game will be played among primary school boys to enable the selectors to choose the Waipa primary schools’ representatives to compete in the Roller Mills Shield tourney at Pukekohe a fortnight hence. There was a large attendance of buyers from all over the Dominion at the sale of pedigree dairy stock and pigs held on behalf of the Government at the Ruakura farm of instruction yesterday. The stock were in splendid condition. Eighteen Shorthorn bulls sold at an average of 33 l-3gns., the highest price 68gns., being paid by Mr R. G. Finlay, of Miranda. Fourteen Jersey bulls were disposed of at an average of 29!gns., 81gns., the highest pi’ice, being paid by Mr J. Bent, of Te Awamutu. Sixteen. guineas was the average price received for 12 Ayrshire bulls, 46gns. being the best price paid, the purchaser being Mr A. A. Potts, of Matamata. Seven Shorthorn heifers brought an average of 33gns., the best price, 58gns., being paid by Mr D. Hardy, of Whangarei. Mr W. S. Smith, of Kio Kio, paid 28gns. for a Jersey heifer, the best of a line of four, which averaged 193gns. Five Ayrshire heifers were sold for 70gns., the best realising 18gns. Pigs sold well.

Motor vehicle drivers would be well advised to note that the borough traffic inspector has been instructed to stop drivers from time to time and require the production of their licenses; also to note those who drive vehicles that are not properly equipped with number plates, tail lights, etc.

What is claimed to he the biggest stack of ensilage in Taranaki is on the property of Mr L. Marsh, of Hillsborough. The stack is 99 feet long, 30 feet wide and 8 feet high. It is estimated to contain 400 tons of good quality ensilage, showing that good ensilage can be made in stacks of any size.

A start is expected to be made in a few days with the reconditioning of the playing areas in Albert Park. The Domain Board has conferred the responsibility for the work on a small committee of experienced and enthusiastic members, and users of the Park anticipate that a thorough good job will be made of the undertaking—so far as the money available will permit.

The series of protests made for a long time past by the Christchurch Presbytery against the running of Sunday excursion trains is to cease. The presbytery decided at its meeting to-day that the “ enemy ” was too great in number for the presbytery’s protests to be effective. The Rev. R. M. Ryburn said it was a grave matter that the public was being taken away every Sunday from its observance of the Sabbath. However, the enemy were in so great a number that any effort the presbytery could make would go for nothing.

Members of the British Rugby team who visited Blenheim for the final match of the New Zealand tour on Tuesday, are now busily engaged in preparing for their departure for Australia on Friday. They appreciate the opportunity for a rest, the tour having been a strenuous one. All speak well of the hospitality extended to them throughout the tour. The team is to be officially farewelled by the New Zealand Rugby Union at a function on Friday, when each of the tourists will be presented with a New Zealand travelling rug.

Those local bodies rating on unimproved values continue to protest at the decision of the Appeal Court in the Northcote borough case. The Mayor of Birkenhead said the position created was absurd. The owner of a large property could build a shack just presentable enough to comply with the by-laws, demand an exorbitant rental, and allow the shack to be unoccupied for six months, and then could apply for the remission of part of the rates. The Council decided to join other bodies in the movement to secure amending legislation.

The principal private bus companies of Auckland have schedules of the new scale of fares all ready, but are waiting until the final decision regarding taxes is known, The companies have asked the Prime Minister to exempt petrol used in passenger-carry-ing vehicles from the tax, but there has been no response. They say that if nothing is done an increase in fares will be required to meet not only the extra cost of petrol but the extra cost of tyres and spare parts affected by the tariff. The increased taxation on account of petrol amounts to £2500 a year in the case of one company alone.