LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5648, 21 June 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A meeting of returned soldiers will be bold in their office, Street, on Tuesday evening next for tfafl ctedion of officers, and a large attendance is requested. Owing to certain information appertaining to borough affairs not being forthcoming at the lime the Mayor, ¥r Donaldtfn, It ft Auckland, Mr J. J. Kitehie, Ttwn Clerk, remained behind to complete the business of tliß mission. According to the Wellington Post's travelling correspondent, there is a mild land boom on in the 1 hames Valley and Hauraki Plains districts, and laud is fetching big prices A farm on the Uiuraki Plains sold a few days ago »t #BO per icre,

Mails for the Commonwealth of Australia, via Sydney, also Egypt, Africa, and (he East, close hero on Monday, 23rd July, at 4 p m„ p.-r Port Chalmers. Mails for United Kingdom, Continent of Europe, and North and South America per Arawa, clcso here on Saturday, 2lst July, at 4 p.m. Correspondence must bo specially addressed. Returns of a' tual threshings received from threfhing-mill owners to May 21st show (sla'es the Government Statistician) that, so far, 3.495,238 bushels of wheat and 2,766,093 bushels of oats have been threshed cut. The average yields per acre in cases where particulars tf areas were furnished work out at 34 15 bushels for wheat and 42.76 bushels for oats.

Mr Grant Macandrew, formerly employed in the electrical department of Waihi G.M, Company, has been appointed electrical engineer for the Te Aroha Borough Council. There were eighteen applicants for the position from all parts of the Dominion. Mr Mac'andrew is expected to take up his new position seme time next month.

President Wilson has a semi-humorous superstitious regard for thirteen as his lucky rurabsr, and the tact that his arrival in Prance was timed for the 13th inst. is cited in confirmation. The President first arrived in France on 13th December; the Peace Conference assembled on 13th January, and the draft of the Covenant was completed on 13ih February.

The executir# of the New Zealand Automobile Urion, discussing in its annual report the making end financing of good roads, says: “ There can be no doubt that this Dominion will sooner or later be faced with the imperatiie necessity of setting up a special Dr. partment to deal with Ibis question, if not entirely on the Victorian model, at least as regards its main principles. The executive submits,” the annual report continues, “ that the time is opportune for a great conference of all interested in the question, and that an effort should be made to bring about such a meeting during the next session of Parliament.”

The legal formalities in connection with resuming the land at the Waihi Beach occupied some considerable time of the Mayor’s and Town C'ark’s visit to Auckland. Some prominent land valuers with large experience of the operation ot the Public Work Act and Assessment Court were consulted. Financial inquiries were also made, and the present position was gone into very fully with the legal authorities who had successfully acquired large interests tor the Auckland City Council. Mr Donaldson is persuaded that the case as it will be put from the point of view ot the town, especially the health of the miner, the worker, and the returned soldiers, wi'l be very bard to answer.

A correspondent writes ;—“ Regarding the lengthy series ol burglaries and attempted burglaries reported from various centres during the past few weeks, as appearing in your last issue, you state that Waihi has not so far been ‘favoured’ with a visit by nocturnal visitors, and your advice to business people who are in the habit of leaving money in their shops is good, as the only way of protecting themselves is to leave nothing to take. Thefts have occurred in Waihi in many instances, but have not been sheeted home, an instance being the pilfering of articles left in perambulators outside a ihcatr.e Seeing that the mining companies paid wages yesterday, and that the ‘big pay’ comes on Monday next, private individuals, as well as business people, would do well re take "your advice, and protect themselves ” The programme to be screened at the Academy Theatre wilt be headad by “The Heart ot Bom nee," featuring June Caprice, Eloi.-e Jackson is a much sought-for girl, first, because she is pretty and petite ; second, because she is a very wealthy briress and the ward of Judge Stafford. The Judge believes that Harvey Greyson, a struggling writer, is a suitor for Eloise’s hand chiefly because of ihe second reason, rather than the first. To test his affections he forms a little plot to which Eloise consents, for ihe attentions of other girls have made jealous of Harvey. The Judge’s scheme results in Kloiso being declared bankrupt and in Harvey’s being evicted from his studio apartment for overdue rent. To keep "deputy sheriffs’' (hired by the girl’s guardian) form seizing Kioise’s property, Greyson gives them two of his most precious manuscripts as security with the pledge that ho will raise funds. Meantime, Eloise herself has become a chorus girl ia a production in rehearsal, merely as a larlr. She learns the real character of the man backing the show at a gala banquet that evening. Harvey rescues her from the unwelcome advances of the drunken producer. Eloise faints and he carries her home He finds that the judge has sold for big sums flje stories he handed the “ deputies,” and there arp rejoicings all round. Other pictures will be A Man’s World ” and a Metro-Drew comedy.

The Mayor, Mr Donaldson, returned from Auckland last evening, where lie and tho Town Clerk (Mr Ritchie) have been on a visit, for the last four lays. Mr Don;ildsoj) reports having had a busy time iii connection with borough matters and the annual meeting of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Commitlee. On Wednesday morjiing the Mayor cf Auckland arranged to convey tjio whole of the country delegates from the 22 branches to the proposed Mangcro settlement. On the way out the .company made a stop at the Veter.ms’ . [lnme, ijj Ppsem, and wore shown over tho institution by the manager. Mr. Donaldson says the homy is beaut fully situated, and commands an ideal view. At present its inmates number 2b, and their average age is 81. The proposal is th.it the Auckland Patriotic Committee take oyer tho home, as Hn the na.tural course of events it must soon cease to ho required for the present inmates, and, in view of the now needs which must arise in the future, make it available for the use of veterans of the present great war. The delegates were much impressed with the Many,ore scheme for disabled soldiers, which, in idpp-t. is to expend about £120,000 in making a model village, winch in .-oine measure is to 1/c /mn on communist c lines, it wifi accommodate 1/0 families. The annual meeting heartily on derat'd tho project. Mr Donaldson was imiiiied by Mr Gunsun to move in the ( direction of obtaining more elasticity in ( fjio administration of the A fund, so that if a At man could establish the j fact that ho was in necessitous circi.m-, stances ho may ho assisted. Tim moot- j ing. however, in.wsted that the new | ’ clause must be acltniui&tcrccl with the.; j'veatcjt care. 1

The matter of supplying school chil-l d.rni with hot luncheons during the winter months was referred to at a meeting ot the Wellington Education Board It was decided that it was a matter that need not necessarily be pushed on with as a general thing, as it would cost a good deal of money, If anything were done for one school it would have to b? done tor all.

An exchange states that Mr A. G. Hillier, of Shannon, has been appointed unopposed to represent the Labour Party in the contest for the Manawatu seat at tiie forthcoming election. Luring his residence in Shannon Mr Hillier organised the Labour Party, having held the positions of secretary and president of the Flax Workers’ Union, chairman of the Shannon Gash Trading Society, and having been a councillor of Shannon borough.

At a m ctmg of the Beturned Soldiers’ Association al Tlumer, it was decided that the proposed club should be the Peace memorial tor Thames. The board to control to be constituted by members of local bodies and of the K.S.A. The voting agains* the Y.M.G.A. proposal was all but unanimous It was pointed out that a Y.M.G.A. was hardly a proper memorial for soldiers fallen in battle, also that while a soldier was living on 3s a day the Y.M.G.A. was the only thing to which ho could turn, and it was great ly appreciated, but now that he is back into civilian life again, it was tbuught that iu the ialerests of the B.S.A. in general it would be preferable that the soldiers manage their own affairs.

A New Plymouth resident, tired of being pushed out of rented houses, re cently purchased a seven-roomed house of his own, and promptly gave notice to his tenant to quit. But the tenant was tin ex soldier, and would not budge. The owner suggested that the tenant could stay on and occupy three of the rooms, he using the other lour. But the ex-soldier, secure in his position, was adamant. The owner approached the Repatriation Committee with a view to s°curing its good offices, but as the committee exists to help returned soldiers, it could only suggest to the irate owner that he persevere in the exercise ci moral suasion, the only force which he cohid legally use.

By arrangement, Mrs Macwilliaras' orchestra visited the Waihi Hospital lr. I evening and rendered in the men’s ward a vocal and instrumental programme. Amongst the items given were solos by Mrs Macwilliaras, her numbers being ‘‘A String of Pearls ” and “ Somewheie a Voice is Calling." Cornet solos were given by Mr George Henry. Orchestral numbers were rendered between the solos. The programme was most enjoyable, and the appreciation of the patients and staff was unbounded. Prior to the war this orchestra paid regular visits to the hospital, but these had to be suspended owing to the absence of Mr Saunders, the leading violinLt, who was away at the front j but now that Mr Saunders is back, and the orchestra has been re-organised, it is hoped that similar musical programmes will again be given at frequent intervals at the institution.

The Mayor took advantage of tlm opportunity while in Auckland o': making inquiries for coal to tide the borough over its present difficulties, and relieve the strain upon the local gas works. The secretary of the Taupiri Mines was seen, and although, as he pointed out, the Waihi gas works was not a customer, and ho was not prepared to 'deli a customer from another mine, nor had he been asked by Waihi for any corn’ during the last six months, lie was q lite prepared to assist the town in its ] resent difficulties, and would immecVately forward 20 tons.

Speaking about America’s big pcadhig ‘Tlry-up,’" Air Albert Goldie, an emissary from the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, now in Wellington, relates an amusing incident concerning the delicate differentiation between a “wet” and a “dry*' district in Chlifornin. Longboacb, a suburb of Los Angeles, is “wet.” and San Monica, which adjoins Longboacb, is “dry.” A resident was found to bayo stored a quantity of ‘joy juico” in b ,: s house, and when apprehended declared that he lived in Longbeach and not in San Aloniea. A survey of the promises was made, when it was discovered that the border lino between the two places ran through the offender’s house. As it was admitted in evidence that the liquor had been taken in through the back door, and the door was just on the Snn Aloniea (the “d’-y’ ) side yf the t : ne, ho was fined. Since then he has had a now doorway constructed on the Longbcach s : de of his house.

Although it is officially stated that over a million people are receiving out-of-work pay the cry oti “no labour” is still heard op all sides (says the Loudon National News). Families who moved into new homes on March >2oth (Quarter day) had in a great many instances to put i!j) with the inconvenience of the repairs being completed after that date, owing to the' shortage of men in the building trade. If you want a piumhew it is (jtilj necessary, in many districts to add yon i- name to a “waiting list - ’ and patch up tho burst pipe as best you can until your turn comes, round. The laundries, again, state that it is impossible to guarantee the return of washing under a month owing to the shortage of skilled workers, and vacancies for both male and female factory hands are apparently plentiful. It is true that tire majority of thpse in receipt of unemployment pay are munition workers, hilt what were they before the war?