PIRONGIA DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17711, 15 May 1929, Page 9

PIRONGIA DISTRICT.

INTERESTING HAPPENINGS. ministerial visit. The local Lands Committee, which has been actively engaged in solving the absentee land question here lo the past two years, advanced its cau. another step on Wednesday, when l - Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands, visited Pirongia and was entertained by the committee to afternoon tea. 'while in conversation with a pro minent member of the Cro "' n Commissioner’s staff, who accompame the Minister, your correspondent was informed that the Pirongia absentee land question was unique m the nistory of the Auckland Lands Office. This official, who has had the task of untangling the tangled titles of Pirongia absentee lands, expressed a PP rec E" tion of the assistance rendered by the local Absentee Lands Committee, particularly in regard to securing some measure of unanimity amongst occupiers in connection with the consolidation of the absentee lands. Successful Concert* On the evening of May 7 the Te Rore Croquet Club put on a very successful concert in the Pirongia Memorial Hall. A full programme of vocal, instrumental and elocutionary items was presented to a full house. Accident. The little daughter (Ivy) of Mr Sifflect met with a painful accident at the Te Rore School while playing on the swing, from which she fell and broke her arm. Farewell. A pleasant little function was tendered to Mrs Rose, the retiring assistant teacher at the local school, by the Pirongia ladies. After a particularly dainty afternoon tea had been served Mrs Rose was presented with a travelling rug. In the absence of the chairman of the school committee, Mr Grace made the presentation and stressed the good work of Mrs Rose in the school and the Ladies’ Club during her two years’ sojourn in Pirongia. “For She's a Jolly Good Fellow,” sung by the gathering, brought the function to a close. Plunket Society. The recently-established branch of the Plunket Society held a rally in the Public Liibrary. Mrs Lloyd presided and explained the conditions of membership and the co3t of securing the attendance of one of the nurses of the society, who will attend fortnightly at the Library. It was decided to augment the annual subscription of 5s by arranging for the young ladies of Pirongia to put on a ball. The sum of £lB will be required to meet the expenses in connection with the visiting nurse.

Domain Board* At its last meeting the Pirongia Domain Board decided to effect substantial improvements to the surroundings of the Memorial Hall. A concrete wall and iron gates will replace the present fence and gates, which have fallen into disrepair. A concrete path is to connect the gates with the hall entrance and the gates are to be rearranged and painted. Mr W. H. Bell was appointed to the vacancy caused by the departure of Mr H. Hart from the district. Progressive League. The Progressive League met to consider and approve tne rules prepared by 'the president and secretary, after \vhich the real work of the league was commenced. It was decided to secure all the information possible regarding the local mail arrangements, with a view to generally improving the service of the local post office. To this end a committee of two, Messrs T. Steel and J. McL. Livingstone, was appointed to wait on the chief postmaster at Hamilton.

It was decided to call the attention of the Raglan County Council to the state of Eyre’s bridge, which has subsided recently, and to the broken condition of the decking on the steel bridge over the Waipa at Pirongia. The possibility of a Pirongia Road Board improving local conditions was viewed with a great deal of caution by the league executive. In the absence of any reliable data members were not inclined to voice an opinion. An offer to demonstrate with a weeddestroying spray was tendered by Mr E. C. Ilouchen, of Hamilton, and as it was understood that the spray was non-poisonous Mr A. D. Dixon offered his paddock, in which there is a patch of ragwort, for the demonstration.

It was decided to inform Mr Houchen that Saturday, at 11 a.rn., would be a suitable time for local farmers and the committee of the league, who arc to watch the effect of the spray on the treated ragwort. Football. Both seniors and third grade teams notched a win on Saturday, the first named when they met United at Te Awamutu and won by 16 points to 9, and the thirds when they played High School on the local ground and won by G to 3. Personal. Master Neil Owen, son of Mr and Mrs E. J. Owen, was discharged from the Waikato Hospital last week and is reported to be nearly well again. Mcrvyn Lindsay, the lad who accidentally shot himself with a pea-rifle while pig-hunting, has also been discharged from the hospital, and is visiting Pirongia. -Miss Banks, formerly assistant teacher here and more recently of Fiji, is visiting friends in Pirongia. Mr Richardson, headmaster of the local school, and Mrs Richardson are spending the mid-winter vacation in Auckland. Mrs Purdie, of Auckland, and her infant daughter are spending a holiday with Mr and Miss Aubin, of Pirongia.