LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17268, 14 November 1929, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A tour of the Ohinemuri County reveals evidence of extensive damage to roads and bridges from the flood during the week-end.

Sixteen domestic servants arrived at Wellington by the lonic from Southampton. The ship also brought *SO "separated families”—wives with children, who have come to New Zealand to join their husbands.

The directors of the Westport Coal Company will recommend at the annual meeting a dividend for the half-year of Gd a share and a bonus of 6d a share from the insurance fund, ■making a total distribution of 2s a share for the pear.

The half-yearly conference of the Chambers of Commerce in the Franklin district resolved to urge on the Government to amend section 193 of the Magistrate’s Court Act, 1928, in order that innocent purchasers of stock at auctions may be protected where stock has been illegally sold.

“There are 22,893 people in New Zealand with incomes of £SOO or more,” said Mr. A. J. Hutchinson when addressing the Auckland Creditmen’s Club. “I don’t know what their aggregate incomes really amount to,” he added, "but I do know they pay tax upon £22,947,329.”

Whilst Mr J. Hedlev, of Ne”. Plymouth, Mrs Hedley, and Miss Pooley, of Christchurch, were motoring in the Mangaorongo district their car back-fired, and immediately burst into flames, the vehicle being quickly destroyed. The occupants had a lucky escape from severe burns or worse.

A deputation from the Pharmacy Board waited upon the Minister of Health, Hon, A. J. Stallworthy, yesterday, with the request that legislation be* introduced next session to give larger protection to pharmaceutical chemists. It was arranged that a draft bill should be submitted later to the Minister.

A further tunnel to carry off the surplus waters at Arapuni, which are at present causing considerable trouble through erosion at the spillway waterfall, is suggested by a young civil engineer who was engaged on the Arapuni works during construction of the dam. He. considers that a tunnel about 20ft. in diameter would carry off all the surplus, discharging into "Arapuni Gorge between the dam and the power house.

The Raglan County Council resolved at vesterday’s meeting to make representations to the Government to introduce differential rating so that settlers in growing townships could provide essential amenities in the way of sanitation, lighting and footpaths. The matter was introduced by Cr. J. H. Furniss. The alteration in the Act is desired so that townships thus situated could be rated on the capital value- It was pointed out that under the system of rating on the unimproved value, centres like Glcnafton and Pukemiro, where the settlers were anxious for these improvements and willing to meet the cost, could not provide them as the adequate sum could not be legally raised. The council members agreed that the facilities should be provided by the law being amended.

For six days Messrs Hooker and Kingston are selling in their Furnishing Department all hangings, carpets, floor coverings, bedding, reversible rugs, paboolln squares, etc., at specially attractive prices. For instance: High grade English linoleum, Gft wide, for 7/6 yd.; Axminster runner for 13/G yd (27in wide); Continental bedspreads richly embroidered, for double beds, at 19s Gd ea. Buy your spring and summer requirements now, for it must pay you at the attractive prices during the next six days at the Store that Value BuilL—Honker and Kingston Ltds

The refrigerating plant purchased by the Waikato Hospital Board for Te Kuiti hospital is expected to arrive before the end of this month. The daily average number of patients at Waikato Hospital during October was 287. Operations performed numbered 156. The "Desert Song" Company will arrive at Hamilton from Palmerston North on Sunday evening by special train. “Mussolini has done wonders for Italy, so far as appearances go,” said Mr. Justice Scholes, of Sydney, in a short interview on board the Rangitiki at Auckland. “I was there years ago under the old regime, and the contrast when I visited the country lately was amazing. One sees no more dirt and squalor and idleness. The whole place has literally been cleaned up. Everyone seems to be industrious. I often noticed peasants ploughing beside the railway, generally with the oddest kind of team, such as a horse, a donkey and an old cow hitched together. The man behind seldom so much as glanced up as the train passed. Men, women' and children worked in the fields everywhere from dawn to dusk.” No visitor could fail to notice the all-pervading police, although whether this was a good or ill omen he was not prepared to say.