MASTERTON NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 845, 17 June 1910, Page 9

MASTERTON NOTES.

(From Our ftpeciai Correspondent.! Masterton, Juno-16. An interesting demonstration of tho treatment of low grade weals was made at t.lie "Youla Mill," n«i.r the Kuripuni railway elation, yesterday, in the presence of a number of runholders. Tho visitors were shown oveT tho mill, and expressed themselves generally as being pleased with the methods adopted. The manner in which "burrs" extracted from wool, and the conversion of a largo percentage of "dags" into a valuable produce, were favourably com* mental upon by all. 31 Is blnk'i! thai implications are still being received for shares in the Wellington .Farmers' Meat Company, and that yesterday .£501; worth of new capital was taken up by now shareholders. The I direoiTs intend closing the share-list I shortly, fiufriuient capital having been ' subscribed to cover all liabilities. Tho Opaki Rifle Club held its anntuU smoke concert in Rankin's rooms' last evening, when visiting riflemen were present from nil parts of the district. Tho Mayor (Mr. J. M. Coradine) occ'upied tho chair, and amongst (hose present were Mt. A. \V. M.P., and Captains Robinson and M'liillcip. The usual loast-list was honoured, and appropriate speeches wore made. The trophies won during the year ue-ru presented by the Mayor, who referred in terms of eulogy tn tho brilliant past achievements of the Opaki Club. Vocal items wero rendered, and tho accompaniments were played by Mr. Or. Ji. Branson. \ A golf match between tho Masterton and Pa-hiatua Clubs is to be played on tlio Joeal links on Saturday afternoon. Several fruit-growers in this district have expressed the opinion that if the Government penologist were to visit individual orchards, instead of making a demonstration at one only, ho would bo doing good service. It can hardly be expected, however, that the pomologist could find tiir.o to devote his attention to i-ach orchard. Mr. Hugh (iorJifj;, the enterprising representative of the Sheffield musical combination, was in Masterton yesterday. In I t.lie evening he showed his versatility by I contributing several humorous items at the Opaki Rifle Club's smoke concert. Mr. Gorlitz left for Napier to-day. The walls of the Masterton Borough Council Chamber have been adorned with the photographs of two of its Mayors, and a group of the council of 1807. It seems rather a pity that a photogTaph of the first council of tho borough co 4 uld not bo procured. One or two of these are known to be in existence. The first council was elected in 1877, and was composed as follows:—Mayor Mt. R. G. Williams, Councillors Bannister, R. Wyllie, Parquhar Gray, Edwin Feist, Duncan M'Grogor, Job Vile, Donald Donald, W. W. M Cardie, and Walter Perry. Of this council only fivo aro now Jiving. The firot town clerk was Mr. R. Wilson®, who had previously occupied the position of clerk lo the Highway Board, and who h«S' now been dead' for quite a number of years. Mr. R. Brown, of this town, has written to the Prime Minister stating that he has received communications from several dairy farmers, who are anxious to obtain the services of boys from tho Old Country. Mr. C. Nottage, Government l ? ruit Instructor, gave a demonstration of pruning and spraying at the orchard of Mr. J. C. Alpnss this afternoon before about one hundred fruit-growers, of whom not a few wero ladies. Mr. Nottage showed the necessity for the careful pruning of tpple trees at this season. He also gave an exhibition of spraying, and stated that Mr. A. H. Cockayne, Government Biologist, had discovered a new emulaifier for making a spray for scaly blight, woolly aphis, and similar diseases. This consisted of one pint of fish oil, three ounces of caustic potash, six ounces of ordinary rozin, and three-quarters of 'a nint of crude carbolic acid. This must do boiled on largo saucepan or iron boiler to a temperature of 290 degrees. After tho rez.in and potash wero dissolved, five pints of red oil must be added, and, after stirring thoroughly,, one to three pints of cold water should bo added to the emulsion. Twenty-four pints of water must- be used for every pint of red oil. Mr. Nottagc saicf that a leaflet would be issued by the Department giving details of this formula. Bordeaux mixture was recommended for codlin moth, etc. At the conclusion of the demonstration, Mr. Nottage was accorded a vote of thanks. Mr. Mackenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands, has returned from a visit to the Pongaroa district iu company with Mr. J. Dawson, a member of the Land Board. Jt was found that instead of 'thero being an aggregation of estates, to the disadvantage of the Dominion, some of the sections in this locality wero too small j for profitable working. j