MASTERTON NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 885, 3 August 1910, Page 6

MASTERTON NOTES.

THE SHEEP FAIRS IDEA. (From Our Bbecial CorresDondent'J Mastertqn, August 2. .'■■" The poisoning oi rabbits with pollard bait has been carried on soi.'systemati-x cally in the Slaaterton district 1 this year that a marked diminution in the pest is generally- reported. An experiment with , pousoiied outs' was. made , by several settlers, but ' the' retral ts ';. have; not been" sufficiently, doiaonsiTifei .'to warrant the ' making of comparisons. The ' season has favoured the settlers'as against the ' rodent,'ibr vW.lt tiiti Man on the land is profoundly thankful. " '•'

Officers of the Agricultural Deparfr ■ ment report that effective measures haw been taken by settlers generally to cope with the noxious weeds difficulty, and although patches of briar, ragwort, anff < Califoiiiiau thistle are to be found here- , and there, the presence of the scheduled noxious weeds is not so. clearly evidenced as to create anything like a- menace-to settlemoiit . . •■;-.:' A very severe form of,cold, developing into something, akin to la grippe, is,a: prevalent malady.just now, and the attendance at • the various schools in, the : district has suffered in consequence; The ■ monthly - meeting' of ■ the' ■ Wairarapa Hospital and Charitable Aid.Board., is to .be held to-morrow. It, is probable that at this meeting tenders will bo aocepted for additions, to the; Greytown Hospital. The appointment -of matron: to the MasLarton Hospital • wiU also be made.- . ...... . ._ Harbour Boards.BUl. . Local autlfotitios in this district hxn, » lav not displayed any interest in tho Harbour' Boards• Bill which is designed, among other things,' to alter the the- Wellington board. The fact that no harbour board rate'is" struck in Wel-V lington district may account for' f&e.< aputhy of local bodies. The' important/ consideration of dues, which are an in-' ■ direct tax upon the community, appears' to be overlooked. ~ ' / Although the'hen> which will lay when. 1 '; egge are dear .is 6omewhat of a ..raraii avis, it is encouraging to note that, de-' ; spite the cold and boisterous' weather,; eggs are becoming plentitnl in Master- • 'ion, and prices show a corresponding de-' oline. ■•' . ■•.■ . ..,'■'. ..Firewood Famine.; . ; ~'; The firewood famine has been' : eome- i what relieved by the arrival of outside; Bupplies. ; 'An evidence of the scarcity l ; of-firewood is to be found in .the fact; that' 2ft matai; which a few years back; (.euM -be- bought'for-Üb. and 16s. per. , cord, is now fetching. 265.' per cord; J It is stated thai a number of. horsee:! h-avo died in the Mastertoh district' of'.; late . from inflammation following chills." i Further reports concerning the. inten»; tions.of tho syndicate, which has ao-. quired oil-boring oplinns over curtain, properties to.the east of Masterton, are: awaited with interest.'"•. The operations; of tho syndicate are -being prosecuted;, quietly, though industriously. • (

It is hoped that sufficient .interest -will-; be awakened- in th«v:poultry industry.in Masterton to warrant resurrection of-, the Mastorton Poultry, Pigeon, and Can-; ary Association. , It is. probable . that, a ■ meeting of those interested will.be held; at-anearly, date. :. . '■ . ,■'.'.'.■:/.•': At a meeting of the Masterton Veterans' J Fire Brigade Aesociation last,evening,.ex-;. Fireman-P. Gilbert presided over an:at-; tendance of eighteen .members. . It waa decided that the members of:the:brigade',, be. entertained' at a ■ "social" ■ in a fork., night's time. One new member; was pro-, possd. and three , elected, bringing the roll:number up to" 38.' '-,'■ . • . ; -■'.'". Parliamentary Union,.■■: '::. The weekly session of tho Mastirto-a; Parliamentary Debating Society was held , ; last' evening; when there was ■ again;, a; fairly full "House.",' The "Bill" having' for. its. object'the elimination of .book-' makers from tho racecourse .was'reported; .from '"Committee," .arid: read '■ a , third; time and."pissed., A,!,resolution was'.prc- : . posed'by Mr.-.Abbott' that a Wages Board , bo si't up to deal with tho.shearers' dispute. An interesting. debate ensued, and further, discussion 'of the proposal was adjourned till next sitting. ''. ;.',..' : ' :; .. The annual report of'.the Mastdrton Homing Pigebri'Club,' presented last evening,- showed .that, races, hiid been, flown during the past, season from as fax south as Dunedin (an air-line, of 450 miles),' and. as far north as Auckland' (3flo. miles). ■. , ' ' ■ : . Sheep Fairs. • : ■ Mr. Williani Percy's proposal, made at<.hi> mceling of the Masterton A. and P. Association on Saturday/last, that sheep fairs,-similar to those , which are so popular- in--the .-Old Country, 'should be' instituted in. New Zealand, is'being favourably discussed by those, engaged inpastoral pursuits; It.is contended that if, for instance,.a.Eomney.fair were held , in the Wairarapa, a Lincoln fab in Palmerston North or Hawke's Bay, a ter fair in Cliristchurch, and a 1 Down fair in' some other part,- a better selec-: tion of stud\ and flock sheepi would■, b» afforded than' under 'existing circumstimccs, ami prices would be. more satisfactory for the breeder. . If the proposal were' discussed by the'A. .and P. -Conferenco some definite action would, Hi» thought, be taken. '■"' ' ' ' < .-•■ j :

Mr. H. G. .Williams, presided ; at ■ a meeting of the Masterton branch of theNavy. League last evening.. It. was.'de'jided to arrange a-school excursion to Wellington on'the occasion of a. visit of a. warship to that port, possibly in October,' tho league undertaking:, to pay the fares o[ ita school members. A. nuiuk-r of new members were, elected. ...Mr. Williams intimated that .he would'-approach, the Governinent with' a view to. procuring 'lanterns.'-and slides for the 'use -if ithe various branches' of ..the league 'through* out the Dominion. -. .- '~;./■ :

The Town : Hall, johnsbnville, -, was filled last evening on the occasion of the annuol concert of tho Johnsonyillo Lodge, 1.0. G.T. Mr. R. Coulter, chief templar' of tho district, presided. The following were contributors,to the ■ programme:— Misses Clark (Auckland), Petherick, Weir, Barrett, I Hyde, Milward, -Wilson, Cathcart, Messrs. Howard, Cathcart, Westerly, Price, Kyle. The programme concluded with a piece entitled "The Lost Uncle," by ■ Misses . Denby, -■• Smith, Millward, and Fuller,,and Messrs. TownEoud, Eose, and Denby. ; Parties journeyed from Wellington and Petone by brakes, and an enjoyable .evening was concluded about, 10.30. .'.,-! >•, ..

'Liberty's, of Lambton Quay, have.aa excellent display of furniture , -now on* view, designed and made by the firm for the vice-regal residence. The dining-room suite is in fumed .oak, the chairs being upholstered in morocco; Part of tho drawing-room fnrniturej in solid, mahogany was ako made -by Liberty's.' Tho more -important piewe are, unfortunately, too large to exhibit. TheErm have received higli commendation for the beauty of. design and fine workmanship shown in the cxhibvl. . .

' At the rooms of Messrs.- A. L. Wilson and Co.,' 2G Brandon Street,. a sale ■ of unique and choice samplo Japanese ware, being catalogue of 250 lots, which. tbey will .offer by public auction, on Friday afternoon next, at 2 p.m. The lot will bo sold without reserve, as the instructions from the holder of the bill of .lading.is to "sell everything." The. gcods \vUi\be on view to-morrow from two in afternoon, and in- tho evening, Crom 7.3 ft to 9 o'clock. . , ■'.-."■

CONFECTIONERY,

It is always .i delight to-entertain out friends, 'and happy is >'the , hostess - whett the art of the confectioner '.comes, to her air with •new and ■ wholesome, liolicucies. As. notified in our advertising columns, Messrs. J. W.'-Thomson: uuii Co. (lato J. liruwn and...Wright liralheb, Dunedin) ha'vo acquire;! the old-estab-lished 'business of the late Alt. DicksoiiV 38, Courtoriay. Place, aiid thfly , scale lhat by' iutroducing the latest luaciiinory and their own .wide I cxiioriencp I )ioy ni'u .-lii-c----pared to , supply those alluring trifles irhich give, such dainty satisfaction at .ylluppointcd tea parties. 'Not. only , do tueso expert caterers appeal to ' the'■ lussijig fancy, but thev aunonnce that the morn substantial fare, wheru clcattlinusa. aiid purity of materials am such essential' factors nro'provided for in their patent Berinaline bread. One should mako » ,noto 'oi,the address. . ■'.'• ''.'. ■.;.'' :: :