MATIERE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 466, 18 May 1912, Page 5

MATIERE.

Own Correspondent. The recent spell of fine weather interlarded with a few frosts has had an appreciable effect upon the roads of the district, though the mud has from its thicker consistency become more heavy on the teams and its tenacity is only comparable with that of the Scot for the proverbial "bawbee." Perhaps the chief item of interest, in the children's eyes at least has been the very successful concert in aid of the library an school funds. The singing was of a very good class among the soloists being the Misses C. and G. White, Miss Arnold, Mr Lumsden, Miss Harper and Mesdames Loft, Cullen, Coodecraft and Snelling also contributed items. Master Christensen gave two dances in Highland costume very acceptably, and some of the soloists were vociferously encored and compelled to repeat a portion of their numbers or give fresh items. The net result. I believe, is in the vicinity of £lO and great credit is due to Misa Harper, the local teacher, for the energy and ability brought to bear in promoting and running the entertainment so smoothly. The action songs of the children were very good and the boys gave a good rendition from Shakespeare's "Cassiua and Brutus." The inevitable dance followed the concert, and all seats were thrown outside as usual to get Wet and fit to generate a few of the evils that affect humanity. Will the committee take the hint and cease from ornamenting the front with piles of seats and annoying the seated with piles of another character. A fair amount of entries are in hand for the extra sale to be held here on the 21st, the cattle class being as usual very strong. No doubt when the recently opened country is being stocked this sale with its numerous entries will prove a source of supply of store stock.

Our local butter factory is receiving acoat of paint and I learn that Messrs Moore and Wills have the enlargement of the manager's cottage in hand. Some talk of procuring a policeman is going on. It is said that some of the public works employees to whom Andrew Usher and Henry Martel are familiar as household wurds. have been using language that is '"painful and free" indeed, though we had a few amateurs, they "overlay anything," as Huckleberry Finn's father would have said.

The report that a worthy teamster had bean drowned while fishing in a water hole on the main road near Matiere proves to be unfounded, and "Jack's" rubicund and good humoured phiz, denotes quite enough energy to perform a horse deal or do his whack at a banquet. I notice many improvements are being effected along the main road, indeed one notices great progress everywhere except upon the road itself. At the 11-mile peg Mr Mernin's teams are placing pumice on the service road to Te Koura, and are doing things in no mean fashion as eighteen inches deep is being placed on a fascined foundation. Perhaps it may open the eyes of those who are foolish enough to advocate bullock traction in winter to know that, after the bullock "traffic was prohibited, two bullocks teams left OnI garue station with nine tons between them. In one place they cut a rut in I a solid filling of twenty inches in depth.