MATIERE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 532, 11 January 1913, Page 6

MATIERE.

Own Correspondent. The farmerj who is reputed to be quite as inveterate a growl as the average old "shell back" .should have no excuse 1 to indulge in his favourite pastime by reason of his pet grievance, the weather. The dry spell we enjoyed before Christmas gave a gol den opporutnity to completa shearing and to burn off the left by last year's damp failures. Quite a number of settlers took to their boyish trick of playing with matches and the pall of smoke became very thick and oppressive, but the later heavy showers have cleared the air very effectually, with the result that the nights are cooler ar.d many insect pests have been ducked. One of the most prominent of the latter haß been the beetle of the grass grub which has stripped many young fruit tree of leaves, seemingly being /very partial to plum and nectarine foliage, but in nowise bigoted as far as other varieties are concerned. The beetle itself is a very small brown one, about the size of a large radish seed, and if those unacquainted with this destructive pest will shake any branch whose leaves are riddled they will be painfully surprised to see the numbers dislodged. I should be glad if any of your readers could be recommend a remedy or wash which ' would destroy the without damage to foliage or fruit. The Christmas holidays brought with them a fair amount of the "craythur" to the bibulous ones to the usual aftermath of swelled heads, 'wounds without cause," and a big crop of new resolutions. It is stated that in a few days over six tons of liquor were deilvered in this favoured district,- and one ccn only conjecture with the respected parent of "Huckleberry Finn," how many '/deliriim trimmins" were contained in the above consignments. A new malady bearing some sem blance to the tropical "sleeping sickness," attacked a local horseowner lately with the result that he parted company with hiß vehicle, and the horses came on at a pace not conducive to safety or the conservation of the brake. They were stopped below Matiere and a guod portion of the vehicle is now classed as ordinary firewood. The coaches and light (vehicles are now running through the new and shorter route to Okahukara junction, but "I am credibly informed that heavy traffic will not be permitted till the road is finished in April next. I am told, however," that the narrowness of the road is rather a disturbing factor, and when thrown open for general traffic will be a source of annoyance and danger to those plying on the road. The supply of cream to the local factory has kept up very well, and the' years' working will compare fayourabv if it does not eclipse those of former seasons. I learn than the Nibo Nino factory has a greatly increased output, and both factories must make for permanency, and an enhanced value of lands* in their vicinity. Speaking of these dairying farms recalls one which changed hands a year ago at something like seven pounds per acre, but for which, when •pressed by a prospective buyer to put a price on it, ths present owner wanted twevle pounds per acre.

The new settlers in the Whatitokarua block are displaying great energy in knocking their recently acquired holdings into shape, and it will not be long before all their frontages will be fenced. At the high valuation of £2 per acre and oyer, it will certainly not pay to allow their holdings to He in a virgin state.

As the result of a fracas at Niho Nibo recently a settler bad his jaw splintered and .face badly cut by the impact of a laree piece of burnt papa rock, and from various marks and contusions it would appear that the "forty rod" reaching here is of a viruelnt and combative quality.

p The price and buoyancy of wool are matters of interest to sheepfarmers here, but the clip this year has not been equal to that of last season, no doubt through the excessively wet winter ana spring.

A fair quantity of f arming, implements come in every week, showing that or settlers are progressive and fully alive to the aid of up-to-date means of wresting the best from the soil and Dame Nature. i> •■- From a belated and out-back district, may your correspondent wish your staff and those tolerant enough to read these notes, a "Prosperous and fFappy New Year."