PUTARURU.

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 136, 12 June 1919, Page 3

PUTARURU.

Mr W. C Hewitt, of Putaruru, has been licensed by the -vicar, the Rev. G. K. Moir, toact as a "lay reader in thTChrrnra of England. Mr Hewitt was handed his license on Sunday .evening. Mr A. T. Scrivener sold his • stock at Putaruru on Monday, and left Putaruru on Tuesday for Morrinsville, where he intends going into business. Mr W. Cron, of Lichfield, has taken over Mr Scrivener's place. Mr Scrivener was last week made the recipient of a set of books by his friends at Lichfield as a token of their goodwill towards him.

Mr R. Autheman has sold his property on Waotu road to Mr S. W. Crocombe, of Auckland. Mr J. Henry, of Putaruru, has disposed of his property to Messrs Howe and Austin, of Auckland, and is removing on July Ist to Matamata. Mr Henry purchased his Putaruru property less than twelve months ago at £l3 an acre. He did not effect any improvements beyond doing a little manuring, and sold the place last week for £2l per acre. This is definite evidence of the progress of Putaruru and of the increase in land values in the district.

Good progress is being made by the Salvation Army authorities in breaking in the farm of 2060 acres at Putaruru, donated to them by Mr Ewen McGregor, for the training of boys of soldiers who have fallen in the var. One hundred head of stock are now grazing on the farm. Of the whole area, 200 acres is laid in grass, 40 acres in turnips and 67 is in«fallow. The farm hands are now engaged in ploughing 100 acres. The farm was taken over on January 3rd, 1918. Three houses are in course of erection. Commandant 0. E. Fitness is in charge of the work, and under him are Captain Erickson, foreman builder, and Ensign Arnold.

The T.T.T. Coy's employees at Putaruru are busily engaged in trying to cope with the increasingly heavy demands for timber from all parts of the country. There is a boom in the timber trade at present, but the company's operations are greatly hampered by the shortage in labor and rolling stock. Farmers and others have repeatedly complained that rolling stock is to be found lying idle-at numerous railway sidings, and they say they cannot understand why the stock cannot be released for the purpose of dealing with the timber requirements. It was stated by a representative of the company on Monday that the company could do with eight or ten trucks a day, but sometimes none were available. The shortage of labor exists at the mills at Putaruru and Mokai, and in the bush camps south of Mokai. It was stated that there was no early prospect of an increase in the price of timber. 'An enthusiastic meeting of Church of England adherents was held at Putaruru on Monday evening for the purpose of considering ways and means of building a church in the district. The vicar, the Rev. G. K. Moir, presided. The first business was the forming of an organisation. Mr W. 6. Hewitt was elected Vicar's Warden, and Mr J. Martin was elected Peoples' Warden. Then followed the election of a committee of ten. It was considered that the progress of the district and its future prospects fully justified the erection of a church. The sum of £ll2 was raised for the purpose, one resident contributing £25. The committee was given power to choose a site and to raise money /by straight-out gift. The vicar considered that as a result of an active canva'ss, sufficient money should be in hand to justify the committee making a start with the building within a few weeks. Residents are reminded of the plain and fancy dress ball to be given in the Putaruru hall on the 20th inst. in aid of Sister Esther's appeal on behalf of the poor of Auckland.