Brief Mention of Happenings in Matamata and Vicinity.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 483, 25 October 1923, Page 2

Brief Mention of Happenings in Matamata and Vicinity.

The Bay of Plenty Times states that Mr. W. F. Sinclair-has completed the sale of the north-west portion of his land on Matakana Island, consisting of 1000 acres, to a syndicate of prominent Auckland business men, who purpose planting some 340,000 -pinus int-ignis on 500 acres next season. ;■■■', «.-.'£•',; . • V

A Putaruru resident who. recently returned from England reports that New Zealand butter "was selling in the provincial towns there at Is 7d per lb retail, and was regarded as the best on the market. It was being sold from the 561 b boxes in weights as required, no pound pats or cartons being noticed.

" Rabbits are invading the town gardens and are proving a menace " (says the Palmerston North Times). " Country settlers who find that phosphorus poison and the use of gas balls in the burrows are clearing the pesfr will have to ask the town areas to form, rabbit boards. The city is now bunny's only sanctuary."

A particularly good reception was £iven the Matamata Boy- Scouts' Band in Hamilton. The performances at the concert, church parade and on the-river- bank on Sunday afternoon were all well attended. The boys '/shawed no signs of nervousness and played very well. A Drogramme will be giver, at the Matamata tennis courts on Sunday next. -.-..•

A trout-fishing party of Aucklanders were the guests of Pittaruiii motorists in an expedition to the Waikato river last weekend. /The fishing- proved fairly good for this time of the year, about 14 trout being secured. The heaviest weighed about 41b and altogether the visitors were well pleased with their day's outing.

The survey in connection with the Waihi beach township was completed some days ago and a plan sent on to Wellington for the approval of the Minister for Lands. A telegram has been received from the Hon. D. H. Guthrie announcing his approval, and the town clerk and borough solicitor are now engaged in preparing the terms and conditions of the leases.— 'This news item will be interesting to Matamata residents, several of •whom occupy sections on an insecure tenure. „ .

No announcement as to the decisions reached by the Putaruru-Taupo Railway Board at its meeting last week has been made by the secretary, Mr. W. C. Hewitt, and it is therefore presumed that the board is still continuing .to negotiate with the Taupo Totara Timber Company for purchase of the company's railway, but nothing definite in the way of an agreement has yet been reached.

The chairman of directors of Afforestation, Ltd., Mr. A. J. Duncan, accompanied by interester associates, Avas a visitor to Putaruru over the week-end, the party inspecting the company's property with the manager, Mr. B. A. Goudie. Some had not before seen it and they later expressed themselves as being.much impressed with its suitability for commercial afforestation and also with the quality of the soil.

Farmers little realise the danger of the blackbird, stated Mr. A. R. Rush at a meeting of the Manawatu Fruitgrowers' Association. In pointing out that the birds devoured quantities of fruit, the speaker illustrated another way in which they were a menace. This was that'they did not retain any seed partaken of sufficiently long to kill it, with the result that noxious weeds were spread by them. This state of affairs would continue until such time as the farmers combiner with the Fruitgrowers' Association in the eradication of the post.

of Mr. William Henry Perrdtt occurred at the Linton Private Hospital last week. Deceased, at Glastonbury. England, and came to New Zealand when about 20 years* of age. The early days of his 63 years of New Zealand life was taken up with farming in Canterbury, his last 11 years being spent in residence with his nenhew, Mr. D. W. Jones, of Morrinsyille. The funeral took olace on Saturday, the burial service being conducted by Rev. F. Greenwood.

A large number of country people were in Matamata yesterday but the market day was spoiled through very heavy rain. Most of the visitors departed for their homes early.

A number of Matamata residents intended visiting Putaruru for the golf ball last evening but owing to the wet weather and consequent cutting up of the main road most of them gave up the idea.

The Eurwcod sections were offered for sale by Messrs. Dalgety and Co. at Matamata on Wednesday. Although there was a good attendance and the reserves were reasonably low no business resulted under the hammer.

i As Tompkins was going home one night he collided with Jenkins, who was running as fast as his bulk would , allow him. " Why this hurry?" he . inquired. " I'm going for the police/ I was the laboured reply. " We've got ! a burglar in our house.' 5 " But sure- ! ly you haven't left your wife alone?" " Oh, no! She's holding the burglar."

A ratepayer whose occupation for the time being kept him up north wrote to the rale collector:—" i have to notify you that i am paying the water rate under protest as i contend it is not chargeable, as soon as fires abate i will get to a decent six and eight, and inquire. Your joyfully." —Not. a bad name for a lawyer.

" We heartily congratulate the New Zealand Government on taking the lead in the matter of restoring penny postage, which is to be resumed in the Dominion from October 1. Dear postage is a real handicap lo trade, and avc feel sure that New Zealand's example could be followed with profit here and in the other Dominions." —London Times' Trade Supplement.

Quaint and candid note from the little chap who threw a stone at a fire alarm, and turned out the brigade in Wanganui: " Dear Superintendent, —I am very sorry I broke the glass on the fire-alarm. I did not mean to hit it, but I will never throw stones in the street again." Superintendent Williams is very proud of the little boy, and has quite forgiven him for turning out the brigade. Doubtless the superintendent is contrasting in Iris mind the acts of adults who give false alarms, and 'get out of sight before they can be caught and effectively dealt with.

An indignant Maori recently presented the Wanganui competitions committee with a claim for £2 damages. He stated that while, attending a session of the competitions last year he grievously rent his trousers upon a tack protruding from a seat, with the result that he had to sit where he was until the remainder of the audience had left. The committee, while sympathetic, could not see its way to pay compensation, and finally the Maori agreed to abandon his contemplated legal action. As a solatium the committee presented him with a ticket for the coming competitions.

A number of farmers were discussing horses and horse sales. One was relating the difficulty he had experienced in quitting a horse that was suffering from a damaged hoof. Another asserted very definitely that in all his experience he had never yet bought at auction a horse that came up to the vendor's implied warranty. A third said he had had a somewhat similar experience, with one exception, and that was when he purchased a horse at a very reasonable figure from a vedor who was obviously hot a man experienced with horses, for he sold a champion worker at a hack price.

It is whispered that a woman, dressed nr widow's weeds, was travelling in.,.a railway compartment with an elderly spinster. " I have just been to my husband's cremation," said the 'widow. " Oh, you poor thing!" cried the spinster. " I'm so sorry for you." " He was my fourth husband," confided the widow; " I've cremated them all." At this the old maid burst into tears. " Have I 'said anything to upset you?'' asked the widow anxiously. " Oh, no," answered the old maid, still sobbing; "but I was thinking how unjust the world is. I've never had one husband, and you have had husbands to burn!" .

While Maoriland has been jubilating over a great engineering feat in Otira tunnel, the completion of the greatest aerial railway in the world —the steel ropeway across the Columbian Andes in South America—is due to the engineering skill of a Maorilander, James Fergusson Lindsay (says the Sydney Bulletin). "Don ; Jamie" constructed many mono-rail-i ways in Spain prior to tackling the big South American job. His father was a schoolmaster in Oamaru, where he was born and educated and ac- ! quired his first thirst for engineering. , Mr. George Lindsay, on the staff pf j the E.P. and L. Department of the ; Dunedin Corporation, is a brother of the South American engineer.

Blotting paper was discovered purely by accident. Some ordinary paper was being made one day at a mill in Berkshire, when a careless workman forgot to put in the sizing material. The whole of "the paper made was regarded as being useles*. The proprietor of the mill desired to write a note shortly afterwards, and he took a piece of waste paperr, thinking it was good enough for the purpose. To his intense annoyance the ink spread all over the paper. Suddenly there came to his mind the thought that this paper would do instead of sand for drying purposes, and he at once advertised his waste paper as " blotting." There was such a big demand that the mill ceased to make ' ordinary paper, and was soon occupied in making blotting paper only, the use of which spread to all countries.

Why the public offices should be closed on Dominion Day, Empire Day, Labour Day and on the anniversaries of the patron saints one is at a loss to know, says the North Otago Times. If things go on as they have been doing during the last few years it will* soon be. necessary for the banks and public offices to announce the narticular days upon which they will be open for the transaction of business. It. is time that the country called a halt in regard to holidays and asked itself whether it is not necessary to Q'et back to work. Holidays are food in their way. But we are getting- far too many of thorn and the result cannot fail to impress itself ntiort the national character. New Zealand will not be able to coniDGte in (he markets of the world unless the neonle individually and collectively take work and business more seriously.