Wairarapa Jottings.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 22, 1 December 1900, Page 18

Wairarapa Jottings.

HIS WORSHIP, Mayor Pownall, with a view to open up discussion, wrote a capital letter to the ' Daily Times" last week on the proposed establishment of manufacturing or other industries in Masterton. If, as the Mayor sapiently points out, it is incumbent on the Municipality to establish abbatoirs within a given time, why not at the same time go in for freezing works? The idea is most excellent. Slaughtering and freezing nowadays go hand-in-hand, and Masterton will lose a great opportunity if it fails to follow the able lead of Mr. Pownall. * * * Following the Mayor, next day came the irrepressible Joe Renall. Joseph is nothing if not enthusiastic. Therefore, after a half -column disseration on local possibilities, the energetic J.A.R. startled the community by asseverating that if certain industries were not started by those concerned, he intended to run the whole show, single-handed, himself. Why, there is no need for the residents to trouble. Leave it to Joe, who is going "a lone hand," and you can wager he has a bower or two up his sleeve. * * ♦ Mr. Renall was suceeded by "Freezer," who, in criticising the Mayor's suggestion, averred there would be a danger of the two great Wellington companies boycotting the proposed Wairarapa works by paying extraordinary prices for stock for a year or two. That is not likely, and if the Wairarapa settlers remained loyal to their local venture the companies in question would soon return to bona fide commercial trading. In "Freezer's" suggestion of a private company, with the number of shares to be held ' by any one person limited, there may be something — but the Mayor's strength lies in the fact that by bis proposal money would be borrowed at a cheaper rate, and the undertaking, being under municipal control, ought to be a guarantee that the company would be run for the benefit of the district, and not for a class or individual. * * * The result of the scholarship examinations under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Education Board was an allround surprise. Last year the Masterton School carried off three, that is

all available; but this year Petoue claims one. The Masterton favourite, a young lady who was backed to win in a canter, was not placed — in fact, the winners, Misses Nellie Pinhey and Elsie Morrison, have achieved the unexpected, the former being only one year in Standard VII., and Miss Morrison is only new to the sixth. Immense credit is due to Mr. A. N. Burns, A.8., who "coached" the candidates, and the school is to be heartily congratulated on maintaining its very high standard. *■»■»- Mr. W. H. Judkins is suffering from an attack of nervous prostration, which it is feared will necessitate absence from business for some time. Mr. Judkins will have many sympathisers, though it is possible that there are some who would regard his prolonged retirement with considerable equanimity. Few, after all, appreciate the man who follows the course he believes in, regardless of the opinions of his fellows. + * *■ As an artist it is hard work to live in New Zealand. It is not want of the artistic taste, for New Zealanders may fairly claim a considerable aptitude for the beautiful, nor is it want of cash — • indeed the reason is difficult to propound. Nevertheless the fact remains that artistic merit has not up to the present received due reward. Therefore if an artist be a wise man he will lay down his brush, and take to something else. Masterton has a living example of that principle. In the old days of the studio, Artist Turner was an excellent chap — but now he rejoices in the more excellent soubriquet of '"Tip Top"! It may be whispered — strictly in confidence — that the artist in colour is now an expert in tea of that ilk. ♦ ♦ * Donnybrook Fair on a small scale took place at a Masterton pub. last week. The high-contesting parties were the Chief Butler and the Chipf Baker, and with the poetic justice of time "Boulanger," this time, came out on top. It is the more remarkable, as Sambo is one of the mildest of youths, with apparently not an evil expectoration in his composition, much less blood and gore! Be that as it may, with a warwhoop, sacred to the Mulligans, the waiter bounced on the cook, held him long and tight by the nape of the neck and more, when that functionary collared a jug and therewith sent his assailant to the chemist. It is satisfactory to know everything has been comfortably arranged — even the Sambo's broken 'cd.