LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 28, 24 April 1924, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P. for this district, is spending a day at Putaruru this week to deal with any matters local residents have to bring forward.

Loan proposals to raise £21,500 for a road improvement scheme and £2OOO for swimming baths submitted to the Morrinsville ratepayers last week were both carried, the former by 193 votes to 3G and the latter by 191 votes to 37.

The Putaruru Ladies’ Glee Club this season finds itself with a record number of active members and more talent even than in past seasons. The members are practising enthusiastically and the club’s next concert promises to reach a high standard.

A practice football match between the United and Tokoroa teams was held at Lichfield on Good Friday. Both teams were up to full strength and gave a very promising exhibition. Tokoroa won by 3 points to 0, Cocks scoring a try for them.

The Rev. C. Scrimgeour left Putaruru by Monday evening’s train to take up his new appointment at Kaitangata. The Rev. C. W. Brown, his successor as Methodist minister at Putaruru, took his first service in the Putaruru Methodist Church on Sunday morning.

It is stated that in the absence of horse racing and the totalisator in Taihape wagers are made upon any possible happening. The latest is that employees make their bets as to whether the telephone will be engaged when the ring is first given. Lately odds have indicated that “ Engaged ” is the favourite.

A light motor truck from Hamilton, in an endeavour to race the Auckland-Thames express past, a level crossing at Eureka on Tuesday, had a very fortunate escape from complete destruction. The engine struck the rear of the vehicle, taking the cap off one of the wheels, knocking out a spoke and damaging ? the mudguard.

In a letter to Mr. E. J. Darby, of Arapuni, the manager for the Thames Valley Electric Power Board, Mr. R. Sprague, advises that the board has authorised the reticulation of the Puketurua district as far as Mr. King’s farm. The extension of the lines to the Salvation Army farm will depend on the decision of the Salvation Army authorities as to what amount in excess of the ordinary rates they are willing to pay for electricity to make up the estimated loss on the extension.

The Rev. T. G. Hammond, of Wiltsdown, Putaruru, who is affectionately recognised by both pakeha and native as one of the Dominion’s leading students of the Maori, has published a book, “ The Story of Aotea,” a title which speaks for itself as dealing with the coming of the Maoris to New Zealand. The book is very favourably commented on by reviewers and possesses a particular appeal for New Zealanders who have a deep regard for their country and all things that pertain to it.

The original portion of the Arapuni access road, from Putaruru to the Pokaiwhenua stream, is being widened and well crowned by Mr. M. Henderson under contract tp the Public Works Department. The work as far as it has gone indicates that the department evidently intends making the access road one of liberal formaation as well as metalling throughout, and on its completion it should be one of the “ show ” country roads of the province. The decking of the Waipa bridge has been started and it is now expected that this bridge will be open for traffic within the next fortnight.

the Ministerial party ,was coming down the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s railway on December 4 a halt for morning tea was made at the Waikato bridge, Mr. E. McCaffery, on behalf of the company, acting as host. Incidentally, the Hon. J. G. Coates was attracted by the excellent vegetable garden at Mr. McCaffery’s homestead, taking the liberty of sampling some of the tempting offerings there, such as green peas, radishes, etc. The garden was certainly an impressive example of what could be grown in Upper Waikato soil, and now further striking examples of this come from the same place in the form of gigantic cornstalks from a patch of maize grown by Mr. McCaffery. The largest was 13ft 4iin from the base to top of the bloom and the lower portion of the stalk bore a resemblance to heavy bamboo. The formation of the cobs was very peculiar, they not being single but growing out in bunches of five or six and making a total of 21 cobs on the one stalk. Some of these, however, were small and deformed owing to the curious bunching. A very good sample of cucumbers, too, testifies to the suitability of the soil there for growing vegetables of the melon variety.