LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 120, 11 February 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. S. J. Lock, of Walton, has purchased nine pedigree Ayrshire heifers from Mr. Boyd, of Matangi ; also, the cow, Gladys of Myrtle Grove, bred by Mr. Hansen, of Dannevirke. Gladys produced 4761 b of fat in 238 clays, incomplete test.

At a meeting; of the Putaruru School Committee last week it was decided that the congratulations of the committee be forwarded to the headmaster (Mr. J. G. Gasparich) on the excellent report made by the inspector on the organisation, efficiency and tone of the school. The well-known property situated on the Arapuni road, known as Barr’s, changed hands last week. The property, which is of 500 acres, has been held by the Barr family for the last 40 years and con tarns a plantation of valuable trees which, were planted by Mr. Barr over 30 years ago. A monster cabbage was cut by a Putaruru resident this week the total weight of which was 221 b and the diameter 4ft lin. When stripped of the outside leaves the heart weighed 14Hb. The cabbage was of the drumhead variety and no special treatment was given beyond copious waterings. Mr. G. W. Seton, of Tirau, topped the market at the Hamilton ram fair on the 3rd inst. with IS nice quality Southdown one-shear rams. These met. with keen competition, and two realised lOig’ns, two lOgns, and the whole line averaged Bilgns. At the fair about 400 flock Southdown rams were offered on account of breeders from all parts of the Waikato, Wairarapa, Manawatu and Taranaki.

The Matamata A. and P. Association has extended the date for entries for its show to next Saturday.

Arapuni appears to be the rendezvous of those out of work - so it seems, judging by the remarks of a vagrant who appeared at the Morrinsville courthouse on Monday. The accused stated that he had work to go to, a farmer at Piako wanting a man for harvesting. Then there was always Arapuni, the man adding an assurance that he always had work to go to.

Dairy farmers throughout the Rangitikei district heartily endorse the sugg*estion made at the last Power Board meeting to reduce the cost of power for running milking plants. For some time the high running costs and the frequent stoppages have made some farmers wish they had never turned over to electricity, and the news of reduced cost and the assurance of fewer stoppages in the future is indeed gratifying. It is understood that power from Mangahao will be available in the near future.

A much-needed work is being carried out in Kensington street, Putaruru, by the Matamata County Council. The street has been graded and broadened for most of its length and is now being given a light covering of shingle. Attention has also been given to the footpath below the Anglican Church, but the filling here was not made high enough, and unless further work is done the footpath will soon be as bad as ever. The whole job has been crying out for attention for many months now, and it is hoped that while the council’s gear is in the town that attention will be given to the other outlet near Dr. Haslett’s, where a few pounds judiciously spent would obviate the quagmire and lessen the grade on a portion of the road that is much used by cars.

Whether members of the various churches in Paeroa have a total disregard for the appearances of their respective church properties or whether they are too busily occupied with their private vocations cannot be stated. This morning the minister of one of the churches was to be seen with coat and hat off and sleeves rolled up, hard at work with spade, hoe, and rake, cleaning up the paths surrounding his church, while not many chains away another cleric, also with coat off, was observed seated on an upturned benzine tin calmly applying a much-needed coat of paint to the fence fronting his particular church.— Hauraki Plains Gazette.

Another of those fish yarns. The Te Aroha News tells the following ag*ainst itself. Two paragraphs appeared in our last issue about a shark alleged to have been captured at Tauranga by a party of sportsmen from Te Aroha. In one paragraph the length of the shark was given as 9ft and in the other as 12ft. The fact is is that two members of the News staff had obtained independent information and each without knowing that the other had written on the subject sent in paragraphs for publication. To improve the joke it so haupened that in making up the paper the two paragraphs were placed in juxtaposition. Our first suspicion was that Mr. Ken. Wright, who had given the story in which the leng'th of the shark was said to be 9ft, had deliberately understated the facts and that -he was preserving the story of the 12 footer shark for the Auckland Star. In following the matter up to learn whether he had actually attempted to put one across us, we found that the whole story was a fabrication, and the only tiling monstrous to report upon in connection with the trip was the lying to which it gave rise.

This is the ratest dieting craze, the devotees of which for two days, two weeks, two months, or even in some cases long*er, pass by the butcher’s shop and have no gas or fuel bills worth mentioning (says the Evening Post). Everything is eaten as the garden grows it, raw carrot, raw parsnip, a cabbage leaf or two, the choice heart of a snow-white cauliflower, beet-root for colour, nuts, pears, and apples (skin, core and pips)—all grated finely to an appetising- (if one feels that way) dish. It is not mere vegetarianism, it is uncooked vegetarianism, and apparently there is not the slightest objection to an extension off the system to include meats, except that, to be consistent the seeker after perfection must eat his (but mostly her) meat food also in the natural state, preferably bitten direct from the animal on the hoof. The new food is eaten, with or without relish, purely in the interests of the willow wand figure, and much is claimed" for it as an 100 per cent reducer, so much so j that folk previously distinctly on the wrong side of correct-weiglit-for- | height have, after a couple of months on raw veg-etable mush, continued to 1 lose weight simply as a result of the worry over the sudden alarming slackness of last season’s summer clothes; even the hat band must be padded. Already several towns in New Zealand have been bitten hard by the new idea; and Wellington will escape only by a miracle. At what age should a girl marry? The question is answered in “ The Troubles of a Bride,” to be screened at the Putaruru picture theatre next Saturday. The film is described as the speediest comedy that ever crossed a screen. :!:

The Putaruru Horticultural and Home Industries Exhibition takes place in the Putaruru Hall to-morrow (Friday). Good entries are assured and the opening* ceremony takes place at 1 p.m.*

The first two bungalows built by the Putaruru Building Syndicate and advertised for sale in the Press have been sold. The third, beautifully situated on the banks of the Oraka river, is now being built. Early application by those interested for particulars is advisable. R. Alcorn, authorised agent.*