LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 143, 29 July 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Illustrating the ignorhnee of some farmers as to political and economic questions, Mr. P. Keesran, provincial organiser, speaking at Matamata, said that one farmer in a fairly big way had objected to the policy of Protection, saying: “ What would we do without the protection of the British Navy ? ” —Matamata Record.

While waiting for the explosion qt Arapuni last Monday a lady was overheard to earnestly ask her husband, who is a well-known engineer, if their position on the bluff was a safe one, and free from all danger. The husband replied fully, explaining how science had enabled engineers to calculate to a nicety the force of such explosions, but he added quickly as an afterthought, “ But of course we never know, my dear, we never know.”

A shipment of heavy machinery for Arapuni arrived at Putaruru last Sunday by special train. The removal of this to Arapuni will be a severe strain on the road, which, however, has been built to cope with it. On Tuesday a traction engine and trailer removed one of tiie quarter-stators, the trailer and its load totalling 30 tons. It was noticeable that the traction engine, ' which itself weighs 14 tons, made no impression on the surface, though the 1 Sin wheels of the trailer made a marked impression.

A motor lorry, belonging to Messrs. Innis Bros., of Hamilton, and laden with cordials and. stout, was destroyed by fire on the Hinuera-Cambridge road recently, the cause of the accident being an explosion in the benzine tank. Fortunately no one was injured. A great cloud of smoke ascended high in the air and was seen for miles around. The lorry had just come out of the paint shop a few days previously. An amusing sidelight was the salvaging by a Maori of many bottles of stout (which he thought was “waipiro”), the “rescue” being made while he held an empty benzine case over his head to save him from the flying glass caused by the bottles exploding with the heat—much to the amusement of the onlookers. — Matamata Record. Typographical errors have been responsible for many amusing errors in newspapers and magazines. Since the advent and free use of pictures in the papers another source of mistakes has been provided. A paper, published in Sydney, contains an illustrated article on the growth of the New Zealand Herald. A very fine picture is given of the Auckland offices and underneath anpears another picture of the “ Herald’s Executives and Employees.” But the unconscious humorist has inserted a photo of the group of the Empire Press Delegates and friends token at the luncheon given at the Ellers!ie racecourse last year. So Lord Burnham, Sir Frank Nejv nes oh / visiti os James Parr, are presented as being the “ executives and employees.” The Herald is certainly coming on.

A nice line of 50 high-grade Jersey heifers will be offered at the Tirau saleyards on Friday (in conjunction with Mr. M. Batley’s clearing sale) on behalf of Mr. Frank Rose. Some of these heifers are from high-testing herds of Taranaki and are in calf to pedigree Jersey bulls. They should command the attention of dairymen in the district. / On Wednesday, 21st inst., a deputation from the Matamata County Council, Cambridge Borough Council and Leamington Town Board waited on the Hon. Mr. McLeod at Wellington with respect to the acquisition by the Government of 3850 acres of the summit of Maungatautari range. Mr. E. J.* Darby was chief spokesman, and at the end of an interesting discussion the Minister stated that he would recommend Cabinet to purchase the area as a climatic reserve. One of the commonest questions asked on a racecourse by punters in anxious search for a possible winner is “ What have you backed ? ” The answer often makes confusion worse confounded. It was therefore with great surprise that a newspaper man who asked this question of a punter before a race—eight starters —received the reply, “ Have backed first and second.” “ How have you done that? ” was of course the natural response. “ Backed the field,” came the cheery answer. “ That’s how you catch ’em.” The punter caught them all right, as the two biggest outsiders in the field won, and he showed a good profit. The practice, however, of backing the field is a very risky one and is generally calculated to deplete a punter’s pocket.—Otago Times. “ Thundering Hoofs,” a vivid drama of the Wild West, featuring Fred Thomson and his famous horse Silver King, will be screened at Puta- , ruru - next Saturday. The picture is • described as Thomson’s “ best ever.”*